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Terrible Terry Norris defends his IBF/WBC Super Welterweight Titles against Alex Rios on Showtime Boxing PPV.
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00:00Finisher, the big left hook, finishing off Ray Lovato here in controversial fashion.
00:06Coming up later here at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, the main event, Seldon vs. Tyson.
00:11Bruce Seldon and Mike Tyson will square off for the WBA Heavyweight Championship.
00:15For more on our featured attraction and a close-up look at Mike Tyson, let's throw it back up to
00:19Jim Hill.
00:22Mike Tyson remains one of the most fascinating figures in all of sports.
00:26Despite the fact that Tyson has been in the spotlight since he was a teenager,
00:29the man behind the myth remains somewhat of a mystery.
00:32During his preparation for tonight's fight, the former and current champion let his guard down
00:36and reflected on his recent experiences and how they have affected him.
00:50I was away for four years and I've been in prison and I've been through a great deal of degradation
00:56and disrespect.
00:58But you can't expect somebody to get over something in a year that he dealt with for three and a
01:01half years.
01:02I think that for me it really did a number on me and it's hard to really explain.
01:07Tyson now lives and trains in the secluded farm country of Ohio,
01:11far from the pressures of fame and the temptations of the past.
01:28Despite his reluctance for publicity and insistence on privacy,
01:32Tyson knows he stands on the brink of boxing greatness.
01:35I never want to put myself in a position where I feel that I'm great.
01:38That's a vulnerable position to be in when you think you're invisible.
01:42I never want to be in that position where I believe that I'm invincible when I'm younger.
01:45To this day, I sometimes, I say, how the hell do I get here?
01:48I look at myself, I'm not the biggest guy in the world, I'm not the strongest guy in the world.
01:51I say to myself, what am I doing here?
01:53And I've been doing this since I've been 12 years old, fighting competitively.
01:56And I say, what am I doing here?
01:58Look at me, I'm sure, I got the probably shortest reach in heavyweight history.
02:04You know what I mean?
02:05And I've been one of the most successful heavyweights.
02:08And that's what I'm going to say, the will of winning, is how you overcome adversity.
02:13Tyson still possesses the power, the speed, and the ferocity he needs to succeed in the heavyweight division.
02:24But he is trying to curb the anger and channel the aggression he often exhibited toward his opponents outside the
02:30ring.
02:43I don't want to humiliate anymore.
02:45I've been humiliated too much, I've seen too many people humiliated.
02:48And I really never understand the effect of humiliation toward him with a person.
02:53When Tyson recently defeated his longtime rival, Frank Bruno, to regain the WBC championship,
02:59many were surprised by what happened just moments after his victory.
03:04And Mike Tyson over to consult Frank Bruno.
03:08I'd love to find out what he's saying to him.
03:12I was just saying, basically, thank you very much for the opportunity.
03:17And, I mean, I respect you a great deal as a man, and I love you as well.
03:22And I just wanted to show him my respect.
03:26Tyson's more mature, more disciplined attitude, however, has not diminished his confidence or extinguished his competitive fire.
03:34For as he prepares to meet the determined Bruce Seldon for the WBA championship, he is eager to fight and
03:40hungry to win.
03:40A lot of people got to win this title after 10 years of winning the first time.
03:45It was going to be wild after he went through all that crap.
03:47It was the beginning of trouble with the courts and the clubs and all this.
03:51And this so-called, quote, bonding situation in prison time and being put in a hole and being harassed in
03:57prison.
03:58And then, you know, when I come out here and I'm going to beat this guy and win this title,
04:01then I'm saying, listen, this is something.
04:27Thank you very much, Jim Hill.
04:28I'm here with Rory Holloway, John Horn, co-manager of Mike Tyson.
04:31What's going on inside right now with Mike?
04:32You seem like a much more relaxed, much more calm atmosphere.
04:36Absolutely.
04:36Mike is very relaxed and ashamed.
04:40We just really can't get to win to the event and come on.
04:42Why the change?
04:43Usually we see the intensity, some of the anger, but today we just saw, you know, a man who seemed
04:47to be at peace.
04:48I don't think you've ever seen anger.
04:49I think you've seen a guy that's just prepared to do his job.
04:53But as time goes on, each fight goes on, Mike gets a little more and more and more confident.
04:56So that kind of, you know, breeds success, confidence breeds success, and become a lot more relaxed.
05:02Now, Bruce Selton made some statements during the pre-fight about trying to avoid him, that you guys had bronchitis,
05:09really didn't have bronchitis.
05:10Can you address that at all, and what would be the reason, if any, to avoid Bruce Selton?
05:14Well, any sane practical human being in the world would absolutely know without a doubt that Mike never tried to
05:18avoid anybody in their squares, in their square ring.
05:21You know, that's absurd.
05:22You know, it's just a situation that happened, you know what I mean?
05:24Something that happens, you know, is beyond our control.
05:27You know, it could have been him that got sick.
05:28You know, we would have been in the position.
05:30We had the week.
05:30So that's something we can't do nothing about.
05:32We're here tonight.
05:33Mike's prepared.
05:34He's 100%.
05:34Mike's 100%.
05:35And, you know, we're going to see what happens.
05:37What concerns you and Mike most in the fight?
