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00:00One sport's a smile, the other a sneer.
00:21One is smooth, polished, the other rough and abrasive.
00:30One is motivated by love for a deceased mother.
00:35The other burns on a flame of hatred for the father who left him as a baby.
00:43One forces the action in a straight-ahead assault.
00:49The other reacts to his opponents with depth counter-punches.
00:53So different, yet so similar.
01:02For both are undefeated and among the very best fighters in the world.
01:07Tonight, James Toney, the IVF super middleweight champion, and Oscar De La Hoya, one of boxing's
01:16brightest prospects, Pierre sent to stage.
01:18What an uppercut by Douglas, who's down goes Tyson.
01:36The night, live from Los Angeles, California, HBO Sports presents World Championship Boxing.
01:51First, James Toney defends his IVF super middleweight crown against number one-ranked contender Tim
01:56Little.
01:57In hometown favorite, Oscar De La Hoya meets WBO junior lightweight titleist, Jimmy Bridal.
02:02Both fights scheduled for 12 rounds.
02:06It's the kind of arena they just don't build anymore.
02:12Ever since the Olympic Auditorium opened its doors in 1925, virtually every great boxing
02:19name has graced its marquee.
02:21And like the many ring warriors who have managed to survive within this building's four walls,
02:25the Olympic has also had to sustain itself through some years of hard times.
02:30But instead of having been demolished like so many other older arenas, the Olympic has now
02:34undergone a total restoration.
02:36And tonight, the tradition continues in this historic structure as we host the first boxing
02:42event to be held in the brand new Grand Olympic Auditorium.
02:46Tonight, four undefeated fighters serve in effect as supporting actors to the real star of the show,
02:52one of the truly storied venues in the long history of this sport.
02:55Good evening, everybody.
02:59I'm Jim Lapley.
03:00We welcome you to this occasion on which we continue to follow the developing careers of
03:05IBF super middleweight champion James Toney and of lightweight title contender Oscar De La Hoya,
03:12both of whom are looking toward victories and moving on toward bigger and better things tonight.
03:16But also to celebrate the reopening of this terrific venue,
03:20one of the truly storied places ever to have hosted boxing matches.
03:24As working with me, as always, is another Los Angeles resident, long-time HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant.
03:30Larry, is it possible that with Oscar De La Hoya as the spearhead,
03:34this building can be returned to its glory days?
03:38That would be a hard one, even if De La Hoya is as good as he thinks he is,
03:42and he thinks he's pretty good.
03:44But Barbarum is an intrepid entrepreneur, says he's going to promote two fights a month,
03:49and judging from the crowd tonight, if De La Hoya can fight in enough of them, who knows?
03:55It would surely make the ghost of that Hollywood fight crowd that used to cram into this glorious pit very, very pleased indeed.
04:04They come out here to see the likes of Henry Armstrong, Barney Ross, Sugar Ray Robinson,
04:10the Ramesses, the Ortizes, Archie Moore, many, many others.
04:15Who are those Hollywood stars?
04:17Well, how about Chaplin, Gable, Raft, Al Jolson?
04:22And legend has it that the Marx Brothers would jump into the ring to entertain the crowd between the fights from time to time.
04:30Also, this is the venue where almost all of the old Hollywood fight films were staged.
04:35Just one other historical note, Oscar De La Hoya's father and grandfather fought here.
04:43Three generations of fighters in an arena that has spanned three generations.
04:48So it's only appropriate that we turn to our own individual generation spanner, former heavyweight champion George Foreman.
04:55George, before we get a look at Oscar De La Hoya, we're going to take on the business of James Toney,
05:00the IBF super middleweight champion who regards himself as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.
05:05Not Evander Holyfield, not Brunel Whitaker.
05:08Tony says it's him, and some experts agree with him.
05:11In your view, how good is James Toney?
05:12He may well be one of the best fighters around today, but the question tonight is,
05:17has he a manager equally as good as he?
05:19Scouting referees and judges.
05:21Sometimes when you move up in class with opponents, your manager can't be a freshman.
05:26She's got to have everything on the ball.
05:28So you're saying that among the match-ups here tonight is not just James Toney against Tim Littles,
05:33but Tony's manager, Jackie Callen, against the Duva organization, which has long represented Tim Littles.
05:39And they scout boxing well.
05:40They'll do their job behind the corner, behind the ring, behind the scene.
05:45They do it with professional persistency.
05:47They are the greatest at this point.
05:49Yep, but don't sell Jackie short.
05:51She's gotten James this far.
05:52We've told you the story before of the inner rage that drives and motivates James Toney,
05:57but there's a new element in his personal landscape, as you're about to learn right now.
06:01Like that.
06:04Yeah.
06:04Like that.
06:05Bam! Bam!
06:11Love and hate.
06:12Powerful emotions that influence our lives each and every day.
06:16For James Toney, love and hate are large parts of what he has accomplished and what he wants to be.
06:24Like too many American children, James Toney grew up without knowing his father.
06:29His father abandoned James and his mother when he was 17 months old,
06:32and left Toney with just one thing, an anger that still rages today.
