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Arturo Gatti faces off with Terron Millett in a Jr Welterweight bout from the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Plus an interview with heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.
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00:00I
00:35Tonight, we're live from New York City,
00:37bringing you an electrified boxing doubleheader
00:40from the theater at Madison Square Garden.
00:42First up, all-time fan favorite Arturo Gatti
00:45matches up with former 140-pound titleist,
00:48hard puncher, Teron Millett.
00:50And then in our main event,
00:51Shane Mosley takes on former amateur rival Vernon Forrest
00:54for the welterweight championship of the world
00:56in a fight many in the sport have looked forward to
00:59since their memorable Olympic trials matchup won by Forrest
01:03nearly 10 years ago.
01:05The legend of Arturo Gatti began in this very room
01:09almost six years ago
01:10with a back-from-the-brink knockout of Wilson Rodriguez
01:13in one of the most dramatic fights we've ever witnessed.
01:16Tonight, Gatti's back,
01:17trading shots with the very dangerous Teron Millett.
01:20Then, the highly anticipated 147-pound showdown
01:23between the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world
01:27in most rankings, Shane Mosley,
01:29against fellow undefeated welterweight Vernon Forrest.
01:34And hello again, everybody.
01:36I'm Jim Lampley.
01:37We welcome you to the theater at Madison Square Garden
01:39for a world championship boxing card
01:41we've looked forward to for quite some time.
01:44It comes, of course,
01:45at the end of another tumultuous week in the sport,
01:48marked by reams of bad publicity
01:50attached to the behavior of a fighter outside the ring
01:53that has dwarfed the publicity surrounding this fight
01:57and leaves us with the job of telling the story to you
01:59to get ready for something really worth waiting for.
02:02Can Shane Mosley avenge his amateur loss 10 years ago
02:06that actually stunted the growth of his professional career
02:09by knocking him out of an expected gold medal trip to Barcelona?
02:12Can Vernon Forrest prove that what he did as an amateur 10 years ago
02:15to the then-favored Mosley,
02:17he can do to the heavily-favored Mosley as a professional once again?
02:22And before we get to that,
02:24a chance to watch Arturo Gatti in action.
02:26It's always exciting, but it's 50-50 tonight
02:28whether he wins or loses against hard-punching to Ron Millett,
02:31and we wonder what it does to Gatti's career
02:33if Millett is able to beat him.
02:36Working with me tonight, as always, for these two fights,
02:39HBO Boxing analyst Larry Merchant.
02:41Larry, as I mentioned, the media frenzy
02:43surrounding the Mike Tyson meltdown at the news conference
02:46last Tuesday involving himself and Lennox Lewis,
02:49has completely obliterated any national publicity or build-up
02:53for this terrific fight between Mosley and Forrest
02:55within the boxing world, within our cult, so to speak.
02:58How important is this fight?
03:00From the meltdown to the sublime.
03:04Anytime Sugar Shane Mosley fights, it's big.
03:07And the fighter, widely regarded as the best out there,
03:11is fighting a fighter in Forrest
03:14who may simply be designed to give him trouble.
03:19Sorry to disappoint you, folks.
03:21All we have tonight are two talented fighters
03:24who train hard, fight hard,
03:28honor the rules and standards of their profession.
03:32Bummer.
03:34Worth watching anyway.
03:35We promise.
03:36Meanwhile, as we get ready for it,
03:38we'll see the ultimate gladiator of modern times in boxing.
03:41Arturo Gatian, here to talk more about him,
03:43is one of the most exciting gladiators of years past.
03:46Two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman.
03:49George Arturo has given us, the audience,
03:53so many amazing thrills and chills over the years,
03:56but he's taken a lot of punishment to do so
03:58in his last four fights against real opponents.
04:00He's lost.
04:02Now here comes another assignment against a real fighter.
04:04Has Gatian reached the point where he has to win
04:07to stay interesting?
04:08Giving is what he's done.
04:10He's given probably too much to us.
04:12Now it's the time for Gatian to do something for himself.
04:15Get out there, move to the side.
04:18Left, right, move back.
04:19Do something for yourself.
04:20You must win.
04:22If he decides to be a good boxer,
04:23I think he can win.
04:24Funny enough, he had boxing skills early in his career,
04:26and he says he's going to do that again.
04:29We'll see if that's the case tonight.
04:31Meanwhile, as we get ready to see the first of our two fights,
04:34we want to remind you to log on to America Online,
04:37keyword HBO Boxing,
04:39and cast your vote in tonight's website poll.
04:41Do you think Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson
04:44will fight as scheduled on April 6th?
04:48Between fights, we'll talk live
04:49with Nevada State Athletic Commission
04:50Executive Director Mark Ratner
04:52about Tuesday's hearing to begin determining
04:54whether Mike Tyson will be licensed to box in Nevada.
04:58Intelligently, you may want to wait
05:00until you hear what Mark Ratner has to say
05:02before casting your vote in our website poll.
05:06That'll be coming up between fights.
05:08Right now, let's get ready for the first
05:09of these two terrific matchups,
05:11and here's the tale of the tape for Arturo Gatti and Tyron Millett.
05:15You can see that Gatti's still only 29 years old.
05:17Despite all those dramatic ring wars,
05:20Millett gives up an inch in height,
05:21one inch in reach.
05:22They both weighed in a pound or a quarter
05:24or a pound and a half over the 140-pound limit.
05:27They're both hard punchers.
05:29This should be a high-contact fight.
05:31Rules at a bout with our unofficial ringside scorer,
05:34Harold Letterman.
05:35Okay, Jim, listen up.
05:36They're a little bit different.
