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00:00:00the following is a special presentation of hbo sports celebrating 20 years of world championship
00:00:28boxing
00:00:29a right hand
00:00:52and a right hand put sugar right ladder right on the seat of his pants
00:01:16he's gone he's gone
00:01:26oh this one is history
00:01:29and we have a new era in boxing
00:01:37and he's down again and in serious trouble
00:01:52that was a right hand and down goes holmes
00:01:58a lot of trouble but a long way to go in this round
00:02:07what an uppercut by
00:02:11hoes down goes tyson
00:02:13unbelievable unbelievable
00:02:17the champion in trouble
00:02:21cooper bags away
00:02:23will george go down
00:02:26and just like that the champion
00:02:46struggles to stay on his feet
00:02:48left hand sends hers back against the ropes again
00:03:07he was once a champion and he wants to be one again
00:03:26he was once a contender and wants to be one again
00:03:29one represents the past
00:03:31the other looks to the future
00:03:33his days may be numbered
00:03:36his may yet be full of promise
00:03:39both share a common dream
00:03:42and so tonight
00:03:43in a heavyweight doubleheader
00:03:44we inaugurate the third decade of world championship boxing on hbo
00:03:49as george foreman faces pierre kutzer
00:03:52and tommy morrison takes on carl the truth williams
00:03:56it has been snowing outside for three consecutive days in reno
00:04:00but a capacity crowd has made its way in here tonight
00:04:03for this heavyweight doubleheader
00:04:04so we bring you live to the reno sparks convention center
00:04:08in reno nevada
00:04:09where hbo's world championship boxing is renewed yet again
00:04:14and hello again everybody i'm jim lampley
00:04:17we begin the second 20 years of hbo's world championship boxing
00:04:21just the way we began the first two decades
00:04:23focusing on george foreman's punching power
00:04:26you might not have thought that was possible
00:04:28nine months ago
00:04:30when big george was locked in a titanic struggle
00:04:33with alex stewart in las vegas
00:04:35a fight that i watched in considerable discomfort
00:04:37and in the company as always of hbo boxing analyst larry merchant
00:04:41larry let's go back to that april night
00:04:43when george was battered bloodied bruised
00:04:46emerged with a majority decision
00:04:47but with a little less respect than before
00:04:49did you at that point think you would ever see him in the ring again
00:04:53well he looked after that fight like a picasso portrait
00:04:57with his features rearranged all over his his head
00:05:00and um i didn't know what to think
00:05:03i was afraid i wouldn't even see him outside the ring again
00:05:06and like a lot of fans i started to think to myself
00:05:09george you've thrilled us
00:05:11you've been great
00:05:11you've inspired us
00:05:12you've entertained us
00:05:14but now please
00:05:15isn't it time to go back to the old fishing hole
00:05:18before you seriously get hurt
00:05:21but george is george
00:05:22and here in the last few weeks alone
00:05:24he's taped the tv pilot show
00:05:26he's gotten himself in reasonable shape
00:05:29he looks adorable again
00:05:31and he celebrated his 44th birthday
00:05:33he's just two years younger than our next president
00:05:36it just all reminds me
00:05:38never to underestimate the power of george
00:05:41or the money that he generates
00:05:44so george is still younger than clinton
00:05:45have we ever had a star quality boxer
00:05:47just as a footnote
00:05:48who was older than the sitting president
00:05:50archie moore
00:05:52archie moore
00:05:53a little bit older than john f kennedy
00:05:55he was still going strong
00:05:57but archie like george
00:05:58was young at heart
00:05:59and now we turn to another man
00:06:01who shares the same distinction
00:06:02our third ringside voice
00:06:04in place of george
00:06:05who's fighting in the ring tonight of course
00:06:06gill clancy
00:06:07recently announced for induction this summer
00:06:09into the boxing hall of fame
00:06:11congratulations gill
00:06:12thank you jim
00:06:13before we get to the business of foreman and kutzer
00:06:15another heavyweight matchup
00:06:16between the powerful slugger tommy morrison
00:06:18and the stylish boxer carl the truth williams
00:06:20how do you see that fight
00:06:21well williams is a good boxer
00:06:23with a solid left jab
00:06:24but the counter for a jab is a left hook
00:06:26and williams has a tendency to drop that right hand
00:06:29if morrison nails him with that left hook
00:06:31could be a short night
00:06:32realistically
00:06:33can tommy morrison become a heavyweight championship contender
00:06:36fighting people like carl williams
00:06:37absolutely
00:06:38if he knocks out carl williams spectacularly
00:06:40he could get a title shot
00:06:42maybe in his next fight
00:06:43it's entirely possible and gill's right about that
00:06:46every time tommy morrison goes into the ring
00:06:48he continues his singular war
00:06:50for legitimacy as a contender
00:06:52this might be one of his best chances yet
00:06:55to earn respect
00:06:56tommy morrison was in large part a publicity effort
00:07:08before he was a fighter
00:07:09tommy morrison has to get over what happened to him
00:07:12in the ray mercer fight
00:07:13it proved that he got the big build up
00:07:15and fell flat on his face
00:07:16what if we wrote the tommy morrison biography
00:07:20some would be tempted to call it a work of fiction
00:07:23this story of john wayne's alleged grand nephew
00:07:26a young unproven heavyweight
00:07:28who has yet to climb
00:07:29his own mountain of height
00:07:31i was an unknown young fighter
00:07:33who'd somehow been placed in some very unfamiliar waters
00:07:36i get so much attention
00:07:38as a heavyweight fighter
00:07:40and a lot of it
00:07:41because i'm a white guy
00:07:42you know
00:07:43but i can't help that
00:07:44you know me from rocky five
00:07:45in real life
00:07:47i'm tommy the duke morrison
00:07:48a heavyweight with 24 knockouts
00:07:50and i'm going to the top
00:07:51we first knew him as the fictional tommy gun
00:07:55heart and fire
00:07:56heart and fire
00:07:57heart and fire
00:07:57okay
00:07:57now you do it
00:07:58remember
00:08:01i'm like this angel
00:08:03sitting on your shoulder
00:08:03okay
00:08:04i ain't gonna let nothing happen
00:08:05to you
00:08:05okay
00:08:06so at that magic moment
00:08:09in his lifetime
00:08:09as an actor
00:08:10he was a great fighter
00:08:11and as a fighter
00:08:12he was a great actor
00:08:13anxious to make up
00:08:17for time lost
00:08:18while filming rocky five
00:08:20morrison buried himself in boxing
00:08:22he fought 19 times in 1989
00:08:24and after compiling a 24-0 record
00:08:27clobbering his way through ordinary opposition
00:08:29it was time for a true test
00:08:32this is a chance that uh
00:08:34that i've dreamed about for a very long time
00:08:36and uh i have and will continue to prepare myself accordingly
00:08:40on august 9th will be the
00:08:42i guess the night of truth for tommy morrison
00:08:45the painful truth emerged in atlantic city
00:08:48when i was in the corner with the mercer fight
00:08:58the thing that
00:08:58that i remember most of all was
00:09:00realizing around the third round
00:09:03that we were starting to get in trouble
00:09:06because tommy was unable
00:09:08to relax enough to be efficient in his punches
00:09:12my decision was to push forward
00:09:14and try and knock mercer out
00:09:15obviously it was the wrong decision
00:09:17and now mercer and morrison
00:09:19pummeled by merciless ray mercer
00:09:21morrison was exposed
00:09:23he lacked poise
00:09:24he lacked stamina
00:09:25he was without a credible defense
00:09:27and that is it
00:09:28we were coming up
00:09:30uh we're undefeated
00:09:31a lot of high expectations of myself
00:09:33uh you know we take some of the blame
00:09:36uh for what happened in that particular fight
00:09:38uh we tried to uh get some tougher competition
00:09:42building up to that fight
00:09:43so that we would have that late round experience
00:09:44but it didn't happen
00:09:46tommy morrison because he's a caucasian heavyweight
00:09:49and there have been so many lousy white heavyweights
00:09:52in recent years
00:09:53uh so many great white dopes if you will
00:09:56tommy morrison has to prove a little bit more
00:09:59than say the average black or hispanic heavyweight
00:10:03pre-mercer tommy was uh
00:10:05perhaps the most difficult athlete i've ever coached
00:10:08after the mercer bout
00:10:09i think he found out that maybe he didn't have all the answers
00:10:13and uh he's been a very coachable athlete
00:10:17and last june against joe hip
