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Micky Ward faces Alfonso Sanchez in a Jr Welterweight bout on TVKO HBO PPV
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00:00This evening include Holly Ayala taking on Nestor Lopez in a bantamweight battle, and then Butterbean Esch, the man who
00:07has developed quite a cult following, taking on Big Ed White, and Alfonso Sanchez taking on Irish Mickey Ward.
00:15And that, in fact, will be the next bout that we will see, Alfonso Sanchez taking on Irish Mickey Ward.
00:21Mickey Ward, a 31-year-old road paver out of Lowell, Massachusetts, and he was quite candid in telling us
00:27that laying asphalt on the road up in Lowell, Massachusetts, quite hard work, so he, in fact, tried to come
00:33back to the sport of boxing, has done such since 1994, and he says that he is much more focused
00:39and much more disciplined and plans to do quite well this evening.
00:42Well, he's got a pretty tough matchup in Alfonso Sanchez. And right now, we're going to send you back downstairs,
00:48ringside, as we get set for the next in our preliminary bouts as we head toward main event time. Let's
00:53rejoin Jim Lampley.
00:55All right, James Brown. Mickey Ward had a scheduled date with Julio Cesar Chavez this past December in Reno, and
01:02that bout was canceled at the last minute because of a Chavez injury.
01:05Mickey Ward said, well, I lost that opportunity, but maybe it will all turn out for the best because putting
01:11me on this card was a little bit of a make-up to me from promoter Bob Arum.
01:16Ward's record, 29 wins, 7 losses so far, 20 KOs. He's been a little better since he refocused himself on
01:24the sport back in 1994, as JB pointed out.
01:27And Mickey Ward's elder half-brother, Dick Eklund, appeared in a fight that you covered here on HBO, Larry.
01:35One of our earlier fights, he fought Sugar Ray Leonard earlier in his career in Boston.
01:40Sugar Ray Leonard was the hometown favorite in Dick Eklund's hometown.
01:45Dick Eklund had some real skills and went the distance with Ray and had a controversial knockdown or no knockdown
01:57of Ray, and he's had a rough go of it ever since.
02:01He's in the prison right now on a robbery charge.
02:06He was a smart fighter, but he wasn't a very smart robber.
02:10And I understand that after he robbed a store, he took a taxi cab home, told the taxi cab driver
02:18not to tell anybody where he went.
02:20The taxi cab driver called the police, and Dick Eklund is now in prison.
02:26And that's Dick Eklund, the older half-brother of Mickey Ward.
02:29Now here's Ward's opponent, Alfonso Sanchez, out of Tijuana, Mexico.
02:34You see the record, 16 wins, 15 KOs, 8 first-round KOs.
02:39Our Harold Letterman has seen Sanchez personally from ringside and says that he is one of the most talented young
02:46prospects in the sport of boxing.
02:48And we take a look at the tail of the tape between Alfonso Sanchez and Mickey Ward.
02:52Six-year age difference in Sanchez's favor.
02:55They both weighed in right at the limit of 140 pounds.
02:57And Ward with a one-inch reach advantage, but Sanchez with an overwhelming advantage, it would appear, in punching power.
03:06Rules of the bout with Harold Letterman.
03:08Harold?
03:09Jim, when you said the rules were exactly the same as the previous fight, the only difference would be the
03:13number of rounds.
03:13The Alfonso Sanchez-Mickey Ward fight is scheduled for 10 rounds.
03:17There is no standing eight count.
03:18The three-knockdown rule is in effect.
03:20Only the referee can stop the fight, and you can be saved by the bell in the tenth and final
03:25round only.
03:25Jim?
03:26Let's go up to Michael Buffer.
03:30And now, ladies and gentlemen, we go to ten rounds of boxing in the junior welterweight division.
03:34The three judges scoring this contest are Carol Castellano, Art Lurie, and Lou Tabbitt.
03:41And when the bell rings, your referee in charge of the action, Mitch Halpern.
03:46Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, wearing the emerald green trimmed with white, and weighing in at 140
03:54pounds.
03:55He comes to us from Lowell, Massachusetts, with a professional record of 29 victories.
04:0120 by KO, with only seven defeats.
04:04Ladies and gentlemen, here is Irish Mickey Ward.
04:12And his opponent across the ring, fighting out of the red corner, wearing black trimmed with silver, also weighing in
04:19at 140 pounds.
