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Heavyweight contenders David Tua and David Izonritei face off on HBO Boxing After Dark
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00:00:00I
00:01:00Tonight on HBO Sports Boxing After Dark, you'll see a rising heavyweight destroyer from Samoa, David Tua, attempting to avenge
00:01:09his 1992 Olympic loss to Nigeria's David Izonritay.
00:01:13Then, a world championship out between lightweight champion Philip Holliday of South Africa and Philadelphia's Ivan Robinson, scheduled for 12
00:01:22rounds.
00:01:23The West Bank of Eastern Connecticut's Tim's River and the Mohegan Sun Casino.
00:01:28First-time venue tonight for our late-night boxing series.
00:01:32Past champions like marvelous Marvin Hagler, fight fans and media from Boston, all enjoying the holiday spirit as they travel.
00:01:40Here in the Mohegan Tribal Reservation, from New York, from New Haven, from the surrounding area, to check out this
00:01:46gorgeous three-month-old casino and get a look at some of boxing's emerging stars, notably David Tua and Philip
00:01:53Holliday.
00:01:55And happy holidays to you.
00:01:56Hello again, everybody.
00:01:57I'm Jim Lampley.
00:01:58Welcome to this edition of HBO's Boxing After Dark, a series which in a year and a half has already
00:02:04established itself as one of the most consistent purveyors of championship-style competition to be found anywhere in boxing.
00:02:11We're very excited about seeing South African Philip Holliday defending his lightweight title later this evening against an outstanding former
00:02:18American amateur star, Ivan Robinson of Philadelphia.
00:02:22And we're equally excited to show you the revenge match between David Tua and David Ison-Rate in the heavyweight
00:02:28division to begin the evening.
00:02:29Working with me, as always, HBO Boxing Analyst Larry Merchant.
00:02:33Larry, as we get ready to look at Tua, we're reminded that we've seen many heavyweight prospects who have become
00:02:39suspects as they tried to climb the ladder of success.
00:02:41It happened last week on the undercard of Bogolata, too, to a South African star named Courage Shabalala, who suddenly
00:02:48is a star no more after being knocked out by journeyman Brian Scott.
00:02:51What is it about Tua that suggests to us that he has the stuff of real success?
00:02:56Big left hook and apparently the right stuff to go with it.
00:03:02And what I mean by that is this.
00:03:04David Tua is a stablemate of Andrew Galata.
00:03:08Yes, they are known as David and Galata.
00:03:11And yes, they have sparred.
00:03:13And yes, Galata has hit him low.
00:03:16Although that isn't easy because Tua is built like a redwood stump.
00:03:22And Tua's immediate response was to hit back low.
00:03:26Galata is a $50 million talent and a 50 cent head.
00:03:30Tua may not have that much talent, or he may have, but his head is definitely screwed on much tighter.
00:03:39He seems to have the temperament to go along with the talent.
00:03:43And that's why, as a sportscaster about 45 minutes down the road from here, Jim likes to say he could
00:03:50go all the way.
00:03:53And it would be exciting to see it if it happens because his knockout power has already created for him
00:03:58an early career mystique.
00:04:00As we get ready to watch Tua and his opponent, David Izonrité of Nigeria, both of them share in common
00:04:06with our Roy Jones Jr.
00:04:08The experience of having gone to the Olympics, where Izonrité defeated Tua in a decision back in 1992.
00:04:14Now, amateur boxing is very different from professional boxing.
00:04:18Four years is a long time.
00:04:19But what role does that previous bout play for the two fighters as they get into the ring tonight?
00:04:23The only role that that previous bout should play is the fact that they know one another.
00:04:28After the first one or two rounds, they should exploit everything that they know about one another.
00:04:32If, in fact, Izonrité was so dominant over Tua, then you will find that out because he will come right
00:04:38out and take control of the fight.
00:04:40If he wasn't, then Tua will come out and erase that first meeting and set his own meeting.
00:04:45And therefore, he was totally dominant.
00:04:47Tua will come out and erase that first meeting and set his own meeting.
00:04:50And therefore, he will totally dominate the other guy.
00:04:53And most experts believe that's what's likely to happen because Tua has enthralled many already with his knockout punching power.
00:05:00Well, they're in the ring.
00:05:01And there's a good look at David Izonrité of Nigeria.
00:05:05Nigeria was unbeaten until nine months ago when he lost his most recent bout.
00:05:10So you see the record is now 18-1, 16 KOs.
00:05:14He has huge hands, incidentally, which indicate the chance for increasing punching power as he goes along in his career.
00:05:21As we told you, he lost the last one, though, on March 15, beaten by Maurice Harris in an eight
00:05:26-round decision.
00:05:27Much tougher opponent tonight as we take a look at the young man who was born and raised part of
00:05:32his life in Samoa,
00:05:33ultimately moved to New Zealand, went to the Olympics in 1992 more or less by himself to represent New Zealand,
00:05:40and made it all the way to the semifinal there before losing to Izonrité.
00:05:43As you can see, 21 KOs in 25 fights.
00:05:46And those 11 first-round knockouts already in Tua's career stand him in pretty good stead
00:05:52when you compare him to some of the greatest punchers in the history of the division.
00:05:54Only Mike Tyson, in his first 25 fights as a professional, notched more first-round KOs than Tua.
00:06:02You see him there on the list ahead of Marciano Foreman Dempsey and Frazier.
00:06:06And Tua comes in here with three consecutive first-round knockouts.
00:06:09Tail of the tape between David Tua and David Izonrité.
00:06:13And Izonrité has a big advantage in reach, 11 inches there over Tua.
00:06:17So that makes it obvious that Tua must get inside Izonrité's jab
00:06:22in order to make his power the effective difference in the fight.
00:06:26Rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Letterman.
00:06:29The David Tua, David Izonrité fight is scheduled for 12 rounds.
00:06:33There is no standing eight count, no three knockdown rule.
00:06:36He can be saved by the bell only in the 12th and final round,
00:06:39and only the referee can stop the fight.
00:06:41Jim.
00:06:41Brilliant pronunciation of the Nigerian name by a man who only yesterday
00:06:45was still saying Izonrité.
00:06:48Good job, Harold.
00:06:49Let's go up to ring announcer Mark Biro.
00:06:53Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,
00:06:55and welcome to the Mohegan Sun Casino on the Mohegan Reservation
00:06:59and the home of the Mohegan Indians for an evening of HBO Boxing After Dark
00:07:06under the promotion of Cedric Kushner Promotions
00:07:09in association with Main Events Incorporated
00:07:12and Budweiser, this Bud's for you.
00:07:16Your matchmaker is Bill Benton.
00:07:18Tonight's bouts are under the auspices of the Mohegan Tribal Council,
00:07:22Chairman Roland Harris and the Connecticut State Athletic Commission
00:07:26from the Department of Consumer Protection,
00:07:29Commissioner Mark Sheffrin.
00:07:32The attending executive director is Gentleman John Burns.
00:07:35Ring officials assigned by the Mohegan Tribal Council
00:07:39and the Connecticut State Athletic Commission,
00:07:42your ringside positions are Dr. Michael Schwartz
00:07:45and Dr. Joseph Harpentieri.
00:07:48Your timekeeper this evening is the lovable Lou Dell,
00:07:52counting for the knockdowns at the bell, Matt Mullaney.
00:07:56This contest is scheduled for 12 rounds
00:08:00for the WBC International Heavyweight Championship.
00:08:05Your ring officials assigned by the World Boxing Council,
00:08:09President Jose Zuliaman,
00:08:12and the supervisor is Anibal Miramontes.
00:08:16Your judges at ringside are from Hartford, Connecticut,
00:08:21William Hutt, from Brick, New Jersey,
00:08:24Tom Kazmarek, and from New Salem, New York,
00:08:27Fred Ucci.
00:08:29Your referee for this event,
00:08:32from Braintree, Massachusetts,
00:08:34Richard Flaherty.
00:08:38Introducing now the principals first,
00:08:41in the red corner to my left,
00:08:43wearing the white trunks with blue accessories,
00:08:46he weighs in at 224 pounds.
00:08:50His professional record, 18 victories,
00:08:54one defeat.
00:08:54He has 16 wins by way of knockout.
00:08:58He hails from Lagos, Nigeria,
00:09:00and now makes his home in Paris, France.
00:09:04Here is the challenger,
00:09:06David Aizon Aizon-Ride.
00:09:10Aizon Aizon-Ride.
00:09:14His opponent, in the blue corner,
00:09:18wearing the black trunks,
00:09:19white accessories,
00:09:21he weighs 223 pounds.
00:09:24He is undefeated in 25 professional bouts.
00:09:29He has 21 wins by way of knockout.
00:09:33He hails from South Auckland, New Zealand.