00:10:19morrison had his right hand and jaw broken in the second round
00:10:23in the night he won the fight on guts
00:10:26this was fact not fiction
00:10:28i know three instances
00:10:30that fighters had their jaw broken
00:10:33and miraculously finished but all lost
00:10:36he won
00:10:37he knocked out joe hip
00:10:38tommy morrison turned 24 here a few weeks ago
00:10:42at a military base in remote southern arizona
00:10:45far from the distractions which have stifled his career
00:10:48i like to look at things and say okay i'm going away and i'm sacrificing
00:10:52i'm staying away from everybody
00:10:54i'm staying away from girls
00:10:55i'm staying away from the foods that i like to eat
00:10:58all of these sacrifices and that makes me
00:11:00a much meaner person in return
00:11:02if i get up an hour earlier than carl williams is getting up
00:11:06and i'm out there and i run a mile farther
00:11:09then that's my edge you know i'm doing it because he's not
00:11:12i think tommy morrison's career is still being written
00:11:14whether it's fiction or non-fiction we're going to have to wait and see
00:11:17but it's still going to take a while
00:11:19the uh the galley still need to be edited i think
00:11:21perhaps now as the additional chapters of the tommy morrison story are written
00:11:26this work in progress will change
00:11:28losing once and for all the flavor of fiction
00:11:31or the hard edge of fact
00:11:33and as we bring you back live to ringside at the reno sparks convention center
00:11:41we await the entrance into the ring of tommy the duke morrison and there he is
00:11:45just recently turned 24 years old
00:11:49he's had 35 professional fights
00:11:52and has won 34 of them like so many in the sport
00:11:55morrison is more defined in the public mind by his one loss
00:12:00the fifth round knockout at the hands of mercer
00:12:03than by his 34 victories and 30 knockouts
00:12:06i guess people are wondering whether he's just the vanilla ice
00:12:10of the heavyweight division
00:12:12a rapper but not really a fighter
00:12:15well he has certainly been wrapped by many in the boxing press
00:12:19and right now let's take a look at his opponent in this fight
00:12:22carl the truth williams you may remember his two previous title shots
00:12:261985 against larry holmes and he gave holmes a lot of difficulty
00:12:30in losing a close 15 round decision
00:12:33and of course 1989 against mike tyson when he was knocked out
00:12:37in one minute and 31 seconds
00:12:39over the years carl williams has been plagued by inactivity
00:12:47an average of fewer than three fights per year
00:12:50as he has reached already 33 years of age
00:12:52tail of the tape 225 the number for williams
00:12:55and gill you say that's his most effective weight
00:12:57absolutely in previous fights he's been up to 234 235
00:13:01just wasn't himself this is his best weight
00:13:03and you see the reach advantage for williams
00:13:06he will try to keep morrison at the end of his long flicking left jab
00:13:10punch that numbers larry
00:13:13let's take a look at see how often he throws that jab
00:13:16around 18 times in his last couple of fights
00:13:18he used to throw it twice that often
00:13:20but in the hard punch division it's morrison
00:13:26and morrison's best punch is a vicious left hook
00:13:30he is a natural puncher
00:13:33and here you see williams getting knocked out first by mike weaver with a left hook
00:13:38and then by another mike mike tyson
00:13:42and you'll see why look where he keeps his right hand
00:13:44look where his right hand is
00:13:46it looks like he's about to sweep the floor
00:13:48and you know larry not only he drops his right hand when he jabs
00:13:51he drops it before he throws it
00:13:53and his right uppercut is one of his best punches
00:13:56which leaves him very vulnerable to a left hook
00:13:58harrell letterman give us the rules tonight
00:14:01tommy morrison and car williams will box tonight
00:14:04using the rules of the nevada state athletic commission
00:14:06ten rounds three judges scoring the fight
00:14:08three knockdown rule is in effect
00:14:10if a cut is caused by an accidental headbutt
00:14:13and the cut causes the fight to be stopped
00:14:16we go to the scorecards after three rounds have been completed
00:14:18you can be saved by the bell in the last round only
00:14:20and only the referee can stop the fight
00:14:22jim
00:14:23right now let's go up to ring announcer michael buffert
00:14:26for the brief fight introductions
00:14:28ladies and gentlemen good evening and welcome to the biggest little city in the world
00:14:33reno nevada where tonight bob arum's top rank incorporated
00:14:37along with the undisputed undefeated king of beers budweiser
00:14:41in association with the reno sparks convention and visitors authority
00:14:45present professional boxing in the heavyweight division for your entertainment
00:14:50this first bout the three judges assigned by the state of nevada
00:14:54scoring the bout on a ten point must system
00:14:57the judges are bill graham
00:14:58herb santos
00:15:00and burke clements
00:15:01and when the bell rings the man in charge of the action
00:15:04reno nevada's own
00:15:06referee mills lane
00:15:08and now ladies and gentlemen
00:15:12man your battle stations
00:15:14ten rounds of boxing in the heavyweight division
00:15:17introducing first fighting out of the blue corner
00:15:20wearing the white trunks with red trim
00:15:23weighing in at an even 225 pounds
00:15:26he comes to us tonight
00:15:27from white plains new york
00:15:28and brings an excellent professional record of 26 victories
00:15:3220 by ko
00:15:33against five defeats
00:15:35he has won no decision
00:15:36he's one of the top ranked and well-known heavyweights in the world today
00:15:40ladies and gentlemen
00:15:41carl
00:15:42and his opponent across the ring
00:15:51fighting out of the red corner
00:15:53wearing the red and black stars and stripes trim
00:15:56weighing in at 228 pounds
00:15:59fighting out of kansas city
00:16:01ranked number six in the world by the international boxing federation
00:16:05with an outstanding record of 34 victories
00:16:0830 by ko
00:16:09only one defeat
00:16:11ladies and gentlemen
00:16:12presenting tommy
00:16:13the
00:16:14boot
00:16:14for us
00:16:17all right guys
00:16:21all right look at him
00:16:22if he goes right here
00:16:23i'm not going to call it low
00:16:24if he goes right there
00:16:26i'm not going to call it low
00:16:27okay we've already had your instruction in the justice room
00:16:29expect a tough clean fight
00:16:31protect yourself
00:16:33wait a minute come back here
00:16:35come back here
00:16:36bring him back
00:16:38bring him back
00:16:40now look
00:16:41protect yourself at all times
00:16:44any questions here
00:16:46any questions here
00:16:47let's get it on
00:16:49the only question here
00:16:51is whether williams can keep his left hand out
00:16:54and his right hand up
00:16:56and make a real fight of it
00:16:57that is the key and i i noticed that williams trucks are a little high
00:17:02if i was in morrison's corner they'd be down by his neighbor where they belong
00:17:04tommy has inaugurated the popular art of bicycle shorts under his boxing trunks
00:17:10we've seen it in basketball and a variety of other sports now here it is in boxing
00:17:14who will be next
00:17:15meanwhile carl the truth acknowledges that this is his last chance for boxing credibility
00:17:20he says that he has trained more for this than for any other fight since the tyson debacle
00:17:26he's essentially been in the gym since november 4
00:17:28again his weight is 225 which is most effect his most effective weight
00:17:33morrison attacking
00:17:37not landing solidly yet
00:17:39and hitting on the break with the right hand and mills lane says don't do that again
00:17:44and there's the left hook and down goes carl williams
00:17:47as advertised
00:17:50just can't keep that right hand up
00:17:55that was a chopping left hook which is unusual he came over the top with it
00:17:59and that wasn't even the a quality morrison left hook
00:18:02that was what i would call it a c left hook not his a or b even
00:18:07no his a is a lightning bolt
00:18:09the best in the division
00:18:10just a little bit more than a minute into the bout
00:18:18williams has been down once
00:18:20he doesn't appear to be hurt or even dazed at this point gill
00:18:24no he is punching back phone some good snappy left jabs
00:18:27but again every time he jabs down goes that right hand
00:18:29you would think at this age that that flaw would have been corrected
00:18:34donnie morrison is a very fast starter
00:18:37sometime you can't teach an old dog new tricks larry
00:18:39he's been doing it so often so long