06:37When you get out, I got something for him.
06:40I can't guarantee you walk away.
06:42If somebody piss me off, they don't know about it.
06:44Every time I see red, that means you're dead.
06:48Words directed toward the father James never knew.
06:51The man who now tries to reach him from the Ohio prison where he serves time for rape.
06:56The man whose face he sees in each and every opponent he meets in the ring.
07:00The man who fuels the hatred James has felt for too long.
07:04You can only imagine how it would be to be a young boy growing up,
07:08and there's Boy Scouts and Father-Son events and all kinds of things going on at school and in your everyday life,
07:12and you're so left out of that because you don't have a father,
07:16and you don't have any male role model in your life at all.
07:19And I know he resents it, and I'm sure he's very bitter because of it,
07:22because that's a big loss.
07:24That's a whole part of a person's life that was cut out of his, and he can never get it back.
07:29He never can get it back.
07:31But does James understand that?
07:34I think by now, after this sense of time, it's time for him to grow up and lay this deal about his father,
07:41lay that on his side, and think in terms of doing something with his life,
07:46and don't worry about what happened in the past that's gone.
07:49Recently, another side of James Toney has been exposed,
07:55one driven not only by hate, but also by love.
07:59The birth of his daughter last year forced James to temper his anger with newfound purpose
08:03and to fight the natural urge to react to adversity with rage.
08:08It has changed in a lot of ways.
08:13I said, James, you can't do what you used to do.
08:15You have to think now, because it's not just you anymore.
08:18When you think now, when you want to do something that's not right,
08:21you've got to think for yourself and also her.
08:23Because if you do something that's detrimental to your future, it's going to hurt her.
08:26James Toney knows all about being unwanted.
08:29He knows the feeling of living life without a father,
08:31and he knows he never wants his daughter to be hurt the way his father hurt him.
08:36It's better than having a word title, you know.
08:38She's the most important thing in my life, and besides my mother.
08:41So, you know, it's great every time I see her, look at her, and say,
08:44that's me, that's a part of me.
08:45And, you know, everything I do reflects, you know, on her.
08:49So I've got to be careful what I do and say.
08:51James Toney trains these days with a new sense of direction.
08:55He's inspired by the prospect of seeing a future far brighter than his past.
09:00I'm much more hungry.
09:02Because, like I said, when they fight me,
09:04it's like they're trying to take food off a plate.
09:08You know, it's like trying to change her lifestyle.
09:11I don't know if that happens.
09:12While he couldn't stop his father from leaving him as a child,
09:16James Toney now finds himself in complete control of his life.
09:20He, too, is in a position to greatly shape his child's future.
09:23But he has a much different idea of how to go about it.
09:26My mom, she's telling me, you can't buy this.
09:28She's not big enough for this yet.
09:29But, you know, I'd do it anyway because that's something I never had.
09:32And I wanted to grow up, you know, grow up having everything.
09:36You know, everybody says she's been spoiled since the first day she was born.
09:40You know, so she's spoiled.
09:41She'll probably be spoiled for the rest of her life.
09:43But, you know, hey, I love it.
09:47I can do that.
09:48So when the champion steps into the ring tonight,
09:52he will still be motivated by hatred for his father.
09:55But now that hatred shares space in his heart with a different, even more powerful urge.
10:01Unconditional love.
10:02And now the father leaves his dressing room to enter the ring,
10:10closely accompanied by the woman to whom George Foreman referred in his opening comments,
10:15manager Jackie Callan, who says her ambition is to be the first lady of boxing.
10:19And a proper ambition it is in this building tonight,
10:23which was, for 40 years, run by a woman, a grand impresario named Aileen Eaton,
10:29who truly was the first lady of boxing.
10:33And I think it's appropriate, Jim, that James Toney is fighting the first main event here
10:39because he is a throwback to old fighters.
10:42This is his 17th fight since he won the title less than three years ago.
10:49And you have to go way, way back in American champions to Silver Ray Robinson
10:55and people of that era to find champions who were that active.
11:00And as we're going to show you, the net result of all that activity
11:03is that among all of the undefeated champions in the alphabet soup of boxing,
11:09none of them has fought or won as many fights as this man, James Toney.
11:14There are, in all, 13 undefeated champions in the sport,
11:18and Toney has been the most active of them all.
11:23And once again, the record 41 wins, no losses, two draws,
11:27the most memorable victory, the one that gave him his first title,
11:29the middleweight crown, the come-from-behind, left hook,
11:33one-punch knockout of Michael Dunn in Nunn's hometown of Davenport, Iowa.
11:38He hasn't shown that much finishing power since then,
11:42although in his last fight, at 179 pounds as a light heavyweight,
11:45he knocked out Anthony Hembrick.
11:46The opponent tonight is more of a boxer than a puncher, Tim Littles.
11:52There's a little bit of a regional war here
11:53because while Tony grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan,
11:57Littles was growing up in Flint.
12:01He was a terrific amateur fighter,
12:03had a much bigger reputation at that time than Tony,
12:05and you can see he's also unbeaten at 24-0, 15 KOs.