05:41That he comes in the ring.
05:45I don't want to sound overconfident or anything or lack of respect for Bruce Selton.
05:48He's a great fighter, a great champion.
05:50But he must pass the baton on to a greater fighter.
05:52You know what I mean?
05:53Mike is the epitome of the heavyweight champion, and I'm here to prove it tonight.
05:59Do you guys begin to look to the future, an undisputed heavyweight champion?
06:02Not at all.
06:02I think as far as Mike is concerned and myself, when I'm speaking with Team Tyson, you know, we have
06:07to take this first.
06:08And the next hour or so, we'll be out there putting Mike's skills against Bruce Selton's skills.
06:12And after that, we can go on.
06:13But right now, it's Bruce Selton.
06:15Rory, thank you.
06:16Good luck tonight.
06:16You're welcome.
06:17All right.
06:17Let's send it back outside now to Steve Albert.
06:20All right.
06:21Thank you very much, Jim.
06:23Crowd continues to settle in here at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas in anticipation of tonight's featured event,
06:29the WBA Heavyweight Championship, just ahead, the IVF-WBC 154-pound championship as Terry Norris defends both titles.
06:38And while Alex Rios gets his first taste of world championship atmosphere, tonight represents Norris' 22nd world title fight.
06:46He is a throwback to the champions who used to fight as often as possible, an impressive 17-4 in
06:51his 21 previous championship contests.
06:53Tonight, the fourth defense of his IVF, his third WBC reign, and the third defense of his first IVF reign.
07:01Norris made 10 title defenses during his first reign as champion.
07:05Hope you're paying attention.
07:06There'll be a quiz in the morning.
07:08That is a lot of reign.
07:10All right.
07:11Let's get a look at the challenger, Alex Rios, for the Lone Star State.
07:14Rios trains at the same gym as Mike Tyson in Orwell, Ohio, rated the number nine super welterweight contender by
07:19the WBC,
07:20getting his initial world title shot.
07:21He has fought mostly as a middleweight, so he moves down in weight for a major step up in competition.
07:27Terrific amateur career, including three regional Golden Gloves titles.
07:30But just weeks before the Olympic trials, a car accident ended his 1992 Olympic dreams.
07:36And Bobby Cesrios has bounced back from that disappointment with a fine pro career.
07:40However, we see another challenger with limited experience on the world-class level.
07:44You know, Steve, having been to the tilt time and time again in championship competition is an immeasurable advantage.
07:50Those fighters know what to do.
07:52Many times, fighters can get caught up in the event in the oil of the moment, and it affects them
07:56drastically.
07:56Now, also, maybe most importantly, a young fighter doesn't know what it is to go that long distance at that
08:01level in those championship rounds.
08:03So I think that right now, big advantage for Terry Norris.
08:06All right.
08:07Here is the champion, Terry Norris, the only current world champion to own two world championship belts.
08:12Mike Tyson looking to become the second champion to have that distinction in tonight's main event.
08:17Bernie Norris has looked so impressive since regaining his championship status, but the key is he must stay focused.
08:22Yeah, that's been his downfall.
08:26He's lost the championship twice because he loses his head.
08:28He's got a referee in there who's really good at taking care of that, stopping the craziness before it starts
08:34in Mills Lane.
08:34That guy is all over you.
08:36It looks like you're out of control, unfocused.
08:38So it's one of the things he's got to whip.
08:40He says he's whipped it.
08:41We know he's a terrific puncher, and we also know he has a chin that suspects, so let's go on
08:47with the fight.
08:48All right, let's check the numbers as we go to the tail of the tape.
08:50Norris at 29, three years older than Rios.
08:52Two-inch height advantage for Rios, who's just under six feet, both just out of the 154-pound weight limit.
08:57The two-and-a-half-inch reach advantage for Rios.
09:00They will go by the WBC rules for this dual championship bout.
09:04Ten-point much system.
09:05Three judges will score.
09:06No standing eight count, no three-knockdown rule.
09:08Only the referee can stop it.
09:10A fighter cannot be saved by the bell except in the last round.
09:12If an accidental foul occurs before the end of the third round, it's a no decision.
09:16If it happens after the end of the third, they go to the cards.
09:19So here at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, we are set for the introductions to our ring announcer,
09:24Jimmy Lennon, Jr.
09:28Well, fans, at this time, we present our next world championship featured attraction brought to you by Don King Productions
09:35and King Vision,
09:36along with Showtime event television, Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina, and the MGM Grand.
09:43This bout coming your way is sanctioned by the World Boxing Council, President Jose Suleiman, Supervisor at Ringside, Osvaldo Bisbal,
09:54along with the International Boxing Federation, President Robert Lee, Sr., Supervisor Darryl Peoples,
10:00and the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
10:03The chairman is Dr. James Knave.
10:06Our judges, scoring this bout from ringside, introducing Horacio Castilla, Paul Herman, and Dolby Shirley.
10:15A referee in charge of this bout, working in this, is 89th world title bout, Mills Lane.
10:24All right, fans, here we go with the WBC and IBF, 154-pound championship of the world scheduled for 12
10:33rounds of boxing.