05:37Arturo Gatti and Tyron Millett are scheduled for 10 rounds
05:40using the rules of the New York State Athletic Commission.
05:43The three-knockdown rule is in effect.
05:46The doctor or the referee can stop the fight.
05:48In case the cut is caused by an accidental headbutt,
05:51we go to the scorecards if the five rounds have been completed,
05:54and you cannot be saved by the bell on any round,
05:56including the 10th and final round.
05:58And Jim, if the mouthpiece gets knocked out,
06:00they put it back immediately.
06:02Jim.
06:05And here comes Tyron Millett.
06:07We mentioned that now-storied Olympic trial semifinal
06:11of the 139 pounds in 1992
06:13when Vernon Forrest beat Shane Motley.
06:15In the other Olympic semifinal,
06:18or Olympic trial semifinal, I should say,
06:20in that weight class in 1992,
06:21this man, Tyron Millett,
06:23faced off against Steve Forrest and lost.
06:26Forrest went on into the final
06:28where he was beaten by Vernon Forrest.
06:30It was a loaded amateur class all those years ago.
06:33Millett still trying to earn some bucks
06:36and gain some satisfaction from the sport he's been in
06:39ever since he was a little kid in St. Louis.
06:42He comes from a really interesting family, Jim.
06:44His mother is an alderman in her community
06:47and runs the family furniture store.
06:50His father trains him and runs the family candy store.
06:54His wife is an R&B singer.
06:57They call him Tramp.
07:00And not because he's fought in 13 states,
07:03but because he's got an older brother who they call Hobo
07:07and a younger brother called Bum.
07:10Tramp, Hobo, and Bum.
07:14And incidentally, none of them are.
07:17It's all in good fun.
07:20Millett once won a title at 140 pounds,
07:23beating knockout artist Vince Phillips.
07:25Then, he says,
07:27while he was waiting to have his right hand repaired by surgery,
07:30he was stripped by the governing body of his title.
07:34Now, here comes Arturo Gatti in his last fight
07:38when he was beaten by Oscar De La Hoya,
07:40and he was fighting at 147 pounds.
07:42After that fight, Gatti took the advice of those around him
07:46and said, no more fights at welterweight.
07:48I am at most a 140-pound fighter,
07:50so he's back to this more comfortable weight class.
07:55They call him Thunder,
07:57but at the higher weight that Thunder was muffled,
08:03he looks in really fine condition at 140,
08:0710 pounds over the weights
08:11when he fought Patterson
08:15and looked so good as a boxer puncher
08:18against Tracy Patterson all those years ago.
08:21The high living is behind him, he says.
08:23He's getting married in September,
08:25and there has been some major league high living
08:27for Gatti up to this point.
08:29Maybe now he can focus more clearly
08:31on his boxing career.
08:33Let's go to ring announcer Michael Buffer
08:34for the official introductions.
08:38Ladies and gentlemen,
08:39Cedric Kushner Productions presents
08:41an evening of professional boxing
08:43for your entertainment
08:45here at the theater
08:46in Madison Square Garden, New York City.
08:49Brought to you in association
08:50with the king of beers, Budweiser,
08:53and sanctioned by
08:54the New York State Athletic Commission,
08:56Chairman, New York City Police Commissioner,
08:58Raymond Kelly.
08:59This first bout is a presentation
09:01of main events
09:02and Mike Acree promotions.
09:04The three judges at ringside
09:06scoring this bout
09:07on the 10-point must system
09:09will be Don Ackerman,
09:12Luis Rivera,
09:13and Steve Weisfeld,
09:14and when the bell rings,
09:15your referee in charge of the action,
09:18Jimmy Santa.
09:19And now, ladies and gentlemen,
09:21in 10 rounds of boxing,
09:23this is in the Junior Welderweight Division.
09:29Introducing first,
09:31fighting out of the blue corner,
09:33wearing black trimmed with white,
09:35and weighing in at 141.25 pounds.
09:39His professional record,
09:4026 victories,
09:42including 19 knockouts
09:43with only two losses
09:44and one draw.
09:46From St. Louis, Missouri,
09:48here is the former
10:18Junior Welderweight Champion
10:20in New Jersey.
10:21Ladies and gentlemen,
10:22the ultimate blood and guts warrior,
10:25former junior,
10:26lightweight champion of the world,
10:28Arturo
10:31Undergotti!
10:39Good evening, gentlemen.
10:40We went over all the rules
10:41in the locker room.
10:42Let's touch gloves
10:43and have a good fight.
10:43Go ahead.
10:46Well, that says his plan
10:48is to get there first
10:50with the most.
10:53Gaddy says he's no longer
10:55happy to just be,
10:57just have a recognition
10:59mission as a tough fighter
11:00who loses.
11:03Somebody's got to give.
11:05And if ever there were
11:06an opportunity
11:07for Arturo Gaddy
11:08to reestablish
11:08his boxing skills,
11:10this should be it
11:11because Millett
11:12doesn't jab all that much.
11:14His game is simply
11:14to step inside
11:15and get in position
11:16to fire power shots.
11:18So Arturo
11:18could seize
11:20the style initiative
11:21if he stays away
11:22in boxes.
11:23We'll see.
11:24One thing about Gaddy,
11:25he's got power.
11:27You can't practice that.
11:29You can't put it
11:29on the stool.
11:31You either have it
11:32or you don't.
11:34Mullett is an athlete,
11:35which means he C punches
11:37before they happen.
11:38He can get out of the way.
11:45Art right hand shot
11:47by Gaddy.
11:48Lands pluck.
11:49You saw Millett
11:50with a power shot earlier.
