- 3 hours ago
Wladimir Klitschko defends his WBO Heavyweight Title against Charles Shufford on HBO Boxing After Dark.
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00:20box sake after dark is back bringing you a doubleheader from the mandalay bay in las vegas
00:26nevada first up ukrainian heavyweight superstar vladimir klitsko with his sights set on a title
00:32shot down the road takes on american charles shupert and then in our co-featured event 122
00:40pound battle between bones adams recently stripped of his version of the title in this weight class
00:45and phantom weight title holder paulie ayala best known for his two wins over living legend johnny
00:54tapia another weekend of 100 plus degree weather in las vegas another weekend with the hotels
01:00looking at 100 occupancy rate people can't get enough of vegas for one reason big boxing events
01:07and here a showcase for well all the beautiful things that come with boxing but most especially
01:14in this instance for a young man who may not too far down the road in the future become the
01:19heavyweight
01:20champion of the world and what a smile that would bring to the faces of those who are looking for
01:24something fresh something new because he is a horse of a different color vladimir klitsko 25 years old
01:31but already with 37 professional fights and he's won 36th of them he has a height advantage over charles
01:37shuford of a couple maybe a few inches a reach advantage of a few inches and a half and he
01:42weighed
01:42seven pounds heavier than his last vegas born and bred opponent shuford who went to eldorado high
01:49school in north las vegas hoping to shine for the hometown crowd rules of the bout with our unofficial
01:56ringside scorer harold letterman the vladimir klitsko charles shuford fight he's scheduled for 12 rounds
02:02using the unified rules of the association of boxing commissions that you see on your screen
02:06jim real quick i want to go over the four points that the judges are going to use to score
02:10each
02:10individual round clean punching effective aggressiveness ring generalship and defense
02:17with a strong emphasis on clean punching jim all right harold and now let's get ready for a closer
02:24look at the competitors already in the ring with hbo boxing analyst larry merchant and first the heavy
02:31favorite vladimir klitschko klitschko won the gold medal in atlanta in the super heavyweight division
02:39at the age of 20 since we last saw him he's garnered his phd in physical education studying 14 to
02:5118 year
02:52old's training methods and he's played chess against the great chess master kasparov gary kasparov
03:03to round out his uh his greek ideal of a sound body and sound mind emmanuel stewart will klitschko
03:10have to box tonight or is this bombs away from the beginning i think it's going to be a tactical
03:14fight
03:15in the beginning uh both guys have indicated that they intend to fight a skillful fight i hope that
03:21somewhere along the line someone decides to open up a little bit more to try to take a more decisive
03:27edge but in the beginning i expect it to be technical and a closer look at the man across the
03:31ring from
03:31klitschko las vegas native charles shuford shuford was a tight end in a junior college in california
03:40but his transition to boxing was natural because his father and two uncles both were professional
03:48fighters his father is his trainer as well as that he's a good actor because he's playing george foreman
03:56in the new movie about muhammad ali and he is anything but a foreman in the ring but will smith
04:03who
04:03does play ali in that uh movie is in the ring with him and manny maybe super should try to
04:10play foreman in
04:10the fight well you know he looks like if he hasn't changed his hairstyle system movie evidently i
04:15thought i was looking at george foreman i think that in order for him to win he may have to
04:20change
04:20up from his boxing techniques which are very good he comes from a very good boxing family his uncles
04:26i know we're all good fighters and i think he has a good corner he has a good solid professional
04:30corner and that's going to give him a good chance in this fight as you watch tonight's telecast you can
04:34log on to hbo.com boxing where you'll find our boxing alert newsletter keeping you up to date with
04:39the latest boxing news fight announcements schedules and more and don't forget to check out our where
04:44are they now series our current installment features former lightweight champion ray boom boom mancini
04:49trying to make a career in hollywood hurry home early hurry on home boom boom mancini's fighting
04:55bobby chicone let's go to ring announcer michael buffer for the official introductions ladies and gentlemen
05:02good evening and welcome to the mandalay bay resort and casino of las vegas and world championship
05:11boxing brought to you by bob aaron's top rank incorporated in association with the undisputed
05:18king of beer budweiser this contest is presented in association with the universal bucks promotion and
05:25cedric kushner promotions it is sanctioned by the nevada state athletic commission chairman dr elias
05:31ghanom the three judges assigned to ringside for this bout will be mike leena bill graham and patricia
05:41jarman manning and when the bell rings your referee in charge of the action kenny bayless and now ladies
05:48and gentlemen from the mandalay bay of las vegas 12 rounds of boxing for the wbo world heavyweight championship
06:04and now ladies and gentlemen from the mandalay bay of the wbo world heavyweight champion of the
06:06wbo world heavyweight champion of the wbo world heavyweight champion of the wbo world heavyweight champion of the wbo world
06:09he stands six feet three inches and weighs 234 pounds his professional record 17 victories including nine
06:17knockouts with only one defeat from right here in las vegas nevada here is the challenger charles
06:33and his opponent across the ring fighting out of the red corner wearing red trimmed with gold he stands
06:40six feet five inches and weighs 241 pounds he captured limbic gold and now as a professional he has 36
06:50victories in 37 bouts including 33 knockouts and only one loss ladies and gentlemen from kiev ukraine
07:00presenting the reigning and defending wbo world heavyweight champion the steel hammer dr vladimir
07:11kiev olmi
07:19okay unmoving
07:28okay just one second just one
07:34okay fellas trunks are a little high here
07:37any punch in this area, any punch in this area is considered a legal punch.