12:09Little-known fact, as an amateur, he beat Michael Moura.
12:13He will fight for the heavyweight championship next month
12:16twice.
12:19Since that time, Littles has remained at just about the same weight,
12:22and Moura, as you know, has put on more than 50 pounds.
12:26Tale of the tape for these two fighters,
12:28and you can see that Littles is slightly the ranger of the two,
12:31although James Toney, a little bit surprisingly,
12:34has a four-inch reach advantage.
12:36In the past, he used to struggle to make 160 pounds.
12:39Here, he weighed in one-quarter pound under the 168-pound limit,
12:43which gives him a one-and-a-quarter pound weight advantage over Littles.
12:47Punch that numbers, Larry.
12:48Here are the profiles of how active these fighters are.
12:53And while Tony is obviously the much more accurate puncher,
12:57the more economical puncher,
12:59all those punches that Littles throws,
13:02he hopes will help him defensively tonight
13:05by keeping Tony blocking the punches.
13:08And that, again, is reflected in the number of jabs
13:13that Littles throws.
13:15It's, for him, a defensive as well as an offensive weapon.
13:18Rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Letterman.
13:21James Toney and Tim Littles will box tonight
13:23using the rules of the International Boxing Federation.
13:27Twelve rounds.
13:28There is no standing eight count,
13:30no three-knockdown rule.
13:31He cannot be saved by the bell in any round,
13:33including the last round.
13:35The referee or the doctor can stop the fight,
13:37and in case a cut is caused by an accidental headbutt,
13:40and that cut causes the fight to be stopped,
13:42we go to the scorecards.
13:43If the six rounds have been completed,
13:45before that, it's a technical draw.
13:47All right, right now, let's go up to the re-announcer,
13:49Michael Buffer, for the brief fight introduction.
13:53Ladies and gentlemen, good evening,
13:55and welcome to the grand reopening
13:57of the Grand Auditorium,
14:00the Grand Olympic Auditorium,
14:02here in the City of Angels, Los Angeles, California,
14:05where tonight Bob Arum's Top Rank Incorporated,
14:08along with the undisputed,
14:09undefeated King of Beers, Bud Weiser,
14:12proud to be your Bud,
14:14presents World Professional Championship Wrestling,
14:17pardon me, boxing, for your entertainment.
14:20This bout is sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation,
14:23along with the California State Athletic Commission.
14:25California Chairman, William Eastman,
14:28Vice Chairman, Willie Buchanan,
14:30Commissioners in Attendance at Ringside,
14:31Kim Welshawns, Jerry Nathanson,
14:34and former welterweight champion,
14:35Carlos Palomino.
14:37Executive Director, Richard DeCure.
14:39Positions at Ringside,
14:40Dr. Robert Carnes,
14:41Dr. Perlman-Hicks,
14:43and Dr. Adam Carnes.
14:44The timekeeper is Debbie Garastia.
14:47IBF Supervisor Ringside,
14:48Marion Mohamed.
14:50The scoring for this bout
14:51will be done on a ten-point must system,
14:53and the three judges assigned
14:55will be Gary Merritt,
14:57Paul Whitesill,
14:58and Fritz Werner.
14:59And when the bell rings,
15:01the man in charge of the action,
15:03referee, Pat Russell.
15:05And now, ladies and gentlemen,
15:07from the Grand Olympic Auditorium,
15:10here in Los Angeles, California,
15:12for the first of two world title bouts,
15:15let's get ready to rumble!
15:21Twelve rounds of boxing
15:23for the IBF Super Middleweight Championship
15:26of the world!
15:28Introducing Perlman-Hicks,
15:29fighting out of the blue corner,
15:31wearing the aqua trunks with black stripes,
15:33weighing in at 166 and one-half pounds.
15:37He comes to us from Flint, Michigan.
15:39His professional record,
15:40undefeated, 24-0,
15:4215 KOs.
15:44Ladies and gentlemen,
15:46introducing the challenger,
15:48and number one ranked super middleweight
15:50in the world,
15:51Doctor of Style,
15:53Tim Little!
16:00And his opponent across the ring,
16:02fighting out of the red corner,
16:03wearing the black trunks with red trim,
16:06weighing in at 167 and three-quarter pounds.
16:09He's fighting out of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
16:11He also is undefeated.
16:13On his way to two times a world champion,
16:16he's 41-0,
16:17two draws,
16:1827 KOs.
16:20Ladies and gentlemen,
16:22presenting,
16:23the IBF Super Middleweight Champion of the World,
16:27James
16:28Lights Out,
16:30Tony!
16:31James,
16:41Tim,
16:42get your instructions.
16:43We've covered all situations and rules.
16:45Do you have any questions?
16:46Do you have any questions?
16:4812 rounds championship fight.
16:49Let's go.
16:50In the last four months,
16:52Tim,
16:52Riddick Bowe,
16:54Terry Norris,
16:55Julio Cesar Chavez,
16:57Michael Carbajal,
16:58some of the biggest names in boxing,
17:00have all lost their titles.
