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Tim Austin defends his IBF Bantamweight Title against Ratanachai Sor Vorapin on HBO Boxing
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00:00:01we have to call us off what run the run cassidy was on cubans i'll do it i know this
00:00:07this may be
00:00:07slightly illegal just want something to buckle some squash just one time let me do it go in
00:00:14you kellett masha untucket connecticut volume three of john ruiz against evander holyfield
00:00:19first a bantamweight championship bout tim austin against ratanahai vorapine
00:00:22then ruiz and holyfield for the third time next
00:00:26coming in january hbo give a presentation of hbo sports champions
00:00:37tonight's rubber match between john ruiz and evander holyfield could establish both fighters
00:00:42futures in boxing holyfield the three-time heavyweight title holder looks to put whispers
00:00:48about retirement behind him for current belt holder ruiz it's an opportunity to prove his place
00:00:54among the division's elite john ruiz's debut on national television lasted 19 seconds
00:01:02down goes ruiz he takes a vicious left hand shot on the way down and it's unlikely he'll be getting
00:01:08up
00:01:09five years later critics still question ruiz's credentials asserting that his rise up the
00:01:14heavyweight rankings is based on victories over second-rate opponents at age 29 ruiz wants to
00:01:20silence his detractors looking for legitimate respect within the heavyweight division
00:01:26standing in ruiz's way evander holyfield one of sports ultimate warriors the former undisputed champion
00:01:34cemented his place in boxing history in the 1990s by fighting all the top heavyweights in the world
00:01:40look at holyfield what a warrior reversing the tide of the battle the champion now has bone wobbling
00:01:48now at age 39 evander has reached the twilight of his career the fighter we twice saw against
00:01:55ruiz bore no resemblance to the man we had known as the real deal
00:02:01in their first meeting 16 months ago an effective ruiz dictated the tempo throughout but the sluggish
00:02:08holyfield dug down deep and was able to pull out a controversial unanimous decision
00:02:15ruiz got his revenge last march repeatedly beating his older opponent to the punch
00:02:20holyfield absorbed punishment throughout the night barely survived the knockdown in round 11
00:02:26and lost a lopsided decision so when john ruiz and evander holyfield step into the ring moments from now
00:02:34both men know exactly what's at stake holyfield attempts to keep his legend alive ruiz looks for the
00:02:41respect he's never been given
00:03:20tonight we are live in my town sucket connecticut with a world championship boxing doubleheader
00:03:26from foxwoods resort and casino first up kim austin makes his eighth defense of the world bantamweight
00:03:34championship against tough tie fighter ratana high vora bean then in our main event john ruiz and evander
00:03:41holyfield meet for the third time volume three of their own personal lord of the ring trilogy
00:03:48as we close out the year we bring you one of the premier heavyweights of the last decade evander
00:03:54holyfield at age 39 holyfield will again try to beat the odds and defy those now calling for his
00:04:01retirement as he challenges john ruiz who looks to use tonight's fight as a springboard into the upper elite
00:04:08of the heavyweight division hello again everybody i'm jim lampley we welcome you to this rural casino
00:04:16in connecticut for a special night on hbo's world championship boxing special because we continue to
00:04:22chronicle the career of the man who has done more than any other fighter to maintain the connection
00:04:28between the heavyweight division and boxing's public in the last 10 years that fighter of course is the
00:04:34great evander holyfield but a word of context before we see holyfield against john ruiz for the
00:04:40third time later tonight you'll hear ring announcer jimmy lennon jr get into the ring and call it a battle
00:04:44for the heavyweight championship of the world if you've watched us long here at hbo sports surely you
00:04:50are aware that it's our institutional position that a single legitimate definable champion can be found
00:04:56in most if not all weight divisions in boxing that in the heavyweight division the path toward the
00:05:02legitimate title leads you uh in or conclusively i should say to lennox lewis and that the fight which
00:05:09takes place tonight may be for a heavyweight title belt but it is not in our view a battle for
00:05:14the heavyweight
00:05:14championship of the world that does nothing to diminish the significance of the fight for the two
00:05:20fighters in the ring and we mean no disrespect or insult to either of them when we say so just
00:05:25that we
00:05:26believe it's clear who the real heavyweight champion is these guys are stars too and before we see them
00:05:33a bantamweight championship fight between tim austin the cincinnati kid and ratana khai vora peen
00:05:39from thailand let's take a look at the tail of the tape for the two bantamweights and you'll see that
00:05:45they are both 30 years old austin with a two-inch height advantage and a six-inch reach advantage they
00:05:52both weighed in right at 118 and as they stepped on our unofficial hbo scales tonight vora peen dipped
00:05:59the scales at 120 austin up to 123 rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer harold letterman
00:06:06the tim austin ratana khai vora pin fight is scheduled for 12 rounds using the unified rules of
00:06:12the association of boxing commissions there is no three knockdown rule only the referee can stop the
00:06:18fight if a cut is caused by an accidental headbutt we go to the scorecards if the four rounds have
00:06:23been
00:06:23completed and you cannot be saved by the bell at any round including the 12th and final round jim
00:06:29all right harold as you watch tonight's telecast log on to hbo.com boxing where you can listen to
00:06:34the live corner audio choose which trainer and cornerman you'd like to listen to expert commentary
00:06:39check compu box punch stats see round by round photographs chat with other fans and most significantly
00:06:45you can vote for the favorite hbo fight of 2001 stay tuned for the results at the end of tonight's
00:06:51telecast when we'll also show you a special year-end feature of all the great drama in the ring that
00:06:56hbo
00:06:57has witnessed for you in this past year ratana high borapine former kick boxer from rural thailand
00:07:09northeast corner of thailand near the border of laos he and his brother ratana paul both
00:07:15migrated from kickboxing the traditional tie combat sport to prize fighting at an early age and