07:42Anything below will be illegal.
07:46Now, gentlemen, we went over the rules in the dressing room.
07:49I want to caution you.
07:51Keep the fight clean at all times.
07:53Protect yourself at all times.
07:55And what I say, you must obey.
07:57Good luck to both of you.
07:58Touch gloves.
07:59Dr. Klitschko, who is regarded as the best young heavyweight in the world,
08:05is coming off devastating wins over a pure boxer, Chris Byrd,
08:12and a pure brawler, Derek Jefferson.
08:15Shuford is a big, strong boxer.
08:22So a well-rounded test for Klitschko,
08:25as Klitschko and his German trainer, Fritz Zidunek,
08:29try to prepare him for the title shot that now seems inevitable,
08:34barring a major upset.
08:44We'll see if Shuford early will try to match Klitschko jab for jab.
08:49Right now, Shuford staying back,
08:51and Vladimir just sort of measuring the distance.
09:07Shuford told us he wanted to test Klitschko early
09:10to see if he could keep up with his speed.
09:14Klitschko is not necessarily a speed fighter.
09:17He's a very technical fighter, very patient,
09:20and as a result of the only loss he had
09:23where he expanded himself so early,
09:25he became even probably more concerned
09:26to make sure he doesn't burn himself out.
09:31Klitschko's only loss in a fight at the end of 1996
09:34against American veteran Ross Purity,
09:36fighting in his hometown of Kiev.
09:38Perhaps overexcited,
09:39he ran out of gas in the 10th and 11th rounds
09:42of a fight in which he had been leading all the way,
09:45and ultimately the fight was stopped in the 11th
09:48when Klitschko's trainer jumped into the ring
09:50to ask the referee to call it to a halt.
09:54He lost a lot of credibility that night.
09:56He's earned a lot of it back
09:57over the course of the intervening four and a half years.
10:08Relatively slow first round here
10:09as Shuford is so far unwilling to engage Klitschko,
10:14and now he steps forward and fires a combination.
10:21But Shuford went wide and low
10:22with that left hook to the body.
10:24If he does that a few more times,
10:25Vladimir will try to fire a right hand.
10:27Vladimir right now is looking for
10:29opening for the beautiful right hand.
10:30He said his favorite fighter was Max Mellon,
10:33and he fights to some degree like him
10:35like many of the European heavyweights.
10:37Basically probing with the left hand,
10:38always looking for opening for
10:40the beautiful right hand that he was.
10:52Shuford is going to have to start punching back
10:54a little bit more,
10:55even if it's just a jab to get more respect.
10:57Otherwise, if Klitschko keeps shooting
10:59those power shots,
11:00sooner or later he's got to start landing,
11:02just playing the numbers game.
11:06Shuford fainting now.
11:08Fainting with his hands and with his head.
11:11Trying to get Klitschko to follow the motion.
11:13Vladimir sticking the jab.
11:15And a tactical round one comes to a close.
11:19When we go to Vladimir's corner,
11:21where they speak German,
11:23one of the five languages
11:25Vladimir Klitschko speaks,
11:26our interpreter is Jens Hauling.
11:30That's just right.
11:32I tell him when to go
11:34a little more,
11:36provoke him a little more,
11:38then you go right.
11:40That's very important.
11:49Drink a little bit.
11:50No more fainting.
11:51You need a little more jab,
11:52no more fainting.
11:53You understand?
11:54And stay focused.
11:55You got to look to hit him a little more.
11:57You know what I mean?
11:58You're selling down,
11:59you're doing nice.
12:01Don't give him no rounds.
12:02You hear me?
12:02Don't give him no rounds.
12:04All right.
12:04You're okay.
12:05Stay focused.
12:06Stay focused.
12:06He can't touch you.
12:08Never touch you.
12:10Let's go.
12:10Come on.
12:19Round one saw very low connect.
