- 4 hours ago
Saoul Mamby defends his WBC Super Lightweight Title against Esteban DeJesus on ABC Boxing
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00:00the champion. His name is Saul Mambi, the champion, and Esteban de Jesus. You have seen him here on ABC television before, but for Mambi, the super lightweight champion, his first time on television. They're in the ring now. Esteban de Jesus has had a career that sort of resembles that of heavyweight Joe Frazier. Both great champions, but they were overshadowed. In the case of Frazier, Ali. And in the case of this man, 28-year-old de Jesus, it was Roberto Duran.
00:27His opponent and the champion, Saul Mambi, has been a pro for 11 years, wearing that WBC championship belt. He's had an up-and-down career, always had to go to the opponent's hometown, and often came away the loser. But in February of this year, he went all the way to Seoul, Korea, to fight the champion, came home with a world championship. Mambi.
00:50The fight took place in the hometown of the champion, Sang-Yung Kim, and with the fight very close on all three scorecards, Mambi exploded a devastating right hand on Kim's chin.
01:01Saul Mambi became the new WBC super lightweight champion of the world.
01:07De Jesus beat Duran in 1972, when they met in the rematch two years later.
01:11For Duran's WBA world championship, the sensational De Jesus left hook dropped Roberto on the first round.
01:17Duran battled back and stopped Esteban in the 11th round, and then knocked him out again four years later.
01:26But no man ever fought Duran tougher.
01:28All right, here we are. You see the tale of the tape. 33-year-old champion, Seoul Mambi from the Bronx, New York, has a slight edge in the height department, and as you might expect, three-inch reach advantage.
01:44The weight's 139 and a half for Mambi, and at the limit of 140 pounds for Esteban DeJesus.
01:49Chuck Van Avery is the ring announcer. He has just introduced the champion.
01:54The greatest cheers went up for the underdog, former WBC lightweight champion in the opposite corner, Esteban DeJesus, who has 61 fights.
02:03He has only four losses to three men.
02:06Now, on the left is the man that handed Roberto Duran his only loss, a 10-round decision victory for DeJesus in Madison Square Garden in 1972.
02:17Then he fought Duran twice again, only to be stopped.
02:22But after that, he became the WBC lightweight champion, while Duran was the WBA lightweight champion.
02:28Then they met for the undisputed world championship, and again, tough Duran took the measure of DeJesus.
02:34So, it's sort of a comeback thing for DeJesus in the red trunks tonight, going against the champion, hoping for a super lightweight title.
02:40So, this is the first round, a very fine referee in the ring named Rudy Ortega.
02:45It's an 18-foot square ring.
02:47They're using 8-ounce gloves.
02:49WBC scoring rules.
02:51Well, it's a 10-point must-sense system.
02:54And, of course, there is not a mandatory eight count.
02:58There is no standing count.
03:00You cannot be saved by the bell except in the last round.
03:02There you've got to look at Rudy Ortega, the referee.
03:05Mambi in the blue trunks, taller than the two, is a slow starter, not a heavy puncher, only 13 knockouts and 44 fights.
03:13But he's a clever boxer.
03:16In fact, they call him Sweet Saúl Mambi.
03:20Veteran of the Vietnamese war in combat for a year in his two-year army hitch.
03:25DeJesus, born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, a resident now of San Juan, at 140 pounds in the red trunks.
03:32Good left hook hitter.
03:33In fact, the two-times he knocked Roberto Duran down, both with the left hand, left hooks.
03:41And they're paying attention to Ortega, the referee.
03:44121 World Championship bouts.
03:49Sort of just half-thrown left hooks.
03:52Tried to follow it up with a stiff right hand.
03:57Oh, a beautiful exchange during the first round.
04:00Give and take.
04:01Give and take.
04:03Now, you must remember that DeJesus in red, or the darker of the two trunks, has not had a fight since November of last year.
04:13The last fight for Mambi in blue was when he won the title in Korea.
04:18That was in February.
04:19So you're a little suspect what a fighter has not had a bout in such a long period of time.
04:25But DeJesus, as we said, lost only four, two of them to Roberto Duran, another to Antonio Cervantes, and then to another fighter named Gomez.
04:36First round, nearing its end.
04:42Mambi showing that long left jab, sparingly.
04:45There's one catching high on the forward of DeJesus, shorter reach, has to sort of leap to get inside, which can be dangerous.
