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00:00:00Just to give him a win, I would like to have someone with a better opponent.
00:00:04I think he would have.
00:00:05It was the classic battle of boxer versus brawler.
00:00:07Went for 15 rounds, the undefeated Sugar Ray Leonard fought toe-to-toe with Roberto Duran.
00:00:12For these two proud warriors, there was more at stake than just the welterweight title.
00:00:17In the end, the man with the hands of stone was declared the victor,
00:00:20but there was no question they would meet again.
00:00:27Five months later, the night would be long to Sugar Ray Leonard
00:00:29when he embarrassed one of boxing's greatest fighters.
00:00:32In the seventh round, the Panamanian legend spoke the infamous words,
00:00:35No mas, no mas.
00:00:37Alexis Arguello sought a record fourth title when he met the undefeated Aaron Pryor.
00:00:42But on that night, history would not be made.
00:00:44In the 14th round, one of boxing's fiercest title fights came to an end.
00:00:48It's the rush.
00:00:50Arguello's hand to the side.
00:00:51It's over.
00:00:52Aaron Pryor has retired his junior water-wide championship.
00:00:56Arguello slumps to the campus.
00:00:59The rematch was inevitable.
00:01:04And once again, Arguello would fight with the pride of a champion.
00:01:07But despite his courage, the outcome was the same.
00:01:10Ray Mancini was the small-town hero.
00:01:24But in a 14-round mauling, Livingstone Bramble put the gutsy champion's dream to an end.
00:01:30Despite 20 stitches on his face, Mancini longed for one more meeting with Bramble.
00:01:35It would be labeled the Reno Rumble.
00:01:44And that was it for 15 rounds.
00:01:46This time around, there would be no knockout, but no new champion either.
00:01:51For Bramble, a successful title defense.
00:01:53For Mancini, the end of a storybook career.
00:01:56It was perhaps the biggest upset in boxing history when Michael Spinks took on Larry Holmes in his attempt to become the first light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight crown.
00:02:07After a unanimous decision, a new champion was named.
00:02:10And Holmes would set out to avenge what was up to them his only loss.
00:02:14But seven months later, they fought a nearly identical fight.
00:02:22A great champion was forced to acknowledge the ravages of father time.
00:02:25And Michael Spinks had proven he was a heavyweight to be reckoned with.
00:02:30In the eyes of many, Olympic gold medalist Mark Reland was preordained for greatness.
00:02:36That was until he met the more experienced Marlon Starling who put a halt to the champion's plans.
00:02:41In the 11th round, it was the challenger who ruled the ring as Reland suffered his first professional loss.
00:02:47A rematch would be in order.
00:02:49Tonight, another grudge fight to add to this decade's legend.
00:02:59So coming up right now, a bout which has been widely anticipated for seven months and three weeks ever since August 22 of last year.
00:03:08WBA welterweight champion Marlon Starling defends his title against the former champion he upset eight months ago, Mark Breeland.
00:03:19The fight's scheduled for 12 rounds to be fought under WBA rules live here on HBO Sports.
00:03:28Ray Leonard, it did not appear that Mark Breeland's stand-up conventional style served him well in the first fight.
00:03:34Ultimately, although he was ahead on points at the time at which he was knocked out, if you were he, would you have tried to make changes in your approach to this fight?
00:03:43I wouldn't change anything except be in better condition, better shape.
00:03:47What I saw in Mark Breeland was the fact that in the eighth round, he was just dropped, whether from fatigue or the fact he was hurt.
00:03:54But I think it was from fatigue because his legs gave out on him.
00:03:56He told me this time around, he trained especially for his legs this time.
00:04:00He also told you that, just as you with Duran, he didn't look at this bout on tape for some time.
00:04:06Yeah, and I can relate to that because when I lost to Duran, I didn't see the fight until one month later, and he said the same thing.
00:04:12So now he's ready. He says he's on a mission. He's going to prove everyone wrong.
00:04:15Of course, another man on a mission is Marlon Starling, who believes that he's never gotten the respect he deserves from the boxing public.
00:04:23For more on this bout, let's now go to Larry Merchant.
00:04:25When they fought last August, Marlon Starling was saying about Mark Breeland, in effect, the emperor has no clothes.
00:04:35He was saying that he was a product more of hype and merchandising than the Ring Wars.