00:18:42if he does throw his right hand you'll see he drops it before he throws it
00:18:45morrison trying to split the guard with the uppercut
00:18:48comes back with the left hand
00:18:49and williams uncharacteristically partially blocks it with the right
00:18:54there's another left hook flush on the neck
00:18:59a little bit behind the ear
00:19:00williams is throwing some sharp left jabs though jim
00:19:04he can get to morrison with that jab
00:19:06keep him off balance a little bit
00:19:08he can't push it can't do that
00:19:12williams says that he's learned to shorten up his punches since the tyson fight
00:19:20isn't as vulnerable to the power punches as he used to be
00:19:24this is a man who once earned legitimate comparisons both in style and in ability
00:19:36the larry holmes when larry was the heavyweight champ
00:19:39right hand by williams is solid on tommy morrison's cheek and morrison lands another left hook and
00:19:57morrison lands another left hook and carl will be wobbling a little bit
00:20:02as round one comes to a close
00:20:06let's take a look at the end of the round
00:20:24okay if he gets fast you can you let him pay the price with the right hand
00:20:28you understand me
00:20:29let's take a look at a knockdown
00:20:30actually williams was more hurt at the end of the round than he was on this knockdown
00:20:35that landed high on the head
00:20:37stunned him early in the round
00:20:39and what happened williams dropped his right hand
00:20:42there he drops that right hand to throw a right hand
00:20:44he can't get it back up in time
00:20:45there again you see where that right hand is down around his chest
00:20:54somebody once said that the reason he hasn't been able to correct that fall
00:20:59is that his trainers couldn't teach a goat to eat a tin can
00:21:02that sounds pretty good to me
00:21:05but you know this is it believe it or not this is a good williams he's got
00:21:09plenty of snap in his punches
00:21:11well he's got a different trainer now than the man who carried him through most of his career
00:21:15williams was the benefit fishery of the architecture of the late carmen graziano
00:21:22now john davenport is his trainer
00:21:24he tried to throw the jab in round one through 21 of them by punch count numbers but only landed
00:21:30four just landed a good left jab while he was reading those statistics jim
00:21:34get off that neck williams
00:21:36well i gotta quit reading statistics don't i
00:21:38you got two hands three punch out of it punch out
00:21:42get off that neck
00:21:44mills lane feisty as always in his referee role
00:21:50and williams is doing exactly what i told us he was going to try to
00:21:55tie tommy morrison up on the inside kill the clock and get him into the later rounds
00:21:59good idea morrison has yet to prove that he can be effective in the late rounds although he did come back to win the fight against joe hip
00:22:06when he was in serious trouble with a broken jaw and a broken hand
00:22:11one thing i noticed gill is that he seems to be correcting the problem he had of putting too much out early in the fight
00:22:19he's a little bit more relaxed than we've seen him before morrison
00:22:22that is correct i mean you know a lot of people say well he wasn't in condition he got tired
00:22:26the main reason that fighters get tired is because they're not relaxed they're too tight
00:22:30much like george foreman in his first career
00:22:33the first george foreman right george foreman won
00:22:35so maybe morrison should take ten years off
00:22:42good solid punches by carl williams especially that left hook to the body
00:22:46all right all right
00:22:48if morrison has a stamina problem that left hook in the body certainly going to help williams
00:22:52morrison missing with the left hook
00:22:57williams ties it up again a little bit inside
00:23:01both fighters seem to be getting a little bit of a breather through the second minute of round number two
00:23:06carl williams holding morrison behind the head and banging with the right hand
00:23:10and mills lane says he can't do that
00:23:22left hook again by morrison backs williams up
00:23:26but carl's a little bit busier in this round
00:23:29and that is his opponent
00:23:35great left hand by morrison
00:23:45neither man going to the body much yet
00:23:47and since carl williams is tall and rangy
00:23:49maybe that would be a good idea for tommy morrison to go to the body
00:23:52his manager bill katon told me he said he thought that would be the most effective punch in this fight
00:23:56a left hook to the body by morrison
00:23:59well we haven't seen much of it yet
00:24:02and we remind you coming up immediately following tommy morrison and carl detruth williams
00:24:0744 year old george foreman
00:24:10against south african pierre kutzer
00:24:14a look at george warming in his dressing room
00:24:18you've got to come in off of your seven
00:24:21come in off of your seven
00:24:23come in with seven seven two
00:24:25seven seven two
00:24:26seven seven five
00:24:28seven seven five
00:24:29seven seven five two
00:24:30okay
00:24:31you have to make it happen
00:24:33there's the left hand that briefly stunned williams
00:24:36but having survived that punch williams felt the flow of confidence
00:24:41he came back at morrison
00:24:43seemed that way to me through some beautiful combinations good snappy left jab
00:24:47good right hand
00:24:48and i think at this moment all of those people counting on tommy morrison to make them a lot of money
00:24:53are a little bit nervous
00:24:55i would have to say so williams is starting to get some confidence
00:24:59again as you say he's the experienced guy in there
00:25:02and as he figures the fight the longer it goes the better it is for williams
00:25:06left jab by williams to begin round three
00:25:08and i mentioned that williams was the busier fighter in round two by punch stat numbers
00:25:13he threw 38 punches only 24 for morrison
00:25:17morrison needs to step up his business a little bit
00:25:19williams beginning to keep him away with the jab
00:25:22and another left hand and down goes williams for the second round
00:25:27and down goes williams for the second knockdown of the fight
00:25:30and this time he's hurt a little bit more badly
00:25:34let's see what kind of a finisher tommy morrison is
00:25:42long way to go in round three
00:25:45three knockdown rule is in effect
00:25:54crowd chanting duke duke duke
00:25:57morrison trying to finish with the uppercut
00:26:00comes back with the left hook
00:26:01now williams with the one two
00:26:03seems to have regained his senses a little bit
00:26:06as i say this is the best williams probably in the last two years
00:26:09great right hand by morrison
00:26:11get off that hand
00:26:13get off that hand
00:26:14get off that hand
00:26:15come on
00:26:16and believe me this is not a step that morrison is unloading on
00:26:19williams is in condition and fighting well
00:26:22well what a confidence builder it would be for tommy
00:26:25to be able to finish with the right hand
00:26:27we always talk about the left hook
00:26:29morrison misses with the uppercut
00:26:31lands the left hook again but it's just a short chopping hook
00:26:34again we've seen the a hook only once and that was on the knockdown this round
00:26:41williams coming back with right hands
00:26:49still plenty of time and around
00:26:51still plenty of time and around
00:26:52and there's that left hook and right hand
00:26:56carl williams showing some resolution here
00:27:01that time tommy knocked the mouthpiece out with the left hand
00:27:04it landed somewhere in the crowd
00:27:06well williams trying to prove to morrison that he's still there
00:27:23close one counterpuff punches by williams now this is a good effort
00:27:31right hand by williams
00:27:36morrison answers with the right
00:27:38we don't have that thing question
00:27:43come on
00:27:44carl williams knows well that this is his last chance
00:27:47to retain credibility in the division
00:27:50punch free
00:27:52both of them you got two hands free
00:27:54punch out of there
00:27:55you got two hands free
00:27:56work all this much
00:27:58carl williams makes it out of round three
00:28:01carl williams makes it out of round three
00:28:13he's wearing down baby
00:28:14he's wearing down you hear me
00:28:15you hear me
00:28:16all right you see you can hit him
00:28:17you see that right
00:28:18he's just a big wide body
00:28:19you can hit him
00:28:20he's one dimensional
00:28:21he's wide body okay
00:28:22and he's got only the left hook okay
00:28:24let's see your jab son okay
00:28:27stay out in the center of the ring
00:28:29stay out in the center of the ring
00:28:30okay you're zeroing in now
00:28:31you're getting there
