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Larry Holmes defends the WBC Heavyweight Title in a rematch with no 1. contender Earnie Shavers on ABC Boxing
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00:00:00ABC Sports presents a tremendous night of boxing live featuring Batman Larry Holmes.
00:00:09Holmes, unbeaten in 31 outings, holder of the WBC version of the Heavyweight Championship.
00:00:17His opponent, Batman, Ernie Shavers.
00:00:21Remember the demolition of Kenny Norton in the very first round when those two met?
00:00:27So, it is Larry Holmes against Ernie Shavers.
00:00:32And at stake, the WBC version of the Heavyweight Championship scheduled 15 rounds.
00:00:41And also, the man considered by so many as the best in the world, inch for inch and pound for pound.
00:00:49There he is, Roberto Duran of the stunning lefts and rights.
00:00:53And he will be fighting Zebrino Gonzalez.
00:00:57And also, the youngster who captured the hearts of all America in Montreal.
00:01:03Unbeaten Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:01:06A scheduled 12-rounder against the very tough Andy Price.
00:01:10Live from the Sports Pavilion at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, the WBC World Heavyweight Championship.
00:01:28Undefeated Larry Holmes against the number one contender, Ernie Shavers.
00:01:33This ABC Sports Special is brought to you by Anheuser-Busch Natural Light.
00:01:39When you want a smooth, clean taste in a great light beer, just say, natural.
00:01:45And by American Motors, makers of quality products.
00:01:50Spirit, Pacer, Concorde, the famous CJs, Cherokees, Trucks, Wagoneers, and the new Eagle with automatic four-wheel drive.
00:01:58It is a packed house here tonight.
00:02:04And hello again, everybody.
00:02:06Howard Cosell reporting.
00:02:08They tell us that this has been the hottest ticket in the history of the strip.
00:02:12And why not?
00:02:13It figures to be a dynamite night of boxing with an explosive card.
00:02:18The running order will go like this.
00:02:20The first fight, shortly to begin, Sugar Ray Leonard against Andy Price.
00:02:25And you talk about the caliber of Leonard's opponents.
00:02:28Price has been good enough to have beaten Carlos Palomino and Pepino Cuevas.
00:02:34And then, the great man, Roberto Duran against Severino Gonzalez.
00:02:39And finally, the rematch, the showdown for the WBC version of the heavyweight crown, Larry Holmes against Ernie Shavers.
00:02:4915 rounds scheduled, of course.
00:02:51And if the action we have tonight is anything like some of the action we've already had, highlights of which you may see later should time permit, well, you'll be seeing some great boxing.
00:03:02I refer to Wilfredo Gomez's comeback TKO victory in the 10th round against a tough game Panamanian named Carlos Mendoza.
00:03:12Right now, my colleague, working with me tonight, calling the Duran fight.
00:03:17Chris Schenkel, a veteran of so many fight calls.
00:03:20And Duran, Leonard, the thought occurs, the welterweights create as much interest these days as the heavyweights.
00:03:27Well, Howard, we thank you and hello from the desert.
00:03:28I'd like to say it's about time the welterweight division is getting its due because in the 40s, Sugar Ray Robinson, they drew packed houses.
00:03:36And they drew these two welterweights you're talking about.
00:03:39I think they helped fill us.
00:03:40Not take anything away from Murray Holmes.
00:03:42But what I want to point out about Roberto Duran, who happens to be my favorite, he enjoys what he does.
00:03:47In Caesar's Palace's Sports Pavilion.
00:03:50So, as you look at the packed house, with Holmes against Shavers coming up, championship boxing from Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, is being brought to you by Budwise.
00:04:03For all you do, this Bud's for you.
00:04:06Now, let's take a look at Ernie Shavers.
00:04:13They're bringing him in now from the dressing.
00:04:17He's been shadowboxing.
00:04:18You have seen him just a few moments ago.
00:04:21You see the personal body, or unsuspectingly strong body, did put up a well of a show.
00:04:27And in the welterweight division, he will be a factor because of his style and his physique.
00:04:32He is a very troublesome man to box, as you just saw against Roberto Duran.
00:04:37I know every trick in the book, but unleashed very few of them tonight.
00:04:41Okay, here's Howard with a very special guest.
00:04:44I wonder if you recognize this fella.
00:04:46One of the best actors we have in the business.
00:04:50Tony Lobianco, from Brooklyn, New York.
00:04:53And you'll be seeing him play the Brockton Blockbuster in the movie Marciano on ABC TV in October.
00:05:01Describe what you went through to train for the role.
00:05:05Well, I tried to do everything that Rocky did.
00:05:06I ran six miles.
00:05:08I boxed every time I had a chance I could get.
00:05:11I ate like him, lived like him.
00:05:13I did everything that was possible to do in the television schedule.
00:05:16You were also a Golden Gloves fighter, my friend.
00:05:19Yeah, and I was back when I was a kid.
00:05:21It wasn't just that.
00:05:22He happens to be a well of an athlete.
00:05:24He once almost broke up a Sandy Koufax snowheader when Grady Vocational, for which he played,
00:05:31went against Lafayette High School.
00:05:32You've got that memory, Howard.
00:05:34Listen, what's the night the show will play?
00:05:36It'll be on October 21st at 9 o'clock.
00:05:40And it's on Sunday night.
00:05:43It's a two-hour special.
00:05:44I think it's a terrific show.
00:05:47It's a man that I'm very proud of having the privilege to portray.
00:05:53He's a gentleman, a soft-spoken fellow, a tiger in the ring, and just a swell guy all around.
00:06:00All right.
00:06:01Good luck to you.
00:06:01It's nice to have you aboard.
00:06:03How about this fight?
00:06:04Is that something else?
00:06:05Yeah, it was interesting.
00:06:07Roberto Duran has to be worried about whether or not he's over the hill.
00:06:10Good luck, my friend.
00:06:12All right.
00:06:12There's Larry Holmes in his dressing room.
00:06:17And he appears as confident as ever.
00:06:19Maybe he's emulating too much.
00:06:22Muhammad Ali, some feel that way about him.
00:06:25Under any circumstances, he seems to be in the best boxing shape of his life.
00:06:31And so, we want to take you to the boxing history of Larry Holmes.
00:06:37In the early part of his career, he was in and out, showed no real talent.
00:06:41And then, suddenly, he erupted.
00:06:43Let's pick up at the point where it became clear that Larry Holmes was a quality heavyweight fighter.
00:06:52This was when Larry Holmes catapulted into prominence, gave notice he might be a quality heavyweight.
00:07:00You saw the shavers right in the second.
00:07:03He survived it, worked out of trouble by round 12 in total command.
00:07:08He had rendered shavers helpless.
00:07:10Only shavers' courage kept him upright.
00:07:13But for Holmes, an easy and overwhelming victory.
00:07:17And suddenly, some people knew about Larry Holmes.
00:07:21They certainly knew about him.
00:07:24After June 9, 1978, the war against Kenny Norton, the WBC version of the heavyweight crown at stake.
00:07:33Norton fought gallantly, but Holmes maybe even more gallantly.
00:07:38And so, Holmes acquired the crown that day.
00:07:42The 15th round, one of the most memorable in contemporary boxing history, Holmes the winner.
00:07:49The first defense came in November in Las Vegas against Alfredo Evangelista, a lopsided affair.
00:07:58And in the 7th round, Evangelista went.
00:08:01And then there was the troublesome Puerto Rican with the awkward style, Ozzy Ocasio.
00:08:07Holmes proving he could adjust the style.
00:08:10Floored him four times, finished him in the 7th.
00:08:13But, as his image had grown, so suddenly was it hurt.
00:08:19This against Mike Weaver in the Garden in New York.
00:08:23And this was the 10th round.
00:08:25And Weaver was hurting Holmes, who seemed sluggish and unable to put his punches together.
00:08:32And so, he was struggling.
00:08:33In round 12, though, Holmes came back, and he began to pummel Mike Weaver.
00:08:40And it was at this point in time that the official felt Weaver was helpless, Holmes the winner.
00:08:46And so, Holmes, because of the Weaver fight, has some new questions to be answered.
00:08:52Questions that should be answered tonight against Ernie Shabers.
00:08:56All right, once again, Larry Holmes, who just watched that boxing history in his dressing room.
00:09:04And, as I said, he seems to be in the best boxing shape of his life.
00:09:09In the meantime, his opponent tonight seems to be the reborn fighter he claims to be.
00:09:16And there are a lot of people around here who think that Shavers may indeed take apart Larry Holmes.
00:09:24This time, he's using a left jab that he didn't have when he fought him the last time around.
00:09:30Everybody knows, of course, that Ernie is a devastating puncher.
00:09:34But everybody knows, in perfect fact, that Ernie has had an up-and-down career.
00:09:39Oh, he could knock out Jimmy Ellis in the first round.
00:09:42Take a fearful pummeling from Ron Lyle and himself be done away with.
00:09:47But always, he would come back, as he did against Henry Clark in the second round.
00:09:51And struggle to an important victory over Roy Williams.
00:09:56And there was a night in his life more important than any other night.
00:10:02Because unlike Rodney Dangerfield, Ernie Shabers got respect.
00:10:08So in his boxing history, let's go back to that night in his life.
00:10:13As one looks back, it wasn't that long ago, really.
00:10:17Ernie Shabers.
00:10:18Shabers got his title chance two years ago, almost to the day.
00:10:23In the early going, he batted Ali, but failed to take advantage.
00:10:27Ali won the decision.
00:10:28Shabers got respect.
00:10:30But against Larry Holmes, the most doleful performance of Shabers' career.
00:10:35Holmes completely dominating for an easy win.
00:10:38And then, there was this night.
00:10:42The incredible victory over Kenny Norton.
00:10:46With Ernie Shabers proving he is still the most devastating puncher in the business list.