04:21His professional record, an outstanding one of 16-0, 15 KOs.
04:27From San Mateo, Tecolopan, Mexico, here is the undefeated Alvonzo, Pancho Sanchez.
04:44This will be a team fight.
04:46Protect yourself at all times with Baymont commands at all times.
04:48Any questions?
04:49Touch clubs.
04:50Touch them.
04:56Mickey Ward is a clever boxer.
05:00Let's see how Sanchez can impose his strength on him, if he can.
05:20So, Mickey Ward in the green charts.
05:22Alfonso Pancho Sanchez in the black.
05:25Young referee, Mitch Halpern, a man who so appropriately stopped the Tyson-Holyfield battle, here in Las Vegas last November.
05:37And as they get started, you see that Sanchez likes to come at you out of a bobbing, weaving style.
05:57Sanchez looks like one of those heavy-hitting Mexicans who doesn't have much speed, but has a lot of power.
06:05Down on his flat feet, as he watches the circling movements of Ward and waits for Ward to stop.
06:12Now stepping in with the jab is Sanchez, and Ward stays in that circular motion, using the whole ring.
06:29Now, Sanchez begins to get up on his toes just a little bit, figuring, all right, if Ward wants to
06:34dance, I'd better dance with him.
06:38Ward must know that Sanchez is a big puncher because he's coming out boxing early.
06:42He read the clippings.
06:48Mickey Ward's never been knocked out in his seven losses, and the intelligence he's showing right now is probably a
06:55factor in that.
06:56Very much so.
06:57You never run out on a guy who's supposed to be able to punch and just go right at him.
07:01Try to find out what you're dealing with first.
07:06Ward alternating stances between conventional and southpaw as he peers at Sanchez and continues to circle.
07:13Step back. Step back.
07:17Does it ever bother you when an opponent switches back and forth from stance to stance, Roy?
07:21Never bothers me. Just give me something else to look for.
07:23I hope to be able to time his switching so I can catch him right in the middle of the
07:27switch and hit him with a good shot.
07:29Yeah, when the feet are square right in the middle of the switch, that's the moment to hit him.
07:32It's already off balance. All you have to do is hit him.
07:38And if I hit him, you can start counting.
07:43Nice to see you haven't lost your natural bravado, Roy.
07:46What's one disqualification among friends, huh?
07:49There you go.
07:50Left hand of the body by Sanchez.
07:53Probably the most telling blow in the fight so far.
07:59Ward gets back up on the balls of his feet.
08:05What Ward should do also, early if he can, is make sure he hits Sanchez's body.
08:10That always weakens the big punches as we've seen here on several occasions.
08:15Crowd whistling and booing at Ward.
08:17Not going to bother him much.
08:19He wants to stay away from Sanchez's power punches.
08:22He's done that successfully through round one.
08:25Only problem is he didn't give himself much chance to score.
08:29Putting it mildly, I'm a mild-mannered man.
08:34And he's a mild-mannered fighter so far.
08:37Now look at, remember when you're, I'm spilling out, okay.
08:41Well, we told you about older half-brother Dick Eklund, who fought on HBO against Ray Leonard back in July
08:46of 78.
08:47On various occasions in the past, Dick Eklund has worked in his younger brother's corner.
08:53Here's a glimpse of Eklund in the corner.
08:56And in a moment, you'll see a glimpse of how he appeared in an entirely different telecast on HBO just
09:03within the past couple of years.
09:05Award-winning broadcast on HBO called High on Crack Street, Lost Lives in Lowell.
09:10One of the subjects, sadly, Dick Eklund, has appeared as part of our America Undercover series on HBO.
09:17And Eklund willingly allowing the cameras to see him in the throes of his crack addiction.
09:23And that is part of the condition that landed him in prison where he is right now.
09:27Now, Mickey Ward said he's the best guy in the world, and he went bad.
09:36Mickey also saying that he was grateful that his brother had run into trouble and gotten arrested because he said
09:41being in prison saved his life.
09:47In round one by CompuBox Calculations, Mickey Ward threw 14 punches and landed one.
09:53Not going to win any rounds that way.
09:55I can't show this guy too much respect because he'll give him too much confidence.
09:59Then he won't be able to stop saying cheers in the later rounds.
10:03He's making it very difficult for himself to get in the fight, this Mickey Ward.