00:28:32okay
00:28:34there's the knockdown and this is a wonderful punch
00:28:35because it was a short punch
00:28:36watch that
00:28:37it was a straight left hand and it seemed to hit
00:28:39hit him in the in the chin and in the throat
00:28:42gill
00:28:43that's the strength and the power of tommy morrison
00:28:44it wasn't even a hook
00:28:45it was a left jab is what it was
00:28:47yeah but he caught him on the way in
00:28:49and it really stunned him and probably hurt him
00:28:51and might have made it difficult for him to breathe momentarily there
00:28:54but this is the kind of resistance and the kind of a fight that morrison needs
00:29:01that's right
00:29:02if he comes out of this fight and wins this fight
00:29:04in my opinion he certainly is a legitimate heavyweight contender
00:29:09that's right
00:29:11carl williams with a lot of salve on his face as round four begins
00:29:16both fighters economical with their punches in round three morrison only through 27
00:29:21but landed 19 and most were power punches
00:29:24williams also landing more than half of his punches against morrison
00:29:28who is dispensing with defense in favor of attacking and trying to finish the fight
00:29:35if i was carl williams i'd start moving side to side he's moving one way
00:29:40makes it much easier for morrison to nail him
00:29:43well williams is on target with the jab here and you saw him mix in the uppercut to good effect
00:29:47right hand over the top by morrison wild and lack power when it landed
00:29:54williams is the more effective puncher so far in this round
00:29:57and williams just had that right hand up that time and blocked that left hook
00:30:00all right two hands and three both of them get flanked out of there
00:30:07come on quick down you got all right now you're tied up now one step back
00:30:13come on
00:30:14that was the a-hook but it missed jim
00:30:27and williams is dishing out some punishment tomorrow especially some good body shots
00:30:34yeah this has been williams best round by far
00:30:38you heard trainer john davenport telling him that he ought to gain confidence
00:30:42from the fact that he hasn't been knocked out of there yet
00:30:45saying tommy is one dimensional left hook only
00:30:48tommy morrison's mouth is wide open now jim and it's early in the fight
00:30:51there's that right hand slashing right hand over the top
00:30:55almost knocked williams mouthpiece out you saw carl reach up with the right glove
00:31:00to put the mouthpiece back in place and williams comes back hunting again
00:31:04now morrison tries to go to the body
00:31:10there's the dangerous punch for williams throwing it right uppercut from outside
00:31:20if morrison nails him with that left hook when he's throwing that punch it'll be all over
00:31:22i'd forget all about that punch if i was williams trading left jabs in the center of the ring
00:31:29and the one-two from williams
00:31:32carl williams has controlled the fourth round so far
00:31:34and williams is talking to him now
00:31:36that's really a sign of confidence
00:31:38oh there's a thrusting left jab by morrison that snapped williams head back
00:31:42he's so strong mars oh what a natural punching power
00:31:47it's a gift
00:31:51as they say in the business heavy hands
00:31:54right now williams has that gift under wraps
00:31:57any time it could come unwrapped though
00:31:59we've already told you that pierre cutzer and george foreman are coming along next in between bouts
00:32:12we will have our first live on-air interview with riddick bow
00:32:15since the night that he won the heavyweight championship against evander holyfield
00:32:20subjects for discussion
00:32:21bow's future
00:32:22the long-term future of the heavyweight division
00:32:25and his upcoming bout on february 6th in new york against michael doaks
00:32:32he's lifting his hand up real high because he's expecting the hook to the head
00:32:39you got to go low on him okay
00:32:41arrow letterman how do you see the fight to this day
00:32:45larry three rounds to one 39 35 tommy morrison
00:32:48i think he's landing a better power shots
00:32:50and certainly you had to give him an extra point in rounds one and rounds three for the knockdown
00:32:54two clean knockdowns definitely two ten eight rounds
00:32:57i have him at two ten eight rounds but i also have williams with two ten nine rounds
00:33:01and larry i have the fight scored exactly the same as you
00:33:06in round four tommy morrison only threw eighteen punches
00:33:10let's see if he was resting and saving up some energy from round five
00:33:15or is tommy morrison already wearing down
00:33:19while his mouth is open he seems to be gasping a little bit for breath
00:33:25that's usually the first sign
00:33:27there seems to be a chance here for carl williams to seize a kind of momentum
00:33:31which might prey on tommy morrison's confidence
00:33:34step back team here we go come on
00:33:38one good solid left hook by morrison can change everything but uh
00:33:41up to this moment it's uh
00:33:43williams are using his experience and his superior boxing ability
00:33:46in my opinion control the last round he's doing a pretty good job so far this round
00:33:50that's right his experience is showing isn't it good yes it is
00:33:53he knows when he knows how to tie morrison up
00:33:56he knows enough to walk him around and kill the clock
00:34:00hey you can see carl inside just moving those legs walking him a little bit
00:34:07but again williams is standing very very stationary
00:34:09i think he should be moving a little more
00:34:11good right hand by williams and down goes morrison
00:34:15and now suddenly it is tommy morrison's future as a heavyweight contender that's on the line
00:34:30morrison lands a left hook but williams pounds away with the right
00:34:34second knockdown one one knockdown and this fight is over
00:34:37three knockdown rule is in effect
00:34:40eight
00:34:41and between that first and second knockdown
00:34:43morrison landed a solid left hook
00:34:45didn't do anything to williams
00:34:47now carl's adrenaline is going now
00:34:49he's got a chance to win the fight
00:34:51morrison not punching back
00:35:02carl williams says he's a changed man
00:35:04since the birth of his two-year-old daughter nyja
00:35:07he has an inspiration he never had before
00:35:10and john davenport has done some job with carl williams
00:35:14solid right hand morrison stood up to it
00:35:17he's still got to make it through 43 more seconds
00:35:22williams appears to have punched himself out a little bit
00:35:25yes again this fight could go up and down up and down
00:35:28well it's already been up and down three times
00:35:31and morrison got a little bit of a break
00:35:33as lane warned williams for holding behind the head and hitting
00:35:36that's the second warning
00:35:38you assume that the next time he loses a point
00:35:40left hook hands for williams
00:35:42right hand again
00:35:44and another left hook
00:35:47these are solid blows from carl williams
00:35:49now morrison lands a right
00:35:51a storybook round between tommy morrison and carl the truce williams
00:35:58and carl the truce williams
00:36:13and on the back of his two-year-old
00:36:15tommy morrison
00:36:16no
00:36:17no
00:36:18no
00:36:19no
00:36:20no
00:36:21no
00:36:22no
00:36:23no
00:36:24no
00:36:25no
00:36:26no
00:36:27no
00:36:28no
00:36:29no
00:36:30no
00:36:31no
00:36:32no
00:36:33no
00:36:34no
00:36:35was of course in rocky five and this turned out to be a round out of a movie it was a rocky fifth
00:36:42round and it was a rocky fifth round thank you very much you saw me and raised me jim
00:36:47here's the second knockdown a good uppercut
00:36:53to his credit morrison was able to stay through a half a round without getting knocked down again
00:37:02but in the last two rounds combined he's only thrown 35 punches has tommy morrison already run
00:37:07out of gas as the stamina bugaboo come back to haunt him again is called the truth williams on
00:37:13the birds of a miracle comeback well i had six begins i had mentioned in the beginning of the
00:37:19round that tommy morrison had his mouth wide open which is an indication of fatigue as soon as he
00:37:23got back to his corner they told him keep your mouth closed you know it's another way you get
00:37:29broken jaws which he got against joe hip you can hit with that mouth open and that jaw can go
00:37:33is it also a signal to your opponent gill yes of course he sees you wearing down gives him confidence
00:37:39exactly and you can see williams conference surging even before the knockdown now the two
00:37:47fighters trade jabs to begin round number six left hook and a left hook to the body by carl