00:07:23you have seen the other vorapine brother most recently in his knockout loss to ricardo lopez
00:07:30on the undercard of lennox lewis and david tua in las vegas a year and a half ago
00:07:42morapine most recently scored a big victory over danny romero of albuquerque a few pounds up the weight
00:07:50scale and now has to come back down to 118 to face the hard punching tim austin as you can
00:07:59see
00:07:59he is a vastly experienced fighter
00:08:15and now here's the man called the cincinnati kid 1992 olympic bronze medalist
00:08:21team often he has had a sparse fight schedule since then still only with 24 professional wins up to
00:08:30this point but he's an unbeaten fighter and one of those fighters who finds himself
00:08:35often in a quandary trying to seek quality opposition because
00:08:40not many fighters want to risk their records and reputation against a puncher as hard as often
00:08:50as we mentioned this will be his eighth title defense at 118 pounds as he seeks greater prominence
00:08:58and bigger money he seems almost destined to have to move up to 122 or eventually even 126
00:09:09where bigger name fighters currently earn large paychecks and now let's go to ring announcer jimmy
00:09:17lennon jr incidentally as the evening goes on you'll be hearing of course from hbo boxing expert george
00:09:22foreman and hbo boxing analyst larry merchant both of them will be with me as the bout begins now let's
00:09:28go to ring announcer jimmy lennon jr for the official introductions
00:09:33ladies and gentlemen a very good evening to you and welcome to foxwoods resort and casino here in
00:09:40mashin tucket connecticut as we have a big night of action coming your way and it's all brought to
00:09:45you by don king productions in association with foxwoods casino hbo sports and buttweiser the undisputed
00:09:55king of beers this battle coming your way is the first of our world title special attractions
00:10:02it is sanctioned by the international boxing federation president marion muhammad supervisor
00:10:07mahasan scott along with the athletic commission of the mashin tucket pequot tribal nation our
00:10:14physicians at ringside chief physician dr michael schwartz along with dr anthony alessi dr joseph
00:10:20carpentieri and dr walter aiulachi timekeepers at the bell also keeping count to the knockdowns
00:10:26ludel and frank lombardi introducing our three judges scoring this bat from ringside from avon
00:10:32connecticut glenn feldman from providence rhode island robert paolino from west hartford connecticut
00:10:38george smith and the third man of the ring our referee in charge of this bout michael ortega
00:10:46right fans here we go 12 rounds of boxing for the ibf bantamweight championship of the world
00:10:56introducing to you first the challenger on my right fighting out of the blue corner
00:11:01entering the ring wearing white trunks with yellow trim joining us from bangkok thailand
00:11:07he weighed in at the bantamweight limit of 118 pounds his record stands at 40 wins five losses with
00:11:1528 wins coming by way of knockout here is the ivf number four rank contender introducing the
00:11:21challenger ratanachai vorapin
00:11:29and his opponent across the ring the defending world champion on my left fighting out of the red
00:11:35corner wearing black trunks with blue trim fighting out of his home of cincinnati ohio he weighed in the
00:11:42same as his opponent 118 pounds undefeated in his campaign to the ring with 23 wins no losses one
00:11:50draw and 21 big wins coming by way of knockout tonight he is making the eighth defense of his title
00:11:57please
00:11:57welcome the undefeated ibf bantamweight champion of the world known as the cincinnati kid introducing tim austin
00:12:13once again michael ortega our referee in charge now the instructions 12 rounds of boxing scheduled
00:12:30he's making the first time he's making the first time he's making the first time
00:12:31gentlemen we went over the rules in a good clean fight protect yourself at all times
00:12:35obey my commands at all times touch him up and good luck touch him up touch him up
00:12:41like john ruiz
00:12:44tim austin owns just one of the many belts in his division
00:12:49and he is regarded as the best vantamweight in the world the true champion and so we recognize this
00:13:00as a true championship fight
00:13:15two southpaws
00:13:18and so you have none of the southpaw versus conventional fighter awkwardness that is sometimes
00:13:47the case
00:13:47and if you're a hard punching southpaw like austin
00:13:52wants to set up hard right hand and left hand power shots george i'm sure
00:13:56you're kind of glad to see a southpaw opponent there
00:14:00softpaws even if you are softball they're the most difficult fighters to fight
00:14:04in the gym you can seldom find a whole lot of softpaws to spar with
00:14:09and naturally you want to go in the opposite direction because that's where you're handling
00:14:12knives and fogs and all that so this is not going to be easy it's not going to be easy
00:14:18for
00:14:18either one of these guys for either one of these guys so because they have so much more experience
00:14:22fighting against conventional fighters it's still a quandary to fight against the southpaw
00:14:38there's no need in being taller and having longer arms if you don't use them
00:14:43and for the challenger he better go out there and win the first five rounds hands down because you
00:14:48don't want to get exchanged one fighter win one round another win the other and you're trying to take
00:14:53his title tough assignment for vorapine he has a history as a slow starter tends to build the
00:14:59tempo as the rounds go on and amazingly to us he left thailand and flew here to the woods of
00:15:06connecticut wednesday three days ago on the 12th crossing the international date line and coming from
00:15:12a place with a 12 hour time difference from the time zone here to fight on only three days preparation
00:15:20got to be extremely difficult for war being in his head jim it's a quarter eleven in the morning
00:15:26but that doesn't really matter if you're a fighter you get hit in the face out there all of that
00:15:30goes
00:15:31out of the door yeah you're not likely to sleep defending yourself out there in that ring
00:15:36the only good if you lose is a good excuse relatively slow first rounds austin landed some jabs early
00:15:45warping now finally comes forward and tries to attack but austin spins away
00:15:55warping you can realize if he just goes to the body keep everything aimed low
00:16:00get closer and land more shots don't aim for the hit so early in the boxing match because
00:16:05austin is so tall and he knows how to get out of the way well particularly to get closer