10:35Introducing to you first the challenger on my left, fighting out of the blue corner,
10:40wearing black trunks with red trim, and fighting out of the beautiful city of San Antonio, Texas.
10:46He weighed in at 153 and one-half pounds.
10:51His record includes 18 wins, two losses, with 14 wins coming by way of knockout.
10:58Introducing the WBC number nine and IBF number six, ranked 154-pound contender,
11:05who tonight is making his first attempt at a world title, introducing Alex Rios.
11:15And his opponent across the ring is the defending world champion on my right, fighting out of the red corner.
11:21Wearing red and white trunks, he is fighting out of the first fighter squadron in Campo, California,
11:27by way of Lubbock, Texas.
11:30He weighed in at a ready 153 pounds, with a record of 43 wins, six losses.
11:37He has 27 wins coming by way of knockout.
11:42Here is the IBF junior middleweight and three-time WBC super welterweight champion of the world,
11:48introducing terrible Terry Norris.
11:57Once again, a referee in charge, Mills Lane.
12:00Now to give instructions.
12:01All right, look, if he goes right here, I'm not going to call it low, all right?
12:06And this is for the championship of the world.
12:09I expect a tough, clean fight.
12:11Protect yourself at all times.
12:14Any questions from the challenger?
12:16Any questions from the champion?
12:19Let's get it on!
12:24Mills Lane is a crowd favorite.
12:26This is another so-called tune-up fight,
12:28as Terry Norris has eyes for Felix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., or Pernell Whitaker.
12:32He could try and unify the title by fighting WBA champ,
12:36but Laurent Budwani, southpaw Alex Rios, of course, has other ideas.
12:40He says whoever catches somebody first will go down.
12:43Here we go, round one, scheduled for 12.
12:47Remember, this guy can bang.
12:49Rios can bang.
12:50Now, make no mistake about it, we have seen Terry Norris go down many times.
12:54He gets up fighting.
12:55He's a tough, tough guy.
12:56But this is one of those explosive fights.
12:58Don't keep your eyes off either fight.
12:59Rios says you can see a southpaw.
13:03Keep in mind, like Trinidad, Norris has received some wake-up calls
13:06from unexpected opponents, like Troy Waters, for example,
13:09not known as a big puncher, yet he decked Norris.
13:12And southpaws always possess a little bit of an awkward style.
13:15Their counters are coming from a different angle.
13:17They're just difficult to sometimes get down in a rhythm
13:19and get your counters back online.
13:21I'm sure Terry's worked with some southpaws,
13:23but each and every one, just a little different.
13:25Rios, a boxer-puncher, throws a lot, very busy.
13:29Looks to keep the pressure on.
13:32Rios told us with that in mind about Norris going down,
13:38he will come straight ahead, which is his normal style.
13:40He'll try to keep Norris out of his rhythm.
13:42Norris uses a quick, well-timed jab.
13:46Rios feels, though, that his movement and jab,
13:48especially being a lefty, will bother Norris.
13:51He feels his reach is a little longer, and his speed is comparable,
13:53but I think the offensive machinery he's got over here, Terry Norris does,
13:58that's just going to be the big difference.
14:00He's a very heavy puncher, and he can punch in combinations.
14:03And once he gets on track, he keeps around going sometimes way past finish,
14:07and that gets him in trouble with the referees and the crowd.
14:09But he is a fierce competitor, his terrible Terry Norris.
14:13In the prime of his career, tremendous athlete.
14:16He is back to being the disciplined, yet still fierce fighter.
14:19We saw pride of the two bizarre incidents with Luis Santana,
14:22which cost him the WBC belt not once but twice inside a year by disqualification.
14:27He's more composed and cautious.
14:29He's 5-0 since, including a second-round TKO over Santana to regain the title,
14:34and an overwhelming decision over Paul Baden for the IVF crown.
14:38Mills Lane told me earlier, he said,
14:40I'm going to step in, I'll stop all that nonsense before I get started.
14:42If it's in trouble, he's going to step in.
14:45So, of course, Mills pretty, pretty sharp.
14:47Right now, Terry's back to boxing.
14:49He stops doing the slugging, the things that got him in trouble with Troy Ward,
14:52just throwing his reckless abandon.
14:54Getting back in that rhythm, that bopping motion, using that jab, a good counter.
14:57But for now, what that's going to do, too, is take less punishment from Rio.
15:01So, he's not going to get in his offense there.
15:03He's going to bring things back.
15:05Right now, Rio's fighting well.
15:06Rio's with a snappy combination there.
15:09Terry Norris, great hand speed, power in both hands,
15:12but he's being very patient, very cautious here in round one.
15:1530 seconds and count.
15:17Rio's not showing any fear whatsoever.
15:19He's standing right there.
15:20He's fighting his own fight the way he wants to fight it.
15:23Paul Norris needs a little punching room to get set up.
15:27Jab with the left.
15:29There's a wild miss by Rio.
15:34Final seconds of the opening round.
15:38Norris looks to unload the heavy right.
15:40He does have a tendency to load up with the right.
15:43There's the bat.
15:45Let's go over to Bill Boggs in the party room.
15:49We're here outside the party room with Rob Snyder and Roseanne.
15:52Roseanne, once again, just like Bruna, but you've traveled to Vegas to see Tyson.