17:02Can James Tony hold on to his?
17:06The primary strategy confrontation here.
17:09Tony is often accused of being lazy
17:12and fighting only in spurts.
17:14It is said of Tony,
17:15he only fights one out of every three minutes in most rounds.
17:18Virtually all of Tony's opponents have said,
17:21I'm going to pressure him.
17:22I'm going to make him fight every minute of every round.
17:24I'm going to wear him out.
17:26Littles said it yesterday.
17:27No one has succeeded yet.
17:30The best thing for Littles is to stay relaxed.
17:36He started off relaxed,
17:38not trying to land his punches with too much power,
17:42but just keep the points coming.
17:45Littles is known to be a busy fighter,
17:47but he connects on a low percentage of his punches.
17:49And Tony is hard to hit.
17:52One of the toughest targets to find in the sport.
17:55One of his defects,
17:56Tony,
17:56he'll land one good body punch
17:58and wait to see if it hurt.
18:00You can lose a lot of rounds
18:01waiting for quicker hand fighters like Littles.
18:05It's called admiring your work,
18:06and lots of fighters do it.
18:07Right, George?
18:08That's what you do.
18:09And he's a puncher.
18:10He's been in with bigger guys the last few months.
18:13That's not going to help him.
18:18Tony often at his best against an attacking opponent
18:21who will give him the chance to counterpunch.
18:23I personally don't believe that Tim Littles
18:24is going to be able to be the attacker here.
18:27There's no way.
18:28There's too much power and strength in Tony's shoulder.
18:30Once you bump into those shoulders a couple of times,
18:34you automatically decide to move backwards.
18:38Littles squashes so far in round one,
18:40sticking mostly with the jab.
18:42Tony waiting for an opening
18:44and, as is typical,
18:46resting from time to time.
18:48Tony has to be careful.
18:49Once Littles touches him two times,
18:51he's got to go out and touch him three more times.
18:54He just can't be behind on punching.
19:00In a couple of his fights,
19:02Tim Littles has averaged
19:03more than 100 punches per round.
19:05His output here in round one
19:07will not approach that.
19:09That was that good body punch by James Tony,
19:11but he still waited to see
19:12did it hurt.
19:19Another good body puncher
19:20right to the body by Tony.
19:25In his last appearance here on HBO
19:27in the undercard of Morrison Bent
19:29in Tulsa, Oklahoma,
19:30over 29.
19:32Tony said that he could tell
19:33in the first round
19:34against Tony the punching postman Thornton
19:36that he wasn't going to be able
19:37to knock him out
19:38and would have to settle for a decision.
19:43I wonder what he's thinking
19:44of Littles right now.
19:46At some point in your life,
19:48you've got to realize
19:49that you've got to slow down the power
19:50and just get accurate,
19:51land more punches.
19:53Don't try to knock everybody out.
19:56Tim Littles opening up
19:57a little bit there
19:58and throwing a couple of overhand rights.
20:00He has a tendency
20:01when pressured
20:02to slap with his punches.
20:04We haven't seen that yet here.
20:07Lillard's pretty good.
20:08He keeps his body moving
20:09left, right, left, right.
20:11That head and shoulders
20:12never in one spot long enough.
20:14primary voice in James.
20:20Tony's corner is trainer Bill Miller.
20:22Good first round.
20:24All right.
20:26Eventually,
20:27we can get this guy
20:28to lead a little more
20:29than we can
20:30with the counter
20:32don't set for the right hand.
20:34Once we can take the right hand
20:35away from him,
20:36we can help him.
20:37But in the meantime,
20:39this is the key.
20:40We'll pop him
20:41with that jab.
20:43That was the first round.
20:46Now, two.
20:47You're out there.
20:49You're about to do it all day.
20:50Same thing you need to do.
20:51See the door.
20:51Just down your range
20:52a little more.
20:53What you're doing is beautiful out there.
20:54Doing the same damn thing.
20:55Okay, baby?
20:56Beautiful.
20:57This guy, I got nothing for you.
20:58All right, baby.
21:00Get your jab for you, man.
21:02Give me that jab in that hole.
21:04Come on, baby.
21:04Round two approaching.
21:12James Toney threw only
21:1418 jabs in round one
21:15to 47 jabs
21:18thrown by Tim Littles.
21:19So Littles
21:19trying to set the pace,
21:21be the busier fighter,
21:23and perhaps
21:23get ahead on the scorecards early.
21:28Toney's strategy
21:29laying a lot of body punches.
21:30That's good if you're going to
21:31look for a knockout
21:32in a lot of rounds.
21:33But if you want to keep up
21:34more points
21:34with an experienced fighter,
21:36you've got to have
21:36more points also.
21:41Tony loves to talk big.
21:43He promised us
21:44a knockout yesterday.
21:45It's not the first time
21:47that he's done that.
21:49Lands a right hand
21:50over the top.
21:52Littles
21:52reaching with the jab.
21:56James Toney,
21:56a very patient fighter.
21:59He was able to land
21:59a good straight right hand,
22:00Tony was this time.
