Alejandro Garcia vs Jose Antonio Rivera - Showtime 5-6-2006 - video Dailymotion

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Alejandro Garcia defends his WBA Super Welterweight title against former WBA Welterweight champion Jose Antonio Rivera on Showtime Boxing.

Transcript

00:00:00Super Flyweight Championship, Junior Bantamweight Championship, doing it in his first fight in over a year.

00:00:06Up next, Alejandro Terra Garcia versus Jose Antonio Rivera for the WBA Super Welterweight title.

00:00:13Earlier tonight, our Jim Gray spoke with the champion.

00:00:17All right, Steve, thank you. Back here in the locker room, Alejandro will be translated by Felix de Jesus.

00:00:22Alejandro, let me ask you tonight, you're fighting here in a hostile environment in Rivera's hometown.

00:00:29What are your thoughts about going against him in his hometown?

00:00:44I'm physically and mentally ready to fight this fight, and my trainer has also prepared me very well.

00:00:50You are fighting at your natural weight. He is coming up to your weight. Is that an advantage at all

00:00:56for you?

00:01:08I think it is an advantage that I'm fighting at this weight and he has to go up.

00:01:15I've fought some super welterweights, too. So either way, I'm going to be victorious tonight.

00:01:22No one ever wants to look ahead, but what type of a performance would you have to have this evening

00:01:27to be able to fight one of the top guys in this Mayorga or De La Hoya or someone of

00:01:34that nature?

00:01:35What do you have to do today to play a fight against Mallorca or De La Hoya?

00:01:40No one ever wants to win. Just win if you get to the big battles.

00:01:45He says that he only has to win. That doesn't matter. He just has to win.

00:01:48All right. Thank you for letting us in. Best of luck to you tonight.

00:01:51Suerte hoy.

00:01:52Muchas gracias. Muchas gracias a Showtime for allowing me to be on television.

00:01:56He says that congratulations to Showtime and thank you for Showtime for being on TV.

00:02:00No problema. We'll look forward to talking to you after the fight. Back to you, Steve.

00:02:05All right. So Alejandro Terra Garcia looking to do what Luis Collazo did just over a year ago right here

00:02:11in Worcester.

00:02:12And I'd say looking at him, we knew he was very confident coming into this fight.

00:02:17Pretty loose, pretty relaxed tonight. The question is, is he too confident? We'll find out.

00:02:21We will find out indeed. Right now, we go back to our Jim Gray, who is now live with the

00:02:26challenger, Jose Antonio Rivera.

00:02:30All right, Steve. Thank you very much. Getting some last-minute instructions.

00:02:32Jason's got a hand in your mouth. What's going on there? Trying to get that mouthpiece out of there?

00:02:36Okay. Hey, what did you learn from fighting here at home last time, even though you lost in that decision?

00:02:41That I have a great fan base here in Worcester and Central Madison.

00:02:47And 147 is not my weight.

00:02:49Right now, you weigh what? About 160, 163, even though you weighed in at 152.5?

00:02:53About 160.

00:02:55And last time you complained about being dehydrated. Are those concerns still that you have or not going to have

00:03:01a problem?

00:03:01No, I shouldn't be dehydrated. I'm feeling great, sharp, and ready to roll.

00:03:05Is there anything in particular that concerns you about him?

00:03:11No. Nothing at all.

00:03:12Nothing at all?

00:03:13No.

00:03:13What about all the local publicity leading up to this fight and seemingly the fans being able to put behind

00:03:20you your loss and still showing tremendous support?

00:03:23This shows you what a great fan base I have, you know.

00:03:26They support me no matter what, no matter what happens.

00:03:28Even no matter what happens tonight, they're going to support me because they're just great.

00:03:33What did you do differently this time in your training?

00:03:35I did a lot differently.

00:03:38And we don't have enough time to go through it all here.

00:03:42I guess we'll see it in the ring.

00:03:43Thank you very much for your time, Jose.

00:03:45Good luck tonight.

00:03:45Thank you very much.

00:03:46All right.

00:03:46Back out to you, Steve.

00:03:48All right, Jim.

00:03:49Thanks.

00:03:49Coming up next from Worcester, a renewal of sorts of the legendary Mexican-Puerto Rican rivalry in boxing.

00:03:55In our main event, former world champion and local hero,

00:03:59Jose Antonio Rivera, will challenge knockout specialist Alejandro Terra Garcia

00:04:03for the WBA Super Welterweight title.

00:04:07Well, Al, both fighters coming off long layoffs.

00:04:10On top of that, as they pointed out in the dressing room,

00:04:13Rivera moving up in weight against a guy who's a much more natural 154-pounder.

00:04:18Do you view that as a factor?

00:04:19Well, you know, it is, in fact, and compounding that is the fact that even at 147,

00:04:25Rivera was not the biggest puncher on the planet.

00:04:28Most of his quality wins came by decision in that weight class,

00:04:32but he's a very quick-handed fighter.

00:04:34Garcia is not.

00:04:36Now, Rivera is a rhythm fighter, so I think his 13-month layoff might be a little more significant

00:04:40than Garcia's.

00:04:41Eight-month layoff, Garcia is more of a puncher.

00:04:45Boy, is he a puncher.

00:04:4623 KOs and 25 wins.

00:04:48Certainly the hardest hitter that Rivera has yet faced.

00:04:52Now, much has been made of Garcia coming here to Worcester, Massachusetts, to defend his title,

00:04:57but I think the geography of where they fight inside the ring is even more important.

00:05:09For Garcia, his territory should be the middle of the ring.

00:05:13Rivera eats fighters up on the ropes.

00:05:16Garcia's uppercut can work against Rivera on the inside,

00:05:20and this is a punch that could change this fight.

00:05:23The Garcia right hand can land, and it's much better than trading left hooks with Rivera.

00:05:31Now, any left thrown low by Rivera, as Roshai Wells did against Garcia,

00:05:36would invite a strong counter right hand.

00:05:40Garcia will be looking for this moment tonight, and it could be an important one.

00:05:55As Rivera moves in using that constant pressure, he has to use head movement.

00:06:01Now, wearing Garcia down for the later rounds involves a dedicated body attack,

00:06:06and Rivera is one of the best body punchers in boxing.

00:06:09Rivera is better offensively and less vulnerable to Garcia's power when he crowds him.

00:06:17Now, how close is good for Rivera?

00:06:20Well, how about this close, where he can use his good body attack?

00:06:26And he has a very good right hand.

00:06:31But he should throw this punch from close range, not from the outside.

00:06:37This is the place where it'll be effective and get to Garcia.

00:06:51He's not a household day, but he's Worcester's favorite son, 13-and-a-half-year pro Jose Antonio Rivera

00:06:58with his son A.J. in front of him.

00:07:00His sister Maria, who's a lawyer, behind him.

00:07:04Jose, born in Philly, bounced around the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

00:07:07So, tough childhood, street fights, a lot of anger growing up,

00:07:11but finally settled here in Worcester at the age of 16

00:07:14to concentrate on boxing at the local Boys and Girls Club.

00:07:18Now a model citizen, in fact, Worcester's Citizen of the Year.

00:07:22Very personable, engaging, hard-working young man

00:07:25when not boxing a court officer in the Worcester Courthouse.

00:07:31And I'll tell you how this could be his last shot, so he really has to make the most of

00:07:35this opportunity.

00:07:37Well, he understands that. He feels the urgency.

00:07:39And to demonstrate that, for the first time, Steve,

00:07:41he took a leave of absence from that court officer job to train for this match.

00:07:45In his own words, he said,

00:07:46I just don't know how many chances I'll get.

00:07:49He's a late bloomer in boxing, you know,

00:07:51so maybe he can make the most of this final opportunity for a world title.

00:07:55As the big entourage makes its way toward the ring,

00:07:59listen to this greeting.

00:08:07The entourage consisting of 66-0 family members

00:08:12of Jose Antonio Rivera and friends.

00:08:17There they are.

00:08:18A victory tonight could mean a title unification fight.

00:08:23As the crowd salutes.

00:08:41A unification fight and possibly a six- or seven-figure deal

00:08:45would erase a lot of recent disappointments for Rivera,

00:08:50including big fights falling through, injuries,

00:08:53and a managerial lawsuit.

00:08:56A guy who is not greedy.

00:08:58He just wants, as he puts it,

00:09:00some simple things like paying off his house

00:09:03and making his family comfortable.

00:09:06and making his family comfortable.

00:09:09Give it a minute, man!

00:09:11Give it a minute, man!

00:09:21Entering the proverbial lions' den,

00:09:23coming up a nine-month layoff.

00:09:25Here's the champion, Alejandro Terra Garcia,

00:09:27a certified computer programmer out of Tijuana, Mexico.

00:09:32And I just feel compelled to tell you,

00:09:34as a child, he liked to eat dirt.

00:09:36Oh, wow.

00:09:36Yep.

00:09:37What a delicacy.

00:09:38Very appetizing.

00:09:39Terra means land or earth in Spanish,

00:09:41thus the nickname.

00:09:42Okay.

00:09:43Probably more known for his single loss

00:09:45than for all his wins in knockouts,

00:09:47and a clinch dropped his guard

00:09:49and got starched by Travis Sims.

00:09:52Garcia won the interim belt over Roshai Wells

00:09:55and was recently reinstated as champion

00:09:57when Sims refused to give him a rematch.

00:10:00And, of course, conversely,

00:10:02he hears the boonies from the pro Rivera crowd.

00:10:06I'll tell you what, Al, though.

00:10:07He's got guts.

00:10:08He's the champion.

00:10:08He took this fight in Rivera's hometown,

00:10:11and he will try to spoil Rivera's party

00:10:13with his own coming-out party,

00:10:15but for that, he'll need an impressive win.

00:10:17If matter the reason why I think he and his camp

00:10:20don't seem to mind coming here,

00:10:21and also, by the way,

00:10:22facing three Massachusetts judges at ringside,

00:10:25a story we'll chronicle a little later,

00:10:27they're not, they don't have a problem doing that

00:10:30because they're absolutely convinced

00:10:31that he is going to knock Rivera out.

00:10:33The question is, is he overconfident?

00:10:35We saw Jeff Lacey go in against Joe Calzaghe

00:10:38and admit later,

00:10:39I'm sure, I was sure I was going to knock him out.

00:10:41There was no plan B.

00:10:43Does he have a plan B?

00:10:44Yeah, he didn't care at all

00:10:46that the judges were all from Massachusetts,

00:10:48Rivera's hometown, as you say,

00:10:50because he thinks he's going to

00:10:51just take matters into his own hand.

00:10:54His knock-out ratio is good.

00:10:5623 of his 25 wins by KO,

00:10:58although he comes off a decision

00:11:00over Italian champion Luca Messi.

00:11:02His only loss was by knock-out,

00:11:04but no questioning his power

00:11:06always has knock-out on his mind.

00:11:15Final instructions for Jose Antonio Rivera

00:11:18and his lovely wife Daisy

00:11:22waving to the count.

00:11:25Let's check the numbers as we go to the

00:11:27tail of the tape for our main event.

00:11:30Rivera, who turned 33 one month ago,

00:11:33seven years older than Garcia.

00:11:35Garcia, that's the biggest disparity.

00:11:36The height is even, both 5'8",

00:11:38and a slight reach advantage for Garcia.

00:11:40At yesterday's weigh-in, both lean and ready,

00:11:43both coincidentally 152.5 pounds under the limit.

00:11:48And the key unified rules for this world title fight,

00:11:51no standing eight count,

00:11:52no three knockdown rule.

00:11:53A fighter cannot be saved by the bell in any round.

00:11:56If an accidental headbutt causes a fight

00:11:59to end within four rounds,

00:12:00it's a no decision.

00:12:01After four rounds,

00:12:02they go to the scorecards.

00:12:03If a punch causes a cut,

00:12:05and the injured fighter can't continue,

00:12:07he loses by TKO.

00:12:12So here at the DCU Center

00:12:14in Worcester, Massachusetts,

00:12:15we are getting ready for our featured attraction,

00:12:18Alejandro Terra Garcia

00:12:19versus Jose Antonio Rivera

00:12:21for the WBA Super Weld Away Championship.