00:09:37Here is the WBC International Heavyweight Champion,
00:09:49the WBC International Heavyweight Championship.
00:10:00What a title.
00:10:03Okay, gentlemen,
00:10:03you had your instructors in the dressing room.
00:10:05I just want to remind you,
00:10:06I don't want any fouls at all, okay?
00:10:08Good, plain, professional flight.
00:10:10You're both experienced men.
00:10:1112 rounds, we come out boxing in each round.
00:10:14Good luck.
00:10:16We've said a lot of nice things about David Tua,
00:10:19but as you all know,
00:10:20in the heavyweight division especially,
00:10:22one shot in the head changes all perceptions.
00:10:38David Izon-Rite comes from Lagos, Nigeria.
00:10:42He said that his tribe is the Izon tribe.
00:10:47Family name is Rite,
00:10:48thus the name Izon-Rite.
00:10:50He speaks French
00:10:51French and lives most of the time now in Paris.
00:10:57Starts to get the jab working,
00:10:58but he seems to loop that jab just a little bit.
00:11:05The one thing he'll have to do here
00:11:07is be prepared to go for a little while.
00:11:11In amateur boxing, three rounds and it's all over.
00:11:14Tonight, Tua will be in his face for a great deal of time.
00:11:21If you haven't seen David Tua before,
00:11:25in note of the physical dimensions,
00:11:26reminiscent of Mike Tyson,
00:11:28so too is the style,
00:11:30quite reminiscent of the early Mike Tyson.
00:11:35In fact, Tua worked out with Evander Holyfield
00:11:40before his fight with Tyson,
00:11:42and he played the role of Mike Tyson.
00:11:47Much to Evander's benefit once he got into the ring.
00:11:52And Tua jives in with the left hook
00:11:54and immediately tries to pin Izon-Rite against the ropes
00:11:57and go to work with power punches.
00:12:00Izon-Rite is too straight up to beat a guy like David Tua.
00:12:06When Tua jabs to his body, Izon-Rite keeps his hands low.
00:12:09Izon-Rite landed a short counter right inside.
00:12:12Tua seemed unflustered by it.
00:12:14Put on that! Put on that! Put on that!
00:12:19Izon-Rite normally keeps his right hand pinned against his cheek
00:12:23as a defensive mechanism.
00:12:25Said that he would try to mix it up
00:12:27and be a little freer-flowing with his punches tonight,
00:12:29and he's doing that so far.
00:12:31Tua goes to the body and comes back upstairs with the left hook.
00:12:36Izon-Rite seems to be looking for air now,
00:12:38but he is landing a good right hand over the top of Tua's left hand.
00:12:44Tua has shown some pretty nice head movement walking in, Roy,
00:12:48but he is catching a few solid shots.
00:12:51Once he punches, he leaves his left hand down,
00:12:54and he doesn't move his head after he throws his left hand.
00:12:57That's a good point, Roy. He does move his head as he's coming in,
00:13:00but when he throws the punch, he likes to admire his work
00:13:03as many great young power punchers do.
00:13:06That was a good right hand by Izon-Rite.
00:13:24Combination by Izon-Rite.
00:13:26Tua steps through it, comes back inside, throws an uppercut.
00:13:34The reason this fight probably is so hard for Tua
00:13:36is because this is a tall, stance-field boxer.
00:13:40And the first-round knockout streak comes to an end
00:13:42as Tua begins stepping up in class.
00:13:46Izon-Rite, a better opponent than other recent entries.
00:13:49Yeah, with this guy.
00:13:50He pulled it up by the first.
00:13:51He expected that hook.
00:13:52Body, body, body.
00:13:53Think of no time with the hook right here, okay?
00:13:56Left you too far away from this guy.
00:13:57Don't get this guy scared as shit.
00:14:00Don't get waved.
00:14:00Don't let this guy get waved on you, you understand me?
00:14:03You get out there and let this guy know
00:14:04he's going to be in a damn fight.
00:14:05You understand me?
00:14:06Come on, you're waiting for one.
00:14:07You get back on top of this guy.
00:14:08I want fast punches, okay?
00:14:10Now, this is my round, right?
00:14:12I'll get my round, right?
00:14:13Fast punches, now.
00:14:14Pick out the pace with this guy.
00:14:15This guy can't hang in with you.
00:14:17Make this guy fight, now, all right?
00:14:18This guy has nothing.
00:14:20Now, look, drop down with that right hand, okay?
00:14:23The right hand is coming to drop down.
00:14:24He's going to come back.
00:14:25He's going to come back.
00:14:26All right, okay, and then he'll come back all right, huh?
00:14:29Okay.
00:14:30You can win, David.
00:14:31Baisse your head.
00:14:32Don't let him see with the right hand.
00:14:35Well, if you speak French,
00:14:37you know what instructions David Isonrate was getting.
00:14:40We anticipate getting an interpreter there
00:14:42to help us with French instructions in Isonrate's corner.
00:14:45He lands a short right hand inside to begin round two.
00:14:50What I was about to say at the end of the round
00:14:52was that Isonrate is a tall guy who is a slugger.
00:14:56This is very difficult for a short guy that is a slugger.
00:15:00Because?
00:15:01Because when you're tall and a slugger,
00:15:03you have the reach.
00:15:04So he gets to hit Tua,
00:15:05but Po Tua can never land any punches.
00:15:08So what's the best way for Tua
00:15:09to get inside of Isonrate's stuff?
00:15:11The thing is,
00:15:12is who is the better inside fighter?
00:15:15Isonrate is going to win the fight
00:15:16right on the outside right there.
00:15:18See, that's where he's landed a good right hand at
00:15:20because he's just enough,
00:15:22just far enough away
00:15:23to where he can hit Tua,
00:15:24but Tua can't hit him.
00:15:25When Tua gets inside,
00:15:27he still is a good inside fighter
00:15:28and he lands there too.
00:15:29So Isonrate is actually better suited
00:15:32for this style right now.
00:15:34Tua would have to,
00:15:35I guess,
00:15:36stay way out
00:15:37and go way in.
00:15:39Isonrate has crashed
00:15:41a couple of good right crosses
00:15:42off of Tua's head
00:15:43here in the second round.
00:15:44He has a very quick little right hand, Jim,
00:15:47and he's been able,
00:15:48just like that,
00:15:50and he's giving Tua
00:15:51some problems with it.
00:15:52Tua should also beat his body
00:15:53a little bit.
00:16:04Short right hand inside by Tua,
00:16:06still trying to solve
00:16:08the technical challenge
00:16:09of getting inside
00:16:10David Isonrate's longer punches.
00:16:13The body shots
00:16:14will do more damage
00:16:15for Tua than anything else
00:16:16right now.
00:16:17But he's been a little bit
00:16:20of a headhunter
00:16:21here in the second round
00:16:22and has not remembered
00:16:23to go to the body
00:16:23as much here
00:16:24as he did in the round block.
00:16:25And I believe Isonrate
00:16:26is starting to fade
00:16:27just a little.
00:16:31Isonrate starting
00:16:32to paw a little bit
00:16:32with the jab.
00:16:35And Tua decides
00:16:37to counter over it
00:16:38with the right hand.
00:16:41That cook lands.
00:16:43Uppercut landed for Tua.
00:16:45Tua has got a very good
00:16:46left uppercut.
00:16:50If Galana had that punch
00:16:52he might have finished
00:16:53ridding both.
00:16:55I don't know
00:16:56if it's according to where
00:16:57he landed it at.
00:17:00Well said.
00:17:05Body shot by Tua.
00:17:08Tua taking his time
00:17:10and trying to pick
00:17:10his inside shots
00:17:12against Isonrate.
00:17:13Isonrate not nearly
00:17:14as formidable
00:17:15in the last minute
00:17:16of this round
00:17:17as he was in the first.
00:17:24If Tua just hits
00:17:25his body a little bit more
00:17:26then he'll have him
00:17:27about ready to go
00:17:28in a couple of rounds.
00:17:36Isonrate starting
00:17:37to miss.
00:17:38Tua starting
00:17:39to land more frequently.
00:17:43Good round
00:17:45of heavyweight action.
00:17:50You work faster
00:17:52with your right.
00:17:54OK?
00:17:55You work faster
00:17:56with your right.
00:17:57We are asking
00:17:58David and Isonrate
00:17:58to work more
00:18:00with more speed.
00:18:01with the right hand.
00:18:07Louis Zacharias
00:18:08is telling him
00:18:08that with the hands
00:18:09very high
00:18:10he cannot get hurt
00:18:12by David Kerr.
00:18:14Ton jab.
00:18:14Ton jab.
00:18:15You have to work
00:18:16with the jab.
00:18:17Just the jab.
00:18:18And you have to be mean
00:18:19when you send the jab.