22:01This may give him
22:02a little added
22:03and maybe too much confidence
22:04too early.
22:05Body punting by Tim Littles,
22:07a good idea.
22:11Right hand by Littles,
22:13right on the button.
22:16Sometimes you just
22:17don't think that a guy's
22:19number one contender
22:19because he's thinning out
22:21envelopes.
22:22Sometimes they're good fighters,
22:23and Littles
22:23has nothing to play with.
22:25Hey, you've got to respect
22:26this guy.
22:27He's a sensational-looking
22:28athlete, if nothing else.
22:35Tony may be saying,
22:36I've been in with bigger guys.
22:37I've been hit harder.
22:38Believe me,
22:39little guys cannot be out.
22:41Right hand by Tony
22:42in the counter situation there.
22:44Landed flush.
22:45And James dances
22:46a little bit to celebrate.
22:47Little is starting to go
22:59too high on top
23:00with his right hand.
23:01Tony's coming under.
23:02Too high and too wide.
23:03He's got a tendency
23:04to wing his punches
23:05sometimes, George,
23:06and it's already starting.
23:07But believe me,
23:08Tony has already been,
23:10has taste of power there,
23:11so he's going to respect
23:12him a lot more
23:12than you would think.
23:14But if there's one thing
23:15James Tony has shown
23:16in the past,
23:16particularly in his best
23:17performance against
23:18Aran Barkley,
23:19you go wide with your punches
23:21and he'll come up the middle
23:22and hurt you.
23:23That's true.
23:24Tony is trying everything
23:26to roll the right hand
23:28and come back
23:29with a left,
23:30roll the left hook
23:31right hand
23:31and come back
23:32with his right hand
23:33of his own.
23:36If Little is able
23:37to throw that right hand
23:38and hook behind it,
23:39he can drop Tony.
23:40Another solid right inside
23:41by Tony
23:42as they exchange punches
23:43in the middle of the ring there.
23:44Little's wobbled
23:45for just a second.
23:49Good body punch.
23:51Square in the middle
23:52of the stomach.
23:52This is something
23:53that normally doesn't happen
23:54until a latter round.
23:55Tony is landing
23:56good body punches
23:57too early in this fight
23:58to make you think
24:00it's going to go
24:01for a long time.
24:02Another counter right
24:03by Tony.
24:04Little's is leaving
24:05the left hand out there
24:06and James is coming
24:07over the top
24:07with another left
24:08by Little's.
24:09the right hand.
24:11All right.
24:11You can see
24:12you can count
24:25you can count
24:25his right hand.
24:28All I want is
24:29to pick up
24:30the left hand
24:31a little more
24:31with them jabs.
24:32Pick up them jabs
24:33a little more.
24:34The stiff jabs.
24:36Pick it up
24:36and you can count
24:37Tony's right hand.
24:39When you make
24:40your miss
24:40you make him pay.
24:41Here's that big
24:42right hand
24:42that lifted
24:43Tony off one leg
24:44early in the round.
24:46Tony has a habit
24:47of ducking away
24:49from the right hand
24:51and trying to
24:52ride it out
24:52but Little's got there
24:54before the ride started.
24:58All right.
24:59Keep your jabs
25:00and watch your heads
25:01inside.
25:01I love you, sir.
25:02All right.
25:03Let's keep this
25:03stiff hand up.
25:04Hang.
25:04Biggest surprise
25:12so far
25:13from our
25:14punch stat
25:14computations.
25:16First two rounds
25:16Tim Littles
25:17landed 49%
25:19of his power shots.
25:21So Tony
25:21normally hard to hit
25:23has been more open
25:24than he'd like to be
25:24tonight.
25:26Mainly because
25:26he's been fighting
25:27bigger guys
25:28who he's been
25:29quicker there.
25:30This time
25:30he's going to be
25:31the short end
25:32on the stick.
25:32He's not as fast
25:33as little.
25:37Counter right
25:38inside by Tony
25:39again.
25:40Littles has to be
25:41careful to get
25:41that left hand
25:42back after he
25:43throws the jab.
25:44Not only that,
25:45Littles is starting
25:45to get a little
25:46flat footed.
25:46He should keep
25:47his movement
25:47a little bit more
25:48into his shoulders.
25:50Jabs by Littles.
25:51That time Tony
25:51countered with an
25:52uppercut.
25:53Landed again.
25:56So accurate
25:57with his
25:57counter-punching,
25:58George.
25:58And he throws
26:00his jab
26:00up and keeps
26:01him in position
26:01to automatically
26:02cover himself
26:03up afterwards,
26:04Tony.
26:05Littles kind of
26:06half-hearted
26:06with the rights
26:07of the body
26:07there.
26:07Should have
26:07committed more
26:08to the punch.
26:09Littles at this
26:10point is starting
26:10more to protect
26:11himself more
26:12than going out
26:12there to take
26:13a title from
26:13someone.
26:14Tony still has
26:21the same strategy
26:22waiting for a
26:23weak right hand
26:24to counter it
26:24with.