04:58Remember, the WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World follows.
05:02The champion, Larry Holmes, and in Scott LeDoux's home state.
05:05Scheduled for 15 rounds, as is this bout.
05:08Less than 30 seconds, first round.
05:10A little left jab and a missed right hand.
05:19And they're throwing their good punches, including their jabs.
05:22They're just a little hesitant, very cautious.
05:27Well, they'll hear the bell in 10 seconds.
05:30Either fight or mark.
05:31Doubleheader, doubleheader, world championship bouts.
05:40The first, it's the super lightweight division.
05:43The champion in the blue trunks from the Bronx, New York, at 139 and a half,
05:47Saul Mambi, winning it in February, going against the former WBC lightweight champion of the world,
05:52Esteban DeJesus of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
05:55You just joined us the first round.
05:56More action than we had anticipated.
05:58No damaging punches, neither fight or mark.
06:00But we get an idea of just what type of punches they'd like to throw and what their strategy will probably be as we move along here.
06:07Probably Mambi and the blue trunks will pick up the pace a little bit, trying to use that long left jab.
06:13And he should use it, but he should be a little bit careful with the right hand,
06:17because the opponent in the red trunks has a powerful left hook.
06:2132 knockouts in a career of 61 fights.
06:23Everyweight championship of the world follows this bout.
06:28Holmes against Scott Ledoux.
06:32There you saw DeJesus in red trying to unload a right hand.
06:37Good blocking of punches by DeJesus.
06:40Good mixing up with a jab to the body, hand to the hand for the champion in blue.
06:44He's going to be tough for Esteban DeJesus.
06:50He wants to get inside, because those are extremely long arms, 70-inch reach.
06:58And wild with the right hand.
07:00Short jab followed by a long right-hand lead.
07:03You see the speed of Mambi's hands.
07:19Oh, a body punch that hurt.
07:21A body punch that really hurt the champion.
07:25DeJesus, however, unable to follow it up as he would like.
07:27It caught Mambi right on the left side, outside the ribcage.
07:35There are little short left hooks that are menacing.
07:40Rudy Ortega, the referee from Walnut Creek, California.
07:45Final minute of the second round, scheduled for 15.
07:53And you just saw Mambi try to pull up the top of his trunks.
07:57Get him just a little bit higher, because to DeJesus, surprisingly,
08:02his damaging punches have been to the body.
08:04First, with the long reach, he has to try for the body instead of the head.
08:08But he's doing a little of each.
08:10More successful, however, to the midsection, the ribs.
08:1420 seconds, though, get a rest.
08:21Lots of head movement.
08:22Upper body movement by Mambi, the champion, in blue.
08:27Right guard.
08:36That bell sounding at Mets Center in Bloomington, Minnesota,
08:40suburb of the great twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul,
08:43home of the North Stars, great hockey team.
08:46The range of about 16,000 fans, perhaps half-filled.
08:49Watching this, the super lightweight championship bout
08:51between the champion Mambi and the blue trunks on the left,
08:53lighter trunks, against former WBC lightweight champion Esteban DeJesus of Puerto Rico.
09:01Mambi, born in the Bronx, 33 years ago.
09:04Imagine having to wait until you're 32 years old to win a world championship.
09:09Put your way out of there!
09:10He lost 12 fights in 44, winning 27, had five draws.
09:14Draws happening very often in hometown decisions, where possibly the opponent won,
09:19but no knockdowns, neither fight or mark.
09:22The heaviest punches have been landed by DeJesus, shorter of the two, super lightweights.
09:27Great right hand to the left side of the champion's body in the second round.
09:32There is a left hook, a slap, more than a solid hit.
09:40Now, a good left hook by Mambi.
09:46These are eight-ounce gloves, and WBC rules if you're scoring on this ten-point must.
09:51The winner of the round gets ten, the loser nine or less.
09:54And there was a left hook to the body of DeJesus, dug in by the champion.
10:11And now the champion is using DeJesus' best punch, the left hook.
10:16Good left hand, his best hand, most accurate hand.
10:22That's the man.
10:24DeJesus' now beginning to walk in to the left hand of Mambi.
10:32Trying to get inside and dig to the body.
10:39DeJesus' in right on the far side when he becomes a headhunter, has been very inaccurate.
10:45And getting beaten to the punch now, here in the third round.
10:48That keeps any fighter off balance.