00:10:52Norton's showing no movement at all.
00:10:54Whatever his strategy, he's paying a price for it.
00:10:57And this is the very best.
00:10:59Norton down quickly.
00:11:00We told you that Kenny Norton liked Shabers' chances in this fight.
00:11:06It's got a low, as he's in deep, deep trouble.
00:11:10You just saw the legs rubbery as he fell against the ropes.
00:11:13The first knockdown.
00:11:15Norton, there goes Swarton again.
00:11:17This time, I don't know if he can get up.
00:11:20It's stopped.
00:11:21Bill Blaine has stopped the fight.
00:11:24It was a tremendous evening for Ernie Shabers.
00:11:28A reborn fighter in his own mind with a manager he cares about.
00:11:33And so, tonight, he gets another title shot.
00:11:39And so, back to Ernie Shabers in his dressing room.
00:11:43His manager now, Frankie Luka.
00:11:45His prior manager, Blackie Gennaro.
00:11:48Shabers outspoken about his distaste for Gennaro.
00:11:52And about how much he cares about Frankie Luka.
00:11:56Holmes has been training for six weeks here in Las Vegas.
00:12:01Some think that has to take something out of him.
00:12:04Shabers has been training up in the mountains.
00:12:07How do the two men behave when they are together?
00:12:10With an interrogator between them?
00:12:12Well, we hit that subject when I sat between them earlier and talked with both of them.
00:12:18Each has definite views as to how we will fight the fight and about the other man's ability.
00:12:23Let's look.
00:12:25Ernie, I think we have to begin with you.
00:12:29The burden clearly is on you.
00:12:31March 25th, a year ago, Larry decisively outpointed you.
00:12:35Why should it be different this time around?
00:12:38Well, I was, you know, I got rid of my old manager.
00:12:41Got rid of the headache I had.
00:12:43I'm properly trained now with good people.
00:12:45I had plenty of time to prepare for the fight last time.
00:12:49We was off five and a half months.
00:12:50We had four and a half weeks to get ready.
00:12:52And we had the money out of the day this time.
00:12:54And we were in good shape.
00:12:55We had good spying partners.
00:12:56Had nine weeks in training camp.
00:12:57Same we had for Norton.
00:12:59And it was a completely different fight.
00:13:01You see, we were going to fight this time.
00:13:02How are you going to make the fight?
00:13:03Well, I'm going to put a lot of pressure on Larry.
00:13:05I'm going to throw combinations to the body, slow him down.
00:13:09Once I slow him down, I go to work on him.
00:13:11I take him out.
00:13:12When will you take him out?
00:13:13Well, I can't see the fight going over five lines myself, Howard.
00:13:17We trained for 15, but I just can't see the guy going over five.
00:13:20Some body shots will take the toe.
00:13:22You know, I'm definitely going to catch him.
00:13:23I'm going to cut the wind off on him.
00:13:25Put a lot of pressure on him.
00:13:26Make him fight.
00:13:27How have you improved since a year ago?
00:13:29Well, my mind's improved.
00:13:30Apart from Blackie Gennaro, the ex-manager.
00:13:32I'm throwing more combinations.
00:13:33I'm working to the body.
00:13:34I'm thinking now, before I walk away and try to pin on the right hand and take the guy out.
00:13:39Well, the viewers are going to be watching you.
00:13:41What about the left jab?
00:13:42Well, I can get away from the left jab.
00:13:44I'm going to use that now.
00:13:45What about George?
00:13:46Oh, my jab got a good jab.
00:13:47Very strong jab, Howard.
00:13:49And I think once I hit Larry a few times with that, it's going to stay out of the way, too.
00:13:53I'm going to be using it a lot more than you can.
00:13:55Larry, you heard Ernie say exactly how he was going to fight the fight.
00:14:02You do come off what for you was an embarrassment.
00:14:05You know that, against Mike Weaver.
00:14:07I felt that you lost some confidence after that fight the last time we talked.
00:14:11Is there truth to that?
00:14:12You know, I didn't lose any confidence.
00:14:14I got smarter.
00:14:15I worked harder, you know.
00:14:16I learned a lesson from that fight.
00:14:20I learned not to take people lightly.
00:14:22I was going so good, so strong.
00:14:24I was beating up everybody.
00:14:2531 fights, beating Ernie Shavers, beating Kenny Norton, had Ernie out three to four times, you know.
00:14:30And I said, nobody in the world could beat me.
00:14:33And everybody was saying this guy couldn't fight.
00:14:36The newspapers were saying he couldn't.
00:14:37The TVs never had been warning.
00:14:39And I said, what the hell?
00:14:40I shouldn't even have to train for this guy.
00:14:42And I found out different.
00:14:43You have to prepare yourself for everybody and go back to the drawing board and do the things that you know how to do.
00:14:50Will you be fighting Ernie the same way you fought the first time?
00:14:55Circular movement, lateral movement, the rape you like left?
00:14:59I don't think so, Howard.
00:15:00I think I'll be right there in front of him.
00:15:01I think I'm going to make him fight.
00:15:03Ernie hasn't been really pushed.
00:15:05I mean, I've been going back all the time, letting the man come forward, which that's my best fighting plan.
00:15:10But Ernie got, like he said, I got a little dog in him.
00:15:13Ernie is known to have dog in him.
00:15:16Jerry Corey took him out in one round.
00:15:18Ron Stanton knocked him out.
00:15:20Ron Loud knocked him out.
00:15:22Bob Sterling beat him.
00:15:23And the other 55 guys he knocked out, we never heard of.
00:15:27Most of them are the same guys we fought, Howard.
00:15:28We never heard of.
00:15:31So you feel you're back to where you were.
00:15:39Yes, Howard.
00:15:40I think I'm better now than where I were because since the time that I beat Ernie Shavers, I have won the title.
00:15:46I have beaten Kenny Norton.
00:15:48I have defended my title three times, and I matured with another year of age.
00:15:54And I feel that by winning the title, that gave me more confidence, gave me more to fight for.
00:15:58Let me ask you a very direct question.
00:16:00I've watched you with the fans around here making speeches.
00:16:03Are you muddling your own mind by trying to be too much like Muhammad Ali?
00:16:08No, I want to be like Larry Holmes because Howard isn't only one Ali.
00:16:13Ali did his thing, and now I'm doing mine.
00:16:16Ali was a legend.
00:16:16If I can be as great, as good, as flambant as Ali was, great.
00:16:21Let me do it because I feel that he was a great man.
00:16:24He was a legend in this time.
00:16:26And if I want to set an example, let that example be a good one.
00:16:28Just like you, Howard.
00:16:29You're good in your thing.
00:16:31I'm good in mine.
00:16:32And if we're not good, they're going to replace us.
00:16:35And this is why we have to be good at what we do.
00:16:37Final two quick questions.
00:16:39You're going to stay out in front of Ernie.
00:16:42You're not going to move the way you did in the first place.
00:16:44I don't really know how much I'm going to move, but I never ran from Ernie, and I'm not going to run from him this time.
00:16:49Isn't that asking for disaster?
00:16:51No, because he don't punch.
00:16:53He hit me before, Howard, and you've seen it, and all the people all over the world watched it on ABC.
00:16:58ABC's seen it, and he didn't hurt me.
00:17:00I hope tonight you stay out for me.
00:17:02We'll see if I can punch.
00:17:03Okay.
00:17:04We'll all go home early.
00:17:04Well, a final question.
00:17:06Ernie says you'll go in five.
00:17:08What do you say?
00:17:08That's probably when he'll go.
00:17:11Good luck to you.
00:17:13Good luck to you.
00:17:14You're both good men.
00:17:16I'm a better one, though, Howard.
00:17:18I'm the champion.
00:17:19Howard, may I ask for you to do a lot of talking?
00:17:22I talk because he gives me I got something to say while I talk.
00:17:27All right.
00:17:29That conversation earlier, and coming up, the WBC World Heavyweight Championship.
00:17:36Larry Holmes defending against Ernie Schavers.
00:17:40Championship boxing from Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, is being brought to you by Budweiser.
00:17:49All you do, this Bud's for you.
00:17:53I'm advised that that was wrongly placed in front of me, but so it was.
00:17:57No problem.
00:17:58In the meantime, let's continue on with the show.
00:18:01You're looking at a packed house here in Caesar's House, Sports Pavilion.
00:18:08And, of course, earlier tonight, it began almost at 8 o'clock New York time, just a couple of minutes after.
00:18:16There was the stunningly spectacular knockout of Andy Hart-Price in the first round, 2 minutes 52 seconds,
00:18:24by a pleasingly brilliant Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:18:27So, we, for those of you who may have missed it, want to, we want to play it for you again.
00:18:34And you must watch closely because it didn't take that long.
00:18:38Repeat, it happened in the very first round.
00:18:41This is the way it was.
00:18:45Andy Price, the man so highly regarded who had beaten Palomino, who had beaten Cuevas.
00:18:51And, as Sugar Ray Leonard told us in the interview after the fight, he wanted to psych him out.
00:18:57He showed enough curly movement, working a bit cautiously, but knowing that the key was the left jab,
00:19:06and knowing that Angie Dundee had drawn up a very careful fight plan for him,
00:19:11had studied Price's moves completely, knew that he positioned his legs awkwardly.
00:19:17So, Sugar Ray, moving for position against Price, moving that left jab in against the belly,
00:19:24another part of the fight plan.
00:19:26Dundee feeling Price can't take it to the belly.
00:19:30But there weren't that many belly blows in total number.
00:19:34No, not really, it wasn't necessary.
00:19:38Sugar Ray, just measuring the opponent, determining when he would find the opening.
00:19:43The quick left jab being the basic low, as he just showed you there.
00:19:49But he, with boxing basics, would use the left to set up the right.
00:19:54As you watch, this was first round action.
00:20:02This was the first, and it turned out the only round.