26:26Came awful
26:27close to getting
26:28that right hand
26:28in.
26:31You get the
26:32impression Tony
26:32is happy to throw
26:33one punch to
26:34Littles' three as
26:35long as it's the
26:36right punch at
26:36the right time.
26:37Yeah.
26:38And that's kind
26:39of critical because
26:40judges sometimes
26:40don't understand
26:41power.
26:42They don't know
26:42that Tony's
26:43punches hurt
26:44are more than
26:45Littles.
26:52Good point.
26:53When in doubt,
26:53most judges will
26:54err on the side
26:55of the busier
26:55fighter, right?
26:56That's true.
26:59Tony is trying
26:59to counter-punch
27:00at this point
27:01when he should
27:01be building up
27:02a point system.
27:03He's got his
27:04power punches
27:04in now.
27:06Both fighters
27:06landing there.
27:08Littles still
27:09showing an ability
27:10to be accurate
27:11with power shots.
27:12left hook
27:20wobbled Littles.
27:21Tony thinks he
27:21has him in
27:22trouble.
27:23Opens up just a
27:24little bit.
27:24Plenty of time
27:25left in round
27:25three.
27:27Little's right
27:28hand for the
27:28first time went
27:29behind Tony's
27:30left shoulder,
27:31which is showing
27:32that Tony has
27:32got his timing
27:34perfectly down
27:35now.
27:35Tim Littles is
27:36losing his legs
27:37here in round
27:38three.
27:38James Toney's
27:39got him in
27:39trouble.
27:4037 seconds left
27:42in which to try
27:42to do some
27:43damage.
27:45Littles in
27:45serious trouble
27:46now.
27:48Tony trying to
27:48choose his shots
27:49and down goes
27:50the doctor.
27:51three, four, five,
27:55six, seven,
27:57throw up on me,
27:58Jimmy.
27:58Hey, how we
27:59doing?
27:59Give me your
27:59hand.
28:00All right, let's
28:01go.
28:02He doesn't know
28:02where Tony is.
28:04First time Tim
28:05Littles has ever
28:06tasted canvas in
28:08his professional
28:09career.
28:09This is the 25th
28:10fight.
28:11He's in serious
28:12trouble now as
28:12Tony tries to
28:13finish.
28:14Littles can't be
28:15saved by the
28:16bell.
28:16He's going to
28:17make it out of
28:17the round.
28:18Bell, bell,
28:18bell.
28:19That was
28:23Tony at his
28:25best.
28:27And he's
28:28bleeding.
28:30Tony has been
28:31cut.
28:35That's a very,
28:40very bad cut
28:41over the eye.
28:43He's going to
28:43have to go out
28:44and try to end
28:45this fight as
28:46fast as he
28:48can.
28:49That is almost
28:50certainly a head
28:50butt cut, Larry.
28:56There you saw
28:57where Tony started
28:58that rally in the
29:01middle of the
29:01round that took
29:03him to the
29:03close.
29:04We'll have to see
29:04if we can catch
29:05where the butt or
29:06the punch came.
29:07in California.
29:14In California, they
29:15can take a timeout
29:16and bring the
29:17doctor in, which
29:18they are right
29:19now.
29:19It is not beyond
29:21the realm of
29:21possibility that
29:22this fight could be
29:23stopped.
29:24one more round if
29:24they can't stop it
29:25after that round.
29:25In which case, I
29:27believe it would be
29:28a technical draw.
29:29I'm not 100%
29:30sure.
29:33The rule is this.
29:35If the fighter
29:35stopped and the
29:36referee says that
29:37the cut was
29:38caused by a punch,
29:39Tim Littles wins
29:39on a TKO.
29:40If he says it was
29:41caused by a head
29:42butt, it's a
29:43technical draw.
29:43Let's hope
29:44referee Pat Russell
29:45knows and is
29:46secure in his own
29:47mind as to exactly
29:48where that cut came
29:50from.
29:50I think it had to
29:51be a head butt,
29:52but I don't want to
29:52leap to too many
29:53conclusions.
29:54Littles goes down
29:55again.
29:57This is highly
29:58dramatic, Jim.
29:59This is very
30:00dramatic stuff.
30:01That cut is so
30:02bad, I can't
30:03imagine the fight
30:04going on very much
30:05longer for Tony.
30:07I totally agree.
30:09I can't imagine
30:10Lou Duval allowing
30:12this fighter to get
30:13caught with so many
30:13hard shots this
30:14early in his career.
30:15Look at the
30:16purposefulness of
30:17James Toney as he
30:18once again puts
30:19Littles down.
30:20It's got to be
30:21scored a knockdown
30:21and it will be.
30:25And remember,
30:28there is no
30:28three knockdown
30:29rule in effect for
30:30this title bout.
30:32So Littles can go
30:33down again without
30:34being automatically
30:35eliminated.
30:43Oh, there's a
30:44solid right hand
30:44and I think the
30:45referee's got to
30:46stop it right now
30:47and he does.
30:48A great, great
30:50performance by
30:51James Toney.