00:18:22Just the jab
00:18:24and just Nathalie.
00:18:26Nola's name necessary.
00:18:29There was one other
00:18:30important instruction
00:18:32in there
00:18:32which is they want him
00:18:35to hold his right hand high.
00:18:37They want to take
00:18:38the left hook
00:18:38away from Tua
00:18:39if they can.
00:18:42It comes from
00:18:42your French?
00:18:44I won't say
00:18:45where it came from.
00:18:46That's rather spectacular,
00:18:47Larry,
00:18:48if that came from
00:18:48your French Lexicon.
00:18:49They don't pay me
00:18:50to do that.
00:18:51You're hiding
00:18:52your light under a whistle.
00:18:55Notice where
00:18:56his right hand is.
00:18:57They wanted
00:18:58to keep it up high.
00:19:00He can't keep it
00:19:00too high
00:19:01because when he's
00:19:02that close
00:19:02he has to watch
00:19:03for that left uppercut
00:19:04right there.
00:19:04Yes.
00:19:11As round three begins,
00:19:12Nola has the working
00:19:14distance between himself
00:19:15and DeSondre Tay
00:19:16and that is entirely
00:19:17to David Tua's advantage.
00:19:19Yes,
00:19:19because his arms
00:19:20are definitely
00:19:20the shorter.
00:19:25I am very impressed
00:19:26with this left uppercut
00:19:28that David Tua
00:19:29is throwing.
00:19:31Don't do that
00:19:32that's me!
00:19:33Don't do that!
00:19:34Work on off!
00:19:36Now,
00:19:37Ison Rattay
00:19:37bangs out some space
00:19:39by going to Tua's body
00:19:40and coming back upstairs.
00:19:43He's breathing
00:19:44very hard
00:19:44as Rattay is though,
00:19:45Jim.
00:19:46Perhaps he remembers
00:19:48that that body punch
00:19:50is the one
00:19:51that helps him
00:19:52beat Tua
00:19:53in the Olympics.
00:19:55More and more,
00:19:56Tua is starting
00:19:57to find the openings
00:19:58in Ison Rattay's guard.
00:20:00Ison Rattay
00:20:01is going to have
00:20:01to find a way
00:20:02to slow Tua down
00:20:03and I think
00:20:03the body punching
00:20:04would be the way
00:20:05to do it.
00:20:06Yeah,
00:20:07because he is
00:20:07somewhat of a
00:20:08hit-huntering himself.
00:20:14Oh,
00:20:15two shots
00:20:16by Ison Rattay.
00:20:17Excellent combination
00:20:18by Ison Rattay.
00:20:22who looks right now
00:20:23like the best opponent
00:20:24that Tua has faced
00:20:25so far in his career.
00:20:29That's a good left hook
00:20:31inside by David Tua.
00:20:39The only thing about him,
00:20:40I think,
00:20:40is that he fights
00:20:41the same type of fight
00:20:42that David Tua fights.
00:20:47doesn't use the right,
00:20:48doesn't use his
00:20:49reach advantage
00:20:50by right.
00:20:51No, he does at all.
00:20:53Do it through that
00:20:54left uppercut
00:20:54from far away.
00:20:55Now he steps in closer.
00:20:57There's a danger
00:20:58in throwing the uppercut
00:20:59from far away.
00:21:01Just asked Buster Douglas
00:21:02who wound up
00:21:03on his back
00:21:03against Evander Holyfield
00:21:05for making that mistake.
00:21:14both of these guys
00:21:15take very good punches.
00:21:17Oh,
00:21:18good shot by Tua.
00:21:19That's the type of punch
00:21:20that it takes
00:21:21to get a guy
00:21:21out of here.
00:21:23Tua digging to the body
00:21:24with the left hook.
00:21:25Comes back
00:21:26to the left
00:21:26and the right upstairs,
00:21:27both partially blocked
00:21:28by Ison Rattay.
00:21:29Ison Rattay trying
00:21:30to jab his way
00:21:31out of the corner
00:21:31and now he lands.
00:21:36La Revo!
00:21:38La Revo!
00:21:39Wow!
00:21:41Bravo David!
00:21:43Woo!
00:21:44Oh, je ne sais.
00:21:45Hey!
00:21:45T'as vu que tu encaisses les couilles?
00:21:46Allez, allez,
00:21:47mets-toi là!
00:21:47Mets-toi là!
00:21:48Soutre bien!
00:21:50Bravo!
00:21:51Soutre bien!
00:21:52Soutre bien!
00:21:53Congratulations David!
00:21:54You make a good round!
00:21:56We are good David!
00:21:58Soutre bien!
00:21:59Si tu boxes comme ça David,
00:22:00tu vas gagner!
00:22:01If you follow
00:22:02boxing like this,
00:22:03you are going to win
00:22:04that fight David!
00:22:05You still have to
00:22:06put your hand hugged
00:22:07because it's still dangerous.
00:22:09David!
00:22:10Dès que tu as bloqué,
00:22:11dès que tu as bloqué,
00:22:12envoie-moi cet uppercut!
00:22:14Uppercut proche,
00:22:15baby!
00:22:16As soon as you can,
00:22:17you put...
00:22:18You put the uppercut
00:22:19and you go, David!
00:22:20Pour tuer,
00:22:20pas pour t'amuser!
00:22:21Voilà!
00:22:22T'as compris?
00:22:22Mais en attendant,
00:22:23tu donnes ton direct du gauche
00:22:24qui fait mal, hein?
00:22:25Il fait mal et tu prépares ça.
00:22:27Watch David Tour
00:22:28who is trying to deal
00:22:29with that high right hand
00:22:31that protects
00:22:32the right side
00:22:33of his...
00:22:34he's on Rete's head
00:22:35by coming up
00:22:36with his uppercuts.
00:22:37You know,
00:22:38Lou Duva wanted
00:22:39a tougher fight
00:22:40for Tua
00:22:41than he's had recently.
00:22:42I'm not sure
00:22:43he wanted one this tough.
00:22:46Well, it's great action
00:22:48so far
00:22:48to give you a numerical indicator
00:22:50according to punch stat numbers.
00:22:52The average heavyweight
00:22:53throws 45 or 50 punches
00:22:55in a round.
00:22:55In round three,
00:22:57Tua through 81
00:22:57is Arte through 85.
00:23:00So they're working
00:23:01awfully hard
00:23:01for heavyweights.
00:23:02Very hard.
00:23:03And the one thing
00:23:03Lou Pauperman wants to do
00:23:05is to build his confidence
00:23:06by letting him beat the guy
00:23:08who he lost to
00:23:09in the Olympics.
00:23:09This is a big confidence
00:23:11confidence builder for Tua.
00:23:13Then he'll probably
00:23:13send him after
00:23:14a heavyweight title.
00:23:16A world heavyweight title.
00:23:21Of which there are several.
00:23:24At least.
00:23:29Again,
00:23:30they fire away
00:23:31in close quarters.
00:23:33And again,
00:23:34Tua has his Arte
00:23:35pinned against the ropes.
00:23:36And again,
00:23:36his Arte uses the left hand
00:23:38to try to get himself out.
00:23:39He's throwing that
00:23:40quick right hand
00:23:41less and less.
00:23:42And that has to do
00:23:44with David Tua's left hook.
00:23:45That's right.
00:23:46The country has to keep
00:23:47that right hand home now
00:23:48to try to stop
00:23:49the left hook
00:23:49and the left body shot.
00:23:54One thing that Tua can do
00:23:55that his Arte can't do
00:23:57is put punches together
00:23:58in combination type form.
00:24:01Which means throw one or two,
00:24:03sometimes three, four, and five,
00:24:05all good five punches.
00:24:08There's the right hand
00:24:09as his Arte comes back
00:24:11away with it a couple times.
00:24:16Arte's got a little
00:24:17counterpunching ability
00:24:18when he's willing to go ahead
00:24:20and cut loose.
00:24:20There's that uppercut again.
00:24:22And Tua is looking
00:24:23for the uppercut
00:24:24to turn out the lights.
00:24:26Tua throws
00:24:27deadly uppercut.
00:24:30Another Tyson reminder.
00:24:35Missing and reaching
00:24:36with the right hand uppercut.
00:24:37He's about to go uppercut crazy,
00:24:38but that was a good reason
00:24:40to do it.
00:24:41The left uppercut
00:24:42seemed momentarily
00:24:43to stun
00:24:44Isarate.
00:24:45And Isarate doesn't move.
00:24:53In fact,
00:24:56his leg all started
00:24:57to get a little weak.
00:25:00This would be a good time
00:25:01for Tua to go back
00:25:02to the body.
00:25:04He's done some headhunting
00:25:05for about a minute here
00:25:06with that uppercut.