15:56Yeah, I have.
15:56I came right after taping Friday night and drove here to see Tyson fight.
16:01Did you have a nice trip?
16:02It was very nice.
16:03Yes, it was.
16:04Why are you doing this?
16:05Well, I just love to see him fight.
16:06I love boxing, I'm a big boxing fan, because it's actually like physical chess, and I dig that strategy stuff.
16:15I have a feeling if you had trained, you would have been good at it.
16:17I think I could have been almost maybe as good as Christy Martin if I would have trained, you know.
16:22But she's actually my favorite of all the fighters.
16:24Well, let's say a quick hi to Rob Snyder.
16:26Roseanne's not telling the truth.
16:27She's one of the judges tonight.
16:29She's a celebrity judge.
16:30That's why we're back here doing this interview, right?
16:32Yeah.
16:33And what brought you here tonight, buddy?
16:34I'm a celebrity judge also, and I...
16:36He's on the alternate.
16:39If any, like, for instance, if one of the judges breaks a hip or something...
16:42Well, listen, enjoy the fight, team.
16:45Back to you.
16:46All right, Bill, round two.
16:47Rios caught a very concerned about Norris' reputation, deserve it or not, of being a less-than-clean fighter.
16:56Combination by Rios, boring in on Norris.
17:01Norris just trying to protect himself, and then regroup.
17:06I'll tell you what, Norris...
17:08Wild action.
17:09Right now, Rios is trying to get Norris into his left best, maybe counting on his own chin.
17:13I don't know how good it is.
17:14He's been stopped twice.
17:15Terry can't punch, but right now, Rios fighting a good fight.
17:18Furious exchange just a moment ago, and, yes, Norris looking to lure Rios in to a street fight.
17:24That's what he likes.
17:25Oh, some shots to the head there by Alex Rios that got Norris' attention.
17:30Oh, Rios is really showing a lot of guts.
17:33He's trying to back up Terry Norris, and Terry's not backing up.
17:36He keeps on pushing him back.
17:38Boy, how things have picked up.
17:40Tremendous pace here in the second round.
17:42Low blow there by Terry Norris.
17:44And a left uppercut, middle by the right, to the head of Rios by Norris.
17:48Back comes Rios.
17:49He's wrestling a nice combination left down the middle.
17:51Terry doesn't have to stand there.
17:52He should get back to that rhythm by bopping and moving.
17:55That's not putting himself in harm's way.
17:56A straight left by Rios.
17:58Beautiful counterpunch off the left uppercut by Norris.
18:00And they continue to exhale to the corner.
18:03But you know Norris, he will stand there and get careless.
18:06And boy, he's getting hit by some shots.
18:08They say this kid can punch.
18:09This could get very interesting very fast.
18:12Rios 14 knockouts and 18 wins.
18:14He's 18 and 2.
18:15His first world title shot.
18:19And he is standing right in there with the explosive Terry Norris.
18:23And that tangle of feet several times, as is always the case for left-handers.
18:27But it looked like one of them was going down from that tangle of the left.
18:30Now, look at this person.
18:31A query by Norris that was started by a beautiful left uppercut.
18:35There's that left uppercut again.
18:37A left hook, a right hand, a swing and a miss, and then a left straight hand by Rios.
18:42See, one of those things, Terry Norris is such a prideful fighter, such pride that when the fighter wants to
18:46fight him,
18:47he almost, his basic nature is to just get down and fight with him, not always to the advantage of
18:52him.
18:52Yeah, he keeps getting hit when you don't have the greatest chin.
18:55That's not too good.
18:55And this guy can punch, can Rios.
18:57So, hey, this is a nice second round of fighting.
19:01Rios has been knocked out once by Raul Marquez.
19:06Great, crisp right by Norris.
19:08Norris pummeling away with the right hand.
19:10Straight right by Rios.
19:12Rios isn't in trouble.
19:13Rios is in trouble.
19:14That right hand, it's beginning and the end of that head snatch back like that one or two more times.
19:20But I'll tell you, it's a hell of a pace they're setting.
19:22This fight couldn't go to distance, not like this.
19:24Norris swarming, smothering.
19:26Back comes Rios with right hands, right hooks.
19:30He's in desperate trouble, but he's still punching his Rios.
19:33There he comes again.
19:34Rios showing tremendous heart here as Norris continues to fall in.
19:39Now, Rios spins Rios around to the ropes.
19:41Sandor is fighting off the ropes.
19:43At the bow.
20:02The guy's telling him to move his head, move his head.
20:05He said don't stand still.
20:06And he'll let him hammer you with a straight right since this fighter is just looking at him.
20:11Like saying, yeah.
20:14Since there's no defense, you're not trying to defend.
20:16Pull up your hands.
20:17Defend yourself.
20:24Let's take a look at that sequence where he just pounds away.
20:26Norris pounds away.
20:28And it's almost lucky for Rios.
20:29He didn't get a count the right hand.
20:31That's two.
20:31That's three.
20:32I mean, before he turns, there's another one.
20:34Kept turning that right hand and getting him in trouble.
20:37Rios was in good trouble there on the corner.
20:39It's a miracle he didn't go down because Terry can punch.
20:42He's got heavy hands.