10:5045 seconds to go in the round.
10:52Third.
10:52Okay, come in.
11:02WBC heavyweight champion of the world follows this bout.
11:04Larry Holmes, seventh title defense.
11:08Three to six by knockouts going against tough, rugged, Scott Ledoux.
11:13Some tough punching inside, tugging and pulling and leaning.
11:29Entire a fighter.
11:33Workout.
11:34And this is the fourth round of the scheduled 15-round WBC super lightweight championship bout.
11:42The champion in blue on the far side, coming around to his left.
11:45Now on the right side of the screen, Saul Mambi, 33 years old, 5'8 1⁄2", a 70-inch reach of 139 1⁄2.
11:51Esteban DeJesus, his opponent, going for another championship, held a WBC lightweight crown, went for the junior welterweight against Antonio Cervantes, lost it, went for the undisputed lightweight champion against Roberto Duran.
12:04As Duran had a WBA title and DeJesus in the red trunks, a WBC, but lost that too.
12:10Now, trying to come back, 60-second bout in a career, both having started in the year 1969, about the time this arena in which their fighting was built.
12:19Some good, solid punching by the champion.
12:29His corner told him to stick that left jab out, move around a little bit more, and then he'd find an opening for the right hand.
12:38Not using his reach advantage to best advantage right now.
12:44Percy's being smothered as DeJesus tries to come inside with body punches.
12:47Ortega, the referee, won 27 of 31 professional bouts as an amateur, lost a split decision in the finals, the national finals, Golden Gloves, against Floyd Patterson.
13:07Beautiful counter-punching by the champion Mambi in blue.
13:12DeJesus appearing to inspire here in the fourth round.
13:14Doing a little extra leaning on the champion.
13:23One thing that we wondered about, the condition of the legs of DeJesus, who hasn't fought since November.
13:33But against a wily and skillful champion.
13:35Some of that experience.
13:48But he's missing too much.
13:49Slugging now in the fourth round.
14:03Missing.
14:04Good snapping away from punches.
14:06Good defense by DeJesus and Rand.
14:08Okay.
14:09Three.
14:10Well done.
14:11We'd like to alert our stations along the line that we'll take a station break at the end of this, the fourth round.
14:20Turn home.
14:21Let's go.
14:24Holmes, the heavyweight champion, right in that.
14:28One o'clock yesterday, 214 and a quarter.
14:31Scott LaDue, the challenger, 226.
14:34These are super-lightweights you're watching now.
14:36We'll have more championship boxing from Bloomington, Minnesota, after this from our local stations.
14:41Put your way out of there.
14:43Take it on those runners.
14:47We're going to round five now.
14:48The first meeting ever between the man in the left corner, Esteban DeJesus, the challenger, and the champion in blue.
14:53Taller by three inches.
14:55Saul Mambi of the Bronx, New York.
14:57There have been no knockdowns.
14:58Neither fighter is marked.
14:59The heaviest punch landed by DeJesus in the body of Mambi.
15:04Mambi, though, is a busier fighter.
15:05Throws more punches.
15:08The rest of DeJesus and Rand, if you're just joining us, has a shorter reach and must get in close.
15:16And coming in, he gets caught.
15:21Both fighters have been knocked down in their career.
15:25Remember DeJesus, the only fighter to defeat Roberto Duran in 1972 at Madison Square Garden.
15:33Ten-round decision.
15:42Between them, 105 professional fights.
15:47There DeJesus couldn't pull the trigger.
15:50Timing a little bit off tonight.
15:51He's in red.
15:52He had an open head of the champion, Mambi, but couldn't unload that right hand.
15:58That's rangy Saoul Mambi in blue.
16:14Angular.
16:19Quick hands.
16:20Good left hook, as you saw.
16:21Beautifully shot by our ABC crew here in Bloomington, Minnesota.
16:25They'll also be bringing you the schedule of 15-round World Heavyweight Championship.
16:32The winner to possibly meet three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali.
16:37Who you'll hear from, between rounds.
16:44Good right-hand lead by DeJesus.
16:47Trying to get an uppercut in.
16:48That seems to me like a very suitable and should be an effective punch for DeJesus.
16:53Shorter the two and wanting to get inside.
16:55Now a little more night light between them here in the Met Center Arena.
17:14Have about 30 seconds remaining in the fifth round.
17:19Very close bout.
