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Mike Tyson returns to the ring to face Clifford Etienne on Showtime Boxing
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00:00Charles, live at the Pyramid, one, two, one, two.
00:07And the action moves just across town here in Memphis to the Pyramid Arena,
00:11where a former heavyweight champion of the world is about to re-enter the picture.
00:16On this special night of live programming on Showtime, we move now from the stage to the ring,
00:22where the sounds you'll hear next will be punches landing.
00:26We take you from one big event to another as Showtime presents the return of Mike Tyson.
00:46It's Showtime!
00:50Ladies and gentlemen, Lewis vs. Tyson is on!
01:03Here comes the challenger, Mike Tyson.
01:06You can already hear the crowd getting into it.
01:09An underdog for the first time in his career.
01:11Here comes the champion, Lennox Lewis.
01:15If he's apprehensive about fighting Tyson, it's difficult to tell given his placid exterior.
01:26There's the dunk! Here we go!
01:28Tyson starts fast with the jab!
01:30Lewis from the uppercuts!
01:31He's trying to bully the bull!
01:33Tyson needs something very traumatic here.
01:36Tyson's face, a mess.
01:37He looks like a beat fighter.
01:39And Lewis finished the job.
01:41Good!
01:42He's going to finish off Tyson here in Browning.
01:44Up and down goes Tyson!
01:47Tyson is coming out here in running.
01:51And when it's going, it retains his tunnel.
01:54In dramatic fashion!
02:05Oh, man, hi, Memphis.
02:06I'm happy to be back.
02:08And, um, y'all must have loved my last show, huh?
02:10So you brought me back.
02:13I was happy being angry and tough.
02:15I'm just happy being happy now.
02:19I felt after that fight with Lennox Lewis, I felt, um, I felt purified after that fight.
02:25It felt like, whoa.
02:26You know, I don't know if he whooped my ass and baptized me at the same time.
02:31I don't know.
02:31But I just felt clean and I'm ready to start over.
02:37Slim and none.
02:39Those would be your chances of seeing Elvis and Mike Tyson respectively in Memphis this
02:44Saturday.
02:44Mike Tyson fans are hopeful the former champ will fight Saturday tonight, night in Memphis.
02:48About officially, officially, on again for Saturday night.
02:52I just wanted to put something on my face.
02:54I didn't like the way my face was looking.
02:55And this is nothing.
02:56This is not even halfway done.
02:58This, um, press conference is just a formality.
03:02I'm just ready.
03:03Prediction, Mike?
03:05Knockout.
03:07Knockout.
03:41Knockout.
03:42Knockout.
03:42Knockout.
03:42Knockout.
03:42Knockout.
03:42Knockout.
03:43Knockout.
03:43Knockout.
03:43Knockout.
03:44Knockout.
03:44Knockout.
03:44Knockout.
03:45Knockout.
03:45Knockout.
03:45Knockout.
03:46Knockout.
03:57to memphis tennessee a southern metropolis where food and music are king memphis is the home of the
04:05blues the birthplace of rock and roll and the pork barbecue capital of the world
04:13but tonight the focus is boxing when mike tyson will show the world what he has left in his arsenal
04:20as he collides with once beaten heavyweight clifford etienne who vows to take it to the
04:26former champion in a heavyweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds
04:32it's been more than six years since mike tyson was heavyweight champion
04:37this has been a frenzy time for him in memphis as you see him arriving earlier tonight
04:41he's been forced to play catch up after missing a crucial week of training he sparred four rounds
04:47west wednesday five more as late as thursday and was still training yesterday in a furious 11th
04:54hour attempt to sharpen up in time for battle tonight we'll know in a few moments whether tyson's
04:59put it all together in time his motive for fighting may be money pride or a desire to be champion
05:05again
05:06only he can answer that but we know this 36 year old mike tyson's in a fight tonight to rescue
05:13and extend
05:14his chaotic career as for clifford etienne this night is about defining his career the 32 year old
05:24heavyweight was a man moving with intent as he walked from his car to the dressing room tonight
05:29for his biggest payday and most critical fight as a professional etienne has told us repeatedly this
05:35week he will not be overwhelmed when he stares across the ring at mike tyson where he believes he has
05:40the edge
05:41which is physically telling us he's trained harder he's more fit to fight and intends to take apart
05:47mike tyson once the bell rings
05:52this arena on the banks of the mississippi river is the scene of what was the biggest sporting event
05:57in this city's history last year that night of june 8 though remains a reoccurring nightmare for mike
06:03tyson just over eight months ago inside this building heavyweight king lennox lewis laid a systematic
06:09beating on the former champion yet it was tyson who asked to return to the same ring where he was
06:15last seen laying on the canvas bloodied battered and beat tonight it's different circumstances and
06:22a different opponent but the stakes have never been higher
06:28that's what we're going to do to do to do to do to do to do to do to do
06:31to do to do to do to do
06:31hello everybody i'm nick charles welcome once again to memphis on a special saturday night on showtime we
06:37began with a concert and immediately following the fight we've got a special preview of the first family
06:44comedy series that's for adults only don't miss tv's most outrageous reality series family business
06:50following the fight as the excitement continues here only on showtime the spotlight now though belongs
06:56to boxing mike tyson is no longer champion but he remains for many the most compelling and for others
07:02the most notorious figure on the heavyweight landscape whether that makes him a force in the division is