20:43Rios getting a big hand as he went to his corner to end the last round.
20:47We're now into round number three.
20:48Round two featured a fast pace and a lot of big punches.
20:52Go to the first two minutes.
20:54Come to sustain that kind of pace.
20:56And both fighters, especially Rios, looking exhausted at the bell.
21:01You have to look at it as they wrestle each other to the ground.
21:04Terry rolling on the canvas.
21:05You have to look at things.
21:06Terry, look at this guy and say, listen, based on lack of spectacular accomplishments,
21:10do I really need to train full tilt for him?
21:12Because this fight, if you get deep at this pace, boy, it could be trouble.
21:16But a lecture there by a district judge from Reno.
21:19That's exactly what we were talking about.
21:20He said he was going to do it.
21:21Things start getting a little control.
21:23He stops the fight and gives him a little warning from the bench.
21:26Any further nonsense like this, then you get a contempt of the court.
21:35There's the right jab by the southpaw.
21:38Rios, Rios missing with the right hook.
21:40Cooked up under, moved by terrible Terry Norris.
21:43You know, Bobby, you were so right when you say any time that somebody challenges,
21:47he loses his head and goes toe-to-toe, even if it's not to his advantage.
21:52Yeah, it just doesn't have to do it for you.
21:54I'm a firm believer.
21:55I've talked with him about it, Joe Sadovich, many times.
21:57And he gets in that rhythm and he does his thing.
21:59Maybe he doesn't knock him out in three or four.
22:01Maybe it's seven or eight.
22:02But it's so much cleaner, prettier, more effective, and less dangerous for him.
22:05Rios standing right in front of Terry Norris as they just continue to go toe-to-toe.
22:12And that left uppercut continues to score by the champion, Norris.
22:16Beautiful block by Norris here on that left hook.
22:19Norris can box if he wants to.
22:21It's just that he has a heart on it, boy.
22:24He wants to get your heart out.
22:25There's a combination in.
22:27He goes down to one knee.
22:28Rios went down to one knee.
22:29They were ready to count here at ringside, but this way let it go.
22:33Well, he doesn't count as a knockdown, but technically I believe it's a knockdown.
22:37Yes.
22:38You know, he didn't see it.
22:39He was on the wrong side of the ball.
22:40He was on the right.
22:41Yeah.
22:42And here comes Rios.
22:43Rios showing tremendous cuts.
22:45Nice right wick in the day.
22:46Left hand, another left flush on the face of Norris.
22:49Norris standing right in.
22:50A combination by Norris.
22:52And then a left uppercut.
22:54Rios, though, able to dunk away from a lot of those shots.
22:58We have ourselves a bonafide little warrior, fellas.
23:00Yep, this is a good little fight.
23:04Sorry, Rios is also drawing a good right hook to the body, but he's not doubling up, coming
23:08up top of the second one.
23:09Norris off the top of Rios' head.
23:13Rios said he was going to come here and bang.
23:15He said, one of us is going to go.
23:17And he meant it.
23:18And he is caught just like that.
23:20Nice combination to the body.
23:21A left uppercut and right hook by Rios.
23:22But once again, he doesn't bring it up the middle.
23:25Come to the body and rip it up.
23:26A la Mike Tyson.
23:27And there's a ripping left uppercut by Norris.
23:29Rios coming back with a combination.
23:32And that momentarily dazed.
23:33Terry Norris, beautiful right hand by Alex Rios.
23:39Swishing a little bit here on us.
23:42Rios escaping what appeared to be a knockdown as he went down to one knee.
23:46It was no question it should have been a knockdown.
23:48Mills Lane was behind the action and didn't see it.
23:50Oh, what a round.
24:00Let's go to the champion score and listen.
24:02You've got to move your upper body.
24:03You've got to do some lateral moves.
24:05Especially when you have them on the ropes or in the corners.
24:08You've got to work your lateral moves and fire.
24:11Fire your combination.
24:18As soon as you get close to you, just rip the right uppercut.
24:26You're not through the middle.
24:31Here's Norris when he starts pouring it on.
24:33He sees the range and he looks like he's got his guy in trouble.
24:37Sensing and smelly knockout.
24:39See, you see that?
24:40He actually touched canvas that time.
24:43But the referee was on the wrong side.
24:44That doesn't keep Terry Norris off of him.
24:46He just keeps right on pouring like rain that fell on him.
24:49But nothing fazed Alex Rios.
24:51He kept fighting.
24:52Round four.
24:53Norris comes right out with a heavy straight right hand.
24:56But Rios retaliates going to the body.
25:00Tremendous action.
25:01You've got to like this, Rios.
25:02The first three or four punches just threw right there were hard punches.
25:05I mean, they weren't little puffs of a tired fighter.
25:08They were sharp punches.
25:09It was a combination by the southpaw Alex Rios.
25:12Back comes Norris.
25:12Some outstanding exchanges the last couple of rounds.
25:16Many of the neutral corner off to our right.
25:19Now they're right in the center of the ring.
25:21Oh, and Norris just loading up with the right but didn't have full impact.
25:25See, Terry's starting to get into the bounce.
25:26I'm starting to get into rhythm.
25:27He works off that jab.
25:28Pops.