12:21Percentages for both fighters
12:22by CompuBox numbers.
12:24Klitschko landing only six of 46 jabs.
12:27Schubert throwing 21 jabs
12:29and landing only one of them.
12:30Vladimir by far the aggressor
12:32in the round.
12:33That's why Harold Letterman
12:34called him the winner of round one.
12:37Better make it a part
12:38and notice that
12:39the best punch of the round
12:42was the last two punches of the round,
12:44which were solid jabs by Klitschko.
12:46And if he keeps jabbing
12:47and fadding his range with the jab,
12:49you can pretty much expect
12:50the right hand to follow through
12:51pretty soon.
12:54Schubert trying to get to the body
12:55with the left hook.
12:56You heard his corner.
12:57His father, Charles Schubert Sr.,
12:59asking him for more fainting,
13:01more movement.
13:03He's not moving much.
13:04And that left jab
13:05is going to be the big factor,
13:06I think, as the fight progresses.
13:07So the jab coming from Klitschko.
13:09His jab is landing
13:10with beautiful force and power.
13:12Vladimir missing
13:13with a right hand there.
13:17Difference in strength
13:18between the two fighters
13:19seems evident.
13:21Schubert needs to use his quickness.
13:23And Schubert is very much aware,
13:25seem to be conscientious,
13:26of the strength difference.
13:27But he's not using
13:28his footwear too much.
13:29There's a hard right hand,
13:30and that's...
13:31You know, you just saw that coming.
13:34I mean, you just saw that coming.
13:36As soon as he could land
13:36the right hand,
13:37Schubert was going down.
13:39He was preoccupied
13:40with watching for the jab.
13:41He never saw the right hand.
13:42Come to me!
13:42Give me your glove!
13:46So now let's see
13:47if Vladimir can finish
13:49an opponent who has
13:50gone down once,
13:51doesn't seem to be
13:52all that groggy,
13:53and has his legs underneath it.
14:02Schubert moving more
14:03on his feet now.
14:05Slip for Vladimir,
14:07and when we see a big man
14:08go down like that,
14:09having watched Michael Grant,
14:10we worry about a knee injury.
14:14Klitschko seems to be sound
14:15as he gets up.
14:20Now it's Klitschko
14:21who faints with the right hand.
14:23You know, Klitschko
14:24doesn't shoot many left hooks
14:25like most of the European fighters.
14:27He's primarily looking
14:28for that one big shot
14:29with the right hand.
14:30And his left hand
14:31is just a jab,
14:32or maneuver, or punch
14:33just to move you around.
14:35He's looking for that
14:35one big right hand.
14:41Lands another right hand.
14:42This one with not as much force
14:44as the first one.
14:46Schubert kind of saw it coming.
14:52Brake, brake, step back,
14:53Bingo.
14:53Step back.
15:14Up, up, up.
15:23You just gave that round off, man.
15:25You just gave that round.
15:26I told you to stay off the road,
15:27but hey, you gotta get that
15:28punch in on you, son.
15:29Stay focused, man.
15:31They don't know if it'll get hit
15:32you with nothing like that.
15:36You're doing very good.
15:39Stay calm.
15:41Left, right.
15:42Not too much power.
15:44A little shorter.
15:48You did good.
15:54Charles Schuford Sr., the trainer,
15:57says that big guys
15:59like Klitschko are just strong,
16:01that's all.
16:02But you can see how quick
16:04and straight
16:06that right hand was.
16:07It wasn't just strong.
16:09It was quick.
16:11It was an athletic
16:13quickness
16:15that reached Schuford.
16:18And you're probably going to see
16:19more of those right hands
16:20as the fight progresses.
16:22But I do think he has a left hand,
16:25and if Schuford gets in close
16:27sometimes
16:28because he has to
16:29be more aggressive,
16:30I think he'll also
16:31see the left hand, Emmanuel.
16:33At this stage right now,
16:34everything seems to be
16:35going Klitschko's way.
16:37And that may be wrong,
16:38but psychologically,
16:39I think Schuford right now
16:41is starting to give
16:41a little bit more.
16:42Yeah, he just,
16:43he doesn't look comfortable
16:44in the fight.
16:45He doesn't look like
16:45he's found anything
16:46that he thinks he can do.
16:47He looks as though
16:48he's just sort of
16:49waiting in there
16:50and hoping to avoid the worst
16:52as Klitschko tries to
16:53size him up
16:54and find the range.
16:55Good right hand
16:57to the body that time
16:58by Klitschko.
17:00And that's the second
17:01knockdown of the fight
17:02as once again,
17:04Vladimir explodes
17:05a right hand
17:06off the cheekbone of Schuford.
17:08That's not a punch
17:10of strength.