10:08He sure ain't got this much respect.
10:09He thinks you're pure scared of him.
10:12The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds, and right now the spectators here in the Thomas & Mack Center are
10:18thinking,
10:19Oh no, not 10 rounds with this.
10:22Now Sanchez starts to step up the activity a little bit.
10:26As he backs Ward into a corner.
10:28What I'm thinking, Jim, is that this could be one of those David Copperfield fights.
10:33You know David Copperfield, the magician?
10:36You wish he was here so he could make this fight disappear?
10:43If he's taught Claudia Schiffer that trick, I'd rather she show up and do it for us.
10:49I'm interested to see what Ward does here the next few rounds.
10:53Don't hold, don't hold brakes!
10:55Step back in here, step back.
10:57Step back in here, step back.
10:58Because Ward is usually a tough individual.
11:00He doesn't let things like this get in his path or stop him from doing what he has to do.
11:04Most of the times when I've seen him before.
11:07And I'm sure at some point or another he'll finally get tired of running from this guy and go ahead
11:11and fight back.
11:12Get those hands down, come on!
11:14It's his nature as a fighter to ultimately produce some combat here.
11:17Yes, it is.
11:19If it doesn't, if he doesn't, it will surprise me.
11:22Now don't punch, don't punch, step back, step back.
11:25There lands an unexpected right-hand lead.
11:27There you see he's getting a little bit braver.
11:29Yep.
11:33He's still switching constantly from southpaw to conventional and back.
11:37As long as he doesn't get caught, I have no problem with it.
11:41But I'm not sure he's even thrown a punch out of the southpaw stance.
11:44I don't think he has.
11:45I don't think he has the confidence to throw a punch out of the southpaw stance.
11:50Now he's back to the conventional stance.
11:53Now he's back to the southpaw stance.
11:55I could bore you to tears all night by documenting this.
11:58Yes, this is a...
11:58Oh, he threw a punch through the left hand of the body.
12:14Well, this becomes a test of Alfonso Sanchez's patience, too.
12:18Isn't the Boston Marathon coming up soon as I watch what I keep thinking of running and stuff?
12:25Ah, hold up!
12:26No parts, no parts.
12:39All right, you're doing very well.
12:46Let's get some grease on him.
12:47All right.
12:48All right.
13:02All right.
13:04All right.
13:05There's nothing a little about that kid.
13:08All right?
13:20Six minutes of boxing in the bout.
13:22A total of 25 punches landed by the two fighters.
13:25That's an average of four punches per minute.
13:27One every 15 seconds.
13:30Dreadful.
13:32This is dreadful, dreadful stuff.
13:36But it is the theater of the unexpected.
13:39Maybe by the end it'll be a barn burner.
13:43Fixing the ring ropes on one side.
13:4820-foot ring.
13:50Plenty of space for...
13:51For Nell Whitaker to use later this evening in his bout with Oscar De La Hoya.
14:00Sanchez with a right-hand lead.
14:07Now Sanchez corners Ward and lands a chopping right to the body and Mickey ties him up.
14:13Ward seems to be trying to land one big shot to either change Sanchez's mind or to hopefully knock Sanchez
14:20out or down.
14:23He's not boxing.
14:24He's not looking to outbox Sanchez.
14:25He just wants another one shot.
14:27Now he's back in the southpaw stance and he tries a right hook off the front foot in that stance.
14:33Missed short and now lands a lead left.
14:36But there again.
14:37One shot.
14:38That's all he's doing is one punch at a time.
14:40But that's better than zero.
14:41Yeah, but he's not supposed to be the puncher.
14:44Sanchez is.
14:45Oh, that's true.
14:45Well, it doesn't appear that Ward is into his fight-winning mode yet, Roy.
14:51I don't think he's going to get into it at this rate.
14:54This is a survival mode.
14:58Maybe he watched too many films or something.
15:00Sanchez lands a tapping right.
15:02Ward backs up 12 feet as the result.
15:05You know, earlier, guys, I mentioned Mickey Duff, the British manager and promoter, and sometimes trainer, I think, as well.
15:19And he once said to me, and this was in that Boz-Edwards Camacho fight, that when a fighter fights
15:25this little, he should be penalized.
15:28And I think that's right.
15:30I think there should be points taken away when a fighter isn't fighting.