07:08open to debate tyson's troubles mostly self-imposed have overshadowed his triumphs and when the week began
07:15we weren't even sure there would be a fight but as you just saw he is in the building that
07:20said tyson
07:21has an opportunity tonight to blast his way back for yet another crack at lennox lewis the incentive
07:28should be there but tyson needs to win big and make a powerful statement now in a very real sense
07:35this
07:36night could make or break mike tyson standing by as always to tell us more from ringside now is my
07:42colleague
07:44steve albert all right nick the recent actions of mike tyson can be described as confusing astounding
07:49oddly predictable or simply irresponsible with his career in the balance tyson now 36 seems as
07:55incomprehensible as ever maybe he will blow away clifford etienne and secure a lucrative rematch with
08:01lennox lewis if so it won't matter that he suddenly stopped training or that he jeopardized the fight and
08:06still risks cuts and infection by getting a tattoo on his face only 11 days before the bout did he
08:13have
08:13the flu as reported or was it an acute reaction to the dye of the tattoo as summit speculated was
08:19he
08:20indeed ill at all and if so does he take etienne so lightly that he can rise from his sickbed
08:25to be
08:26here in memphis very little is certain about mike tyson anymore except that he remains riveting for a
08:31variety of reasons including some that we're not necessarily proud to admit the tabloid fascination
08:37with his never-ending bizarre behavior continues one thing's for sure tyson's impulses have brought
08:43unexpected attention to this fight and with that let me bring on my ringside partner showtime analyst
08:50steve farhood filling in for bobby chez tonight and steve can you attempt to put all of this in
08:56perspective steve with great difficulty mike tyson remains america's soap opera and what makes a good
09:03soap opera you don't know what's going to happen next in mike tyson's case he doesn't know what's going
09:08to happen next which makes his storyline particularly unsettling at the core of what we have this evening
09:14is a fight and it should be a very action-packed fight because tyson and etienne are two of the
09:20consistent
09:21all-action warriors in the division so we'll see what happens the pre-fight circumstances were a
09:27little too exciting but we do finally have a fight yeah i feel like i'm at an armchair psychoanalysts
09:34convention everybody's trying to get inside the head of tyson i gave up on that a long time ago good
09:39idea
09:39all right now here on showtime we've been covering mike tyson since 1991 through a series of events that
09:45hollywood would be hard-pressed to create but just when you think you've seen it all we have a chaotic
09:51week like this on monday night the fight was canceled amidst countless rumors from tyson's training camp
09:56but then the fight was mysteriously uncancelled the next morning however a disgruntled clifford
10:02etn then pulled out in disgust after a mad scramble to find a suitable last-minute substitute
10:07on wednesday morning the black rhino is back missed workouts tattoos the flu and raged assistant
10:14trainers quitting mike tyson decoys at the airport on off on off and on again madness overshadowed by
10:23all of this the fact that both fighters have new trainers and just like everybody else involved they
10:29too had to deal with the on again off again roller coaster ride here's jim gray with more from the
10:35respective dressing rooms thank you steve well not only as you mentioned a tremendous effect this week on
10:40the fighters but their camps most specifically their trainers they don't know if they're coming or going
10:45or preparing for a for a fight or preparing to go home freddie roach for mike tyson and buddy mcgert
10:51for clifford atn i spoke to both of them a short time ago first roach freddie four days ago you
10:58advised
10:59mike tyson not to fight you didn't feel as though he was ready what changed your mind uh he's very
11:05positive
11:05he uh came and told me he said i'm a fighter fighters fight that's what i want to do freddie
11:09he says you know we had five really good weeks of training under our belt and he says the week's
11:13nearly not going to hurt me and i said mike we're going to go to win he said i'm going
11:16to knock this
11:17guy out so he's good he's very positive about it so i'm with him buddy do you feel as though
11:22mike tyson
11:23is vulnerable based on what has happened this week with the fight being canceled and then being put back
11:28on no not at all i mean mike tyson's a warrior you know he's been through most oftenest and and
11:33prevailed so
11:33and i'm not going to say that that's going to have an effect on him not at all you guys
11:38sparred very
11:39very late on wednesday and thursday are you concerned about mike tyson's timing um that's why we sparred
11:45okay it was unusual to spar that late especially for a heavyweight fight but the thing was we missed a
11:51crucial week there and i wanted to get the timing back so he sparred really good on the first day
11:55uh he
11:56went four rounds and uh and then the second day after five rounds i stopped it because he was his
12:02time
12:02was he was there i mean i saw what i wanted to see and he's ready clifford atn have the
12:07tools and the
12:08ability to do what lennox lewis evander holyfield buster douglas those folks have done yes you just
12:16have to do it a little differently you know um those guys are bigger and they were able to uh
12:20you know
12:20use the height and reach and and i'll box them you know what we have to do is go out
12:24early get the
12:25respect and after we get the respect then we uh fight our fight now about 45 minutes ago bill clancy
12:31the
12:31referee for tonight's fight went in to see clifford atn to give him the instructions clifford was so