25:29Jumps back and forth.
25:30Back and forth.
25:31When he does that, he does it so well.
25:33What I'm wondering, though, with this pace of a fight, too, can he keep doing that?
25:37And will it affect him in the later rounds?
25:39Because he's got to stay outside and relax when he wants to relax.
25:41And he can, but he isn't.
25:43I don't think this is going into the later rounds, Pops.
25:45I don't think he's thinking later rounds.
25:46I think he's thinking, let's get this guy out of here now.
25:48I'll tell you what's landing with regularity is the uppercut there.
25:51And he's upset.
25:57Pounding the canvas with his left glove.
26:00He gets up quickly.
26:00That uppercut was landing the entire fight.
26:03And that one was, just as I said, it was with a lot of steam.
26:06Oh, man, does this kid have heart?
26:08He comes running back in to resume the fight right in front of Terry Norris.
26:13It was pretty much a flash knockdown, upset that he went down with Rios.
26:17Well, I'll tell you what, I think he caught the uppercut right on his nose,
26:20and I think it really hurt him and stunned him more than it hurt him debilitating-wise.
26:24A left hook there that nailed Rios on the face.
26:27Great counterpunch.
26:28That left hook was a great counterpunch.
26:29Surgical shots here by Terry Norris, looking to carve up the challenger, Alex Rios.
26:35But Rios' game.
26:36And Rios doesn't seem to know how to get out of a corner.
26:38I mean, you don't want to stand in that corner with Terry Norris, by the way.
26:43Oh, a body shot with a straight right by Terry Norris.
26:46See that leverage that Terry gets with that uppercut.
26:49He leans in off that left leg and digs straight up with that uppercut.
26:52He's been landing so clean, he's got to take his soul.
26:54Norris landing regularly now, having his way.
26:57Straight left hand by Rios coming back.
27:05Norris with that left, that corkscrew uppercut.
27:08Beautifully done.
27:13In the corner, don't go to the ribs, go to the ribs.
27:16You see him go into the ribs, all of it.
27:17Whoop, whoop, whoop.
27:19Here comes Rios going to the body.
27:21The next door is covering up.
27:25The crowd urging Rios on.
27:28Watch the head.
27:29You'll see Terry sit there waving a watch behind his hand, his guard up,
27:32and then spring into action with a timing shot.
27:35And that's one of the special things.
27:37Now Frank Boston, as he opens up a pack, comes Rios again.
27:40That's an old tactic used by Azuma Nelson.
27:42A great featherweight and super featherweight.
27:45He is pounding in Rios' ribs.
27:48Time!
28:08Take a deep breath.
28:10Okay.
28:11Hey, el vato is coming right down the pipe.
28:12All you got to do is dip a little bit.
28:14Y suelta la mano.
28:15Dip it out.
28:16And tell him not to punch body-to-body with him, but to box more.
28:24Keep his defense up.
28:26Here you're going to see the knockdown.
28:27It's an overhead view.
28:28Terry Norris working as he has, ripping those uppercuts on the inside.
28:32There he hits the uppercut.
28:32Bang, it's a double shot.
28:34And I think it was just painful.
28:35Rios went down.
28:36Got hit one, then a second one right away, right behind him.
28:38Let's take another look at that because that uppercut is a thing of beauty.
28:41It should be studied.
28:42He's been doing it.
28:42Look at that.
28:43Right on the button.
28:44Twice.
28:45And then as he comes over, the rest didn't do anything.
28:48Two uppercuts did that.
28:50And I think you were right.
28:51The nose got hurt there.
28:53And that caused him to blink and go down.
28:54And Rios again comes out very aggressively.
28:57This is round five.
28:58Rios down 105 in the round four from a series of left hands.
29:02A dazzling left uppercut.
29:04Terry Norris dancing around right now.
29:07We're late in that last round.
29:09Norris back up to the ropes as if to invite Rios to punch himself out.
29:14Then he uncoiled.
29:18I'll tell you one thing.
29:19Rios is not taking too many steps backwards.
29:21I mean, he is coming forward in his heart and in his head.
29:24He's coming forward.
29:25He's giving us Terry Norris every bit of fight he wants.
29:28Rios always fights like he truly loves the sport.
29:32He's very respectful of the sport and his opponents.
29:36Very engaging, affable young man as we know.
29:40Look at these shots by Terry Norris.
29:43Dabbling up, crippling up with the right.
29:44Uppercuts and hooks.
29:46Nice strong left hand by Rios.
29:47Not quite the punch that Terry is.
29:49And certainly all the abuse he's taken on his body has to debilitate him after a while.
29:54Yeah, but take a look at the attack.
29:56I mean, he's not hitting anything with the guts of this guy.
29:59He's right there.
30:01Rios keeps swinging away, hoping to make contact.
30:04Oh, good combination.
30:06Nice left hand to the body and a right hook right at the top.
30:09Alex Rios.
30:13He's getting close to desperation time where he's gambling all he's got against whatever
30:17Terry's got.
30:18Terry's still got a lot in the bank.
30:20Rios with a smile there after that straight line hand by Terry Norris.
30:23North backs Rios into his own corner.
30:27Look at these shots, uppercuts and left hook by Terry Norris.