17:12That's just a beautiful
17:13straight right hand
17:14by a big man.
17:16He has the quickness,
17:17ladies and gentlemen.
17:18He has the athletic talent.
17:20This is no
17:21Eastern European stiff.
17:22This is a big
17:24athletic quick cat
17:25who is learning
17:26with every fight
17:27and who has power,
17:29speed, commitment,
17:31and a huge desire
17:32to become the heavyweight
17:33champion of the world.
17:36This jab is beautiful.
17:38It's very straight,
17:39very stiff,
17:40and has got Schuford
17:41so preoccupied
17:42trying to watch the jab
17:44that he can't watch
17:45the right hand,
17:45which he's trying
17:46to watch also.
17:46Move!
17:48Move!
17:50Litschko showing patience.
17:53He'd like to do more damage,
17:55but he's not going to take
17:56an unnecessary chance
17:57stalking a 230-pound fighter.
18:01Move!
18:02Move!
18:03Cuts the ring off.
18:05Relentless aggression
18:06under control.
18:07You see all that experience
18:09for those great amateur fights
18:10that he had,
18:11and you must forget,
18:11this man won a heavyweight championship
18:14in the Olympics,
18:15something that very few fighters
18:17other than Cubans have did
18:18in the last 15 or 20 years.
18:22Now, Lennox Lewis won a gold,
18:25and he was the last top fighter
18:27that won a gold.
18:31That was 1988.
18:32And we're probably looking
18:34at the next one.
18:35Of course, Muhammad Ali,
18:36Joe Frazier,
18:36and George Foreman
18:37all won Olympic gold medals.
18:39Long time ago.
18:49There he's looking
18:50for the little left hook
18:50because Klitschko
18:51has super ducked away,
18:54obviously concerned
18:55about the right hand,
18:56so now Klitschko begins
18:58to fire the occasional left hook.
19:10Shuford landing
19:11in single digits,
19:13not taking many chances
19:14and throwing much.
19:16Vladimir trying to land
19:17one more big right hand
19:18in the crowd.
19:19And Oz,
19:21just as they would,
19:22a Sammy Sosa missed cut
19:24on a 3-1 fastball.
19:26Yeah, but it's still
19:27all fiscal right down the list.
19:28Just a matter of time.
19:30You never get hit
19:31with right hands.
19:32Just get off the road
19:33and keep your hands up high,
19:34okay?
19:35And step away
19:36from no body shots.
19:37You got legs, man.
19:38Step away from them.
19:38This guy gotta be...
19:40You just hit him very good.
19:42Stay calm.
19:43Deep breathe.
19:47You're doing very good.
19:48You're doing very good.
19:49You're doing very good.
19:49You're doing very good.
19:52You're doing very good.
19:55Here's a look at Klitschko
19:56again in that right,
19:58which looked like it landed
19:59on the heart region.
20:01A straight right hand,
20:03fakes the left,
20:05fires the right.
20:06The beautiful right hand, too.
20:08Off the cheekbone.
20:09Boom.
20:11You can't throw
20:12a straighter right hand
20:13in the net.
20:15When his father asks his son,
20:17why do you...
20:18You don't get hit
20:19with right hands.
20:21That's obviously
20:22because he hasn't seen
20:23one like this.
20:24Or perhaps he should say...
20:26You know, I think
20:27even Lennox Lewis
20:27loops his right hand
20:28a little bit more
20:29than Klitschko.
20:30Pretty close call.
20:31The right hand
20:32that Klitschko is shooting
20:33is one of the best
20:34right hands that I've ever saw.
20:35Not just today.
20:36Probably in the history
20:37of boxing.
20:38He hasn't been that good
20:39before this fight.
20:41Harold, how do you
20:42have it through three?
20:43Okay, Jim.
20:44Three rounds to nothing.
20:4530 to 25,
20:46Vladimir Klitschko.
20:47Jim, I think the key
20:48to this fight is
20:49every time Charles Schubert
20:50stops and stands
20:52right in front of that
20:52big guy,
20:53he gets murdered.
20:54Just watch Schubert's feet.
20:56The minute he stops,
20:57he gets there
20:58and it's where there is to it.
21:00Can't stand in front of him
21:01because the guy hits too high.
21:05Break, break
21:06the back ring, fellas.
21:07There we go.
21:22Klitschko sticking the jab
21:25right into the middle
21:26of Schubert's face.
21:27Schubert backs off
21:28and creates distance again.
21:29Klitschko sticks in
21:30with the jab
21:31two more times.
21:32And Klitschko's got
21:33such a good jab.
21:34It's an offbeat jab.