12:36relaxed he was asleep on the floor underneath the training table he woke him up gave him the
12:40instructions i spoke to clifford for a short time told me he's very confident about tonight and he
12:44has put behind him all of the activities and the festivities that have happened this week as for mike
12:49tyson only said hello to him as he woke in he as he walked in he went into his locker
12:54room and closed it
12:55down no interviews and no cameras did speak to shelley finco mike tyson's manager he did tell me that mike
13:00spent most of the day today in seclusion very focused much much different than when he was here
13:06in june against lennox lewis in fact he said i wished he'd have had this attitude and this focus
13:10going into that fight steve back to you all right jim thank you very much back here with steve farhood
13:16what about the the potential impact of the two new trainers well i really think that freddie roach has
13:23a big advantage in that steve he winds mike tyson up and sends him out to destroy no change in
13:28strategy or
13:29tactics for freddie roach a little bit different for buddy mcguard he would like more time with
13:33clifford at the end he'd like to change his style a little bit specifically for this fight keep him
13:38outside make him get away after tyson punches one camp does not do that for a fighter who's as much
13:44of
13:44a veteran as etienne so i think that team tyson has a big advantage here and you know what struck
13:49me was
13:49the fact that the tyson sparred as recently as two days ago he almost sparred yesterday but that was
13:56canceled at the last minute uh what do you make of that i mean that's unheard of totally unheard of
14:00steve most heavyweights rel stop sparring seven to ten days before a fight so this is highly unusual
14:08all right well let's take a look backstage right now and go behind the scenes and you can see uh
14:14very
14:14plainly mike tyson maintaining his privacy keeping his dressing room door closed tyson a four to one
14:19favorite down from seven to one but etienne says he's going to shock a lot of people we'll soon find
14:24out coming up after tonight's fight a special preview of tv's most outrageous reality series family
14:32business let's take a look
14:36the catch word tonight all we can say is make sure the kids are asleep that is not your typical
14:41family
14:42business or family show and now back to the business at hand we're at the pyramid in memphis tennessee
14:47as we are closing in on the fight mike tyson returning to the scene of his worst performance some eight
14:54months
14:54ago as he faces clifford etienne will it be a different story tonight if night tyson should
15:01seriously consider another line of work steve albert back with steve far hood steven steve do you do you
15:10believe that tyson should be fighting tonight i mean is he physically fit all the talk about the
15:16possibility they had the flu bronchitis a bad reaction from the tattoo your observations steve in
15:21a perfect world mike tyson wouldn't be fighting tonight but mike tyson's world hasn't been perfect
15:25in a long time i think he sort of backed himself into a corner at this point in his career
15:30where the
15:31potential reward for fighting a fight like this going through with it when the conditions are not
15:35perfect is worth the risk given that is there a possibility that clifford etienne could be catching
15:42mike tyson at the right time what better time exactly the styles of this fight indicate tyson should
15:48win even if he's not a hundred percent but you know what tyson took buster douglas he didn't train
15:54tyson overlooked whole field he thought that would be an easy fight not to put etienne in the quality of
15:58those guys but if any if there's any time that tyson is going to lose to a fighter who's lesser
16:03than he
16:03is you would think tonight would be the night yeah tyson's coming off his worst loss he's 36 years old
16:10and conditioning is a question mark because he missed about a week of of training i would think it would
16:15behoove the black rhino to try and extend tyson as long as possible if this fight goes more than one
16:21round the odds on etienne winning drop considerably yeah because tyson gets frustrated as the fight
16:27goes on usually his punch rate dwindles as well exactly all right well a few weeks ago not many
16:32outside of boxing even knew about this fight now it has the feel of a of a world heavyweight championship
16:38and tonight mike tyson probably has no bigger fan than lennox lewis the ring walks are straight away
16:44so let's send it up to jimmy lennon jr ladies and gentlemen get ready to welcome the boxers as they
16:56make their way to the ring for this our main event of the evening first to join us in the
17:03ring ladies and
17:04gentlemen along with recording artist mystical please welcome the exclusive top 10 heavyweight
17:11contender from louisiana clifford etienne
17:24what's up y'all i'm about to bring a black rhino out here and do you know what time it
17:29is danger
17:31what time is it danger that's right get on the blood the black rhino right here
17:40sing what's up y'all
17:48what time is it danger that's right
18:12I know.
18:13I know.
18:15I know.
18:16I'm trying to shake.
18:17I'm standing.
18:18I know.
18:19Get your cake.
18:20I can't get a bite.
18:21Head down.
18:22I'm probably going to get a bite.
18:24I'm about to leave that name.
18:25Come on.
18:26Come to the middle.
18:27What you going to say?
18:29There's so much.
18:31He's been on.
18:32Come on, baby.
18:33Get on.
18:34Come on.
18:36Get on.
18:37There's so much.
18:38There's so much.
18:40He's been on.
18:41Showtime.
18:43Get on up.
18:45Well, I was going to see.
18:48I'm going to have to go out for you.
18:50You know, not nothing.
18:52What's up?
18:53What's up?