17:20There again DeJesus, beat to the punch.
17:30Up on his toes.
17:32Grapp should move a little bit more.
17:35And away from that left hand.
17:39Ali and Howard Cosell in eight seconds.
17:42Good fight that you're seeing.
17:55Mambi, a worthy champion against DeJesus.
17:58With me, three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali.
18:02Looking forward to Holmes against Ledoux.
18:04What will happen there?
18:06You mean Holmes and Ledoux?
18:08It's hard to tell.
18:09That's why I'm here.
18:10I'm here to check Holmes out because I'm sure he's my next opponent.
18:14If Ledoux should get lucky and win, I want to see how he do it.
18:17It could go either way.
18:18Ledoux's rough.
18:18He's strong.
18:19He keeps coming.
18:20Holmes may have taken him lightly.
18:21He may have been top of that shape.
18:23And it could go either way.
18:24So I wouldn't predict who's going to win.
18:26Will you be fighting Holmes should he win October 10th?
18:29Has that been firmed up or is it just taught?
18:32Well, they're still talking.
18:33We're talking about Kyriegian.
18:34If you don't go in Egypt, Don King can take it for sure.
18:36It's Caesar Palace.
18:37If Holmes don't win tonight, they'll do the same they do.
18:41Okay.
18:41Back to the action.
18:43De Jesus against Sambi and Chris Jenkel.
18:46All right.
18:46And we move into the sixth round of the scheduled 15-round bout.
18:50Bahamut Ali watching the two heavyweights and the super lightweight bout.
18:54Live from Bloomington, Minnesota.
18:56There have been no knockdowns.
18:57The unit fighter is marked.
19:00Now that left jab.
19:01Look at it flicked by Mambe, the champion in blue.
19:03Won it in February.
19:04Seoul, Korea.
19:06Against Kim Sang-yoon.
19:11Up until that point, hadn't heard much about Saul Mambe.
19:15So, he's getting his first television exposure tonight.
19:20Had to win a title to do it.
19:24But Jesus, of course, won the WBC lightweight championship.
19:26Defended it successfully twice.
19:29And then fought Roberto Duran for the third time and lost it.
19:34Nurseman.
19:37Hershey's in good company.
19:39Sugar Ray Leonard losing his welterweight championship to Roberto Duran.
19:43There was a left hook right on the ear.
20:09And is it a...
20:11Apparently ruled as a slip.
20:15Apparently ruled as a slip for the referee, Rudy Ortega.
20:20But I'll tell you, he caught a good punch on the ear.
20:23That had to smart, if nothing else.
20:30Here you see the quick hands.
20:33A variety of combination punches by the champion in blue.
20:35Very difficult man to fight.
20:40Mambe.
20:42Can be very unorthodox.
20:45Even in his stance.
20:50Work your way out.
20:52Punch with Mambe.
20:53An overhand right after three left jabs by Mambe and Blue.
21:02Sort of a slapping punch.
21:08Work your way out of there.
21:12Remember the rules.
21:13Three knockdown rule is waived.
21:14Mandatory eight count.
21:16No standing count.
21:17Fighter cannot be saved with the bell except the last round.
21:19Thirty seconds in this round.
21:23And we're going to replay what was ruled by the referee, Rudy Ortega.
21:27A slip.
21:36Work your way out of there.
21:37Bell in ten seconds.
21:38Carl King, the manager of Saul Mambe.
21:42Shouting encouragement.
21:43You'll probably hear him on our microphone.
21:46Carl, son of Don King, formerly managed.
21:48Best of on the Jesus in red.
21:51So here between rounds at Met Center,
21:55where we also await the 15-round World Heavyweight Championship bound,
21:58Holmes and Scott Ledoux will replay.
22:01Well, it was a shove.
22:06It was actually the first left hook that caught him on the ear.
22:09And then it sort of circled behind his head.
22:12He pulled him down.
22:13So Rudy Ortega again was right.
22:15There it is.
22:18It's all hindsight.
22:19We have videotape.
22:22Rudy Ortega, a veteran referee.
22:24I know.
22:25Fresh getting a lot of advice from his corner men,
22:28Al Smith, Lee Block, and Carl King.
22:31This is the seventh round from Bloomington, Minnesota.
22:46Very good in and out punching by the champion, Mambe.
22:49Quick, quick mover.
22:50Quick hands.