00:12:24Let's get the official introductions

00:12:26from our ring announcer,

00:12:27the classy Jimmy Lennon, Jr.

00:12:38Ladies and gentlemen,

00:12:41we welcome you to the DCU Center

00:12:43here in Worcester, Massachusetts

00:12:45for the featured bout of the evening

00:12:48brought to you by Don King Productions

00:12:50and Showtime.

00:12:52This bout coming away

00:12:54is sanctioned by the WBA,

00:12:56the President,

00:12:57Gilberto Mendoza,

00:12:58Supervisor Enzo Bagnariol,

00:13:00along with the Massachusetts Boxing Commission,

00:13:02the Chairman,

00:13:03Nick Manzello,

00:13:04Commissioners Ben Doherty

00:13:05and Gary Litchfield.

00:13:07Our physicians at ringside,

00:13:09Dr. Leonard Waste

00:13:10and Dr. Mark Durfee.

00:13:12Timekeeper at the bell also keeping count

00:13:14of the knockdowns,

00:13:15Ronnie Dreimer.

00:13:17Introducing to you

00:13:18our three judges

00:13:19scoring this bout from ringside

00:13:20from Melrose, Massachusetts,

00:13:24Leo Gerstel.

00:13:25From East Wareham, Massachusetts,

00:13:28Roland Milton.

00:13:29And from East Falmouth, Massachusetts,

00:13:32Don O'Neill.

00:13:34Introducing to you

00:13:35our third man

00:13:36of the ring,

00:13:36our referee in charge.

00:13:37He is working in this,

00:13:38his 27th world title bout,

00:13:41Dick Flaherty.

00:13:44All right, fans,

00:13:45here we go

00:13:46with our main event

00:13:47of the evening,

00:13:4912 rounds of boxing

00:13:50for the WBA

00:13:51Super Welterweight Championship

00:13:53of the World.

00:13:55And now,

00:13:56ladies and gentlemen

00:13:57in attendance,

00:13:58and boxing fans

00:13:59joining us

00:14:00around the world,

00:14:02live from Worcester,

00:14:04Massachusetts,

00:14:06It's Showtime!

00:14:18Introducing to you first

00:14:19the challenger

00:14:21on my right

00:14:22fighting out of the blue corner.

00:14:23Wearing blue trunks

00:14:24with white trim,

00:14:26he is fighting out of

00:14:27and proudly representing

00:14:29his home

00:14:30of Worcester, Massachusetts.

00:14:33He weighed in

00:14:35at a ready 152

00:14:37and one-half pounds

00:14:38with a record of 37 wins,

00:14:41four losses,

00:14:42and one draw.

00:14:43He has 24 wins

00:14:45coming by way of knockout.

00:14:48Ladies and gentlemen,

00:14:49please welcome

00:14:50the former WBA

00:14:53welterweight champion

00:14:55of the world,

00:14:56tonight's challenger,

00:14:58El Gallo,

00:15:00Jose Antonio,

00:15:03Rivera!

00:15:11And his opponent

00:15:13across the ring

00:15:14on my left,

00:15:16the defending world champion

00:15:17fighting out of the red corner,

00:15:19wearing green trunks

00:15:20with red and white trim,

00:15:22hailing from Tijuana,

00:15:25Baja California,

00:15:27Mexico.

00:15:27He weighed in the same

00:15:30as his opponent,

00:15:31152 and one-half pounds.

00:15:33His fine record

00:15:35stands at 25 wins,

00:15:37only one loss,

00:15:39with 23 big wins

00:15:41coming by way of knockout.

00:15:43Ladies and gentlemen,

00:15:45please welcome

00:15:45the two-time

00:15:47and current

00:15:48WBA

00:15:49super welterweight

00:15:50champion of the world,

00:15:53introducing

00:15:53Alejandro

00:15:55Terra

00:15:56Garcia.

00:16:03And once again,

00:16:05our referee in charge,

00:16:07Dick Flaherty,

00:16:07now to give instructions.

00:16:12Hey, Alex.

00:16:17Okay, gentlemen,

00:16:18we went over

00:16:18the instructions

00:16:19in the dressing room.

00:16:20We answered all the questions

00:16:21and we're getting ready to go.

00:16:23154 pound WBA title.

00:16:26This is good.

00:16:27This is good.

00:16:28Coach,

00:16:28just rub his face a little bit.

00:16:30Oh, again,

00:16:30a little over there.

00:16:31Okay.

00:16:32He's okay.

00:16:34We're ready to go.

00:16:35Okay,

00:16:35touch him up, guys.

00:16:37Touch him up.

00:16:38Good luck.

00:16:42This is the fight

00:16:43these fans here

00:16:44in Worcester

00:16:44came to see

00:16:45with expectations

00:16:46of a slugfest.

00:16:47The unwelcome champion

00:16:49power-punching

00:16:50gritty Alejandro

00:16:50Terra Garcia

00:16:51who promised a knockout.

00:16:53Keep an eye

00:16:53on that straight right hand.

00:16:54That's his money punch.

00:16:56Will it be

00:16:57home sweet home

00:16:57for beloved challenger

00:16:59former well-to-weight champion

00:17:00Jose Antonio Rivera.

00:17:029-1-1

00:17:03in his adopted hometown.

00:17:06Here we go.

00:17:07The rugged,

00:17:08strong-willed Rivera.

00:17:09A crowd-pleaser

00:17:10who applies

00:17:10relentless pressure.

00:17:12A face-first brawler

00:17:13who is fearless,

00:17:14fights with tremendous

00:17:15heart,

00:17:16a solid chin.

00:17:17He's never

00:17:17pin-dropped.

00:17:19But how important

00:17:20is it for Garcia

00:17:22to get to Rivera

00:17:23early?

00:17:24The general feeling

00:17:24Garcia will have to

00:17:25knock Rivera out

00:17:26in order to win

00:17:27and Rivera would need

00:17:29to take Garcia

00:17:30into the later round,

00:17:31stretch it out,

00:17:32test his endurance,

00:17:33give himself

00:17:34a better chance

00:17:35for victory.

00:17:37He does get stronger

00:17:38as the fight

00:17:39gets steeper.

00:17:4118 of Garcia's,

00:17:4323 KOs

00:17:43within five rounds,

00:17:4515 KOs

00:17:46in three rounds

00:17:46or less.

00:17:48the conventional wisdom

00:17:50is that in this posture

00:17:52on the outside,

00:17:53things will not go

00:17:54as well for Jose Rivera

00:17:55as if he can crowd

00:17:57Garcia.

00:17:57But Rivera really

00:17:58wants to buy rounds,

00:18:00wants to buy time.

00:18:01So where's his best

00:18:02place to do that?

00:18:03Just by biding time

00:18:04on the outside

00:18:05or smothering him

00:18:06on the inside?

00:18:08the right hand

00:18:09already getting

00:18:10in for Garcia.

00:18:13We'll find out

00:18:14if Garcia

00:18:14is indeed

00:18:15underestimating Rivera

00:18:17as brought up

00:18:19earlier.

00:18:21Wow!

00:18:22Right out of the gate!

00:18:24A knockdown

00:18:25for Rivera!

00:18:26A jab

00:18:27from Jose Rivera!

00:18:28Five,

00:18:29six,

00:18:31seven,

00:18:33eight,

00:18:33a flash knockdown,

00:18:34Garcia down

00:18:35for only the second time

00:18:37and this is 27th fight,

00:18:40the first time

00:18:40against Travis Sims

00:18:43when he kind of froze

00:18:44and had a momentary lapse.

00:18:48But a jab

00:18:49putting Garcia down

00:18:51and that's got this

00:18:52crowd going wild.

00:18:54Jose!

00:18:55Jose!

00:18:59Well all this

00:19:00controversy about

00:19:00the judges,

00:19:01Rivera trying to

00:19:02take it out

00:19:02of the judges' hands.

00:19:11What a start

00:19:12for the hometown

00:19:13product.

00:19:13Jose Antonio

00:19:14Rivera wearing

00:19:15the blue trunks

00:19:16with the white trim.

00:19:22And the champion,

00:19:23Garcia,

00:19:24in the green

00:19:25with the red

00:19:26and white trim.

00:19:32Now the interesting thing

00:19:34is with the knockdown,

00:19:35oh nice run

00:19:36by Rivera.

00:19:38Wow!

00:19:38He's hurting Garcia.

00:19:40Garcia in difficulty

00:19:41in the first round.

00:19:43But now he storms back.

00:19:47Rivera's never been down.

00:19:49It's a shootout already

00:19:50as we thought it might be.

00:19:53As advertised.

00:19:55What else do we get around here?

00:20:00Final seconds

00:20:01of an eventful dramatic.

00:20:04First round,

00:20:04a right hand by Rivera.

00:20:06Garcia's down

00:20:06for the second time.

00:20:10Five,

00:20:11six,

00:20:12seven,

00:20:16eight,

00:20:17three.

00:20:22So what a great opening round.

00:20:24A 10-7 round

00:20:25for Rivera.

00:20:39Right.

00:20:40You have to hit him

00:20:40with the right.

00:20:41And you got to move

00:20:42your waist.

00:20:42You can't jump.

00:20:47Do what you need to do,

00:20:48what you know how to do.

00:20:52He doesn't have anything.

00:21:02Well,

00:21:02a lot of improbable things

00:21:03in round one.

00:21:04The most improbable,

00:21:06a jab.

00:21:07There's a nice jab

00:21:08and then this one

00:21:09would send

00:21:10Garcia down

00:21:11to one knee.

00:21:13Don't see that

00:21:14very often.

00:21:16There had been

00:21:17a really good jab

00:21:17before that

00:21:18but Rivera landing

00:21:19that second jab

00:21:20that would send him down.

00:21:21Then,

00:21:22right toward the end

00:21:22of the round,

00:21:23a right hand

00:21:24sends Garcia down

00:21:26again.

00:21:26Now,

00:21:27the Garcia right hand

00:21:28is the one

00:21:28we've been looking for

00:21:29but Rivera

00:21:29with a dream

00:21:30first round.

00:21:32While Rivera

00:21:33does have

00:21:3324 knockouts

00:21:34in his 37 wins,

00:21:36he's not

00:21:36known for

00:21:37power,

00:21:39more for his

00:21:39abundance of punches,

00:21:41his work rate,

00:21:42his smothering style,

00:21:43but two knockdowns

00:21:44although the first one

00:21:46Garcia just walked

00:21:47into the jab

00:21:48but then he did

00:21:49show power

00:21:50with the right hand

00:21:51later.

00:21:51Now,

00:21:52Rivera has never

00:21:53been down

00:21:53in his pro career.

00:21:55However,

00:21:56he's never faced

00:21:56a puncher like Garcia.

00:21:57Now,

00:21:58he's in a shootout

00:21:58with Garcia

00:21:59and he's doing

00:21:59really well

00:22:00but the danger

00:22:01still in these

00:22:02early rounds

00:22:03is that Garcia's

00:22:04power will get

00:22:05him so Rivera

00:22:05has to be

00:22:06very careful.

00:22:08So,

00:22:09Al,

00:22:09you go along

00:22:10with a 10-7

00:22:11scoring there,

00:22:12right?

00:22:1210-7.

00:22:13I would score

00:22:14that first round

00:22:15a 10-7 round

00:22:16because of the

00:22:16two knockdowns.

00:22:17You have to reward

00:22:18a fighter

00:22:18for the two

00:22:19knockdowns.

00:22:26Well,

00:22:27in the Garcia

00:22:27corner,

00:22:28you could hear

00:22:28through our

00:22:29translator,

00:22:30Felix DeJesus.

00:22:31They were saying,

00:22:32he's got nothing.

00:22:33He's got nothing.

00:22:34Well,

00:22:34there's another nothing.

00:22:35A right hand

00:22:36of the hand

00:22:38and then a left

00:22:39by Rivera.

00:22:41Now,

00:22:42Garcia is landing

00:22:43some pretty good

00:22:44shots here

00:22:44and Rivera,

00:22:46remember,

00:22:47coming up

00:22:47from welterweight

00:22:48is taking those

00:22:49punches

00:22:49pretty well

00:22:50so far,

00:22:51but he's getting

00:22:51hit with them.

00:22:53Rivera absorbed

00:22:54a lot of punches

00:22:56against Colazzo

00:22:57a little over

00:22:57a year ago.

