Chris Byrd vs David Tua - Showtime 8-18-2001 - video Dailymotion

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Chris Byrd faces David Tua in an IBF Heavyweight Elimination fight on Showtime Boxing

Transcript

00:00:22tonight we are back at the

00:00:23undisputed boxing capital of the

00:00:25world Las Vegas Nevada our

00:00:28marquee matchup a heavy duty

00:00:30affair to determine the mandatory

00:00:32challenger for a portion of the

00:00:34heavyweight crown in our

00:00:38featured attraction number one

00:00:40contender David Tua will take on

00:00:42number two rated and former WBO

00:00:44heavyweight champion Chris Bird in

00:00:46a heavyweight championship

00:00:47eliminator the winner receives a

00:00:50mandatory shot at the IBF version

00:00:52of the title we welcome you to

00:00:55the newly constructed Cox Pavilion

00:00:57and an annex of the Thomas and

00:00:58Mack Center on the campus of

00:01:00UNLV this will be home to the

00:01:02UNLV women's basketball and

00:01:04volleyball teams as well as the

00:01:05newest entertainment venue of

00:01:06the world famous strip tonight

00:01:09boxing's debut in this building

00:01:11the comforts inside much

00:01:12appreciated particularly with the

00:01:14Mercury near one hundred and ten

00:01:16this afternoon tonight boxing's

00:01:18big men take center stage in a

00:01:20trailer to the heavyweight

00:01:21championship the winner just one

00:01:23step away from a shot at arguably

00:01:25sports most coveted prize hello

00:01:30again everybody Steve Albert

00:01:31ringside from Las Vegas well with

00:01:33boxing's countless sanctioning

00:01:35bodies recognizing countless

00:01:36different champions with

00:01:38promoters and TV networks playing

00:01:39power politics with multi

00:01:41million dollar lawsuits at every

00:01:43turn and courtroom battles as

00:01:44compelling as the action of the

00:01:46ring the heavyweight division is

00:01:47often as chaotic as a comedy of

00:01:49errors the present is no

00:01:51no exception largely because

00:01:52Hassim Rahman wasn't supposed to

00:01:55knock out the division's leader

00:01:56Lennox Lewis it's been a free for

00:01:58all ever since and after all the

00:01:59legal punches have been

00:02:00delivered and absorbed this is

00:02:02where we're at Rockman and

00:02:04Lewis will be rematched later this

00:02:06year the winner especially if it's

00:02:08Lewis will likely defend against

00:02:10Mike Tyson well I see Rockman is

00:02:13regarded as the world heavyweight

00:02:14champion that doesn't mean he's

00:02:16the only title holder Rockman is

00:02:18recognized by the WBC and IVF the

00:02:20former body ranks Mike Tyson number

00:02:22one the latter will recognize the

00:02:23winner of to a bird as it's

00:02:25mandatory the WBA champ is John

00:02:27Ruiz who is scheduled to complete

00:02:29his trilogy with Evander Holyfield

00:02:31earlier this month in China but

00:02:32that fight was cancelled now on

00:02:34hold the winner of that bout was

00:02:36meant to face Kirk Johnson as for

00:02:38WBO champ Vladimir Klitschko the

00:02:40WBO is the least established of the

00:02:42four major sanctioning bodies yet

00:02:44Klitschko is views but many as the

00:02:46heavyweight with the most potential to

00:02:47have to rule with an iron fist his

00:02:49number one challenger is also

00:02:51Johnson after tonight all the

00:02:52mandatory challenges will be

00:02:54established and presumably

00:02:55they'll each get their turn and

00:02:59with that let me bring on my

00:03:00ringside partner former world

00:03:02champion Bobby Chaz and Bobby the

00:03:03the rankings and the recent

00:03:05turmoil in the heavyweight

00:03:06division will give to a bird

00:03:08another shot at the title no

00:03:09Steve with the ranking system of

00:03:11the sensing bodies it's almost

00:03:12impossible to justify sometimes

00:03:14even understand how they put

00:03:15certain fighters in certain

00:03:17places but something good has

00:03:19come out of this no more token

00:03:20number one mandatory challenges

00:03:22somewhat of a throwback to the

00:03:23old days they're making two top

00:03:24ten contenders fight for the

00:03:26right to fight for the title

00:03:28that at least has the

00:03:29appearances of doing things in

00:03:30the right direction all right so

00:03:32it's the pure puncher versus the

00:03:33pure boxer as we take you into

00:03:35the dressing rooms of both David

00:03:36Tua and Chris Bird to it with

00:03:38one punch KO power but has found

00:03:40out he can't always rely on the

00:03:42big hammer if things aren't going

00:03:44his way as with Lennox Lewis then

00:03:46there's bird who tries to turn

00:03:48most of his fights into chess

00:03:49matches which does not always

00:03:51translate into crowd pleasing

00:03:53affairs two heavyweights with

00:03:55very contrasting styles to

00:03:57square off momentarily and

00:04:01before we get to Tua versus

00:04:02Bird as usual we invite Showtime

00:04:04subscribers with Internet access

00:04:06to score tonight's bout online in

00:04:08the boxing area at show.com your

00:04:10vote will instantly update the

00:04:11web page the results will be

00:04:13announced later on in this

00:04:14telecast online scoring will not

00:04:16influence the outcome of the

00:04:17fight and is only available to

00:04:19viewers of our East Coast feed so

00:04:20to score tonight's fight and

00:04:21learn more about upcoming

00:04:22Showtime boxing events log on to

00:04:25show.com once again the address

00:04:27is S.H.O.com well we had hoped

00:04:32to bring you a co-feature between

00:04:33number four rated Robbie Peden and

00:04:35local favorite number three

00:04:36contender Augie Sanchez for the

00:04:38NABF and U.S.B.A.

