- 12 hours ago
The replay of IBF Heavyweight Champion Michael Moorer defending his title against former champion Frans Botha from the PPV the week before on Showtime Boxing
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00:00Heavyweight champion Michael Moore, the current IVF title holder against the former champion Francois Botha.
00:06Introducing to you first the challenger on my right, fighting out of the blue corner,
00:12entering the ring wearing white trunks with black trim,
00:15hailing from Pretoria, South Africa, now fighting out of Newport Beach, California.
00:21He weighed in at 224 pounds.
00:24He is undefeated in his campaign in the ring with 36 wins, no losses,
00:2921 wins coming by way of knockout.
00:32Please welcome the challenger, ranked the number one heavyweight contender by the IVF.
00:37Introducing the white buffalo, Francois Botha.
00:46And his opponent across the ring is the defending world champion on my left,
00:52fighting out of the red corner, entering the ring wearing green trunks with white lettering,
00:58fighting out of and proudly representing Detroit, Michigan.
01:03He weighed in at 219 pounds.
01:06His record includes 37 wins, only one defeat, 30 wins coming by way of knockout.
01:13Please welcome the former light heavyweight world champion.
01:16And now in his second reign as the heavyweight title holder,
01:20he is the IVF heavyweight champion of the world.
01:23Introducing double M, Michael Moore.
01:33And once again, our referee in charge of this bout now to give instructions, Mills Lane.
01:42All right, Teddy, if he goes right here, I'm not going to call it low, all right?
01:49Right here is going to be all right, all right, understand?
01:51All right, gentlemen, champion for the world.
01:55I've already given you instruction in the dressing room.
01:58I expect a tough, clean fight.
02:00Protect yourself at all times.
02:02Any questions from the challenger?
02:05The champion.
02:06Let's get it on.
02:07Let's get it on.
02:15The unmistakable play of Mills Lane.
02:17Franz Botha undefeated his ring record, though.
02:20Not a who's who of boxing.
02:22Tonight on this mammoth stage before Tyson Holyfield.
02:25Big opportunity to silence his critics.
02:26And which Michael Moore will show up tonight?
02:29The one whose 12 heavyweight fights up until his win over Holyfield.
02:32Lasted an average of five rounds.
02:33Or the Morrow, whose last four fights averaged 11.
02:36A champion who loved to war in the past, but far more conservative and inconsistent of late.
02:42And he blames a nasty divorce with a child custody thing that had him all confused.
02:47That's all behind him.
02:48Everything's straightened out.
02:49And he's back to being Michael the vicious.
02:51And so let's see if he is.
02:53Well, I'll tell you what.
02:53I think this first round is going to be very important for both fighters to taste and test that power.
02:58Whoever's got the power in the first round should start out with a big edge.
03:00Morrow works out of the southpaw stance.
03:03Not known as a fast starter, although he did start out fast in round one against Axel Schultz.
03:07But then settled into a more methodical pace.
03:10He has lost his focus and gets lackluster sometimes in the later rounds.
03:15Which drives Teddy Atlas crazy.
03:19Now, Franz Bosa is a struggle.
03:21Oh, nice right hand by Bosa.
03:22He likes to brawl.
03:24He likes to, you know, he's a beer barrel going at it.
03:28But there's a sharp right hook by Michael Moore that tagged the cheek of Bosa.
03:33Both of the landed shots looping to right.
03:35As you saw there, looping around, looping under.
03:38He is a little more unorthodox.
03:39Comes from some awkward angles and is affected in that awkward style.
03:43Michael Moore, classic stand-up boxer puncher from the southpaw style.
03:46Equally difficult to face because he is so strong.
03:48And southpaws are always tough to fight.
03:50Against the lefty Moore, Bosa will need a good right hand, followed by a left to the body.
03:55Those body shots taking out the legs.
03:58The jab should be relatively ineffective against Moore.
04:02You don't want to lay on the ropes against Michael as well or stay too long on the inside and
04:06test his power.
04:07Try to get in and out as fast as possible, I would think, if you're Franz Bosa.
04:12Bosa has been doing all the fighting here, even though it's not effective fighting, but he is popping.
04:17Well, I'll tell you what he's doing.
04:18He's throwing a heck of a right hand.
04:20A roundhouse right, followed up by a short right.
04:23I think he almost lost his balance.
04:24Yeah, I think he almost actually tackled him.
04:26His hand wrapped around his head and pulled him in a little bit, but it wasn't a real effective shot.
04:31Yeah, well, that wasn't a punch.
04:32That wasn't him getting hit.
04:34That was a punch.
04:35That was a right hand.
04:36He's been landing that right hand with surprising authority.
04:40Straight right hand by Franz Bosa, countering straight right by Michael Moore.
04:44Swing and a miss with the left hook.
04:46Oh, and momentarily dazed is Michael Moore.
04:50Franz Bosa having a big first round.
04:53Bosa seems pretty strong.
04:55He's landing that right hand.
04:56Moore's coming back to his credit, keeping his hands up and not panicking, but that right hand is working for
05:01Bosa right now.
05:02Well, they're working at two speeds.
05:03Bosa's working in full speed ahead and more again.
05:07Looks like he's going 50 miles an hour.
05:09A crunching straight right to the body by Franz Bosa.
05:12And Bosa with all kinds of confidence.
05:14He's in a lot better shape aerobically, working very closely on his conditioning heading into this fight.
05:21Well, I can't wait to hear what Teddy Atlas is going to tell him in the red corner between rounds
05:26because he's asleep.
05:26He better wake up.
05:30Final seconds of the opening round.
05:32A productive one for Franz Bosa.
05:35Again, a big right uppercut to the body by Bosa.
05:47Now, get yourself together.
05:49You gave him that round.
05:50We can't be giving him rounds.
05:51Put your legs half straight.
05:52Don't have to have water.