00:22:59Rivera almost

00:23:00tripped there

00:23:01over the foot

00:23:01of Garcia.

00:23:03The most

00:23:04interesting thing

00:23:04about this is

00:23:05Rivera is

00:23:06accomplishing all

00:23:07this from the

00:23:08outside.

00:23:10And that's

00:23:10really surprising

00:23:11because he's

00:23:12at his best

00:23:12when he's

00:23:13smothering a fighter,

00:23:14ripping body shots,

00:23:15throwing that

00:23:15short right hand

00:23:16on the inside.

00:23:17Nice hook

00:23:18by Rivera.

00:23:18Oh,

00:23:18big right hand

00:23:19by Garcia.

00:23:21That snapped

00:23:22Rivera's head

00:23:22around.

00:23:22Another straight

00:23:23right hand

00:23:23by Garcia.

00:23:24Rivera starting

00:23:25to take a lot

00:23:26of punches

00:23:27now,

00:23:27just like

00:23:27in the Colazzo

00:23:28fight.

00:23:31And Garcia

00:23:32mounting an attack.

00:23:34A right hand

00:23:35there,

00:23:35but that was

00:23:35partially blocked

00:23:36by Rivera's blood.

00:23:37This is great.

00:23:38A great body shot

00:23:39a moment ago

00:23:40by Rivera.

00:23:41He wants to keep

00:23:41doing that.

00:23:42There might be

00:23:42a little blood

00:23:43around the left

00:23:43eye of Rivera.

00:23:44We'll keep an eye

00:23:46on that.

00:23:47Loving right hand

00:23:47to the head

00:23:48by Rivera.

00:23:54Rivera's jab

00:23:55falling short,

00:23:56throwing it

00:23:56from too far

00:23:57a distance.

00:24:00But you're right,

00:24:01Rivera keeping it

00:24:02on the outside

00:24:03claiming to the

00:24:04referee clarity

00:24:06is Garcia.

00:24:07That is being

00:24:07the rabbit punch.

00:24:09A subtle thing

00:24:10in this round,

00:24:11good body work

00:24:12by Rivera.

00:24:12He wants his fight

00:24:13to be his

00:24:14in the later rounds.

00:24:15That body work

00:24:15will help him

00:24:16if it gets

00:24:16to the later rounds.

00:24:18God knows

00:24:18how it's gonna.

00:24:20Well, you got

00:24:21that right

00:24:21after seeing

00:24:22what we're seeing

00:24:23so far.

00:24:30You're hitting

00:24:31the whole step

00:24:34right hand.

00:24:35Now, another thing.

00:24:36Right hand,

00:24:37left hook to the body.

00:24:38You hit him

00:24:38in the body,

00:24:38he doesn't like it.

00:24:39You know?

00:24:40Now, I'm telling you

00:24:41now, another thing.

00:24:42When he gets stuck,

00:24:43when you guys

00:24:43are trading

00:24:44and it takes

00:24:44you to step back,

00:24:45hands up and go

00:24:46to him.

00:24:47He's breaking him.

00:24:48I can see it.

00:24:49Believe me,

00:24:49I can see it.

00:24:50You have to be

00:24:51careful, though.

00:24:51You know,

00:24:51he's still gonna

00:24:52dig down with

00:24:53those hard shots,

00:24:53alright?

00:24:54Your jab is

00:24:55a beautiful weapon.

00:24:56Your jab is

00:24:57a clear.

00:24:58The jab is

00:24:59a beautiful weapon

00:25:00for Rivera.

00:25:01Now, the exchange

00:25:01in this fight

00:25:03have been just

00:25:03excellent.

00:25:04Both men

00:25:04throwing left

00:25:06hands on the inside

00:25:07and there's

00:25:08the right from

00:25:08Garcia that

00:25:09he thinks

00:25:11will knock out

00:25:11Rivera.

00:25:13Tremendous body

00:25:14shot by Rivera.

00:25:15He is a

00:25:16great body

00:25:17puncher and

00:25:18he wants to

00:25:19tire Garcia

00:25:20out for the

00:25:21later round.

00:25:21John Sculley,

00:25:22by the way,

00:25:23a former

00:25:23light heavyweight

00:25:24who is a

00:25:24very good

00:25:25light heavyweight

00:25:25and trains

00:25:26a lot of

00:25:26fighters here

00:25:26in this area.

00:25:27A colorful

00:25:28Hartford-based

00:25:29fighter.

00:25:30He trades

00:25:31mostly, as you

00:25:32point out,

00:25:32in Connecticut.

00:25:34The Iceman,

00:25:35John Sculley.

00:25:39So it is

00:25:40round three

00:25:41scheduled for

00:25:42twelve for the

00:25:42WBA Super

00:25:43Welderweight

00:25:44Championship.

00:25:44A solid start

00:25:45for the

00:25:47hometown hero.

00:25:48Rivera in the

00:25:49blue trunks

00:25:50with a white

00:25:50trim.

00:25:54Apparently,

00:25:55the WBA

00:25:56never submitted

00:25:57a list of

00:25:58officials.

00:25:59This is to

00:25:59round out the

00:26:00story you began

00:26:01earlier about

00:26:01the judges.

00:26:02So the local

00:26:03commission appointed

00:26:03their own.

00:26:04They are all

00:26:04from here in

00:26:05Massachusetts.

00:26:06Although at

00:26:06the last minute

00:26:07they switched

00:26:08one judge from

00:26:09the co-feature

00:26:09to the main

00:26:10event because

00:26:10he had more

00:26:11world title

00:26:11experience.

00:26:12Yeah, two of

00:26:13the judges are

00:26:13doing their

00:26:14first world

00:26:14title match.

00:26:15To emphasize,

00:26:17they tried very

00:26:17hard to contact

00:26:18the WBA,

00:26:19couldn't do it

00:26:20both on King's

00:26:21office and the

00:26:22Massachusetts

00:26:22Commission.

00:26:23They were forced

00:26:24to assign three

00:26:25Massachusetts judges

00:26:26but the end

00:26:27result is

00:26:27Garcia's fighting

00:26:29with three

00:26:29Massachusetts judges

00:26:30judging this fight.

00:26:32And that very

00:26:32seldom happens

00:26:33in a championship

00:26:34match.

00:26:34Very uncommon

00:26:37left uppercut

00:26:39that got to the

00:26:39jaw of Rivera

00:26:40but as we pointed

00:26:41out, Garcia

00:26:42didn't seem to

00:26:43mind.

00:26:44No.

00:26:44He thinks he's

00:26:45going to knock

00:26:45Rivera out

00:26:46despite this

00:26:47difficult start

00:26:48for him.

00:26:50Don O'Neill

00:26:51has the most

00:26:52experience from

00:26:53East Falmouth,

00:26:54Massachusetts.

00:26:5429 world title

00:26:55bounce.

00:26:57Now, the key

00:26:58thing about this

00:26:58is, remember,

00:26:59Rivera's strategy

00:27:00is to get through

00:27:01the first five

00:27:02rounds.

00:27:02Well, he's doing

00:27:03a little more

00:27:03than that, isn't

00:27:04he?

00:27:05But now, the

00:27:05irony is, from

00:27:06our first fight,

00:27:07the Massachusetts

00:27:08judge seems to

00:27:09be the only one

00:27:10who got it right.

00:27:11Well, he did

00:27:12with Gurilov.

00:27:13Although, it was

00:27:14a big separation,

00:27:16117-110, not

00:27:18sure it was, you

00:27:18know, by that

00:27:19much, but he

00:27:20got the right

00:27:21guy.

00:27:23Now, Garcia

00:27:24wants, there's

00:27:25an overhand

00:27:25right, and

00:27:27Rivera's keeping

00:27:28his hands very

00:27:28high, which is a

00:27:29good idea.

00:27:30I would have

00:27:31never thought

00:27:32Rivera could

00:27:32function this

00:27:33well, staying

00:27:33on the outside

00:27:34against Garcia.

00:27:37Nice defense

00:27:38maneuvers by

00:27:39Rivera, first

00:27:40blocking and

00:27:41then being

00:27:42elusive.

00:27:43Now, Garcia's

00:27:43having a better

00:27:44third round.

00:27:45Is it enough

00:27:46to win this

00:27:47round?

00:27:48It is going

00:27:49to take a lot

00:27:49to get Rivera

00:27:52rocked and

00:27:53down.

00:27:58He's got to

00:27:58be one of the

00:27:59most courageous

00:28:00fighters you

00:28:01have ever seen,

00:28:02but also one of

00:28:03boxing's best

00:28:04kept sequence.

00:28:05It's intriguing

00:28:06to me that

00:28:06Rivera doesn't

00:28:07seem to want

00:28:07to stay on

00:28:08the inside,

00:28:08and that would

00:28:09be where I

00:28:09think he would

00:28:10be safer.

00:28:12This is, Garcia's

00:28:13coming back to

00:28:13have a pretty

00:28:14nice round here

00:28:15in round three,

00:28:15and I think

00:28:16maybe edging

00:28:17Rivera in it.

00:28:20You would

00:28:21think that it

00:28:21would be one

00:28:22of the best

00:28:22ways for Rivera

00:28:23to negate

00:28:24Garcia's power

00:28:25by smothering

00:28:26him on the

00:28:26inside, but

00:28:27he's elected

00:28:27to fight outside.

00:28:38you've got to

00:28:38sit down, one

00:28:40two, one

00:28:43two, and

00:28:44your uppercut.

00:28:45Right and

00:28:46then upper.

00:28:48Right and

00:28:48the upper.

00:28:53the upper in the

00:28:59right, in the

00:28:59middle, and then

00:28:59the right.

00:29:06Rivera on the

00:29:07outside, actually

00:29:07had better

00:29:08defense than

00:29:09you would expect.

00:29:10Now there's the

00:29:10jab guy, but

00:29:11here he is

00:29:12blocking a lot

00:29:12of those punches

00:29:13with his gloves.

00:29:15Some getting

00:29:15through, but

00:29:15for the most

00:29:16part, he's

00:29:17diminishing at

00:29:18least some of

00:29:18the power of

00:29:19Garcia's right

00:29:20hand, and

00:29:20that's what he

00:29:21wants to do.

00:29:21Garcia himself

00:29:22showing some

00:29:23good defense,

00:29:23but a good

00:29:24round for this

00:29:24man.

00:29:26And

00:29:27offensively,

00:29:28Rivera was

00:29:29physically drained

00:29:31last April

00:29:32when he fought

00:29:32Luis Collazo

00:29:33by trying to

00:29:35make weight.

00:29:36So the

00:29:37feeling is he

00:29:37has more

00:29:38power, more

00:29:38pop on his

00:29:39punches now

00:29:40because he's

00:29:41at a more

00:29:41comfortable weight,

00:29:42154, and

00:29:44it seems to

00:29:44be showing.

00:29:50Two tough,

00:29:51aggressive

00:29:51fighters who

00:29:52throw a lot

00:29:52of punches,

00:29:53as you can

00:29:53see.

00:29:54Now they're

00:29:54on the

00:29:55inside,

00:29:56fighting from

00:29:56close quarters,

00:29:57the holding.

00:29:59by Garcia.

00:30:02A lot of

00:30:03personal pride

00:30:04here.

00:30:05The

00:30:06traditional

00:30:06rivalry between

00:30:07two macho

00:30:08coaches,

00:30:09and the

00:30:10experience of

00:30:11seven combined

00:30:12world title

00:30:13fights, plus

00:30:14the whole

00:30:14crowd advantage

00:30:15for Rivera.

00:30:17Makes it

00:30:17very intriguing

00:30:18and dramatic.

00:30:19Garcia missing,

00:30:20but not with

00:30:20the right hand,

00:30:21a chopping

00:30:21right hand that

00:30:22scored to the

00:30:23neck of Rivera.

00:30:26Garcia's doing

00:30:26a superb job

00:30:27of pushing

00:30:28Rivera off

00:30:29him when he

00:30:29is on the

00:30:30inside, getting

00:30:30himself some

00:30:31punching room.

00:30:32And you know,

00:30:32the combination

00:30:33punching of

00:30:34Garcia now,

00:30:35pretty impressive.