00:04:39featherweight titles a fight that

00:04:41would also produce next in line

00:04:42for the IBF belt however

00:04:44yesterday Sanchez was beset by

00:04:46kidney stones causing

00:04:48cancellation of the fight

00:04:49disheartening yet we still have

00:04:51what looks to be an intriguing

00:04:53affair let's get to it we're

00:04:57set for David to a versus

00:04:58CRISPR the winner guaranteed a

00:05:01shot at the IBF heavyweight

00:05:03championship and we take a look

00:05:06at perennial heavyweight contender

00:05:07David to a preparing for his

00:05:09night's work early in his career

00:05:11to have fought a slew of

00:05:12contenders and ironically to is

00:05:15the only fighter to have beaten

00:05:16both current champions

00:05:17Rachman and Ruiz but more

00:05:19recently after securing the

00:05:21number one spot the

00:05:22competition became easier and it

00:05:24may have left him ill prepared

00:05:25for his title shot versus

00:05:26Lennox Lewis last November which

00:05:28turned out to be extremely

00:05:29disappointing now come stage two

00:05:32up to his career this time

00:05:34he'll have to beat only one

00:05:35contender Chris Bird to secure a

00:05:37second shot at boxing's biggest

00:05:40prize

00:05:49to lose in such fashion that I did

00:05:52with Lennox I can't take that

00:05:55we have a unanimous decision

00:05:57I messed up you know there isn't

00:06:00anything I can express what

00:06:01happened that night all three in

00:06:04favor of the winner I kick

00:06:06myself in a bug every night since

00:06:10the fight and still heavyweight

00:06:12champion of the world what we're

00:06:15wrong you know I can't put my

00:06:16finger on it but for me to learn

00:06:18from it and I got to move on to

00:06:23come back after the loss fighting

00:06:26Donnell Nicholson to end the fight

00:06:28with a knockout you know it's a

00:06:29great feeling

00:06:33tonight's fight is very very

00:06:34important to do or die I just want

00:06:37to fight

00:06:49to do it continues his quest for that

00:06:51elusive world title belt at least

00:06:53we can say this if he receives a

00:06:55second chance he'll have earned

00:06:56it now in training in the U.S. to

00:06:59it gets lonely that's because his

00:07:00family is based halfway around the

00:07:02world in New Zealand different

00:07:04story for the two a man's

00:07:05opponent Chris Bird who shatters

00:07:06the myth that boxing shouldn't be a

00:07:09family affair Bird's mother and

00:07:11father work his corner and his

00:07:12brothers and sister also fight

00:07:14professionally clearly these birds

00:07:16stick together I think I was six

00:07:25right there and I still remember

00:07:26that big glove no no no cup no

00:07:30mouthpiece I had my church socks

00:07:33I have five older brothers that I

00:07:36mean four older brothers that boxed

00:07:38and a sister that boxed too so my

00:07:40father also boxed so it's in the

00:07:43blood as I got older my father just

00:07:46said set a goal for yourself and from

00:07:47that time on four years straight I

00:07:49was basically number one in the

00:07:51nation and then I actually made to

00:07:53Olympic after the final you know I

00:07:56thought I'd be holding a gold medal

00:07:58holding the silver you know you

00:07:59probably see dried up tears in the

00:08:02fridge my style of boxing is very

00:08:06unique I think I'm a thinking man's

00:08:09fighter I am a small a smaller

00:08:11heavyweight and I'm very

00:08:12competitive my mother and father

00:08:15have been in my corner for so long

00:08:17where you know I don't even see it

00:08:19as mother and father anymore you

00:08:22know for I know for people watching

00:08:23probably think hey he got his

00:08:24parents in the corner you better do

00:08:26right or you get a whooping

00:08:29Vitaly Klitschko I didn't know he

00:08:31was that tall I was like hey I'm

00:08:34here it's time to fight I can't

00:08:36worry about you know he was 27 and

00:08:38over 27 knockouts they stopped the

00:08:40fight I'm like what if I jumped up I

00:08:43was just happy when I fought

00:08:46Vladimir Klitschko I had a scratch

00:08:48corning it would have been a totally

00:08:50different fight if I could see my

00:08:52followers don't stop the fight at one

00:08:54point I guess my brother Patrick

00:08:55grabbed him and pulled him out knowing

00:08:57that because he know that there's no

00:08:59quitting just keep fighting to the end

00:09:02I know David Tua gonna come with it

00:09:04and I talk to him you're gonna keep

00:09:05coming that's what I'm like that's

00:09:07what I want from him keep coming the

00:09:09ways to beat David Tua for me is to

00:09:13outbox him I mean I can't obviously

00:09:15I'm not gonna stand there and trade

00:09:16with him my thing is to outbox him

00:09:18out slick him and I'm ready for a

00:09:20challenge I mean this is like like I

00:09:22said a thrill for me like right in

00:09:24that roller coaster yeah this is a

00:09:33bird of a different feather here

00:09:34he is making final preparations

00:09:36bird a southpaw who struggles to

00:09:38make weight in the sense that he

00:09:39intentionally overeats just to

00:09:41remain at two hundred and ten

00:09:42pounds in a division of bone

00:09:44breaking behemoths commonly

00:09:46tipping the scales at over two

00:09:47forty the undersized bird relies

00:09:49on speed and defense as a result a

00:09:52handful of top heavyweights have

00:09:53simply refused to fight him

00:09:54nonetheless tonight he finds

00:09:56himself one win away from

00:09:58fighting for the world title

00:09:59after having won and lost a

00:10:01championship versus the Klitschko

00:10:03brothers back here with the Bobby

00:10:06Chez Bobby what do you think

00:10:08Tua and Bird might have learned

00:10:10from their championship

00:10:11experiences well I think David

00:10:13Tua very clearly learned that

00:10:14all that extra weight he had was

00:10:15hurting him not just

00:10:16defensively but offensively

00:10:18defensively slower offensively

00:10:20slower less punches output he

00:10:22relied on the big one left hook

00:10:23and that was it he realized that

00:10:25he has to get back to what got

00:10:26him here early on the guy that

00:10:28knocked out John Ruiz who came

00:10:29at him in the two twenties two

00:10:30thirties relentless good speed

00:10:32offensively and defensively a

00:10:33lot of punches not just the

00:10:35left hook now for Chris bird it

00:10:36was a different thing I think

00:10:37what he realized most that some

00:10:38of these heavyweights they are

00:10:39just too big too strong and have

00:10:42too much weight he needs to be

00:10:43literally picture perfect for

00:10:45every single minute of every

00:10:46single round he's not

00:10:47picture perfect he cannot deal

00:10:48with them what he probably has

00:10:50not so far in the back of his

00:10:51mind is the idea that if he

00:10:52doesn't win he came prepared

00:10:54tonight to be picture perfect

00:10:55but if he doesn't win he's

00:10:56gonna have to go to the

00:10:56cruiserweight division if he

00:10:58wants to fight at championship

00:10:59level and be effective two

00:11:00guys with a lot to prove is to

00:11:03it in top shape can bird take a

00:11:06big heavyweight punch we shall

00:11:08see let's get your keys to

00:11:09victory football right Steve

00:11:10with a shot at the heavyweight

00:11:12title at stake we have two very

00:11:13contrasting styles ready to do

00:11:18the battle to a needs to get

00:11:20inside by cutting off the ring

00:11:21can't stand outside and win

00:11:22also keep the pressure on with

00:11:23combinations punches and bird's

00:11:25face and lastly his signature

00:11:26punch the big left hook here

00:11:30two on the right against

00:11:31Donnell Nicholson now even

00:11:32though Nicholson is not a

00:11:33southpaw similar style to bird

00:11:34from the outside as an

00:11:35orthodox fighter he's gonna

00:11:36close the gap starting with the

00:11:37jab and then cut the ring off

00:11:38with a double left hook

00:11:39dropping Nicholson and this fight

00:11:41is over there gets inside quick

00:11:45in the double left hook the

00:11:45first one not clean but the

00:11:46second one right on top of

00:11:53Chris bird needs to set the

00:11:55fight distance standing outside

00:11:56that's where he's more

00:11:56effective and also be what I

00:11:58say effective in his

00:11:59awkwardness his style gives

00:12:00people fits and lastly keep

00:12:02sharp keep up the defensive

00:12:03movement he has to be awake

00:12:05at all times here Jimmy

00:12:07Thunder's gonna try a jab and

00:12:08Chris bird blocks and fires

00:12:09right back with the left hand

00:12:10to the body after doing so he

00:12:12unloads quick combinations to

00:12:14put ahead and thunder gets

00:12:15confused now you watch the total

00:12:19of about fifteen or eighteen

00:12:20punches and birds stepping

00:12:21around awkward again very

00:12:23quick defensively and

00:12:24offensively he's got fast

00:12:25punches keeping his hands in

00:12:27the face of thunder keeping

00:12:28him hurt when he got him hurt

00:12:29he's very quick he's hard to

00:12:31hit he moves well side to side

00:12:33this is how he has to win in

00:12:35all his fights including against

00:12:37David to it so with both

00:12:43fighters now waiting in the wings

00:12:44we'll soon see if the heavy

00:12:46hitting David to I can get

00:12:48inside and force a slugfest

00:12:49against the unorthodox southpaw

00:12:51boxer Chris bird there he is

00:13:01Chris bird

00:13:06this is

00:13:07this is

00:13:11playing

00:13:12jesus

00:13:12chris

00:13:13chris

00:13:20Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,

00:13:35alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,

00:13:36alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

00:13:58almost feels like a revival meeting with the spiritual music

00:14:05the awkward bird can make you look sloppy he can frustrate you he can take it 12. he

00:14:12feels that toa needs to knock him out to win not many feel bird can knock out to him can

00:14:17this

00:14:18confirmed boxer bobby score effectively against the power puncher like to it actually hurt to us

00:14:24and escape without getting burned i really don't believe he can hurt to i think two has established

00:14:28his chin as a real heavyweight chin but what we're here to find out exactly is can bird be that

00:14:34sharp

00:14:34offensive and defensive be that quick neutralized to his power for 12 rounds and i'm talking about

00:14:40every minute of every round because toa is that dangerous

00:14:55bird peering over getting a glimpse perhaps at this man david toa

00:15:16so

00:15:20so

00:16:03We are told this is a different David Tua, better conditioned, refocused.

00:16:08They've enlisted the best experts in fitness and conditioning money can buy that will not

00:16:14see the same overweight, one-dimensional, easy-to-hit David Tua.

00:16:19What does this guy really need to show people tonight, Bobby?

00:16:21Well, I'll tell you what, Steve, many boxing fans, including myself, were totally enamored

00:16:26with Tua because he was so Tyson-like.

00:16:28He came at you short and thick with great power, great speed, good output, aggressive in your

00:16:33face.

00:16:33He got away from that.

00:16:34He relied on one left hook.

00:16:37He was slow, punched less quickly.

00:16:39Defensively was less quick.

00:16:40He needs to show this reinvent himself back to the Tua of old.

00:16:43In sharp contrast to the musical ring entrance of Chris Byrd coming into Guns N' Roses, Welcome

00:16:51to the Jungle.

00:16:52Will he be busier, more aggressive, be able to adjust?

00:16:56Remember, he had no plan B for Lennox Lewis.

00:16:59Will we see more speed?

00:17:00Will we see the right hand more?

00:17:02The combinations, the improved footwork, all of the above.

00:17:08We can only tell you to stay tuned to find out.

00:17:11Let's size him up as we check out the tail of the tape.

00:17:16Tua is three years younger than Byrd, who turned 31 this past Wednesday.

00:17:20Tua gives away three inches in height, five-inch reach advantage for Byrd.

00:17:24At yesterday's weigh-in, Tua, a sculpted 233 down from 247, his last fight, Byrd 214.

00:17:30Key rules, no standing eight count, no three knockdown.

00:17:34A fighter cannot be saved by the bell in any round.

00:17:37If an accidental headbutt occurs before the end of the fourth, it's a technical draw.

00:17:42If it happens after the end of round four, they go to the scorecard.

00:17:47So here at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, getting ready for David Tua versus Chris Byrd.

00:17:52Let's get the official introductions from our ring announcer, the classy Jimmy Lennon Jr.

00:18:01Ladies and gentlemen, a very good evening to you,

00:18:05and we welcome you to the brand new Cox Pavilion here at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas,

00:18:11Nevada.

00:18:12It is time for our featured bout of the evening,

00:18:15a heavyweight showdown for the right to fight for the title.

00:18:18It's Mandatory War, and it's all brought to you by America Presents, matchmaker Thomas Brown,

00:18:26in association with Cedric Kushner Promotions, Fight Night Inc., Sunset Station Hotel and Casino,

00:18:32Showtime Championship Boxing, and the undisputed king of beers, Budweiser.

00:18:39This bout coming your way is sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation.

00:18:43The president, Hiawatha Knight, Supervisor Daryl Peoples, along with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

00:18:49The chairman is Dr. Elias Garnum.

00:18:51Commissioners, Amy Ayoub, Glenn Carano, Dr. Flip Hamansky, and Dr. Luther Mack,

00:18:56with the executive director, Mark Ratner.

00:18:59Physicians at ringside, Dr. Margaret Goodman, Dr. Gino Signorino, Dr. Al Capana, and Dr. Jeff Davidson.

00:19:05Time keepers at the bell, we have Jane Broadfoot and Jim Cabin.

00:19:10And our three judges scoring this bout, they are all from Las Vegas, Nevada.

00:19:14Chuck Jumper, Art Lurie, and Paul Smith.

00:19:18And the third man of the ring, our referee in charge of this bout, Jay Nady.

00:19:26All right, fans, here we go.

00:19:28The time has come for a main event of the evening,

00:19:3212 rounds of boxing for the IBF Heavyweight Championship Elimination.

00:19:37And now, ladies and gentlemen in attendance,

00:19:40and boxing fans joining us around the world,

00:19:43live from Las Vegas,

00:19:47it's showtime!

00:19:56Introducing to you first, ladies and gentlemen on my right,

00:20:00fighting out of the blue corner,

00:20:01wearing black trunks with white trim,

00:20:03hailing from Flint, Michigan,

00:20:05he weighed in at 214 pounds.

00:20:09With a record of 33 wins,

00:20:11two losses,

00:20:12he has 19 wins,

00:20:14coming by way of knockout,

00:20:15currently ranked the IBF number two contender,

00:20:19ladies and gentlemen,

00:20:20here is the former WBO Heavyweight Champion of the World,

00:20:25introducing Chris Burr!

00:20:34And his opponent, a cross-string on my left,

00:20:37fighting out of the red corner,

00:20:39wearing blue trunks with white trim,

00:20:41joining us all the way from South Auckland, New Zealand,

00:20:44and he weighed in at a ready 233 pounds.

00:20:49His hard-hitting record stands at 38 wins,

00:20:52two losses,

00:20:5333 wins,

00:20:55coming by way of knockout.