11:53Millett is a good fighter,
11:54but he doesn't have
11:54the great delivery
11:55of a straight right hand
11:57and left hook
11:58and all of that.
11:59Everything he does
12:00is athletically.
12:01He just gets it done.
12:03That's a good point, George.
12:05Doesn't jab his way inside.
12:07He tends to get in there
12:08with footwork,
12:09tenacity,
12:10kind of a scratch
12:10and sniff fighter,
12:11but his athletic talent
12:13has given him a chance
12:14to get away with it.
12:15Athletic talent.
12:15That's what he has tonight.
12:20Well, he had good enough
12:21athletic talent
12:22to beat Vince Phillips,
12:24who was then
12:24the recognized
12:25junior welterweight champion.
12:28So he brings
12:29some credentials
12:30to the game.
12:32Oh, he's not going
12:33to keep those credentials
12:34long as if he allowed
12:35Gaddy to hit him
12:36in the stomach.
12:37Yeah, and one thing
12:38that's evident
12:40is that Gaddy
12:41is quicker with his punches.
12:43He's beating him
12:44to the punch.
12:45Gaddy landed twice
12:47downstairs.
12:48Millett countered upstairs
12:49and landed another
12:50right-hand flush.
12:53Well, that just seems
12:54to be out of the way
12:55at the right time.
13:04Gaddy is moving around.
13:05He's not being
13:06so aggressive.
13:09Well, he's going to have
13:10to move more, George.
13:11There's a CompuBox number
13:13that's startling.
13:14It shows that
13:14in his fights
13:15against good opponents,
13:16the last five fights,
13:18Arturo Gaddy has been hit
13:19by 60% of his
13:20opponent's power punches.
13:22He's hard to miss
13:23at short reign.
13:24No head movement at all.
13:25Tonight,
13:26a little bit more
13:27side to side,
13:28at least so far.
13:29Millett is already
13:30starting to absorb
13:31some power by Gaddy.
13:33He shouldn't do that.
13:34You don't want to be
13:36hit early
13:37and absorbing
13:38that kind of punishment.
13:40You're going to box, box.
13:44Hard right hand
13:45by Millett.
13:47And here are George
13:48talking about
13:49Gaddy's punting power.
13:50The money punch there
13:52is his big left hook.
13:58Millett has got to understand
14:00that if he's going to win,
14:00this is not going to be
14:01trading power shots.
14:03Right second, fellas.
14:06Round one comes to a close.
14:08A round in which
14:09Arturo Gaddy made good
14:10on his promise
14:11to try to box
14:12more than it has been
14:13the case in the past.
14:15No, no, baby, no.
14:16You're straight.
14:17Beautiful.
14:18Keep doing that
14:19with your jab.
14:20Keep circling
14:21to your right.
14:22How you feeling?
14:23Good.
14:24I'm just looking
14:24to do it.
14:25That's okay.
14:25You're doing beautiful.
14:26See how the right hand's working?
14:27Keep circling to your right.
14:29Okay?
14:30So what the hell
14:31are you doing?
14:33Then relax yourself
14:34and do what the hell
14:34you're supposed to do.
14:42Suck up, suck up, suck up.
14:50Gaddy too quick
14:51with the right hand
14:52for Millett.
14:54Gaddy, of course,
14:55is a notorious bleeder.
14:58But he says
14:59he's decided
15:00that the best way
15:01to avoid bleeding
15:03is to not be hit as much.
15:05Sounds like
15:06the right plan, George.
15:11CompuBox numbers
15:12in round one.
15:12Gaddy 25 out of 62.
15:15Millett 14 out of 55.
15:16Most notably,
15:17Gaddy threw 32 jabs.
15:20Landed 10 of them.
15:21Referee Jim Santa
15:22warning Millett
15:23not to hold and hit.
15:28Millett has found
15:30the wrong fight
15:31to fight tonight.
15:33He's got to hit
15:34and move out of the way
15:35and make Gaddy start
15:36to go back
15:37and refer to his old habits.
15:40Yeah, you could hear
15:41that Millett's father
15:42and trainer,
15:42Marvin Millett,
15:43is not happy
15:44between rounds.
15:45Basically saying,
15:46why didn't you go in
15:47and do what you said
15:47you were going to do?
15:50When a boxer,
15:51when a fighter
15:51is trying to box,
15:53you move around
15:54and make him decide,
15:55look, I'm a fighter.
15:55That's what I am.
15:56And that's what
15:57Millett is not doing.
15:59Look at the jab, man.
16:00There you go.
16:04Look at the jab, man.
16:06There you go.
16:06Come on, man.
16:06You got to be right, man.
16:08Let's go, man.
16:10That's it.
16:11Move that head up, you all.
16:14Look at the jab.
16:16Look at the jab.
16:17Look at the jab, man.
16:17There we go.
16:18Look at the jab.
16:19Look at the jab.
16:20There you go.
16:21You heard Arturo Gatti's
16:23new trainer,
16:24Buddy McGirt,
16:25urging him to keep jabbing
16:27and keep moving
16:28to his right.
16:30Circling to his right,
16:31apparently to stay away
16:32from Millett's right hand.
16:34McGirt has apparently
16:36made the deduction
16:36that Millett's more dangerous
16:37from the right side
16:38than the left.
16:42That's the athletic move
16:44I was telling you about
16:45the low hands.
16:46There's a good short
16:47right hand by Millett.
16:48Yep.
16:49Always a little bit
16:50out of the way,
16:51like an athlete.
16:53Looks as though
16:55the left eye of Gatti
16:57is beginning to puff.
16:59Gatti's in charge, man.