00:30:39Garcia with

00:30:39good power in

00:30:40both hands,

00:30:44but that

00:30:45straight right

00:30:45is his

00:30:46signature

00:30:46punch.

00:30:48Oh, I'm

00:30:49sorry, Steve.

00:30:50For all the

00:30:51talk about

00:30:51getting Garcia

00:30:52into the

00:30:53later rounds,

00:30:54Roshai

00:30:54Wells got

00:30:54him into

00:30:55nine and

00:30:55ten, and

00:30:56guess what?

00:30:57He took

00:30:58care of

00:30:58Roshai

00:30:58Wells,

00:30:59knocked

00:30:59him out

00:31:00in two

00:31:00fights in

00:31:01which it

00:31:01was a

00:31:01dogfight.

00:31:02So, Garcia

00:31:03is not

00:31:03helpless in

00:31:04those later

00:31:04rounds,

00:31:05believe me.

00:31:05You read

00:31:06my mind.

00:31:06I was just

00:31:07going to

00:31:07say.

00:31:07Two fights

00:31:08back when

00:31:08he dropped

00:31:09Wells in

00:31:09round eight.

00:31:10Later in

00:31:10the round,

00:31:11after being

00:31:11out on

00:31:12his feet,

00:31:13Wells somehow

00:31:14gained control,

00:31:15but in

00:31:16the ninth,

00:31:16Garcia

00:31:16caught

00:31:17Wells with

00:31:18another

00:31:18beautiful

00:31:19straight

00:31:19right.

00:31:21Yeah, so

00:31:21there's no

00:31:21guarantee that

00:31:22Rivera gets

00:31:23this fight

00:31:23into late

00:31:24rounds and

00:31:24he'll do

00:31:24well, but

00:31:25he believes

00:31:25he will.

00:31:26This is a

00:31:26great round

00:31:26for Garcia

00:31:27right now.

00:31:27He's doing

00:31:28some very

00:31:29good work.

00:31:30He has

00:31:31regained his

00:31:32and come

00:31:32back from

00:31:33that terribly

00:31:34rocky start.

00:31:38They got

00:31:39knocked down

00:31:40two times

00:31:40in the

00:31:41opening round.

00:31:43Garcia

00:31:44just walked

00:31:44into a

00:31:45straight right

00:31:45hand.

00:31:46Rivera

00:31:46opens it

00:31:46up.

00:31:47Back

00:31:48comes

00:31:48Garcia

00:31:48missing

00:31:49widely.

00:31:55Body

00:31:56shots by

00:31:57Garcia.

00:31:57Great

00:31:58body

00:31:58work.

00:31:59And a

00:32:00right

00:32:00hand

00:32:00and Rivera

00:32:01is down

00:32:01for the

00:32:01first time

00:32:02in his

00:32:03career.

00:32:04He thinks

00:32:04he was

00:32:05pushed.

00:32:06Five,

00:32:07six,

00:32:09seven,

00:32:10eight.

00:32:12A barrage

00:32:13of punches

00:32:14first to the

00:32:15body and

00:32:15then upstairs

00:32:16by Garcia.

00:32:18And Garcia

00:32:19with a

00:32:20major bounce

00:32:21back in this

00:32:22fight after

00:32:22the rough

00:32:23first round.

00:32:25Rivera

00:32:26pasting the

00:32:27canvas for the

00:32:27first time

00:32:28although he

00:32:28claimed it

00:32:29was a

00:32:29push.

00:32:31Definitely a

00:32:32punch involved

00:32:32though.

00:32:33He thought he

00:32:33was done

00:32:33punching and

00:32:34he wasn't.

00:32:35You see what I

00:32:36mean?

00:32:36You got to

00:32:36keep your

00:32:36hands up.

00:32:37You got to

00:32:37protect yourself

00:32:38at all times.

00:32:39You all right,

00:32:39right?

00:32:40Listen.

00:32:42Hands up.

00:32:43You got to

00:32:43pop that

00:32:43jab better.

00:32:44You're not

00:32:44snapping it.

00:32:45You know what I

00:32:46You're touching

00:32:46him with it.

00:32:46You got to

00:32:47throw more

00:32:48combinations.

00:32:48Put your

00:32:49punches together.

00:32:50You can't let

00:32:51him in the

00:32:51fight.

00:32:52Now there

00:32:52was some

00:32:53great body

00:32:53work done

00:32:55by Garcia

00:32:56and I

00:32:56think this

00:32:56body work

00:32:57had an

00:32:57impact on

00:32:59Garcia and

00:33:00Rivera and

00:33:01pushed him

00:33:01back and

00:33:02that's part of

00:33:02the reason why

00:33:03he was in a

00:33:03vulnerable spot.

00:33:05Good straight

00:33:05right hand and

00:33:06that set him

00:33:06down.

00:33:07That was more

00:33:07than a push.

00:33:08There was

00:33:08several right

00:33:09hands involved

00:33:10in this.

00:33:11So Garcia

00:33:12coming back

00:33:13with a vengeance

00:33:14here in this

00:33:14round and

00:33:15creating a

00:33:15two-point

00:33:16round.

00:33:16He was off

00:33:16balance and

00:33:17I think they

00:33:18thought he

00:33:18would stop

00:33:19punching.

00:33:19Now there

00:33:19was a punch

00:33:20when Rivera

00:33:21was down

00:33:22which they

00:33:23could have

00:33:23penalized

00:33:23Garcia for

00:33:24but good

00:33:25job by

00:33:25Alejandro

00:33:26Garcia.

00:33:28John Scully

00:33:29indicating to

00:33:30Rivera he

00:33:31wasn't done

00:33:32punching yet.

00:33:33You gotta

00:33:34stay alert.

00:33:36Round 5.

00:33:37To say this

00:33:37plot is

00:33:38thickening is

00:33:39an understatement.

00:33:40Probably a

00:33:4110-7 round for

00:33:42Rivera in

00:33:42round 1,

00:33:43a 10-8 round

00:33:44for Garcia

00:33:45in round 4,

00:33:46and two close

00:33:46rounds in

00:33:47between.

00:33:47So the drama

00:33:48builds as this

00:33:49championship fight

00:33:50rages on.

00:33:52It's been a

00:33:52good one.

00:33:53Three knockdowns

00:33:54thus far.

00:33:55Garcia down

00:33:55twice in the

00:33:56first and

00:33:57Rivera down

00:33:58once in

00:34:00the fourth

00:34:00and down

00:34:01for the first

00:34:01time in his

00:34:02professional career.

00:34:03two close

00:34:18two close

00:34:19rounds out.

00:34:20Here's a look at

00:34:21Press Road scoring.

00:34:22I agree with

00:34:24the 37-36 score

00:34:26for Rivera.

00:34:27I don't know where

00:34:2738-35 he's coming

00:34:29from, but

00:34:2937-36 I'm on

00:34:31board with.

00:34:32More body

00:34:32shots by

00:34:33Garcia.

00:34:34Bud Barth from

00:34:35the Worcester

00:34:35Telegram and

00:34:36Gazette.

00:34:36Pat Kelly,

00:34:37FightNews.com and

00:34:38GeorgeKimble,

00:34:39SweetScience.com.

00:34:40Now Rivera,

00:34:41remember he scored

00:34:42a knockdown with

00:34:43his jab, and

00:34:44now he's getting

00:34:44back to that

00:34:45punch to kind

00:34:45of put Garcia

00:34:47off balance.

00:34:51The longer

00:34:52though Rivera

00:34:53wages an

00:34:54outside battle,

00:34:54the longer he

00:34:55invites potential

00:34:57disaster from

00:34:58Garcia, and there

00:34:58he got hit with

00:34:59the big left

00:34:59hook.

00:35:01And then a

00:35:02straight right

00:35:03hand by

00:35:04Rivera to the

00:35:06head of Garcia.

00:35:08So they are

00:35:09trading.

00:35:12It's become

00:35:12extremely competitive

00:35:14and entertaining.

00:35:20Both with a

00:35:21high work rate.

00:35:26and both fighting

00:35:27through adversity.

00:35:29Some body work

00:35:30there by Rivera.

00:35:31He has not been

00:35:32able to go

00:35:32downstairs as much

00:35:34as he would like

00:35:34early in this

00:35:35fight.

00:35:42Close round

00:35:43five.

00:35:48Rivera showing

00:35:49a very good

00:35:49boxing technique.

00:35:52Setting

00:35:53things up

00:35:53with the jab.

00:35:56Not see

00:35:57a heck of a lot

00:35:58of that in

00:35:58the Colazo

00:35:59fight last

00:36:00April.

00:36:01That was just

00:36:01a war,

00:36:02a brawl.

00:36:04Straight right.

00:36:05That did not

00:36:06penetrate the

00:36:07guard of Rivera.

00:36:10Garcia's pushing

00:36:10his punches

00:36:11a little bit.

00:36:12Not throwing

00:36:13them as sharply

00:36:13as you'd like,

00:36:14and we're only

00:36:15in round five.

00:36:16Hammering

00:36:17left hook

00:36:17by Rivera,

00:36:18then he goes

00:36:18downstairs

00:36:19to the body.

00:36:20A return body

00:36:21shot by Garcia

00:36:22who says bring

00:36:22it on.

00:36:23A left hook

00:36:24they both say

00:36:24bring it on.

00:36:30What a finish

00:36:31to that round.

00:36:32That's a tough

00:36:33round to score.

00:36:43That's the way

00:36:44I want to see you.

00:36:45With that confidence.

00:36:47I want the hands

00:36:48up.

00:36:49You've got to

00:36:49move the waist.

00:36:51Always up.

00:36:52The hands up.

00:36:54When you go to

00:36:54the body,

00:36:55then you move

00:36:56your waist.

00:36:57Come on,

00:36:57Tara.

00:37:00The one and two

00:37:01I want to see

00:37:01and the upper

00:37:02in the middle.

00:37:06This was that

00:37:07round in microcosm.

00:37:09Both men

00:37:09doing good work.

00:37:11Garcia landing

00:37:12that uppercut

00:37:13and then they

00:37:14went to work

00:37:14against each other.

00:37:15Both men

00:37:16landing good shots.

00:37:17Tremendous body shots

00:37:19by Rivera.

00:37:20But Garcia

00:37:21able to

00:37:21land to the head

00:37:23with that left hook.

00:37:24Showing,

00:37:25both showing

00:37:25a little machismo

00:37:26in what was

00:37:28a razor thin round.

00:37:31I mean,

00:37:31very hard to decide

00:37:33who won that round.

00:37:35Round six

00:37:36scheduled for 12.

00:37:37The WBA

00:37:37super welterweight

00:37:38crown on the line.

00:37:43Let's see if they

00:37:44pick up

00:37:45where they left off.

00:37:47Both ushering

00:37:48each other in.

00:37:50In his last fight

00:37:51against Luka Messi,

00:37:53a 12 round win

00:37:53for Garcia,

00:37:55he had

00:37:56left trouble

00:37:57with his left hand.

00:37:57It was sore

00:37:58going into that fight.

00:37:59He tells us

00:38:00it's fine now

00:38:01and he's certainly

00:38:02throwing it,

00:38:02throwing that hook

00:38:03in this fight.

00:38:04So,

00:38:04no evidence

00:38:05that it's

00:38:06a problem.

00:38:09I think Rivera

00:38:10did a great job

00:38:10in studying the tapes.

00:38:12Noticing that

00:38:13Garcia does have

00:38:14trouble with

00:38:15movement,

00:38:16boxing.

00:38:17and he somewhat

00:38:18altered his style

00:38:20to fit this fight.

00:38:22Well,

00:38:22there were only

00:38:22two things for Rivera.

00:38:24He either had to

00:38:24show a little more

00:38:25boxing ability,

00:38:26which we didn't know

00:38:27he really had,

00:38:28or he had to

00:38:28really crowd him.

00:38:30And what he's done

00:38:31is boxed better

00:38:32from the outside

00:38:32than we thought

00:38:33he might,

00:38:34and that's why

00:38:34even with that style

00:38:36he's hanging in there

00:38:37in a very close fight.

00:38:38I think he watched

00:38:38that Travis Sims fight

00:38:39because Garcia

00:38:40had big problems

00:38:41with the undefeated Sims

00:38:43and Garcia's only lost.