22:52He is very difficult to be beaten to the punch.
23:01Weight limit is 140 pounds.
23:04Lightweight is 135.
23:07These are super lightweights.
23:08You're looking at a ring as we spoke from it last night on ABC.
23:24Building up tonight's doubleheader and tomorrow night's all-star game
23:27has been expanded about two feet to an 18-foot square,
23:31mainly for the heavyweight championship bout
23:33and for fighting by the rules, WBC rules.
23:41And now they're beginning to use it, these two super lightweights.
23:50Mambe in blue, the champion, has gone 15 rounds only once,
23:54went 14 once,
23:56went 10 rounds, 18 times.
24:03Esteban in red on the left.
24:06He's gone 15 rounds twice,
24:0912 rounds six times,
24:10and 21 times.
24:1210-round bouts.
24:14A lot of experience.
24:14Now you're seeing the great boxing by Mambe, the champion.
24:21What a left hand.
24:24Look how it mixed up to the head and then to the midsection.
24:27Follows up with a right hook to the body.
24:29Work your way out.
24:30Ooh, a nice right uppercut.
24:32Nearly caught the champion.
24:34Of the champion.
24:36Now taking charge in the boxing department is the champion.
24:43The Jesus backing away and being stung.
24:49These are sharp left jabs.
24:56So they're going to get a one-minute rest in 30 seconds
24:58here in Bloomington, Minnesota.
25:05Next hometown favorite, Scott LaDue at 226.
25:08Gets a title shot against the champion, Larry Holmes,
25:11at 214 and a quarter.
25:13Punches up.
25:18Just going through the motions.
25:22Weight out of range.
25:23Still throwing punches.
25:24Keeping to Jesus off balance.
25:26Staying away from that left hook.
25:28All right, here we go in the eighth round of a scheduled 15-round bout.
25:38Super lightweights.
25:38The champion in blue coming around to the right on your screen
25:41going against former lightweight champion Esteban de Jesus.
25:45Who was slowed down in the last round by the tremendous probing left jabs by the champion.
25:53Kept off balance.
25:56Now to Jesus.
25:57Moving forward.
25:59Bambi counter-punching.
26:00A little different in the last round, which we had Bambi winning.
26:0310-point must.
26:0610-point must.
26:16Superior boxer.
26:17Saúl Mambi in the Bronx, New York, in blue, the champion.
26:22Sneaky right-hand lead.
26:25Barely a solid punch on the chin.
26:27And DeJesus appears that's what he's going to have to do tonight.
26:34Unload a heavy knockout punch.
26:41And not outbox the champion.
26:52Advantage in the reach department is a beautiful thing.
26:55As Muhammad Ali would tell you, no one used it better.
27:00Or Sugar Ray Leonard when he used it.
27:02Not so much in the last bout, but prior to that.
27:09It's an offensive and defensive weapon.
27:11And Mambi is really showing me a lot of skill with it.
27:14Okay.
27:20He just throws that left hand from everywhere,
27:22but carelessly hangs it down at his hip or almost at his thigh.
27:28Leave him open for a right hand.
27:30In fact, a right-hand uppercut just got through.
27:32And a left hook.
27:34Detaliation by the champion.
27:35Quicker hands.
27:49Better combinations by the champion in blue.
27:51Mambi.
27:52Bambi in blue.
27:59Much-traveled.
28:01Lighter division fighter.
28:02Having fought in Paris, Quebec, San Juan, Santa Domingo,
28:05Curacao, Seoul, Korea, where he won the title.
28:08And in St. Paul, Minnesota, once.
28:20Jesus, a little arm-weary here in the apron.
28:25Get a minute rest.
28:26We're on your way out of there.
28:29We're on your way out of there.
28:30We're on your way out of there.
28:30Boyce and Rudy Ortega, the referee.
28:32Let's go to Howard Cosell.
28:35Thank you very much, Christopher.
28:37And let's take a look at Larry Holmes in his dressing room
28:40as he prepares to defend his ground against Scott Ledoux.
28:43Larry Holmes with a record of 34-0-0, 25 KOs.
28:47His best weapon, that punishing, stinging jab.
28:50He is a quick-handed, quick-footed fighter
28:53with excellent lateral movement, for one,
28:55in the heavyweight classification.
28:58And the right is used in combination, often very effectively.
29:03His opponent, Scott Ledoux, is a different story.