00:16:10part george it just doesn't look like warping would get much done from out at distance where
00:16:15he's been for most of this round he's starting to jab to the chest right jab right in the chest
00:16:22of
00:16:22austin this time bob warping
00:16:32the best part of this round was the boxing trunks as we as we go to as we go to
00:16:37warping's corner
00:16:39between rounds they'll speak tie in warping's corner and our interpreter is yielded who starts and
00:16:47and he'll handle the tie interpretation for us zip the shot up under there and back out you know keep
00:16:52faith left go right don't let him get his feet squared up you're doing all right he's reaching for
00:16:57your jab at right hook straight left hand with speed you ain't got it
00:17:08after you get out quick don't stay in there
00:17:13try to hit the body stay close yeah take a deep breath
00:17:24landed two 10 of austin's 12 connected punches were jabs so the first round belonged to tim austin's jab
00:17:44and he's going to get in there and he's going to get in and get out
00:17:48and he seems more determined early in this round to at least begin to try to cut down the distance
00:17:52between himself and austin
00:17:56i said earlier it's very important for a challenger for a pin to get in there and try to win
00:18:01the first
00:18:02three rounds make sure that certain the judges know that hey i'm taking this guy's title don't let
00:18:07let him get ahead and then he can coast hard to take a title away from the champion
00:18:24the good thing about war up in is that he has a lot more experience he's been in this position
00:18:30with
00:18:30the total opponents before and war up being wobbled by a right and a left cross by austin austin's
00:18:39starting to open up and fire the left hand as he steps in closer
00:18:44body shot by austin and the left hand over the top
00:19:06and a fighter like austin starts throwing those big punches from outside because he thinks that he's
00:19:17and vulnerable to anything his opponent has to offer
00:19:23and austin is in the position in his career of wanting to make
00:19:29not just a winning performance but an eye-catching performance every time out this believe it or not
00:19:36is only the second time he's making money in six figures
00:19:52nine years 24 fights for austin it's difficult at that work rate to become the superstar he'd like to be
00:20:00it's also different difficult in this low weight class as an american fighter if he wants to make
00:20:07an impact he's going to have to move up to the featherweight divisions where there are so many more
00:20:12named opponents for austin stretches those legs so far apart if you think you're close to him he just
00:20:20closes them up so far away mark your 2002 calendars for these here now that left hand he's under bring
00:20:29the shot underneath and over here's austin showing some long punches uh it seemed that vorapin was
00:20:39uh more uh trying to get out of the way of the punches than really hurt by any of those
00:20:45absolutely i said he'd been wobbled by a punch turned out from the replay you could see he was more
00:20:50off balance than uh pushed back but vorapin already i think has some blood coming from his head
00:20:56and uh will be getting a little bit more desperate and he showed us against danny romero
00:21:02in that upset that he can be a dangerous fighter when he gets desperate
00:21:09and once you've had a lot of experience of being beaten up by longer reach guys
00:21:13you know that when the opportunity presented stuff you just got to charge in and take
00:21:18chances that's what he did the last of the other round he just decided wow first of this round also
00:21:25the chances are greater if you just get wild and stop trying to be orthodox with austin good body
00:21:31shots by mark in his big victory over danny romero the wind that propelled him into this title shot
00:21:38warupin was cut early in the fight developed that sense of urgency that larry was talking about
00:21:45and stepped in and took command scope he's now been warned twice for low blows
00:21:53going to the body is the right tactic right now to try to slow the faster man down
00:22:10and austin's got to make certain that he doesn't fall straight to those ropes hard left hand by borapine
00:22:16momentarily stuns austin and borapine steps in the chase sensing that austin was wobbled by the right
00:22:23hand and it's the rope it's the ropes you gotta stay away from the ropes when you're in with the
00:22:28short
00:22:28opponent another big right by borapine now austin has his legs and wits about him he does seem slightly
00:22:38off balance off center perhaps a little bit dazed
00:22:43he stayed with his right jab though he didn't lose lose his paw one of the great physical
00:22:49contrasts i've ever seen in a lower weight class is the difference between borapine's legs and austin's
00:22:55legs borapine like so many asian fighters has soccer legs they're like tree trunks austin has toothpicks in there
00:23:05they're a kickboxer's legs
00:23:12we used to think prince nassim's legs were amazing this guy has stronger legs than maz
00:23:17and weighs less austin has the thai noodle legs
00:23:24european's brother has a thai noodle shop
00:23:28austin is starting to loosen up a little bit and understand that i just can't box this guy
00:23:32and keep him up with my jab i'm gonna have to hurt him with something that's what he's deciding to
00:23:36do
00:23:36now open up with some power shots throwing more left hands and he misses wildly with that line
00:23:52take a deep breath tell him next time low blow i'm going to take a point okay that's twice
00:23:58good good good good good good guys right yeah
00:24:05come on with that that's like good man okay my wife doesn't flow it hold on hold on
00:24:13counter left all right and hit this fan to the body if you hit his body his hands gonna come
00:24:20next
00:24:21all right he's going to wide shots he's got to go right back down here on the ropes
00:24:26warpen lands a solid straight right hand right on the bridge of the nose after a right hook
00:24:37the important thing about this little exchange is that it gave warpen some hope
00:24:43that if he presses the action he can make something happen let's go might have given him the round two
00:24:49copy box numbers in round three found them both landing the same number of punches 13 out of 63
00:24:55for austin 13 out of 51 for warpen warpen with the edge and power shots he was the aggressor in
00:25:00that
00:25:00round harold how do you have it through three okay jim 29 28 two rats to one timmy austin jim
00:25:07you had
00:25:07to give that third round to uh with tanhud warpen to tell you the truth i mean he landed the