00:20:56He is currently ranked the IBF number one contender.

00:21:00Ladies and gentlemen,

00:21:01here is the explosive IBF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion,

00:21:06known as the Tua Man.

00:21:10Introducing David Tua!

00:21:17Once again, a referee in charge,

00:21:19Jane Nady,

00:21:19now to give instructions.

00:21:21The other questions?

00:21:22This is 12 rounds.

00:21:24Please obey my commands.

00:21:28Let's test 12 to go to work.

00:21:30Let's get it.

00:21:36Well, as Ron Borges of the Boston Globe put it,

00:21:40Bird can run, but he can't fly.

00:21:42Can Chris Bird escape the brutal power of David Tua?

00:21:45How will he react if Tua connects?

00:21:47Can Tua combine his power with the speed he exhibited earlier in his career?

00:21:52Can he cut off the ring and land his punches?

00:21:55Some of the questions going in to this fight.

00:21:58You can see just by the body on David Tua,

00:22:00there have been some major changes.

00:22:03He's down to a cut, 233.

00:22:09Bird would not look Tua in the eye

00:22:13during the pre-fight introductions

00:22:17and the instructions by referee Jane Nady.

00:22:20Here we go.

00:22:21Round one scheduled for 12.

00:22:22IBF heavyweight elimination bout.

00:22:25Now, even though Tua is the bigger puncher by far,

00:22:27I still think he should not be looking for one big shot.

00:22:30Well, he got a good left hook there to the jaw, didn't Tua?

00:22:33Coming off as the third punch with a three-punch combination.

00:22:36The third one landed clean.

00:22:43Bird told us he did not think Tua would rush straight in

00:22:46and try to take his head off,

00:22:49that there would be some semblance of a feeling out process,

00:22:52but it looks like Tua wants to go right at it.

00:22:54Don't grab him.

00:22:54Don't grab him that left.

00:22:56You also have to understand, too,

00:22:57the mindset of Tua,

00:22:58Tua right now feels there's no way Bird can hurt him.

00:23:01If you have someone that can hurt you,

00:23:03you have nothing to fear.

00:23:04That is huge.

00:23:07Will Tua's improved fitness translate

00:23:09into performance in the ring?

00:23:12There's a heavy left hand of the body.

00:23:16Bird's got to start landing

00:23:17some of his own combinations as well.

00:23:19He can't just run and hide.

00:23:21Use that flicking defensive jab.

00:23:22He's got to stab it in there,

00:23:24get some points with it,

00:23:25throw to left hand.

00:23:28Tua continues to be the stalker.

00:23:36Tua flat-footed.

00:23:38Bird on his toes.

00:23:40But Bird absorbing a lot to the body.

00:23:51Tua with the always unusual hairdo.

00:23:57Missing with that swiping left,

00:23:58left-right combination,

00:23:59but soft punches by Bird.

00:24:01No effect.

00:24:02No effect in as far as they didn't hurt Tua,

00:24:05but they are points,

00:24:06and it's going to become a very big issue

00:24:08when it comes down to big power shots

00:24:10and those light punches.

00:24:12Tua with the one-punch knockout power.

00:24:16But as he found out,

00:24:17can't always rely on that

00:24:18if things aren't going his way.

00:24:21Don't stop!

00:24:23Don't grab him,

00:24:24and don't hit him low.

00:24:34Bird gets a left hand in.

00:24:38Tua continues to go to the body.

00:24:43Bird, the master of escapology.

00:24:46And he's very difficult

00:24:47to hit cleanly to the chin.

00:24:49Took Ike Ibeabuchi five rounds,

00:24:51but when he caught him,

00:24:51it was a brutal shot.

00:24:53Tua's maybe going to have to concentrate

00:24:55on the body for a few rounds

00:24:56to see if he can slow Bird down.

00:25:02Final seconds of the opening round.

00:25:12And a better first round for Tua

00:25:15as opposed to Bird.

00:25:18You won that round

00:25:19because you landed the only hard shots.

00:25:21What is it, Tal?

00:25:23You landed the only hard and good shots there.

00:25:25And I need a little grease, too.

00:25:26Don't blow your nose.

00:25:27Sit back and relax.

00:25:29Don't let him out on this side, okay?

00:25:32You've got to step over there a little bit.

00:25:33You see each time he turns and gets out,

00:25:35it's on your left side, right?

00:25:36So don't lean so far over here

00:25:38when you ain't here and ready to hit that body.

00:25:41Stay with the body, okay?

00:25:43Don't sit there and play that chess.

00:25:45Take him around.

00:25:46Just take him around.

00:25:47Take your hands, Tal.

00:25:48Yep.

00:25:50Hey, this is your show, baby.

00:25:51This is your show.

00:25:53Okay?

00:26:02Just a couple of Joes.

00:26:04Joe Bird, the father of Chris Bird

00:26:06and Joe Goosenly,

00:26:08the trainer in the corner of David Tua.

00:26:12It is a family affair

00:26:13with Joe's wife, Rose, as well,

00:26:15and there Chris's mom in the corner.

00:26:17He's also got several of his brothers

00:26:19in there helping as well.

00:26:21Round two, Tua taking round one,

00:26:25as you can hear Joe Goosen tell him.

00:26:29Tua spent a lot of time in training,

00:26:31practicing stepping to the side and turning

00:26:33because he knows that Bird can spin out on either side.

00:26:35When he was practicing,

00:26:36he was turning and firing,

00:26:38turning and firing.

00:26:39This is what Goosenly's talking around the corner.

00:26:41When he turns out, turn and fire with him.

00:26:43He does look quicker

00:26:46than we've seen in the last couple of fights

00:26:47against Donnell Nicholson and Lewis.

00:26:50Bird shakes his head,

00:26:51says, you didn't hurt me.

00:26:52It was just a stumble.

00:26:55Some opponents call Bird's style obnoxious.

00:26:59Awkward, unorthodox, elusive.

00:27:01I'll tell you myself, Steve,

00:27:02I look at him and I watch him

00:27:03and if my style were to fight him,

00:27:05he would frustrate me.

00:27:06He would frustrate a lot of fighters

00:27:07because nothing is orthodox,

00:27:09nothing is traditional.

00:27:10And it is sometimes tough

00:27:11to catch that timing.

00:27:13But it's Tua who continues to pressure

00:27:16the 100% boxer, Chris Bird,

00:27:19who pecks with the jab and slides away.

00:27:23Little pity pat punches,

00:27:25looks for the openings to step in and score

00:27:27with sharp, accurate combinations.

00:27:29Not a power hitter whatsoever.

00:27:32In fact, in baseball parlance,

00:27:34he might be called a punch-and-judy hitter

00:27:36as opposed to the home run hitter.

00:27:39Up to Tua.

00:27:44Now there was a nice straight lead left hand

00:27:46by Bird.

00:27:47This is what he needs to do more of.

00:27:48Get Tua, get Tua's head up in here

00:27:49and just keep the pity pat in here.

00:27:51Tap, tap, tap.

00:27:52He just tries to frustrate you.

00:27:55Take you out of your game plan.

00:27:58Again, Tua to the body.

00:28:00That's good body work now.

00:28:01He needs to come.

00:28:02He has to come up the middle.

00:28:06Tua's big punch.

00:28:08Over the years,

00:28:09the explosive left hook

00:28:10looking to come back more

00:28:12with the right hand.

00:28:13There's a right-left combination

00:28:15to the midsection by David Tua.

00:28:17I think with David Tua,

00:28:18both shots stay downstairs.

00:28:20He needs to take one or two up top.

00:28:22Uppercut in the hook.

00:28:23See how effective that might be.

00:28:25Open Bird's defense up a little bit.

00:28:27Bird's been down four times in his career.

00:28:30Two times against Vladimir Klitschko,

00:28:32two against Ike Ibeabuchi.

00:28:37They both lost to Ibeabuchi

00:28:39and both beat Jeff Wooden.

00:28:41Those are their only two common opponents.

00:28:43Wooden's the Southpaw, by the way.

00:28:47Combination to the body by Tua.

00:28:57So I think it's important here,

00:28:58Steve, and especially in the early rounds,

00:29:00that Bird has to put a little more punishment

00:29:02back on two and not let him be so brave

00:29:04and walk in there unscathed.

00:29:08Like that.

00:29:09Maybe he heard me.

00:29:10Maybe his best offering of the fight.

00:29:17Good.

00:29:18We had that whole round.

00:29:20The guy got one little thing and you slipped it.

00:29:21I know that probably looked good to the judges.

00:29:23That last left hand, you know what I'm talking about?

00:29:25You slipped right there.

00:29:25I need you to whip back off those slips, okay?

00:29:29You still got to edge more over to your left side.

00:29:31You know what I'm telling you?

00:29:32You still got to...

00:29:34You can't let him out that side.

00:29:35That's the way he wants to go.

00:29:36Force him to your right more.

00:29:38Force him to your right, okay?

00:29:40And then start using your right hand more.

00:29:42Straight right hand.

00:29:43Start taking the lead with this guy.

00:29:45You know, hard faints.

00:29:45You got to start taking the lead a little bit more

00:29:47and get it a little bit closer.

00:29:48All right?

00:29:49You're scoring.

00:29:55Watch, Bird.

00:29:55There's that lead left hand just stuffing it in the face

00:29:58of Tua not letting Tua just walk in unharmed.

00:30:01You got to put something in his face.

00:30:03They're not hard punches, but they have to be there.

00:30:05And at the end of the round, I think he heard him

00:30:07because he did it again right before the end of the round.

00:30:09Nice little jab.

00:30:10Hold him off.

00:30:11And again, the left hand.

00:30:12He's got to land more leather onto his face.

00:30:15You have to leave the ring on the whistle.

00:30:18Telling Joe Gooshin and company to leave the ring on the whistle.

00:30:23A little tardy in the Tua corner.

00:30:28The feeling is Bird has to win for 36 minutes for Tua.

00:30:32It's a one-second fight, essentially.

00:30:35Tua dangerous every second for 12 rounds.

00:30:39Bird looking to aggravate Tua for 12 rounds if he can.

00:30:43He doesn't care if he hears the boos.

00:30:48A couple of the punches, Jane Nadey said were on the hip,

00:30:51which is not legal when it's below the belt.

00:30:56So far, Bird has managed to stay off the ropes.

00:31:00There's that escapology once again by Bird.

00:31:05Very slippery and elusive.