00:04:40He was saying that he was a star because he was a star, not because he had proved that he was a star.
00:04:47And then he went out, and in effect, he stripped them down and exposed them rather nakedly as an emperor with no clothes.
00:04:56It's true that Mark Breeland had a brilliant amateur career, but he didn't look that great when he won a gold medal at the Olympics.
00:05:01It's true that he's a good-looking kid, tall with an interesting and style and a good right hand, but he hasn't been that successful or at least that overpowering and exciting against the ordinary fighters he's been put in with.
00:05:15And yet everybody kept insisting that this kid was a star, that he really was the right stuff, everyone except Marlon Starling, who had come up the hard way, much like another New Englander, Marvin Hagler, slogging his way to the top, fighting everybody out there in his division over a period of seven years.
00:05:35Well, here we are for the rematch. And now, proving once again of the value of merchandising, Breeland is favored after having been knocked out. And Starling keeps insisting he has no clothes.
00:05:53Starling, you know I don't like you. In fact, I hate you with a passion, because you talk too much. Tonight I'm going to break your face.
00:06:02Punish me? You didn't just lose last time, you got knocked out. This time, I'm going to punish you real bad.
00:06:10Tonight I'm going to make an example of you. I'm going to give you a good beating. Watch me get my belt back.
00:06:17If anyone's going to make an example, I'll make an example out of you. Nobody, no other watch within the world going to get in the ring and take my belt.
00:06:25Mark Breeland and Marlon Starling, each can be seen as a fighter on a mission, but their only real common denominator is their dislike for one another.
00:06:34In many fights, that's a contrivance. In this fight, it's a fact.
00:06:38In every boxing match, there's going to be a time where you have to fight. In every boxing match, you got to fight. One time or another, you got to fight. Mark can't fight.
00:06:50I'm used to hearing that. But as far as Marlon Starling, you know, I just, oh, I just don't like him at all.
00:07:03And I would have to prove, you know, to the people and to myself and to him to shut his mouth.
00:07:11You know, I would love to break his jaw.
00:07:14That's the gospel according to challenger Mark Breeland, whose career until recently was an unbroken string of successes and the object of all his opponents' jealousy.
00:07:23Five Golden Gloves championships, an amateur record of 110 and one.
00:07:28Then the ultimate recognition for an amateur, the Olympic gold medal.
00:07:31When he turned professional, Breeland signed a seven-figure contract and began to eyeball opportunities in movies, modeling, and, of course, music of what some thought was unearned fame.
00:07:43Another welterweight from the blue-collar enclave of Hartford, Connecticut, clamored desperately for a shot at the title.
00:07:49For Marlon Starling, there had been no large paydays, no bright lights, no videos with the Pointer sisters.
00:07:54Starling's only claim to fame was the title of best welterweight without a title.
00:07:59Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
00:08:01Despite the lack of attention, he continued the fight and patiently waited for an opportunity.
00:08:07While Starling waited, Breeland accomplished what had always been expected of him, winning a world title with a knockout of South Africa's overmatched Harold Goldbrecht.
00:08:17Now Breeland was 24, wearing a championship belt, and began his journey of title defenses.
00:08:25First stop, the much more experienced Marlon Starling.
00:08:28Also, Breeland's first top ten opponent.
00:08:31Though Breeland couldn't have known it, Marlon Starling could now taste the title.
00:08:35He knew they were in trouble when they signed the fight.
00:08:40And Mark is not sleeping great right now, I guarantee you.
00:08:44I want to be the man to beat Mark Breeland.
00:08:47I don't want no one else to do it.
00:08:49This is America's hero, the Olympic boy.
00:08:51And you heard how I said that, the Olympic boy.
00:08:55Because that's what he is.
00:08:57I realized before I left the locker room that I didn't have it mentally.
00:09:00I was having so many problems.
00:09:04As far as physically, I had two torn rib collages on the same side.
00:09:09And I just mentally wasn't up for the fight.
00:09:12And it's a scary feeling.
00:09:15But mentally, I just weakened myself physically.
00:09:17And when he hit me, it was just, you know, I went down and I was like, damn.
00:09:25And I just didn't have nothing to really, you know, push back at him with.
00:09:31I didn't have that drive in me.
00:09:34Just nothing, you know, nothing would just snap me back.