29:06Characterized by most as a journeyman fighter,
29:09he has 126, lost 8, drawn 4 with 17 KOs.
29:14He is a man with tremendous heart.
29:16He is a difficult man to knock out.
29:19He has been stopped on cuts.
29:21We talked earlier about the motivation
29:24prompted by the serious illness of his wife.
29:27You'll hear more about that later in the telecast.
29:30But for tonight, for this July 7th,
29:33it's everything to Ledoux.
29:34Here's Chris.
29:36Thank you, Howard.
29:36We look forward to that scheduled 15-round
29:38heavyweight championship fight.
29:40We've moved now to the ninth round
29:41of the scheduled 15-round
29:42world super lightweight championship.
29:44Also, World Boxing Council sanctioned.
29:46Former WBC lightweight champion in red
29:49on the far side, Esteban DeJesus,
29:51appearing to tire just a bit.
29:54He's had many, many left hands stuck in his face.
29:57Few right hands by the champion in blue,
29:59Saul Mambi of the Bronx, New York.
30:0133 years old.
30:03DeJesus is 28.
30:04Both began their careers in 1969.
30:16Mambi and blue,
30:18winning his first bout,
30:19a six-round decision in Kingston, Jamaica.
30:23Perez DeJesus on the left,
30:25ducking punches.
30:27Won his first bout
30:28with a two-round knockout in San Juan.
30:30Jesus now may have a nosebleed.
30:39We are at the ninth round
30:41of the scheduled 15-round bout.
30:43No blow.
30:59You blocked.
31:01Oh, two very crisp punches.
31:11DeJesus, the best to the head
31:13by DeJesus thus far.
31:16Champions in great shape.
31:18Shook him off.
31:21Blocked that one.
31:22That was a whistling right hand
31:23blocked beautifully
31:24on the arms and gloves of Mambi and blue.
31:33Scoring almost a wheel to the head
31:35of DeJesus.
31:36Now showing his defensing skill,
31:40blocking those punches
31:41as we have 50 seconds
31:43remaining in the ninth round.
31:45There you got a very good idea
31:46just how stiff that left jab is.
31:49You saw the head snap back
31:50from being hit on the chin
31:52to DeJesus.
31:57Remember,
31:58he's a one-punch knockout,
32:00super lightweight,
32:01DeJesus.
32:02Very tiring bout.
32:10Lots of action.
32:15Beautifully blocked again
32:16by the champion in blue,
32:19Mambi.
32:21Work the bell in 10 seconds.
32:2210th round of the scheduled
32:3315-round super lightweight bout.
32:35No knockdowns.
32:36Need a fighter mark.
32:37Mambi's the champion in blue.
32:38He has taken charge,
32:40but Esteban DeJesus
32:41has fought back,
32:43occasionally leading,
32:44trying to counterpunch
32:45when he gets inside,
32:46but he's being beat
32:47to the punch
32:48in the long arms and hands,
32:49quick hands of Mambi.
32:50There you see the quickness.
32:55Doubling up on
32:56jabs or hooks.
33:00Don't pull back
33:01in the neck.
33:01Do not hold behind the neck.
33:04That is illegal.
33:08Missed the left hook
33:09and caught a left hook
33:10in the belly
33:11to DeJesus.
33:14Another one to the body.
33:16He's starting to rip now,
33:17Mambi.
33:18Look at him block
33:22those punches
33:23with the gloves.
33:28Especially with the right hand.
33:29Sometimes the left hand
33:30is too, too low.
33:34Good body punch
33:35by DeJesus.
33:36Picking up the pace,
33:37getting through a right hand.
33:38Short right hook.
33:40We're in the 10th round.
33:42About a minute and 45 seconds
33:43to go on this fast-paced round.
33:57Just watching DeJesus
33:58to see if
33:59the wind
34:01might be knocked out
34:02of his sails.
34:04But he's
34:04fighting back.
34:05This shot
34:15show you
34:15what it's like
34:16inside.
34:17Tough business, isn't it?
34:19Get out of there!
34:2710th round
34:28will end
34:28in one minute.
34:29That punch is thrown
34:36from about
34:37every angle.
34:38I'm surprised that
34:39we haven't
34:40a cut
34:41on either fighter.
34:50Hup!
34:51Hup!
34:51Hup!
34:51Hup!
34:52Hup!
34:53Hup!
34:54Hup!