00:37:53williams all right here we go one step back here we go two right hands by williams question gentlemen
00:38:03if carl williams knocks out tommy morrison is he again a heavyweight title contender in the in the
00:38:10in the present scenario of heavyweight championship boxing with two heavyweights everybody is a contender
00:38:17who wins a fight well unfortunately i think that if carl williams wins the fight instead of giving him
00:38:23the credit they'll say that tommy williams was a much publicized guy that just didn't have it
00:38:28good point
00:38:29there's that left hook again the a hook missed again
00:38:34and williams is a little tired this is a grueling fight and both guys have had something taken out of
00:38:43and it's very hot in here the lights have been on for a long time it is hot in this arena
00:38:47and that should benefit the younger man except when except that stamina is his chronic problem
00:38:52and williams with the experience has been this route many times and carl's a relaxed fighter
00:38:57who paces himself pretty well remember he went 15 rounds with larry holmes
00:39:03a tactical sixth round neither fighter seems willing to commit too much because of the danger of power
00:39:18punches well that surprised me about morrison because his forte is letting them letting letting
00:39:24it all hang out well he's trying to learn how to be a boxer trying to learn how to pace himself
00:39:30solid right hand carl the truth says no no and morrison hits him again for good measure
00:39:36morrison a little wobbly tommy stalking him again let's see if he can land a left hook
00:39:43he tries it and misses
00:39:44now it is the right hand which williams seems unable to block
00:39:52it's also williams right hand to put morrison on the deck
00:39:59last hand behind the net
00:40:06nice round nice round
00:40:12three keeping flow
00:40:22still vulnerable to a right hand because you won't throw your seven. I need you to throw
00:40:28your seven. Pump that seven, move in off of it. Fire your right hand. You want that
00:40:35jail working overtime. Gil, we've had a lot of interpreters here when we've had foreign
00:40:46fighters. What's a seven? Could you interpret that? Well, what's Morrison not doing? That's
00:40:51the old custom model theory, which I certainly never approved of. He says, all right, throw
00:40:57a four, six, two. As if the other guy's going to just move out of the way and let you throw
00:41:01that combination. It just doesn't. I don't think that's a good way to train a fighter,
00:41:05I'll tell you the truth. Well, I think a seven is a jab because he just shoots a jab. No,
00:41:10the seven I think is the right hand. I'm sorry about that. Tommy Morrison continues to struggle
00:41:16to be active only through 25 punches in round six. He is setting up a potential 10 round decision
00:41:24victory for Carl the truth Williams. And Williams just for a beautiful one too. There's that left
00:41:30hook. And it was set up by a right hand of the body, Gil. That's putting your punches together.
00:41:35I think if Tommy goes to the body, he'll have a chance to knock Carl Williams out. Well, he has a
00:41:41chance, Jim, anytime during this fight. Remember Joe Hipp? Looked like he was out of gas, looked like the fight was,
00:41:46like Hipp was going to take over one punch, and he put Hipp out. He's got that strength of power.
00:41:52Williams can't get careless for a second. Well, I don't think Carl will. I think Carl has learned
00:41:57a lot. If he loses, it's not going to be because of carelessness. It will be because of Morrison's
00:42:02exceptional punching power. I understand that. They're both sides, okay? Come on. Here we go.
00:42:07I thought Williams did the right thing. Morrison hit him on the break, so he hit Morrison back.
00:42:13You hit me, I hit you. And Mills Lane says, too long, don't make the right. Come on. All right,
00:42:19let's get back. In boxing, they often do.
00:42:25Williams is not using his left hand as much as he had to know. Now, there you go. Must
00:42:30listen to me a little bit, Jim. You've got a pipeline to him, Gil.
00:42:33Again, I'd like to see Williams moving a little bit more than what he's made. That takes the
00:42:40power away from that left hook of Morrison. All right, you want to see Williams throwing
00:42:44the left jab. I want Morrison to go to the body. Let's see which fighter listens better.
00:42:49It is Carl Williams for the moment.
00:43:00Morrison has so much power, even his jab sounds like Mike Tyson body punch.
00:43:07Good.
00:43:07And Morrison wobbles. Morrison is right again. Combination punching by Williams. Two right
00:43:24crosses landed. Morrison a little bit wobbly on his feet, as Gil Plansky pointed out.
00:43:30But Tommy's still looking for an opportunity to throw the left hook. Extending the jab and
00:43:34he's landing it. Morrison a little bit busier in this round.
00:43:42Right hand again by Williams.
00:43:47It's a loose thread on Tommy Morrison's glove. Let's see if Mills Lane is going to stop it. Nope.
00:43:53It fell away.
00:43:54And Williams is scoring points with that left jab.
00:43:59Now, if it becomes a tactical boxing match, that is all to Carl Williams' advantage.
00:44:04Well, it's more than tactical, Jim. These guys are really hitting each other with a lot
00:44:08of hard stuff. And whatever number seven is, Tommy Morrison still isn't throwing it.
00:44:14No, he certainly isn't.
00:44:16Well, if he is, Williams hears what they're talking about. He knows what seven is and he wants
00:44:19his elbow.
00:44:21Or if he's throwing it, he's not throwing it with the four and the two and the other.
00:44:26Letterman, after the seven rounds, how do you score it?
00:44:28Hey, Larry, let me tell you, the scoring in this fight is about as interesting as you can
00:44:32get. I got it four rounds to three, 65-64, Tommy Morrison. Now, I'm going for the power puncher
00:44:40over the boxer. I'll tell you the honest and the truth. I thought Tommy Morrison pulled out
00:44:43a very close sixth round because of the fact that he landed a power shot, but a 10-7 round
00:44:48for Williams in round five, as close as he can get right now.
00:44:52Well, I have it four to three for Williams. And I'm trying to figure this weird scoring
00:44:59out. I guess it's even on my card because Morrison's got two two-point rounds and Williams
00:45:06has a three-point round, so the points are even after seven. And my headlaters will be
00:45:10issued to the judges. How do you have it, Gil?
00:45:12I have it exactly the same as Larry. I have the fight dead even going into the eighth round.
00:45:15So we're screwed up on number seven just as much as Morrison is.
00:45:19Just everybody else, right. Now, this is where Williams said he wanted to get the fight
00:45:24into the later rounds. Let's see if he analyzed the fight correctly.
00:45:28He has succeeded in that regard.
00:45:32There was seven, Larry. I think that was seven.
00:45:36Yeah, Carl Williams is throwing two, four, and five in return and landing there.
00:45:41I think that makes sense because seven is the right hand. If you throw some rights,
00:45:45maybe he won't be so eager to throw his left. I'm not sure either.
00:45:50Come on, let's step back. Come on. Come on. Come on. Here we go.
00:45:53Let's step back. Here we go.
00:45:57Morrison looks like he's got a second wind. He looks a little bit alive there right now
00:46:01than he had in the previous two rounds.
00:46:03Well, maybe he knows that he has to get busier.
00:46:06He was dreadfully short of punches during the middle round,
00:46:10and that helps to give Williams the confidence
00:46:13to come back from his earlier deficit.
00:46:20You can just see Williams' experience on the inside.
00:46:23Morrison tries to rub him up, gives it right back to him.
00:46:25Tommy Morrison knocked Carl Williams down in the first and third rounds.
00:46:29Williams knocked Morrison down twice in the fifth round.
00:46:32That was an unintentional butt, and there is blood coming from the top of the forehead of Morrison.
00:46:45That's right. There's the left hook.
00:46:47Carl Williams has taken that left hook better and better.
00:46:51But now Carl's a little wobbly, and there's another left hook,
00:46:54and Morrison's got a chance to finish him off.
00:46:57Bang! Morrison with the right hand.
00:47:01He's going to throw the left hook one more time after the break here,
00:47:04and Carl Williams is in trouble.
00:47:05And Williams is looking for the referee to stop the fight.
00:47:08He doesn't know where he is.
00:47:13Williams has already busted up.
00:47:15And Mills Lane has stopped the fight.
00:47:17Another dramatic power-punting comeback for Tommy Morrison.
00:47:22He did it against Joe Hick last year.
00:47:24He did it again tonight.