00:31:09He can't worry about Tua's left hook, he told us,

00:31:12where he may get nailed by something else

00:31:14that Tua's been working on.

00:31:16They saw a reasonable combination by Bird

00:31:18and Tua not respond back.

00:31:19What he needs to do after Tua stops is hit Tua.

00:31:22Make him take some punchmen back.

00:31:26Tua with those heavy punches.

00:31:29Some of those were blocked by Bird.

00:31:32But they have to wear you down.

00:31:39The angles by Bird.

00:31:46Continues to peck away with the right.

00:31:49And a left, straight left to the head by Bird.

00:31:52Partially blocked, but now he came back

00:31:53with another three-punch combination,

00:31:55some of which got through.

00:31:56That's how Bird needs to do it.

00:31:58Peck, hit and move, peck, hit and move.

00:31:59Bang, bang, bang.

00:32:00Get three or four quick shots removed.

00:32:11There's a straight left that landed by Bird.

00:32:13Now he pecks away with the right.

00:32:15That's adding to the nuisance, Steve.

00:32:17That's how he aggravates you.

00:32:19You blink, you hesitate, you get hit.

00:32:21Time!

00:32:21We'll stand there for a second.

00:32:23You can't hit him with your hand open, okay?

00:32:26You can open to catch it,

00:32:27but you can't hit him with your hand open, okay?

00:32:29You've got to close your fist.

00:32:32And if the back, if you turn your back,

00:32:33it's okay to hit you there.

00:32:35Time in.

00:32:36Box.

00:32:37Did you think he was doing that a lot?

00:32:40Well, what happens sometimes is punchers,

00:32:42they, excuse me, boxers,

00:32:43they use their hands to pick all punches.

00:32:45They open their hand so they can pick the punch

00:32:47and move it to the side.

00:32:48But before they get their hand closed,

00:32:49they smack it with an open hand.

00:32:50That's technically illegal.

00:32:54Tua jumps on Bird.

00:32:56And a straight left hand returned by Bird.

00:33:01Bird did a nice job of blocking most of those punches,

00:33:04but the pressure and the power is going to eventually add up.

00:33:07There will be a cumulative effect.

00:33:08Comes around 7, 8, 9.

00:33:10Should we get that far?

00:33:16Tua has never been down in his pro career

00:33:19and doesn't intend to go that direction tonight

00:33:22against the light hitting Bird.

00:33:26So he can afford to be courageous.

00:33:31Bouncing bullets off the body of Bird.

00:34:00David, Tua going to the body.

00:34:02One of his best assets.

00:34:04He digs underneath.

00:34:06And there you see that left hook to the side.

00:34:07The referee said, if you turn your back, that's illegal.

00:34:17Still very hard to get clean shots at Chris Bird.

00:34:22Watch Bird, Susan, speed,

00:34:23just shoot some punches down the middle right there.

00:34:261, 2, 3, not real hard.

00:34:27First clean, they landed their points.

00:34:29But he needs to do a lot more of that

00:34:31if he's going to be off the Tua man.

00:34:36Take a look, too, at that open hand

00:34:37where he smacks and slaps.

00:34:39Not a good thing.

00:34:41Illegal also.

00:34:42Round number 4.

00:34:45Tua coming off a training camp

00:34:47that was like a boot camp, he told us.

00:34:49What do you think thus far

00:34:51of his hand speed and his foot speed?

00:34:53I think his hand speed is better.

00:34:55I think his foot speed has shown to be a little better.

00:34:57And he's throwing more punches,

00:34:58which are all the things he needs to do.

00:35:00He's not quite back to the Tua

00:35:02that knocked out John Luiz, though.

00:35:04In 19 seconds.

00:35:05Keep that hand closed.

00:35:10That's the tape that Chris Bird watched

00:35:12to prepare himself for David Tua,

00:35:17among others.

00:35:18But he emphasized the earlier Tua,

00:35:22the real dangerous Tua.

00:35:27Chris Bird's dad had told him

00:35:28to turn two more,

00:35:30which is good advice.

00:35:31But what he also has to do

00:35:32is hit him more while he's turning.

00:35:33Keep him more balanced.

00:35:34Again, can't go away with those punches.

00:35:39Tua taking Bird into the corner,

00:35:41but Bird able to sidestep trouble.

00:35:47Straight left hand, another.

00:35:49A left cross by Bird that landed.

00:35:52Again, not hard punches,

00:35:53but scoring points.

00:35:55And frustrating, David Tua.

00:35:57Watch your hands!

00:35:57Part of his game plan.

00:36:01Bird scoring.

00:36:04Having a good round.

00:36:07He's landed some of his

00:36:08cleaner punches in this round.

00:36:10David Tua getting a little frustrated.

00:36:12You can see it in his face.

00:36:13And Bird avoiding the hits.

00:36:16Turning to him more.

00:36:17Turning to his dad.

00:36:18Keeping him more balanced.

00:36:20Making him shift directions.

00:36:21That's one of Bird's biggest assets.

00:36:23Tua still somewhat reluctant

00:36:27to unleash the right.

00:36:29Please watch your forehead.

00:36:38The always humble and easygoing Bird

00:36:41said he had prepared to be hit

00:36:43and hit hard by Tua,

00:36:45but he will not quit

00:36:46no matter what.

00:36:51Often overlooked and underestimated.

00:36:53There's a good straight left hand

00:36:54by Bird.

00:36:55It sent Tua back.

00:36:57But Tua back with a big left hook

00:36:59to the head.

00:37:00I'll tell you what,

00:37:01Bird turned his hands down

00:37:02and walked right in there left hook.

00:37:05But firing back.

00:37:06Bird recovers well.

00:37:15Tua has not been able

00:37:17to get Bird on the ropes.

00:37:19Stop!

00:37:20That was definitely low.

00:37:22Low blow to it.

00:37:25A caution by Jane Aiding,

00:37:27one of the premier referees.

00:37:35Good round for Chris Bird.

00:37:43All right, now, again, all right?

00:37:45Great round, nice left hook at the end.

00:37:47I need three minutes.

00:37:48If we're going to win this fight,

00:37:49we can't leave any doubt, can we?

00:37:51Okay?

00:37:52We can't leave any doubt at all.

00:37:54You've got to work harder.

00:37:55It's the fifth round.

00:37:56You've got to work harder

00:37:56than you're working right now.

00:37:58Take a couple deep breaths.

00:37:59Here we go.

00:38:01We're going to see David, too.

00:38:03He's chasing Chris Bird

00:38:04back to the ropes this way.

00:38:05But what he doesn't do,

00:38:06he doesn't cut off the ring here or here.

00:38:08What Bird will do is just spin right out

00:38:10and he gets away with it.

00:38:12Tua comes straight in again.

00:38:14Straight in, doesn't step,

00:38:15cut off the ring.

00:38:16Doesn't use the hooks on the outside.

00:38:18And Bird just steps right out.

00:38:20Tua doesn't want to do that.

00:38:21He wants to cut that ring off.

00:38:23Have the left foot one way,

00:38:24right foot the other,

00:38:25and hooks or right hands

00:38:26to guard up top.

00:38:30I think now as we enter round five,

00:38:32Joe Goosin is concerned

00:38:33with Tua's focus and concentration,

00:38:38which can tend to wane

00:38:40from time to time,

00:38:42which has been part of his problem.

00:38:44I think the last round

00:38:45was the most effective round for Bird.

00:38:46I gave him that round.

00:38:47I thought he was the more effective.

00:38:49Landed more punches.

00:38:50Most of the big stuff was blocked.

00:38:51And he was able to do

00:38:52what we just tell us today,

00:38:53spin out at will.

00:38:57And as you know,

00:39:01Tua can be dangerous

00:39:02and in a split second

00:39:04turn the fight around.

00:39:07Yes, you could ask guys like

00:39:08Rachman who was ahead.

00:39:09Or like Moskyev who were ahead.

00:39:11Ten seconds later,

00:39:12they were sleeping.

00:39:13He has one punch knockout power.

00:39:15Legitimate power.

00:39:18Tua with a victory

00:39:20over Hassi Rachman.

00:39:22Back in 98.

00:39:23Good work here by Bird.

00:39:26A series of rights and lefts

00:39:28to the head of Tua.

00:39:29It's something we talk about

00:39:30as kind of a gym term.

00:39:31Walk a man down.

00:39:33Sometimes with a guy

00:39:33so fast as Bird,

00:39:35you can't slip his punches.

00:39:36You just got to put your hands up,

00:39:37stuff his punches,

00:39:38and break them down.

00:39:41Bird continues to fight

00:39:42a very intelligent fight.

00:39:45That was long, David.

00:39:47Let's take a look

00:39:48at the press row scoring.

00:39:53Graham Houston has it even.

00:39:55Kevin Aioli and Fiona Manning

00:39:57have Bird ahead.

00:40:03I'll tell you, Steve,

00:40:04I thought the first two rounds,

00:40:05two were more effective.

00:40:06The last two,

00:40:06it looked like Bird was.

00:40:14Chris Bird really coming on

00:40:16the last couple of rounds.

00:40:22And now David Joah

00:40:24bouncing back

00:40:25with thumping punches

00:40:26to the bottom.

00:40:27Getting a little aggravated

00:40:28and not necessarily desperate

00:40:30but anxious.

00:40:31That was long, David.

00:40:34Wait!

00:40:36Keep your punches up, David.

00:40:39Another caution

00:40:40from Jane 80.

00:40:42Low blows by Jill.

00:40:46That's the second

00:40:47or third time

00:40:47he's warned him.

00:40:48So he could be close

00:40:50to losing a point.

00:40:52Nothing low!

00:40:53Nothing low!

00:40:57Let go!

00:40:58Let go, Chris!

00:41:00Let go!

00:41:01Let go!

00:41:02Let go!

00:41:03Let go!

00:41:04Let go, Chris!

00:41:05Let go, Chris!

00:41:07Let go, Chris!

00:41:08Let go, Chris!

00:41:09Let go, Chris!

00:41:10Let go, Chris!

00:41:10So while Tua had Bird

00:41:11in the corner there

00:41:12and against the ropes,

00:41:13he had his arms to the outside

00:41:14and his feet able to step

00:41:16and move off

00:41:17so Bird couldn't escape

00:41:18so easily.

00:41:19Always on the inside,

00:41:21he's going to be the winner.