00:25:12defining
00:25:12punches in the round i mean you know clear-cut real good shots jim watch the uh the right jab
00:25:17at timmy austin
00:25:18although it's a very effective punch it's borderline backhand if you throw it back in
00:25:23it's illegal and you can often hear his corner yelling don't backhand don't backhand
00:25:37now austin has got it with his reach got his opponent throwing wild and reaching out
00:25:42that's what you want to do keep the jab coming though don't don't let him get any closer
00:25:57stop jabbing the guy gets closer he gets relaxed then all of a sudden those punches that he's missing
00:26:02with start to hit you in the chest that's when the trouble starts there you are right there
00:26:10for some reason also has stopped throwing his jab there it goes again
00:26:17barbent has got to coast him and blow him in to stop jabbing
00:26:21yeah
00:26:38now austin goes back to working the jab again
00:26:43but george he seems he seems to want to be set to try to fire a big left hand
00:26:47when vorapine is coming in adamant as a result isn't beating him to the punch with the jab the way
00:26:51he can well he he want to keep this fight on the outside that's what he want to do he's
00:26:56jabbing
00:26:56doing an excellent job but he's been caught a lot of low punches that means his legs are going to
00:27:01slow
00:27:01down in a bit he's going to have to tantalize him with the jab
00:27:07on the other hand vorapine's face is beginning to show the effects of austin's jab
00:27:14as there is puffiness around both eyes
00:27:17and discoloration along the forehead
00:27:20austin's doing a little body movement you want to do that but you want to make certain your head on
00:27:24your
00:27:31points
00:27:31and as we go to the corners between rounds
00:27:50george let's take a quick look at the comparative size of these two fighters legs just because
00:27:56it's such a dramatic contract and you tell me is there any implication for what ultimately can
00:28:03happen in the fight as the result of the fact that one guy is just so much more strongly based
00:28:07than the
00:28:08other not at all all of it is just looks it's just looks no arnold swastzenegger could tell you
00:28:13something about those like he out pointed anyone in those uh tournaments with good legs like that
00:28:19but it's not bodybuilding it's boxing and uh it's no liability to austin in your view that uh he's
00:28:24fighting against a guy whose legs are twice as big as his he's fighting he's gonna win this on heart
00:28:28it's inside hitting hidden from the from the public there you see austin was 12 out of 33 on his
00:28:35jab
00:28:35in round four by copy box numbers when he does that it's difficult for vorapine to get in and pressure
00:28:42him
00:28:48oh
00:28:48austin begins round five with the jab
00:28:55austin is starting to be a little closer as you can see there's not much distance between one
00:29:00right foot and the others right on the line pretty close on the line austin asking referee michael ortega
00:29:08if Borupin shouldn't be penalized for low blows.
00:29:10And Ortega saying they're on the belt line.
00:29:19After the referee has helped you out, Austin,
00:29:21don't get this trouble in anymore
00:29:23because he's already gave a warning.
00:29:34Borupin is getting the distance, and he's not closing in.
00:29:36He's not doing anything about it.
00:29:38Once you get close, punches have to come.
00:30:02Borupin stepping up his level of aggression here in round five.
00:30:05Oh, Austin lands a counter-right that drives Borupin back.
00:30:11Big left hand over the top by the tie fighter.
00:30:19Oh, Austin doesn't seem to want to move anymore.
00:30:28Acting like an aggressive momentary.
00:30:31He's not backing up anymore.
00:30:33That's not a good sign for Borupin.
00:30:35Going backhand, going backhand.
00:30:43Body shot's too, by Austin.
00:30:45Good right hand body shot.
00:30:47Now he gets more accurate with the left.
00:30:49Borupin drives him back with a left and a right into the zone
00:30:52and creates space to get out of the corner.
00:30:56All of the things the challenger should be doing,
00:30:59the champion is doing.
00:31:01He's going to the body.
00:31:02He's backing the challenger up.
00:31:07Because he can.
00:31:11You're supposed to risk it all.
00:31:12If you're challenger for the world title,
00:31:14you've got to risk everything.
00:31:16Last thing you want to do is back away.
00:31:29Borupin smiling at Austin as if to say,
00:31:31I've tasted your power and I can take it.
00:31:36Austin looking for sharper and bigger left-hand shots.
00:31:42Time.
00:31:47Still to come tonight,
00:31:49Gian Ruiz tries to make his statement
00:31:51as one of the very top heavyweights in the sport.
00:31:54As he fights Evander Holyfield for the third time,
00:31:57Ruiz says, hey, nobody's tougher than Holyfield.
00:32:01I invite any other heavyweight to fight him,
00:32:04regardless of what you think of his age.
00:32:07And Gian Ruiz has gone 24 tough rounds
00:32:09with Evander Holyfield already.
00:32:11The first two fights were very similar.
00:32:13Will the third be yet another 12-round battle?
00:32:18We shall see.
00:32:20The largely pro-Gian Ruiz crowd on hand.
00:32:25Now what's going on here?
00:32:27George.
00:32:29Borupin down on his knees
00:32:31with the trainer pushing at his back.
00:32:34He's been throwing a lot of wild shots.
00:32:36And remember the old story of Sonny Liston?
00:32:39Missing Muhammad Ali in Florida?
00:32:42Throws your back out.
00:32:45So Borupin appearing to have trouble
00:32:47with the lower back.
00:32:48You've got to be careful
00:32:49throwing all those shots
00:32:50outside of the boxing arena.
00:33:01And a jab to your head
00:33:03can also throw you back out.
00:33:10Borupin is starting to be the aggressor again.
00:33:12That's the way you want to do it
00:33:13if you're the challenger.
00:33:14Take it to him every round.
00:33:17He's got to be careful.
00:33:21Borupin has a rope burn
00:33:23on the front of his right shoulder
00:33:24from one of the moments
00:33:26when he leaped at Austin
00:33:27and wound up crashing against the ropes instead.
00:33:29He's doing a lot of leaping, and that's not good.
00:33:35But when he's close, like right now, he's not doing anything.
00:33:37He waits until his opponent gets...
00:33:39the champion gets far away, then he tries to.
00:33:43Tries to jump at him.
00:33:45Too many low blows?
00:33:46Time. One point. Hey, don't blow.
00:33:49Michael Ortega removing a point...
00:33:51One point. No blow.
00:33:52...from Atanahai Warapin.
00:33:55Time in.
00:33:57Warapin looking at his corner as if he's confused by that.
00:34:01The referee was very generous,
00:34:03has been generous throughout the fight.