17:01He's got the power punches
17:02in the body.
17:03Two rounds of body shots
17:04from the left jab.
17:06He's in control.
17:07And a left hook to the body
17:09sets up a big left hook
17:10upstairs there
17:11by Arturo Gatti.
17:12And the right uppercut
17:13lands flush.
17:14Teron Millett
17:15taking a lot of power shots
17:17here in the middle stages
17:18of round two.
17:19Another left hook
17:20to the body
17:20lands deep.
17:22And again,
17:23the uppercut follows
17:24and Millett
17:24is in trouble
17:25as he backs up
17:26to the ropes.
17:27I think he didn't understand
17:29the power that Gatti had.
17:31Someone didn't tell him.
17:36And Millett lands a big left hook
17:39that backs Gatti up.
17:41Well, Millett is showing
17:42the same kind of ability
17:44to bounce back
17:45that we've expected
17:47from Gatti.
17:48He took some serious punishment
17:50in the middle of the round
17:51and came back
17:52and landed an excellent
17:53combination on Gatti.
17:54and this is the kind of fight
17:56that Gatti needs.
17:57I mean,
17:57he wants you to mix it up
17:58with him,
17:59letting him rest,
18:00come back,
18:01let him get his power back.
18:03Five seconds,
18:03Ellis.
18:04Three seconds.
18:05Millett is not fighting
18:06a smart fight at all.
18:07Two seconds.
18:14Next Saturday night,
18:16and we are so excited
18:17about this.
18:18Two of the best
18:19in the business
18:19put their respective
18:20undisputed titles
18:21on the line.
18:22Special doubleheader
18:23next Saturday night
18:24featuring Roy Jones
18:25and Bernard Hopkins
18:26in separate fights
18:27from two locations.
18:29First from Redding,
18:30Pennsylvania,
18:31Hopkins puts the
18:31undisputed middleweight
18:33championship on the line
18:34against Carl Daniels.
18:35Then from Miami,
18:36Roy Jones faces off
18:38with Glenn Kelly
18:38for the 175-pound title.
18:40It's next Saturday night,
18:42Jones and Hopkins
18:42in two big title bouts
18:44from two different locations.
18:46HBO,
18:47the heart and soul
18:48of boxing,
18:48and the net result
18:49of that,
18:50Larry Merchant,
18:51is that in eight days
18:52here on HBO,
18:53you get to see
18:54the three fighters
18:55generally regarded
18:56by pound-for-pound rankings
18:58as the top three fighters
18:59in the sport,
19:00Mosley,
19:01Hopkins,
19:02and Jones.
19:04I couldn't have said
19:05it better, Jim.
19:06Get him out.
19:09Incidentally,
19:10what's your ranking
19:10these days?
19:11I've got Mosley,
19:13Hopkins,
19:13and Jones.
19:14In that order.
19:15In that order.
19:15Hopkins based on
19:16his winning streak
19:18and his great victory
19:19over Felix Trinidad.
19:30now Mosley is starting
19:32to use his left jab
19:33a little bit.
19:34Think.
19:35Whenever you see a boxer
19:36using his left jab,
19:37that means he's thinking.
19:39Just going right to left
19:41means he's fighting.
19:46Incidentally,
19:47the Ring Magazine,
19:49Bible of the Spirit,
19:51concurs with Larry Merchant
19:52on the pound-for-pound rankings.
19:53One Mosley,
19:54two Hopkins,
19:55three Jones
19:55at this moment.
19:59Oh,
20:00that uppercut
20:01by Gotti
20:01just hit.
20:08Right hand
20:09to the body.
20:10Those are the kind
20:10of shots
20:11that take away
20:12your power
20:12if the fight
20:13goes beyond
20:14seven or eight rounds.
20:15Gotti is putting
20:16those kind of shots in.
20:18One big difference
20:18in the two fighters,
20:19George.
20:20Gotti remembers
20:21to go to the body
20:21frequently.
20:22Millett almost
20:23never goes
20:24to the body.
20:25He's a headhunter.
20:26He's not looking
20:27anywhere,
20:27but he's got his head.
20:33Mixed in
20:34a right hand
20:34to the body there,
20:35but by and large,
20:36Millett is trying
20:37to land thunder
20:38on Thunder
20:39Gotti upstairs.
20:41And he lands it
20:42with the right hand
20:43and that's right hand
20:44of the fight.
20:51Millett's not
20:51exactly hard to hit.
20:59Sometimes your corners,
21:01your trainers
21:01just don't tell you
21:02the extent
21:03of the power
21:04a guy has.
21:05And I think
21:06that was left out
21:07with Mullett.
21:08They didn't tell him
21:09that Gotti can hurt
21:10you with one punch.
21:17Gotti's showing
21:17some discipline.
21:20The kind of fighter
21:21he was once again
21:23when he gained
21:26everybody's attention
21:27in his fights
21:28against Tracy
21:29Patterson.
21:30Big left hook
21:32by Gotti.
21:33And this time
21:34Millett goes forward
21:35onto his face.
21:36Five,
21:37six,
21:39seven,
21:40eight,
21:41where are you?
21:43Okay, let's go.
21:44I'm watching you.
21:45Jimmy Santa asking
21:46Millett where he is.
21:48Millett says New York City.
21:50I think you're absolutely
21:52right, George.
21:53I don't think Millett
21:54anticipated
21:55Gaddy's power at all.
21:56It was the first
21:57few punches
21:58of the first round
21:59he hadn't recovered
22:00from.