00:47:25And he's, as I said, he's going to be dangerous no matter who he fights, where he fights him.
00:47:31Always has a chance to get you out of there.
00:47:35And the crowd stands and cheers for both fighters.
00:47:39And Carl Williams sits down in Tommy Morrison's corner.
00:47:44He was sending a message to Mills Lane to stop the fight.
00:47:49Mills Lane got it a couple of punches later.
00:47:51Well, he's still a one-dimensional fighter.
00:47:58He is still utterly dependent on the left hook.
00:48:01And it is still the greatest left hook in the heavyweight division.
00:48:04Well, as they used to say a long time ago, he's a one-note fighter.
00:48:07But all Gallagherty could do was sing.
00:48:10He was a great opera star.
00:48:11He has that dynamism.
00:48:14And the way the fight unfolded, I think, was a big plus for Tommy Morrison.
00:48:19He fought a guy who was ready.
00:48:21He was hurt by the guy.
00:48:23He stayed relaxed.
00:48:24And his conditioning was there.
00:48:26And as Gil noticed, coming into that round, it looked like he had his second win.
00:48:30All right, gentlemen, let's take a look at the dramatic climax of this fight in slow motion.
00:48:45There's the first left hook.
00:48:46And that's the one that put Carl Williams on Queer Street.
00:48:50The right uppercut did some damage, too, Gil.
00:48:53And look at the strength of Tommy Morrison when he gets inside.
00:48:55Look at that vicious right uppercut.
00:48:57And that big left hook again.
00:48:59How Williams took those, that punishment, I'll never tell you.
00:49:01So now that was two left hooks.
00:49:03And then the right and the left.
00:49:04And then in a moment, you're going to see Morrison step back and gather himself
00:49:08and get ready to come in and throw one more damaging left hook.
00:49:12That's the point at which Williams looks at Mills Lane as if to say,
00:49:15when are you going to stop it?
00:49:16Now here's regular speed, Gil.
00:49:18All right, let's take a look.
00:49:20And there's that big left hook.
00:49:21Again, we mentioned one left hook by Morrison can change anything around.
00:49:25And you can just look at the streak that he has on the inside.
00:49:32And again, he didn't look like a tired fighter right there, Jim.
00:49:36Gil, Tommy Morrison came in weighing.
00:49:39Oh, here he comes.
00:49:40He was getting ready to throw that last left hook there
00:49:42against a virtually defenseless Williams.
00:49:44That one was tough to watch.
00:49:45He came in weighing nearly 230 pounds.
00:49:48How many guys that big have you ever seen who are as quick with the left hook as Tommy Morrison?
00:49:53Well, you know, that is a good question.
00:49:55I mean, probably the only other guy I've seen is Mike Tyson.
00:50:00And Mike Tyson's hook is not as short as Tommy Morrison's.
00:50:04Well, right now, let's go up to ring announcer Michael Buffer
00:50:08for the official particulars on the Morrison knockout.
00:50:12Ladies and gentlemen, referee Mills Lane steps in to stop the bout
00:50:15at 2 minutes, 10 seconds of round number 8.
00:50:18The winner by TKO victory,
00:50:22Tommy
00:50:22to Duke Morrison.
00:50:30A round of applause, please, for this great performance tonight
00:50:33by Carl the Truth Williams.
00:50:35Let's give him a hand.
00:50:44They are still milling in the ring.
00:50:46Carl the Truth Williams, interestingly,
00:50:48is still standing in Morrison's corner
00:50:50as we look at final punch stat numbers.
00:50:53And you can see the woeful punch output
00:50:54by Morrison.
00:50:57196 punches thrown.
00:51:00But he landed 114 of them,
00:51:02and most of them were power shots.
00:51:04As you can see there,
00:51:04Morrison landed more than half his jabs.
00:51:07Williams had a good plan
00:51:08and executed it,
00:51:09throwing a large number of jabs,
00:51:11or at least more than he's been throwing in recent fights.
00:51:13But in the end,
00:51:14he simply couldn't keep Morrison away long enough.
00:51:18And right now,
00:51:18let's go up to Larry Merchant with the winner.
00:51:22Okay, Tommy,
00:51:23what did you like best about this fight
00:51:25besides winning it?
00:51:27Well, the best thing that, you know,
00:51:28I thought we got there as a team
00:51:28was the experience.
00:51:30You know, someone like Carl the Truth Williams
00:51:31has been there with just about everybody.
00:51:32And, you know, students like that
00:51:33have a lot to offer to young stars.
00:51:35You knock him down
00:51:36in the first minute of the fight.
00:51:37You knock him down against
00:51:38in the third fight.
00:51:39You know that he's vulnerable
00:51:40to the left hook.
00:51:41Do you think it was going to be easy after that?
00:51:44No, I knew that this was a KG guy.
00:51:46He's been around for a long while.
00:51:47He'd come out there, I think,
00:51:48with his right hand taped to the side of his head
00:51:50looking for the left hook.
00:51:51So, at a young stage,
00:51:52which we're in,
00:51:53we tend to,
00:51:54each and every day,
00:51:54we try to add more to our arsenal
00:51:55because as you rise in competition,
00:51:57you've only got to add more tools to your arsenal.
00:51:58I feel like we did that today.
00:52:00Fifth round,
00:52:01maybe your worst round
00:52:02since the Mercer fight.
00:52:04You're down twice.
00:52:05What do you recall about that?
00:52:07Here, take a look right here at the monitor.
00:52:09I remember getting knocked down twice.
00:52:11You know, I was staying in the middle
00:52:12a little bit too long.
00:52:12And, you know,
00:52:14it was a kind of delayed action shot.
00:52:16But, you know,
00:52:16we've been in there in the gym.
00:52:18We're doing a lot of hard work.
00:52:19And the harder you work,
00:52:20the harder it is to quit.
00:52:21All right, now we're going to take a look
00:52:22at the second knockdown.
00:52:23But did you know that
00:52:24midway through the round,
00:52:26that one more knockdown
00:52:27and the fight's over?
00:52:28And I don't focus on things like that.
00:52:30I focus on doing things right,
00:52:31trying to be a little more elusive.
00:52:32You know, defense is something
00:52:32that's hindered us from the start.
00:52:34A lot of people criticize our defense,
00:52:35but I feel that we are,
00:52:36you know,
00:52:37we are bringing it to a new level.
00:52:39In the gym,
00:52:40we feel that we're doing the work
00:52:40in there also.
00:52:41But Carl Williams is an experienced fighter.
00:52:43He has great tools.
00:52:44And we're able to overcome it
00:52:45and come through with a victory.
00:52:47The two things that were,
00:52:48seemed impressive,
00:52:50were one,
00:52:50that you were more relaxed.
00:52:51Would you agree?
00:52:52Definitely.
00:52:53That's something that we've been
00:52:53focusing on quite a bit.
00:52:55You know,
00:52:55as you go on and around,
00:52:57you've got to learn to relax.
00:52:58And that's something that
00:52:58I think George Foreman
00:52:59suffered from early in his career.
00:53:00And it's something that,
00:53:01as a matter of fact,
00:53:02I talked with George Foreman
00:53:02after the Mercer bow
00:53:03and he offered some advice.
00:53:05And since then,
00:53:05we've made some very positive strides.
00:53:07We were a little too relaxed.
00:53:08And maybe,
00:53:10maybe as your trainer is saying here,
00:53:12you were too relaxed.
00:53:12But the other thing was that
00:53:15you were in condition enough
00:53:16to see,
00:53:17it seemed like to get a second win
00:53:19late in the fight.
00:53:19Well,
00:53:20that's something that we've also
00:53:20been working on.
00:53:21Prior to the Mercer bow,
00:53:22we were used to going out
00:53:23and knocking guys out.
00:53:24But as you're rising,
00:53:25and rising around,
00:53:26you're starting to rise
00:53:27in competition also.
00:53:28That's something that
00:53:29we definitely have learned.
00:53:30You've got to relax
00:53:31and get to know your body.
00:53:32And I feel like we've done that
00:53:32over the last year,
00:53:33year and a half.