18:54Let me know.
18:57Get going.
18:59Get up.
19:00Get up.
19:00Get up.
19:01It's good.
19:02Get up.
19:43Not only does he look relaxed, Etienne looks gung-ho.
19:48The spin portrays Etienne as a hard puncher.
19:51In reality, he is a volume puncher.
19:55Let's get it back up to Jimmy Lennon Jr.
20:00And now, ladies and gentlemen, making his way to the ring,
20:05the most exciting fighter of his generation,
20:09please welcome Iron Mike Tyson.
20:36Oh, come on, you've got to walk fast.
20:46Oh, come on, come on, come on.
21:12No, no, these two.
21:13Oh, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come
21:24on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come
21:36on.
22:30These two guys are ready for war.
22:34A huge roar goes up from the crowd. Tyson just dropped that trademark towel, and they almost went at it
22:40just now.
22:42Steve, we were worried about Etienne being swallowed by the moment. He looks very pumped up. Let's see if it
22:47transfers to how he fights in the first 30 seconds. Could be strategic suicide to try to go right at
22:53Tyson.
22:53And while I've got the moment, many seeing the now famous Tyson tattoo for the first time. Should it be
22:59a concern, particularly since Tyson was cut badly around both eyes against Lennox Lewis?
23:04Steve, it was a bad idea. You need about two weeks for a tattoo for the skin to fully heal.
23:09I'm more worried about Tyson's, the skin below Tyson's eyebrows that were ripped open by Lennox Lewis. I think he
23:16might become a bleeder late in his career.
23:18And why couldn't he just get the tattoo after the fight? Too logical, I guess.
23:25Let's size him up right now as we check out the tail of the tape. Tyson turns 37 in the
23:31month of June. Etienne will be 33 next month. Tyson listed at 5'11. The Black Rhino is 6'2.
23:372.5-inch reach advantage, Etienne. At Thursday's, weigh in Tyson, about 9 pounds less than for Lewis. Etienne well
23:45within his range at 2.22 and 3 quarters.
23:48Notable Tennessee rules for this non-title fight. Standing 8 count is enforced. Free knockdown rule is in effect. That
23:54could be critical here.
23:55The fighter cannot be saved by the bell except in the final round. If an accidental headbutt occurs before the
24:00start of the fourth, it's a no contest.
24:02If it happens after the start of round four, they go to the scorecards.
24:05So here at the Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee, we're getting ready for Mike Tyson versus Clifford Etienne, scheduled for 10.
24:14We are set for the official introductions from our ring announcer, the classy Jimmy Lennon Jr.
24:32Ladies and gentlemen, a very good evening to you and welcome to the Pyramid here in Memphis, Tennessee for our
24:41big night of action and our featured bout of the evening.
24:45And it's all brought to you by Gary Shaw Productions, Prize Fight Promotions, and Fight Night, Inc.
24:52In association with Grand Casino Tunica.
24:56This bout coming away is sanctioned by the Tennessee Boxing Commission, the director, Tommy Patrick.
25:02Our physicians at ringside, Dr. Mike Miller and Dr. Jerry Floyd.
25:06Timekeeper at the bell is Doug Atkin, keeping count of the knockdowns, Stephen McAdoo.
25:12Introducing to you our three judges scoring this bout from ringside, from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Richard Barth.
25:20From Biloxi, Mississippi, Fred Steinwinder III, and from Franklin, Tennessee, Ken Whitehead.
25:27Our third man to the ring, the referee in charge of this bout, from Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Bill Clancy.
25:36All right, fans, here we go with our main event of the evening, ten rounds of boxing and a heavyweight
25:45special attraction.
25:47And now, ladies and gentlemen in attendance and boxing fans joining us around the world,
25:53it's the time you've all been waiting for, live from Memphis, it is showtime!
26:11Introducing to you first, on my left, he is fighting out of the blue corner,
26:15wearing red trunks, and joining us from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
26:20He weighed in at 222.75 pounds, with a record of 24 wins, one loss, and one draw.
26:30He has 17 wins coming by way of knockout.
26:34He is ranked number seven in the world by the IVF, number three by the WBO.
26:39Tonight, he makes a charge toward a heavyweight world title challenge.
26:44Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Black Rhino, introducing Clifford Etienne!
26:58And his opponent, across the ring on my right, fighting out of the red corner,
27:04really needing no introduction the world over,
27:08entering the ring wearing his traditional black trunks,
27:11and hailing from Catskill, New York.
27:14His weight, 225 and three-quarter pounds.
27:18His fearsome record includes 49 wins, four losses, two no contests,
27:24with 43 big wins coming by way of knockout.
27:28Having already established himself in the record books as boxing's youngest heavyweight champion,
27:34tonight, he renews his quest to dominate the division.
27:38Introducing the number four ranked heavyweight contender,
27:43here is the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
27:49Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the one and only Iron Mike Tyson!
28:05Once again, a referee in charge, Bill Clancy,
28:08now to give instructions, ten rounds of action scheduled.
28:11Cliff, right here.
28:13Hi, gentlemen.
28:13Bring it in here, Mike.
28:15All right, Mike and Cliff, we're scheduled for ten rounds.