00:20:07Sugar Ray missing there, but quickly the left jab.
00:20:09The man's, again, the left jab, the man's speed of hands, just tremendous, and speed of feet, too.
00:20:17But a wary fighter this night.
00:20:19He knew how much this victory would mean to him, with Wilfredo Benitez for the title later this fall.
00:20:26And maybe if Duran can get back to something like his old self, Duran, next year.
00:20:32Maybe.
00:20:33So this was a critical fight for Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:20:37And you'd be amazed how many people here in Las Vegas, from the coast, boxing people, thought that Price would give it to Leonard.
00:20:45But here, as you see that first round, there was the right.
00:20:50He set Price up perfectly for it.
00:20:53And that right stung Price.
00:20:55Price, wild with a swing.
00:20:57Missing him.
00:20:57The right lead.
00:20:58And quickly, Price was in trouble against the ropes, exactly where Leonard wanted him and Dundee wanted him.
00:21:06Then he went down to the belly briefly, but then up to the head and the hands with that speed I talked to you about.
00:21:13Playing all over the defenseless face of Andy Price.
00:21:17And down Price went.
00:21:18And indeed, one was worried about his condition as he struggled to try to get up.
00:21:26But he couldn't.
00:21:27He rolled over and went down again.
00:21:29And it was a number of minutes before he could get up.
00:21:32And the jubilant Sugar Ray Leonard may have made believers of all of the people who for so long have been saying,
00:21:39who has he fought, what has he done, and he postures too much in the manner of our league.
00:21:46This kid is a super talent.
00:21:50Now, that's the way it was for Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:21:54And we're about live in Caesars Palace's Sports Pavilion.
00:22:01So, as you look at the packed house, with Holmes against Shavers coming up,
00:22:06championship boxing from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, is being brought to you by Budweiser.
00:22:13For all you do, this Bud's for you.
00:22:16Now, let's take a look at Ernie Shavers.
00:22:23They're bringing him in now from the dressing room.
00:22:26He's been shadow boxing.
00:22:28You have seen him just a few moments ago.
00:22:31You see the perspiration open.
00:22:34He doesn't want to come into the ring cold.
00:22:38He told us that, too, in our talks with him.
00:22:41There, graphically, is the ring record of Ernie Shavers.
00:22:45He's 58, 7, and 1.
00:22:48And then, there is Larry Holmes.
00:22:51Holmes boasts that he has never come into the ring cold.
00:22:55And his body, now being greased up, looks to be superbly trimmed.
00:23:01In fact, Larry weighed in at 210 pounds.
00:23:07Ernie weighed in at 211.
00:23:09Incidentally, as we watch Larry being rubbed down and go back again, a glimpse of the packed house in the sports pavilion.
00:23:22Don't forget, tomorrow, NCAA college football.
00:23:26Penn State against Nebraska, the key regional, and the others speak for themselves on that graphic there.
00:23:32Miami of Ohio, incidentally, the team that only lost to powerhouse Michigan State in the final minute last week.
00:23:39They are good.
00:23:41And, of course, the nationally televised game.
00:23:44The powerhouse offense of Ohio State, but the now questionable defense, against UCLA, which seems to make a habit of beating Big Ten teams.
00:23:54Well, we'll find out about that.
00:23:58Again, the scene in Caesars Palace's Sports Pavilion.
00:24:02Ernie Shavers, with his revenue, just past Lloyd Wells, who used to be part of Ali's revenue.
00:24:09Was once a key scout for the Kansas City Chiefs.
00:24:12But that's Ernie Shavers, into the ring now.
00:24:15He's moving corner to corner, on his toes, past the color guard in ring center.
00:24:24And Ernie Shavers, who vows and declares that this time he will enix the title.
00:24:31He had a shot at it with Ali.
00:24:33He gets a shot at the WBC version for the second time.
00:24:38And he seems to have the look of a confident fight.
00:24:43So, with the home shavers fight coming up, we'll be right back.
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00:25:46We're back live in Las Vegas, Nevada.
00:25:51Larry Holmes may be trying to psych out Ernie Shavers.
00:25:54He is still in his dressing room.
00:25:56Shavers already in the ring.
00:26:00And Shavers with a huge following here.
00:26:02Make no mistake about it.
00:26:03Indeed, a large contingent of people from Warren, Ohio,
00:26:08which is adjacent to Ernie's hometown.
00:26:12Ernie Shavers.
00:26:14And look at Holmes, patiently taking his time,
00:26:19looking up at the television monitor right now as this reporter talks.
00:26:25And I've just been handed a series of sayings by Frank Luca,
00:26:30the manager of Ernie Shavers.
00:26:32It says here in front of me,
00:26:35Greens can come true.
00:26:37And then, interestingly, there's a quotation.
00:26:41A quotation of a man named Gossam Canaan,
00:26:44the brilliant screenwriter, playwright, director,
00:26:48sometime producer, Gossam Canaan,
00:26:51who wrote a book, and this is what it was.
00:26:53It takes a long time to become young.
00:26:57And so, and so, Frank Luca has been doing his homework, his reading.
00:27:04Meantime again, the crowd in the arena.
00:27:07And don't forget, live from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin,
00:27:11at 9 o'clock Eastern time,
00:27:13ABC's Monday Night Football,
00:27:16the talent-laden New England Patriots
00:27:19against the Green Bay Packers of Bart Starr.
00:27:22You know about the Pack, Steve Brogan,
00:27:25Harold Jackson, Russ Francis.
00:27:28They've got the players.
00:27:29The Pack, the Pack may have memories,
00:27:32but there is something there.
00:27:34Holmes is really holding up Shavers.
00:27:37The tactic now seems utterly obvious.
00:27:40Freddie Brown just walking around in there,
00:27:44serving in the corner of Holmes.
00:27:46Shavers doesn't seem to be letting it affect him
00:27:50as he engages in bad-nosh with some of the fans and waves to them.
00:27:55But we've seen this tactic tried before.
00:27:58George Foreman tried it on Muhammad Ali in Zaire, remember?
00:28:03It didn't work for George.
00:28:05I don't know if it'll work for Larry,
00:28:07but that much seems clear.
00:28:09Going back to my interview with both fighters,
00:28:12remember the way it was in the first fight
00:28:14as Holmes begins now to leave his dressing room to come in.
00:28:18Holmes, using that constancy of movement,
00:28:21withstanding a savage right that landed in the second round,
00:28:26jabbing his way out of trouble.
00:28:28With the jab and with movement,
00:28:29went on to an overwhelmingly easy decision.
00:28:33I myself thought at the time that would be the end for Ernie.
00:28:38Instead, it was another beginning.
00:28:40And then, coming down with the WBC Championship belt
00:28:45being carried above his head and in front of him,
00:28:48is the defending champion, Larry Holt.
00:28:52Well, at 35 or 36, or whatever he is really,
00:29:03Jabez has to know that this time it is it.
00:29:07There can be no further comebacks should he lose.
00:29:12Total crossroads fight for him.
00:29:16This time, for real.
00:29:17And for Holmes, the desire to prove himself all over again
00:29:22has to Mike Weaver.
00:29:25All right.
00:29:26We're now on the verge, finally,
00:29:29of this WBC Heavyweight Championship fight.
00:29:32We'll be back in a moment.
00:29:44Superstar appearing here right now.
00:29:47And a fight fan.
00:29:49And all over the world with that lady,
00:29:51her opening in London,
00:29:52her opening in Paris,
00:29:54always she goes,
00:29:55and there he is,
00:29:56the Yankee Clipper.
00:29:57The man who looks better with every passing year.
00:30:01He's here with another guy.
00:30:03They have the best-looking white hair in the world,
00:30:06the two of them.
00:30:09They've grown gray beautifully.
00:30:11And the man I'm talking about,
00:30:13you're about to see.
00:30:14There he is,
00:30:16Gary Grant.
00:30:18Once,
00:30:19he was Archie Leach,
00:30:21a stilt walker at Tony Island.
00:30:23He became one of the greatest stars
00:30:25in the history of motion pictures.
00:30:27We're back to earning shapes.
00:30:30I tell you,
00:30:31it's worth it to get old
00:30:32if you can look like DiMaggio and Grant, Chris.
00:30:35Why,
00:30:35don't you?
00:30:37I'll tell you one thing.
00:30:38David Pearl is the referee
00:30:40of the scheduled 15-round championship bout,
00:30:42and I would think
00:30:43that he'd rub off some of the grease
00:30:45on the body and face
00:30:47of Larry Holmes.
00:30:48We'll see if he does.
00:30:49What was your honest opinion
00:30:51of Holmes' tactic?
00:30:52I thought it was Bush.
00:30:53You know,
00:30:54you don't,
00:30:55you're the champion,
00:30:56and I don't think
00:30:57you keep a man like this waiting.
00:31:00But they did.
00:31:02And you,
00:31:03you talked about a set of pipes.
00:31:06Marvin Gaye is in the ring,
00:31:07Howard,
00:31:07to sing our national anthem.
00:31:10Tremendous talent.
00:31:11And a very sad man
00:31:12because he owns Andy Price
00:31:15and Leonard distraught.
00:31:16Here is Marvin Gaye
00:31:17with the anthem.
00:31:18You see
00:31:43by the dawn's early
00:31:48What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
00:32:05Whose broad stripes and bright stars do the perilous fight?