00:41:21Too big, too strong.

00:41:23Let go!

00:41:25Let go!

00:41:25So wisely,

00:41:26Bird looks to stay

00:41:27on the outside.

00:41:29But Tua closing the gap

00:41:31and forcing a ball.

00:41:35Big finish

00:41:36by the Tua man.

00:41:46Don't let him steal the round.

00:41:47Nope, neither.

00:41:50You're fighting this spot,

00:41:51but don't let him roast too long.

00:41:53No.

00:41:53You're giving up 20 pounds,

00:41:54you can't let him roast.

00:41:55Keep it inside the round.

00:41:56I'll take the wide,

00:41:57I can't get the wide out.

00:41:58Keep it inside the round.

00:41:59Give me this.

00:42:02You're going to do it.

00:42:04You're going to do it.

00:42:04Get a good way.

00:42:06You're going to do it.

00:42:06Remember, when you talk about

00:42:07this, you just put two up.

00:42:08And talk about defense

00:42:10and what speed.

00:42:11What speed is that?

00:42:13Go up now.

00:42:14This is where we wear this guy down.

00:42:16This is why we did

00:42:16the training we did, Dave.

00:42:17You have to get in his ass

00:42:19and stay there.

00:42:20You understand?

00:42:20You got the mental piece

00:42:21ready to go?

00:42:22Hold on.

00:42:24A lot more head movement,

00:42:25but I need you to get inside, Dave.

00:42:27Stay in there.

00:42:29Yes.

00:42:36As we begin round six,

00:42:38scheduled for 12,

00:42:39IBF heavyweight eliminator.

00:42:42If Tua loses a point on fouls,

00:42:44it really could come back to haunt him.

00:42:47Although, he can be very dangerous

00:42:50in the later rounds.

00:42:53See, the later rounds too,

00:42:55it's also easier to throw

00:42:56a lot of lighter punches,

00:42:57which is the style of Berg.

00:42:58Tua still loads up,

00:42:59takes a lot more energy.

00:43:01An attrition factor could become

00:43:03a big thing.

00:43:05That's your fight right there!

00:43:07Stay there!

00:43:10The straight left hand

00:43:11to the head by Berg.

00:43:13Berg measuring him out

00:43:15with the right,

00:43:15clicking the left.

00:43:18And frustrating Tua.

00:43:27From what you've seen so far,

00:43:29is Tua at least

00:43:31four-dimensional,

00:43:32less one-dimensional

00:43:34than in the past?

00:43:35He's less one-dimensional.

00:43:36He's moving in more quickly.

00:43:37I think he's spending

00:43:38too much time bobbing and weaving

00:43:39because against a guy like this,

00:43:41it's hard to bob and weave.

00:43:42A lot of energy.

00:43:44Against Lennox Lewis,

00:43:46his combinations and punches back

00:43:47are still going to have

00:43:48to be a little quicker

00:43:49because he has to close

00:43:50the distance of that long range,

00:43:52and there's also much more power

00:43:53for Lewis,

00:43:54so better but not great.

00:43:56That was a low blow by Tua.

00:43:57That was low.

00:43:58No more low blows, okay?

00:44:00You understand that?

00:44:00No more.

00:44:02Well, he's going to probably

00:44:03take a point away the next time,

00:44:04but he's giving Tua a lot of leeway.

00:44:07That's about the third or fourth time

00:44:08he's warned him about low blows.

00:44:10I'll tell you what,

00:44:11that one was very close

00:44:12to be in the borderline

00:44:12with the belt involved,

00:44:13but it appears shade low.

00:44:20Heavy shots there

00:44:22into the ribs of the body by Tua.

00:44:28And the pesky Chris Burr

00:44:30doing his thing,

00:44:31creating a smile from the Tua man.

00:44:37It's something we also have

00:44:38to take into consideration.

00:44:40A lot of people lose sight of it.

00:44:41Big power shots count more

00:44:43than little tap tap jabs.

00:44:47So it's not just a numbers game,

00:44:48but which punches landed

00:44:50and which did not.

00:44:52Don't hit him low, David.

00:44:59Bird pecking away with the right hand.

00:45:05Tua trying to be patient.

00:45:08And again, Bird stepped out.

00:45:09Tua did not step left

00:45:10and cut off the ring

00:45:11with his upper body hook

00:45:12for his legs.

00:45:14The corner told Bird

00:45:15to stay off the ropes.

00:45:16He's given up about 20 pounds.

00:45:19Nothing low.

00:45:19So far, he's been doing that

00:45:21pretty well.

00:45:24But every once in a while,

00:45:25he gets trapped.

00:45:26But he's also been using

00:45:27the ropes for a brace,

00:45:28for a little strength,

00:45:29to use his wrist

00:45:30and fight off him

00:45:31and let Tua do the work.

00:45:32Fighting very smart off the ropes,

00:45:34that's Chris Burr.

00:45:35Bird pacing himself nicely.

00:45:38Tua missing with that left hook.

00:45:41Just before the bell.

00:45:44All right.

00:45:45Now, look.

00:45:46Take that.

00:45:47You want to take that right here?

00:45:48A lot better, Dave,

00:45:50but you still cannot wait.

00:45:54What is this coming up right here?

00:45:55Seven?

00:45:56This is seven.

00:45:57Okay, here we go.

00:45:58Here we go.

00:45:58Take a couple deep breaths.

00:45:59I know you're warm.

00:46:00I know you're warm.

00:46:02Okay?

00:46:04Okay, now, Dave.

00:46:06We're gonna take a look

00:46:07at some action south of the border.

00:46:10Yes, you know, that's on the belt line.

00:46:12That's, that's a borderline.

00:46:13That's still a fair shot.

00:46:14That was on, right on the B and Bird.

00:46:19A master of defense.

00:46:20Watch the spin move by Chris Bird.

00:46:22Keeps that jab in his face.

00:46:23Steps around him.

00:46:24Spins him all the way around.

00:46:25Full pirouette and out.

00:46:27Gets a little smile from the Tua man.

00:46:35Joe Goosen a little more pleased

00:46:36in that Tua corner.

00:46:38Saying, that's a little better.

00:46:40Well, the first third of the round,

00:46:41he came out and really dominated.

00:46:43Well, he started getting tagged in the last third of the round.

00:46:48Tua goes right to it.

00:46:49Unofficial scores at the half.

00:46:52Unofficial score at the half for me.

00:46:54I have it pretty much tied up.

00:46:57I have it exactly the same.

00:46:5957, 57.

00:47:01Bobby Tez has it even through six.

00:47:12The judges all from Las Vegas.

00:47:14Chuck Giampa, Martin Lurie, and Paul Smith.

00:47:17Let it go, Chris.

00:47:19And again, if Tua commits a foul, a low blow again,

00:47:25it could really be trouble.

00:47:32In such a close fight.

00:47:33And some of the things that are difficult to keep in mind.

00:47:36The first thing I said, the first third of the round

00:47:38was on the full day of Tua in the last fight and the last round.

00:47:40The last part of that round was a lot of Bird,

00:47:43so you have to balance them out,

00:47:44keep in your mind and work production early and late.

00:47:47Sometimes those close rounds can be huge.

00:47:53A riveting right hand.

00:47:55Better right hand than we used to see from David Tua.

00:47:57David Tua, we finally see the right now.

00:48:01A countering left hand to the head by Bird.

00:48:06Tua continues to be the man coming forward.

00:48:11So now we're halfway through this round,

00:48:13in round seven,

00:48:15and most of this early work has been Tua.

00:48:16Now let's see what happens toward the end.

00:48:18And let's see if we see more of that right hand by Tua,

00:48:22which scored effectively moments ago.

00:48:30There's the right again off the docket of Bird.

00:48:35Bird comes back with some pitter-patter punches.

00:48:42Bird is scoring.

00:48:43They're not heavy punches, obviously,

00:48:45but you just don't know what the judges are thinking.

00:49:00Bird is scoring.

00:49:01Nice combination to the head.

00:49:02And now we're against,

00:49:03we have to factor in over this last minute and a half.

00:49:06Was Bird more effective than Tua was for the first minute and a half?

00:49:09Right now the answer is no.

00:49:12There's a nice effort flow.

00:49:14What Bird seems to be doing is letting Tua shoot his energy load early in the round and come back

00:49:19late in the round.

00:49:20And look at this display by Bird.

00:49:24A beautiful flurry by Chris Bird.

00:49:26Seems to be a smart strategy.

00:49:28And it looks like Tua is sucking some wind right now.

00:49:32Well, that's how Chris Bird may intend to steal some rounds that are close or not even his.

00:49:36The man who had an Ivan Drago-type training camp.

00:49:41David Tua breathing heavily.

00:49:43Big finish for Bird.

00:49:48Ain't enough.

00:49:50Got it.

00:49:51It was good.

00:49:52It was good, but I need more.

00:49:53Okay?

00:49:54Okay.

00:49:55Get back.

00:49:57Okay?

00:49:58There you go.

00:50:00Take some deep breaths.

00:50:01Give me that towel.

00:50:02Towel tight.

00:50:04Give me that towel.

00:50:05Turn right here?

00:50:06Uh-huh. Yep.

00:50:07Get to it right now.

00:50:12You can't let him turn you ever again.

00:50:14You cannot let him turn you outside again.

00:50:17You know what I'm saying, Dave?

00:50:18Don't let him turn you.

00:50:19If you keep him inside your arms right here, he can't do anything.

00:50:22He's just trying to score a couple of points here and there.

00:50:24He's not doing anything except moving and throwing a couple of shots.

00:50:27Don't even give him those, man.

00:50:29You're really out working.

00:50:30You're making the fight happen, but you've got to make it happen more.

00:50:33They've got to see you.

00:50:34They've got to see you perform, not him.

00:50:36Do you understand me?

00:50:37All right.

00:50:40Little frustration of the voice of trainer Joe Goosen.

00:50:43I'll tell you what, though.

00:50:44Good advice.

00:50:44Not let him spin him and pity-pat him.

00:50:47Pat him off.

00:50:47Stuff him.

00:50:48On the inside, he can't deal with that strength, power, and weight.

00:50:53As we enter round eight.

00:50:58Pounding shots to the side by David Tua.

00:51:02Really pouring it on now.

00:51:03And he's got Bird where he should be on the ropes.

00:51:07Tua's covering up on blocking a lot, but I'll tell you, Tua very affected the sound of the inside work.