15:34Well, I could go on and on and talk about when a fighter isn't fighting, or when a fighter is
15:38acting and taking one knee to get off from under the heat.
15:41There's a lot of things you can say about it.
15:43And there again, you get away from the sport of boxing.
15:46Boxing is supposed to be man-to-man fighting.
15:48If you're going to fight, if you're going to come in there, come in there and fight.
15:52Well, I don't know if we're agreeing or disagreeing here, Roy, but I think we're agreeing.
15:56I agree with what you're saying.
15:57Because this is not professional.
15:58That's exactly what I'm saying.
15:59That's exactly what I'm saying.
16:01Let me ask Harold Redderman.
16:02When can you take a point away from a fighter for not fighting?
16:06Larry, that's the point that I was going to make.
16:08You're 100% right.
16:09Now, listen.
16:09People are banged to see entertainment, and they're not getting it because Ward's not fighting.
16:13Mitch Hopper and she called Tom and said, hey, look, if you fight or you don't get paid,
16:17I mean, this guy's running away.
16:18It's worth it.
16:19So it's up to the referee, really, to get this guy to fight.
16:22And he should.
16:22He should just stop it and say, if you don't fight, you don't get paid.
16:26I'm saying because we shouldn't be forced to watch this.
16:29Yeah.
16:29Talk about torture.
16:34Coincidentally, Mark Ratner, chairman of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, earlier
16:38telling us that Oliver McCall's situation still has not been resolved, and McCall's purse
16:45from his bout with Lennox Lewis still has not been released because of McCall's refusal
16:50to fight that evening.
16:56Round card girl getting a huge response from the crowd because that's a big improvement
17:01over what they've seen during the rounds, and there's Oscar De La Hoya warming up in his
17:06dressing room.
17:07He'll be wearing red velvet trunks tonight as an homage to his mother.
17:12He was a little boy.
17:13She gave him a pair of red velvet trunks.
17:16Obviously, those are too small for him to wear now, but he decided that the outfit should
17:20be red velvet tonight.
17:22It's a big moment in his career, and Oscar, who is utterly devoted to his deceased mother,
17:27Cecilia, wanted her to be remembered.
17:29Second's out.
17:31Johnny, get that tape out of there.
17:35Big fight like that one coming up.
17:38Both fighters use everything they can to spur them.
17:49Well, if either of the main event fighters need to take a snooze before their main event,
17:55all they've got to do is show this fight in their dressing room.
18:03Irish Mickey Ward's got a reputation in the tough streets of Lowell, Mass.
18:06Mass as a battler, and he's going to be verbally defending that reputation when he goes back
18:12if this continues throughout the fight.
18:14Sit back, sit back, sit back.
18:23Nicky Ward showing nothing but respect.
18:26Nothing but respect for Alfonso Sanchez.
18:30Well, what do you think, Roy, about the way Sanchez is going about his work?
18:34Well, Sanchez is going about his work the best that he can.
18:38He's trying his best to catch Mickey Ward.
18:40He's not a fast-paced fighter.
18:42He doesn't have the best footwork.
18:43He's trying everything he can to catch up with Mickey.
18:46He's not throwing a lot of body punches.
18:48I think of Ward's canceled fight with Chavez.
18:53Chavez would have been going to the body for the first three or four rounds almost exclusively.
18:58Double right hand by Sanchez, then a triple left hook.
19:01A couple of the left hooks landed flush on the cheek of Mickey Ward.
19:06Ward tying Sanchez up, but Pancho Sanchez of Tijuana is beginning to get some opportunities
19:11to flash his punching power.
19:14I think I'm glad that Mickey Ward didn't get to fight Chavez.
19:19Chavez knows how to put much more pressure on a guy than this guy, than Sanchez does.
19:25Mickey seems as though he just doesn't want to fight tonight.
19:31Chavez is watching.
19:32He might be wondering why in the world he backed out of a fight with Mickey Ward because of an
19:35injury.
19:37They're beating him with one hand.
19:38There's a body shot, Larry.
19:40Yep.
19:41And the left hook lands up top for Mickey Ward.
19:45Maybe that body shot will make Ward stand and deliver.
19:50Ward standing in his conventional stance.
19:52He throws many more punches when he has the left foot forward in a conventional stance.
19:56So that's a good sign for the spectators.
19:57He's not switching off into the southpaw stance quite as much anymore.