00:32:18O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
00:32:35And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
00:32:48Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there
00:33:03Oh, say does thy star-spangled banner yet wave
00:33:20O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
00:33:39Marvin Gaye and the national anthem and that man can sing
00:33:52Now let's pause five seconds to allow our local stations to identify themselves
00:34:07That's Ernie Shavers and in this jam-packed house many of the fans were just on their feet
00:34:14Channing Ernie, Ernie, Ernie, Ernie
00:34:17You have to like him, you have to respect him
00:34:20A great deal of hardship in his life
00:34:22But now, this one last chance that we talked about before
00:34:27And kept waiting in the ring
00:34:29And I respect your candor, Chris
00:34:32I respected a very great deal when you said you thought Larry's behavior
00:34:36There is Holmes right there, was Bush
00:34:38Well, it's unlike a young man that I really care a great deal about
00:34:42We've known him a long time, Howard
00:34:43And I just think he was ill-advised
00:34:45All right, let's go to jump home, the ring announcer for the introduction of the fighters
00:34:52Ladies and gentlemen, the judges assigned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission
00:34:56For the next bout are Harold Buck, Lou Tabat, and Hal Miller
00:35:01The referee is Dave Pearl
00:35:04This is the main event of the evening
00:35:0815 rounds of boxing for the World Boxing Council Heavyweight Championship
00:35:14Introducing, in the blue corner
00:35:17Fighting out of Warren, Ohio
00:35:20Weighing 213 pounds
00:35:23The challenger, Ernie Shader
00:35:33And in the red corner
00:35:36Fighting out of Easton, Pennsylvania
00:35:39Weighing 210 pounds
00:35:41He is undefeated in his professional career
00:35:45The champion
00:35:47The Eastern Assassin
00:35:49Larry Hull
00:35:5150 rounds of boxing
00:35:53All right, there were the introductions by Chuck Hall
00:35:59Quickly, ten point must system
00:36:01Mandatory eight count
00:36:02No standing eight count
00:36:03No, knockdown limit
00:36:05Three knockdowns in a round
00:36:07Does not automatically terminate the fight
00:36:11The fighter cannot be saved by the bell except in the final round
00:36:15The three judges
00:36:16Harold Buck, Lou Talbot, and Hal Miller
00:36:19Scoring the fight
00:36:20The referee is Dave Pearl
00:36:22And
00:36:23Of course
00:36:24In Holmes' corner
00:36:25Where there has been some friction
00:36:27And some unsettlement
00:36:28Rich Giacchetti
00:36:29The manager
00:36:30Trainer
00:36:31The cup man
00:36:32Freddie Brown
00:36:33And in the corner
00:36:34As Giacchetti adjusts on the bell for round one
00:36:37Keith Clevel
00:36:40Is also in Holmes' corner
00:36:42The doctor who made his arm well again
00:36:44And apparently made pitcher Frank Tanana's arm well again
00:36:47First round action
00:36:50Let's watch and see how much Larry Holmes moves
00:36:54Shavers wanting to cut off the ring
00:36:58Nail Holmes quickly
00:37:01The way he did Kenny Norton
00:37:03But Kenny's battle plan played right into Norton's hands
00:37:07Into Shavers' hands
00:37:09This is first round action
00:37:11A rapier left
00:37:14A rapier left
00:37:17A critical weapon for Holmes
00:37:19Holmes now delivers the right with much more authority than he used to
00:37:24The body following through better
00:37:27With getting the power of the body into the arm
00:37:30It used to be just a swisher
00:37:37First round
00:37:39They're in ring center
00:37:41So far
00:37:43Larry has not been moving the way he did in the first fight
00:37:47When quickly
00:37:48There you saw a touch of it
00:37:50Now back
00:37:51Lateral movement was his weapon as much as anything
00:37:55In the first fight
00:37:56March 2050 a year ago
00:37:58Three quick lifts by Larry Holmes
00:38:01Holmes
00:38:02Tall
00:38:03Big man
00:38:04Great reach
00:38:05But Ernie's reach
00:38:07Almost as long
00:38:08Not that much by way of reach advantage
00:38:14Now if there's improvement
00:38:16Nernie who tried to go to the belly there with the right
00:38:19It would have to be
00:38:20In the delivery of the left jab
00:38:23It used to be nothing
00:38:25Now it appears he's been improved
00:38:27In his corner of course
00:38:29Frank Luka
00:38:30Artie Dorf
00:38:31Ed Hastings
00:38:32Now you've got the nuts and bolts on it
00:38:38We're into the final minute of round one
00:38:40We're into the final minute of round one
00:38:49He saw Holmes dance out of trouble
00:38:51He had thrown a right
00:38:52He didn't want to leave himself open to Shaver
00:38:56open to Shaver, so he quickly moved out of trouble, which you must do when you're fighting
00:39:02Ernie Shaver.
00:39:05Oh, Holmes, very clever.
00:39:08Very clever there.
00:39:09Had Shaver's off ballast when he hit him with the right.
00:39:16Holmes wanting to reestablish himself in the minds of so many after the relatively lackluster
00:39:22showing against Mike Weaver.
00:39:24And Holmes boxing well in this first round as we approach the end of it.
00:39:35Action photography is easy with the Minolta XG-1 35mm reflex.
00:39:39Hi, I'm Christy Jenner.
00:39:41I just focus and touch this electronic button to give me great pictures automatically.
00:39:47The XG loads easily, too.
00:39:49This signal shows me that the film is loaded properly, and the electronic self-timer lets
00:39:54us get into our own pictures.
00:39:59Minolta XG-1, your automatic choice for action photography.
00:40:04Natural white beer, please.
00:40:06Actually, I guess you're supposed to say, give me a natural or make it a natural.
00:40:10Okay, so I'm a maverick.
00:40:11But, you know, I just walked out of a bar because they didn't have natural white beer.
00:40:15You must have been humidified.
00:40:16So was I.
00:40:17I emphasize with you.
00:40:18You know, traveling without the smooth, clean taste of this white beer is downright unnatural.
00:40:23You know, that's so true.
00:40:23That's why I came in here for a natural.
00:40:25There you go.
00:40:26I just said natural.
00:40:27It goes to show you.
00:40:28I guess you hear something so often.
00:40:29You naturally just follow along like a flock of sheep.
00:40:32Monkey sea, monkey deer.
00:40:34Monkey sea, monkey deer.
00:41:04Shavers winds up for his bunches.
00:41:09Now, Frank Luka claims, oh, not the way he used to.
00:41:12There was that left jab.
00:41:14And this man is so strong that when he touches you, you ache all over.
00:41:24One thing is clear.
00:41:27This was no Kenny Norton fight plan against Shavers.
00:41:32Holmes knows what he's about.
00:41:34He's got great hand speed for a heavy one.
00:41:38And excellent foot speed.
00:41:40See that left jab?
00:41:42So far, it's the dominant blow on the butt.
00:41:45On Aspaw God, Holmes won the first round without too much trouble.
00:41:50Come on, Ernie.
00:41:52You left behind, Ernie.
00:41:54You left behind, Ernie.
00:41:55Left hand up, Ernie.
00:41:57Work it.
00:41:57You got it, Ernie.
00:41:58Ernie, Ernie.
00:41:59Head and shoulder.
00:42:00Ernie.
00:42:00Jabbing away with that left.
00:42:03Couple of them getting through Ernie's glove.
00:42:06Get the quarters, Ernie.
00:42:07Get the quarters.
00:42:09Ernie, as of old, looking for the opening to destroy the opponent with a one punch.
00:42:18This is a one punch knockout fighter, Chris.
00:42:22Yes, and Holmes with a classic strategy of jab and move.
00:42:26Jab and move.
00:42:27That's an impressive, menacing left jab.
00:42:31Well, his movement off those ropes and away from Chavis in the first round was an evidence
00:42:37that he's got his battle plan.
00:42:40Look at that left.
00:42:41Again and again and again.
00:42:42Doubling, tripling on it.
00:42:44And then back with another.
00:42:46And then, moving quickly out of danger.
00:42:50That's the second time he's done that beautifully tonight.
00:42:53Holmes is fighting at this point.
00:42:55Beautiful.
00:42:56At this point.
00:42:57You see the countdown for round two.
00:43:12Lower right-hand corner of your screen.
00:43:20Holmes winning the second round with relative ease.
00:43:25Oh, there was the right.
00:43:26That hurt, Holmes.
00:43:27It got in right under the chin.
00:43:32What is American Motors doing for 1980 that no other carmaker has ever done?
00:43:41Building the only family compact automobile with automatic four-wheel drive.
00:43:45The American Eagle.
00:43:47Building a luxury compact that goes 484 miles on one tank of gas.
00:43:52AMC Concord.
00:43:53AMC Concord.
00:43:54Building every Concord, Spirit, Pacer, and American Eagle automobile to last.
00:43:59With V-Bart factory rust protection as the cars are being built at no extra cost.
00:44:05And guaranteeing them with the only five-year no-rust through warranty.
00:44:09At no extra cost.
00:44:11And AMC's buyer protection plan.
00:44:13With the only full 12-month, 12,000-mile warranty in the industry.
00:44:16That covers every part, even if it just plain wears out.
00:44:20Also, at no extra cost.
00:44:22Look at American Motors in 1980.
00:44:24You'll see things you just won't see anywhere else.
00:44:28American Motors.
00:44:29Built for today.
00:44:30Built to last for tomorrow.
00:44:31We're back live, Las Vegas.
00:44:37Round three just underway.
00:44:39Round two, a replica of their first fight.
00:44:42Shavers landed a right that hurt Holmes in the first fight.
00:44:45Ernie jabbed and danced out of trouble.
00:44:48Here, just before the second round ended, Shavers reached Holmes with a right.
00:44:52Heard him.
00:44:54Shavers getting instructions from Frank Luka between the rounds.
00:44:58Telling Ernie, he must throw that right more and must get more into it.
00:45:06He said you're not bringing your body through behind that right.
00:45:1445 seconds into round three.
00:45:22At left, constantly troubling Shavers.
00:45:26No matter how he keeps those gloves up there, look at that.
00:45:30Measuring Shavers with his left.
00:45:32Point.
00:45:33Remember when Ali did that to Sonny Liston?
00:45:40Ernie holds.
00:45:47Minute 15 into round three.