28:17I know what you went through, the instructions in the dressing room.
28:21You must obey my commands at all times.
28:23Give me a good, clean fight.
28:26Protect yourself.
28:27Mike, you're a little high right here.
28:29Freddy's a little high if it rides up, okay?
28:31We'll watch it.
28:32Cliff, you're okay.
28:33Give me a good, clean fight, gentlemen.
28:34Obey my commands.
28:35Any questions, Mike?
28:36Any questions, Cliff?
28:37Touch them up, gentlemen.
28:38God bless you.
28:39Good luck.
28:43The big question with Etienne is his ability to take a punch,
28:48particularly to the head, Taplin.
28:49Here's down seven times against Fresno Kendo.
28:5221 of Tyson's 43 knockouts in the first.
28:56Tyson, as you know, typically comes out very aggressively.
28:58He started fast but then became docile against Lewis.
29:02Will he kill Etienne's momentum early and back him up?
29:05Which Tyson will show up tonight?
29:08Etienne down ten times in 26 fights.
29:11Can the Black Rino get Tyson's respect right away and set the tone?
29:18Tyson's going for everything right here.
29:22And now they both go into the ropes.
29:25Come on, stay here, Mike.
29:26Stay here.
29:27It's okay.
29:28It's okay.
29:29Stay here.
29:32Keep it clean, Mike.
29:34Wildness here at the outset.
29:41Tyson's looking to end this on one punch, Steve.
29:44So is Etienne, but he doesn't have that one punch.
29:47Break, no punch, no punch, no punch on break.
29:50Etienne should be either way outside or way inside.
29:53Anywhere else, he's in danger.
29:56Oh, there it is, right hand.
29:58To the head, and Etienne's down.
30:00Three, four, four, six, seven, eight.
30:06No way, he's getting up.
30:08It's over.
30:09And he's helped up by Tyson.
30:13Opening minute of the fight.
30:15Yes.
30:17My nigga.
30:18My nigga.
30:20All right?
30:21You okay?
30:29My nigga.
30:31He's there.
30:32He's there.
30:33He's there.
30:33He's there.
30:33He's there.
30:34He's there.
30:34He's there.
30:34He's there.
30:34He's there.
30:35He's there.
30:35He's there.
30:47Mike Tyson, in dramatic, spectacular fashion, ends it quickly.
31:07And not a surprise, no.
31:13Etienne took a Peter McNeely approach here.
31:19He came in, he looked very loose, very relaxed, but perhaps too loose and too relaxed, as Tyson's
31:28power told the story.
31:31Quite a difference in the power punching.
31:34Etienne's best chance was to do what he had to do to extend the fight.
31:39And as expected, Mike Tyson did what he had to do to perhaps set up a big money sequel with
31:45Lennox Lewis.
31:46For the official word, we get it up to Jimmy Lennon Jr.
31:53We have the time, a referee in charge, Bill Clancy, a referee in charge, Bill Clancy reaches the count of
32:02ten.
32:03He's the winner by way of knockout, Iron Mike Tyson.
32:09He's the winner by way of knockout, Iron Mike Tyson, 49 seconds of round one.
32:17That's all it took tonight from Mike Tyson to tattoo the black rhino.
32:24You knew I had to get that in.
32:27Over to Jim Gray, Jim.
32:29All right, right now, Mike Tyson is having a word with Clifford Etienne's father.
32:33Just listening in.
32:34Mike.
32:37Taking time now with the corner of Clifford Etienne.
32:40Oh, friends like this fight each other.
32:41That's how we get right.
32:43You got to tell me more about this clap, man.
32:45Buddy McGurk.
32:46Thank you, buddy.
32:46Love you, man.
32:48God bless you, baby.
32:49Yeah, Mike.
32:50Come a long way.
32:51I'm trying, sir.
32:52You're still doing it.
32:53Since I'm 14, huh?
32:55Mike, Clifford Etienne pulled you aside, Mike, and he said something to you in your ear that
32:59nobody could hear.
33:00What exactly was it that he said?
33:02To be honest, he said you need to stop bullshitting and be serious.
33:06You're not serious.
33:06That's why you're out here playing around.
33:08He said the truth.
33:09And he is right, isn't he?
33:10Yeah, he is.
33:11I'm just happy to be back in Memphis and give a decent show, and I'm glad brother Clifford gave
33:16me a fight.
33:17And people don't understand the business.
33:19It's when you show your love and respect when you fight one another, because that's how
33:23we elevate our lifestyle.
33:25We take care of our fighters, our family.
33:27So we can't say, hey, I'm scared to fight anybody.
33:29And closely, we're both Muslim, but brothers, we owe each other to fight each other, to elevate
33:34our life.
33:35Mike, were you really sick this week?
33:37What was the problem?
33:38I broke my back.
33:41What do you mean by that?
33:42You broke my back?
33:43My back is broken.
33:44What?
33:44A vertebrae or what portion?
33:47Spinal.
33:48You did that in sparring?
33:50No, I did it by a motorcycle accident.
33:53The doctor discovered I was doing my sit-ups 2,500 a day with my 20-pound weight, and one
33:59day I couldn't move anymore.