00:38:44Get him up, Alex.

00:38:45Get him up.

00:38:47Sims' southpaw style

00:38:49caused Garcia

00:38:49to be tentative

00:38:50off-balance

00:38:51and frustrated.

00:38:53And then,

00:38:54of course,

00:38:54he went down.

00:38:58See,

00:38:58that's where Rivera

00:38:59can get some work done.

00:39:00Got Garcia on the ropes.

00:39:03The crowd

00:39:04on his feet.

00:39:06And Garcia

00:39:07able to extricate himself

00:39:09from that good trouble.

00:39:10Right moved by Garcia

00:39:11to fight his way out,

00:39:12but you see

00:39:13in that sequence

00:39:13Rivera was able

00:39:14to work to both

00:39:15the body and the head.

00:39:17Garcia wants to stay

00:39:18off those ropes.

00:39:19See on the inside,

00:39:20look how Rivera

00:39:20works through the body,

00:39:22finds the angles.

00:39:23He's just good at it.

00:39:24And there's his shots

00:39:25to the head.

00:39:25This is where he wants

00:39:26to be in this fight.

00:39:27Now he's mixing it up.

00:39:28And Garcia doesn't want

00:39:30to be there.

00:39:31He has got to get

00:39:31himself some room.

00:39:32Rivera continues

00:39:34to come forward.

00:39:36Very successful

00:39:37from close quarters.

00:39:40So he was successful

00:39:42from the outside

00:39:43and now he's

00:39:44closing the gap

00:39:45on Garcia.

00:39:47But he is getting tagged.

00:39:54Garcia the champion

00:39:56in the green,

00:39:57red, and white.

00:39:59Boy, you see

00:39:59Garcia's head

00:40:00snapped back

00:40:01from that short,

00:40:01crisp right hand

00:40:02by Rivera.

00:40:08But Rivera

00:40:09certainly not taking

00:40:10as many punches

00:40:11as he did

00:40:12in the Colazo fight

00:40:13a little over

00:40:14a year ago.

00:40:15Long right hand

00:40:16that came up short

00:40:17by Garcia

00:40:18and he opens himself

00:40:19up to a countering

00:40:20left by Rivera.

00:40:21Again, it's Rivera

00:40:22with Garcia on the ropes

00:40:23but the champion

00:40:24able to spin away.

00:40:26And a good left hand

00:40:27by Rivera.

00:40:29Garcia cannot fight

00:40:31off those ropes.

00:40:32This fight is about

00:40:34geography

00:40:34and I mean geography

00:40:35in that ring.

00:40:37And the crowd

00:40:38loves it.

00:40:41Hands up.

00:40:42When you get them

00:40:43on the ropes

00:40:43you have to take advantage.

00:40:44you have to steal

00:40:45every point you can get.

00:40:46Work them.

00:40:47His back to the ropes

00:40:48he's not going to beat you

00:40:49with his back to the ropes.

00:40:50You hear me?

00:40:51Rip, rip, rip.

00:40:52The only thing

00:40:53I want you a little more

00:40:53and be careful on the way

00:40:54like Pete though.

00:40:55When you step in

00:40:56step in quick

00:40:56and get on him

00:40:57because I'm telling you

00:40:58he's backing away.

00:41:00Listen.

00:41:02John Scully's right.

00:41:03Garcia can't win

00:41:04on the ropes.

00:41:05See how

00:41:07effective

00:41:08Rivera is

00:41:09on the inside.

00:41:10He's

00:41:11not giving Garcia

00:41:12room to really

00:41:13unload those

00:41:14big bombs

00:41:14and Garcia

00:41:15is very effective

00:41:16with the hook

00:41:16to the body

00:41:17and the head

00:41:17and when he's

00:41:18on the inside

00:41:18Rivera has that

00:41:19little short

00:41:20right hand

00:41:20that can land

00:41:21and you'll see it

00:41:22very well

00:41:23from this angle.

00:41:24Look how Garcia

00:41:25can't get room

00:41:26to throw his right hand

00:41:27and Rivera keeps him

00:41:29on the ropes

00:41:30works the angles

00:41:31and lands

00:41:32some good shots.

00:41:33A fight that brings

00:41:34back memories

00:41:35of the legendary

00:41:36Mexican-Puerto

00:41:37Rican rivalry

00:41:38in this sport.

00:41:39Some of the great

00:41:39bouts of the past

00:41:54is the fact that Rivera

00:42:03is working the body

00:42:05a lot more

00:42:05and that could have

00:42:06an impact on Garcia

00:42:07as we go into

00:42:08the second part

00:42:09of this fight.

00:42:10Again, a caution

00:42:11though, Garcia

00:42:12is a very good

00:42:13power puncher

00:42:14and at any time

00:42:15can change a fight

00:42:16as he did against

00:42:17Roshai Wells

00:42:17in their body.

00:42:24An update

00:42:25on the press row

00:42:26scoring.

00:42:27It's all Rivera.

00:42:28The biggest disparity

00:42:29Pat Kelly

00:42:30by five points.

00:42:32Pat from

00:42:32FightNews.com.

00:42:34I have a 57-55

00:42:35for Rivera.

00:42:40Body shot

00:42:41by Rivera.

00:42:43Left hook

00:42:44by Garcia

00:42:46but doing no damage.

00:42:51Garcia

00:42:52much more

00:42:53economical

00:42:53now with his punches.

00:42:55Does that mean

00:42:56he's slowing down?

00:43:01Yeah, his pace

00:43:02has really

00:43:03gone backwards.

00:43:06And spending

00:43:07a lot of energy

00:43:08in the early going.

00:43:09Round 7

00:43:10scheduled for 12.

00:43:15Rivera is

00:43:16outworking him.

00:43:17He's throwing

00:43:17more punches

00:43:18as he told us

00:43:19he would

00:43:19in these middle

00:43:20and later rounds.

00:43:23General feeling

00:43:24that things

00:43:24would get more

00:43:25dangerous for

00:43:27Garcia

00:43:27as this fight

00:43:28went deeper.

00:43:29Nice combinations

00:43:30by Garcia

00:43:31from the outside

00:43:31but Rivera

00:43:32is able to

00:43:32not only get by

00:43:33but hurt him.

00:43:34big left hook

00:43:35in that

00:43:35in that flurry

00:43:36by Rivera

00:43:37and again

00:43:38he's got Garcia

00:43:39on the ropes

00:43:39who fights his way

00:43:40up.

00:43:41The right hand

00:43:41missing by Rivera

00:43:42the left hook

00:43:43connecting

00:43:43the right to the body

00:43:45landing.

00:43:46Back comes Garcia

00:43:47though.

00:43:48He's gave

00:43:49a straight right hand

00:43:50by Rivera

00:43:51that nailed him.

00:43:54Rivera

00:43:54all over

00:43:56Garcia.

00:44:01The gutsy

00:44:02Garcia

00:44:03battling back

00:44:07but Rivera

00:44:08dominating the round.

00:44:12It's the body

00:44:13work that's

00:44:14making all this

00:44:14even more

00:44:15effective by Rivera.

00:44:21Rivera

00:44:21really fighting

00:44:22an intelligent

00:44:23fight

00:44:23as he seeks

00:44:25out his second

00:44:26world title

00:44:26in front of

00:44:27his hometown

00:44:28fans.

00:44:48You still have to

00:44:49hit him in the middle.

00:44:49In the middle.

00:44:50You have to hit him

00:44:51in the middle.

00:44:52In the same middle

00:44:53you have to hit him.

00:44:54Hands up.

00:44:55Hands up

00:44:55and work with the waist.

00:44:57He's in the front.

00:44:58Keep working in the front.

00:45:01Just keep with your body.

00:45:07Rivera

00:45:07had himself

00:45:08a spectacular round.

00:45:10The left hook

00:45:10on the inside

00:45:11to the head.

00:45:13That punch

00:45:14has been landing.

00:45:15And even

00:45:15from the outside

00:45:16the jab

00:45:16and the straight right hand.

00:45:17Now in this posture

00:45:18Rivera is very effective.

00:45:20He's on the inside

00:45:21ripping those hooks

00:45:22and short right hands

00:45:23and Garcia

00:45:25not in a position

00:45:26to punch

00:45:27and his wife

00:45:28Daisy and son

00:45:29AJ

00:45:30could not be more

00:45:31excited

00:45:33as are the rest

00:45:34of these fans.

00:45:35So the family

00:45:37of Rivera

00:45:38is

00:45:40supporting team

00:45:41in the crowd

00:45:42cheering him on

00:45:43as we enter round eight.

00:45:44So rounds

00:45:45one and seven

00:45:48resounding

00:45:48for Rivera.

00:45:51The first round

00:45:53he scored

00:45:53two knockdowns.

00:45:54he went down

00:45:55a little bit later

00:45:56did Rivera

00:45:57for the first time

00:45:58in his career

00:45:58and then that last round

00:46:00was spectacular

00:46:01for the hometown product.

00:46:07If you're interested

00:46:08the records

00:46:09beyond round seven

00:46:11how about

00:46:11Rivera's experience

00:46:1316 fights

00:46:1412 and 4

00:46:15but Garcia

00:46:16undefeated

00:46:16in those four.

00:46:18And again

00:46:19we would point to

00:46:19those two

00:46:20Roshai-Wells fights

00:46:21and when he came back

00:46:22to win those fights

00:46:24won them

00:46:24by stoppage

00:46:26and it was

00:46:26a pretty close fight.

00:46:28and looking ahead

00:46:30Garcia

00:46:30with

00:46:31very little experience

00:46:32going

00:46:33real deep

00:46:34only one time

00:46:35into the 12th.

00:46:38Rivera

00:46:39three times

00:46:42and get him up

00:46:44those three experiences

00:46:45in his last

00:46:46six fights.

00:46:53we approach

00:46:54the midway

00:46:54mark of round eight

00:46:58the pace slowing

00:47:00somewhat

00:47:00after

00:47:02running

00:47:03sevens round.

00:47:04Nice right hand

00:47:05a moment ago

00:47:06by Garcia

00:47:06so from the outside

00:47:08he can still make

00:47:08that punch work

00:47:09from time to time

00:47:10and this has been

00:47:11a pretty close round

00:47:12so far

00:47:12here in round eight.

00:47:14And again

00:47:15that freight train

00:47:16right by Garcia.

00:47:19Yeah Rivera's

00:47:20got to be careful

00:47:21he's doing very well

00:47:22but great body shot

00:47:24by Rivera

00:47:24that changed this round

00:47:25that right to the body

00:47:27that really slowed

00:47:29Garcia in his track

00:47:30didn't it?

00:47:31That changed this round

00:47:32let's see if Garcia

00:47:33can come back.

00:47:35Rivera's got

00:47:35to be

00:47:36careful about

00:47:37Garcia's right hand

00:47:39but there's Rivera

00:47:40going to town

00:47:40upstairs.

00:47:47A lot of those

00:47:48body shots

00:47:49by Rivera

00:47:49that are taking

00:47:50the legs out of

00:47:51Garcia

00:47:51really slowing

00:47:53him down.

00:47:54Alejandro Garcia

00:47:55needs to establish

00:47:56that jab

00:47:56in the straight

00:47:57right hand

00:47:57and do it in a hurry

00:47:58that is his ticket

00:47:59to winning this fight.

00:48:00Yeah

00:48:00he's digging a hole.

00:48:05Rivera continues

00:48:06to dig to the body

00:48:14final seconds

00:48:15of round eight

00:48:22Rivera continues

00:48:23to dictate

00:48:26left hand there

00:48:27by Garcia

00:48:30another left hand

00:48:31by Garcia

00:48:32that got through

00:48:33the right hand

00:48:33missed

00:48:34good finish

00:48:35by Garcia

00:48:37let's get it over

00:48:38to Jim Gray

00:48:40all right Steve

00:48:41thank you very much

00:48:42I'm over here

00:48:43with Daisy Rivera

00:48:43very nervous wife

00:48:44of Jose

00:48:45Daisy we see you

00:48:46on the telephone

00:48:47who are you talking

00:48:47to during this fight?

00:48:49Oh my family keeps

00:48:49calling me from Puerto Rico

00:48:51they're real boxing fans

00:48:52they keep giving me

00:48:53the update about

00:48:53how the judges

00:48:54are scoring it

00:48:55they know over there

00:48:56huh?