22:02Ruffling,
22:03and Millett,
22:04and Gaddy
22:05gets target practice
22:07here as Jim Santa
22:09watches closely,
22:09and the round
22:11comes to a close
22:12saving Millett
22:13for the moment.
22:28Referee Jimmy Santa
22:29calling in
22:30a ringside position.
22:54Showing patience
22:56and poise
22:58as a boxer
23:01still carrying
23:03thunder.
23:06Arturo Gaddy
23:08with the opponent
23:09who comes to him
23:13and now he will
23:14try to close
23:15the show.
23:17In round three
23:18by CompuBox numbers,
23:19Gaddy landed
23:2028 out of 46
23:21power shots,
23:2361%.
23:23Harold,
23:24how do you have it
23:24scored through three?
23:25Okay, Jim,
23:26three rounds to nothing,
23:2730 to 26,
23:28Arturo Gaddy.
23:29Jim,
23:29in the second round
23:30I thought it was close
23:31to a 10-8 round
23:32when Terrell Millett
23:33was dealing out
23:33but he came back
23:34with a good left hook.
23:35In the third round,
23:36score a 10-8,
23:37but I gotta tell you,
23:38at the very end
23:39of the round
23:39when Terrell Millett
23:40went into those ropes,
23:41Jimmy Santa could've
23:42called that a knockdown
23:43as well.
23:43Only one knockdown
23:44so far,
23:45so round three,
23:4610-8.
23:47more big shots
23:48from Gaddy landing
23:49plus on Millett.
23:50George Newman.
23:51This state is aware
23:52of the power of Gaddy.
23:54He's done in some guys
23:55in this state
23:55and the referee
23:56should be closing in
23:57on this is not
23:58going to happen again.
24:01They're watching carefully
24:02and even though
24:03Gaddy's landed big shots
24:05toward the end
24:05of the last round
24:06and here early,
24:07it's really the accumulation
24:08of punishment
24:09that's doing this.
24:10We've seen what he could do
24:11here a couple years ago.
24:21probably the best
24:22Arturo Gaddy has looked
24:23since the second
24:25of his two great fights
24:26with Ivan Robinson.
24:27Both of those fights
24:28were won by Robinson
24:29who frankly
24:31outboxed the stronger Gaddy.
24:33Gaddy's doing some
24:34good body punching here too
24:36so it's not like
24:36the fight is going to
24:38get out of his hands.
24:39Mother's just going to
24:40get the worst of this
24:41as the minutes go by.
24:43Millett is a tough
24:47determined fighter
24:48who is taking some
24:50wicked, wicked punishment.
24:51And he doesn't seem
24:52to have a plan B.
24:54I mean, there isn't
24:54there doesn't seem
24:55to be some wrinkle
24:56that Millett can bring
24:58to this at the moment
24:58that will change
24:59what's happening
25:00in the ring.
25:01He's got to hold on.
25:02You've got to hold on.
25:04Down again.
25:07That could be it.
25:09Five, six, seven, eight,
25:13five, six, seven, eight,
25:14look at me.
25:15Matt, where are you?
25:18He still knows he's in
25:19Madison Square Garden.
25:21Yep.
25:21But I don't think the
25:22referee knows we're here.
25:25I was going to get hurt.
25:28Yeah, this is unnecessary
25:29at this point.
25:30And that will do it.
25:31Tim Sankta stopping it
25:34on what amounts
25:35to the third knockdown.
25:37And as Harold Bettleman
25:38pointed out,
25:39could easily have been
25:40ruled for knockdowns
25:43as Artura Gatti
25:44annihilates Teron Millett
25:46in his best-looking
25:48performance in quite a while.
25:50It's all about boxing
25:51this time.
25:52The first round
25:52moving around the ring,
25:54saving his head.
25:55And throwing more than
25:5730 catches.
25:58And being in condition
25:59which gives you
26:00self-confidence
26:01and finding the weight
26:03where he should be
26:05at 140.
26:07To say nothing
26:08of finding an opponent
26:10who is ideal
26:12for him tonight.
26:13And cut man
26:14Joe Souza
26:14grabs Gatti
26:16and hugs him
26:16and says,
26:17I can't believe it,
26:18you didn't get cut.
26:20Souza with a rare night
26:21of no work
26:22in a Gatti fight.
26:26CompuBox numbers
26:26in round four.
26:27Artura Gatti
26:28closed the show
26:29landing 23
26:30out of 32 power shots.
26:34He can be a factor
26:35at 140
26:35if he boxes like that,
26:36huh, George?
26:37Especially if there's
26:38a lot of mullets around.
26:41Mullets.
26:43And here's the first
26:44knockdown
26:44of Teron Millett
26:45here in round number four.
26:47Backs up
26:48with his left hand down.
26:49That means
26:50hit me with a right hand,
26:51please.
26:53And Arturo
26:54obliged him.
26:56Here's another look
26:56at that.
26:57There it goes.
26:59Gotta tell your fighters,
27:00you back up,
27:01keep your hands up.
27:03There's left hooks.
27:05Overhand right.
27:08Combinations.
27:09Gatti is looking like
27:11Ray Leonard.
27:14Well, sort of.
27:16Throwing combinations
27:17and getting out of the way
27:18and not being hit.
27:19That's all you can ask
27:20of a box.
27:20No, it's a brilliant
27:21performance for Arturo.
27:22Combinations.
27:24And Teron Millett
27:25at age 33
27:26has had some wars.
27:29Maybe he's
27:30going to be moving on
27:31toward other things
27:32to do because
27:33he's really
27:34the kind of guy
27:35who sees himself
27:36as a championship
27:36caliber fighter.
27:37I don't think
27:38Teron is going to
27:38want to stick around.