00:34:04He's allowed him to get away with a few,
00:34:06but he just couldn't anymore.
00:34:08Yeah, but, George, look how high Austin's trunks are.
00:34:11He's allowed him to get away with the border shots.
00:34:14Because of the high trunks.
00:34:16Because of the hard shots.
00:34:17But when he gets a little too low, he has no choice.
00:34:20Warapin went downstairs again.
00:34:23Got away with him.
00:34:32And now Warapin perhaps sensing that things are slipping away on the scorecards.
00:34:38Begins to show even more reckless aggression.
00:34:41But it's just reckless aggression.
00:34:43It's not tactical aggression.
00:34:45He's doing the best he can at this point.
00:34:48But that's what he does.
00:34:49He does it.
00:34:51He's never out of the fight.
00:34:53Keeps throwing shots.
00:34:56Those jabs are enough to just drive up your backbone crazy.
00:34:59They do it.
00:35:18Tim Austin is called the Cincinnati kid because he's from Cincinnati, but I believe he's only fought there once as
00:35:27a professional, which was his last fight.
00:35:34One reason he's had difficulty making money is because he doesn't have much of a following.
00:35:47Big left-hand counter shot by Warrapin. Warrapin is playing counter punch, you know, you don't want to do that.
00:35:57And grinning at Austin, trying to play a little bit of a mental game with him, but in round five,
00:36:05Timmy Austin threw 69 punches, his highest output of the fight, and threw a lot more in round six.
00:36:26Larry, let's take a look at some of Warrapin's, I called it, reckless aggression.
00:36:35Well, it's the best he can do against a tall, sure-footed, quick-footed, very smart opponent.
00:36:45And there's a blow right on the belt line, and as we pointed out earlier, that's a very high belt
00:36:52line Tim Austin has.
00:36:59Tim goes right back to that right jab, tic-tac-toe.
00:37:04He's connected on 57 jabs in the fight by copy box numbers to only 14 for Warrapin, who gives up
00:37:12height and reach.
00:37:13Harold, into the second half of the fight, how do you have it scored through six?
00:37:16Okay, Jim, I got it five rounds to one, 59-54, Timmy Austin.
00:37:20Round six becomes a 10-8 round if Austin won it, because Warrapin loses a point on a low blow.
00:37:26And, you know, Jim, sometimes you can hear that shot hit the cup, but I think that's what Mike Ortega
00:37:31did.
00:37:31I mean, virtually you could hear it, it's been so low.
00:37:34The defining point for low blow is still a belly button.
00:37:37Larry Merchant is 100% right.
00:37:39He does have those trunks high, but you have to picture where the belly button is.
00:37:43Anything below the belly button is a low blow.
00:37:46Are you telling us, Harold, that everybody has their belly button in the same place?
00:37:51No, Larry, but, you know, you've got to have some defining point.
00:37:54And, you know, in boxing, traditionally, it's been the belly button.
00:37:59And, Larry, both people have it on the belly.
00:38:04Lower height.
00:38:04Lower height.
00:38:05If I can.
00:38:07Where are you?
00:38:09Austin is doing a little pot shot now.
00:38:11And here you are, you're a challenger, and you're on the ropes waiting for one shot.
00:38:16You don't want to do that.
00:38:19This is your opportunity to fight for the title.
00:38:21You've got to get out there and try it.
00:38:24Even if you miss, you keep trying.
00:38:40Outgunned in terms of skill.
00:38:43Outbodied by the taller ranger, Austin.
00:38:48Thorapin tries to roughhouse, land the sucker punch, do whatever he can to change what is basic reality ending.
00:38:58That's why, if you're a challenger, you want to get out there and win the first six or seven rounds
00:39:02to make the champion come to you so you can get him with hard shots.
00:39:07Easier said than done against a good champion like this.
00:39:12You just don't box them.
00:39:13You just fight them.
00:39:14Fight them.
00:39:15I really want to.
00:39:15Me too.
00:39:28But it has to happen in the gym.
00:39:30You can't wait until a boxing match to let it happen.
00:39:33Training camp should be all about that.
00:39:35First sixth round.
00:39:40I want it too.
00:39:42Step on.
00:39:43Step on.
00:39:53Rory Penn has fought the other top 118-pound American, Mark Johnson.
00:39:59Johnson defeated him.
00:40:00He's slipping away from him.
00:40:03All right?
00:40:04He's sitting in the head.
00:40:05All right?
00:40:06We need it.
00:40:07Okay, you're going to hit him to the head.
00:40:08He's got a big old head.
00:40:09You hit that body and start zipping him up a sec.
00:40:12Cuts, everything's going to come to you.
00:40:14Ten.
00:40:15Okay, body shot.
00:40:16Give me a body shot and uppercut.
00:40:19Left hand around here and get out.
00:40:21Right over here and get out.
00:40:22Hit it up the middle.
00:40:24He's got his hands out here now.
00:40:25I need them uppercuts.
00:40:31Overhand.
00:40:33Overhand.
00:40:34Move.
00:40:35Keep moving.
00:40:36Keep moving.
00:40:37No.
00:40:39No.
00:40:42You look up, okay?
00:40:44Try to trick him.
00:40:46Try to frighten him.
00:40:51Stay there.
00:40:53Mixing in a little English over in Morabine's corner.
00:40:56Overhand.
00:40:57Boom, boom.
00:40:58Overhand.
00:40:59Did I hear him say you've got to trick him?
00:41:03I think so.
00:41:15The guy with 21 knockouts and his 23 wins often shows a lot of patience.
00:41:20Maybe that's why he's got the 21 knockouts and 23 wins, because he's patient enough to wait for things to
00:41:25come his way.
00:41:26And he moves like a cat, just able to go forward and backward with the same precision.
00:41:36Customarily, when a fighter like Austin is just too good for his weight class and isn't making a lot of
00:41:44money in that weight class, he's eager to move up.
00:41:56If he's ever made to go forward and you're going to be a lot to work on winning, Larry.