30:31Polarizing shots.
30:32I think many a lesser person would be down from those shots.
30:36Now, I'll tell you, Rios came here to fight, and he came here to take a shot at greatness,
30:39and I admire a guy who puts himself in the middle of things, even if it is in harm's way.
30:43A gutsy Alex Rios showing tremendous courage here.
30:47Young man from San Antonio.
30:48Look at how much money's taken.
30:50He's ready to go.
30:51Buckled.
30:51Here comes Norris, looking to finish Rios off.
30:54And Miller Lane steps in, and he says, that's enough.
30:57It's all over.
30:57Once again, Steve was the uppercut delivered to that uppercut.
31:00Rios ducking down.
31:01Terry bending and springing up into it.
31:03Bang.
31:04And again, the crowd erupts, feeling that it was stopped prematurely as in the Trinidad-Lovato fight.
31:10I think this one was more clear-cut than the Trinidad fight because this guy was really taking the shellacking,
31:16and he was waving in the breeze.
31:17And the other one, his eyes showed that he was glassy and they should have stopped it,
31:21but we didn't see it.
31:22Here, I think everybody's looking at it, said, yeah, you don't need it.
31:25And Bernie, how about the reaction by Alex Rios?
31:28Again, pounding his glove to the canvas.
31:31He wanted more.
31:33He feels dejected, obviously, over the defeat, but hearing it from the crowd,
31:39the crowd really getting behind him because of his heart and his courage.
31:44Well, he put on a great show.
31:45He came to fight.
31:46He didn't just walk in here and take a payday.
31:48He came here looking to get a piece of the world championship, two-thirds of it as a fact.
31:52And, you know, I think that a little, just a little bit longer,
31:55they could have let it go because Rios has shown how tough he is.
32:00Take a look at the end of the fight.
32:02Alex Rios, who starts to go up.
32:03Let's take a look at the end of the fight.
32:07You could see that the adventure here was over for Rios.
32:11He had done his best, and he began to get these hammering shots
32:14that just made him waver in the wind, like that, right there.
32:17That's a concluding punch.
32:19That's like, uh-oh, from here on out, it's just, you know, it's a semicolon.
32:23Here comes the period because you just can't, you can't weather that storm
32:27with Terry Norris on top of you like getting hurt.
32:31Yeah, you know, you see those uppercuts and inside shots, the hooks.
32:34Here, Terry's just not really landing too effectively,
32:36but on the inside, he starts to dig the uppercuts and the hooks.
32:39That uppercut, the one-two, there's another hook.
32:41That uppercut is the one that started everything.
32:43And you can see his legs aren't under him.
32:45His eyes are a little glassy.
32:46And Terry's just biding his time, working his way in.
32:49And, you know, in all honesty, they could let it go a little longer,
32:52but not too much.
32:53Terry being the devastating puncher and finisher that he is,
32:55that's pretty appropriate.
32:57So, Terry Norris continues his reign as WBC Super Welterweight
33:02and IBF Junior Middleweight Champion.
33:03His record goes to 44-6 now with 28 knockouts,
33:0718-4 in World Championship fights.
33:10And if you're keeping score at home, 6-0 since the two debacles
33:13with Luis Santana.
33:15What's in his future?
33:16Well, he says he really wants Roy Jones Jr.,
33:19the IBF Super Middleweight champ,
33:21Pernell Whitaker, or Felix Trinidad.
33:24But the top of his list is Jones.
33:27We're set for the official time.
33:28Let's get it from our ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Jr.
33:33Ladies and gentlemen, we have the time of 2 minutes,
33:368 seconds of round number 5.
33:39Our referee in charge, Mills Lane,
33:42calls a halt to the contest.
33:43He's the winner by way of technical knockout.
33:46Still the IBF Junior Middleweight
33:48and WBC Super Welterweight Champion of the World,
33:52Terrible Terry Norris.
34:00So there you have it.
34:02You hear the crowd's reaction to the background,
34:03feeling once again that this fight may have been stopped
34:06a little bit too early.
34:09Well, coming up next, our main event,
34:11Selden versus Tyson for the WBA Heavyweight Championship.
34:13We go into the dressing room live of WBA Heavyweight champ Bruce Seldon,
34:17a champ in search of respect.
34:19A very unassuming, likable guy.
34:22He's really come a long way.
34:24Many are finding it difficult to give him any kind of chance against Tyson.
34:27Tonight, almost a minor miracle, though,
34:29that he's here in the first place.
34:31Considering his checkered past,
34:32he's turned his life and career around,
34:34and tonight looks to overcome enormous odds
34:36to hold on to his championship belt.
34:3822 to 1.
34:39Some feel that the aura of Tyson will once again factor in big time,
34:44but Selden's people say after the rugged road,
34:46their man has traveled.
34:47But with prison life and all,
34:48it'll take more than the Tyson mystique
34:50to rattle Bruce Selden.
34:52We'll see.
34:52Selden Tyson coming up next.
34:54But right now, we're set for the fight,
34:57Dr. Brady Michiko, for post-fight interviews.
34:59That was what you would call a surprisingly hard fight for you.
35:03Oh, definitely.
35:03I didn't expect it to be so hard.
35:06But I took my hat off to Alex.