34:55Hup!
34:56Hup!
34:57Hup!
34:58Hup!
35:00Hup!
35:01Hup!
35:02Hup!
35:03Hup!
35:04Hup!
35:05Hup!
35:06Hup!
35:07Hup!
35:08Hup!
35:09Hup!
35:10Hup!
35:11Hup!
35:12Hup!
35:13Hup!
35:14Hup!
35:15Hup!
35:16Hup!
35:17Hup!
35:18Hup!
35:19Hup!
35:20Hup!
35:21Hup!
35:22Hup!
35:23Hup!
35:24Hup!
35:25Hup!
35:26Hup!
35:27Well, here in Bloomington, Minnesota, it's a boxing doubleheader tonight.
35:32Some sparring a week from tonight, Monday, July 14th at 7.30 p.m. Eastern Time.
35:38ABC News takes the floor at the Republican Convention at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit
35:43with innovative election coverage you've come to expect from ABC News.
35:47Joining for the first time as anchors two of the best, Frank Reynolds and Ted Koppel.
35:52Barbara Walters takes you behind the scenes with special interviews.
35:55Special edition of 2020 will make this coverage unique
36:00with inside looks at the people and the stories behind the candidates.
36:03From the first gavel to the last hurrah, most watched in 1980 for political coverage,
36:09ABC News takes the floor beginning July 14th.
36:12Taking the floor very soon here at Metropolitan Center Arena
36:17as we look at Esteban DeJesus unmarked being talked to, a little ammonia,
36:22trying to clear any cobwebs that might be there coming out now for the 11th round.
36:29DeJesus, former lightweight champion.
36:33Rossi himself, he's taken a lot of punishment.
36:36Tried to dish it out.
36:37But it's a clever champion in blue.
36:39Saul, home, Mambi of the Bronx, New York.
36:54Look at those quick moves we've come to expect in the exciting lighter divisions.
36:58And with that educated left jab that Mambi possesses,
37:05we suspect in the scheduled 15-round heavyweight bout
37:08that you'll see a tremendous jab thrown by the champion, Larry Holmes.
37:13Gets 226 pounds, Scott Ledoux, the underdog.
37:17There, DeJesus tried to unload the, the knockout punch.
37:29Perfect.
37:34But Mambi's in superb condition here,
37:38ready for his first television appearance
37:41and his first defense of a title that he won
37:43in far-off Seoul, Korea against Kim Sang-yoon.
37:47Time, we have a lace or a piece of tape on the left glove,
37:57the 8-ounce gloves worn by these super-lightweights.
38:00Some tape came loose, the clock stops.
38:03At least the timekeeper here should have stopped the clock.
38:06He did.
38:07As I look to my left now, alert as can be.
38:12So we'll do a little repair work here.
38:14And we'll stop it, however long it takes,
38:17so a little new tape goes across.
38:20Actually, what that covers, the laces after the gloves are laced up.
38:23The remaining part of the laces themselves are then wrapped around.
38:27We've got about 1 minute and 30 seconds left in this, the 11th round.
38:32Schedule for 15, neither fight or down.
38:35No cuts.
38:36I'd like to alert our stations along the line.
38:43We'll take a station break at the end of this, the 11th round.
38:52No back of the glove.
38:57Only with the closed-fist portion of the glove.
39:00The glove, that's legal.
39:03Punches from everywhere.
39:05A buzzsaw is Saul Mambi.
39:07The fans beginning to love his skill.
39:16Short, solid punches by DeJesus coming in.
39:20The champion trying to wear down the challenger.
39:29Again, with a punch and 32 knockouts,
39:32we have to tell you that there's always that chance.
39:37But not when a left is in your face like Mambi's left is.
39:41Ooh, those are beautiful left jabs.
39:43And those body left hooks.
39:50We'll have more championship boxing from Bloomington, Minnesota
39:53after this from our local stations.
39:58In rounds, the champion of blue asked one of his corner men,
40:02Al Smith, what round it was.
40:04Quick retort from the handler was,
40:07don't worry what the round is, just go up and fight.
40:09I doubt if it's an indication of being tired.
40:15I would think that DeJesus, who's caught more punches,
40:18would be quite tired at this point.
40:25These two fighters have had about seven fights
40:27in the last two and a half years.
40:29But you can see why.
40:31If you had a boxer, they'd be very difficult,
40:34tough opponents, wouldn't they?