20:08Sanchez literally tapping Ward into the ropes there.
20:11Now he goes back to the southpaw stance.
20:14Sanchez says, oh, come on.
20:16Just give me your body.
20:17Just give it up to me.
20:20Mickey Ward seems as though he has a problem with his right shoulder.
20:28Sanchez going to the body in this round.
20:31And he's beginning to open up, taking advantage of more and more opportunities to get close to Ward
20:36and throw against a fighter who is not defending himself by punching.
20:51Here's the most impressive flurry from Sanchez of the fight.
20:56After missing the first two, he lands a couple of left hooks and a few more for good measure.
21:04Nothing really clean, though.
21:05How are you doing, man?
21:06How are you doing?
21:07Good.
21:08Just keep moving.
21:09Don't stand there with this guy.
21:11You make him miss beautiful, but you don't come up with something.
21:13See, that's very, very important.
21:15Remember I told you, get this here.
21:17Put it in right here.
21:19Put this right in here.
21:21If he can't do anything, nail him, push him back or whatever.
21:24If you're late, you're going to bring him deep.
21:26Did I see Will punch that correctly?
21:2812 punches per round
21:3012 punches he's landed in the whole fight
21:32That's 3 per round
21:33Yeah, but 48, I'm saying he's throwing 40 punches
21:35No, no, you're right
21:37Excuse me, throwing 48 so that's
21:39Hey
21:42Ward threw only 7 punches in round 4
21:45But he landed 5 of them
21:52It's the right glove, I believe, isn't it, Harold?
21:56Yes, Larry, absolutely
21:57It's the right glove of Mickey Wood split wide open
21:59And what happened?
22:00It didn't happen punching, I know that
22:02Get up in there, let's go
22:04Couldn't possibly have happened punching
22:05Harold Lederman's scorecard
22:07Okay, 40 to 36, 4 rounds to nothing, Pacho Sanchez
22:10What can you say? He's the one of the fighting
22:13How about taking any points away from Wood?
22:16Larry, unless the referee does, he can't
22:18I mean, it's not the judge's place in this particular instance
22:21And Pacho Sanchez is not winning it so decisively
22:24As they call it a 10-8 rounds
22:28Pacho Sanchez getting hungrier and hungrier for a 10-8 round
22:31Harold, we're gonna let you take points away
22:35And if you don't do it, we'll take points away from you, Harold
22:39Jim, you said you wanted to be a boxing judge
22:43You've got a recording of me saying that
22:45Bury it
22:47Don't punch, don't punch, step back in there
22:49Step back easy
22:50Now there's something redundant
22:51There was something you didn't have to say
22:53Don't punch
22:55Those words definitely were not needed
22:58Telling the ocean to collect water
23:08Ward, occasionally flexing his arms
23:10Goes down on an uppercut
23:12Nicely thrown left uppercut inside
23:14Very good left uppercut
23:15And right after, Ward threw a pretty good right hand
23:18Wait, you alright?
23:20Come to me, come to me
23:21So you get a sense there of what Ward risks
23:24When he throws punches
23:26And why he hasn't been doing it
23:30Like I said, I just think Ward did not come here to fight tonight
23:33I agree with you
23:34I think
23:35He got put into this fight
23:37It's a money fight
23:38He doesn't want to be here
23:39He's looking for a way to get out of here
23:42Cause he's definitely a better fighter than this
23:55Round 5 of a scheduled 10, we regret to tell you
24:04Well, he
24:05Sanchez is trying to jump on Ward
24:06But he just can't catch him
24:07He got moved to him
24:08There goes a good shot
24:09Ward is hurt again
24:12Sanchez needs to learn how to cut the ring off too though
24:14He got the right hand through the guard there though
24:16And
24:17Ward looked for a moment as though he was going to go down
24:21Ward using the ropes for support
24:22As Sanchez wails away at him
24:26Great, great, stick back in here
24:27Stick back, stick back, stick back
24:29Well, I said hair
24:29I don't want the hair in here
24:33Let's go
24:34Hey, don't punch, don't punch
24:36Let him up, let him up, let him up
24:37Alright, Nicky
24:38You've lost the first 5 rounds
24:40What's the next strategy going to be?
24:43I mean, if you're in there
24:44You might as well fight
24:45Put that behind it
24:48Give it a good rest
24:49Alright, let's take a look at this knockdown, Roy
24:52What happened?