00:48:57what's their assessment

00:48:58so far?

00:48:59So far they have

00:48:59them up

00:49:00so that's good

00:49:01how difficult is this

00:49:02for you to sit in here

00:49:03and even though

00:49:04your husband seems

00:49:05to be doing very well

00:49:06to see this kind

00:49:06of punishment

00:49:07that he's dishing out

00:49:08and taking

00:49:09it's very hard

00:49:10it's very difficult

00:49:11but I'm trying

00:49:12to maintain myself

00:49:13I mean he's worked

00:49:13very hard to be

00:49:14where he is

00:49:15I think he's in

00:49:15the best condition

00:49:16of his life

00:49:16and I just

00:49:18hope that everything

00:49:19works out the way

00:49:20that we want it to

00:49:20Daisy thank you

00:49:21very much

00:49:22good luck

00:49:22we'll see you

00:49:22after the fight

00:49:23thank you for having us

00:49:23alright Steve

00:49:24back to you now

00:49:25cut him down

00:49:26cut him down

00:49:26don't let him

00:49:27don't let him

00:49:27escape

00:49:27you hear me?

00:49:29final instructions

00:49:30from John Scully

00:49:31thank you very much

00:49:32Jim Gray

00:49:33what a lovely

00:49:34young lady

00:49:35Daisy Rivera

00:49:36Daisy is married

00:49:38to the

00:49:38Worcester Rotary Club

00:49:402005 Citizen of the Year

00:49:43looks like that

00:49:44six month

00:49:44leave of absence

00:49:45that he took

00:49:46from his court

00:49:46officer's job

00:49:47paid off so far

00:49:49for Jose Rivera

00:49:50he is obviously

00:49:51in good condition

00:49:52because he's been

00:49:53very active

00:49:53in this fight

00:49:54now from Garcia's

00:49:55standpoint

00:49:56he's at a critical

00:49:57juncture I think

00:49:58in this fight

00:49:58probably down by

00:50:00at least a couple

00:50:00points on anybody's

00:50:01scorecard

00:50:02he's got to make

00:50:03that jab and

00:50:03strike right hand

00:50:04work from the

00:50:05outside and those

00:50:05hooks and he's

00:50:06starting to do it

00:50:07of course the

00:50:08press row judging

00:50:09not official

00:50:09yep

00:50:11we're talking about

00:50:12Rivera getting

00:50:13back to where

00:50:13he said he's got

00:50:14to get back to

00:50:14work Monday

00:50:15and Garcia says

00:50:16come on in

00:50:18we'll see if

00:50:19Rivera does

00:50:23it's usually the

00:50:25time a little

00:50:26light bulb should

00:50:27go on over your

00:50:28head and say

00:50:29be careful

00:50:30be patient

00:50:30when a guy says

00:50:31come on in

00:50:32the jab

00:50:33very effective

00:50:34for Rivera

00:50:34in this round

00:50:40press row after

00:50:41eight all

00:50:42all three judges

00:50:44as you will see

00:50:45going with Rivera

00:50:46by one five and

00:50:48five points

00:50:49I have it

00:50:5077-73 for

00:50:52Rivera so I'm

00:50:53pretty much on

00:50:54board with the

00:50:54press row

00:50:56scoring

00:50:56round nine we

00:50:58approached midway

00:51:00scheduled for

00:51:0012 for the

00:51:01WBA 154 pound

00:51:03title

00:51:06Rivera lost his

00:51:07147 pound title

00:51:09just over a year

00:51:09ago that just

00:51:10slipped

00:51:12no knockdown

00:51:13no knockdown

00:51:14says Dick

00:51:14Clarity in a

00:51:15ruling war

00:51:17with Luis

00:51:18Colazzo

00:51:19who's going

00:51:19to be fighting

00:51:19Ricky Hatton

00:51:20suit

00:51:24so Rivera

00:51:25said I'm

00:51:26pulling for

00:51:27Lou

00:51:27they even

00:51:28oh my

00:51:29down

00:51:30goes Garcia

00:51:31for the third

00:51:33time in the

00:51:34fight

00:51:34he gets up

00:51:34by the

00:51:35line

00:51:35six

00:51:37seven

00:51:38eight

00:51:39okay

00:51:41a right

00:51:42hand

00:51:44and that's

00:51:44got this

00:51:45crowd up

00:51:46again

00:51:47150 at

00:51:48around nine

00:51:49he's got

00:51:4950 seconds

00:51:50to get

00:51:51through it

00:51:51does Garcia

00:51:53oh another

00:51:54one

00:51:54rocked him

00:51:55is he ready

00:51:56to go

00:51:56again

00:51:57but back

00:51:58comes Garcia

00:52:00tremendous heart

00:52:01by the

00:52:02champion

00:52:04Rivera

00:52:05moving forward

00:52:07Garcia

00:52:08backpedals

00:52:09Garcia

00:52:10trying to

00:52:11wipe the

00:52:12cobwebs

00:52:20back comes

00:52:21Garcia

00:52:21with a

00:52:22right hand

00:52:22to the

00:52:23head

00:52:25Rivera

00:52:26being very

00:52:26patient here

00:52:27not panicking

00:52:28and I think

00:52:30actually

00:52:30justifiably

00:52:31so

00:52:32Garcia

00:52:32is still

00:52:33a dangerous

00:52:33puncher

00:52:34he's being

00:52:35smart

00:52:35Rivera

00:52:38another

00:52:39great round

00:52:40for the

00:52:41hometown

00:52:41hero

00:52:42and Daisy

00:52:43loves it

00:52:55breathe

00:52:56breathe

00:52:57we are losing

00:52:58the fight

00:53:00we have three

00:53:01rounds to win

00:53:01this fight

00:53:03you can't give

00:53:04him an incentive

00:53:04you gotta work

00:53:05hard

00:53:06show him your

00:53:07manliness

00:53:16Alejandro Garcia

00:53:17has tasted

00:53:18the canvas

00:53:20three times

00:53:21in this fight

00:53:22now there was

00:53:23the right hand

00:53:23in this round

00:53:24that sent him

00:53:25down

00:53:26a terrific

00:53:27straight right

00:53:28hand by

00:53:28Rivera

00:53:29it was supposed

00:53:30to be the right

00:53:31hand of Garcia

00:53:32that would dictate

00:53:33the terms of

00:53:34this fight

00:53:34instead it has

00:53:35been Rivera

00:53:37using that punch

00:53:38probably more

00:53:39effectively

00:53:40that was like

00:53:41a clinic

00:53:42a textbook

00:53:42right

00:53:44by Rivera

00:53:45round 10

00:53:46you heard the

00:53:47words in the

00:53:48Garcia quarter

00:53:49from Trader

00:53:50Roberto

00:53:50Sandoval

00:53:51and he's right

00:53:52you're losing

00:53:52the fight

00:54:01well interesting

00:54:02in the Rivera

00:54:03corner

00:54:03they said

00:54:04the straight

00:54:04right hand

00:54:05could be your

00:54:05money punch

00:54:06but respect

00:54:06this guy

00:54:07Garcia

00:54:08and they're

00:54:08right

00:54:08because Garcia

00:54:09is still a

00:54:10powerful puncher

00:54:11good advice

00:54:11from John

00:54:12Scully

00:54:15the outspoken

00:54:16John Scully

00:54:18now having

00:54:19said all that

00:54:20I'm stubborn

00:54:22I still would

00:54:23like to see

00:54:23Rivera go

00:54:24inside

00:54:25now he's got

00:54:25him hurt

00:54:26again

00:54:26and he's on

00:54:28that ropes

00:54:28I think Rivera

00:54:29should get on

00:54:30the inside

00:54:30and smother him

00:54:31and rip the

00:54:32body

00:54:32and those

00:54:33body shots

00:54:33would help

00:54:34him get

00:54:35Garcia in

00:54:36more trouble

00:54:37so once again

00:54:38Rivera in

00:54:39command

00:54:41missed with

00:54:42that

00:54:42and Garcia

00:54:48hangs on

00:54:49Alejandro

00:54:50Garcia has

00:54:51shown amazing

00:54:52toughness in

00:54:53this fight

00:54:53he's been hit

00:54:54with really big

00:54:55punches down

00:54:55three times

00:54:56and still

00:54:57in this fight

00:54:59behind

00:55:00but in it

00:55:01the jab

00:55:02working well

00:55:03for Garcia

00:55:03let's see if it

00:55:04sets up the right

00:55:05it did

00:55:05but it just

00:55:06fell short

00:55:09but he's having

00:55:10a better round

00:55:1010

00:55:11now it's going

00:55:12to take more

00:55:12than just winning

00:55:13rounds in my opinion

00:55:14for him to win

00:55:14this fight

00:55:15but the more

00:55:15those right hands

00:55:16he gets in

00:55:16the more he sets

00:55:17up the possibility

00:55:18of one doing

00:55:18serious damage

00:55:19you wonder

00:55:20as Garcia

00:55:21gets more

00:55:21desperate

00:55:22does he become

00:55:22more vulnerable

00:55:23nice short

00:55:24right hand

00:55:25on the inside

00:55:25see how effective

00:55:26Garcia can be

00:55:27in there

00:55:27nice short

00:55:27but Garcia

00:55:28but Rivera

00:55:29I mean

00:55:29could be very

00:55:30effective on the

00:55:31inside

00:55:31and these late

00:55:32rounds

00:55:33would seem

00:55:33to favor

00:55:34Rivera

00:55:35he gets

00:55:36stronger

00:55:37as the fight

00:55:37goes on

00:55:40as you can't

00:55:41readily see

00:55:44what a pace

00:55:45by Rivera

00:55:46in tip top

00:55:47condition

00:55:50well he had

00:55:51over a year

00:55:53although he had

00:55:54an elbow injury

00:55:55in between

00:55:55a fight

00:55:56with Daniel

00:55:56Santos

00:55:57was scratched

00:55:59obviously

00:56:00100%

00:56:02cured

00:56:03Jose

00:56:04surgery

00:56:05Jose Rivera

00:56:05has many

00:56:06missed opportunities

00:56:07Mayorka

00:56:08coming in

00:56:08overweight

00:56:08with him

00:56:09an injury

00:56:09to Fernando

00:56:10Vargas

00:56:10when that

00:56:11big fight

00:56:11was on

00:56:11oh

00:56:12down goes

00:56:13Garcia

00:56:14for the

00:56:14fourth time

00:56:15in the fight

00:56:16that was a

00:56:16left hook

00:56:17that time

00:56:17five

00:56:18six

00:56:20seven

00:56:20eight

00:56:21it gets up

00:56:23on eight

00:56:24you talk about

00:56:25grit

00:56:25and determination

00:56:30they're all

00:56:30standing here

00:56:31in Worcester

00:56:32could this be

00:56:33the end

00:56:33it's the

00:56:34tenth round

00:56:34he's only got

00:56:35five seconds

00:56:36to operate

00:56:37Rivera

00:56:37oh

00:56:38Larrity

00:56:39a little premature

00:56:40he was trying

00:56:41to get the jump

00:56:41on that one

00:56:58Sarah

00:56:59you're the champion

00:57:03you gotta fight hard

00:57:04you're the champion

00:57:12let's go

00:57:12my son

00:57:17well Rivera

00:57:18on the inside

00:57:19able to get

00:57:20that left hook

00:57:22in

00:57:23he is so

00:57:24effective

00:57:24when he is

00:57:25at close quarters

00:57:26and that was

00:57:28a good example

00:57:28of it

00:57:29he has a great

00:57:30left hook

00:57:30for the body

00:57:31and for the head

00:57:32now here he is

00:57:33on the inside

00:57:34and lands

00:57:36a perfect hook

00:57:37right on the

00:57:38point of the chin

00:57:39that punch

00:57:40by all rights

00:57:41should have

00:57:41kept

00:57:41Garcia

00:57:42down

00:57:42a gallant

00:57:44effort

00:57:44by Garcia

00:57:45who gets up

00:57:46and shakes

00:57:46it off

00:57:47a great effort

00:57:49by Rivera

00:57:50Rivera is 2-1

00:57:51and bouts that

00:57:52have gone past

00:57:5310 rounds

00:57:54as we hit

00:57:55round 11

00:57:55Garcia's last bout

00:57:57a victory

00:57:58is the only time

00:57:58he's gone past

00:57:5910

00:58:00well we have

00:58:01well we have our

00:58:01answer to two

00:58:02questions

00:58:02one we know

00:58:04Rivera can punch

00:58:05at 154

00:58:07and I think we

00:58:07know he can

00:58:08take a punch

00:58:08at 154

00:58:09he's been hit

00:58:09with some good

00:58:10right hands

00:58:12down once

00:58:12although he claims