40:37They have been busy.
40:38They have gone at a steady pace for 11 rounds,
40:41and this is the 12th.
40:42And now there's a big mouse under the left eye,
40:45of Esteban DeJesus.
40:49Swollen area.
40:49I hope you're fully appreciating the pace of this bout.
41:01I hope you're fully appreciating the pace of this bout.
41:11Remember, this is the 12th round.
41:13Non-stop action.
41:16Good job of the referee staying out of it,
41:19breaking them off, often with just shouts, commands.
41:24A lesson for young boxers, the use of the left jab
41:35by Mambi, the champion, and blue.
41:39Using it offensively and defensively.
41:47Talk about counter-punching.
41:48And it's beautiful.
41:54And now taking the lead.
42:03Now, Jesus, who knocked Roberto Duran down twice,
42:08did it in counter-punching, both times with a left hook.
42:12Jesus, the only man to defeat Duran in 1972.
42:19Whereas Mambi, the champion,
42:21lost a 10-round decision to Roberto Duran.
42:27Jesus now in serious trouble,
42:30and down he goes with about 20 seconds,
42:33a mandatory eight count, 15 seconds to go.
42:37You cannot be saved by the bell.
42:38Seven, the mandatory eight,
42:41and Rudy Ortega looks at the eyes of DeJesus,
42:44who's blinking them.
42:45Lovely neat, spaghetti legs.
42:49And so he'll get a rest, much needed.
42:52There it is.
42:55The first knockdown of the bout.
42:58Coming in the 12th round,
43:00and listen to these fans.
43:05He is in trouble.
43:07Let's replay it now.
43:09The busy hands of the champion.
43:11A right-hand lead, a left, another right, a left.
43:16We've been harping on that left hand,
43:18and that one caught him flush on the chin,
43:20and it was a result of a combination of punches leading up to it.
43:23Another view.
43:27Oh, those left hands.
43:29The right hand missing.
43:32There.
43:32Now, Esteban, the veteran of 61 fights,
43:39trying to pull out every defensive skill that he knew,
43:42snapping away, slipping punches,
43:44but Rudy Ortega has talked to his corner men,
43:47Manny Siaka, Antonio Rosario,
43:50and we're trying to get,
43:54uh-oh, wait just a minute.
43:56Can Esteban DeJesus get out?
43:59Yes.
44:00Yes.
44:00So here we go with the 13th round, remember?
44:06DeJesus in the red trunks with about 20 seconds to go
44:09was down for a mandatory eight count.
44:13Roulette-wheeled eyes,
44:15rubbery legs.
44:16Let's see if he can snap out of it in only one minute.
44:19And Manny the champion in his first title defense
44:23wants to be impressive,
44:25and he has been.
44:29DeJesus only 13 knockouts in 44 fights.
44:41Looking to mix up his punches.
44:44But fighting back is to Jesus,
44:46and he's down.
44:46We have a minute and five seconds remaining,
44:51and the fight is over.
44:53Good call by Rudy Ortega, the referee.
44:56The incoming, it'll be a TKO victory
44:59in his first title defense for 33-year-old Saul Mambi.
45:03And into the ring comes Yolanda,
45:18who was one of two people to see him win the title in Korea.
45:22They sent only two tickets
45:24for the man from the Bronx, New York,
45:26because they held him that lightly.
45:29They didn't respect him.
45:30His manager didn't go.
45:31He took Yolanda, his sweetheart,
45:33and he won the title for her and all his fans.
45:36And Esteban DeJesus could not stand up
45:38to the relentless punching Howard
45:39of a very impressive champion at 33 years of age.
45:43Okay, still champion.
45:56Now, this is how it happened.
45:58Remember, this was the second knockdown.
46:00DeJesus, against the ropes here in the 13th round,
46:03was down for a count near the end of round 12,
46:06and it was just too much.
46:08Non-stop punching.
46:12Relentless action here
46:14in the super lightweight championship fight.
46:18So DeJesus now,
46:20who went for the undisputed world lightweight title
46:22against Roberta Duran,
46:23having held the WBC crown,
46:26went for the junior welterweight,
46:27is now going for the super lightweight
46:29and failing in all three cases.
46:32But he fought a very talented fighter.
46:36We'll get the exact time for you.
46:38It was about one minute of the 13th round,
46:43a technical knockout victory for Saul Mambi.
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