00:42:01If it was all about money, Larry, there wouldn't be any boxing matchers.
00:42:05I'm just, you know, I mean, we want to see him in good fights, hopefully moving up and
00:42:11weight the way most fighters do, but he's very content here, and he's been fighting
00:42:16for eight, nine years since the 92 Olympics, all at the same weight.
00:42:28You got to plan your work.
00:42:30Sugar Ray Robinson told me, plan your work and work your plan.
00:42:34Don't let anything, you know, strange advice sneak in on you.
00:42:39What a telling and poignant comment.
00:42:41If it were all about money, there wouldn't be any boxing matches.
00:42:45No, no, no, no.
00:42:46That's the truth.
00:42:53I believe George is right.
00:42:55And that's true even for the multimillionaires in the sport.
00:42:58Right.
00:42:58I mean, why is Evander Holyfield fighting?
00:43:00It's not about the money.
00:43:03Shouldn't be anyway.
00:43:07Tell you what though, a million dollars can be a lot of burdens.
00:43:10Whoa.
00:43:13Right hook to the body by the champion.
00:43:16Long arms and a body punch.
00:43:18Now you wouldn't suspect with the thinness of his legs that he'd be throwing power shots
00:43:24to the back.
00:43:26But they're the only legs he's ever had.
00:43:29You got to do what you have.
00:43:31You got to do with what you have.
00:43:32That's right.
00:43:33He's going to have to do it with these legs.
00:43:48Solid left hand shot over the top by Austin.
00:43:51One of Austin's most effective power punch combinations in the fight.
00:43:55And a rocking right after the bell.
00:44:00He's still fighting.
00:44:01He's made a lot of money.
00:44:04Go for the weave.
00:44:05Rebel may not go.
00:44:11Austin.
00:44:12Austin with a very accurate round in round eight by CompuBox numbers.
00:44:15He landed 27 out of 58 punches.
00:44:17The 27 connects.
00:44:19Highest number of the fight so far for Austin.
00:44:2119 out of his 45 punches were jabs.
00:44:31The good thing about Austin, he has great conditioning.
00:44:34Still able to snap that right jab.
00:44:37That's not an easy task.
00:44:42When you've been hit below the belt, somebody punches too.
00:44:46Still snapping this jab.
00:44:50All right.
00:44:53Boyle Penn has just got to take a chance.
00:44:55Take a chance.
00:44:56Get wild.
00:44:56Stay wild.
00:44:58Can't win a boxing match.
00:44:59You got to make it into a fight.
00:45:02You mean a brawl.
00:45:04Yep.
00:45:06Well, he's trying, to his credit, because he's taken a beating in this fight.
00:45:11Talk about Austin's conditioning.
00:45:13Consider that he's shown constancy and stayed in shape,
00:45:16despite, as we've mentioned several times, the relatively sparse fighting schedule.
00:45:21Only 24 pro fights in nine years as a professional.
00:45:26And despite the fact that he's a knockout punter who's accustomed to putting his opponents away early.
00:45:31He says that he found his connection to God and became a religious person after both of his parents died.
00:45:38And that's what sustains him in the gym.
00:45:40Are you counting against him?
00:45:42Still reaching for the fotbooty.
00:45:43Warapine just cannot get close with those shots.
00:45:54Body punches right on the belt line by Borapine.
00:45:57He's already lost one point for low blows.
00:46:13Good timing on the counter from Borapine there.
00:46:22This is a good round for Borapine.
00:46:26Until that moment, it was.
00:46:30Don't back in, don't back in.
00:46:32Until he paused to admire what he had done up to that point.
00:46:34Take your hand.
00:46:36Hand, hand, hand.
00:46:39Big nose.
00:46:43Big nose.
00:46:45Big nose.
00:46:54Big nose.
00:46:55Big nose.
00:46:56Big nose.
00:46:56Big nose.
00:46:58Big nose.
00:46:58Well, right there.
00:46:59Big nose.
00:47:01Big nose.
00:47:01Let's get it.
00:47:01Just get it off.
00:47:02Let's get it on the line.
00:47:02Come on out!
00:47:04I like the way the champion goes when he's on the ropes, turns right back around and gets
00:47:09into the middle of the ring again.
00:47:16Okay, take a deep breath, take a deep breath, three times, go to the body, we try to get
00:47:32away from you, 10 round now, go forward, okay, go to the body, come on now, okay now, come
00:47:48on through, come on through baby, we're going down the stretch, come on now, come on, let's
00:47:54go, let's boldly go where we got to go, come on now, come on start closing these rounds
00:48:01strong.
00:48:02Come on now, kick it, come on.
00:48:07In case you feel like you recognize Tim Austin's trainer but aren't sure, that's Aaron Snowell,
00:48:1410 years ago, he was the trainer of Mike Tyson, first man to train Tyson after Tyson left the
00:48:19cocoon of Custom Auto and Kevin Rooney.
00:48:23Round 10 begins, Harold, how do you have it through nine?
00:48:26Okay, Jim, I got it seven rounds to two, 88-82, Timmy Austin.
00:48:31Somewhere or another, Borupin got in enough left hands to win that ninth round.
00:48:34Jim, you know, we often talk about the scoring, we talk about our defensive ring generalship.
00:48:38Look at how Timmy Austin keeps Borupin just in a distance where he can hit Borupin and
00:48:43Borupin can't hit him.
00:48:44Good ring generalship.
00:48:45Also, great defense by Austin.
00:48:47Look at those elbows in tight, arms up high, blocks the shots with the elbows and the gloves.
00:48:53At least usually he does, although he got hit by a left hand and a right hand there while
00:48:58you were talking about it.
00:49:00In order for a short, stocky fighter like Borupin to beat a classy fighter like Austin,
00:49:08he has to be able to punch harder than he apparently can.
00:49:15Some of those clean punches have just not done enough damage to Austin.
00:49:22That's what makes Manny Pacquiao, the Philippines, such an interesting and exciting young fighter
00:49:27is you don't often see an Asian fighter with real power and Pacquiao has it.