05:53We can't be giving him rounds because he's bullshitting you and he's going to get braver and braver.
05:57You hear me?
05:59Now, listen to me closely.
06:00Let him also swallow.
06:02Now, listen.
06:03Don't stay at that medium range.
06:04You throw those looping right hands.
06:05If you're staying right at that medium range, you're going to get hit with it.
06:08Double the jab up and close that distance.
06:10All right?
06:11Close that distance.
06:12Move you right away from his right hand.
06:13All right, let's see where Moore gets his attention.
06:15Bosa and then watch as Bosa makes him pay for it.
06:19He makes him set up again and then comes the right hand.
06:22Bow!
06:23And see, that was not really a right hand fight.
06:26It went over the top of his head.
06:27It was one of those Bruce Sullivan type of fights.
06:29And it went over the head and buckled him.
06:31I don't know why.
06:32But did you hear?
06:33Teddy Atlas, that's one of the best young corner men in the world today.
06:36And he's working in an all-star cast.
06:39Ralph, Citro, Lou Duba, and Teddy Atlas.
06:41Is that a multi-million dollar corner or what?
06:44Duba, the number one cheerleader for Moore.
06:47Meanwhile, round two, both his confidence got a big jumpstuff in the opening round
06:51when he discovered he could connect repeatedly with his right hand.
06:54And Teddy Atlas said it, too.
06:55He said, you gave that round away so you can figure out how I've scored it.
06:58Even Teddy Atlas said, you gave the round away.
07:00Don't do it.
07:01Don't let him get any courage and build it up and put some momentum together.
07:05It's a curious thing about Moore.
07:07He can talk about being, his mind being there, but then it isn't.
07:10I mean, you know you don't want to start like this.
07:12You know he didn't want to start like that, giving away that round and getting hit that hard.
07:16How many times have we seen Teddy Atlas need to deliver those rambunctious motivational speeches
07:23in the corner to Michael Moore?
07:25Well, he's lucky he's got Teddy Atlas.
07:26He's lucky he's got him.
07:27It's a very unique marriage, a strange relationship, but quite a chemistry.
07:34You know, to look at Franz Bolte, you don't see a tremendous amount.
07:36He doesn't look like a ripped, sculpted guy, but he has unusually heavy hands and pretty good strength and power.
07:42He has what we call heavy hands when he hits you, that transition time is a lie.
07:46But both are certainly looking a lot more physically fit than we have ever seen him before.
07:51He's a little flabby around the midsection, but his shoulders seem a little broader.
07:56He's like a guy we used to have called two-tone Tani Galento.
07:59You didn't want to see him in an alley.
08:01You didn't want to get in a beer room fight with him.
08:03And he looked like this, but he dropped the great Joe Louis.
08:06Okay, wait a minute.
08:08Get that off that elbow.
08:09The elbow, come on.
08:10Let's go.
08:11The take charge, Mills Lane.
08:13You don't get away with anything in his courtroom.
08:17He is a district.
08:18He is a judge from Reno-Novato.
08:20Mills Lane sets a standard, and that's by which things will be followed.
08:23Yeah.
08:24Well, both are not only pulling it off offensively there, but also has a good heart and a pretty good
08:30chin.
08:31He got off to a good start against Axel Schultz, recall as well, in his last fight almost a year
08:36ago.
08:36They took that title away when he tested positive for steroids, but he claimed it was for an injured arm,
08:41and it was prescribed by a doctor.
08:42Well, you know, if you look at his body, there doesn't seem to be signs of anabolic steroids, big, gripped
08:47muscles.
08:47So there may be a lot of truth to that, but Michael Moore is starting to get the rings now
08:51with the jab in the left hand.
08:53Moore is starting to come on now here at the end of round two.
08:59You see there, Moore slipped that right hand.
09:01He's getting out of the way of the right hand now.
09:03He's not finding a home, and he's countering with the straight left, doing a good job.
09:06But, you know, both of the—both doesn't stop.
09:09He keeps right on going.
09:10I mean, he's getting some shots here, but he keeps right on fighting back.
09:14You know, he does it at such a lethargic-type pace that it's amazing to me how successful he's been.
09:19He just keeps coming, but never really quickly, never really fast.
09:22You know, that right hand he just threw was fast and hard.
09:25I mean, he loves you.
09:26He loves you in the slip.
09:29Final 10 seconds of round number two.
09:36A digging right uppercut by Bolton for the midsection of Moore.
09:39Let's go over to Jim Gray with some other champions.
09:44All right, thank you very much, Steve.
09:46I'm now joined by two of the world champion New York Yankees, Tino Martinez and Timmy Raines.
09:50Tino, your first fight, how does the atmosphere in this building right now compare to a World Series game?
09:54Well, it's a lot more tense, I think, because at any second, a big blow could be thrown,
09:58and everybody's kind of right at that big moment.
10:00In a World Series game, it's the course of nine innings, and you get a big blow, you can recover
10:04and come back later on.
10:05But right here, it's just from any second now, something could happen.
10:07Hey, Timmy, let me ask you.
10:08The adulation and all of the accolades that the Yankees continue to receive, it's like the parade has never ended.
10:15Well, it's like a dream that never ends, you know.
10:18You always wonder what it would be like, and it took me a long time to get there, and I
10:23hope it never ends.
10:24A lot of people used to hate the Yankees.
10:26It doesn't seem like that here in public, does it?
10:27Well, that's true.
10:28You know, I think they all jumped on the bandwagon, and I think it's great.
10:32Timmy, Tino, congratulations on a great year.
10:34Many of the other Yankees here behind us.
10:36Let's go back over to Steve.
10:37All right, Jim, in the main event, it's New York versus Atlanta, Tyson versus Holyfield,
10:41in what many consider the World Series of Boxing.
10:44Here we go, round three.
10:47Michael Moore in the green trunks, the champion.