21:35He's moving his body rhythm
21:36at one speed
21:37and then he's punching
21:37the jab off
21:38at a different speed
21:39and it's making it
21:40very difficult
21:40for Schubert to time it
21:42because he's moving
21:43so smooth and so gracefully
21:45and the jab comes off
21:46at a whole different rhythm.
21:51Now Schubert dives inside
21:52and tries to get
21:53to Klitschko's body.
21:55Vladimir ties him up,
21:57goes back to looking
21:58looking for a big right hand.
22:15Klitschko just missing
22:16with a left hook there.
22:24Let's go just missing
22:26with a left hook there.
22:29Locking Schubert's left
22:30with his right elbow.
22:33He's blocking the punches
22:35but still always maintaining
22:36good balance and good position.
22:38So even after he finishes
22:39up blocking the punches,
22:40he's able to retaliate
22:41right away if he wants
22:42or either to regain
22:43that chase momentum
22:45that he set.
22:55Lest you ever confuse
22:56the younger Klitschko
22:57with his older brother Vitaly.
22:59When you see Vitaly in the ring,
23:01he's even bigger
23:01than brother Vladimir.
23:03But what he lacks
23:04is the athletic deftness.
23:06He's just not as nifty
23:07on his feet.
23:07You don't feel that loose
23:08cat-like quickness,
23:10the ability to respond
23:11to a situation
23:12that Vladimir so clearly has.
23:24on August 14th,
23:26catch the next edition
23:27of Real Sports
23:27with Brian Gumbel
23:28among the stories.
23:29So you think golf
23:30requires concentration?
23:32Imagine playing around
23:33without the benefit
23:35of your sight.
23:36That'll be August 14th
23:38here on HBO.
23:39Real Sports.
23:40Nothing is out of bounds.
23:46You do first the right
23:48and then the middle.
23:50Don't do too much
23:50for the left.
23:53You're doing very good.
23:58He's hurt.
23:59You know what I mean?
24:00You gotta put a hurt
24:01down this guy.
24:02The fall down right hand
24:02is down for you
24:03because he's coming in hard.
24:04You got him wincy style.
24:05You got him sucking
24:05him in to come in hard.
24:06You got him with the fall down right.
24:08Don't throw a right
24:08up a cup of wood.
24:09Quit.
24:09He's gonna push across
24:10the top with a hookup a lot.
24:11You know what I mean?
24:22He's out.
24:22A lot of box numbers.
24:23Go ahead.
24:24I was just about to say, Jim,
24:26that there was a lot
24:26of pre-fight talk
24:28about some of the fouling
24:31that the Shufords felt
24:34that Klitschko occasionally did
24:37or maybe more than occasionally
24:38in their view.
24:40But it's not the illegal blows
24:41that have hurt them.
24:43It's the legal ones.
24:50By and large,
24:51he hasn't been close enough
24:52to Shuford to foul him.
24:54Shuford has stayed at distance
24:57for the most part
24:58with the exception of the occasions
25:00when he got close enough
25:01for Klitschko to knock him down.
25:02with two right hands.
25:04Well, the odd thing was
25:05we asked him,
25:06since he had portrayed
25:08George Foreman in the Ali movie,
25:10could he ever do that?
25:11And they said yes,
25:12but they were concerned
25:13with getting hit with an elbow.
25:15I don't know of a strategy
25:16that was ever devised
25:18because we were concerned
25:19about getting hit with a foul.
25:29Hup, stop, stop!
25:30Let him up.
25:31There we go.
25:38Well, you heard
25:39Charles Shuford Sr. telling his son
25:41you're going to have to hurt
25:42the guy at some point.
25:48It's amazing.
25:49I'm looking at Shuford,
25:50who's about 10 pounds
25:51bigger than George Foreman was
25:53when George was at his
25:54destructive power.
25:55Well, he's more than that.
25:56Yeah, and still,
25:58he looks like a baby
25:59almost to some degree
26:00compared to today's
26:01big superhero weights.
26:03Yeah, exactly.
26:03This is the way
26:04the division has gone.
26:05Vladimir Klitschko defines
26:07the body type
26:08that you have to have
26:09now to compete
26:09at the top
26:10of the heavyweight division
26:11by and large.
26:12Although, of course,
26:13Rachman is about
26:13Shuford's size.
26:15Yes?
26:16You took the thought
26:17right out of my head, John.
26:20What, did Shuford
26:21weigh in at 237, didn't he?
26:22And I believe Rachman
26:23weighed in at 237
26:24in South Africa.
26:52Well, this thing
26:55has deteriorated badly
26:56because Shuford
26:58seems to be satisfied
27:00to survive each round
27:02and Klitschko
27:03is not interested
27:04in taking any
27:05unwarranted chances
27:06being thoroughly
27:06in control of the fight
27:07as he is.