00:49:31He fights at 122 pounds, one weight class up from here.
00:49:35And would be an interesting opponent for Austin, because like Austin, he's a southpaw power puncher.
00:49:42Austin keeps the distance.
00:49:44He throws the hard shot and never closes in.
00:49:47He keeps that same distance.
00:49:53Borupin is moving around just hoping that this guy will get careless
00:49:56and try to finish him off with a hard shot so he can catch him in the exchange.
00:50:04Austin acting kind of cocky now, as if he thinks he has Borupin where he wants him,
00:50:12which I guess is in the ring.
00:50:18He's made a tough opponent look not too tough tonight.
00:50:21Borupin is a tough guy.
00:50:23He just can't get off with that right jab of Austin.
00:50:29And although only two of Tim's previous fights have ever gone the distance,
00:50:32he seems, actually three have gone the distance,
00:50:36he seems quite content to go ahead and pound out a decision against Borupin.
00:50:40He doesn't seem as though he's anywhere close to likely to take a kind of chance
00:50:44that would give Borupin an opportunity to land one big shot.
00:50:49That Austin has a jab that will throw back to Sandy Sadler with those lean, skinny legs and arms.
00:50:56You wonder where they're getting the power from.
00:50:58I sense that Austin senses that Borupin might be ready to go.
00:51:08He's really letting go with all these punches now.
00:51:12Very quickly between rounds here, let's give you a preview of the styles of the two heavyweights you'll be seeing
00:51:18in the main event
00:51:19as established in their first two fights with each other.
00:51:21John Ruiz has been most effective against Evander Holyfield landing the right hand.
00:51:26He's landed the right hand because he's been able to set it up with his jab,
00:51:29throwing more depth than Holyfield in both of their two previous fights.
00:51:33By and large, Ruiz most effective when he's at a distance and not in-fighting with Holyfield.
00:51:39Because Holyfield, when he's able to get inside, is more adept than Ruiz at throwing combinations
00:51:45and has been able to pressure John Ruiz from close range, particularly with the left hook,
00:51:50which you saw him landing accurately twice there.
00:51:54Holyfield, meanwhile, is the more physical of the two fighters.
00:51:57And in both fights, Ruiz and his corner complained relentlessly to the referees about perceived Holyfield fouls.
00:52:05They believe that Holyfield has butted, has hit low, has thrown elbows, and has otherwise fouled Ruiz.
00:52:12Evander says, it's because of Ruiz's awkward style, it's hard for me to get out of his way.
00:52:20In round 10, Timmy Austin threw a copy box high, 84 punches.
00:52:24That's his highest number for the fight.
00:52:27Landing 25 of them, as George Foreman pointed out.
00:52:30Austin is in immaculate condition.
00:52:33That's what it takes when you're going 12 rounds and you've got to depend on that right jab, as he's
00:52:37doing.
00:52:38It takes power in the legs to just keep the snap in those punches.
00:52:44When you're not in condition, your jabs fall over your guy with your opponent's head,
00:52:49and count yourself clutching and clutching and holding.
00:53:01You mentioned the great Sandy Sadler, George.
00:53:04One of a variety of significant boxing figures to have passed away in this year of 2001.
00:53:08We lost a great one in Sandy Sadler.
00:53:13He can stick those long arms out there.
00:53:16Keep them on you.
00:53:17If you get them to the ropes, you stick it.
00:53:18Move out of the ropes, you stick it.
00:53:20He can also stick it with his pointy elbows.
00:53:28Oh, my gosh.
00:53:30Sandy was the fighter.
00:53:38Now Vara Penn has got picking his shots a little bit.
00:53:41You've got to get a little wilder if you want to pull the title away.
00:53:52Come on.
00:53:54Come on.
00:53:55Come on.
00:53:55Come on.
00:53:56Come on.
00:53:57Back.
00:53:58Low blow by Austin.
00:54:01The referee has allowed them to hit right on the edge of the top borderline of the trunks,
00:54:05and not on the lower borderline.
00:54:10One minute.
00:54:11Hold up.
00:54:12Hold up.
00:54:15Come on.
00:54:17Come on.
00:54:19Come on.
00:54:28Austin has never lost concentration of his original fight point.
00:54:32Jab.
00:54:33Move in.
00:54:34Move out.
00:54:35Straight length.
00:54:36Move in.
00:54:37Move out.
00:54:40It's hard to fight a boxer who sticks to his playing.
00:54:50Particularly when he's taller and better than you are.
00:54:53You really want to get them mad so they can get wilder.
00:54:57As Austin almost did there.
00:54:59He misses, but he still keeps his distance.
00:55:03Misses you by a mile, and he stays away about a half mile.
00:55:16We're on the way home, Tim.
00:55:18We're in 12.
00:55:19We're in 12.
00:55:20See how you zipped that uppercut in there?
00:55:22You finally gave it to me.
00:55:24Eddie.
00:55:24Eddie.
00:55:24Just don't get careless.
00:55:25Eddie.
00:55:26Watch this water all over the place.
00:55:28Okay.
00:55:31Come on.
00:55:31One more round.
00:55:32One more round.
00:55:32One more round to go.
00:55:35You got to win this round.
00:55:37Okay.
00:55:37Come on, buddy.
00:55:37You got to win this round.
00:55:41Over here.
00:55:41You had it.
00:55:44Okay.
00:55:45Good body shot.
00:55:46Down and up with your jab, baby.
00:55:48Down and up with your jab.
00:55:50Even if you got to touch.
00:55:52Okay.
00:55:53Come on.
00:55:57Come on.
00:55:59Okay.
00:55:59This is the last round now.
00:56:01One more round.
00:56:15Keep your hand in.
00:56:16Keep it in.
00:56:17Well, it's been a long week for Ratanahai Vorapin.
00:56:20He left Bangkok on Wednesday, December 12th.
00:56:26And flew overnight crossing the international date line.