00:53:34And it's coming to the top of the water.
00:53:36One more question about the fight.
00:53:37Your trainer was yelling
00:53:39that you weren't throwing number seven.
00:53:41What is number seven?
00:53:43Seven is the referee.
00:53:46Seven is a jab.
00:53:47And we try to work everything off a jab.
00:53:49It's the same number system
00:53:50that Mike Tyson used already
00:53:51in his career.
00:53:52At this time,
00:53:52I'd like to say hello
00:53:53to Jay Dragon,
00:53:54who's over in the war.
00:53:55Okay,
00:53:56let me ask you now,
00:53:57you are contracted
00:53:58to fight George Foreman
00:53:59if he wins the next fight.
00:54:01Do you want that fight?
00:54:03Do you think,
00:54:03or do you think you're ready
00:54:04for a championship fight?
00:54:06Well,
00:54:06I think boxing,
00:54:07first of all,
00:54:07is the sort of sport
00:54:07that you never stop learning.
00:54:09You know,
00:54:09when you go in there
00:54:10and you start to think
00:54:11that you know everything,
00:54:12it's usually beginning to end.
00:54:12I think that's a prime example
00:54:13of some of what happened
00:54:15to Mike Tyson.
00:54:15We've got a lot to learn.
00:54:17We're young.
00:54:17We have a lot of time to do it.
00:54:18We're looking forward
00:54:18to the challenges ahead.
00:54:20So what is the answer
00:54:21to the question?
00:54:22You want to fight Foreman?
00:54:23Not only yes,
00:54:24but hell yes.
00:54:25All right,
00:54:25and what about,
00:54:26from what you're saying also,
00:54:28you indicate to me
00:54:28that you think
00:54:29you would rather
00:54:30be better schooled
00:54:32and wait a while
00:54:33so that you can not only
00:54:34get a championship fight,
00:54:35but that you can win
00:54:36the championship.
00:54:37Right,
00:54:37that's something that's
00:54:38very important to all of us
00:54:39as a team,
00:54:40and we wouldn't be here
00:54:41if we didn't think
00:54:41that we were very capable
00:54:42of doing just that.
00:54:43We're looking forward
00:54:43to some of the challenges
00:54:44of boxing and George's sport.
00:54:45You never stop learning.
00:54:46You've got to keep learning
00:54:46and someone like George,
00:54:48someone like Carl Williams
00:54:48is where you pick up
00:54:49that experience.
00:54:49We're looking forward
00:54:50to what he's ahead.
00:54:51Thank you, Tommy.
00:54:51Congratulations again,
00:54:52and back to you,
00:54:54Gil and Jim.
00:54:55All right,
00:54:56thank you very much, Larry.
00:54:57Fascinating fact.
00:54:59Prior to his last three bouts,
00:55:00Tommy Morrison had never
00:55:01scored a knockout
00:55:03beyond the fifth round.
00:55:04He knocked out Joe Hipp
00:55:06in the ninth round,
00:55:07but he was in serious trouble.
00:55:08Then after a fight
00:55:09against Marshall Tillman,
00:55:10here he is,
00:55:11behind on two scorecards
00:55:13after seven rounds,
00:55:14as it turns out,
00:55:14and again,
00:55:15he turns the tide around
00:55:16and wins again
00:55:17with the eighth round TKO.
00:55:19Gil, there's good news
00:55:19and bad news.
00:55:20The good news,
00:55:21the comeback
00:55:21and the punching power.
00:55:23The bad news,
00:55:23he was again taken to school
00:55:25by a superior technical boxer.
00:55:27What should be most remembered
00:55:29about what happened
00:55:29to Tommy tonight?
00:55:30You have to remember,
00:55:32you improve as a fighter
00:55:33when you fight experienced fighters.
00:55:35He learned a lot
00:55:36in that ring tonight.
00:55:36He learned more
00:55:37than he can learn
00:55:38for a month in the gymnasium.
00:55:39It's going to make him
00:55:40a better fighter.
00:55:41We noticed he got his second wind
00:55:43at the beginning of the eighth round,
00:55:45I should say.
00:55:46He was more relaxed.
00:55:47He didn't throw
00:55:47as many wild punches.
00:55:49And again,
00:55:49he got the final result.
00:55:50Do you think
00:55:51either heavyweight champion,
00:55:52Riddick Bowe,
00:55:53or Lennox Lewis
00:55:54would want to see
00:55:54a puncher like
00:55:55Tommy Morrison coming?
00:55:57Well,
00:55:57if they could fight
00:55:58somebody else,
00:55:58I think they'd prefer
00:55:59to do it
00:55:59because,
00:56:00as I've mentioned before,
00:56:01Tommy Morrison
00:56:02has a chance
00:56:02to knock anybody out
00:56:03if he hits them right.
00:56:05All right,
00:56:05Larry Merchant,
00:56:06your final thoughts
00:56:06on this marvelous
00:56:07punching spectacle.
00:56:08It was an outstanding
00:56:10heavyweight fight.
00:56:11And as I said before,
00:56:13Gil has said
00:56:14if he wins this fight,
00:56:15looks good,
00:56:16which he did,
00:56:17he is a heavyweight contender.
00:56:18And I think
00:56:19he is a heavyweight contender.
00:56:20I think his management
00:56:21has to make a decision.
00:56:23Do we want a contender,
00:56:25a guy who can get
00:56:26a championship fight?
00:56:27He can get
00:56:28a championship fight.
00:56:29He's a white heavyweight
00:56:30with a big punch
00:56:31and a big heart.
00:56:32If he wants to win
00:56:33the championship,
00:56:34become a champion someday,
00:56:36I think they've got to go
00:56:37a different route.
00:56:38Take their time
00:56:39and wait for a time
00:56:40when they're going
00:56:41to send him in there
00:56:42as the favorite
00:56:43to win the championship,
00:56:45not as the long shot
00:56:46to win the championship.
00:56:46And how far away is that?
00:56:48Well, it's hard to say.
00:56:49It depends on
00:56:50who he fights next
00:56:50and how he looks
00:56:51against that guy
00:56:52and when he feels it.
00:56:53I would say,
00:56:54I would wait until
00:56:55the Lewis and Bo situation
00:56:57clarifies itself
00:56:58and then say,
00:56:59okay,
00:57:00now the winner's got me.
00:57:01All right.
00:57:02We had some
00:57:02spectacular entertainment.
00:57:04It wasn't just
00:57:04the first fight of the evening.
00:57:05It wasn't just
00:57:06the first fight of the year
00:57:07on HBO.
00:57:08But the beginning
00:57:08of a very busy
00:57:10month and a half
00:57:10of boxing here.
00:57:11Let's take a look
00:57:12at what's ahead.
00:57:14Brace yourself
00:57:14for a blizzard
00:57:15of big fights
00:57:16this winter
00:57:17on HBO.
00:57:19It'll be a stormy
00:57:20February 6th
00:57:21when the champion,
00:57:22Riddick Bowe,
00:57:23collides with Michael Dokes
00:57:24for the heavyweight championship.
00:57:26This will be war.
00:57:28Caution.
00:57:28In Bo's first title defense,
00:57:30heavy blows could produce
00:57:31a drifting feeling.
00:57:33Then,
00:57:34on February 13th,
00:57:35James lights out Tony
00:57:37confronts
00:57:37Iran the Blade Barkley
00:57:39for the IVF
00:57:40super middleweight title.
00:57:41Barkley keeps coming.
00:57:43Warning.
00:57:44A flurry of punches
00:57:44could accompany
00:57:45some very flaky conditions.
00:57:47Tony knows
00:57:47he's got him in trouble.
00:57:48And on March 6th,
00:57:50Bruno Whitaker
00:57:51challenges WBC champion
00:57:53Buddy McGirt
00:57:54what's he got to lose
00:57:55in an eagerly awaited
00:57:56welterweight brawl.
00:57:58Beware.
00:57:58I see glass
00:57:59could result in
00:58:00several blackouts.
00:58:02Watch out
00:58:02when this blizzard hits.