10:50Brons Botha in the white, the challenger, and Botha has done a real nice job,
10:54although Moore is showing signs in the last round coming back.
10:57The last round, Moore put a good round for a sharp and smart round, and he took that round.
11:02That's what he has to do.
11:03He's got Botha on the retreat.
11:04What Botha told me in interviews, he has to get Michael going backwards.
11:08He can't do it if he's going backwards.
11:09But, Botha has a tendency to lower his left hand, and Moore has been able to jab over it.
11:16Here's a straight right hand by Botha, but doing no damage, defended well by Moore.
11:26Botha able to punch his way out, comes charging forward.
11:29Watch the head, says Miller's lane, as they came close together.
11:33Good pick there, defensively again by Moore.
11:37Moore's starting to box much better now, much more determined, throwing more meaningful punches.
11:42That was a kind of even round.
11:45Blistering left hook by Michael Moore.
11:47Ferocious punching power.
11:50Moore is the puncher of the two.
11:52He's doing a good job.
11:53But you see, he also watches his pace.
11:55I think Botha has to push him, frustrate him, and maybe even outright charge him a little more often.
12:08Little head fake by Botha to get out of the way.
12:12Watch the heads again, says Mills Lane.
12:15Very dangerous on the inside.
12:16But those are little inside uppercuts.
12:18He's on the other side of him.
12:19You can't see him.
12:19You can see his head going up and down.
12:21That was the inside uppercuts that Moore was landing, not heads.
12:24Hey, hey, one step back.
12:25Come on, here.
12:26Watch the heads.
12:26Come on.
12:27We're approaching the final minute of round three.
12:30Again, the warning from Mills Lane about the heads.
12:36Moore is starting to block the punches and counter much more effectively.
12:40Botha's going to have to go to something new.
12:42Yeah, he's established a pattern now.
12:44He's coming on.
12:45Oh, Botha is rocked.
12:47Combination.
12:48Moore looking to finish Botha off.
12:50A flurry by Moore.
12:52Can Botha hang on?
12:54Looking to hold on physically to Moore.
12:56He's going to go.
12:57Steve, he's trying, but he's not going to make it if he keeps putting his hands up in the air
13:01like that.
13:02There's the timer remaining in round three.
13:04Can Botha withstand this barrage by the left-hander, Moore?
13:08Oh, a straight right to the head of Botha.
13:12Well, you know that Moore is a great finisher once he gets you in trouble.
13:17Botha in desperate trouble.
13:18Bleeding his mouth open.
13:20Botha is bleeding.
13:22He's going to make it through this round, I think, Steve, but I'll tell you what.
13:25This sets a precedent for the rest of the night.
13:27His chin is not beyond Michael Moore's reach.
13:30He has to survive eight more seconds.
13:35It looks like the right eye of Botha that has opened up.
13:38Oh, that's a bell.
13:40Moore lands again.
13:54You know, you know what?
13:55You never went to the goddamn rope.
13:57You never went to the goddamn rope when you were in the gym.
14:02Come on, baby.
14:04Come on.
14:04Give me some water.
14:05Sit down, motherfucker.
14:07This is it.
14:09Hey, Moore.
14:10Here.
14:11Yeah.
14:13You never went to the rope.
14:20Watch the trouble that Botha gets in.
14:22As he gets hammered, you see that punch is already effective.
14:27Now comes the killer instinct of Moore.
14:29Moore comes from all angles.
14:30When he gets you in trouble, you don't know where that punch is coming.
14:32What a battering he's taken.
14:34And there's no defense for it, as Franz Botha is helpless.
14:37Virtually helpless.
14:40Sterling McPherson in the corner of Franz Botha screaming at his mind.
14:45You never went to the ropes in training.
14:46Why are you doing it now?
14:48Very intensive.
14:49Major sense of urgency in the corner of Franz Botha.
14:54Well, in Botha's corner, they're saying you never went to the ropes in the gym.
14:58And he should have said, yeah, and I never had Michael Moore pounding on me in the gym.
15:01That's exactly right.
15:02Michael Moore has something to say and something to do about it, Ferdy.
15:05And I'll tell you what.
15:06Right now, he has tasted the power.
15:08He didn't think he could get hurt.
15:09And now he's getting hurt again.
15:11Moore is trying to bag the white buffalo here in round four.
15:15And the trouble is, it's so early in the fight that Moore has got all of his energy.
15:20All of his energy.
15:24And, uh, Franz Botha looks like a spent fighter already.
15:29I mean, he's almost knocked out of that last round.
15:31And he's weary.
15:33Whereas Moore looks nice and fresh.
15:35Yeah, the condition, he can only take you so far when you're faced with this kind of power.
15:39Well, the punishment is what wears you out.
15:42You know, Michael is a crisper punch.
15:43We talked about it before.
15:45Sharper combinations.
15:46It's the combinations.
15:47The second, third, and fourth shot that are going to make the big difference.
15:50Moore just needed a little wake-up call after round one.
15:55And it has been all Michael Moore since the Beldo in round one.
15:59Well, if Moore can look very impressive here at finishing and finishes off both of them,
16:03then he is really the next up for Tyson.
16:07He will make the next fight big.
16:08If he looks good, if he looks good here, if Tyson beats Holyfield.
16:13That's right.
16:13That's right.
16:15Thank you for correcting me.
16:16That's quite all right.
16:17I take those things.
16:18Get out of here!
16:19Get out of here!
16:20Get out of here!
16:21Meta 20 left in round four.
16:23Walter Shortman is going to push Michael Moore back.
16:26When he does this, it's okay.
16:28He gets the better of Michael a little bit, but he has not been able to be effective because
16:32he apparently does not have good defensive skills while he's on the attack.
16:36You have to have automatic defensive skills almost built in when you're attacking.
16:41Yeah, but has Michael Moore let Botha off the hook here?