00:58:13it was a slip

00:58:14but it was

00:58:14definitely a punch

00:58:15was Rivera

00:58:16earlier in the fight

00:58:18but he's had

00:58:19Garcia down

00:58:20four times

00:58:22I'm not going to

00:58:23suggest that

00:58:24Jose Rivera

00:58:25belongs in the

00:58:26pantheon of great

00:58:27junior middleweights

00:58:28but I will tell you

00:58:29it's wrong to label him

00:58:31some kind of bricklayer

00:58:32or brawler

00:58:33he's a skilled fighter

00:58:34he has skills

00:58:35there's no question

00:58:36about that

00:58:36he's displaying a lot

00:58:37of them

00:58:38in this fight

00:58:39and he wants to

00:58:40put himself

00:58:40in a position

00:58:41for a big money

00:58:42fight

00:58:43a title unification

00:58:45fight

00:58:45as you look at

00:58:47Fresh Roach

00:58:47scoring one more

00:58:48time

00:58:48and all got

00:58:49Rivera ahead

00:58:50but Barth has it

00:58:52by five

00:58:52he's the local

00:58:53sports writer

00:58:55I've got him

00:58:56up by six

00:58:58the chopping

00:58:59right hand

00:59:00by Garcia

00:59:00but that's not

00:59:01where his money

00:59:02punch is

00:59:02if he's punching

00:59:03on the inside

00:59:04he's not going

00:59:04to knock somebody

00:59:05out

00:59:07Manny Field

00:59:08the top 154

00:59:09pounder

00:59:10right now

00:59:10is IVF champ

00:59:11Roman Karmazic

00:59:12there are a couple

00:59:14of 154 pounders

00:59:16fighting this evening

00:59:17we should point out

00:59:18there's Ohio

00:59:19and Mayorga

00:59:20Mayorga one of the

00:59:21champions

00:59:22it's a division

00:59:23that always has

00:59:23had a lot of talent

00:59:24Mosley and Vargas

00:59:25and all the rest

00:59:26and right now

00:59:28Rivera

00:59:28there's a low blow

00:59:29by Garcia

00:59:30Dick Flaherty

00:59:31get him up

00:59:32right here

00:59:33get him up

00:59:34right now

00:59:35Rivera trying to

00:59:36take the place

00:59:37of Garcia

00:59:37is the WPA

00:59:38champ

00:59:39fighter from

00:59:39Ukraine

00:59:40is the WPA

00:59:42leader

00:59:43part is it

00:59:44due to fight

00:59:45Corey Spinks

00:59:47in July

00:59:47in St. Louis

00:59:50a lot of activity

00:59:51at this weight

00:59:52clash

00:59:52147 up to 154

00:59:54for the last decade

00:59:55has been a place

00:59:56of terrific boxing

00:59:58talented fighters

00:59:59and a lot

00:59:59of activity

01:00:00and it remains

01:00:01so

01:00:01nice right

01:00:02by Garcia

01:00:03Rivera's getting

01:00:04rocked with a

01:00:05couple of shots

01:00:05yeah Rivera

01:00:06buckles momentarily

01:00:07there

01:00:07and he says

01:00:09come on in

01:00:10a spark of light

01:00:12and hope

01:00:12for Alejandro Garcia

01:00:14here in round 11

01:00:15yeah Rivera

01:00:16still had better

01:00:17be respectful

01:00:17of that

01:00:18that right hand

01:00:20by Garcia

01:00:30left hand sneaks in

01:00:32by Garcia

01:00:35Higray looking for the

01:00:36knockout there

01:00:37was Garcia

01:00:37but it missed

01:00:38wildly

01:00:52happy shots

01:00:53like when you step out

01:00:54and you're not alert

01:00:55and he wings him

01:00:57you hear me

01:00:57you keep your hands up

01:00:59and don't give him that

01:00:59it's over

01:01:00it's over

01:01:01you hear me

01:01:01keep your hands up

01:01:02give him no opportunity

01:01:04no opportunity

01:01:06to hit you

01:01:06with a stupid wild shot

01:01:07if you keep your hands up

01:01:08answer back

01:01:09when he punches

01:01:10he's not going to

01:01:11stay with you

01:01:11leave him

01:01:12you hear me

01:01:12leave him

01:01:13all right

01:01:15Tara you gotta work hard

01:01:16this is the last round

01:01:18you have to hit him

01:01:19everywhere

01:01:21come on

01:01:21get the extra

01:01:22that you can

01:01:23you gotta win

01:01:24by knockout

01:01:25we have three minutes

01:01:26to win the fight

01:01:27we are losing

01:01:28the fight

01:01:31please work hard

01:01:34three minutes

01:01:39Garcia is spent

01:01:41as they get ready

01:01:42to touch gloves

01:01:43for the 12th and final round

01:01:45for the WBA Super

01:01:46World of War

01:01:47Crown

01:01:52Jose Antonio Rivera

01:01:54three minutes

01:01:55away

01:01:59from ecstasy

01:02:00it would seem

01:02:01if he could stay

01:02:03on his feet

01:02:05and sage advice

01:02:06from his corner man

01:02:07John Scully

01:02:08just stay away

01:02:09from that right

01:02:10he's winging

01:02:11those right hands

01:02:12a stupid wild right

01:02:14as he put it

01:02:15could connect

01:02:16and the key for Rivera

01:02:17if he's going to stay

01:02:18on the outside

01:02:19is to keep his hands

01:02:20on

01:02:22I mean he should be

01:02:23oh wow

01:02:24heavy right hand

01:02:25by Rivera

01:02:26but here comes

01:02:28Garcia

01:02:29fighting on instinct

01:02:30on that hook

01:02:31that rocks

01:02:32Garcia says

01:02:33come on

01:02:33bring on more

01:02:34oh my goodness

01:02:35talk about macho

01:02:37he may be losing

01:02:38but he's still got

01:02:39spark and spunk

01:02:42Jose Rivera

01:02:43now there's a head

01:02:44bump by Garcia

01:02:45yeah

01:02:46now he's desperate

01:02:47right ahead

01:02:47come here

01:02:49Rivera has no business

01:02:51now engaging

01:02:52Garcia

01:02:53going after him

01:02:54it just doesn't

01:02:55make sense

01:02:56do just enough

01:02:57to win this round

01:02:58and that's why

01:02:59Garcia's doing it

01:03:00he's trying to

01:03:01usher him

01:03:02oh he's a

01:03:03left right combination

01:03:04to the head

01:03:04by Rivera

01:03:05a right hand

01:03:06to the head

01:03:07by Garcia

01:03:08Rivera's got to be

01:03:10careful

01:03:11Alejandro Garcia

01:03:12has still landed

01:03:13some pretty good

01:03:14right hands

01:03:15and he has plenty

01:03:16of power

01:03:17don't even count

01:03:19him out yet

01:03:19in this fight

01:03:20despite all the

01:03:21travails

01:03:22that he has

01:03:23suffered

01:03:23he has one punch

01:03:25knockout power

01:03:25particularly with

01:03:27that right hand

01:03:30Rivera would be just

01:03:31wise to stay on

01:03:32the outside

01:03:33Rivera is landing

01:03:34some hellacious

01:03:35right hands

01:03:36by breakdown

01:03:36and a wild swing

01:03:38and a miss

01:03:38by Garcia

01:03:40who's totally

01:03:41desperate now

01:03:42with one minute

01:03:44remaining

01:03:45but what an

01:03:45outstanding performance

01:03:46by the hometown hero

01:03:48it's a remarkable

01:03:49story for this

01:03:5033 year old

01:03:51who once he lost

01:03:52to Luis Calazo

01:03:53would have thought

01:03:54that he was out

01:03:55of world title

01:03:56opportunities

01:03:57no one really

01:03:57expected him to win

01:03:58the world title

01:03:59when he did

01:03:59a couple years ago

01:04:01but he's a better

01:04:02fighter now

01:04:03than he was

01:04:033 or 4 years ago

01:04:11Garcia

01:04:11just going

01:04:12for the home run

01:04:14less than

01:04:1530 seconds

01:04:16left

01:04:17perhaps

01:04:18in Garcia's reign

01:04:19as champion

01:04:22and when this

01:04:23bell sounds

01:04:24to end the fight

01:04:25you will hear

01:04:25a resounding roar

01:04:27from this crowd

01:04:28here in Worcester

01:04:28in support

01:04:31of Jose

01:04:32Antonio Rivera

01:04:33there he goes

01:04:34again

01:04:34for the 5th time

01:04:36in the fight

01:04:36Garcia's down

01:04:373

01:04:384

01:04:40Rivera

01:04:41jumping up

01:04:42on the ropes

01:04:427 final seconds

01:04:45what a way to end

01:04:47fittingly

01:05:05I get the feeling

01:05:07we will not have

01:05:07any judging

01:05:09controversy

01:05:09in this one

01:05:14let the celebration

01:05:16begin

01:05:17let the celebration

01:05:53like something

01:05:54out of a Hollywood movie

01:05:57off the joyous celebration

01:05:59look into the eyes

01:06:03of Garcia

01:06:04tells the story

01:06:15Rivera's son

01:06:16AJ

01:06:16probably put it best

01:06:17he looked up at his dad

01:06:18and he said

01:06:19you did it

01:06:21boy did he ever

01:06:23and this is how

01:06:23he did it

01:06:24in round 12

01:06:26tremendous right hands

01:06:28against Garcia

01:06:30that one would

01:06:31start

01:06:33the downfall

01:06:36tremendous shots

01:06:37by Rivera

01:06:39he was able to land

01:06:40the hooks

01:06:41and the straight right hands

01:06:42the bravado

01:06:44from Garcia

01:06:46ill-timed

01:06:47and misplaced

01:06:48and then the knockdown

01:06:51right toward the end

01:06:52of the fight

01:06:52an exclamation point

01:06:54on a

01:06:54Rivera performance

01:06:58by Rivera

01:07:00from this angle

01:07:01it's just as painful

01:07:02to Alejandro Garcia

01:07:04and

01:07:04see on the inside

01:07:06Rivera's a tough man

01:07:08if you're a 154 pounder

01:07:09147 pounder

01:07:11or whatever

01:07:11if you let

01:07:12Jose Rivera

01:07:13get inside

01:07:14against you

01:07:15in this posture

01:07:16he will

01:07:17hurt you

01:07:18he's quick handed

01:07:19he throws lots of punches

01:07:20and maybe he was right

01:07:22he's stronger

01:07:23at 154

01:07:24from not having

01:07:26to make the weight

01:07:27at 147

01:07:28five knockdowns

01:07:30for Rivera

01:07:30six

01:07:31total

01:07:32tonight

01:07:35and we are all set

01:07:37for the official decision

01:07:38we get it up

01:07:39to our ring announcer

01:07:40Jimmy

01:07:41Lennon Jr

01:07:45ladies and gentlemen

01:07:47after 12 rounds

01:07:48of boxing

01:07:49we have a unanimous

01:07:51decision

01:07:52here the score totals

01:07:53judge of ringside

01:07:55Dawn O'Neal

01:07:56scores about

01:07:57114

01:07:58to 107

01:08:00judges

01:08:01Leo Gerstel

01:08:02and Roland Milton

01:08:04both score

01:08:04about

01:08:05116

01:08:06to 106

01:08:08all three

01:08:09in favor

01:08:11of the winner

01:08:11and the new

01:08:13WBA

01:08:15Super Welterweight

01:08:16champion of the world

01:08:18El Gallo

01:08:19Jose Antonio

01:08:21Rivera

01:08:38Rivera

01:08:39so an entertaining

01:08:40one-sided

01:08:42unanimous decision

01:08:43for

01:08:44Jose Antonio Rivera

01:08:50there's your winner

01:08:51tonight

01:08:51and right now

01:08:52let's get it up

01:08:53to the ring

01:08:53and Jim Graham

01:08:55alright Steve

01:08:56thank you very much

01:08:57Jose congratulations

01:08:58to you

01:08:59thank you

01:08:59what's this feeling like

01:09:00it seems like

01:09:01total elevation

01:09:02can't explain it

01:09:03I worked hard

01:09:04a lot of sacrifices

01:09:05three months

01:09:05you know

01:09:06my wife and my son

01:09:08very supportive

01:09:09knowing that I'm going to be

01:09:10busy in a way

01:09:11and that's why I'm here

01:09:13to have you today

01:09:14Jose what caused you

01:09:15to change your strategy

01:09:17and stay outside

01:09:18in this fight

01:09:19because I knew he was