00:51:11And to Tua's credit, he's not letting Bird off the ropes.

00:51:16He's forcing him back and keeping him there.

00:51:19You'll see what he's done with his right hand as he turned it into a little bit more of a

00:51:23hook.

00:51:23So it can bring Bird back in when he's trying to spin out on the left side.

00:51:27And finally, Bird able to spin out of difficulty, but then he goes right back.

00:51:37Something I want to point out, too, is this takes a lot of energy for David Tua to do.

00:51:41He's not in great shape.

00:51:42He'll have trouble.

00:51:44Bird's landing some punches in these exchanges.

00:51:48Tua's got his hands way down, smiling at Bird, as if to say, you can't hurt me.

00:51:54The crowd really into the action now, as Bird looks to turn it around.

00:51:59And what we have to find out now, too, is are David Tua's big, thick, muscular arms tired?

00:52:05If they are, he's got problems.

00:52:07They're very low.

00:52:09Good body shot by Bird.

00:52:12Tua looking a little shaky right here.

00:52:18Bird continues to score at will.

00:52:21David Tua's arms are tired.

00:52:23I'm convinced that there is some fatigue in his shoulders.

00:52:27The heavy-handed Tua has heavy arms right now, and it looks like he can't lift them.

00:52:36I started to say, towards the end of the last round, that Tua started to look weary.

00:52:46And he is really sucking air, David Tua.

00:53:02A simple thing for David Tua to do now, although it won't be so simple outside, is come in behind

00:53:07that Mike Tyson look straight.

00:53:08Good jab.

00:53:09Use that to work his way.

00:53:11I mean, don't just walk in, try to duck and dodge the bullets.

00:53:14I mean, from Bird.

00:53:18Again, Bird very effective with the right hand.

00:53:24Not much defense being put up by Tua.

00:53:29Beautiful jab by Bird.

00:53:35Another good round for Chris Bird.

00:53:38That right hand was blocked by Bird.

00:53:51You're working nice here, but you're working nice.

00:53:53But don't stay on the road too much.

00:53:55You're good, relaxed.

00:53:56A big man like that already needs one tired punch.

00:53:59One tired punch can put it away, because he's tired.

00:54:02A tired man, when he starts throwing, he put everything behind him.

00:54:06So keep him tiny.

00:54:07This is 9, 10, 11, and 12.

00:54:09We got four rounds to blow him out.

00:54:12Nonstop punching.

00:54:13Somebody's got to do or die in here now.

00:54:15And it's got to be you.

00:54:16Do you understand?

00:54:17All right, Dave?

00:54:19Let this guy walk away with this here.

00:54:20He had one good round, that's it.

00:54:22I want you to come back.

00:54:23Speed.

00:54:24Speed neutralizing the power.

00:54:25Quick punches.

00:54:26Keeping Tua hands in his face.

00:54:28Keeping him occupied.

00:54:30And Bird defensively getting out of the way before Tua can fire back.

00:54:33You know, one of the keys we talked about.

00:54:35Offensive and defensive speed.

00:54:38Come on, Joe!

00:54:39A very confident Chris Bird.

00:54:41A sense of urgency now.

00:54:43Beginning to formulate in the David Tua corner.

00:54:46You can hear it.

00:54:47The anxiety and the voice of trainer Joe Goose.

00:54:53He said, it's do or die.

00:54:56With four more rounds.

00:54:58You got to do something, David.

00:55:01Well, I think what he saw is the same thing that we saw and sensed that Navy's man's tiring a

00:55:05little.

00:55:05Toward the end of the fight, that is really, really awful.

00:55:10Especially for a puncher who relies on that accumulation of one-shot power.

00:55:14Manager Kevin Barry investing a lot of money in the best fitness and conditioning experts money can buy for David

00:55:24Tua.

00:55:25He's got to be concerned right now.

00:55:28Fans screaming that Tua low blow Bird again.

00:55:32Well, even you all do fairness.

00:55:33The first one was on the belt.

00:55:34We saw that.

00:55:36I didn't get to see that one.

00:55:37Bad angle for my vision.

00:55:42Bird struggling.

00:55:43Oh, Bird.

00:55:46Looking very sharp right here.

00:55:48Tua struggling.

00:55:50Beautiful left-right combination by Bird.

00:55:54Graham Houston from British Boxing Monthly.

00:55:57Kevin Ione, Las Vegas Review Journal.

00:55:59Fiona Manning.

00:56:00MaxBoxing.com.

00:56:02The scores speak for themselves.

00:56:05You know, you're going to have to look at the scores.

00:56:07I got to tell you.

00:56:07Years ago, there was a pretty famous fighter by the name Muhammad Ali.

00:56:11He used to do a thing called a shoe shine.

00:56:12A lot of quick stuff.

00:56:13It didn't really amount to much.

00:56:16And stole rounds with it.

00:56:17Chris Bird has mastered some of that as well.

00:56:23The underdog, Chris Bird, appears to be ahead of the fight.

00:56:32You just never know how the official judges are going to call it.

00:56:50Once again, David Tua cannot slip those punches.

00:56:53Not just because they're quick.

00:56:54Even though they don't hurt.

00:56:55But they're also too many.

00:56:57Tua is tired.

00:56:58And he's a big, thick man.

00:57:00Hard to slip those punches.

00:57:01He's going to do stuff them block and fire back.

00:57:07The crowd chatting in unison.

00:57:09Bird.

00:57:12They have gotten behind Chris Bird.

00:57:22Again, dangerously, Bird in the corner.

00:57:25Pressed up against the ropes.

00:57:27His father, Joe Bird, doesn't want him there.

00:57:31He's fighting well off the ropes though.

00:57:39He really is.

00:57:42And now he nods to the crowd.

00:57:45His wife, Tracy, loving it.

00:57:49And his son, Justin, by her side.

00:57:52Oh.

00:57:57He's wild.

00:57:58He's wild.

00:58:06Roll up, baby.

00:58:08Give me the towel.

00:58:10Take us inside the ropes.

00:58:11Break it down.

00:58:12Well, Bird is, doing what he had to do.

00:58:14He's defensively smart, moving, stepping off.

00:58:16Not getting hit clean, pity-pthing.

00:58:19Confusing, numbers and numbers.

00:58:22He's outboxing David Tua, using his speed and defensive movement,

00:58:25frustrating the man, all part of his keys.

00:58:28He's got a very awkward style, and here he keeps showing all the different angles,

00:58:32things that we're not used to, orthodox fighters.

00:58:34And I'll tell you, he's being very effective, especially late in each round.

00:58:44Round 10.

00:58:46Scheduled for 12.

00:58:47IVF heavyweight elimination bout.

00:58:49David Tua in the blue trunks, Chris Byrd in the black.

00:58:55Byrd has been doing a tremendous job in controlling most of the action

00:59:02and confusing David Tua throwout.

00:59:05Tua trying to end it on one bomb,

00:59:08but Byrd's sticking to his elusiveness,

00:59:13his angles, his boxing, his awkward style.

00:59:16And there's his last three or four rounds of unfold,

00:59:18and we see a pattern.

00:59:19Tua tired, comes out early, a little strong, after his minute rest.

00:59:23Pushes Byrd to the corner, get some shots in, most blocked by Byrd.

00:59:26Then Byrd taunts him with the jab.

00:59:28Pity-pat left hands until we get late.

00:59:30Minute and a half, two minutes in the round.

00:59:32Then he starts throwing his left hands,

00:59:33a good combination,

00:59:35taking Tua out of winning the round.

00:59:38And again, the slippery Bird sliding along the ropes.

00:59:49Bird taking this exchange as well.

00:59:56Tua leaning on Bird, but Bird,

00:59:59who obviously looks the fresher of the two, continues to score.

01:00:08In fact, Bird is hardly sweating.

01:00:12Oh, he's sweating, and there is some fatigue,

01:00:14but it's a different kind of fatigue.

01:00:15He's had to deal with a lot of weight and a lot of strength,

01:00:17but David Tua, Vince Lombardi said it best,

01:00:21fatigue makes cowards of us all.

01:00:22When you can't do something,

01:00:24even though you know you're capable,

01:00:25but you're just not in condition for it,

01:00:26it's absolutely frightening.

01:00:28But Tua going through that extensive boot camp.

01:00:32They seem to get the weight off,

01:00:33but they didn't get the condition factor up.

01:00:36Bird, key differences, seems to be in better shape.

01:00:39Condition, right.

01:00:43Under a minute, round 10.

01:00:49Again, that straight right hand getting into the head of Tua.

01:00:56Bird continues to pile up the points.

01:01:01Oh, a big right hand by Tua.

01:01:03Oh, it didn't seem to face Bird.

01:01:04It was the best punch he's landed in probably four rounds,

01:01:06but it was just one and done.

01:01:08And Bird came right back, Bobby.

01:01:10There's a straight left hand.

01:01:14Bird whips a right around to the head of Tua.

01:01:17So after that big right hand by Tua, it's been all Bird.

01:01:25Bird has been undaunted by Tua.

01:01:29You see, now there's a little bit of a role reversal.

01:01:32Although Tua still has one-punch knockout power,

01:01:35he's not punching like he can hurt anybody.

01:01:37Watching a terrific fight.

01:01:39A completely confident Chris Bird all over Tua.

01:01:44A frustrated Tua whacks him after the bell.

01:01:57Man, I got to do it.

01:01:58All right, the mountains have got to do it.

01:02:07Right that way you got to fight.

01:02:08Jesus is king.

01:02:09How you feel?

01:02:10I feel great.

01:02:11I got to do it.

01:02:12Okay, you got to do it.

01:02:13Suck it up, baby. What you gonna do?

01:02:15I'm gonna do it, David.

01:02:16Okay, then. That's what we want.

01:02:17You went too hard to go back now.

01:02:20Watch him in these legs.

01:02:24Bird with his unusual style out fighting the Tua man.

01:02:29Tua's also tired, so his head is snapping back much more readily.

01:02:32Those soft punches now seem harder.

01:02:35And he is frustrating Tua to death.

01:02:37You can see David Tua putting his hands down,

01:02:39just missing punches and absolutely upset.

01:02:43Look, frustration, frustration.

01:02:45That's exactly what that is.

01:02:47We've reached the championship rounds.

01:02:49Round 11.

01:02:51Bird hardly even breathing hard in his corner.

01:02:57Tua looking exhausted.