30:53It's reminiscent of
30:55the historic
30:55performance by
30:56Sugar Ray
30:57Robinson, excuse
30:59me, way back
31:01when he was cut
31:02late in the fight
31:03and had to go out
31:04and score a
31:06knockout to win.
31:08This came about
31:08because Tony knew
31:10that if this fight
31:12goes 12 rounds
31:13the probabilities
31:14could be against
31:15him.
31:16He knew a knockout
31:17was his best bet
31:18tonight and he got
31:20it.
31:20Tremendous drama
31:21as an unbeaten
31:22champion, the one
31:24unbeaten champion
31:25with the most
31:26fights and the most
31:27victories of any
31:28of the 13 currently
31:29active in the sport
31:30found himself
31:31bleeding badly
31:33from a deep, deep
31:34cut over his left
31:35eye, desperately in
31:36need of a knockout
31:37and produced it
31:38almost on demand.
31:40For the first time
31:41there was no
31:42lazy Tony.
31:43This was pure
31:44boxer, fighter.
31:49There were three
31:50knockdowns in this
31:52round.
31:52Let's take a look
31:53now at each one
31:55of the three
31:55knockdowns.
31:56George, you tell
31:57us what James
31:57was doing.
31:58Right now he's
31:59gotten time and
31:59he's gotten behind
32:00and throwing those
32:01right hands because
32:02he knows this guy
32:03is not accurate
32:04anymore with his
32:05counter punching.
32:06Good right hand
32:07drops him, going
32:09under and they're
32:10trying for the
32:10finish.
32:11The uppercut
32:12there landed on
32:13the point of the
32:13chin.
32:14Down went Littles.
32:15That was the
32:15second knockdown.
32:16Now here's the
32:16third.
32:17You try to hold
32:18on but this time
32:18Tony knows look
32:19I cannot go
32:20another round and
32:21try to wait and
32:21finish this guy.
32:22It's got to
32:23happen now.
32:23I'm not going to
32:24quit.
32:24I've got to keep
32:25throwing punches
32:25until he hits the
32:26canvas.
32:27If I don't they
32:28can stop this
32:28fight because of
32:29this cut.
32:30There was a
32:31solid right there
32:32against the ropes
32:32which was the
32:33punch that
32:34convinced Pat
32:35Russell to
32:36stop the fight.
32:37Now we're going
32:39to see where
32:40the cut came
32:40from and there
32:41it was.
32:41It was a
32:42headbutt.
32:42You saw their
32:43two heads bash
32:44together there and
32:45it was from that
32:46point forward that
32:47Tony was in
32:48serious trouble with
32:49the blood streaming
32:50from above his
32:51left eye.
32:53Look at that
32:54cut George.
32:55And for the
32:55first time Tony
32:56will have to take
32:57a long rest to
32:58heal.
32:59So his activity
33:00will slow down a
33:01bit now.
33:02Sometimes it's for
33:02the best.
33:03You go out and
33:04give your best take
33:05a rest.
33:05Go to Europe.
33:06That's a great
33:07point.
33:07This guy has been
33:08as Larry Merchant
33:09pointed out before
33:09the fight the most
33:10active of all
33:11champions fighting on
33:13an average of once
33:14every two months or
33:14so.
33:15Much more active than
33:16other title holders
33:17in the sport and
33:17now a little enforced
33:19R&R is in order.
33:21And right now let's go
33:22up to ring it out to
33:23Michael Buffer for the
33:23official particulars.
33:25Ladies and
33:25gentlemen referee Pat
33:26Russell calls a
33:28halt to the bout.
33:29The official time
33:30one minute and
33:31three seconds of
33:32round number four.
33:34The winner by
33:34technical knockout
33:35and still the
33:38undefeated IBF
33:39super middleweight
33:40champion of the
33:41world James
33:43lights out Tony.
33:53Final punch stat
33:54numbers and you
33:55will see that Tony
33:56turned the tables in
33:58the last round and
33:59a half winding up
34:00with a 48% connect
34:01percentage to only
34:0227% for Tim Littles.
34:05Littles barely landed
34:06a punch in those
34:06last minutes of the
34:08fight only landing
34:10the serious headbutt
34:11that cut Tony above
34:12the eye and James
34:13landed power shot
34:15after power shot to
34:16put his man down
34:18and out.
34:19Larry Merchant
34:19compared it to
34:20Sugar Ray Robinson's
34:22dramatic comeback
34:22decades ago against
34:24Randy Turpin.
34:25Right now Larry
34:25stands by with the
34:27champion in the rig.
34:28James congratulations
34:30that was a wonderful
34:31performance.
34:33Were you aware of
34:34how bad the cut
34:35over your eye is?
34:38No I didn't.
34:38Oh lord have mercy.
34:40Well I didn't know how
34:41bad the cut was.
34:42The only thing I knew
34:42I came back to the
34:43corner.
34:44Bill was like we got to
34:45stop this guy right now.
34:46Can't see no more
34:46chances.
34:47I was like oh man I
34:48seen the blood run
34:49now.
34:50I seen red and
34:51means he has to die.