16:44He seems to have pulled back a little bit, and Botha looks like he's starting to dance around now
16:49and looking to regroup for the final minute of the fourth round.
16:53Well, I don't know if he's let him off completely, but he's let him off, though, for now.
16:56That's for certain.
16:57We'll see what happens from this point on.
17:15We'll see what happens when Moore comes up the middle with one of those big left uppercuts.
17:26That's where he's going to be really effective as well.
17:30All right, we'll step back, please.
17:31We'll step back.
17:32Here we go.
17:32Come on.
17:42And there's the bell for round four.
17:45Very good.
17:46Very good.
17:47All right.
17:49Sit down.
17:49Sit down.
17:50Sit down.
17:50All right.
17:51Hands right here.
17:52All right.
17:53Rinse the mouthpiece out.
18:17Do what you practice in the gym.
18:19Do what you practice in the gym.
18:21When you go underneath, come back with the left foot.
18:24Let me give him some water.
18:27Keep your chin down.
18:28Stay the fuck off the roof.
18:30Stay off the roof.
18:31Keep him in the middle of the right.
18:33All right.
18:34So here we go.
18:35Set for round five.
18:36Scheduled for 12.
18:37The IVF heavyweight title.
18:39Michael Moore getting some last to second sections from Teddy Atlas.
18:44And Sterling just told Botha, he's got a coward in front of you.
18:48I'll bet you that's news to a lot of men who've been starched by him.
18:51I bet Botha said, where?
18:52Where?
18:53I didn't see him.
18:53I didn't see one.
18:54Well, you know, trainers will do almost anything to build up their fighters' confidence, build
18:58up their egos, and get them going.
18:59So anything can be said and or done.
19:03Yeah, but you've got to maintain some level of credibility.
19:05I mean, you can tell a lot of things to a fighter, but he ain't dumb.
19:08He's sitting there saying, oh yeah.
19:10Franz Botha knows the real story.
19:12Yeah, somebody's the one fighting.
19:14Moore at 37 to 1 with 30 knockouts.
19:16The only loss to George Foreman.
19:18He was controlling the fight for nine rounds.
19:20He got knocked out by a straight right in the tent by Big George, who was then 45.
19:26And Franz Botha undefeated.
19:2836 and 0, 21 knockouts, but a very questionable list of opponents.
19:32And I talked to Michael Moore about that knockout because a lot of people
19:35thought he just decided to not get up and to heck with this whole thing.
19:38But he said, Bob, you know, you've been hit.
19:40Sometimes your legs just don't cooperate with your head.
19:43You're saying get up, but nothing's working.
19:44And I know what he means.
19:45Yeah, and from the category, just in case.
19:47Remember, Moore dominated Foreman, as I mentioned, and then found himself on the
19:52canvas of the 10th round.
19:53Of course, Franz Botha is not George Foreman.
19:55By several right years.
19:59Chronologically.
19:59Yeah, by any way, by any measure of time or weight.
20:03Oh, a wild right hand there.
20:05That missed by Franz Botha looking for the end-all punch there in one fell swoop.
20:12Michael digging a couple of nice right hooks to the body, but he seems to have slowed down
20:15a little bit.
20:16Maybe he thinks that if he lets Botha just punch, he can maybe punch himself out and unload
20:20back.
20:21But he just seems to be a little slow right now.
20:23Not really getting off, as he should.
20:25And Botha just hammering away with the right hook.
20:28He's blowing the round.
20:29He's letting this round go to Moore.
20:31You know, I have to take my hat off to Botha.
20:33Botha was out on his feet.
20:35He came back and just passed that last round.
20:37Now he's carrying action here.
20:38Low blow by Franz Botha.
20:40Mills Lane tells him to get those punches up.
20:44Well, we met.
20:45Oh, another low blow.
20:47We mentioned now Moore retaliates with a low blow of his own.
20:50Now he goes upstairs.
20:51The infighting continues.
20:52Now they break.
20:54See, Moore staying tight on the inside.
20:56Not on the tail end of that right hand most of the time.
20:59Trying to cut that distance and compromise the power.
21:01Botha just walking into punishment right now.
21:04Well, botha just landed three good right hands of the kind that George Foreman landed.
21:08Like, sweeping right hand.
21:09So what is Moore doing, taking those punches?
21:12He shouldn't be taking those right hands.
21:14They're both taking a lot of punches.
21:15Straight right.
21:16Now, a combination by Moore working to the face.
21:19Back comes Booth and a left hook by Moore.
21:21Oh, what a furious exchange.
21:24It's a very good pace for heavyweights.
21:26See, that's his right hand.
21:27Count the number of right hands.
21:28It's been a right hand festival for both of them.
21:31They are just winging away, wailing away at each other in the final seconds of round five.
21:36Straight right hand, but a grazing blow by Moore.
21:39Luckily for both of them.
21:40All right.
21:41Botha did very well that run.
21:43Yes!
21:45Yes!
21:46Yes!
21:46Yes!
21:47Yes!
21:47Yes!
21:48Yes!
21:48Yes!
21:48Yes!
21:49Yes!
21:51Yes!
21:51All right.
21:53That's what I'm putting.
21:54Hands down.
21:55Hands down.
21:55Right here.
21:57All right.
21:58All right.
21:58All right, Yance.
22:02Come on.
22:03Here.
22:04Give me some water.
22:06All right.
22:07Now you're fucking doing what I want you to do.
22:10You understand?
22:10Now you're back in the fight.
22:12Take a deep breath.
22:14Come on.
22:15Come on, baby.
22:17Rinse the mouthpiece out.
22:19Right here.