00:25:08Obviously,
00:25:08he's thinking finish,
00:25:10but you've got to go back
00:25:11to the body to do it.
00:25:12Yeah,
00:25:12he does have to go
00:25:13to this guy's body
00:25:13to weaken him.
00:25:17Oh,
00:25:18and hard right hand
00:25:19by Isarate.
00:25:21Misses the second one.
00:25:26Unexpected rally there
00:25:27for the Nigerians.
00:25:29Tua was thinking
00:25:30that Isarate
00:25:31didn't have that left in him.
00:25:33There's a quick,
00:25:33quick left
00:25:34left on a right hand
00:25:35as Isarate
00:25:35rallies in the last
00:25:3730 seconds of the round.
00:25:38Now,
00:25:38two good body shots
00:25:39by Tua.
00:25:46You better listen to me,
00:25:53you better listen to him.
00:25:56When you throw
00:25:56three, four power punches,
00:25:58this guy cannot handle that.
00:25:59You understand me?
00:26:00Give me two pounds.
00:26:02Two young men
00:26:04going at it.
00:26:08Isarate's management
00:26:10thinks he's not
00:26:11mean enough,
00:26:12he's too nice.
00:26:14Looks mean enough to me
00:26:15right here.
00:26:18That was a mean right hand.
00:26:27You got to get down low.
00:26:29Come on.
00:26:31On y va.
00:26:33On y va.
00:26:44Unbelievably enough,
00:26:45they threw 166 punches
00:26:48between them in round three.
00:26:49They threw 166 punches
00:26:50between them in round four.
00:26:53Harold Letterman,
00:26:54how do you score the fight
00:26:55after four rounds?
00:26:56Larry,
00:26:57three rounds to one,
00:26:5839-37,
00:26:59David Tua.
00:27:00I think the biggest problem
00:27:01David Yzonrate has
00:27:02is that he's fighting
00:27:03David Tua's fight.
00:27:04And when you fight
00:27:05with your back on the ropes,
00:27:06it's very, very hard
00:27:07to get off a good,
00:27:08solid power shot.
00:27:09Tua early on,
00:27:09he's got real good leverage
00:27:10coming forward.
00:27:11And he's on the thing,
00:27:12he can't seem to get
00:27:13real good power
00:27:14because his back
00:27:14is laying on that rope.
00:27:16I have to fight
00:27:17two rounds to one
00:27:19and one even
00:27:19for Tua.
00:27:22Tua's getting hit
00:27:23with too many straight
00:27:24right hands right now.
00:27:25This is something
00:27:26that he needs
00:27:26to make an adjustment
00:27:27on in this fight.
00:27:28He doesn't need
00:27:29to wait to go
00:27:30back to the gym.
00:27:30He needs to get
00:27:31his left hand up
00:27:32from now.
00:27:44What made Mike
00:27:45Tua so effective
00:27:46when he was young
00:27:47is how he was able
00:27:49to get to his opponent
00:27:52aggressively
00:27:53and still not get hit
00:27:55a lot of punches
00:27:56because of how quick
00:27:57he runs because
00:27:58of his heavy shoulder
00:27:59movement.
00:28:00The two things
00:28:01that Tua isn't doing
00:28:02is he has a left hand
00:28:04so low and he doesn't
00:28:05move his head
00:28:06right after he finishes
00:28:07his punches.
00:28:10He was starting
00:28:11to throw bombs
00:28:12with the right hand
00:28:13in this round.
00:28:14Most of the damage
00:28:15up to now
00:28:16has been done
00:28:17with the left.
00:28:17In this round,
00:28:18he's landed
00:28:19two big right hands
00:28:20over the top.
00:28:21But he's still getting
00:28:22hit with that same
00:28:22right hand
00:28:23and by his heart
00:28:24tape.
00:28:25Well, I think
00:28:26Cassandra Tate
00:28:26can land that
00:28:27quick right hand
00:28:28whenever he's willing
00:28:28to throw it.
00:28:30There he is again,
00:28:31right after Tua punches.
00:28:32Every time Tua stops,
00:28:33he gets hit.
00:28:34He has to move
00:28:35his head
00:28:35after he punches.
00:28:44And by now,
00:28:45surely, as you said
00:28:46in the opening
00:28:47on camera,
00:28:47Roy Jones,
00:28:48whatever happened
00:28:49in Barcelona
00:28:49four years ago
00:28:50is no longer a factor
00:28:52because they've got
00:28:52a whole new history
00:28:53to deal with now.
00:28:54That's right.
00:28:55You saw the referee
00:28:56warning the corner
00:28:57of the Xandre Trey
00:29:00to get down.
00:29:04Vicious right hand
00:29:05shot by David Tua
00:29:07as he loaded up
00:29:08and landed it
00:29:08to the chest.
00:29:12I don't think
00:29:12David Tua
00:29:13would ever see
00:29:14another guy
00:29:14who would take
00:29:14his punch
00:29:15as well as
00:29:16his heart to hear.
00:29:21That's saying
00:29:22quite a lot
00:29:23to his son
00:29:24puncher.
00:29:25Yep.
00:29:26As you can see.
00:29:27What was a smart
00:29:28thing for him
00:29:28to do then
00:29:29was when he
00:29:30made his heart
00:29:30and missed
00:29:31the big two punches,
00:29:32that takes a lot
00:29:33out of you.
00:29:33So he immediately
00:29:34rushed and went
00:29:35to his heart
00:29:35and changed his body.
00:29:36That was smart.
00:29:38Tua tries to finish
00:29:39every round
00:29:39with a flurry
00:29:40but here
00:29:41time runs out
00:29:42on him.
00:29:47Still to come
00:29:47tonight,
00:29:4912-round
00:29:49lightweight championship
00:29:50fight between
00:29:51Philip Holliday
00:29:52of South Africa
00:29:52on the left
00:29:53and Ivan Robinson
00:29:55of Delran,
00:29:57New Jersey,
00:29:57originally from
00:29:58Philadelphia,
00:29:59on the right
00:30:00of your screen
00:30:00there.
00:30:01Robinson has
00:30:02been working
00:30:03in a bread
00:30:03factory part-time
00:30:04and has
00:30:05learned how
00:30:05to bake.
00:30:06Let's see
00:30:07if he can
00:30:07bake Holliday's
00:30:08star status
00:30:10in the
00:30:10lightweight division.
00:30:11Give me a minute
00:30:12if you give me
00:30:13a smile face.
00:30:14Dave,
00:30:15you're waiting
00:30:16too fucking
00:30:16long out there.
00:30:17You gotta
00:30:17throw combinations.
00:30:19What are you
00:30:19waiting for?
00:30:20You gotta go
00:30:20three, four,
00:30:21five punches
00:30:21with this fucking guy.
00:30:22Every time
00:30:22you throw combinations,
00:30:23you can't miss
00:30:24the guy.
00:30:25I understand,
00:30:25but you gotta
00:30:26get your punches
00:30:26off.
00:30:27You throw the right
00:30:28hand,
00:30:28double the hook
00:30:29up for me
00:30:29and let's go
00:30:30home.
00:30:31Dave,
00:30:32come on,
00:30:33now let's go.
00:30:33You hear?
00:30:34Let me see.
00:30:34You can see
00:30:36a scrape
00:30:36on the side
00:30:38of Tua's
00:30:40right eye.
00:30:41Does it appear
00:30:42to be dangerous?
00:30:44Well,
00:30:44this will be
00:30:45an interesting
00:30:45fight to score
00:30:46and if it winds
00:30:47up on the score
00:30:48cards,
00:30:48I don't know,
00:30:49all bets
00:30:50are off
00:30:50because
00:30:51Isarate
00:30:51is throwing
00:30:52more jabs.
00:30:53He clearly
00:30:54has an advantage
00:30:55when they stand
00:30:56at distance
00:30:56in the middle
00:30:57of the ring
00:30:57and he's not
00:30:58doing too badly
00:30:59off the ropes
00:31:00although Tua
00:31:01is able to
00:31:01pressure him
00:31:02into the ropes
00:31:02and maintain
00:31:03the aggression
00:31:04most of the time.
00:31:05Tua also has
00:31:06a little scrape
00:31:07in the corner
00:31:08of his depth
00:31:08out from that
00:31:09right here,
00:31:09oh,
00:31:09right there,
00:31:10up to Isarate.
00:31:15So Isarate's
00:31:16got a chance
00:31:18as we get
00:31:18to the latter
00:31:19stages of the fight.
00:31:20Round 6,
00:31:21scheduled 10.
00:31:26I heard Ronnie
00:31:27Shields into his
00:31:28corner saying
00:31:29throw the right
00:31:30hand,
00:31:30double up
00:31:31with the left
00:31:31hook,
00:31:32and let's go
00:31:32home.