34:01And I exacted the doctor, what's wrong?
34:03And he said, believe it or not, his wearing to your back is broken slightly.
34:08So are you in pain right now?
34:09Did you take some type of injection, or how did you make it to this fight?
34:13I can't take an injection.
34:14You know you're going to test me.
34:15But all praise be to Allah, I don't know.
34:18I don't even know.
34:19I'm just happy that I'm fighting and I'm punching well and accurate, that my trainer,
34:24Freddie Roach, Robert Lewis, oh, God, I'm sorry, Tyrone Bull.
34:31Were you ready for this fight, Mike?
34:32I mean, your trainer advised you four days, Freddie, before the fight not to fight.
34:36Were you ready?
34:37No, but I'm obligated, and it's got to be a man and fight.
34:41I've canceled too many fights in my career, and I wasn't afraid.
34:44I didn't want anybody to think I was afraid.
34:46And he needed the money.
34:49I'm always in need of money, and I'm glad that both of us did.
34:52I have so much respect for him as a man.
34:54You know, he's a good man.
34:55I respect him, and he's a friend of mine.
34:58And I realized when Sugar Ray Robertson and Henji Armstrong fought,
35:03and that was Robertson's hero, Henji Armstrong went up to him and said,
35:07if you were my friend and you would care and remind me, you would fight me.
35:09You know I need money, and that's how it is.
35:12But fighters, you understand that.
35:13Don't say you don't want to fight him.
35:14When a man says he doesn't want to fight you, that's disrespecting you
35:17because he knows he needs you to make a living.
35:20You both needed each other in this instance, Mike.
35:22Let's take a look, if we can, here at this fight.
35:25Tell us exactly what happened as the slip at the beginning,
35:28and then you two embraced and went down.
35:31Boom.
35:32I'm a little rough here.
35:33I'm missing.
35:34I'm not moving my head.
35:36He hit me with, I believe, a slight left hook on my eye.
35:39Is that what caused the cut, Mike?
35:41Is that what caused the cut above your eye?
35:43I believe so, the left hook, he hit me, yes.
35:45Oh, he did hit you?
35:46Yes, he did.
35:48Let's take a look now at the slip once again,
35:50and then we'll take a look at the knockout.
35:51Here it is.
35:52I'm setting him up.
35:53I'm looking at it.
35:54I think this is when we're pushing, though.
35:57That was when he was hurt.
35:59I pulled him down.
36:00He didn't push me.
36:01I pulled him down.
36:02But he was hurt from that first punch.
36:03Now we go here.
36:04I know he was pushing me, so I just...
36:06Tell us about the right right here, Mike.
36:08Okay, and here's the knockout, the right.
36:10I'm trying to keep my hands up.
36:10I'm moving.
36:12I'm trying to get to the side and look for the opening.
36:14And I see it.
36:15Here it is.
36:16Boom.
36:16Straight.
36:17Boom.
36:18Just like the one Freddie Roach was working right for.
36:20Now, you've hit a lot of people, Mike,
36:21and I know it may be a little quick to estimate this.
36:23Have you hit anybody harder than that?
36:25Well, I don't know, because I didn't feel a punch,
36:27so I have to go around and ask everybody I hit
36:29how did that punch feel.
36:31Well, you know, because you delivered it.
36:33It was pretty clean.
36:34I'm just glad he didn't hurt his leg.
36:36But I'm just...
36:37I was just very happy with the sharp punch
36:39and the accurate punch,
36:40and pray to be to Allah, no one had gotten hurt.
36:43Mike, we have a couple of other things
36:44before we talk about Lennox Lewis,
36:46but the country's interested in the tattoo.
36:48Why the tattoo, and why so close to the fight?
36:51I'm just...
36:52That's just me who I am.
36:53I don't care about no tattoo.
36:54I'm fighting.
36:55People fight.
36:56And that just happens.
36:58We do this.
36:58I don't know about no worry and all that stuff.
37:00This is just what I do.
37:01I fight for a living.
37:02I'm in a hurt business,
37:03and no one should care if I get hurt,
37:05if I die in the ring.
37:06Because this is what we do.
37:08It's what we do.
37:11That's just people fighting out in the stands.
37:12They didn't get enough of you, I guess,
37:14but let's keep you here, Mike.
37:16Lennox Lewis will be next.
37:17It'll be in June.
37:20What do you think will be different this time?
37:24Well, I'll be more confident this,
37:26and to be honest,
37:27I don't believe I'm ready to fight him at this moment.
37:30I'm not going to lie to myself.
37:31I'm not going to lie to the public.
37:33I need more fights,
37:34and I'm not interested in getting beat up again.
37:37So what will you do in between now
37:40and then to get ready
37:41if you're not interested in getting beaten up again
37:42so it doesn't end the same way?
37:44I'll leave here
37:46and go right to the gym
37:47and a week later
37:48continue my exercise
37:49and just continue to go training,
37:51and hopefully,
37:52you know,
37:53it's all praise me to God.
37:55I don't know.
37:55I don't even know
37:56if I want to fight no more.
37:57If I have to fight Lennox Lewis,
37:59my next fight,
37:59there's no way I have to continue fighting.