24:52You see he threw a round at his right
24:55And got a left in return from Sanchez
24:57I think he brought his right foot up
24:59With his right
25:00Let me see
25:01Yeah, he brought his right foot up right here
25:03As to switch to the southpaw stand
25:06And he got caught right in the middle of that switch
25:07But he got caught with an uppercut
25:09Just as you said would be the case
25:11And Sanchez did a good job of looking and waiting to throw this punch
25:15Almost threw it there
25:16Then hesitated and came back with it
25:18When Ward was in just the right position for him
25:24Really tight
25:25How you doing?
25:25You alright?
25:26He's alright
25:26Oh yeah, he's great
25:28Seconds out
25:30Throw his hands up
25:31Ok
25:38Have you ever seen a referee, Hal, go to a fighter and say
25:42If you don't start fighting, I'm gonna stop this fight?
25:46Oh, absolutely
25:47I mean, I had a good friend in New York that was a great referee
25:49Lou Eskin
25:50He used to do it all the time
25:51I mean, you wouldn't dog it
25:52Louie would throw you out
25:53He'd just disqualify you
25:54Which Halpern can't do?
25:56Zach Clayton was famous for keeping the fight moving
25:58And so is Joey Curtis
25:59Three referees that come to mind immediately
26:07Mickey Ward threw seven punches in the fifth round
26:11You've just tuned in
26:13Let him up, don't quench, don't quench
26:14That statistic sounds like an aberration
26:16But it typifies Mickey's performance throughout the first rounds
26:19The first five rounds of this ten round fight
26:21Sanchez getting in the left hand of the body
26:24A very good body shot by Sanchez
26:27You can see his power every time he hits Ward
26:29He backs him up
26:38The referee should just go ahead and stop this fight
26:40He knows that Mickey doesn't want to be here
26:42I wouldn't even make the crowd continue to watch this
26:45Put something back, Nick
26:45Put something back
26:46Ward was urging him on as if to say
26:50Please, please put me out of my misery
26:52Put something back
26:53He acts like he can't push
26:54He acts like there's a problem with his shoulders, Ward
26:56But he still can beat his hands together
26:59I don't understand it
27:01Shaking his head
27:02Referee
27:03Shaking his head at Sanchez
27:08Very curious performance by Mickey Ward
27:11Throws the right hand
27:12And that temporarily stops Sanchez's momentum
27:17And now Sanchez gets to fire away again
27:20As Ward leans against the ropes
27:26This is really one of the saddest kinds of fights
27:30In boxing
27:31Mickey Ward is 31 years old
27:34He's here because he needs the money
27:36He's taking a beating
27:38He's getting humiliated
27:42It's a part of the game that is not ennobling or uplifting
27:46Yeah, and my point is that he doesn't really have to sit here and take this beating
27:50He can do something about it
27:57Which is what?
27:58Have his corner throw in the towel?
28:00Or fight back?
28:02Greg, step back easy, step back easy
28:03There are only rare moments when he looks like he wants to
28:12Now there's a small cut over the left eye of Mickey Ward
28:17Just a tiny trickle of blood
28:18And Sanchez begins to chop away at it with the right hand
28:21I think the referee may be looking to stop this fight
28:23He's getting pretty close here
28:27The crowd will cheer mightily if it happens
28:39They'll go to the seventh round
28:42That's it
28:43Just a preliminary as we wait for the main event
28:46Burnell's Sweet Pea Whitaker
28:47Everybody on the same beat in that dressing room
28:50As the heads all bobbed in unison
28:52And Burnell musically waits for his dual dance with De La Hoya
29:04Mitch Happern gave a warning of some kind to Ward in his corner
29:09I don't know what he was saying
29:18He's not going to get hurt
29:22Get those jabs out
29:23And don't stand in front of this guy
29:26You better stop getting hit one way to the other
29:28Seconds out
29:32Not a whole lot of attention for the small abrasion above Mickey Ward's left eye
29:36As you can see there were a couple of other abrasions
29:38A roll of the
29:39Below the left eye
29:40And a little nick across the bridge of the nose
29:42But nothing so far that threatens his participation
29:48If you wish to call it that
29:49In the fight
29:51Now he goes back to the southpaw stance
29:53And fires a left hand lead out of it
30:00Hey, step back in
30:01Easy, step back, let go, let go
30:04Sanchez with absolutely nothing to fear
30:07As he leans in on Ward on the ropes
30:09And fires power punches
30:10And he's throwing some very good power punches
30:17This is a fight that should be stopped
30:20For the fighters' well-being
30:24And for the people who are paying to see it
30:45If anything interesting happens, we'll let you know
30:49If I were paying for this fight on pay-per-view
30:51I'd be wanting half of my money back
30:56Well, or at least one-sixth of your money
30:59It only accounts for one-sixth of the card
31:01You got a point there
31:02But someone should pay me to watch this
31:04That was a good body shot by Ward
31:06Someone is paying you to watch this
31:10That was a good body shot by Ward
31:12Maybe it'll turn him around
31:13Maybe
31:14I'm talking about if I were
31:16Oh, see?