27:10Klitschko is,
27:10I don't think,
27:11afraid at all of Shuford.
27:13I don't even see
27:13that much of a danger,
27:14but still, nevertheless,
27:15he's content
27:16to win the fight
27:17at this stage
27:17the way he's winning it.
27:19Yeah, why chase?
27:20Yeah.
27:20You know,
27:21you're well ahead
27:22and the other guy
27:23just wants to stay away.
27:25Meanwhile,
27:25still to come tonight,
27:26122-pound fight
27:27in which neither fighter
27:28is expected
27:29to give any quarter.
27:31Holy Ayala
27:31from Fort Worth, Texas.
27:33Two-time winner
27:34over Johnny Tapia,
27:35moving up
27:36from 118 to 122,
27:38coming off
27:38a long amateur career
27:40and a successful
27:41decorated professional career
27:43to take on Bones Adams
27:44who had a long amateur
27:46career himself
27:47before leaving it,
27:49believe it or not,
27:49to become a professional
27:50at age 15
27:52and has been a pro
27:53for a dozen years now.
27:55Tonight gets his biggest paycheck
27:57and potentially
27:58his crowning achievement
27:58as he gets to take on
28:00a big-name opponent
28:01in Ayala.
28:11Seconds up!
28:27Round six of a scheduled 12.
28:33It looks as though
28:35Shuford is coming out
28:37and trying to engage Klitschko.
28:41We'll see how many chances
28:42he takes,
28:42whether he's willing
28:43to throw more than one punch
28:44at a time
28:47or whether he's going
28:48to be satisfied
28:49to survive.
28:50CompuBox numbers
28:51are desultory so far.
28:53Klitschko landed
28:5412 punches in round five.
28:56Shuford, by CompuBox count,
28:57has landed 12 punches
28:59in the fight.
29:02This is a stage
29:03where the experience
29:04starts showing.
29:05I mean, sometimes
29:07one guy may be doing good,
29:08but still, I think
29:09his mental concentration
29:11is not going to be
29:13as good as a fighter
29:13with the experience
29:14going down the stretch.
29:15In this case,
29:16you'd have to favor Klitschko
29:17because I think
29:18as Shuford
29:18goes on,
29:19it's a good possibility
29:20that he may get tired,
29:21loses concentration
29:22and his focus.
29:23Well, Vladimir's had
29:24more than twice
29:24as many pro fights.
29:26As well as
29:26a brilliant amateur career
29:27also.
29:28That's right.
29:28So his concentration,
29:29I think, as I call
29:31mental and psychological
29:32energy is probably
29:33going to be a big factor
29:34going down
29:34in the stretch
29:35of these last few rounds.
29:37And the way
29:38he's shooting
29:38those right hands,
29:40Shuford has got to
29:40stay alert all the time.
29:42He cannot afford
29:43to relax for one second.
29:47Vladimir tried
29:48left hand.
29:48Shuford had a couple
29:49of chances
29:49to whack him
29:50to the bottom.
29:52Crowd booze
29:53because they want
29:53something more
29:54in the way of action.
30:00Shuford's not terribly
30:01interested in suicide,
30:02so he's going to
30:02continue backing away
30:04and trying to keep
30:05some distance
30:05between himself
30:06and Vladimir Klitschko.
30:08Klitschko is getting
30:08close and close
30:09and close and close
30:10and all.
30:10Just missed over the top
30:12with that right hand.
30:13The two times
30:14he's managed to connect
30:15solidly with the right hand,
30:17Shuford has gone down.
30:20Very hard to connect
30:21solid there
30:22because Shuford's mind
30:23is primarily
30:24about 90% on defense.
30:26And therefore,
30:27it's very difficult
30:27to land a clean punch.
30:34after you get
30:35knocked down
30:35a couple of times
30:36by right hands
30:37you didn't see
30:40voluntarily or not,
30:42you know,
30:42the instinct for
30:44survival
30:45steps in
30:48and you take
30:49fewer and fewer chances.
30:52Self-preservation,
30:53it's called.
30:54Shuford a tiny bit
30:55friskier in round six.
31:01And let's go
31:02lines and left hook.
31:03So much for the left hook
31:04that I said didn't exist.
31:06Rick left hook inside
31:08and Charles has a headache
31:11as he gets up
31:12at the count of seven
31:13and wobbles
31:14and Kenny Bales
31:15has seen it up.
31:17Did I tell you
31:18about the left hook
31:19that I said didn't exist?
31:22An American weapon.
31:23The quick left hook.
31:26And Vladimir Klitschko
31:28waited and waited
31:29and waited
31:29for the right hand
31:30and finally said,
31:31all right, look,
31:32if you're not gonna
31:33let me land a right hand,
31:34I will just have to
31:35knock you out
31:35with the left hook.