38:01You don't know if you want to fight Lewis
38:03or you don't know
38:03if you want to fight after that?
38:04Well, I don't know.
38:06I don't want to fight Lewis right this moment,
38:08but if I'm capable to get two or three more fights,
38:12probably two,
38:13I'll fight him right away.
38:14My only problem with Lewis,
38:16you want to understand,
38:17if I've never been absent for five years,
38:20Holyfield,
38:20all these guys that beat me,
38:22they would never have a career.
38:23It was all in God's plan to take care of them.
38:26All I love them,
38:28Holyfield may say,
38:29Jesus,
38:29they love them,
38:30they put their arm around them,
38:31put them in their bosom,
38:32and they elevate their lives.
38:35But eventually,
38:37I'll continue to,
38:37yes,
38:39training and bring my life together.
38:41I just want to get my shit together.
38:43I'm so messed up, man.
38:44I just need to get my life together, brother.
38:46All right, Mike,
38:46we thank you for your time
38:47and congratulations on the fight.
38:48Thank you, too, sir.
38:51All right,
38:51let's go down to Steve Albert.
38:52All right, Jim,
38:53you can see Clifford Etienne
38:55fighting his way out
38:56during the interview with Mike Tyson
38:57getting booed by the crowd here,
38:59literally fighting his way out.
39:02The thing that I get from this interview
39:04is, first of all,
39:05how do you fight with a broken back?
39:08I'm sure he was exaggerating that.
39:09It may have been a hurt back,
39:10but not a broken back.
39:12But can you imagine
39:14if he was 100% healthy?
39:16I mean,
39:16he knocked the guy out in 49 seconds.
39:18Steve,
39:19that was the best right hand Mike Tyson
39:20threw since he knocked out Franz Bolta.
39:22It was a straight punch.
39:23The reason he knocked him out
39:24is he threw a straight shot
39:26and Etienne was launching
39:28his own right hand at the time.
39:29If Mike Tyson has a broken back,
39:31first of all,
39:32it's the commission's job,
39:33no one else's,
39:34to examine the fighter
39:36and make sure he's healthy
39:37to get in the ring.
39:38I'd have to see
39:39some kind of medical report,
39:40obviously,
39:40before we can determine
39:41what was wrong with his back.
39:42But with Mike Tyson,
39:43just from that interview
39:44with Jim Gray,
39:45even when there are definitive answers
39:47like he provided tonight,
39:48they seem to lead
39:50to more questions.
39:51And why should a win
39:53over a fighter
39:54the caliber of Clifford Etienne
39:56warrant a rematch
39:59with Lennox Lewis?
40:01Well,
40:01what it's all about
40:02with Mike Tyson
40:03is rebuilding his credibility
40:04to the public
40:05and to himself.
40:06Look what he did.
40:07He knocked a world-class heavyweight
40:09out with one punch.
40:10Mike Tyson still has
40:12the one punch.
40:13And a lot of people
40:14and a lot of fans
40:15would like to see what happens.
40:16But he's a mid-level.
40:17If that one punch lands
40:18on Lennox Lewis.
40:19A mid-level contender
40:21who really has no power
40:23and below average defense.
40:26So, I don't know.
40:27I mean, yeah,
40:27he may be a world-class fighter,
40:29but there are different levels
40:30of world-class fighters
40:31and things that he's
40:32on the lower echelon of that.
40:33Well, this was the right opponent,
40:35no doubt,
40:36for Mike Tyson.
40:37But you know what?
40:38At this level,
40:39economics runs everything.
40:40And let's face it,
40:41Lennox Lewis wants
40:42to fight Mike Tyson.
40:42That's the biggest money fight
40:44out there.
40:44It's that simple.
40:46All right,
40:46we'll take another look
40:47at the round,
40:48which didn't last very long,
40:50just 49 seconds.
40:52And we'll take another look
40:53from the start.
40:55Tyson comes out very fast.
40:57And so does Etienne,
40:58but as you pointed out,
40:59the man with the home run punch
41:01is in the black trunks.
41:03No doubt.
41:04And you saw from the start,
41:05Etienne was in the power zone.
41:06Okay, okay.
41:07He didn't try to jab.
41:08He didn't stay away.
41:09He didn't use his feet
41:10for movement, lateral movement.
41:12Typically...
41:12except for that one time
41:14there where he got hit
41:14and he grabbed Tyson
41:15and they both fell down.
41:16But look at the distance
41:17between the two.
41:18It's perfect for a power puncher
41:20like Tyson.
41:21Tyson needs distance
41:22to land his shot.
41:23And Tyson's punches
41:25are usually wide
41:26or looping overhand right.
41:28But in this case,
41:29it was a straight right hand
41:32right on target.
41:34There it is.
41:36Strategic suicide
41:37committed by Etienne.
41:39Maybe he had no chance
41:40to win no matter what
41:41he did in the ring.
41:42But to go right to Mike Tyson
41:44and you're shooting BB guns
41:45and he's got a bazooka,
41:47that's not the way to win.
41:48And now here is the tattooed one.
41:50Mike Tyson making his way slowly
41:53back to the dressing room
41:54as he made very, very quick work
41:58of Clifford Etienne.