01:09:20a strong puncher

01:09:21and I tell you what

01:09:22throughout the whole 12 rounds

01:09:24he didn't lose no zip

01:09:25in his punches

01:09:26the only thing is

01:09:27as the rounds got later

01:09:29I was able to

01:09:30see them better

01:09:31you know

01:09:31he was more slower

01:09:32so I was able to

01:09:33prepare harder

01:09:34but in the first couple rounds

01:09:35first five six rounds

01:09:37you know

01:09:38it was some hard punches

01:09:38he's been down twice

01:09:40in his career

01:09:41one time

01:09:42tonight

01:09:43you dropped him five times

01:09:44was that something

01:09:45that you expected

01:09:46coming into this

01:09:47that you were going to be able

01:09:48to overpower him

01:09:49in the way that you did

01:09:50absolutely

01:09:50I told my team

01:09:51why

01:09:51because I train hard

01:09:53I sacrifice hard

01:09:53see a lot of people

01:09:54think I'm a small

01:09:55welterweight

01:09:56you know

01:09:56and I was moving up

01:09:57in weight

01:09:58so I'm smaller

01:09:59he's stronger

01:09:59and he has a lot

01:10:00of knockouts

01:10:01but I was sacrificing

01:10:03I was losing 25 pounds

01:10:05to make 147

01:10:07dehydrated

01:10:07you know

01:10:08and it just was no good

01:10:09and I was still able

01:10:10to put on a good performer

01:10:11against Colazo

01:10:12and hats off to him

01:10:14he came here

01:10:14and he did his thing

01:10:15putting on the weight

01:10:16then was a significant

01:10:17benefit to you

01:10:18well putting on the weight

01:10:19and working with my team

01:10:21you know

01:10:22USANA Health Sciences

01:10:23offered me the great

01:10:25nutrition products

01:10:26to help my recovery

01:10:27to help me get through

01:10:28training

01:10:29Rodovan Serbula

01:10:30from Boston

01:10:31my personal trainer

01:10:32John Scully

01:10:33from Windsor, Connecticut

01:10:34Carlos Garcia

01:10:35and Shepard from Camp 50

01:10:36I mean

01:10:37and not including

01:10:37my family here

01:10:38it was

01:10:40it's an elation

01:10:40feeling

01:10:41it's just

01:10:41we worked hard

01:10:42the whole team

01:10:43worked hard

01:10:43you took a leave of absence

01:10:45from your job

01:10:45how critical was that

01:10:47and was that a big

01:10:48difference maker

01:10:48this time

01:10:49absolutely

01:10:50because

01:10:50last year

01:10:52I only took

01:10:52the week of the fight off

01:10:54so I had to work

01:10:55throughout my whole

01:10:56training period

01:10:57and it didn't give me

01:10:58much rest time

01:10:59so you add that

01:11:00with the starvation

01:11:01and dehydration

01:11:02and being tired

01:11:03and training

01:11:04you know

01:11:04I just felt

01:11:05if this is my last hurrah

01:11:06then I'm going to go out

01:11:07with a bang

01:11:08hold on a second

01:11:09hold on a second

01:11:09last hurrah

01:11:10wouldn't you like

01:11:10another big payday

01:11:11would you like to take on

01:11:12one of these other guys

01:11:13absolutely

01:11:14but I just felt like

01:11:15if I'm fighting for this championship

01:11:17and I don't give it

01:11:18my 100%

01:11:18and lose

01:11:19then I don't know

01:11:21where I was going to fall

01:11:21in between

01:11:22so I had to take six weeks off

01:11:23and I want to thank

01:11:24my mass trial court

01:11:25for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

01:11:27for giving me the time

01:11:28and I really appreciate it

01:11:29give me the name

01:11:29of who you'd like to fight now

01:11:31anybody

01:11:32Don King

01:11:32that's up to Don King

01:11:33you want to fight Don?

01:11:34no no no

01:11:34that's up to Don King

01:11:36I just want a big payday

01:11:38you know

01:11:38my dream

01:11:38and very simple

01:11:40I keep it simple

01:11:40I just want to do

01:11:41is pay off my house

01:11:42and live comfortable

01:11:43with my family

01:11:43I have a job

01:11:44I'm going to on Monday

01:11:45so you know

01:11:47congratulations to you

01:11:47thank you very much

01:11:48let's bring in Alejandro

01:11:50Alejandro

01:11:51thank you for taking the time with us

01:11:53tonight you went down

01:11:54five times you were knocked down

01:11:56prior to this fight

01:11:57you'd only gone down once

01:11:59why was he able to overpower you?

01:12:01Felix will interpret for us

01:12:03thank you first for being with us

01:12:05Alejandro

01:12:06and if you can tell us

01:12:07there were five knockouts

01:12:09from him

01:12:09that you fell four times

01:12:10five times

01:12:11and in your previous fights

01:12:13only one

01:12:14what is the power that he had?

01:12:15I don't know

01:12:16I don't know what that happened

01:12:16I felt good at the beginning of the round

01:12:19but I felt disenged

01:12:21I felt disenged

01:12:21but disenged

01:12:22I felt disenged

01:12:26he really doesn't know what happened

01:12:28his punches didn't have that much power

01:12:30like he thought

01:12:31and that's what happened

01:12:32his punches

01:12:33meaning

01:12:34Alejandro's punches

01:12:36were you expecting him

01:12:38to fight you Jose

01:12:39on the outside

01:12:40or were you expecting him

01:12:41to revert to what he had done

01:12:42most of his career

01:12:43and fight you on the inside?

01:13:00today was his night

01:13:01my legs didn't

01:13:03had any reaction

01:13:04or did my punches

01:13:05in this thing

01:13:05I did expect him

01:13:07to come out fighting

01:13:08and he did

01:13:09he has a lot of heart

01:13:11talking about Jose

01:13:13you spoke to Stephen Al

01:13:14the commentators

01:13:15before the fight

01:13:16and you were very confident

01:13:18as well as you were with me

01:13:19did you possibly

01:13:20overlook Jose this evening?

01:13:38it could be that I did overlook Jose

01:13:42and I am looking for a rematch

01:13:43if it does happen

01:13:44okay well thank you for taking the time

01:13:46thank you for taking the time

01:13:48can he send a hello?

01:13:50he just did go ahead

01:13:55that he's okay physically

01:13:57and that to his family

01:13:59that he's okay

01:14:00all right

01:14:00Felix Alejandro

01:14:01thank you very much

01:14:02back to you Steve

01:14:04Jim thank you so much

01:14:05so there's your victor

01:14:06Jose Antonio Rivera

01:14:08let's check out the scoring

01:14:10see how it went for our main event tonight

01:14:12Garcia versus Rivera

01:14:13the official judges scorecards

01:14:15and as we mentioned

01:14:16towards the end of the fight

01:14:18didn't think we'd see much controversy here

01:14:20it was all

01:14:21the hometown hero

01:14:22and those scores are appropriate

01:14:24no matter who's doing the judging

01:14:25you know we've seen now

01:14:26two fights in recent times

01:14:27Jeff Lacey going to fight

01:14:28Joe Calzaghi

01:14:29in which the knockout didn't come

01:14:31and he couldn't find another way to win

01:14:33and admitted later

01:14:34he thought he would get the knockout early

01:14:36tonight we saw the same thing

01:14:38with Garcia against Rivera

01:14:40he thought he'd get the knockout

01:14:41didn't couldn't find a way to get it done

01:14:43and then now we make the transition

01:14:45to press row scoring

01:14:48Bud Barth had it 114-108

01:14:50Pat Kelly 116-106

01:14:52and the same for George Kimball

01:14:54so a lopsided victory there as well

01:15:00so Jose Antonio Rivera

01:15:02did not disappoint

01:15:03his hometown fans

01:15:05a great performance

01:15:06and with tonight's victory

01:15:08Al Jose Antonio Rivera

01:15:10no longer one of the best kept secrets

01:15:12in boxing

01:15:13as he scored five knockdowns

01:15:16against Garcia

01:15:16we go inside the ropes

01:15:18to take a look

01:15:19and how he accomplished those knockdowns

01:15:21astonishingly

01:15:22a jab in round one

01:15:24would send Garcia down

01:15:26a portent of things to come

01:15:28he wasn't through in round one however

01:15:31a right hand would get the job done as well

01:15:34and that right would go on

01:15:35to be a very very big weapon

01:15:38again in round nine

01:15:41Rivera would use the straight right hand

01:15:43after a terrific jab

01:15:45to send Garcia down

01:15:46but the champion kept getting up

01:15:49in round ten it was a left hook

01:15:51a short left hook

01:15:52on the inside

01:15:53that did the job

01:15:54so a variety of punches

01:15:55you can't have a better variety of punches

01:15:57than Rivera through

01:15:58and with only seconds remaining in this fight

01:16:01as if to

01:16:03make an exclamation point

01:16:05on a great performance

01:16:06he scored that knockdown

01:16:08with just seconds left to go

01:16:11Rivera able to bounce back

01:16:13from the tough loss

01:16:14to Louie Collazo

01:16:15when he lost the welterweight crown

01:16:17back in April

01:16:18right here in his backyard

01:16:19but tonight a different story

01:16:21as Rivera goes to 38-4-1

01:16:24now 10-1-1 here

01:16:26in Worcester

01:16:27what can you say Al?

01:16:29great scintillating action tonight

01:16:31it really was

01:16:32and to me the theme

01:16:33that the thread

01:16:34that ran through this tonight

01:16:35was

01:16:36we have two boxers

01:16:37who fought the best fights

01:16:38they've ever fought

01:16:40as a professional

01:16:40Dimitri Kurilov

01:16:42even though he lost

01:16:43raised the level of his game

01:16:45and fought a fantastic fight

01:16:47we thought he probably won

01:16:48and for Jose Rivera

01:16:49in front of his home crowd

01:16:50not only won an impressive win

01:16:53but also

01:16:54raised the level of his game

01:16:56and at age 33

01:16:57got better at a different weight

01:16:58that's a remarkable achievement

01:17:00it was indeed a night

01:17:02to remember

01:17:03for the court officer

01:17:04from Worcester

01:17:05Massachusetts

01:17:06as we wind things down

01:17:08from Worcester

01:17:08let's recap

01:17:09tonight's result

01:17:11in the co-feature

01:17:12Controversy

01:17:12Nicaragua's

01:17:13Luis Alberto Perez

01:17:14made his third successful defense

01:17:16of the IBF Junior

01:17:17Bantamweight title

01:17:18in disputed fashion

01:17:19beating Dimitri Kurilov

01:17:20of Russia

01:17:23and then

01:17:24in our main event

01:17:25this time

01:17:26Jose Antonio Rivera

01:17:27sent his adoring fans

01:17:29home happy

01:17:30as he recaptured

01:17:31a world title

01:17:32the pride of Worcester

01:17:33lifted the WBA

01:17:34154 pound championship

01:17:36from Alejandro

01:17:37Terra Garcia

01:17:38sweet redemption

01:17:40after Rivera's

01:17:41lost a title

01:17:42right here

01:17:42a year ago

01:17:43for Al Bernstein

01:17:45Jim Gray

01:17:46and our entire crew

01:17:47Steve Albert

01:17:47saying so long

01:17:48from Worcester

01:17:50Massachusetts

Alejandro Garcia vs Jose Antonio Rivera - Showtime 5-6-2006

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