00:31:35I don't think
00:31:35it's going to be
00:31:36that easy.
00:31:36I don't think so
00:31:37either because
00:31:37he's depending
00:31:38on the fact
00:31:39that Isarate
00:31:41hopefully will
00:31:41only expect
00:31:42one left hook
00:31:43and the second
00:31:43one will catch
00:31:44him by surprise.
00:31:45And if that
00:31:45does happen,
00:31:46then we probably
00:31:47would be able
00:31:48to go home.
00:31:50The surprise
00:31:50punches are
00:31:51the most
00:31:51daily.
00:31:55Just to
00:31:56continue the
00:31:56Tyson comparison,
00:31:58of course,
00:31:58you'll recall
00:31:58that in his
00:31:59pre-championship
00:32:00stages,
00:32:01Tyson himself
00:32:01had to go
00:32:02the distance
00:32:02with some
00:32:03fighters like
00:32:03James Quicktellis
00:32:05and Mitch
00:32:05Bloodgreen
00:32:06who were able
00:32:07to nullify his
00:32:08left hook
00:32:08with their
00:32:08size in the
00:32:09jump.
00:32:10Yeah,
00:32:10but he wasn't
00:32:11catching right
00:32:11hands like
00:32:12this on his
00:32:12chin at the
00:32:13same time.
00:32:19So Tua
00:32:20showing some
00:32:21chinks in the
00:32:22armor here
00:32:22tonight.
00:32:23Oh,
00:32:24good luck
00:32:24hook by Tua.
00:32:25Here's the
00:32:25bread and
00:32:26butter.
00:32:27Let me tell you
00:32:27something else,
00:32:28Jim.
00:32:28When you hear
00:32:29the guy with
00:32:29your best punches
00:32:30this much and
00:32:31it doesn't even
00:32:31stagger him,
00:32:32it can be a
00:32:33confidence taker.
00:32:35Well,
00:32:36if you see Tua
00:32:37looking at
00:32:37Isarate as if
00:32:38to say,
00:32:39what are you
00:32:39still doing
00:32:39here?
00:32:40And Isarate
00:32:40replies with
00:32:41the right
00:32:41hand.
00:32:44And he's
00:32:45going to say,
00:32:45I'm not only
00:32:46here,
00:32:46what are you
00:32:47doing,
00:32:48here?
00:32:49We're going
00:32:49to learn
00:32:50something about
00:32:50David Tua's
00:32:51patience,
00:32:53ring generalship,
00:32:54and ability
00:32:55to maintain
00:32:55composure down
00:32:56the stretch
00:32:57in this fight.
00:32:59That was
00:33:00a good try.
00:33:03My David Tua.
00:33:06Oh,
00:33:06goodbye
00:33:07to the body.
00:33:21good try.
00:33:23Good try by Isarate.
00:33:23David Tua's arms
00:33:24are protecting him
00:33:25a lot too.
00:33:30Well,
00:33:30this is a challenge
00:33:31that Tua is
00:33:31going to face
00:33:32over and over
00:33:33throughout his
00:33:33career.
00:33:34How to deal
00:33:35with bigger,
00:33:35taller fighters
00:33:36who have
00:33:36reach advantage
00:33:37and we're not
00:33:38afraid of it.
00:33:40going to take this
00:33:43kind of punishment
00:33:43and issue it
00:33:44back out.
00:33:45over and over and over
00:34:05over and over and over
00:34:12to the team.
00:34:15problem sometimes
00:34:16getting in close
00:34:17leads with a left hook
00:34:18but he hasn't
00:34:19seriously
00:34:20even stunned
00:34:22Isarate
00:34:23so far.
00:34:27Come on,
00:34:27you got to go
00:34:28on this guy.
00:34:29Come on,
00:34:29this guy's tired of them.
00:34:30You're not even
00:34:31touching him in the body.
00:34:32You're strong?
00:34:32Get him at all.
00:34:33Get out.
00:34:34You're strong now.
00:34:34Come on.
00:34:38Good.
00:34:39Good.
00:34:40You get the impression
00:34:42that Duva
00:34:42and Ronnie Shields
00:34:43are not that terribly
00:34:44happy with Tua's
00:34:45performance.
00:34:45I think they're just
00:34:46trying to motivate him.
00:34:47I think so too
00:34:48but they also don't
00:34:49like the fact that
00:34:50he's getting caught
00:34:50with the same punch
00:34:51over and over again
00:34:52I'm sure.
00:34:53They'll be working
00:34:54on that in the gym.
00:34:57First thing they have
00:34:58to do is hope
00:34:59they get back
00:34:59to the gym.
00:35:06It's not good
00:35:07to another guy
00:35:07hit you with the same
00:35:08punch over and over again
00:35:09because that punch
00:35:10gets harder
00:35:11and it starts to
00:35:12weaken you more
00:35:12and it wears on that spot.
00:35:14Well,
00:35:15Izzanrate has been
00:35:16landing the jab too
00:35:17and he's begun
00:35:18to assert himself
00:35:19a little bit more
00:35:19with the jab
00:35:20in the last couple rounds
00:35:21as he's doing right there.
00:35:22He throws more jabs
00:35:24than Tua throws
00:35:26left hooks
00:35:26and right crosses
00:35:27and that
00:35:28could catch the eye
00:35:30of the judges
00:35:30as the fight goes on.
00:35:32Yeah, it could.
00:35:33That hurts.
00:35:34That hurt.
00:35:34That hurt.
00:35:35Izzanrate.
00:35:36No question.
00:35:39I think the uppercut
00:35:40about three rounds
00:35:40ago
00:35:41and then maybe
00:35:41that punch
00:35:42was the two
00:35:42that have done
00:35:43the most damage.
00:35:45Yeah, but he's been
00:35:45hit 15 punches
00:35:47to that one
00:35:48he landed
00:35:48so far.
00:35:52Make that two.
00:35:56It's all to need
00:35:57to pick that right
00:35:57hand back up again.
00:36:00He's talking
00:36:01the sport about
00:36:02a guy having
00:36:02a good beard.
00:36:04He's summertime.
00:36:04has a pretty good beard
00:36:06and he's shown it
00:36:07here tonight.
00:36:07A fantastic beard.
00:36:09You know what
00:36:09Duba wanted
00:36:10to do
00:36:11was to pound
00:36:13on his arms
00:36:15and his shoulders
00:36:17and everywhere
00:36:17and tie him
00:36:18that way.
00:36:20He can take that.
00:36:23I think you're right,
00:36:24Roy.
00:36:24Fantastic beard.
00:36:26That was some
00:36:27shot right there.
00:36:28This is a
00:36:29Ray Mercer
00:36:29kind of beard.
00:36:44We're getting
00:36:44a little wild here
00:36:45but he's landing
00:36:46a lot of this stuff too.
00:36:48Yeah, but this
00:36:49takes it out
00:36:49after you too, Jim.
00:36:50He has to be very careful
00:36:51not to wear himself
00:36:52out here.
00:36:53And he's not
00:36:53throwing combinations
00:36:54and he's not
00:36:55going to buy it
00:36:56and he's going to get
00:36:57another dressing down
00:36:58from Ronnie Shields
00:36:59between rounds.
00:37:00And he's getting hit
00:37:01every time he lands
00:37:02a punch.
00:37:03Sometimes two to one.
00:37:04Like that.
00:37:06Like that.
00:37:07Like that.
00:37:08Every time he lands
00:37:09one, he gets cold.
00:37:10Well, you talk about
00:37:11home run swings.
00:37:13This is the classic case
00:37:14of a guy who's going
00:37:15home run crazy in here
00:37:17and he might cost himself
00:37:18the fight.
00:37:19I don't know.
00:37:20He's doing a lot of damage
00:37:21though.
00:37:32One fighter or the other
00:37:33needs to go to the body
00:37:34right now.
00:37:35The big punches make you
00:37:37very tired.
00:37:38Somebody should go to
00:37:38somebody's body.
00:37:50That last punch might have
00:37:52won in the round.
00:37:53I was just about to give
00:37:54that round to his own
00:37:57return.
00:38:00You have to breathe,
00:38:01David.
00:38:03You don't have to go down
00:38:04now.
00:38:05You know, you are winning.
00:38:07You are not tired,
00:38:08David.
00:38:09You have to follow.
00:38:11The head has to follow.
00:38:14He's going to go down,
00:38:15David.
00:38:16He's ready.
00:38:17He left the man,
00:38:18viva.
00:38:20This man is fucking dead.
00:38:22You understand?
00:38:23This guy can't fucking
00:38:24stand up.
00:38:25You throw three-fourth
00:38:26hooks at him.
00:38:27Dave, this guy's ready to
00:38:28go.
00:38:28You got to throw a big
00:38:28close.