31:18Unbelievable
31:19Unbelievable
31:20And he won't make it that
31:22What am I looking at?
31:24Look at that
31:25Sixth
31:25He won't make it that
31:26It was a kidney shot
31:27You are looking at the most unlikely knockout
31:29Ten
31:30You have ever seen
31:31Look at this thing
31:32Look at this thing
31:33That was a kidney shot
31:35The kind of kidney shot
31:36That Patterson did to
31:38Young Daddy
31:39A few months ago
31:40I still don't believe what I just saw
31:43I was wondering
31:44Was Mickey Ward going to catch
31:46Ultimate by the shot
31:47That hurt him the first time
31:49Now is that a lucky punch
31:50Or did Mickey Ward just make idiots of us all
31:53With a spectacular piece of strategy
31:55I think what Mickey did
31:56Was he recognized
31:57That he hurt the guy with the body shot
31:59And he came on
32:00And he hit him again with the body shot
32:02And he surprised himself
32:03That's why I said
32:04I couldn't understand
32:04Why Mickey wasn't fighting back
32:06Mickey's a better fighter than that
32:08To not be running from that guy like that
32:09Theater of the unexpected
32:14Just when we were eviscerating the guy
32:16For his non-performance
32:18Mickey Ward
32:19Knocks out
32:21Alfonso Sanchez
32:22Let's take another look
32:23This is one of the most extraordinary things
32:26I've ever seen in boxing
32:27And Mickey just just
32:29I
32:29I
32:30I tell you
32:30You can't make it up folks
32:32You know what Mickey just said
32:34He said
32:34You can't give up in this game
32:37Well
32:38I guess he didn't give up
32:39No he didn't
32:42Isn't that what they call
32:43A Mexican liver shot
32:44That's what it is
32:45Well
32:45Maybe Mickey Ward
32:46You never heard me say
32:47You should stop this fight
32:48And he went out and stopped it
32:52Amazing
32:52I
32:53The eighth win
32:53In the career of Mickey Ward
32:54Out of Lomas
32:55I know that Mickey Ward
32:57Was a better fighter
32:57Than what he was showing
32:58That's why I said
32:59I wanted to see
33:00What would happen later in the fight
33:03Alfonso Sanchez
33:04Is in tears
33:07As he tries to stomach
33:09The bitter gall
33:10Of this unbelievable defeat
33:12At the hands of Mickey Ward
33:14Who had all but given away
33:16The first half dozen rounds in the bout
33:23According to our CompuBox numbers
33:25Mickey Ward didn't land a single jab
33:27In the whole fight
33:28But he landed two body shots
33:30In the seventh round
33:31And the second one
33:32The classic Mexican liver shot
33:35Put the Mexican fighter
33:36Alfonso Sanchez
33:37Away
33:47An odd form of redemption for Mickey Ward
33:50And let's go to Michael Buffer
33:52For the official particulars
33:53Ladies and gentlemen
33:54Referee Mitch Halpern
33:56Reaches the count of ten
33:58As the pride of Lowell, Massachusetts
34:01Climbs off the deck
34:03To win by knockout victory
34:05At one minute
34:06Fifty-three seconds
34:08Of round number seven
34:10KO winner Irish Mickey Ward
34:20I'm glad he pulled it off
34:21But I still don't like to see a guy go out there
34:23And give a guy that much respect
34:25Just because of his previous fights
34:27Or whatever
34:28His record
34:29Is that like watching a terrible movie
34:32That has a Saco finish?