34:53We've seen what
34:53happened to him.
34:54Everybody back in
34:55Flint I told you he's
34:56a bomb.
34:57I beat everybody out
34:58there.
34:58Ain't nobody messing
34:59with me.
35:00Hey Kevin you're
35:01well baby I love you.
35:03James have you ever
35:04been cut like that?
35:05How did you know how
35:06to respond?
35:06I've been cut before
35:10the same thing
35:11headbutt by Reggie
35:12Johnson and I got
35:13whipped him up so
35:14you know.
35:14So you knew it was
35:15a headbutt.
35:16Yeah it was a headbutt.
35:16Now the doctor told me
35:18that he was very close
35:20to calling off the
35:20fight.
35:21Why don't you describe
35:22what's happening
35:22here?
35:23Right now it's the
35:24last round right?
35:25Yeah.
35:25Well right now I knew
35:26I had to get him out
35:26of there so I stumbled
35:27on him.
35:27I wasn't taking no
35:29chances.
35:29Over there right
35:30hand like this had
35:31his legs on shaky
35:32ground.
35:32He's trying to hold
35:33on for dear life.
35:34He threw a little
35:35desperation punch right
35:36there.
35:36He's in the land.
35:38Well that's where
35:39the butt came in.
35:39I'm sorry I guess
35:40that was the third
35:41round.
35:42My mistake James.
35:43But did the doctor
35:44say anything to you
35:45in the corner?
35:46Yeah he said we'll
35:47give him one more
35:47round.
35:47I said oh hell no
35:48he can't take it
35:48away from me like this.
35:50I went out there to
35:52that means the guy
35:52gots to die.
35:54So you knew that
35:55you had this one
35:56round to finish your
35:57business.
35:58And I was going to
35:58go do it and I did.
36:00Well that's rare and
36:01unusual and quite
36:02wonderful and a
36:04memorable fight.
36:05What are your
36:05thoughts now about
36:06the future James?
36:07Well I've been
36:08going to prove I'm
36:08the best fighter
36:09in the world today.
36:10You know I did
36:11some of the everybody
36:11like Julio Cesar
36:13Chavez, Terry
36:14Norris, Michael
36:15Nunn.
36:15They can't be like
36:16me.
36:16They want to be but
36:17they ain't me.
36:18Who do you want to
36:18fight in the future?
36:19I'll fight anybody.
36:20Roy Jones, whoever.
36:21I'm the best.
36:22I think I'm all
36:23comers.
36:24I don't think you
36:25have too many
36:25challengers out there
36:26saying that you're not
36:27the best.
36:28I'm the man.
36:30I'm the man.
36:30Thank you James.
36:31I'm the man.
36:32Back to you Jim.
36:33I love you baby.
36:34I don't think anybody's
36:35going to argue with him.
36:36Just to clarify and
36:36confirm I don't know
36:37whether Larry has
36:38given you this
36:38information.
36:39Referee Pat Russell
36:40assured our Harold
36:41Letterman that he had
36:42already determined that
36:43the cut was the
36:44product of the head but
36:45had he been forced to
36:46stop the fight, James
36:47Tony would not have been
36:48in danger of losing for
36:51the first time in his
36:52career.
36:52We'll take one more
36:53look at the sequence of
36:54events which brought an
36:55end to the fight.
36:56It was that right hand
36:56punch which left Littles
36:58almost unconscious
36:59setting up the left
37:01hand there.
37:02Russell stopping the
37:03fight before Littles had
37:05even tasted the canvas
37:06for the last time.
37:07George Foreman you said
37:08before the fight that
37:09you agree with Tony he
37:10may be better than
37:11Pernell Whitaker.
37:12As good as Pernell
37:12Whitaker.
37:13Best pound for pound in
37:14the world is even better
37:15than we thought he was.
37:16I've often said if I had
37:17another boy I would have
37:18to name him James
37:19Tony.
37:20This is a good fighter.
37:21He fought a good fight.
37:22He had a wake up call
37:23tonight knowing that he
37:24could lose this title by
37:25being lazy in any fashion.
37:27He went out there and
37:28went to work like he
37:28ought to.
37:29There aren't too many
37:30fighters who could have
37:31been as precise, as
37:32purposeful and as
37:33economical with their
37:34punches as he was in
37:35that situation right?
37:36He looked like the top
37:38fighter that he should be
37:39recognized as tonight.
37:40He's a finisher which he
37:42hasn't been putting on
37:42those kind of shows
37:43lately.
37:43He showed tonight I
37:45can hurt you and
37:46finish you.
37:46All right.
37:47And just to underline
37:48the drama one more
37:49time, we reiterate that
37:50the doctor told our
37:52Larry Merchant that only
37:54one round would have
37:55been remaining for Tony
37:58to make his point that
37:59if the fight had gone
38:00on much more, then he
38:02the doctor was going to
38:03stop it to bring it into
38:04the bloodshed.
38:04So all the pressure in
38:06the world was on James
38:07and he came through.
38:08James Tony retaining his
38:10IBF 168.