00:38:29Three-fourth, but get
00:38:30yourself down.
00:38:31Don't stand up straight.
00:38:32Right at the very end
00:38:36of the round, the punch
00:38:39that could have been
00:38:40scored a knockdown
00:38:41had it occurred a few
00:38:43seconds later.
00:38:45Yeah, the guy was
00:38:46on balance.
00:38:46It wasn't a clean punch.
00:38:47It landed basically
00:38:48behind his head,
00:38:49and he was on balance.
00:38:51But the rope saved him
00:38:52from going down, and
00:38:54that can be called a
00:38:56knockdown.
00:39:01All right, let me
00:39:02correct the piece of
00:39:02misinformation I gave
00:39:03you earlier, and it
00:39:04could be critical.
00:39:05In the early rounds, I
00:39:06said this was ten
00:39:07rounds.
00:39:08No.
00:39:09Scheduled 4-12.
00:39:10More and more of
00:39:11these days, you find
00:39:12occasions where some
00:39:13pretext has been found
00:39:14to schedule a non-title
00:39:16fight for 12 rounds,
00:39:17and this is one up.
00:39:21Two jabbed to the body
00:39:22to make his heart
00:39:23reach down to block the
00:39:24jab, then he faked down
00:39:25and comes with the left
00:39:26hook, which has been
00:39:27very effective for two
00:39:28tonight.
00:39:29That's a Roy Jones
00:39:30technique.
00:39:31One of a million.
00:39:34He said,
00:39:35modestly.
00:39:39Well, as round eight
00:39:47proceeds, you're looking
00:39:49at this round plus four
00:39:51more after this one.
00:39:53And that makes it quite a
00:39:54warm patrician if it's
00:39:55going to go the distance
00:39:56because they've thrown
00:39:57an awful lot of punches
00:39:58already.
00:39:58And they both look a
00:39:59little fatigued.
00:40:01And there goes
00:40:02Isandre Zay taking Roy
00:40:04Jones' advice to go to the
00:40:05body, but only with one
00:40:06punch.
00:40:07Which is definitely not
00:40:08enough.
00:40:11I agree with Larry.
00:40:13I think Tua looks real
00:40:14tired right now.
00:40:15Because he exerted
00:40:15himself a lot in that last
00:40:17round, Jim.
00:40:17Yeah, he was trying so
00:40:18many home run shots.
00:40:20And as you pointed out,
00:40:21Roy, that takes a lot
00:40:22out of you.
00:40:23Right hand lands for Tua.
00:40:31This guy, Dorothee, is
00:40:32tough as middle.
00:40:34Very tough.
00:40:40And Zanreté is starting
00:40:42to feel these left hooks
00:40:43more than before.
00:40:44But he constantly
00:40:45fighting back, Jim.
00:40:46What's that?
00:40:46He constantly
00:40:47for comes back
00:40:48and we tell these.
00:40:49Oh, yeah.
00:40:50And he came back
00:40:51to the body that time.
00:40:52It shows that he still
00:40:53has his wits of eye.
00:40:57A couple of very
00:40:59strong heavyweights.
00:41:06At least Tua was
00:41:07trying to do it.
00:41:07It's corner saying
00:41:08he did throw the
00:41:08double left hook there.
00:41:10But there he goes
00:41:11again, getting caught
00:41:12with the right hand
00:41:13right after he punches.
00:41:27He's not sticking the jab
00:41:29as much in this round.
00:41:30And it had helped him
00:41:31to build momentum
00:41:32in recent rounds.
00:41:34He was trying to
00:41:35hop that tree down
00:41:36with the left hook.
00:41:37There's the five shots
00:41:38I'm talking about.
00:41:39Combinations to the body
00:41:40I think would do it
00:41:42for Tua.
00:41:43If he can find the energy
00:41:44and the resourcefulness
00:41:46to throw them.
00:41:47They're more of the type
00:41:47of body shots
00:41:48that I was picking up earlier.
00:41:52He's dead out there.
00:41:53If you get out
00:41:54some body punches
00:41:55that come up on top,
00:41:56but measure them
00:41:57on the same measure.
00:41:58Don't wait.
00:41:59You got to get
00:42:00three, four punch combinations.
00:42:05You got that, Dave?
00:42:07Dave, you got that?
00:42:08Now, come on.
00:42:09You're picking it up.
00:42:09You're going to move it down.
00:42:10All right, baby.
00:42:11Look, Dave,
00:42:11if you give it a good
00:42:12five punch combination,
00:42:13I'm telling you,
00:42:14I guarantee you.
00:42:15Dizan Rute looked
00:42:16at the end of that round
00:42:17like he was ready
00:42:18to fall down someplace
00:42:20and hear the reason for it.
00:42:23A triple left hook.
00:42:41No matter what language
00:42:44comes from the corner,
00:42:46there's always
00:42:47a little lying
00:42:47that comes to the fighter
00:42:49when he's gone
00:42:50through a round like that.
00:42:53Punch count dropping now
00:42:55as both fighters
00:42:56begin to tire.
00:42:57In the middle rounds,
00:42:57they were throwing
00:42:58more than 80 punches
00:42:59of each per round.
00:43:00In that round,
00:43:02two only threw 47.
00:43:04Izzan Rute threw 63.
00:43:06And Izzan Rute saw
00:43:08his punch count drop
00:43:09because he quit
00:43:10throwing the jab.
00:43:10Only 20 of them
00:43:11in that round.
00:43:16Harold Letterman,
00:43:17how do you score it now
00:43:18through eight rounds?
00:43:20Larry, six rounds to two.
00:43:2278-74.
00:43:23David Tua,
00:43:24I thought he had
00:43:25a big eighth round.
00:43:26He really hurt David.
00:43:27He's underpaid.
00:43:28I think he's underpaid.
00:43:29Still should get off
00:43:29those ropes,
00:43:30move a little,
00:43:31take him into the center
00:43:31and try and hurt him.
00:43:33I definitely think
00:43:34David Tua is ahead
00:43:35of the fighters,
00:43:36but I don't know
00:43:36if he has about that much.
00:43:38He's on a chance
00:43:38to count on everything
00:43:39that Tua has done.
00:43:40And I just can't say
00:43:41he's that far behind
00:43:42in this fight.
00:43:43I have it five,
00:43:45two, and one.
00:43:47But this is
00:43:48no walk in the park.
00:43:50We're on the
00:43:51Indian reservation.
00:43:52This is a good
00:43:53top battle.
00:43:54Tremendous learning
00:43:55experience for both
00:43:56fighters,
00:43:57both of whom appear
00:43:58to have possible
00:43:59big futures
00:43:59in the division,
00:44:00or at least
00:44:01operable futures.
00:44:02look like two big
00:44:05buffalo meeting
00:44:06on the terrace.
00:44:07Yeah.
00:44:14Well, of course,
00:44:16in his case,
00:44:17since he's from Nigeria,
00:44:19water buffalo.
00:44:20A buffalo
00:44:21had a water buffalo.
00:44:25Hard right hand
00:44:26by Tua.
00:44:35And still,
00:44:36the punch count
00:44:36is dropping,
00:44:37particularly in Tua's case
00:44:39as he tries to load up
00:44:40one big shot.
00:44:41I like the bodywork
00:44:42Tua is putting in,
00:44:43though.
00:44:59Tua comes back
00:45:00with a right
00:45:01and a left.
00:45:02But Tua blocked
00:45:03both of those punches.
00:45:04Yep.
00:45:04He doesn't give the credit
00:45:05for blocking
00:45:05a great deal
00:45:06of the punches
00:45:06that he is.
00:45:07He is blocking
00:45:08a great number
00:45:08of these punches.
00:45:23Uppercut lands
00:45:24for Tua.
00:45:24Snaps his on
00:45:25with his head back.
00:45:26Tua slips
00:45:27some punches inside
00:45:28and tries to go
00:45:29back to the body.
00:45:29I definitely think
00:45:31Tua has what it takes
00:45:32to become a heavyweight
00:45:32champion.
00:45:33No doubt.
00:45:34Why do you say
00:45:35that now, Roy?
00:45:36He's taking everything
00:45:37that's coming at him.
00:45:38This guy won't
00:45:39go down.
00:45:40A puncher usually
00:45:41gives in
00:45:41when a guy won't
00:45:42go down
00:45:42to his big punches.
00:45:44Tua's not letting
00:45:44up.
00:45:45He's constantly
00:45:45trying.
00:45:46He has everything
00:45:47that he takes
00:45:47to be a champion.
00:45:57Here you see Tua
00:46:03again at work.
00:46:04You'll see his uppercut
00:46:05and how he tries
00:46:06to penetrate
00:46:06the defense.
00:46:11And there was
00:46:11another two for one.