00:45:51Ernie bobbing and weaving, looking for the opening.
00:45:59Coming close.
00:46:01Once or twice, but not yet finding.
00:46:05Holmes, 30.
00:46:08Shavers elisted 35.
00:46:09The man who one would think would have to win early would be Shavers.
00:46:16The stamina would seem to belong to the younger man, and he has proved that stamina,
00:46:22especially in his classic war against Kenny North.
00:46:30We have a minute left in the third round.
00:46:32And the pattern of the fight, the same.
00:46:35Done.
00:46:36Larry Holmes left.
00:46:38Working over Ernie Shavers.
00:46:48Holmes not moving as much, though you see the movement there as he did in the first fight.
00:46:55Shavers trying to get that right into the belly.
00:46:58But, believe me, he has simply stunning power.
00:47:05Remember in the interview, Shavers said he would go to the belly.
00:47:14There's a left.
00:47:15That's up to Holmes' strength.
00:47:17The right miss.
00:47:19Boom.
00:47:20Right there.
00:47:21Lovely.
00:47:23I'll tell you.
00:47:24Shave his hips, and immediately, the opponent is hurt.
00:47:29And you can see it happen to Holmes.
00:47:37This, bud,'s for everyone who's into hot tracks and red-hot cars.
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00:47:46The king of fears is coming through.
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00:48:37Round four.
00:48:39Live from Las Vegas, Nevada.
00:48:41Holmes against Chabels.
00:48:43And if there's a difference from the first fight thus far,
00:48:47it would be that Holmes is not moving nearly as much.
00:48:51He may pay for that, because he was stunned in that third round by Chabels.
00:48:57There is that good Holmes left, though, and there you saw him double up on.
00:49:02That rapier-like jab.
00:49:04Hands up, Ernie.
00:49:05That sun-fast jab for a heavyweight to have.
00:49:09Especially one as big as Larry.
00:49:11You just saw him throw it three times in a row.
00:49:13Two connected.
00:49:15Yes, Ernie.
00:49:18That's it.
00:49:18Keep down with him.
00:49:20Turn it, hurry, turn it.
00:49:22That's hands up.
00:49:22Now, Holmes, moving to the left, back to the right.
00:49:26Back and forth.
00:49:27Not providing a talk, which is the way to fight Ernie Schabels.
00:49:34Make one mistake, and you can go in a hurry.
00:49:39Ernie Wilden missing with a right.
00:49:42Don't forget, we're in the fourth round.
00:49:44Each fighter predicted the fifth round.
00:49:47In that interview you saw early.
00:49:58Holmes staying away from Chabels after scoring with the left jab.
00:50:03The pattern seemingly redundant now.
00:50:07And very much in the manner of the first fighter.
00:50:11But you never know.
00:50:18See, Ernie keeps the gloves up, but Holmes' left gets through.
00:50:22A good combination.
00:50:24And Ernie laughing about it.
00:50:26But he felt it.
00:50:30A left by Holmes, and then a right uppercut.
00:50:34And yet, Holmes staying out of danger.
00:50:37That's the movement.
00:50:38Now tying up Schabels.
00:50:39David Carroll trying to break them apart.
00:50:52Larry Holmes fighting his fight.
00:50:55Holmes again with a good left.
00:50:58Chabels desperately wanting the tag.
00:51:00Holmes suddenly with a right lead that got in there.
00:51:03And you saw the measure.
00:51:05And you saw a good right uppercut by Larry.
00:51:08It was the right uppercut that floored Weaver in the 11th round of Holmes' last fight in New York in June.
00:51:18There's the right lead again.
00:51:19Another right.
00:51:20And suddenly, Holmes is adopting a new weapon.
00:51:23The right lead.
00:51:25And Holmes is making this fight his way thus far.
00:51:29When I looked at Datsun 280ZX and Porsche 924, I also looked at this new Mazda RX-7.
00:51:40And that's all it took.
00:51:41Just one look.
00:51:44That's all it took.
00:51:46Yeah, just one look.
00:51:48That's all it took.
00:51:50You get a lot of refined sports car with a Mazda RX-7.
00:51:53You also get great mileage.
00:51:55And you get it all at a price that'll really make you look twice.
00:51:58Yeah, the more you look bad.
00:52:02The more you like.
00:52:04There is a company that gives you automatic one-button microwave cooking.
00:52:09This company gives you AM-FM weather band plus a clock radio and television all in one set.
00:52:14This company gives you an incredibly dramatic five-foot diagonal TV picture.
00:52:19This company gives you portable video tape to go.
00:52:21Who do you think this company is?
00:52:24It's Mazda.
00:52:26We're building our reputation on one great idea after another, after another, after another.
00:52:36We're back live round five.
00:52:38Ernie Shavers suffered a cut in the corner of the left eye that was repaired between rounds.
00:52:45And Frank Lucas said to him,
00:52:47You've got to jab more and you've got to throw the right more.
00:52:51But so far, Holmes has made the fight.
00:52:54Set the pace, fighting this kind of fight.
00:52:57Using the left and then unveiling.
00:53:00In the latter part of the fourth round, a tremendous series of rights.
00:53:04Three of them right leads.
00:53:09Fifth round action.
00:53:11The round when Ernie said he would knock out Larry Holmes.
00:53:14And Larry Holmes said he would knock out Ernie Shavers.
00:53:22Now Shavers trying to get down to the belly to reach Holmes and weaken.
00:53:28But you see Holmes, with that movement, staying away.
00:53:33He'll go back to that left jab now to reset the pace.
00:53:37There he goes.
00:53:39There he goes.
00:53:42Use the left.
00:53:44Set up the right.
00:53:48Ernie not yet able to get to Larry Holmes.
00:53:57Right there.
00:53:58Shavers landed a right.
00:54:00and powering Holmes field
00:54:02and the left got to Holmes.
00:54:06I tell you, you can't measure the power of Ernie Shavers.
00:54:10It is devastating.
00:54:12Unquestionably the best puncher a lot.
00:54:17So you must always be careful.
00:54:24Shavers getting the right into the belt.
00:54:28So, not looping, swinging wildly,
00:54:32looking for the head of the knockout.
00:54:34There, Holmes came back with a series.
00:54:36There's the right lead again.
00:54:38Another right lead.
00:54:42In the left, in the left again.
00:54:45Going still with many more punches than Ernie.
00:54:49Right there.
00:54:50What Holmes must remember is to be careful.
00:54:59If he does that and fights this kind of fight,
00:55:03it should be no problem.
00:55:05His skills are great, and he is younger.
00:55:11Counting down to the end of round five,
00:55:14this was the round when Ernie landed a couple of good ones.
00:55:23Oh.
00:55:24Oh, that, I thought that would bring a warning from referee Bird.
00:55:28The end of the round at hand.
00:55:30This Bud's for all the people who make the sidelines a part of the show.
00:55:42This Bud's for you.
00:55:44For all you do.
00:55:46The king of beers is coming through.
00:55:53Yeah, just for you.
00:55:55That distinctively clean, crisp taste that says Budweiser.
00:55:59For all you do.
00:56:00This Bud's for you.
00:56:04Sorry.
00:56:05No experience.
00:56:07No job.
00:56:08But where do I get the experience?
00:56:10Army.
00:56:10Navy.
00:56:11Airports.
00:56:12Marines.
00:56:13We don't ask for experience.
00:56:15We give it.
00:56:17You won't read it in a book.
00:56:19You'll live it.
00:56:20Pick a service.
00:56:22Pick a challenge.
00:56:23Set yourself apart.
00:56:26Army.
00:56:27Navy.
00:56:27Airports.
00:56:28Marines.
00:56:29What a great place.
00:56:30It's a great place to start.
00:56:35That large start of the sixth round.
00:56:38Ernie Shavers, left eye, very red.
00:56:41Appears to be in bad shape.
00:56:42Frank Lucas said to referees, Dave Pearl.
00:56:45He thumbed him in the eye.
00:56:47And what did you do about it?
00:56:48Dave Pearl said, knock it off.
00:56:51He never thumbed him.
00:56:52He hit him.
00:56:53Just a little bit of the byplay as with the sixth round gets underway.
00:57:00No question that so far, Holmes is fighting his kind of fight.
00:57:05Right there, a strong Shavers punch against the right side of Holmes.
00:57:11And Holmes moving away as you saw.
00:57:13Believe me, that punch hurt him.
00:57:25Sixth round action.
00:57:28Holmes back to the left.
00:57:31On his toes.
00:57:34Enough movement to stay out of range.
00:57:36He throws him with his reach.
00:57:37Make that left jab work as he just did twice.
00:57:42And the right.
00:57:45And the right goes into that left eye.
00:57:47And that left went to that eye.
00:57:51And Ernie doesn't seem to know what to do about Holmes.
00:57:56About the left.
00:57:57About the right lead.
00:58:00About the steady movement.
00:58:10A minute 40.
00:58:13Into the round.
00:58:15And Holmes with the left.
00:58:18Same story.
00:58:19Shavers getting into the mid-riff there.
00:58:25One swipe.
00:58:27Larry tying him up.
00:58:29Oh.
00:58:30Hey.
00:58:32A minute left.
00:58:33And missed the sixth round.
00:58:38Wild right that missed.
00:58:40Another wild right that missed.
00:58:44Throwing and missing that way.
00:58:46Takes something out of line.
00:58:48Now the other eye appears cut.
00:58:52The other eye of Shavers.
00:58:54He's in deep trouble.
00:58:55And Shavers was stung by that Holmes right.
00:58:58Shavers was hurt.
00:59:00Look at the right eye now.
00:59:02Blood streaming down over him.
00:59:05Shavers in deep trouble now in the sixth round.
00:59:09As Larry Holmes comes back to the kind of form he had.
00:59:14Prior to the Mike Weaver bout.