41:59No match at all whatsoever
42:02for Iron Mike Tyson.
42:05Waving to the crowd.
42:06What do you think is going on
42:07in the mind of Lennox Lewis
42:08as he watches this right now?
42:09Well, he wants Tyson again.
42:11I think he's happy.
42:12He knows what he did
42:13the first time around.
42:16You know what, though?
42:17For people who don't understand
42:18the mystique of Mike Tyson,
42:20just watch that replay
42:21again and again.
42:22That mystique is still there.
42:23He reconfirmed it tonight
42:25with the one punch.
42:26Understood that Etienne
42:27had been down 10 times
42:28in his career.
42:29Understood that Etienne
42:30does not take a punch.
42:31And that we all knew
42:32that if Tyson hit him clean,
42:33he was likely to take him out.
42:35It happened after only a minute.
42:36There was no way to predict
42:37when it would happen.
42:39But Tyson punches like that.
42:41How many heavyweights
42:42have you seen land
42:43one punch knockouts
42:44like that in the last few years?
42:46But, Steve, for Tyson fans,
42:48could this be false hope,
42:49false optimism
42:50if he takes on
42:51Lennox Lewis again?
42:52That was a total technical
42:55mismatch in favor of Lennox Lewis.
42:57What applies to Tyson Etienne
42:59does not apply at all
43:00to Tyson Lewis.
43:01We know that
43:01because Lewis is a 6-foot,
43:036-inch heavyweight
43:04with a tremendous reach.
43:06So this fight,
43:07one fight has nothing
43:08to do with the other.
43:09Tyson has to get
43:11in great shape.
43:12He has to prepare
43:14much better.
43:15And even with that,
43:16look at the tremendous
43:16psychological advantage
43:17Lewis has.
43:18All right, final question.
43:19Is Mike Tyson,
43:21in your opinion,
43:22and you've been around,
43:23you've seen a lot,
43:23capable of beating
43:25Lennox Lewis?
43:27Extremely difficult
43:27at this point in his career.
43:29He's going to have to land
43:30the kind of punch
43:31that just took out Etienne.
43:32That kind of punch
43:33will take out
43:34any heavyweight,
43:35good chin or bad.
43:36All right,
43:36did Mike Tyson exercise
43:38the demons of the Memphis Pyramid
43:40by beating a fighter
43:41the caliber of Clifford,
43:42the Black Rhino Etienne?
43:44Not really,
43:45but he probably set up
43:47a Megabucks rematch
43:49with Lennox Lewis.
43:52Another chapter
43:53in the crazy life
43:55of Mike Tyson.
43:56Back up to Nick Charles.
43:58Well, thanks, Steve.
43:59Clifford Etienne
44:00vowed not to be intimidated,
44:01but like dozens before him,
44:03he began to drown
44:04the first time
44:04he felt Mike Tyson's power.
44:06His game plan
44:07went spinning out of control
44:09and Etienne's star
44:10crashed to the canvas.
44:11He now has nowhere
44:12to go but home.
44:13As for Mike Tyson,
44:14he needed to win big.
44:15The more explosive,
44:16the better,
44:17to prove he wasn't
44:18a spent shell casing.
44:19The mistraining,
44:20the flu bug,
44:21his new tattoo,
44:22none of it an issue now.
44:24In the meantime,
44:25Tyson, Lewis,
44:26and all of us
44:27will remember
44:27what we saw here
44:28in Memphis
44:29this Saturday night
44:29and ask ourselves
44:31two questions.
44:32One,
44:33if they meet again,
44:34could Lewis fight
44:35any better
44:36than he did
44:36the first time?
44:37And number two,
44:38could Tyson fight
44:39any worse
44:40than the first fight?
44:41What we do know
44:42is this,
44:42Mike Tyson saved
44:43his career here tonight.
44:45It's up to Lennox Lewis
44:46now to decide
44:47if a rematch
44:47is in his best interest
44:49and ultimately,
44:50it's up to the public
44:51to determine
44:51if a second meeting
44:52June 21st, perhaps,
44:54is worth the time
44:55and money.
44:56In the meantime,
44:57it's been a revealing
44:58night here in Memphis
44:59and a special thanks
45:00to all our friends
45:01at Saks Fifth Avenue.
45:03And a reminder,
45:03now make sure
45:04the kids are in bed
45:05and stay tuned
45:05for this special preview
45:07of TV's first
45:08adult reality series,
45:10Family Business,
45:11coming up next.
45:13Showtime Championship
45:14Boxing returns
45:15March 15th
45:16as knockout artist
45:17Asilino Freitas
45:18defends his
45:18130-pound world titles
45:20against Juan Carlos Romero
45:22at 10 p.m.
45:23Eastern and Pacific.
45:24So for Steve Alberts,
45:25Steve Farhood,
45:26Jim Gray,
45:27and our entire crew,
45:28this is Nick Charles
45:29saying so long,
45:31everybody,
45:31from Memphis, Tennessee.
45:51Delling, provocative,
45:54undeniably different.
45:55Desde el Crown Plaza Hotel
45:57en...
45:58...
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