00:46:16Boy, it's great
00:46:17to be young
00:46:17and strong
00:46:20if you're
00:46:21in this game.
00:46:25David, you have to
00:46:30go ahead.
00:46:31You don't have to go
00:46:33down.
00:46:34You have to go ahead
00:46:35still.
00:46:37Tomorrow you will cry
00:46:38if you...
00:46:43Both of these young fighters
00:46:44are entering a country
00:46:46they've never been to before.
00:46:48After nine tough rounds
00:46:50looking ahead,
00:46:51the three more.
00:46:54So-called championship rounds, Tua lands a hard right hand to the potty.
00:46:59In round nine, the most significant punch stat event was the shortening of his under-taste jab.
00:47:05He landed only four of the 26 jabs he threw in that round,
00:47:08and he's getting more and more reticent to extend the jab as Tua keeps loading up power shots.
00:47:14And that left hook of Tua has put him from dwelling under the right eye of his dart take.
00:47:19He's got some serious wealth there.
00:47:25One thing that is coming into play for David Tua right now
00:47:29is the work that he has put in with the veteran Holyfield and Andrews a lot.
00:47:36You learn a lot from veteran fighters like Gumbies,
00:47:38and that is what gets you over some humps like these that he's in now.
00:47:43Lewis said he gained enormous confidence from sparring with Holyfield.
00:47:47It meant something to him to learn that he could go toe-to-toe
00:47:51one of the best in the world and hold his own on a daily basis.
00:47:54And that was a big-time combination by Tua.
00:47:56But here again, if D'Arte answers back, every time.
00:47:59He has great guts.
00:48:01Every time he answers right back.
00:48:02There is no quid in David Isagrate.
00:48:04And I'm also impressed with David Tua's condition.
00:48:15No fat headwaves with this type of condition to throw these big punches like this.
00:48:19That's because there's a lot of both fights.
00:48:20When they exploded with all those bombs, both are going to seem dead tired.
00:48:24Tua still seems like a fresh stroke fighter here.
00:48:27Wild right hand there by Tua.
00:48:41Hard right hand by Isagrate.
00:48:44Didn't bother Tua much.
00:48:46He comes back with a right-hand shot of his own.
00:48:48But David Tua has not been able to get combinations to the body in this round
00:48:53because David Isagrate is guarding his ribcage very carefully.
00:48:57Yeah, and plus he has to look out for that right hand every time he punches low.
00:49:01Tua does.
00:49:02Heavy swelling under the right eye of Isagrate.
00:49:07But there, he got caught with the left hook and he answered with the right hand.
00:49:10Every time he's caught, he comes back and answers.
00:49:18He's already slipping slightly.
00:49:21His right hand was blocked and Isagrate got to Tua's belly with the left hand.
00:49:25Yeah, he's been doing a little bit more body work this round.
00:49:28He must have remembered a little bit from that amateur fight.
00:49:35Oh, that's right here, the Hutt-David Tua.
00:49:39But Derek, after his combinations, he gets caught, like you said, Jim, admiring his work.
00:49:44Now he's hurt, though.
00:49:45The first time we've seen him back up in the fight tonight.
00:49:51Listen, he's got to stay off.
00:49:53OK, OK, OK.
00:49:59David, you nearly made him KO.
00:50:01You didn't see.
00:50:03You have to go on the middle of the ring.
00:50:05He was KO.
00:50:08Michel, he told me he was KO.
00:50:11Michel told you it was...
00:50:13Mets lui de l'eau sur la tête.
00:50:14Mets lui de l'eau, mets lui de l'eau, mets lui de l'eau ici.
00:50:17On milieu du ring, tu vas gagner, il a mets lui de l'eau dans les couilles.
00:50:23David, tu vas gagner, David.
00:50:30Fierce combination by Tua.
00:50:34Six-punch combination.
00:50:36About three or four of them landed cleanly.
00:50:39There you saw, late in the round, another big left hand.
00:50:42But I see the African Frenchman landing a lot of punches.
00:50:48And I have this fight getting closer and closer.
00:50:55Let him go.
00:51:04Between rounds, Isarate made it very tough for his cut man, Mick Birmingham,
00:51:08to get the inswell under that right eye.
00:51:10He was moving his head too much.
00:51:12Fighters have to be disciplined to hold their heads still between rounds
00:51:16so the cut man can do their work.
00:51:17And Isarate wasn't doing it.
00:51:20Well, he's probably never been cut before or banged up like this.
00:51:25I don't think he's cut, but that weapon is there.
00:51:30He's not cut yet.
00:51:34But if Tua could get to that right eye with the left hook about four or five more times,
00:51:38he'll be cut.
00:51:44That was a good shot by David Tua.
00:51:46He tried to counter the jab with an overhand rifle.
00:51:50There's no thinking in there.
00:51:53We'd like to see this late in a fight with a young fighter like David Tua.
00:51:57Let him go, David.
00:52:00Even though he may get lower marks for failing to produce the early knockout,
00:52:05you see this as a great throwing experience for Tua.
00:52:09I see he's got a terrific growing experience for Tua.
00:52:13Yeah, unless he loses the fight.
00:52:19I don't think he'll necessarily lose the fight because he's fortunate to fight.
00:52:22He's entered the heavier punches.
00:52:24And I think the referee, I mean, the judges are seeing this.
00:52:27So I don't think he will lose this fight.
00:52:30Especially if he keeps doing those types of body shots.
00:52:36But he doesn't need a double like this for some time.
00:52:40They might look for some one-round knockouts for him after this fight.
00:52:45You don't want to put a young heavyweight through this kind of mill too often.
00:52:52I wouldn't want to put a hole with him.
00:52:53Hard right hand by Zandrite.
00:52:56And Tua comes back with a combination, most of it blocked by Zandrite.
00:53:00But again, the Nigerian begins to show some fatigue midway through the 11th.
00:53:09Great guy, let him out.
00:53:11Nice and easy, guys.
00:53:17There's a good right hand by David Tua.
00:53:19And now his heart isn't so quick to answer back.
00:53:22He must be good at his time.
00:53:23One thing about Tua, every power punch is a real power punch.
00:53:28He's not trying to just tap this man in there.
00:53:31I think he's just about...
00:53:32I think he's just about having the dog to go now.
00:53:38Left hook was blocked.
00:53:39Good job by Zandrite getting the right hand up.
00:53:41You can see that Zandrite's legs are a little bit wobbly now as they come down the set in round
00:53:4611.
00:53:47But they got one more three-minute period to go.
00:53:53You have to breathe.
00:53:55You have to breathe, David.
00:53:57You have to go on the middle of the ring.
00:53:59You don't have to go behind.
00:54:01It's the last round.
00:54:06Stop punching the last round.
00:54:07You got that?
00:54:08They got the punch.
00:54:09Three, four punch combinations to get close to this guy.
00:54:11Right?
00:54:12They jabbed you, get under it, and start bringing your punches off.
00:54:15Right?
00:54:15Now look, you won that round.
00:54:17You understand me?
00:54:18You know why you won the round?
00:54:20Because you're two fucking punches.
00:54:22Two kids reaching down deep to keep themselves going at this pace, this furious pace.
00:54:32Come on, you got the punch.
00:54:33You got the punch.
00:54:34Into the 12th round.
00:54:38You have to push him, and you have to win him.
00:54:40You have to win him.
00:54:46David, he's not going to take, told us that he got into prize fighting
00:54:50when he had to fight his way through six kids,
00:54:53and he stopped them all when he was a teenager.
00:54:56I believe him.
00:54:57I believe him.
00:55:02Isandra Cain trying to mount a big rally to start the 12th,
00:55:06throwing many more punches than Tua at this early stage of the round.
00:55:10This will be a fascinating fight to score if it goes to the scorecard.
00:55:15And so how does Harold Glederman have it in the 12th?
00:55:18Harold?
00:55:19Jim, eight rounds to three, 107, 102.
00:55:23David Tua.
00:55:24I'll go with the big punch in his fight, Jim.
00:55:26I just think Isandra Cain should have taken his fight more into the middle of that ring.
00:55:29Got his back a little bit off those ropes and got a little bit more power in his shots.
00:55:33David Tua is, like you said, hitting him very, very much harder than Isandra Cain did.
00:55:38I have to fight six rounds to four, one even.
00:55:41And incidentally, keep in mind, as we showed you two weeks ago,
00:55:45in Reno between James Toney and Montau Grimpin.
00:55:48Harold Glederman favors the aggressor.
00:55:51If there are judges here who lean more toward ring generalship,
00:55:55they might be seeing a better performance by Isandra Cain.
00:55:58A big left hook by Tua.
00:56:00A big left hook by Tua.
00:56:01A big left hook by Tua.
00:56:03A big left hook by Tua.