31:36I've got no choice.
31:38And it was a great
31:38left hook too.
31:48So another feather
31:49in the cap
31:50of emerging
31:51heavyweight superstar
31:53Vladimir Klitschko.
31:57His 37th victory
31:58against a single loss.
32:01Another knockout
32:02to go with a long
32:04string of them.
32:06Another impressive
32:07performance
32:08to go with the
32:09domination of Bird
32:10and the quick KO
32:11of Jefferson
32:11in his last two fights.
32:13This time
32:14against a tactical fighter
32:16who wanted to wait
32:18and stay away from him.
32:19Klitschko was patient,
32:21finally found his opportunity
32:22to land a fight-ending punch
32:24and did so
32:25at close range.
32:26He was getting closer.
32:28He leaned in.
32:28He was getting closer
32:29and closer to body contact.
32:31And Shuford was still
32:32conscious of the right hand,
32:33but let's take a look
32:33at this left hook
32:34that finished the thing.
32:36Here you go, Manny.
32:37It's a great left hook.
32:41Didn't need much room.
32:42And a short hook, too.
32:44Yeah, didn't need
32:44a lot of room for that.
32:45No, no, no.
32:48Just kind of
32:48bodies Shuford off.
32:49Perfect left hook.
32:50And crunches him
32:51with the left hook.
32:52And when Shuford got up,
32:53he was wobbling
32:54back and forth
32:54and Kenny Bayless said,
32:56why do I want to send you
32:57out against this guy
32:58for any more punishment
32:59if you're not ready
33:00to stand on your feet?
33:01And it's really impressive
33:02that a guy
33:03to be that tall
33:05to land such a short punch.
33:08Here it comes
33:09from balance and technique.
33:12Body him off.
33:13Boom.
33:15And experience.
33:17So Vladimir
33:19keeps getting better,
33:20doesn't he?
33:20I was very impressed tonight.
33:22I thought he fought
33:22a good fight.
33:23He kept good balance.
33:25Totally in control
33:26at all times.
33:27Good left jab.
33:28Good right hand.
33:29And a good left hook.
33:31Larry Merchant
33:32stands by in the ring.
33:34First,
33:35let's go to Michael Buffer
33:36for the official announcement
33:37on this one.
33:38Ladies and gentlemen,
33:39the end comes
33:39at 2 minutes 55 seconds
33:42of round number 6.
33:43The winner by knockout victory
33:46and still
33:47the reigning WBO
33:49world heavyweight champion,
33:51the steel hammer,
33:53Dr. Vladimir Klitschko.
34:03So the doctor of heavyweight contenders,
34:06recent recipient of a Ph.D.
34:09in sports fitness
34:10from his home university
34:11in Kiev
34:12in the Ukraine,
34:15gets another knockout
34:16in his boxing career.
34:19Final punch stat numbers,
34:20total punches,
34:21so that it was a slow,
34:22tactical fight.
34:23Shuford landing
34:24only 16 of 190
34:26attempted blows.
34:27Vladimir Klitschko
34:28landing 58 out of 262.
34:31About half of those
34:32were jabs
34:32and half of them
34:34power shots.
34:36As you can see,
34:37Klitschko landing 40
34:38out of 213 jabs
34:40to 7 out of 126
34:42for Shuford.
34:43Not a high connect percentage
34:44on the jab for Klitschko.
34:46That's more a function
34:47of where Shuford was standing
34:48and the respect
34:49that he gave to Klitschko
34:50than it is of any
34:52technical inadequacy
34:53on Vladimir's part.
34:54When Vladimir got his chance,
34:57he did what he had to do.
34:58Now let's go to Larry Merchant
34:59with the winner.
35:00Thank you, Jim.
35:02Congratulations, Vladimir.
35:03Was there anything in this fight
35:05that surprised you?
35:08Before the fight,
35:09I know next opponent,
35:11Charles Shuford,
35:11he's a very careful fighter
35:13and it's a very difficult
35:14fight against guys
35:16who are very careful
35:17because they don't make mistakes
35:20or make a mistake
35:21but not so loud
35:22for a good punch.
35:23And it was a good experience
35:26for me because
35:27I still had 6 or 7 rounds
35:29and I just take a time
35:31step by step
35:32because I have 12 rounds.
35:34That's it.
35:36Were you surprised at all
35:38that the blow
35:40that ended the fight
35:41finally was
35:42almost your first left hook?
35:47You know, yes.
35:49But not only.
35:50In the right time.
35:51The left hook
35:52in the right time
35:53and right straight
35:54in the right time too.