01:03:05And Bird just goes back to the corner.

01:03:09To his elusive boxing style.

01:03:17Bird, who is sort of underselling himself in our fighter meetings to us.

01:03:21We know it.

01:03:22If we lose, move down to cruiserweight, stuff like that.

01:03:25One of the things I was very impressed with,

01:03:27even though he was losing almost every round before Klitschko,

01:03:30he was walking down until they eventually stopped him and ordered him to fight.

01:03:34He has the guts.

01:03:35He has the courage.

01:03:36He just doesn't have the real size.

01:03:38And that is sometimes a factor.

01:03:39You heard his dad in the corner say,

01:03:41listen, you can only take one minute, one split second of missing an opportunity,

01:03:44and he can get hurt.

01:03:52What began as pure puncher versus pure boxer could end in pure hell for David Tua if he loses this

01:04:02fight.

01:04:09He's simply being outworked and outsmarted.

01:04:23Right hand by Bird got in.

01:04:26That was low.

01:04:34David Tua continues to display that he has difficulty against mobile fighters.

01:04:41Not only that, but again, his output, punch output, not what it used to be,

01:04:46and his speed's still not quite back to where it belongs.

01:04:54Trying to end it, Tua, on one shot.

01:04:59Going with the right hand.

01:05:02But so far, it has not done the job against Bird.

01:05:06He's kept Bird in the corner, though, for almost a minute now,

01:05:09and been more effective pressing Bird against the road and handing some good shots.

01:05:16Bird's been down before, four times, but not in this fight.

01:05:29Final seconds of round 11.

01:05:33Bird continues to frustrate Tua.

01:05:36They're still to his best round in quite a while.

01:05:41Hammering away Tua.

01:05:45And being taunted by Bird.

01:05:56That's Dias and Summer right in the ground. Dias and Dias.

01:05:59You run off. You don't let him.

01:06:01Don't sit there and let him push him.

01:06:04Don't get in there.

01:06:04Cause he's throwing and the refs don't see him.

01:06:07Okay, and he's proud.

01:06:08But you gotta get...

01:06:09Come on, come on.

01:06:10Okay, I get it.

01:06:14Bird trying to get out of harm's way.

01:06:16Gets Holt with a good left hook, but fights his way off the ropes

01:06:19and does a little dance, and shows us that he's good.

01:06:23He's happy.

01:06:25Got it, mate.

01:06:26Got it.

01:06:26So you're gonna save your life.

01:06:27Come on.

01:06:28Now, I'm gonna tell you, Dave, Dave, this is it right here.

01:06:31Do you trust me?

01:06:32I'm gonna tell you, you need this round.

01:06:34You need it.

01:06:37He not only needs the round, he may need a knockout.

01:06:40I'll tell you what, I haven't run closer to the first row scoring,

01:06:44but I do believe he's in the dangerous area of the point of no return already, yes.

01:06:50A crowd of close to 3,000, close to capacity,

01:06:54really enjoying the action here at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

01:06:58David Tua in trouble.

01:07:17The better condition, Chris Byrd continues to peck away

01:07:22and stay away from the bigger two.

01:07:34Can Tua close the show in dramatic fashion?

01:07:37I don't do his energy, Steve.

01:07:39What I'm watching is frustration.

01:07:41He's looking for the perfect punch, and guess what?

01:07:43The more he keeps looking, the more he keeps eating leather.

01:07:46Not heavy leather, but leather.

01:07:47Oh, beautiful move by Byrd to elude that right hand by Tua.

01:07:55Byrd continues to spin away from Tua.

01:07:59That was a desperation right hand.

01:08:01Tua again looking for that perfect punch.

01:08:15Looks like Tua has almost completely run out of fuel.

01:08:20Nice right hand by Tua.

01:08:22Without Byrd's attention and nothing real quick.

01:08:26Desperate punches by Tua.

01:08:28Byrd shakes his head.

01:08:29No, you didn't hurt me.

01:08:30We approach the final minute of the fight.

01:08:39Tua moving forward.

01:08:43Wacking away at the body of Byrd.

01:08:46Under a minute.

01:08:56Tua belting to the body.

01:08:59Still working the body, but never really bringing the uppercuts in to play in this fight.

01:09:03A lot of hooks, not a lot of uppercuts.

01:09:05I'm shocked.

01:09:12Can Tua knock him out of the final 30 seconds?

01:09:16Now Byrd's trying to turn him to a little smiling, a little laughing, shaking his head.

01:09:3310 seconds remaining.

01:09:36Tua takes Byrd into the corner above us.

01:09:41Bashing away.

01:09:46And they are up here in Las Vegas.

01:09:53Byrd says, I've got it.

01:10:00And he is being saluted by this crowd.

01:10:07The fans here feel that Chris Byrd won the fight.

01:10:13As do we at ringside.

01:10:16But it is now in the hands of judges Chuck Giampa, Art Lurie, and Paul Smith, all from Las Vegas.

01:10:25And there is David Tua hearing the boos from the crowd earlier and looking exhausted.

01:10:34Now getting the hug from Chris Byrd.

01:10:42You know you're going to hate to hear this, Steve, but this fight is not as far off from a

01:10:47draw as you might think.

01:10:48A couple of those rounds were very close.

01:10:50Did you like the body punches and the power punches or the pity pads?

01:10:55I think that some of the press row were a little far out there for Byrd.

01:10:59I didn't have a hit as much as that.

01:11:01Although I do think he snuck it out in rounds 8, 9, and 10.

01:11:05I think those were the three key rounds for Byrd.

01:11:07Very emotional scene right here.

01:11:09Chris Byrd's wife, Tracy.

01:11:14With the tears.

01:11:17I think many of joy.

01:11:20I want that Trinity that's praying for me.

01:11:22This is for y'all.

01:11:22I'll be the praying for Mikado.

01:11:24You know I'm there.

01:11:27Well, Bobby, in response to your statement, nothing would surprise me.

01:11:32Nothing.

01:11:33Here in Las Vegas.

01:11:35Do you know any surprises?

01:11:36A very anxious David Tua standing by for the scores.

01:11:45Here we're going to take a look at Tua.

01:11:47Now on the inside, Tua have been throwing nice, sharp shots in here, shots in here.

01:11:51Watch his wild right hand.

01:11:53It comes this way.

01:11:53And Byrd ducks out of the way of it and counters back even though it's not real effective.

01:11:58But watch this big right hand.

01:11:59This is a home run ball.

01:12:00This is what we call a desperation punch.

01:12:03To a look for the big one.

01:12:05Right there.

01:12:05Misses.

01:12:06Byrd out of the way.

01:12:06Again, hard to hit clean with big shots.

01:12:09You've got to work combinations to beat Chris Byrd.

01:12:11Byrd fought such an intelligent fight, and it could be once again back to the proverbial

01:12:17drawing board for David Tua after this one.

01:12:20Yeah, you see what kind of box this feels like.

01:12:22We're together.

01:12:22I think the keys rounds 8, 9, and 10, all Byrd, and the fight was close there.

01:12:27But I think he pulls it out by seven rounds to five, and he needed that little streak toward

01:12:32the end to do it.

01:12:35Well, we're almost set to get it up to our ring announcer, Jimmy Leonard Jr., for the official

01:12:42scores.

01:12:43I guess there won't be no cruiserweight.

01:12:47Best man.

01:12:48The crowd chanting for Byrd.

01:12:52Let's get the official decision from our man, Jimmy Leonard Jr.

01:12:56Ladies and gentlemen, after 12 rounds of action, we have a unanimous decision.

01:13:03Here are the score totals.

01:13:05Judge at ringside, Paul Smith, scores the bat 115 to 113.

01:13:11Judges, Art Lurie and Chuck Jampa, both score the bat 116 to 112.

01:13:17All three in favor of the winner, and now the mandatory challenger for the IBF heavyweight crown,

01:13:26Chris Byrd.

01:13:37Chris Byrd breaks down in tears.

01:13:41I could never understand when a woman did that until I won my first world title, and I cried.

01:13:45So I hear it.

01:13:46He synthesized and empathized with that wonderful situation.

01:13:49So it's Chris Byrd who awaits the winner of Rockmont Lewis, scheduled for November 17th.

01:13:56His wife, Tracy, ecstatic.

01:14:01It is Byrd who's guaranteed a shot at the IBF belt.

01:14:04Let's waste no time.

01:14:05Give it up to Jim Gray.

01:14:06Jim.

01:14:07All right.

01:14:07Thank you very much, Steve.

01:14:08Chris, congratulations.

01:14:10Was that a perfect fight?

01:14:11It was a perfect fight.

01:14:12First, I want to say one thing.

01:14:14This was dedicated to Dr. Kamp who just passed away.

01:14:17His last words was, go get him.

01:14:19I went and got him.

01:14:22Can you explain to our audience who that is?

01:14:25Dr. Kamp was a good close friend of my preacher and very close friend of mine.

01:14:29He just passed away of Parkinson's.

01:14:31We pray for the family.

01:14:32We love him.

01:14:33Dave Lesage also.

01:14:35Chris, very few people tonight gave you a chance coming into this and you kind of even downplayed

01:14:42your chances to us yesterday when you said, you know, if I lose, I'll just be a good cruiserweight

01:14:45and continue there.

01:14:47Was that just the possum?

01:14:48Yeah, that was.

01:14:49That was.

01:14:49Get people wondering, especially Max and Kenny on ESPN too.

01:14:52Yeah, I know.

01:14:53I ain't going on the, I'm not cruiserweight.

01:14:55I ain't going on the cruiserweight.

01:14:57Why were you so effective and why do you feel that you were able to keep David Tua from

01:15:03ever connecting on a big punch?

01:15:05Just my boxing ability.

01:15:06I'm very hard to train for.

01:15:08I got a very awkward style.

01:15:09I'm a softball and I'm very tough.

01:15:11He hit me with some great punches in the ring.

01:15:12I took him and kept going.

01:15:14He hit me with some good body shots, good head shots, but I'm very tough.

01:15:16I'm very competitive, like I said, in meeting and I wanted it real bad.

01:15:19It seemed as though you were very tactical.

01:15:21Really none of your shots that seemed Chris hurt him, but you were able to keep peppering him

01:15:25constantly with the jab and keeping him away.

01:15:27Oh yeah, jab, jab.

01:15:28I was getting it, but that body shot, watch out for it.