00:59:1615 seconds counting down.
00:59:20Round six.
00:59:22Big round.
00:59:24Larry Hall.
00:59:27Holmes totally dominating the fight.
00:59:31We will go to Ernie's corner as this round ends.
00:59:33And you better know he knows.
00:59:45Huh?
00:59:45Yeah, you're shoving the thing in too far.
00:59:50That one, Eddie.
00:59:51That one.
00:59:51Well, to pick up some of that natural sound.
00:59:58You got to keep your hands out.
00:59:59He's getting to you with the cuts.
01:00:01You got to keep your hands out.
01:00:02You hear?
01:00:04Keep breath.
01:00:05Hands up, Ernie.
01:00:06Cut him off in the corner.
01:00:07In the corner.
01:00:08You got to keep your hands out.
01:00:10Right, Ernie.
01:00:11That's Franklin.
01:00:14Frank Luca talking to him.
01:00:16You heard him say, keep the hands up.
01:00:18He's getting to you with the cuts.
01:00:19Keep the hands up, Ernie.
01:00:23Now, by way of contrast, Larry Holmes.
01:00:26That jab in his face.
01:00:27It's going out.
01:00:28It's going out.
01:00:29It's going out.
01:00:30It's going out.
01:00:30It's going out.
01:00:31It's going out.
01:00:31It's going out.
01:00:32It's going out.
01:00:32It's going out.
01:00:33It's going out.
01:00:33It's going out.
01:00:34Holmes looking so fresh by contrast.
01:00:38You heard?
01:00:39Chiquetti and Freddie Brown.
01:00:41Keep that jab going.
01:00:43He can't hit you.
01:00:46A lot of blood on Holmes' trousers.
01:00:50Trunks.
01:00:51Not trousers.
01:00:52But the blood is the blood of Ernie Shavers.
01:00:55As Larry goes right to work
01:00:57and reopens the cut over the right arm instantly.
01:01:03Becking away with that jab.
01:01:05This is the seventh round.
01:01:06We are live from Las Vegas, Nevada.
01:01:25A tremendous blood out of the right eye of Ernie Shavers.
01:01:35A terrible thing to see.
01:01:37As Holmes is relentless in the use of that jab.
01:01:41And occasionally the right, as you saw there.
01:01:43Shavers fighting half-blind lane now.
01:01:50Trying to get in.
01:01:57That was a good right.
01:01:59That was a good right.
01:02:01And Holmes felt it.
01:02:02Holmes dancing out of trouble.
01:02:04The right was one of those long Shavers powerhouse fights.
01:02:08And Shavers has been following Holmes ever since.
01:02:12Holmes moving.
01:02:14This is why you can't ever count Ernie Shavers out.
01:02:19Holmes, the right's a little bit wobbly.
01:02:23Now Holmes isn't able to move off of those ropes, which is where Shavers wants it.
01:02:28We have a minute left or thereabouts in this, the seventh round.
01:02:34And Holmes was really hurt by that Shavers right.
01:02:40Shavers put the right into the midsection.
01:02:44Holmes seems to be coming to himself now.
01:02:47But he's...
01:02:48There he goes!
01:02:49The right, got him!
01:02:51There he is!
01:02:51A devastating right corner.
01:02:54We have 40 seconds left in the round.
01:02:57And this fight has turned to a different fight.
01:03:01And Holmes is staggering.
01:03:03He is wobbling.
01:03:04He is holding on.
01:03:06He got caught with that Ernie Shavers right.
01:03:09Ernie Wilde trying to get at home.
01:03:13Ernie swinging wildly.
01:03:15Holmes trying to hold together.
01:03:17Ernie Shavers at age 35 or whatever.
01:03:21With 10 seconds left now in the round.
01:03:24Holmes the benchless.
01:03:26Taking it from Shavers.
01:03:29Holmes.
01:03:30The end of the round here.
01:03:35She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.
01:03:39Even though he doesn't know who she is.
01:03:42Sir.
01:03:42This man will cross the hottest sands.
01:03:46Climb the hottest mountains.
01:03:49And sail the deepest seas to make his dream come true.
01:03:53Because on a scale from 1 to 10, he's about to meet.
01:03:57A 10.
01:03:5810.
01:03:59Rated R.
01:04:00See your fantasy come true at a theater near you.
01:04:03Check local listings.
01:04:04The world won't stop when you want to photograph it.
01:04:08But the Olympus OM-10 can stop the world.
01:04:11The OM-10 is fully automatic.
01:04:13This Olympus tells you when you can shoot and when you can't.
01:04:15You change lenses in seconds with the OM-10.
01:04:20Or put on a winder and lock in the action at 3 frames per second.
01:04:24The Olympus OM-10 even has a self-timer so you can get in the action instead of just watching it.
01:04:29With Olympus OM-10, great shots automatically.
01:04:32What noise!
01:04:39What a turn of events!
01:04:41Round 8.
01:04:43Live from Las Vegas.
01:04:44Ernie Chavis with the first knockdown of the fight.
01:04:49Holmes had dropped his left.
01:04:51Chavis came over it with the long right.
01:04:54And Holmes was ready to go.
01:04:56But he somehow lasted the round.
01:04:59Let's see how he will hold together now.
01:05:02A half-fine Chavis was being boxed apart by Larry Holmes, who had things all his own way the first six rounds and was having them his own way in the seventh.
01:05:13Both Chavis' eyes cut.
01:05:15And then suddenly, the one mistake.
01:05:18And a puncher like Chavis can kill you with that one mistake.
01:05:23So we are in the eighth round.
01:05:25And Holmes is back to his pattern.
01:05:28He's moving.
01:05:29He seems well enough.
01:05:31The blood again pouring down from Holmes' right eye.
01:05:35From Chavis' right eye.
01:05:37Correction.
01:05:37And the Holmes left getting in there.
01:05:40Again and again.
01:05:41But now, all eyes are focused on that Chavis' right as Holmes runs.
01:05:47And do you blame him after what he got in the last round?
01:05:55We'll have a station break at the end of this round.
01:06:00So the two stations can be alerted for down the line.
01:06:03This is the eighth round.
01:06:06And this fight has become something.
01:06:18Ernie wanting to get that right in there.
01:06:22One more time.
01:06:24Holmes fell with a clump to the canvas.
01:06:28Last round.
01:06:29Holmes now fighting back.
01:06:36Make no mistake.
01:06:37Once they said Larry Holmes didn't have courage.
01:06:40They said it about him in the Olympic trials against Wayne Bobbitt.
01:06:44He has shown his courage.
01:06:46He showed it five times over.
01:06:48A good right by Holmes in the fight against Kenny Norton that went the distance.
01:06:54Each fighter said the other has dog in it.
01:06:58I can't believe they meant it.
01:06:59I don't see any dog in either man.
01:07:04Holmes knowing he must keep moving.
01:07:06He must keep moving.
01:07:08From Holmes' point of view.
01:07:09Ernie now in trouble himself again.
01:07:12It's gone back the other way.
01:07:15Look, the wild right.
01:07:17Holmes failing to take advantage of Chavis when he was off balance.
01:07:21Holmes, tower.
01:07:23But Holmes.
01:07:25Holmes having himself a big round after the knockdown.
01:07:28We'll return with more boxing action after this from our local stations.
01:07:40He's, uh...
01:07:42Howard, he is dead tired and losing his school.
01:07:49Holmes.
01:07:49All right.
01:07:58From here.
01:07:59Looking at him...
01:08:00He's sleeping.
01:08:00He is dead.
01:08:01It's a Frau.
01:08:02By the way.
01:08:02Try him.
01:08:02By the way.
01:08:02By the way.
01:08:03There he is.
01:08:04He is dead.
01:08:04Here.
01:08:05From here.
01:08:05To the corner.
01:08:05It's a Wow!
01:08:06I'm kinda mad.
01:08:07With him.
01:08:08Let's go.
01:08:08Watch him.
01:08:38That's the way Ernie Schavers' left eye looks.
01:08:45It's all but shot.
01:08:47He is fighting half-blind, as I said.
01:08:50Holmes appeared dead tired at the end of round eight,
01:08:53but he came back big from the sudden knockdown in round seven.
01:08:58Holmes showing his game is Schavers.
01:09:02Nobody could fight a game of fight than he is fighting.
01:09:05Right, the right hurt him.
01:09:07Schavers is hurt.
01:09:09He's against the ropes.
01:09:10He's defenseless now.
01:09:12Or have so.
01:09:12What so it seems.
01:09:14A wild swing by Schavers.
01:09:17Caught from to see the opponent.
01:09:19This has turned into a throng.
01:09:23The six rounds of boxing lessons delivered by Holmes.
01:09:27The seventh.
01:09:28The Holmes left drop.
01:09:30The Schavers right.
01:09:31Nailed it.
01:09:31Down went Holmes.
01:09:33The only knockdown in the fight.
01:09:35But look at Holmes.
01:09:36Has the right.
01:09:37Again, doesn't Holmes look tired, do you?
01:09:40A little bit wavering.
01:09:41A little bit lovely.
01:09:42It seemed to me that at the very end of the last round,
01:09:49though, Holmes had a big run back round.
01:09:52He was about to lose his cool.
01:09:54Right there, he showed his cool.
01:09:56Scoring with a combination.
01:09:58There.
01:09:59These two fighters are exhausted now.
01:10:02And Ernie Schavers talking to Holmes.
01:10:05Trying to taunt him.
01:10:06But Ernie Schavers with the left eye virtually closed.
01:10:10The right eye.
01:10:12Not bleeding at the moment, but bleeding throughout the fight.
01:10:16Ernie just keeping the hands up there.
01:10:18Hoping that somehow he will get the right in.
01:10:22For a minute 45 into the ninth round.
01:10:25Just hoping that's what Schavers is doing,
01:10:28that the right will connect.