22:19to this guy come on give me more i'll give you more do you hear me do you well do
22:25something now
22:25don't wait till tomorrow because tomorrow will be too late do you hear me you got to deal with
22:30it for minutes you don't do it you're going to deal with it for life now look you're walking
22:34into right hands god damn it move to your right all right bubble the jab and let that straight
22:40left hand step in because it's throwing wide punches all right and punch and vibration here
22:45we go at around number six the two corners fired up sterling mcpherson with franz botha and teddy
22:52atlas with michael mora sterling mcpherson was a good fighter and he's a good trainer he tries
22:58he's not quite teddy atlas but he sure does motivate a fighter and he believes that both
23:03has taken around i did too and that makes it kind of an interesting fight i mean it's not
23:07all michael mora's we thought things are evening out i got it 48 47. well i tell you i have
23:13a 48 46
23:14for mora and just coming back to the corner after the last round botha looked somewhat defeated
23:20a defeated look on his face but he came right out through the first punch and he just answers that
23:24bell both are looking for the the uppercut straight up the metal but missed and he keeps putting that
23:31right hand in there you know it's like akawande's right hand the last fight he just keeps landing it
23:36i mean how much can moore take of that i mean moore's not got that tough a beard he's been
23:41down a lot
23:44botha comes off a very good round as you heard his trainer strutting mcpherson say now you're back in
23:50the fight that might be uh stretching it just a bit but more it did look better in the last
23:55uh both
23:55and it looked better by scoring i think he is back in the fight but if you're looking at the
23:59way the
23:59the way the tide is going of course moore looks like he's beginning so how do you guys see it
24:11to
24:11this point last round both won the majority around and moore closed it strong you could have thrown it
24:17to both or more the last round was very tight very even i gave it to both because it was
24:21a surprise that
24:21moore wasn't doing more and both of us doing all the action here although moore closed it nicely
24:28well can you imagine the king-sized carrot that you got in front of you a tyson fight and you're
24:33and you're not taking this guy out of there after you had him in trouble that's unexplainable for me
24:38well that to me is motivation enough for uh michael moore the color green as in money
24:49you know ladder to punch sounds more of a slap it is it sounds like a slap it is a
24:54slap
24:55now toe to toe in the center of the ring that last little hook was a bass drum getting hit
25:00that was a hard punch by moore both has got to be careful he's been resting on the ropes where
25:06he gets
25:06in trouble and his corner you may hear screaming don't fall asleep on us you know if you look at
25:12both
25:12the he doesn't represent any major threats in any one area not a one-punch knockout artist certainly
25:17not a speedster hasn't got great defense skills but he seems to get the job done against big tough
25:22top quality opponents but i'll tell you i was lobbying myself to fight him and i think michael
25:27moore should just step it up a little bit he's got he's right there on the edge of closing the
25:31door
25:31here it makes you wonder where michael moore is in the grand scheme can he beat a riddick bow or
25:36a lennox
25:37lewis two guys who struggled in their last fights a thumping straight right hand by both at the bell
25:47so here at the mgm grand the mgm hotel and casino the city of entertainment the scene for three of
25:54mike tyson's four wins since his resumed career later tonight he'll be taking on evander holyfield
26:02in defense of his wva heavyweight championship the folks do not want a repeat of what happened last
26:09time against bruce sheldon here's bill voggs
26:15all right with me right now right now james khan you've had a few fights in movies how's this look
26:19to you in movies yes yeah with a for example james khan with the cannon the godfather that was a
26:25big
26:25but what do you think about this you think both is holding his own or is well um from my
26:30vast boxing
26:32knowledge my encyclopedia of knowledge uh it seems to me that um uh that michael um if he circle right
26:40he he has a habit of both dropping his uh jab if he came over the top of the hook
26:44let's look watch this
26:45thanks james oh that was that was james khan i thought that was sonny corleone didn't you my god
26:50father he looked just like sonny corleone a man who knows from being riddled yeah i'm not having
26:55trouble at toll booth round seven let's see what both that can pull here against the champion michael
27:03moore this for the ibf heavyweight title scheduled for 12. right off the top of moore's head good duck
27:11under move by moore to elude i'll tell you some of those punches on top of the head hurt a
27:14little more
27:14than they might appear the head yes indeed is hard but there's a soft spot up there and it does
27:19hurt
27:19as does the temple shots the fight doctor just got sprayed right in the eye you all right yeah
27:26now more just barreling in bull goes his way in on franz bolter who uh is able to spin out
27:33of trouble
27:34so michael drives his punches underneath like that he's got to then just come straight up came straight
27:39up and into bolter because he's got him compromised he's got the leverage he's on the inside and he can
27:44hurt both both will go six two two twenty four more six two two nineteen they're almost even two
27:51inch reach advantage for more almost mirror images slapping right again by both they're not doing any
27:58damage then he goes to the midsection with the right uppercut again mora just shakes it off easily
28:02straight right hands tight too steve you see how tight he keeps his hands hard to hit and clean big
28:07george
28:07threw a nice one down the pipe and michael opened up and looked and there it was i think that
28:13wouldn't
28:13happen 200 times before he was getting killed he should that fight should have been stopped and
28:18around the eighth round he was getting such a beat and you wonder if both can draw from that wild
28:22episode for inspiration logic shows unlikely but oftentimes logic and boxing don't go hand in hand
28:29now again both are off the ropes he's got to be careful that's where mora wants him
28:33on the road oh a straight right hand that staggered both of momentarily actually it was a little bit
28:38of a right hook he was compromised with his feet but as a southpaw he just kind of slanted it
28:44in
28:44both comes right back bobby with a straight right of his arms and a right uppercut to the jaw
28:48well both is a gutsy guy he didn't come here to lose so now we have a fight and the
28:54crowd really
28:55getting behind the challenger both of both the hammers away back comes mora with a well hook
29:01back comes both with a straight right tremendous action in the center of the ring furious exchange
29:10and the action was 80 percent both and he's still at it both are still out he's still punching