01:15:30Better cancel Christmas.

01:15:32Tim Littles, you know.

01:15:33Your father kept telling you to stay off the ropes.

01:15:35You're giving up 20 pounds.

01:15:36Oh yeah.

01:15:36What was the theory there?

01:15:37Because you got on the ropes a few times in the late rounds.

01:15:40Max, I was talking to Max yesterday and he was saying, you know, the Ibe Abuchi fight,

01:15:43I have separated ribs.

01:15:44Really nobody didn't believe me going into the fight.

01:15:47I got on the ropes this time.

01:15:49I was just proving that I could stay there for a little bit with the big guys.

01:15:51I could see punches really good.

01:15:53And he didn't hurt me at all in the ropes.

01:15:55Actually, he hurt me at 12th round in the middle of the ring where they told me to stay.

01:15:59Now, you're going to fight the winner, or the mandatory will be the winner of the Louis

01:16:03Rockman rematch.

01:16:05What do you think those gentlemen should be thinking about?

01:16:07Obviously, they'll think about their fight first, but when they come and face you, Chris.

01:16:12Oh, two great fighters.

01:16:13I mean, everybody get very prepared for me.

01:16:16And, you know, they just have to be very prepared for it.

01:16:19Chris, stay with us.

01:16:20Stay with us here, Chris.

01:16:21Let us get David before he leaves the ring here.

01:16:24David, what happened here tonight?

01:16:27You were an overwhelming favorite, and everybody kind of thought that this was an afterthought fight for you,

01:16:33and you would prepare for the winner of Rockman and Louis.

01:16:36Well, I thought I did enough to win the fight, but first of all, I thank God nobody was seriously

01:16:41hurt.

01:16:41And, you know, I congratulate Chris for, you know, being a tough warrior.

01:16:46But, you know, I thought I did enough to win the fight, and I thought if I wasn't pursuing, there'd

01:16:50be no fight.

01:16:51But, you know...

01:16:52If you weren't what?

01:16:52If I wasn't coming forward and pursuing and making, you know, throwing punches, there'd be no fight.

01:16:57But, you know...

01:16:57He was making the fight the whole night.

01:16:59But he was very effective at keeping you at bay, and you never really seemed to get off the big

01:17:03punch.

01:17:04Well, you know, I think I was landing the clear blows and the heavy blows in the ring,

01:17:09and, you know, I guess they were looking at a different scoring tonight.

01:17:13David, much like the Louis fight, it appeared to Steve and Bobby calling a fight and a lot of the

01:17:19observers

01:17:19that you were reluctant to throw the right hand again.

01:17:22Was the shoulder bothering you?

01:17:23Was there something wrong?

01:17:24Nah, I was well prepared.

01:17:25I can't thank enough to the team tour for preparing me for this fight.

01:17:30I came prepared for this fight, and I can't take nothing away from Chris.

01:17:33But, you know, I thought I did enough to win the fight.

01:17:35But, you know, that's the way it goes sometimes.

01:17:36Did you lose too much weight?

01:17:40I mean, you're down 14 pounds from your last fight.

01:17:43Was that too much, too soon?

01:17:44No, I came out tonight, and no excuses.

01:17:48I gave it my best, and I guess I saw another fight and another scoring for me tonight.

01:17:53But I'm happy.

01:17:54What will you do next?

01:17:55Well, I'm just going to have to go back to the drawing board and come back better.

01:17:59David, it seems as though these elusive fighters give you problems.

01:18:03What can you learn about these elusive fighters, Lennox Lewis and now Chris Bird?

01:18:08Well, tonight I thought, you know, if you know he had that right jab on his,

01:18:13that's keeping me at bay, but still I was able to get in the cleaner punches

01:18:16and the punches that score the points.

01:18:20All right, David.

01:18:21Thank you for your time.

01:18:22Thank you, sir.

01:18:23Well, this is obviously a family affair.

01:18:26You've got the mother and the father in the corner, and now you're in the ring.

01:18:29Now the wife.

01:18:30What does this mean to all of the Bird family?

01:18:33And you've got your little son right here, Justin.

01:18:35It means more than I can even describe.

01:18:38I mean, not only is it a way for Chris to be able to, for his faith to be seen,

01:18:44you know,

01:18:45in the way that he believes, he can tell everybody now.

01:18:48He can become heavyweight champion in the world, and he can tell everybody how he believes,

01:18:52and people have to, you know, they'll listen.

01:18:54Number one.

01:18:55Number two is just, for me, it's probably the security of it, you know.

01:18:58It's like you get that big fight, and as far as I'm concerned,

01:19:01you could have one big fight and retire.

01:19:02That would be fine.

01:19:03Good payday, huh?

01:19:04Yeah, if it was a good payday.

01:19:05We'll work on that.

01:19:06All right.

01:19:06Well, thank you very much.

01:19:07Congratulations.

01:19:08Appreciate it.

01:19:08Thanks a lot.

01:19:09All right.

01:19:09Let's go back to Steve and Bobby.

01:19:11All right, Jim.

01:19:12Thank you so much.

01:19:13Chris Bird, living proof that nice guys don't finish last.

01:19:18And let's take a look at the scoring for Tua versus Bird.

01:19:23Chuck Giampa, Art Lurie, and Paul Smith all saw it in Bird's favor.

01:19:291-16, 1-12 by Giampa, Art Lurie, and Paul Smith had a 1-15 to 1-13 for Bird.

01:19:37A unanimous decision.

01:19:39Our unofficial judges in press row.

01:19:43Let's take a look right there.

01:19:44They had it all for Bird as well.

01:19:47You see Kevin Aioli from the Las Vegas Review-Journal,

01:19:50and Fiona Manning represents MaxBoxing.com,

01:19:54had it sizably for Bird, 1-18, 1-10.

01:19:57And Graham Houston had it pretty close there.

01:19:59Graham from British Boxing Monthly Flash had it a two-point victory for Chris Bird.

01:20:04And the folks at home are online results for you.

01:20:06They had it, Bird, convincingly, nine rounds to three if you took part in the online voting.

01:20:12Thanks so much for your participation.

01:20:16Looking ahead, let's see what boxing coverage is coming up in the near future here on Showtime.

01:20:24Outstanding boxing action returns to Showtime on Saturday, September 1st at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

01:20:30We come to you from El Paso, Texas.

01:20:33It's the NABF Lightweight Championship as Juan Lascano defends his crowd against Julio Alvarez.

01:20:39Saturday, September 8th, we travel to Copenhagen, Denmark for a special attraction

01:20:44as Mike Tyson returns to the ring against Danish heavyweight Brian Nielsen.

01:20:4810 p.m. Eastern and Pacific for that matchup.

01:20:51And Showbox, the new generation, returns to our lineup Saturday, September 15th at 5 p.m. Eastern and Pacific

01:20:58with two great lightweight belts as Efren Hinojosa faces Joaquin Gallardo

01:21:03and teenage sensation Francisco Panchito Bajardo takes on Eliezer Contreras.

01:21:08Always great boxing action right here on Showtime.

01:21:15So the undersized, underestimated underdog, Chris Bird defies the odds here tonight.

01:21:23He had an S on his chest after all.

01:21:26You know what?

01:21:26Styles make fights.

01:21:28David Tua has tried to reinvent himself back to the old David Tua.

01:21:31Wasn't able to do it.

01:21:33Took a lot of the weight off.

01:21:34His work ethic still wasn't quite there.

01:21:38Byrd is his own most honest critic in that he knows some of the guys like a Lennox Lewis,

01:21:426'5", that kind of range, that kind of power, that kind of size and height.

01:21:46It's going to be difficult to get inside as it was with Klitschko the second time around.

01:21:49He was losing the first fight with the brother, Klitschko.

01:21:52I think Chris Bird, as a heavyweight, has a really, really difficult task in beating a Tyson or beating a

01:21:58Lewis or beating someone of that size.

01:22:01I just don't know that he has enough weight to keep him honest.

01:22:03He kept David Tua honest because he had the reach, he had the height, he had the speed, he had

01:22:07the will to win, he had the skills, and he was in the right condition.

01:22:09And Tua was not.

01:22:10The first brother, of course, Vitaly, the second brother, Vladimir, you were talking about.

01:22:15So it's going to be either Bird versus Lennox Lewis or Bird versus Hasim Rahman for the IBF, you know,

01:22:24heavyweight championship.

01:22:26I know you gave us a little insight there, but do you realistically, honestly think that Bird could beat either

01:22:33one of those guys?

01:22:34I don't think his style is conducive to beating a Lennox Lewis almost no matter what.

01:22:39Lennox Lewis is 6'5", too much height, too much reach, 245 pounds, too much weight.

01:22:44He can get there first, he can get there stronger, harder.

01:22:47I just don't think it's possible.

01:22:49Somewhat similar to what Vladimir Klitschko did, just keep running into those big bombs.

01:22:52It's too much weight.

01:22:53It's a Volkswagen having to move a dump truck.

01:22:54You can't get it out of there.

01:22:56Tonight he moved a smaller dump truck that he had the reach on, that he had the size on and

01:23:01height.

01:23:01So there are some differences.

01:23:02There are little subtle differences that make a world of difference when it comes to fight time in a different

01:23:06fight.

01:23:07Well, both David Tua and his trainer Joe Goosen expressed bitter words with Jim Gray there,

01:23:13saying that they didn't think that Tua had lost the fight.

01:23:17But one thing that stuck out in my mind was that Tua said, I'm happy.

01:23:22How could he be happy after losing such an important fight?

01:23:25Well, he prefaced it slightly by saying he thought he did enough to win the fight.

01:23:28He was happy.

01:23:29I think he's happy that he got down, he got his weight down, he looked better than he had in

01:23:32the past.

01:23:32All right, so that's it.

01:23:33Let's take one final look as we recap from Las Vegas.

01:23:37Our result, the IBF Heavyweight Championship Eliminator.

01:23:40It was the boxer over the puncher, underdog Chris Byrd, victorious over David Tua.

01:23:45And now on the threshold of a shot at his second heavyweight crown.

01:23:54That'll do it for another edition of Showtime Championship Boxing.

01:23:57For Bobby Chez, Jim Gray, and our entire crew, hope you enjoyed it.

01:24:01Steve Albert, so long from Las Vegas, Nevada.

01:24:19We'll see you next time.

Chris Byrd vs David Tua - Showtime 8-18-2001

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