01:10:30He was this way.
01:10:32Appeared this done in.
01:10:34In his fight against Roy Williams, Schavers was.
01:10:37But then suddenly, at the very end,
01:10:39he bailed it out.
01:10:43Holmes.
01:10:44Scoring with the blow.
01:10:46Oh, good uppercut.
01:10:48Schavers hurt again against the ropes.
01:10:52Ernie trying to fight back.
01:10:53But Ernie, now himself, ready to go down.
01:10:57How much more?
01:10:58There's a wild ride.
01:10:59He left himself wide open.
01:11:01He is just blinding.
01:11:03He's now taking.
01:11:04He's looking that right.
01:11:05And that right.
01:11:06And that right.
01:11:07And the uppercut.
01:11:08The right to the left uppercut.
01:11:10And Holmes is mercilessly laying the blows upon him.
01:11:14But Ernie, as he staggers there,
01:11:16hat going down.
01:11:18No movement by referee.
01:11:20He's coming back there.
01:11:22Right there.
01:11:22Schavers incredibly scored with the right.
01:11:26And it was Holmes who went down.
01:11:28He got counts.
01:11:29He ruled it on count.
01:11:31And so, Schavers, this is just incredible.
01:11:39He ruled that no knockdown.
01:11:41Lovely, lovely.
01:11:48And now a word from our beauty contest winner.
01:11:50I'm fed up.
01:11:51And I'm not going to waste my money anymore.
01:11:54It's Toyota time.
01:11:56Don't waste.
01:11:56But don't do without.
01:11:58Toyota time is the best time to get the best selection and best deal on Toyota's sporty Celica.
01:12:03Get European style and handling.
01:12:05With Toyota's total economy and a car that's fun to drive year after year.
01:12:09It's Toyota time.
01:12:10When you've got it, you've got it.
01:12:12Toyota.
01:12:17Hey, don't worry.
01:12:18They just got lucky.
01:12:19I'm sorry.
01:12:19I let us down.
01:12:20Forget it.
01:12:21We'll beat them next week.
01:12:22No, I really let us down.
01:12:23Come on.
01:12:24How about a Michelob Light, huh?
01:12:25Michelob makes a light beer?
01:12:26Sure.
01:12:27The good taste of Michelob Light.
01:12:30Don't just compare it to other light beers.
01:12:33Compare it to your regular beer.
01:12:35It's that good.
01:12:36Yes, Michelob Light is great.
01:12:38Hey, you know what our real problem was today?
01:12:39Yeah.
01:12:40You were terrible.
01:12:41The taste runs in the family.
01:12:48Round 10.
01:12:49And I have just talked with referee Dave Perl,
01:12:52who said because there was no mandatory eight count,
01:12:56we had to ask him.
01:12:57He said, I rolled out a slip.
01:13:00The blow was on the shoulder.
01:13:03I rolled it a slip, not a knockdown for Ernie Schaefer.
01:13:07Well, he's got a right to roll it.
01:13:10He's in there.
01:13:12But, Howard, there is a mandatory eight count on all knockdowns.
01:13:16I understand that.
01:13:18He called that knockdown a slip.
01:13:19That's what I'm saying.
01:13:20That's...
01:13:21We're in the 10th round.
01:13:28This crowd responding to the courage of Ernie Schaefer.
01:13:32Did you see him in the 9th round?
01:13:34And now he's taking it again.
01:13:36His body was bent over in two.
01:13:38And yet he did not go to the canvas.
01:13:41Look at that uppercut.
01:13:46Holmes continues to win the fight up to this point.
01:13:50But always there is the danger of what happened in the 7th round.
01:13:55Where there was, by the referee's precepts, a clean knockdown.
01:14:00Ernie got in a left.
01:14:06You have to keep watching for every blow Ernie throws.
01:14:10They are few and far between now.
01:14:12But if they can connect, Ernie's doing the talking as you saw.
01:14:18Both fighters exhausted.
01:14:20Both of them.
01:14:21Look at that.
01:14:24That's not professional fighting.
01:14:27But there is nothing left but the heart.
01:14:29And Holmes half falling over himself from fatigue.
01:14:39This is the way it was with Norton and Holmes when they were both exhausted at the end.
01:14:45And there is Ernie.
01:14:46Just trying to land that right.
01:14:48He landed one.
01:14:48They are both so tired.
01:15:05Holmes just looked down at his corner for an instruction.
01:15:08Holmes back with a flurry.
01:15:10How he does it, I don't know.
01:15:12We're almost at the end of round 10.
01:15:15What is he doing here?
01:15:19I don't understand what referee Dave Perl is doing.
01:15:23It looked like he was going to stop the fight.
01:15:25Back comes Shaver.
01:15:27But he didn't.
01:15:29I will talk to him between rounds again.
01:15:40That block of ice.
01:15:41But when we chopped through the ice,
01:15:43the car started on the first try
01:15:46using Shell Fire and Ice motor oil.
01:15:49The same car tows a 30-ton crane through desert heat.
01:15:53But the engine is still protected by Shell Fire and Ice motor oil.
01:15:58Give your car's engine this year-round protection.
01:16:01Ask your Shell dealer for Shell Fire and Ice 10W-40 motor oil.
01:16:06Shell Fire and Ice.
01:16:08Fred, this cold is killing me.
01:16:11Are you in luck?
01:16:13Here are those new all-purpose cold medicines.
01:16:15I'd feel better about contact.
01:16:16Look.
01:16:17Helps sneezing, dripping.
01:16:18Contact does that and longer.
01:16:20Post-nasal drip, congestion.
01:16:22Contact does that and longer.
01:16:24Even flu's congestion.
01:16:25Plus certain things for aches and cough.
01:16:27I don't care to take and contact chose not to use.
01:16:30I'll level with you.
01:16:31I take contact myself.
01:16:33Now you tell me.
01:16:34Contact helps for all your congestive symptoms
01:16:36and helps them longer.
01:16:40We're back live.
01:16:41Referee Dave Pearl, apparently totally confused,
01:16:45halted the action in the waning seconds of round 10
01:16:49because he said he thought the bell had rung.
01:16:52There were still about 18 seconds to go.
01:16:55There's Holmes with the right off-shades.
01:16:5811th round action.
01:16:59Coming to you live from Las Vegas, Nevada.
01:17:03And both fighters exhausted.
01:17:06We have had one official knockdown.
01:17:09It occurred in the seventh round.
01:17:11It came from nowhere.
01:17:13Chagas executed it against Holmes.
01:17:16A long, hard fight over Holmes' left,
01:17:20which it dropped.
01:17:24Seemed to have prepared the cut over Ernie's right eye
01:17:28or over the corner of it.
01:17:29But the left eye remains virtually shut.
01:17:43Davis Corner said, stay with him.
01:17:46Stay with him.
01:17:47If you land one, he's gone.
01:17:50Look at that, though.
01:17:51Ernie bent over almost in two.
01:17:54Defenseless.
01:17:54His hands at his side.
01:17:56Tremendous fight.
01:18:02In terms of a bra.
01:18:04Not in terms of skills anymore.
01:18:10Excitement engendered by the courage of Ernie.
01:18:14Look at him smiling as he takes blow upon blow.
01:18:16What a minute 45 is to the 11th round.
01:18:22How it is.
01:18:23Like Ali said, he's a tough acorn to crack.
01:18:26He really is.
01:18:27Look at that, right.
01:18:28Against the left side of his face.
01:18:31Dave Pearl, the referee, checking with Ernie.
01:18:34Trying to find out if he knows where he's at.
01:18:37That's it.
01:18:37It's stopped by Dave Pearl.
01:18:40It's an 11th round technical knockout.
01:18:42Larry Holmes, the win, and still the champion.
01:18:46But he almost lost it.
01:18:48He almost lost it to the courage and right hand of a man who's listed as 35.
01:18:54There'll be no more times around for Ernie Shavers.
01:18:58Oh, maybe he'll fight again.
01:19:00But there'll be no more championship chances.
01:19:03So it ends for him.
01:19:05But it ends for him in a very gallant way.
01:19:08And it ends for him with, as you look at Holmes, his arms upraised.
01:19:14It ends for Ernie Shavers with the crowd standing and cheering his courage.
01:19:23And so it has been done again.
01:19:26And Holmes is the winner.
01:19:28We'll be back at Wingside in a moment.
01:19:30So we are back live at Caesars Palace in the sports pavilion.
01:19:38The crowd is still here.
01:19:40No one has left.
01:19:41They realized that a boxing lesson turned suddenly into a brawl.
01:19:46That it happened in the seventh round.
01:19:49They realized that Ernie Shavers doesn't have the greatest of skills.
01:19:53Clearly Holmes has the better skills.
01:19:56He is a boxer.
01:19:57He can move.
01:19:58Ernie can't.
01:19:59But they loved the man's courage.
01:20:02And they loved the power of his punch.
01:20:04And the excitement he brought to this arena when it happened in the seventh round.
01:20:09In the meantime, in the ninth round, there was that mix-up where the referee called it a slip.
01:20:17There is Ernie.
01:20:19Depressed, understandably so.
01:20:21The great dream now over.
01:20:24And here comes Larry Holmes down now to talk with us.
01:20:28A tired Larry Holmes.
01:20:30Two minutes of the end of the round.
01:20:33Two minutes of the end of the round.
01:20:33Two minutes of the end of the round.
01:20:34Amy Burrell, the referee who stands for the winner and still.
01:20:37The official announcement as you continue to look at Ernie Shavers.
01:20:47And what a disappointment for that man.
01:20:51But what a triumph for Larry Holmes.
01:20:54And here is Larry Holmes with me now.
01:20:57The camera to turn upon us.
01:20:59I want to tell you one thing, my friend.
01:21:05We're still waiting for the camera to come down on us.
01:21:08We've also been joined by Rich Giacchetti.