00:56:07Extra credit to Isandra Cain for standing up in 12 rounds.
00:56:13If it's a good to go to Tua, it's standing up in 12 rounds.
00:56:17Oh, that's what Isandra Cain.
00:56:21Isandra Cain's hands dropped for a moment.
00:56:23He gets the hands back up.
00:56:25Tua tries to finish.
00:56:29Isandra Cain won't go down.
00:56:31Now he does.
00:56:32Referee Richard Flaherty with the count.
00:56:35Ropes are holding Isandra Cain up.
00:56:37That's why this is called a knockdown.
00:56:40And it's over.
00:56:41Risen stopped the fight.
00:56:43A sensational fight.
00:56:47A revealing win for David Tua.
00:56:52What determination.
00:56:53He was not going to leave without a knockout.
00:56:56He couldn't leave without a knockout.
00:56:59That fight would have been too close before
00:57:01if he could not leave without a knockout.
00:57:03David Tua says, I love you, Mom.
00:57:07Merry Christmas.
00:57:08He's headed home tomorrow.
00:57:11And he'll be in New Zealand with his family.
00:57:13By Christmas Eve.
00:57:16And let's take a look at the finishing sequence.
00:57:18Roy Jones, this is splendid power punching.
00:57:21Very splendid.
00:57:22At this point, Isandra Cain has just flat gotten weak.
00:57:25And you're not going to take these big punches
00:57:27from a puncher like David Tua all night long.
00:57:36And when you find a heavyweight that can punch like this in round 12,
00:57:40you've got yourself a prospect for a heavyweight champion.
00:57:43That's what Richard recognized for the guys who heard.
00:57:47Harold Lederman, suggesting that Isandra Tai maybe took just a little bit too much.
00:57:57Richard Flaherty stopped the fight after this sequence
00:58:00and didn't wait for the completion of the count to do it
00:58:03as he could see that Isandra Tai didn't need any more.
00:58:06And fascinatingly enough, going into the 12th round,
00:58:11this fight belonged to Tua on a split decision only.
00:58:15Going into the 10th, Tua led 106-103 on one of the cards.
00:58:19105-104 on another of the cards.
00:58:23And a third judge had Isandra Tai ahead, 105-104.
00:58:28Let's go to ring announcer Mark Vero with the official...
00:58:31Ladies and gentlemen, the time,
00:58:35one minute, 54 seconds of the 12th round,
00:58:39the winner by technical knockout
00:58:42and still WBC International Heavyweight Champion,
00:58:48the Terminator, David Tua!
00:58:54Tua!
00:59:05So David Tua extends his record now to 26-0
00:59:11with 22 knockouts in a fight
00:59:14that he still conceivably could have lost
00:59:18or at the very least could have gotten a draw in
00:59:21had he lost that 12th round the way it was being scored.
00:59:24Let's go to Larry Merchant, the ring.
00:59:27David, congratulations.
00:59:28Was that a little tougher than you expected?
00:59:31Well, first of all,
00:59:34first of all,
00:59:38first of all,
00:59:39I thank God for the great victory tonight.
00:59:41And what can I say?
00:59:43I couldn't thank the Spartan buttoners enough.
00:59:45You know, Isaac Brown, Bigfoot Johnson.
00:59:49But the fight was great.
00:59:50You know, I just thank the trainers
00:59:51for getting me in great shape
00:59:53that this fight came out victorious.
01:00:01You must have had to be in supreme condition
01:00:04to go through a rugged fight like that.
01:00:06Well,
01:00:08what can I say?
01:00:09You know,
01:00:09there were a lot of people out there
01:00:10to doubt my condition,
01:00:11but not too good to make.
01:00:13Did you feel you had to knock him out
01:00:15in the 12th round?
01:00:17Well, I did.
01:00:18I did what I had to do.
01:00:20They told me in the corner,
01:00:21they said,
01:00:21you know,
01:00:22you've got to go out there
01:00:23and knock this guy out.
01:00:24And I just went out there
01:00:25and just trade punches.
01:00:27And thank God,
01:00:27everyone here.
01:00:27All right,
01:00:28Lou Duber,
01:00:28briefly,
01:00:29you wanted a hard,
01:00:30grueling fight.
01:00:32You wanted to see David
01:00:33have a tough opponent
01:00:34and break him down,
01:00:35but I don't know
01:00:35if you wanted one that tough.
01:00:36No,
01:00:37I didn't want one that tough,
01:00:38Larry,
01:00:38but I'll tell you something
01:00:39that's proof.
01:00:39You talked about his condition.
01:00:40This guy trains hard,
01:00:42hard,
01:00:42hard,
01:00:42believe me.
01:00:43What does this fight show you
01:00:44about him as a
01:00:46prospective champion?
01:00:47Well,
01:00:47I think right now
01:00:48when we take him back
01:00:48to the drawing board,
01:00:49I think that he's capable
01:00:50of fighting any heavyweight
01:00:52out there.
01:00:52What do you want to do
01:00:53next with him?
01:00:54Fight on HBO
01:00:56and fight anybody
01:00:56they put in front of me.
01:00:58In the past,
01:00:59you've moved your fighters
01:01:00more quickly
01:01:01than you've moved Tua.
01:01:03You've gotten them
01:01:03into the championship rankings
01:01:06after 15 or 20 fights.
01:01:08Why are you waiting
01:01:08so long with him?
01:01:09Well,
01:01:09I wanted to make sure
01:01:10he was ready
01:01:10before I put him in the spot.
01:01:11I promised him,
01:01:12I promised father and mother
01:01:14and New Zealand
01:01:16that I wouldn't put him
01:01:17into a championship fight
01:01:18until he was ready.
01:01:18Let me tell you something,
01:01:19Larry,
01:01:19he's ready right now.
01:01:21Thank you very much,
01:01:22Lou.
01:01:22Back to you,
01:01:23Jim.
01:01:24All right,
01:01:24well,
01:01:24let's talk about that.
01:01:25Punch stat numbers first
01:01:26and you'll see why the fight
01:01:28was close on the scorecards
01:01:29as Izzorite had thrown
01:01:31150 more punches
01:01:32by punch stat numbers
01:01:34and landed almost
01:01:35the same number
01:01:36as Tua.
01:01:37But ultimately,
01:01:38the difference in the fight
01:01:39was David Tua's
01:01:41extraordinary punching power,
01:01:43particularly with the left hook
01:01:44and with the left uppercut.
01:01:45Let's make one point,
01:01:46Roy.
01:01:46You know,
01:01:47a lot of attention
01:01:47is paid to
01:01:48the big market
01:01:49heavyweight fights.
01:01:50More attention was paid,
01:01:51for instance,
01:01:52to Bo Galata
01:01:53two a week ago
01:01:53than to this fight.
01:01:54Technically,
01:01:55this was better boxing
01:01:56than Bo Galata.
01:01:57This was a better fight
01:01:58than Bo Galata.
01:01:59This was truthfully
01:02:00a real heavyweight fight.
01:02:01This is what people
01:02:02deserve to see
01:02:03when they see heavyweights
01:02:04go in the ring
01:02:05and go at it.
01:02:06And while there's
01:02:06a lot of enthusiasm
01:02:08about Galata
01:02:09if he can learn
01:02:09to fight cleanly
01:02:10because of what he's done,
01:02:12Lou Duva says
01:02:13if you put a gun
01:02:14to his head
01:02:15and he has to choose
01:02:15between his two
01:02:16heavyweight prospects,
01:02:17he chooses Tua.
01:02:19Any question about that?
01:02:20No question at all.
01:02:21I definitely would rather
01:02:22have a guy
01:02:23who can control himself
01:02:24as opposed to a guy
01:02:25who's liable
01:02:26to lose it
01:02:26at any second
01:02:27every day of the week.
01:02:28Can Tua learn
01:02:29not to get hit so much?
01:02:31Tua can learn this.
01:02:31I think he will learn
01:02:32this after tonight.
01:02:33He proved a crucial
01:02:34point tonight, Jim.
01:02:35It's definitely hard
01:02:36to go back
01:02:37and overturn
01:02:38something that's been...
01:02:39If a guy beats you before,
01:02:41it's hard to come back
01:02:42and beat that guy
01:02:43because it's a really...
01:02:44It's a running
01:02:45whatever his name was.
01:02:46Never had...
01:02:47He's on retain.
01:02:47You did a fabulous job
01:02:48during the fight.
01:02:49He never had
01:02:50a second doubt
01:02:51about being able
01:02:52to beat David Tua.
01:02:52He came here
01:02:53definitely thinking
01:02:55that he could beat
01:02:55David Tua tonight.
01:02:57He didn't do it
01:02:57because David Tua
01:02:58pulled it out
01:02:59with that 12th round
01:03:00knockout.
01:03:00All right.
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