29:16what heart being displayed by bronze both the biggest key here the difference being that both is not
29:21putting his hands up michael blocks his shots then fires both gets hit then fires then gets hit again
29:26he's got to bring his hands up he's got to come he's got to cover up a smacking right hook
29:31by bronze
29:32both up mora counters but both are now with more steam on his punches as we head for the bell
29:38a great
29:38round for both of them great round for both of them
29:52come on you got a punch for five seconds let me think about it come here you got a punch
29:57i'm telling you now be quiet you don't want to fight no more i swear to god i will have
30:03this man
30:03stop the fight if you don't want to fight do you hear me do you hear me do you understand
30:08that
30:09michael do you understand that look if you freaking don't want to fight then you freaking might as
30:15well stop right now are you going to stop fighting you're behind in this fight damn it take this
30:21you're behind in this fight now listen you're standing at a distance letting them potshot you
30:25right hand you can either fade them let it miss and then step in with your jab all right fade
30:30them coming
30:30off the right or just stepping with double chances straight left hands when he throws those right
30:35right hands you got to hit them with left and look you got to make the choice to punch instead
30:39of not
30:39punch you got to punch mike you got to punch another scorching from teddy atlas and atlas is in the
30:46right
30:47here we go round number eight as he teddy atlas went all the way across the ring and dragged the
30:51referee over to tell him to listen i'm going to tell this man to stop the fight and i'm letting
30:55you and him know
30:55right now yeah he he had a big dose of reality because that's what more needs all the time i
31:02cannot figure out why he's a superior fighter he just doesn't come in to fight i certainly don't
31:07have more behind but i'll tell you what great motivational speech there's only one thing left
31:11for him to say like angelo dundee you're blowing it you're blowing it that's what he was saying in the
31:16holyfield fight to michael moore i've got him ahead 67 66 more notice that's just one point i have a
31:2367
31:2465 two points i scored that one round 10-8 wasn't a knockdown but it was a total cleanup on
31:29on both of
31:30and i'll tell you one other thing i thought he lost the fight the whole field by a little bit
31:34because of his lackluster performance and so did teddy atlas yeah i didn't give him the 10-8 that's
31:39the difference in our scorecard but we're both looking at it the same round by round
31:43i mean i don't understand why he doesn't trigger off points as tired as he as both is as much
31:48as
31:48a beating he's taking look at all the punches he got off that last round there's another right hand
31:53there it is by frange both of them that's what i was waiting for michael moore to come up the
31:57middle
31:57oh yes dude he blocks the shot fire back up the middle both is not picking his hands up not
32:03keeping
32:03it tight defense and michael's just letting him get away for a guy that sits slow and looks as sloppy
32:09he
32:09sure is landing an awful lot of punches is both halfway through the eighth he is deceptive deceptive
32:17is the word to use boy you just don't think he's going to get it off when he gets it
32:20off
32:21you know ferdy i have to agree with you because i can't imagine even putting myself in front of
32:25both of which i've done many times that he would hit me with some of those punches
32:32more backing both up but just pouring away
32:35thank you
32:41both the works the body more counters to the home
32:45for less than a minute remaining at round eight here comes more
32:51now he's got to keep going he doesn't yeah he allows both of them to come back with the right
32:56hook both with another right hook to the head counter punched by moore both the misses and another
33:02counter by moore i'll tell you what both have got his attention a little more than just a little bit
33:06i think you heard him just temporarily but michael being a constant pro came back
33:10coming out we're going to miss dangerous by franz botha he is so exhausted but he still fights
33:16what a buffalo this guy is not a courage franz botha could it be any greater to set up the
33:23holyfield ties to fight than this kind of action yeah but i'm wondering if moore isn't looking losing
33:28credibility with every round either that or both is gaining it that's what i'm saying bobby oh both
33:47you're not listening you're not listening you're not listening you got 12 minutes left let's call
33:55out what you do in the next 12 minutes you're going to have to live with for the next 10
34:0020 30
34:0140 40 years of your life your little son he's not going to be told that his son beat hollyfield
34:06he's going to be told he'd be lost to a guy named volker franz botha who's thought of with no
34:11talent
34:11you understand anything you feel he's feeling the same for worse you're just not digging you hear me
34:18and you can't talk about all the things you talk about if you don't perform now listen do you want
34:23to live with that the rest of your life michael it's going to happen you got 12 minutes you're behind
34:27you understand it's going to start here this guy's looking to fall down quick give me the right
34:32here you see right double the jab let the screen left hand go and inside you have two choices find
34:37ways not to punch and what has developed into a war we enter into round number nine franz botha
34:51has the fans behind them michael moore came out in that last round fighting and then all of a sudden
34:56let
34:56both take over and stagger him with the right hand you know if a guy just walked in from the
35:01street
35:01right now look at this fight he would say you know if both is getting killed he must be way
35:06behind
35:06well he's not not at all
35:13there's a straight right good head fake by michael moore and he landed flush on the face see that's
35:17what he has to do move off some of both slow lethargic punches and fire both are off balance
35:24both is exhausted bobby he is there for the taking he is exhausted if franz both were to fight mike
35:30tyson
35:30with no defense like that that fight cannot go one round but all the more reason to doubt michael
35:35moore he cannot put him away that great finishing stuff that he used to have he doesn't have sometimes
35:42mike is a little too conservative sometimes he likes to watch and be a little on the cautious side
35:46here to the side of caution well that's the way he is and franz both with a thumping right hook
35:52he knows
35:52if he gets michael moore in the later rounds this is where more really gets inconsistent loses focus
35:59and gets sluggish how can how can both in time after time after time when he looks so tired
36:06get off such hard punches well you gotta admire both of you gotta admire this guy
36:11well he's a tough gritty guy birdie i don't think there's any quit in him but
36:14i don't think he has the natural talent of a michael moore or other fighters and
36:18it's really taking its toll on him now late it may be the difference in this fight and he just