01:21:12And it was, well, it was, as I said, in the end of brawl.
01:21:16There we are on that camera, Larry.
01:21:18I love you.
01:21:20I'm all right.
01:21:22I'm a bad champion.
01:21:23I'll tell you one thing, that you men both prove.
01:21:27There's not a bitter dog in either one of you.
01:21:30Yes, it is, Howard.
01:21:31Doberman.
01:21:32Remember I told you that?
01:21:33All doberman.
01:21:34And after that, I'll come back.
01:21:35Give Shavers credit.
01:21:37He did catch in that seventh round.
01:21:39You know that.
01:21:40Howard, I talk a lot.
01:21:42I try to sell myself as a champion.
01:21:44I feel that I have proved myself over 32 fights.
01:21:48Ernie Shavers would knock all of them out.
01:21:50The hard punch here, Ernie Shavers.
01:21:52The only thing about it, I can absolve the punishment.
01:21:56And I feel that I'll be champion for a long time.
01:21:59I'm still going to give all the heavyweights a chance to get something that I didn't get
01:22:04that was the headshot of the heavyweight champion.
01:22:06I've proved myself out.
01:22:08I'm tired of proving it.
01:22:10Okay.
01:22:11What I wondered about, Larry, was you talked about Shavers as a hard punch.
01:22:17His punches next to yours in number were few and far between.
01:22:21But did he hurt you earlier, before the seventh round?
01:22:24I saw a blow in the second.
01:22:25I saw another in the fourth.
01:22:27I felt he might have been stung.
01:22:28He hit me hard enough to make me realize that he can punch.
01:22:32And I feel sorry for all the heavyweights that Ernie Shavers fight because he scouted and he proved himself as a boxer, a puncher, and he can go the distance.
01:22:42It's just that I was hitting so much, it took a lot out of him.
01:22:45I cannot discredit Ernie Shavers or any boxer who gets in the ring with me.
01:22:50As you know, I worked very hard for Ernie, and if I didn't work as hard as I did, Ernie Shavers would be the heavyweight champion of the world.
01:22:57Right.
01:22:57All right, I want to show the viewers once again round seven, and I'd like you to talk over it at the time when he floored you.
01:23:06Out of nowhere, because you had given him a boxing lesson in the early rounds.
01:23:09Oh, that's true.
01:23:10Let's take a look at it now.
01:23:13Go ahead, Larry.
01:23:15See, I was so confident.
01:23:17And that's just to show you can't keep building confidence with a puncher like that.
01:23:21But I'm a boxer, and this man is slick.
01:23:24I watched the films, and he just waited, and I'm waiting for him to throw that over here right over my left, which he does.
01:23:34That's why I try to meet to my left quite as much as I can.
01:23:37But me to my right, because he's strong, and I don't care what John Tate and all them other fighters do.
01:23:46Ernie Shavers will take them all.
01:23:47I don't care what they say.
01:23:49And I just proved to you again, Howard, I'm the baddest heavyweight in the world.
01:23:54Got up from a puncher and whoop him.
01:23:57Right there, he got that right over your left.
01:23:59And you were getting careless with your left, as you said, beginning to drop it.
01:24:03Confidence, Howard.
01:24:04And that's just to show you, you got to go in there with all fights.
01:24:08Hold on one second, Larry.
01:24:09Ernie!
01:24:10We're going to be talking to Ernie right after we finish this.
01:24:14Ernie's coming right over.
01:24:16But you pick up, Larry.
01:24:18Ernie's a strong fighter, and I don't care what he said.
01:24:20He wear a man down.
01:24:22He take him out.
01:24:23He hit him.
01:24:23I just bless, by God, that I am chosen to represent all people throughout the world as a heavyweight champion.
01:24:31I was able to absolve this man's punishment because he's one hell of a puncher.
01:24:37And I feel that everybody watching this on ABC knows it.
01:24:41Ernie Shavers will always fight and represent any network in the world as a worthy contender
01:24:47because he is a champion in his own right.
01:24:50And I don't care what nobody say, he's the number one contender in the world.
01:24:56All right.
01:24:57We're looking, of course, at an action.
01:24:58Right hand hit me with, see that?
01:25:00Yep.
01:25:01But I proved again that I can take it.
01:25:05This was round seven.
01:25:08Bam.
01:25:08Nope, that wasn't it, huh?
01:25:10Hit me with the overhand right.
01:25:12You'll say it.
01:25:13I hope.
01:25:14Well, ABC don't miss that man.
01:25:18That's very kind.
01:25:22I'm just proud that ABC has represented me.
01:25:25There it was.
01:25:26Right hand.
01:25:27You see that, Richie?
01:25:28Right over the left.
01:25:30A perfectly wrong right.
01:25:32That's why he got it.
01:25:34Because he didn't double jab.
01:25:35When he didn't double jab at times, Ernie countered him with an overhand right.
01:25:39He had a double jab and pushed him back.
01:25:40He never got hit with the punch.
01:25:41That, of course, the voice of manager Rich Giacchetti of the still WBC heavyweight champion, Larry Holmes.
01:25:49Larry, you were in deep trouble here.
01:25:51I'm telling you the truth.
01:25:53I'm telling you, Howard, but I know that I was fighting for the world, for the people, to prove myself as a champion, a people's champion.
01:26:00And I want to say, Howard, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to say nice things about me.
01:26:04And also, I want to thank Jim Spence for being a hell of a director.
01:26:08He's one hell of a guy in all the ABC crew.
01:26:11Because I love him.
01:26:12And hi, Mom.
01:26:12I'm fine.
01:26:13And hi to my Misty and Lisa, my daughter, because I love him.
01:26:16Okay.
01:26:16Good luck to you.
01:26:17And congratulations on the victory.
01:26:20Take care, Rich.
01:26:21I love you, Ernie.
01:26:22All right, why don't you stay here and say hello to Ernie, and we'll be back to talk with Ernie Shavers and Larry Holmes in just a minute.
01:26:31We're coming to you live from ringside in Las Vegas, Nevada.
01:26:37We're back live, ringside, Las Vegas, Nevada.
01:26:40Water being poured all over Larry Holmes and all over me and all over Rich Giacchetti.
01:26:44And here is the gallant Ernie Shavers.
01:26:47Next question, number one.
01:26:50Did you think you knocked him down when referee Pearl ruled it a slip in the ninth round, the second apparent round?
01:26:56Yeah, I thought I'd knock him down.
01:26:58But I guess he was a slip to the referee's slip, but I thought I'd knock him down myself.
01:27:02Now, were you upset by Larry staying in his dressing room late at the start of the fight?
01:27:08Well, that didn't bother me too much.
01:27:09You know, I was okay.
01:27:11I guess he's the champ.
01:27:12He wanted to try to let me get cold or burn myself out of my way.
01:27:16But, you know, that's part of the truth of the trade.
01:27:18Will you agree that there's no dog in either of you?
01:27:21You put up a great scrap.
01:27:23Well, yeah, I think Larry put a great fight up.
01:27:25You know, I got thumb in the third round.
01:27:28I couldn't see him that well.
01:27:30Not taking nothing away from Larry.
01:27:31He was a good fighter.
01:27:31But I did get thumb twice in the third.
01:27:36And I'm blurry.
01:27:37I couldn't come to the seat over there clear.
01:27:39I knew you could.
01:27:39I'll tell you this.
01:27:42You won the hearts of a lot of people in this arena, and I'm sure millions around the country.
01:27:47Because you're a gallant man.
01:27:48Well, I haven't seen the last of me.
01:27:50I'll be back.
01:27:51Give me six months.
01:27:52I'll be back.
01:27:53Somehow, I almost believe it.
01:27:55You've done it so many times before.
01:27:57But that's your decision and Frank Luca.
01:28:00And you can feel proud too, Frank.
01:28:02You did a fine job.
01:28:03He fought a great fight.
01:28:04It was the first time anybody put Holmes on his back.
01:28:06And I told him he would deck him, and he did.
01:28:08And I feel that he had him down twice.
01:28:10But Larry won the fight, and Ernie will be back.
01:28:13Okay.
01:28:14Thank you very much.
01:28:14Thank you very much.
01:28:16And thank you, Ernie.
01:28:17And even in defeat, our congratulations to you.
01:28:20As the two men, she came.
01:28:23It's been an extraordinary evening.
01:28:25We said we thought with this guard we would have dynamite action.
01:28:29We did.
01:28:30Quickly, let's review the whole evening.
01:28:32Wilfredo Gomez in a very tough fight, unexpectedly tough.
01:28:37TKO Carlos Mendoza in the 10th round.
01:28:41Sugar Ray Leonard with an absolutely awesome performance.
01:28:45Brilliant.
01:28:46Put away Andy Hart.
01:28:48Price in 252 of the first round.
01:28:51A puffy Roberto sluggish Durant.
01:28:55Law of one.
01:28:56A unanimous decision over Zefe Gonzalez.
01:29:00And then this WPC Heavyweight Championship bout with Larry Holmes, the TKO winner in the 11th round.
01:29:09We think that it was a fine night of boxing.
01:29:13We think boxing fans deserve it.
01:29:15They've been waiting too long for this kind of action.
01:29:19But we got it tonight.
01:29:20From Las Vegas, Nevada.
01:29:22For Chris Schenkel and myself, so long from ringside.
01:29:28Once again, Larry Holmes has successfully defended his WPC World Heavyweight title with an 11th round TKO of Ernie Shavers.
01:29:38Be sure to join us tomorrow for NCAA college football doubleheader at 12.30 Eastern Time.
01:29:43Top regional games highlighted by Penn State at Nebraska, followed at 4 Eastern Time by Ohio State against UCLA.
01:29:50Check your local listings for the game in your area.
01:29:53The executive producer of ABC Sports has ruined all its coverage of tonight's fight.
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