27:39These were all
27:40head shots there.
27:41Yeah, absolutely.
27:42It's going to take a while
27:42to recover from those.
27:43Yep.
27:45And the body punches
27:46with the foundations
27:47were laid in the first
27:48two rounds.
27:50Now let's go to
27:51ring announcer
27:51Michael Buffer
27:52for the official
27:52particulars on
27:53Gatti's victory.
27:54Jimmy Santa
27:55following the second
27:57knockdown in round
27:57number four
27:58calls a halt
27:59of the bout
27:59at two minutes
28:00and 23 seconds
28:02of that round.
28:04The winner
28:04by knockout victory
28:06the ultimate blood
28:07and guts warrior
28:08from Jersey City,
28:10New Jersey
28:10former champion
28:12Arturo
28:13Thunder
28:14Gatti.
28:20Final copy box
28:21numbers will show you
28:23statistical dominance
28:24by Gatti
28:25landing twice as many
28:27throwing 67 more
28:29landing at a nearly
28:3150% rate
28:32painting Millett
28:33with power punches
28:34in the last two rounds
28:35of the fight
28:36and scoring
28:37the easy
28:40technical knockout
28:41victory over Millett.
28:44And let's go to
28:45Larry Merchant
28:45in the ring
28:46with Thunder Gatti.
28:48Thank you, Jim.
28:49Congratulations, Arturo.
28:52Where's the blood?
28:53Thank God
28:54there's no blood
28:54tonight.
28:55I did what
28:56I was taught to do.
28:57Buddy McGregor
28:58told me tonight
28:58to box,
28:59use my ability
29:00to box
29:00and I did
29:01and everything
29:02went right.
29:03So not getting hit
29:04as much
29:05is the best plan
29:06as far as
29:07your tissue
29:08is concerned.
29:09Definitely.
29:09I didn't get cut
29:10tonight.
29:11I hope I learned
29:11a good lesson
29:12tonight.
29:12I won.
29:13And I wasn't hurt.
29:15I'm told that
29:16Buddy McGregor
29:17the former
29:17well-await
29:18title holder
29:20showed you
29:20a lot
29:21of
29:22his own
29:23action
29:24photos
29:24and that
29:24you learned
29:25from him.
29:26What did you
29:26learn from him?
29:27Well, I learned
29:27to be calm
29:29in the ring
29:30to just think
29:30with your head
29:31and hit
29:31when it's time
29:32to hit
29:32not hit
29:32just because
29:33you always hit
29:34and that's
29:35what I learned
29:35to be calm
29:36in the ring
29:36and
29:37actually in the room
29:38he was very calm
29:39and I was calm
29:40myself
29:40in the dressing room
29:41so I came into the ring
29:42very calm
29:43and after the first round
29:45I almost went on a slugfest
29:47and thank God I didn't
29:48because I kept my composure
29:49after the first round
29:50but he told me to relax
29:51and I did
29:52and everything worked out
29:53all right.
29:53And is this the weight
29:55now that you feel
29:56you can be comfortable at
29:57and still strong?
29:59Yes, definitely.
30:00This is my first time
30:01coming down at 140.
30:02It's been a long time
30:03and my punching power
30:05is back
30:05and on my next fight
30:06I'll be even stronger.
30:08Speaking of your next fight
30:09who would you like
30:11to fight now?
30:12I'd like to fight
30:13Judge Simms-Lea
30:14Mickey Ward
30:15it's really up to
30:16whoever wants to fight me
30:18I'll fight both of them.
30:19Did this fight
30:20revive your career?
30:22Definitely
30:22it revived me
30:24it revived everybody
30:24around me
30:25because I have a lot
30:26of boxing left in me
30:27and I need a good win
30:28and I found my weight class
30:30140
30:30and I'm definitely
30:31going to win
30:32a world title again.
30:33Thank you very much
30:34Arturo.
30:35Jim?
30:36All right.
30:37Thank you very much
30:38Arturo Gatti
30:38saying it all there
30:39I've found my weight class
30:40I'm going to win
30:41a world title again
30:42it will be fun
30:43to watch him
30:43try to chart his progress
30:44toward that goal.