35:56And it's just
35:58independent from the situation.
36:00We've noticed
36:01over the years
36:02and seeing many European
36:05heavyweights
36:06and fighters
36:07that they don't throw
36:09left hooks.
36:10did you learn this
36:11at a young age
36:12as part of your arsenal?
36:17I started with boxing
36:19when I was 14
36:20and I learned a lot of things.
36:23And my very important thing
36:27correct my work
36:29for the next fighter
36:30because it depends
36:32from the fighter style.
36:33I changed my style too
36:35because all the time
36:36fighting with the same style
36:38I think I will never
36:39have a result.
36:41All right.
36:42Let's take a look
36:42at the knockout blow
36:44at the end of the fight.
36:45You had knocked him down
36:47twice with right hands.
36:49Describe what you see.
36:51Oh.
36:53Yes, that's why.
36:54I'm sorry about this guy.
36:55Yeah, it's just result
36:58for the hard work,
36:59hard preparation
37:00because I'm still here
37:01in Las Vegas
37:02four weeks before the fight
37:04and the preparation
37:05was very hard.
37:06Do you feel that right now
37:08you are ready
37:10for any heavyweight
37:11in the world
37:12or do you feel
37:13that you still
37:14need some other fights
37:16before that?
37:17Oh, it's a good question
37:18because I'm ready
37:19like last year
37:20and I just
37:21the weight
37:22of the big fight
37:23against big names
37:24and I'm sure it's coming.
37:27Thank you very much.
37:29Again, congratulations,
37:30Vladimir.
37:31Jim.
37:32All right.
37:33Thank you, Larry.
37:33And remember that
37:34Emmanuel Stewart
37:35is still the trainer
37:36of Lennox Lewis
37:37who's still regarded
37:38by some
37:38as the world's
37:39preeminent heavyweight
37:39even though he's lost
37:40the championship
37:41to Hasim Rahman.
37:42I thought that you
37:43and Lennox
37:43had a pretty good plan
37:44when it looked like
37:44you were going to go ahead
37:45and fight Vladimir
37:46before he reached
37:47his full development
37:48and maturity.
37:49That chance has passed.
37:51That chance has passed
37:52and right now
37:53we are focusing on
37:54trying to get
37:54the championship back
37:55hopefully in November
37:56by the 10th
37:57when Lennox fights Rahman.
37:58And after that
37:59most likely
38:00it'll be a Tyson fight
38:02if everything works out.
38:03But the next fight
38:04if Lennox is successful
38:05in those two fights
38:06will definitely be
38:07against this fighter
38:08that we just saw tonight.
38:09And whether it's
38:10Rahman, Tyson,
38:11Lennox, Lewis,
38:11whoever has the title
38:12this guy's ready
38:13to challenge him, right?
38:14I was very impressed
38:15tonight.
38:15I was very impressed
38:16much like I was
38:17with Barrera
38:18with Salud
38:18but I hope
38:19at least Lennox
38:20will respect my judgment
38:22whereas Hamid
38:23didn't respect it.
38:24Yeah.
38:24All right.
38:24Well, we'll learn more
38:25about Vladimir Klitschko
38:26as time goes by
38:27and we'll see
38:28if he can bring
38:29new flavor
38:29to the heavyweight division.
38:31Meanwhile,
38:31still to come tonight
38:33Bones Adams
38:34out of Kentucky
38:3527 years old
38:37already a veteran
38:38of a dozen professional years
38:39reaches his high water mark
38:41as he gets ready
38:42to take on
38:42Paulie Ayala
38:43who beat Johnny Tapia
38:45in the fight of the year
38:45in 1999
38:46and then beat him again
38:48last year
38:48to establish
38:49his own pedestal
38:50at 118 pounds.
38:51They'll fight tonight
38:52at 122
38:54and it's coming next
38:55and it should be
38:56a good one.
38:57Meanwhile,
38:57mark your calendars
38:58for these upcoming shows.
39:00August 11,
39:01the 2000 Olympians return
39:02featuring Jermaine Taylor
39:03fighting in his hometown
39:04of Little Rock, Arkansas.
39:06August 14,
39:07catch the next edition
39:08of Real Sports
39:09with Bryant Gumbel.
39:10September 8,
39:11Marco Antonio Barrera,
39:13the man who dethroned
39:14Prince Nassim Ahmed
39:15to the chagrin
39:16of Emmanuel Stewart
39:17takes on Enrique Sanchez
39:18and a week later
39:19on TBKO Pay-Per-View
39:20the finale
39:21of the middleweight
39:21unification series
39:22between Felix Trinidad
39:24and Bernard Hopkins.
39:25HBO,
39:26the heart and soul
39:27of boxing.
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