00:58:04The big fights
00:58:05are brewing this winter
00:58:06on HBO.
00:58:07Just you wait.
00:58:09We bring it back
00:58:10live to Reno
00:58:11and as you saw there,
00:58:12the next big night
00:58:13of boxing on HBO's
00:58:14World Championship Boxing,
00:58:15Riddick Bowe's
00:58:16first defense of his
00:58:17two world heavyweight
00:58:18championship belts
00:58:19February 6th
00:58:20in New York City
00:58:21against Michael Doakes.
00:58:22Riddick is in training
00:58:23at Caesars Brookdale
00:58:25in the Pocono Mountains
00:58:26in Pennsylvania
00:58:26from where he joins us
00:58:28now live
00:58:29for our very first
00:58:30conversation with the champ
00:58:31since he won the title
00:58:32from Evander Holyfield
00:58:34on November 13th.
00:58:35Welcome again, Riddick.
00:58:36How are you doing?
00:58:37I'm doing pretty good.
00:58:38And you?
00:58:38All right.
00:58:38Your thoughts about
00:58:39Tommy Morrison
00:58:40against Carl Williams?
00:58:42Well, I thought the fight
00:58:42was very exciting
00:58:43but you got to keep in mind
00:58:44we had two limited
00:58:45guys in there
00:58:47so therefore
00:58:48it was, you know,
00:58:50rather exciting.
00:58:51Do you regard Tommy Morrison
00:58:52as a legitimate contender
00:58:53for a heavyweight title shot?
00:58:55I guess in due time
00:58:56but right now
00:58:56he still has a lot to learn.
00:58:58Riddick, it's quite unusual
00:59:00for a man to win
00:59:01the championship
00:59:01as you did in November
00:59:02and come back
00:59:03in less than three months' time
00:59:05for your first defense.
00:59:07What's your motivation
00:59:08for wanting to fight
00:59:09Doakes as early
00:59:09as February 6th?
00:59:11Well, I'm yet young
00:59:12and I figure, you know,
00:59:13I still have a lot
00:59:13to learn myself
00:59:14and there's no reason
00:59:15to procrastinate
00:59:16so I want to get out
00:59:17to learn
00:59:18and also prove
00:59:19that I'm the best.
00:59:21Since we last spoke
00:59:21to you,
00:59:22one of the three
00:59:22heavyweight championship belts
00:59:24was stripped from you
00:59:24by the WBC
00:59:25because of the absence
00:59:26of an agreement
00:59:27between yourself
00:59:28and Lennox Lewis
00:59:29to go ahead and fight.
00:59:30Any second thoughts
00:59:31about your actions
00:59:33in contributing
00:59:34to the stripping
00:59:35of that belt?
00:59:37No, not at all.
00:59:38Let me correct you.
00:59:40It didn't strip me.
00:59:41I stripped down.
00:59:43All right.
00:59:43A lot of people
00:59:43had thought
00:59:44that you could defend
00:59:44with George Foreman.
00:59:46That, of course,
00:59:48is not yet taking place.
00:59:49Do you still see George
00:59:50as a potential
00:59:51heavyweight contender?
00:59:52Well, most definitely.
00:59:53George is big,
00:59:54he can punch,
00:59:55and he's dangerous.
00:59:56So I'm hoping
00:59:56that he can get
00:59:57through this bout,
00:59:58get through Tommy Monson,
01:00:00and then hopefully
01:00:01him and I can bump heads.
01:00:02Getting through the bout
01:00:03is one thing.
01:00:04Looking impressive
01:00:05is another,
01:00:05particularly when a guy
01:00:06is 44 years old
01:00:07and his continued
01:00:08participation
01:00:09has opened the question
01:00:10in the minds
01:00:11of many in the public.
01:00:12What, in your view,
01:00:13does George have to do
01:00:14against Kutzer here tonight
01:00:15in order to retain
01:00:16his status
01:00:17as a contender?
01:00:19To win,
01:00:19and to win impressively.
01:00:21I'm hoping that George
01:00:22does go in and look good.
01:00:25I guess the only thing
01:00:26we can do now
01:00:27is just wait.
01:00:28The speculation is
01:00:29that your timetable
01:00:30calls for the Doakes
01:00:30fight in February,
01:00:32possibly a fight
01:00:33against Ray Mercer
01:00:34in May,
01:00:35maybe another opponent
01:00:36from the second half
01:00:37of the top ten contenders
01:00:38in August
01:00:39and then possibly
01:00:40the winner of a fight
01:00:41between Foreman
01:00:42and Tommy Morrison
01:00:43before the year ends
01:00:45in November.
01:00:45Does that sound
01:00:46about the way
01:00:47you and your manager
01:00:48Rock Newman
01:00:49look at it right now?
01:00:50That sounds pretty correct.
01:00:52And then Rock has said,
01:00:54apparently,
01:00:55to some sources
01:00:56in our business,
01:00:57that you could conceivably
01:00:58be in the ring
01:00:58with Lennox Lewis
01:00:59as early as spring of 1994.
01:01:01Does that sound correct?
01:01:03Well, I'm hoping
01:01:04that that's exactly
01:01:06what happens.
01:01:08You know,
01:01:08Lennox hid behind
01:01:09the WBC,
01:01:10but I hope
01:01:11when that time comes
01:01:12he'll just stand up
01:01:13and fight me.
01:01:15There might be some
01:01:16in the public
01:01:16who would lose taste
01:01:17for both of you
01:01:18as heavyweight champions
01:01:19if it appears
01:01:20that you're not anxious
01:01:22to get into the ring
01:01:23together within
01:01:24a reasonable period
01:01:25of time.
01:01:25Are you concerned
01:01:26about your public appeal
01:01:27in the case that
01:01:2812, 15 months go by
01:01:30and you haven't fought him?
01:01:31Not at all.
01:01:32I'm the real
01:01:33heavyweight champion
01:01:33of the world.
01:01:34I beat the man
01:01:34who beat the man
01:01:35who beat the man
01:01:35which makes me the man.
01:01:37So if anything,
01:01:38Lennox is the one
01:01:39that's ducking
01:01:40and dodging
01:01:41and don't want to fight.
01:01:43What kind of shape
01:01:43are you in right now
01:01:44as you get ready for Dukes?
01:01:45I'm in pretty good shape.
01:01:47You give me another week
01:01:47or so I should be
01:01:48in fighting shape.
01:01:50And what do you expect
01:01:51from Michael
01:01:52on that night
01:01:52in New York,
01:01:53February 6th?
01:01:54Well, I know Mike
01:01:55probably realizes
01:01:56that this is his last chance
01:01:57and so Mike always
01:01:59comes to fight
01:01:59so I'm anticipating that.
01:02:01But I think
01:02:02in the later rounds
01:02:03I should get him.
01:02:04All right.
01:02:05Thank you very much
01:02:06for your time, Riddick.
01:02:07We're hoping
01:02:07that you can stay
01:02:08on the line with us
01:02:09and maybe we'll get
01:02:10a chance to talk again
01:02:11after the George Foreman
01:02:12Pierre Kutzer fight.
01:02:13It'll be my pleasure.
01:02:14All right.
01:02:15Riddick Bowe,
01:02:15the two-belt heavyweight champion,
01:02:17joining us from the
01:02:18Brookdale Caesars
01:02:19in the Boconos.
01:02:20So we have finished
01:02:20the first half
01:02:21of our business for tonight
01:02:22as Tommy Morrison
01:02:23got the eighth round
01:02:24TK over Carl
01:02:25The Truth Williams.
01:02:26Again, we remind you
01:02:27we'll be back on
01:02:28Saturday, February 6th
01:02:29to bring you Riddick Bowe
01:02:30against Michael Doakes
01:02:319.30 p.m. Eastern Time
01:02:336.30 p.m. Pacific Time
01:02:35live here on HBO
01:02:37but there is still
01:02:38more to come tonight
01:02:39as we get ready now
01:02:41to follow the continuation
01:02:43of the unlikely
01:02:45and unique career
01:02:46of former heavyweight champ
01:02:47George Foreman
01:02:48It's a