30:47Still to come tonight
30:48our welterweight
30:49championship showdown
30:50between Vernon Forrest
30:51who defeated
30:52Shane Mosley
30:53in the Olympic trial
30:54semifinal
30:5510 years ago
30:56in 1992
30:56that was the last time
30:58Sugar Shane
30:59lost a fight
31:00in his unbeaten
31:01professional career
31:01Mosley has risen
31:03to the point
31:03where he's ranked
31:04as the number one
31:05pound for pound
31:05fighter in the world
31:07by most experts
31:09and magazines
31:10and others
31:11who foster such rankings
31:13but of course
31:14Vernon Forrest
31:14is equally unbeaten
31:16and thinks that he can
31:16beat Shane again
31:17we're about to see
31:18meanwhile
31:19we turn our attention
31:20back to the melee
31:21which followed
31:22the attempted
31:23news conference
31:24for Lennox Lewis
31:25and Mike Tyson
31:25last Tuesday
31:26and reintroduce
31:28our website
31:28question for the evening
31:30log on to AOL
31:32keyword HBO Boxing
31:34and answer for us
31:35do you think
31:36Lennox Lewis
31:37and Mike Tyson
31:37will be fighting
31:38on April 6th
31:40in other words
31:40will the fight
31:41take place
31:42as scheduled
31:42key information
31:43upcoming now
31:44as we prepare
31:45to interview
31:46Mark Ratner
31:47the executive director
31:48of the Nevada State
31:49Athletic Commission
31:50but before we do
31:52let's remind you
31:53that what happened
31:54between Tyson
31:55and Lewis
31:55this past Tuesday
31:57was only the latest
31:58of a long series
31:59of incidents
32:00of questionable behavior
32:01which have dogged Tyson
32:03ever since
32:04his much remembered
32:06ear biting incident
32:07with Evander Holyfield
32:08now more than
32:09five years ago
32:10that was June 28
32:111997
32:12that was at the
32:14MGM Grand Hotel
32:15in Las Vegas
32:16that was when Tyson
32:17first got himself
32:18into hot water
32:19with the Nevada State
32:20Athletic Commission
32:20biting Holyfield
32:22when next he fought
32:24in Las Vegas
32:24against Franz Bota
32:25Tyson admitted
32:26that he attempted
32:27to break Bota's
32:29left arm
32:29in this clinch
32:30at the end
32:31of an early round
32:32when next he appeared
32:33in Las Vegas
32:34Tyson was found guilty
32:36of hitting Orlan Norris
32:38twice after the bell
32:39to end round one
32:40in what ultimately
32:42became a no contest
32:43there were various
32:44other incidents
32:45involving Tyson
32:47including a positive
32:48drug test in Michigan
32:49striking a referee
32:51at the end of a fight
32:52in Scotland
32:53and of course
32:54the footage that you saw
32:56from this past Tuesday
32:57part of the question
32:58we're about to ask
33:00and try to get an answer
33:01to is how much
33:02of all that behavior
33:03will figure into the
33:04process which is about
33:05to take place
33:06so let's immediately
33:07go live to Las Vegas
33:09Nevada where we're
33:10joined by Mark Ratner
33:11the executive director
33:12of the Nevada State
33:13Athletic Commission
33:14Mark first of all
33:14thanks very much
33:15for joining us
33:16my first question
33:17does the Nevada State
33:19Athletic Commission
33:19have a policy
33:22which articulates
33:23the degree to which
33:24a fighter is
33:24outside the ring
33:25behavior
33:26figures into the
33:27question of whether
33:28he will be licensed
33:29and if so
33:29what is that policy
33:31it's an unwritten
33:32policy
33:33the statutes are
33:34very very broad
33:35and very vague
33:36but the commissioners
33:37can ask any question
33:38that they so desire
33:39about past fights
33:41about the melee
33:42and they'll have
33:43a series of questions
33:45that day
33:45when the hearing
33:47begins at one o'clock
33:48pacific time on Tuesday
33:49will Tyson's long
33:51record of questionable
33:52incidents and behaviors
33:54outside the ring
33:55be at stake
33:56all of the stuff
33:56that I just mentioned
33:57in the videotape piece
33:58or will the focus
33:59solely be on the events
34:01of last Tuesday
34:02here in New York
34:02I think the focus
34:04will be on everything
34:05I think they can ask
34:07anything from before
34:08and certainly
34:09what happened
34:10at the press conference
34:12will be brought up
34:14it's very regrettable
34:15that this happened
34:16that should have
34:16never happened
34:18there's a specific
34:19allegation that
34:20Mike Tyson bit
34:21Lennox Lewis
34:22in that melee
34:23last Tuesday
34:24obviously
34:25it's germane to
34:26the long question
34:27of behavior
34:28going back to
34:28the ear biting
34:29incident in 1997
34:30will the commission
34:32ask for specific
34:33medical evidence
34:34with regard to
34:35the allegation
34:36that Lewis was bitten
34:36that's been an
34:38unsubstantiated story
34:39I've heard
34:40both ways
34:42that yes it happened
34:43no it didn't
34:43certainly the
34:45commissioners can
34:45ask that
34:46but that's up
34:48to them
34:48will you seek
34:49a doctor's report
34:50or have you
34:50we have not
34:52talked to any
34:53doctor who
34:53treated him
34:54to the best
34:55of my knowledge
34:55we will not
34:57seek that
34:57what about
34:58the reported
34:58possibility mark
34:59of a forthcoming
35:01rape charge
35:02against Tyson
35:03to be filed by
35:04the district
35:04attorney's office
35:05in Las Vegas
35:06not certain yet
35:07whether it will
35:08happen
35:08police sources
35:09apparently indicating
35:10that it might
35:11how will that
35:12figure into this
35:13process
35:13the police
35:14have conducted
35:15an investigation
35:16this was an
35:17incident last
35:18September
35:19I've heard that
35:20the DA will have
35:21it or has the
35:22stuff now and
35:23will decide
35:24at a further time
35:26if in fact
35:27there will be
35:28further charges
35:28so it's possible
35:30that a license
35:31could be
35:31conditionally granted
35:32based on what
35:33happens from that
35:34criminal investigation
35:36the commission
35:37has the right
35:38to conditionally
35:39license
35:39but I do not
35:42believe the
35:42investigation
35:43will come into
35:44play in that
35:45regard
35:45here's the biggest
35:46question of all
35:46for you mark
35:47the sport is
35:49chronically seen
35:50as lacking
35:50leadership
35:51within the past
35:52three years
35:53your commission
35:54partially under
35:55your guidance