34:35Do you have to sit through an hour and forty minutes
34:38Before you get to the climax?
34:40Now that kind of thing can only happen in one sport
34:42It happens in boxing
34:44James Brown
34:46Alright Jim
34:47Ugly indeed
34:48Up to that point
34:49But the record books
34:50Will only show a victory
34:51On behalf of Irish Mickey Ward
34:54My goodness
34:54Alright folks
34:55Well we're certainly hoping
34:56That throughout the entire fight
34:58That the main event
34:59Will be an awfully good one
35:00That one of course
35:01Between Pernell Whitaker
35:02And Oscar De La Hoya
35:03And here to talk about
35:05Some outstanding fights
35:06That have taken place
35:07At Caesars Palace
35:08Over 100 world titles
35:10Staged by that hotel
35:11The president and CEO of Caesars World
35:13Mr. Peter Boynton
35:14And thank you very much
35:15Obviously an awful lot of hype
35:17About this fight
35:18But how will the main event
35:19Compare to some of the great ones
35:21That you have hosted in years past?
35:23James this one should be
35:24Slightly better than
35:25The Leonard Hearns fight
35:27About ten years ago
35:28Which was the all time grossing fight
35:30Non-heavyweight
35:31It has every indication
35:32That we'll surpass it
35:33By a slight margin
35:34We have a few more seats
35:35Over here in the Thomas and Mac Center
35:37Than we did at the permanent arena
35:38Over at Caesars Palace
35:39Okay
35:40And the obvious is
35:41That we're hosting the fight
35:42Actually here at the Thomas and Mac
35:43As opposed to at Caesars
35:45Will there be more fights
35:47Staged at Caesars
35:48And if so when?
35:49That's a great bet
35:50And it's an absolute
35:51Sure one
35:52We probably will have
35:53Our temporary arena
35:54Back toward the end of 1998
35:56And we're going to look
35:57At a permanent arena
35:58Sometime in 1999
35:59But boxing is very much
36:01A part of Caesars
36:01And I think it always will be
36:03Mr. Peter Boynton
36:04Thank you very much
36:05And we're looking forward
36:06Hoping that this one
36:07Will go down in the annals
36:08As a good one as well
36:09Thank you James
36:09Alright folks
36:11And of course
36:11We're talking about
36:12The battle for what
36:13Many feel will be
36:14The best pound for pound
36:16Battle between
36:16Oscar De La Hoya
36:17And Pernell Whitaker
36:19As we take a look
36:20Again Oscar De La Hoya
36:22Feeling that he's got the power
36:24To take it to the body
36:25And cause an awful lot of problem
36:27For Pernell Whitaker
36:28Says
36:29I've got far too much experience
36:31In range savvy
36:32And I will show the youngster
36:34Some things that he has not seen
36:36In his young career
36:38Yet to come
36:39On the preliminary bouts
36:41We will have
36:42Molly Ayala
36:43Taking on Nestor Lopez
36:44And the big men
36:46Eric Butterbean Esch
36:47Taking on Big Ed White
36:49As a matter of fact
36:50That will be
36:51The next bout
36:52Coming up
36:53Butterbean against Ed White
36:55Butterbean
36:55As you may recall
36:56Those who are a part
36:58Of his cult following
36:59Weighed at one point
37:01In the 7th grade
37:02250 pounds
37:04Had ballooned as an adult
37:06To as high as 420 pounds
37:09He is now down to a svelte
37:11330 pounds
37:12And he'll be taking on
37:13The mild-mannered one
37:14Ed White
37:156'6", 255 pounds
37:17A mild-mannered Christian
37:19Who possesses a lot of power
37:21And he will need it
37:22Against a guy
37:23Who has an abundance of it
37:25Right now
37:25Now let's take you back
37:26Downstairs
37:27To Jim Lampley
37:29Alright
37:31The obligatory visit
37:32From the king of the
37:33Four-Rounders
37:34Eric Butterbean Esch
37:35There's Ed White
37:36Who comes from
37:37Parsons, Tennessee
37:38That's just outside
37:39Of Jackson
37:40For those of you
37:41Who know Tennessee
37:42And he's never been
37:43Knocked out
37:44He's 6'7", 255 pounds
37:46He's got a record
37:46Of four wins
37:47One loss
37:48No...
37:49No...
37:49No...
37:50Nah...
37:51No...
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