36:23he
36:23feels he's the champion he had it stripped because of steroids he claims it was prescribed by a doctor
36:28he did beat schultz but you know what he's the one that's got the championship heart in here he's
36:32the one that's coming back from nowhere and coming back again and again and the guy that's better and
36:36the guy that should be knocking him out doesn't have the championship you know as a light heavyweight
36:39michael moore was a great finisher as a heavyweight he lost that reputation because he couldn't put the
36:44bigger guys away and they also were able to hurt him a little easier so that's something we also
36:48have to keep an eye on oh more with a quick straight right hand now he backs both up both
36:59look at this man both up this is both this kind of ballroom brawl both again look down and out
37:09and
37:10he comes powering back oh what a sweeping shot by mora again they go toe-to-toe furious fashion
37:20and the time left 20 seconds round nine what a heart on franz brosa what a heart on this man
37:29he seemingly has nothing left and he continues to come back he has a great chin and he has a
37:35great
37:35heart but it's not always going to be enough by themselves he's got to score
37:53you give me three more rounds you're gonna win the fight can you go three more rounds you go all
37:58day in
38:11the gym watch more as he it looks like he's got him going looks like oh that's it going in
38:17the corner
38:17it's going to be all over with and now watch the way franz look at all these shots he's taking
38:21looks
38:21like well that's all that's going to be old and now here he comes back again and again and both
38:27was still punching with both arms and now all of a sudden he puts more on the ropes i mean
38:31the man is
38:32incredible he doesn't look like anything but he keeps beating more off
38:38well this is some fight this turned out to be a much better fight than i anticipated i didn't think
38:43he was going to mount like this and beat warfare totally unexpected both of five to one underdog
38:50he told us yesterday he'd win because of his new conditioning program because of his chin and his
38:56heart he's been training hard against southpaws time called by mills lane that was down low now come on
39:02watch the low blows
39:08both are looking exhausted with a minute left in round nine it has to go about nine more minutes
39:13a good left straight hand there by michael morris sending both the back that's the move see what
39:19michael did he slipped off that right hand and fired over the top he missed his shot but that is
39:23one
39:23of the moves where he's going to catch both and it's going to be good night both the feels that
39:28morrow
39:29was taking him too lightly going in looking ahead to either tyson or holyfield and franz both uh
39:35hate to sound like a a broken record but displaying an immense heart here and jaw absolutely you know
39:42i think we all knew he had a pretty good jar a jaw excuse me and as they say the
39:47beard is in place but
39:48what i can't imagine he looks so tired to start every round and he just fights back and he never
39:54seems to
39:54completely pull out of gas but always looks exhausted yeah it looks like one of those phony
39:59hollywood movies you know where the hero is is always taking a beating then comes back i mean
40:03this this doesn't seem real does rocky ring about yeah it does this is the script michael moore has
40:09had a problem not only in the later rounds with the heavyweights but finishing off legitimate heavyweights
40:13big sized men not small heavyweights like a burt cooper but big men like this and even evander who's not
40:18a big man who he hit hard he couldn't get off his feet so this is something that has to
40:23be in michael moore's
40:24mind as well again both off the ropes dangerously mora did tell us he's not looking past both of
40:32well it's a good thing he said that because he's not coming not coming through here i you know i
40:38i
40:38have more ahead i don't know what the new the vegas judges have it i could be any which way
40:43any which
40:44way final minute of the 10th round it's fairly close but i think michael moore is definitely in command
40:50oh i think he has done what he had to vicious right uppercut just at the belt by france both
40:55that's got to take some steam out here and now here comes mora now if he just stayed there and
41:01punch but he lets him get away oh a straight right hand by moore that startled both of that was
41:06just a
41:06jab steve a good shotgun jab bold this defense is not there
41:13and i'm amazed at how slow some of those punches are going that michael moore's getting hit with
41:19them i mean they're being sent by pony express it's unbelievable both are telegraphing those punches
41:26right there and a counter right couple of likes by michael moore but what keeps both up
41:33for a has tremendous power now he's all over both in the final seconds of the tent but if there
41:40was
41:40another minute this fight wouldn't go big finish for mora
41:49you're gonna win the fight all right you got six minutes you got six minutes
42:01six minutes and the fight is over you're gonna win the fight now come on sit up sit up sit
42:08up
42:09keep your goddamn hands up you understand give me the job give me a red give me a round give
42:15me a shot
42:16you see michael moore doing what he's supposed to do now he's working stick sticking that stiff jab like
42:21a shotgun jab come with a right hand he's a little too quick there he's not got his feet planted
42:25but he's coming on he's ripping on the inside he's working it's late he wants this decision if it has
42:31to be one
42:40michael they gotta be you gotta continue following
42:44the final words of teddy atlas and lou duva knock out power the words from lou duva's mouth as we
42:51enter the championship rounds how the judges see this is increasingly crucial low blow by france
42:57both of time time come here friend time go over here go over here come here it's okay take come
43:04here oh too much uh gunk around the right eye yeah look at it look at it too much
43:09all right here we go time let's go come on come on the vaseline on the eye to moisturize his
43:15skin to try
43:15prevent cuts and that was uh that was too much way too much here comes michael moore again with that
43:22straight left the southpaw looking to dig in on both of them will the judges be influenced by the
43:28long looping big punches by both or will they see it you know i win by the champion i can
43:34empathize for
43:35for the second time i've watched michael moore over the years and being a fan of his as well
43:38teddy atlas's problem because it appears almost that if michael moore lights a fire for a good minute this
43:43fight is over both looks that tired and that beat but he comes back with that right hand and again
43:49and again and there is power as i say it there it is there's it oh and then moore answered
43:54back with
43:55a short crisp right hand again but it looks like when he's so exhausted it looks like all of a
44:00sudden
44:00he comes up two jabs in the right hand real fast that's amazing now both are dangerously missing
44:06leaving himself open more forcing both into the ropes