35:55has attempted
35:56to move forward
35:57in a couple
35:58of key areas
35:59medical examinations
36:00for fighters
36:01fighter safety
36:02you're trying
36:02to fill a
36:03certain moral
36:05code gap
36:05in the sport
36:06of boxing
36:06is this yet
36:08another area
36:08where you're
36:09thinking that
36:10your commission
36:10ought to see
36:11itself as a
36:12moral arbiter
36:13for the sport
36:14the commissioners
36:15have a real
36:16real tough
36:16quandary
36:18it's one of
36:18the toughest
36:19decisions before
36:20this commission
36:20in the last
36:2110 or 12 years
36:22they have to
36:22look at all
36:23the different
36:23facts added
36:24to the equation
36:25and come up
36:26with the financial
36:27realities of the
36:28fight and the
36:29morality part of it
36:30at the end of the
36:32day they have to
36:32do what's right
36:32for the state of
36:33Nevada and for
36:34the sport of
36:34boxing and that's
36:35why we have
36:36these five
36:36commissioners
36:37and i'm sure
36:37they'll make
36:37the right decision
36:38well you touched
36:39on my next subject
36:39because the response
36:40of many general
36:41media outlets
36:42is to say
36:43because so much
36:44money is at stake
36:45of course he'll be
36:47licensed and the
36:48fight will take
36:48place
36:48so it is the
36:49responsibility of
36:50the commission
36:51to examine the
36:52economic realities
36:53and the possible
36:53financial benefits
36:54to las vegas
36:55of hosting the
36:56fight
36:56i think it would
36:57be very naive
36:58of me to say
36:59that the financial
36:59reality of the
37:00fight would not
37:01come into play
37:02but paramountly
37:03they must decide
37:05besides the actual
37:07money itself
37:07what's right
37:08and the money
37:09cannot be the only
37:10factor in this
37:11all right
37:11five commissioners
37:13a three two vote
37:14either way could
37:15decide for or
37:16against a tyson
37:16license
37:17mark thanks very
37:18much for your
37:19time and we'll
37:20look forward to
37:20seeing what happens
37:21from tuesday
37:22forward
37:22thanks jimmy lambs
37:23all right
37:25meanwhile here at
37:26ringside tonight
37:26lennox lewis is in
37:28attendance to watch
37:29shane mosley fight
37:30vernon forrest and
37:31now larry merchant
37:32stands by with the
37:33other half of that
37:34potential heavyweight
37:35matchup lennox lewis
37:36the champion of the
37:37world larry
37:38thank you jim
37:39thank you for
37:40appearing with us
37:41again
37:41lennox
37:42lennox first
37:44do you want the
37:46fight to go on
37:47you know i'm going
37:48to wait until
37:49wednesday to make
37:50that decision
37:53you know i definitely
37:53want the fight to go
37:54on in the sense that
37:55that's the biggest
37:56fight out there for
37:57me right now and
37:57i've been waiting for
37:58it since after the
37:59holyfield fight i think
38:01it's going to be a
38:02disappointment if it
38:03doesn't go on because
38:04i know the public wants
38:05to see this fight i
38:06think it's a great
38:07fight um supposed to
38:09be the fight of the
38:10century but you know
38:11let's see what happens
38:12it's a very young
38:13century lennox
38:16let me question you
38:17about the alleged
38:19bite it's my
38:20understanding that
38:22your people took
38:24photographs of the
38:25bite is that
38:27true i'm not saying
38:29nothing about uh any
38:30bite right now until
38:31wednesday and the
38:32truth will be known
38:33on wednesday and i'm
38:35not saying anything
38:36before that and that
38:38you didn't have a
38:39tetanus shot like i'm
38:41not saying anything
38:42before that this guy
38:43is trying to trick me
38:43no i'm asking you
38:45just straightforward so
38:46you are not going to
38:48submit the evidence and
38:49your statement regarding
38:51that alleged bite to the
38:53commission for its
38:54consideration before they
38:56make a decision
38:57no i'm going to wait and
38:59hear on what they decide
39:01on and then i'll make my
39:02decision
39:03thank you but the truth
39:05will be known you know i
39:06went to a press conference
39:07and a dogfight broke out
39:09thank you very much lennox for
39:12joining us justice one thing
39:14jim seldom has a boxing
39:17commission been faced with a
39:19decision of such clarity if if
39:23they deny the license to mike
39:26tyson they're saying that this
39:28kind of behavior is
39:30unacceptable to them if they
39:33give a license to mike tyson what
39:36they're saying is this kind of
39:38behavior is acceptable and we
39:41will reward you for it
39:44jim
39:44all right that's larry merchant's
39:47take on this let's turn to george
39:48foreman two times the heavyweight
39:49champion of the world you were
39:51involved in a fight in zaire that
39:52was controversial and almost
39:54didn't come off for a variety of
39:55reasons fight fans are happy that
39:57it did what's your take on all of
39:58this i think they should leave mike
40:00tyson alone the guys in
40:01professional boxing they've been
40:03a lawyer doctor when when they do
40:05something bad you disband them you
40:07bar them you do on the unspeakable
40:10tyson did the unspeakable they
40:11didn't do that to him now let him
40:13alone let him fight it's all if
40:15lennox lewis want to fight him let
40:16it be get a referee in the ring who's
40:18strong maybe i should referee that
40:20boxing match are you can pull them
40:21apart are you no referring them
40:23nothing that no no but i think they
40:25should let the guy alone leave him
40:26alone he's been exploited enough now
40:28let him fight if you're going to
40:30give him a license he didn't do
40:31anything any more than what
40:32mohammed ali and i did joe frazier
40:34and mohammed ali we've all got into
40:36these fights in press conference
40:37that's no big deal he's just doing
40:40the speakable the unspeakable is what
40:42he did to evander holyfield if he
40:44still has the license after that let
40:46him alone no leave him alone all right
40:48so that's full coverage of the
40:50heavyweight controversy from all
40:52different angles now let's turn our
40:53attention back to our main event
40:55tonight the welterweight champ
40:57thank you so much for answering
40:57you have to say to me
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