35:07He came out of fighting.
35:10I just, hey, I just took my hat off to him.
35:11He's a good fighter.
35:12You've hit him with shots that would have knocked almost anybody.
35:14Oh, yeah.
35:14I hit him with some good shots.
35:15I don't know what kept him up.
35:16A lot of people have been telling me he's been going down
35:18with a lot of punches.
35:20And I was putting him on him, but he didn't go nowhere.
35:23We've got a nice little monitor here once we get it racked up.
35:26Take a look.
35:26You talk to him.
35:28Well, I'm just trying to pick him apart now.
35:30You know, I can feel his weight on me.
35:32You know, wearing me out.
35:33So, I try to stay in close.
35:35I don't think I'm going to fall off.
35:37So, you know, a little uppercut.
35:40I was hurting him, you know.
35:41I throwing a little uppercut, taking that out of him.
35:43Now I'm just trying to set him up and finish him off, you know,
35:45because, hey, it was the only chance I had.
35:48So, hey, get him out of there.
35:49And here comes Mills Lane to stop you.
35:51And Mills, standing right by me with Ray Lovato, we'll talk a minute.
35:56Tell us why you stopped the fight.
35:57Well, this young man, he's got all the puck in the world.
35:59And he was giving it all he had.
36:01And he was giving Terry some good shots.
36:03But Terry was beginning to get to him pretty good.
36:05And he'd been nailed a couple times really bad.
36:08And I figured that one punch too quick is better than one punch too late.
36:11So, that was my call.
36:12All right, Ray.
36:13Of course, you don't feel that way.
36:14Well, no.
36:15I'll tell you what.
36:15Not that I saw the replay.
36:17I mean, a referee is here to protect the fighter.
36:20And, you know, once you're in here, Terry can speak for himself too.
36:24Once you're in there, you're there to die.
36:26You know, you're going to fight to the end until you cannot pick up your hands anymore.
36:30Alex Reels, you have had a terrific night.
36:33And you should be proud of yourself and the way you fought.
36:35Josie Adovitz, the manager.
36:37Have we got a chance at Terry fighting Felix Trinidad?
36:41Yes, yes.
36:42We've got the deal basically done.
36:44It's done.
36:45We're going to meet with Don King tomorrow and finish doing it.
36:47And finish with the fringe things that need to be done.
36:50But they've agreed.
36:50We've agreed.
36:51We're going to do the fight.
36:52Well, that sounds like a fight coming up for the future.
36:54One last thing.
36:56No.
36:57Whoever wins for Philly Trinidad and Terry, I want another shot.
36:59All right.
37:00All right.
37:00Let's go back to Steve Albert at ringside.
37:03All right, Ferdy.
37:04I can't wait to see that fight between Norris and Trinidad.
37:07All three judges had it 40 to 35 in case you're interested at the time of the stoppage for Terry
37:13Norris.
37:13As we once again check out the online scoring results.
37:16It's time for Norris Rios.
37:18No surprise, Norris.
37:20Four rounds to zero at home.
37:23And if you took part of the online voting through mtyson.com, we thank you for your participation.
37:28The voting will continue with the start of our next bout, Seldon versus Tyson.
37:33Right now, Bobby Ches provides us with a key highlight.
37:36Well, Steve, we're going to go to the knockdown, the double left uppercut.
37:39And, again, Terry's got such great leverage with that uppercut.
37:43What he does, he takes his, he's got his hands up high, got his hands up real high right there,
37:48watching.
37:49He's watching his opponent, watching his move, watching for the openings.
37:51And what he does is he takes his uppercut, one here, gets Rios, throws another shot, then double shot.
37:57And I'll tell you, as we roll the tape, you'll see, there's the first one.
38:01And he just, he can just see it.
38:03And he hands open again.
38:04He lands another one right on.
38:05And I believe that one may have busted or just really severely pinched in the nose because even though it
38:09was a great leverage shot,
38:11it wasn't a tremendous power shot, but a stinging shot.
38:13And that was the beginning of the end, in essence.
38:16Round 5, 208 for Terry Norris, who retains his titles.
38:22Coming up next here at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, the main event, Seldon versus Tyson.
38:28It's Bruce Seldon defending his WBA Heavyweight Championship against WBC Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson.
38:34As we close in on our featured attraction, we go back up to our host, Jim Hill.
38:41All right, Steve, thank you very much.
38:43So far, my friends, it has been an evening of knockouts and controversy, three fights down and one to go.
38:47We began the evening as Christy Martin successfully defended her championship with a fourth-round knockout over Melinda Robinson.
38:53Then controversy stuck.
38:55Felix Trinidad defended his IVF welterweight championship with a sixth-round technical knockout over Ray Lovato.
39:00And as you just saw, it was terrible Terry Norris defending his IVF and WBC 154-pound championship with a
39:09fifth-round technical knockout over Alex Rios.
39:11One more to go.
39:12The WBA Heavyweight Championship between Mike Tyson and Bruce Seldon.
39:16And our coverage of tonight's boxing event will continue in a moment from the MGM Grand Garden right here in
39:21Las Vegas, Nevada.
39:26King Vision and SET Pay-Per-View would like to give special thanks to just a partial listing of our
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