44:14both the slips then regains his balance
44:22this is where both his new conditioning program really pays off
44:27he said he's in great shape breathing better
44:31and he continues to hang tough straight right hand by michael moore it's that jab that's penetrating
44:36and now the left the combination by moore
44:40there's where it could end it and moore went back he's just nailed him four or five huge shots and
44:45he
44:45went back but he doesn't finish both the off michael moore's jab is going to drop brands both at this
44:51face he's stepping in with the jabs and both is walking right into him
44:56well having his way now both is on her way final minute of the 11th round both are in trouble
45:06more smothering him with punches and weak punches by both of both is too exhausted now to hurt moore
45:15and that is going to be the beginning of his demise and moore knows it he continues to bore in
45:20he just he doesn't even have it to throw the punch
45:24there's the right the right weapon he throws both of them down but they're calling it an official knockdown
45:32both that gets up quickly on five you know he was hurt and he might have been on his way
45:38to the
45:38floor but michael helped him with a little show exactly final seconds of round 11 10 seconds
45:50both is out of it there's another straight right hand it's the jab of michael moore doing the
45:55he goes into the ribs he goes down he's counting he can only be he's counting that knockdown was
46:04before the round was over he has to take the mandatory eight count the bell cannot save a fighter
46:10in any round ibf rules you're giving the fight away
46:17come on wake up all right all right give me a rag mark
46:26if you give me three minutes you're gonna win the goddamn fight you hear me
46:31give me three minutes come on come on sit up
46:38all right let's take a look at that first knockdown and this billy believe me when i tell you that's
46:42a great right hand this is a product of exhaustion more friends both is exhausted bobby take a look
46:49at the second knockdown here's a good crisp right hook and he was on his way his legs gave out
46:55he just
46:55slumped along the rope down he goes the fight of the night to this point as we enter round 12
47:00they'll touch gloves and here we go both are down twice in the last round 33 seconds left and at
47:06the
47:060-0-0-0-1 i don't think both is going to finish this round if michael moore stays on
47:11track
47:11this fight's over steps in and stops the fight early in round 12
47:18and michael moore gets the embrace for teddy atlas great great fight good finish
47:29very dramatic in the corner of michael moore
47:35and exhausted franz botha as michael moore continues to get hugged
47:42but franz both are displaying tremendous heart and determination against the champion retains his
47:49title michael moore holds on to the ibf heavyweight championship
47:53unlike the first time he won it over evander holyfield in 94 only to lose it in his first
47:58defense to george foreman but a different story tonight but it wasn't easy against the white buffalo
48:04as it retains the title and raises his record to 38 and one
48:09you know i'll tell you i think franz bogus stock did go up even in a losing effort because he
48:14finally
48:14fought one of the heavyweights best i'm going to take a look at the end of the fight and i
48:19saw it
48:19coming he just has no more energy and no more strength michael's teeing off on him here they're
48:23not big shots yet but you can still see he's wobbly he's got no offense to offer up in his
48:27eyes don't
48:28look good he doesn't look there another two clean shots mills length that there's no sense let just
48:33continue he hasn't got enough to defend himself properly wide let it go good stoppage by mills lane
48:38you can see it coming and teddy atlas with the post fight remarks in the corner of michael mora
48:48lost number one for franz botha 36 and one now
48:52now you can hear their corner you fought your heart out got to agree with that
49:00and we'll come back the words of another trainer
49:09michael moore now in the on-deck circle for the winner of our main event upcoming between
49:15mike tyson and evander holyfield
49:20yeah i got it for a heavyweight title unification bout in the not too distant future
49:25michael moore is still the ibf heavyweight champ ladies and gentlemen we have the time of 18
49:32seconds and round number 12 a referee in charge mills lane had seen enough he stops the contest
49:40the winner by way of technical knockout and he is still the ibf heavyweight champion of the world
49:47double m michael moore
49:54those are the results from our undercard here at the mgm grand garden but before we move on
49:59let's go back to steve albert at ringside for a very special note of acknowledgement steve
50:05recently we lost a dear member of the showtime family one of the nicest and kindest people we've
50:09had the privilege of knowing and this sometimes unyielding business at this time we'd like to pay our respects
50:15for several years fight fans watching our shows at home would often hear don king thank a gentleman
50:25named tony cox at the end of each telecast tony was not of boxing he was the former chairman of
50:31showtime
50:32networks and one of the most prominent leaders of the cable television industry but he approached
50:37boxing with the same energy and enthusiasm that he had for most things in life a few weeks ago tony
50:43was
50:43suddenly taken from us the loss has been felt throughout virtually the entire telecommunications
50:49industry for although he was a highly regarded executive on the tough and often insensitive
50:53fields of corporate endeavor his passion was for the human spirit his primary concern was for the
50:59quality of life of the people around him friend and stranger alike in the words of his co-workers at
51:05showtime he leaves us more compassionate more aware more diverse and more responsible all because of him
51:13and so tonight we dedicate this telecast to the memory of our friend and colleague tony cox
51:23and our sincerest thoughts and warmest condolences go out to tony's wife heidi and
51:28their children alexandra elizabeth christopher and samuel and in keeping with boxing tradition
51:35let's go up to the ring for the ceremonial 10 count as we dedicate this broadcast to the memory of
51:40our
51:41our friend tony cox ladies and gentlemen your attention please for a very solemn moment
51:51as we would like to ask you to join us in extending boxing's tribute of a 10 count
51:57as we recognize the passing of the former ceo of showtime networks tony cox he was dearly loved by
52:05those who knew and worked with him he was highly respected for his contributions to tape cable
52:10television and he was appreciated by fans around the world for his integral part in bringing world
52:16class boxing to showtime ladies and gentlemen at this time we ask you to please rise for a moment of
52:23silence as our timekeeper tolls 10 in honor of tony cox
52:56as we change gears we turn our attention to the main event the public has waited five long years to
53:03see
53:03mike tyson and evander holy
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