00:56:29Arrived here on Wednesday, December 12th.
00:56:31Only to fight three days later.
00:56:33Now he's had to go the distance against Tim Austin.
00:56:35And Harold Lederman, how do you have it scored?
00:56:38Coming to the last round.
00:56:39Okay, Jim.
00:56:40Nine to two.
00:56:41Keep your hand in.
00:56:42100.
00:56:43108, 100.
00:56:44Very, very decisive so far for Timmy Austin.
00:56:46I think it's going to be hard for him to lose this fight.
00:56:49Movement.
00:56:50Great right jab.
00:56:51Clean punching.
00:56:52Good defense.
00:56:53Beautiful ring generalship.
00:56:54He's the total package.
00:56:55He's in complete control of this fight.
00:56:59If Vorapin could just land one of those hooks.
00:57:01This guy has thin legs.
00:57:03He can drop it.
00:57:05Take a chance.
00:57:07Just take a chance.
00:57:09I thought the size of the legs had no implications for the progress of the fight.
00:57:13And I don't, I think Vorapin.
00:57:15The fight, but I mean a knockdown.
00:57:17Right.
00:57:17Those guys, if you can just hit, clip them on the chin.
00:57:22Get yourself something good.
00:57:24Now you are just missed.
00:57:25Just missed with a straight left hand.
00:57:28Gotta take a chance.
00:57:29Don't worry about getting cut.
00:57:31Now Austin lands his left down the pipe.
00:57:35And Austin using his feet to try to ensure a victory.
00:57:40Yesterday at the fighter meeting, Larry Merchant asked for Tanahai Vorapin,
00:57:44said, do you think it's possible you could fly all the way here from Thailand
00:57:47and get a decision over Tim Austin in America?
00:57:50And Vorapin said, yes, I'm very happy to be here.
00:57:53It's either meant that he didn't understand the question
00:57:55or he didn't want to acknowledge it.
00:57:57Well, you see this, the last round, and who's the aggressor?
00:58:00Not the guy who traveled from afar.
00:58:03He's still challenging the champion.
00:58:06He's not tired at all.
00:58:09If he could just get one in, just one.
00:58:12Tripp, he failed just for nothing.
00:58:15Tripp, not a knockdown.
00:58:18Tripp, in your gloves.
00:58:20Right?
00:58:20No knockdown.
00:58:23One punch to the chin.
00:58:24He can change everything.
00:58:26Almost got it.
00:58:28George, you think like a puncher.
00:58:32Vorapin is also.
00:58:34Gotta get him though.
00:58:36You just can't wait.
00:58:37Almost got it.
00:58:38One, two, three, four.
00:58:40One, two, three, four, here.
00:58:471, two, three, four.
00:58:48One, two, three, four, here.
00:59:07Well, superior technique and impeccable control throughout the fight
00:59:12appear to have earned Tim Austin a successful defense of the World Bantamweight Championship.
00:59:23I think with this purse, Vorabin can buy another noodle shop.
00:59:28To match his brother's noodle shop.
00:59:31I'm going to buy it again, I'm in it!
00:59:36What did he tell us his favorite noodles were, Jim, with oxblood?
00:59:41That's right. Oxblood noodles.
00:59:48With a little blood in them, that's what he said.
00:59:52And he shed a little blood tonight.
00:59:54He started to say he can put his own blood in there, right?
00:59:56Gave a gallant effort against the fighter with just too much class.
01:00:02So, what about future opponents for Austin as we await a decision here, Larry?
01:00:08Well, if he wants to move up, there's Mark Johnson.
01:00:11Everybody would love to see him fight Mark Johnson.
01:00:14Pauli Ayala, Clarence Adams in the 122-pound.
01:00:20Manny Pacquiao.
01:00:21That may be the most makeable of these fights.
01:00:24Pacquiao, I should say, because all the other fighters here are Bob Arum fighters and Timmy Austin is a Don
01:00:32King fighter and the Twain seldom meet.
01:00:37And, of course, if he wants to go up still higher to the featherweight division, there's Barrera and Morales.
01:00:43And being as tall as he is and quick as he is, he could be effective as a featherweight.
01:00:50All right, let's go to ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. right now and find out by what margin Tim Austin
01:00:55has won the fight.
01:00:58Ladies and gentlemen, after 12 rounds of action, the judges are in agreement.
01:01:02We have a unanimous decision.
01:01:04Here are the score totals.
01:01:05Judge at ringside, Glenn Feldman scores the bat 115 to 112.
01:01:11Judge George Smith sees it 117 to 110.
01:01:15And Judge Robert Paolino scores the bat 118 to 109.
01:01:20All three in favor of the winner.
01:01:23Still undefeated and still the IBF batomweight champion of the world, the Cincinnati kid, Tim Austin.
01:01:40A unanimous decision victory for the fighter whose style.
01:01:45Class, superior technique, controlled the bite from the beginning.
01:01:49Let's take a look at final CompuBox numbers.
01:01:51And you'll see that Austin landed 120 more punches than his opponent.
01:01:56Threw 220 or 275 more punches than his opponent.
01:02:02And landed at a higher percentage as well.
01:02:07Jabs dominated the fight for Austin.
01:02:09He landed 108 more jabs than his opponent.
01:02:12And threw more than twice as many.
01:02:16Throwing 561 jabs in a fight when you are the taller fighter.
01:02:20A likely tactic for victory.
01:02:25So Tim Austin remains unbeaten and looks forward to bigger things.
01:02:31Meanwhile, still to come tonight, John Ruiz.
01:02:43John Ruiz risks his heavyweight title belt and risks it against a man who has himself won the real heavyweight
01:02:54championship of the world three times in his career.
01:02:57Evander Holyfield getting ready to call to action one more time next against Ruiz.
01:03:05The final one is a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has
01:03:05a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has
01:03:05a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has
01:03:05a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has
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01:03:05a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has
01:03:05a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has
01:03:05a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has
01:03:05a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has a man who has
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01:03:06a
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