00:09:38Breeland's day in the sun turned into a nightmare.
00:09:41For Starling, who had been trailing on all three judges' cards before the knockout,
00:09:46frustration had come to an end.
00:09:47The magic man now held center stage not only in the ring,
00:09:51but in his hometown of Hartford as well.
00:09:53And he was welcomed back with open arms.
00:09:56For any fighter, a loss is a humbling experience.
00:09:59For Mark Breeland, who had no background in defeat, it was traumatic.
00:10:03For weeks, he was depressed and went into hiding.
00:10:05Now it was time to reach deep inside and pick up the pieces.
00:10:09With the support of an intensely devoted management structure,
00:10:12Mark Breeland set out to build a comeback.
00:10:14Well, that loss really motivated me a lot.
00:10:17Made me think, you know, made me come back down to reality that
00:10:20it takes a lot of hard work to be on top.
00:10:24And I know I'm not out of it.
00:10:28I know he's going to do the same thing, try to come and wrestle me,
00:10:30running, falling.
00:10:32I'm going to box him, box him, you know,
00:10:36hit him with bad intentions.
00:10:37Everything I hit him with, I'm going to mean it.
00:10:40And, um, show him who's the better fighter.
00:10:44Now the verbal attacks have been placed on the back burner.
00:10:47It's time to fight again.
00:10:48Starling's been given a taste of what it's like to be on top
00:10:51and claims he will refuse to be dethroned.
00:10:54As for Mark Breeland, he's discovered how quickly fortunes fall
00:10:57in the world of boxing.
00:10:58You're only as good as your last fight.
00:11:00Mark Breeland hopes to be a lot better tomorrow than he was yesterday.
00:11:04Losing my title hurts.
00:11:05But I remember back in the amateurs when Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali told me,
00:11:11if you feel like a champion, you'll be a champion.
00:11:14And now I feel like a champion.
00:11:16Mark, I don't care what Ali already told you.
00:11:21If you think you're going to be a champion tonight, you got another thought.
00:11:24I whooped you the first time, and I'll whoop you again tonight.
00:11:27So now in live response to that.
00:11:32Mark Breeland exits his dressing room and makes his way toward the ring.
00:11:37The man next to him with the sunglasses on, Joey Fariello,
00:11:40who serves as his trainer along with Lou Duva.
00:11:44Familiar face in front of Breeland.
00:11:46It's often said in this sport that it's put up or shut up time,
00:11:48but the curse of great potential is that at some point along the way,
00:11:52you have to fulfill it.
00:11:52Larry, I have to wonder if Mark can't do it tonight and how many other chances he'll get.
00:11:59Well, he's 20 and 1.
00:12:00If he's a serious man about prize fighting,
00:12:02he can lose tonight and come back and really be a fighter and someday do it.
00:12:07I think he was cruised through the easiest part of the well-await schedule,
00:12:13and that's why he was shocked by Starling.
00:12:15The question is whether the shock awoke him enough.
00:12:17Indeed, Breeland won a world championship in his 17th bout.
00:12:22Some said that was too early.
00:12:23Quickly, Ray Leonard, your tips of the night with regard to Breeland and Starling.
00:12:27We should see the same fight as we saw last time.
00:12:30For Marlon Starling, he needs to start a little faster
00:12:32because he gave the early rounds away to Breeland
00:12:35because he'd become somewhat of a showboat, somewhat of an actor.
00:12:40He has to trap Breeland against the ropes and be a little more aggressive,
00:12:44throw more combinations like he did the last time.
00:12:47And I think in doing that, he should be very, very effective.
00:12:50He makes a mistake sometimes.
00:12:52He has a tendency to lead it with his head.
00:12:54And in doing so, Breeland was able to land with some pretty good jabs
00:12:58and pretty good combinations.
00:13:00What I've seen in Marlon Mark Breeland's, in fact,
00:13:02he throws good combinations, but he needs to throw more left hooks.
00:13:06You see that left hook there was a very good and clean punch.
00:13:10He has to use his legs a lot more and keep moving.
00:13:13Dublin's dare about keep starting off balance like he's doing here.
00:13:18But he needs to move.
00:13:19He can't afford to get against the ropes
00:13:21because if he should get against the ropes,
00:13:23we may possibly see a replay of the last fight.
00:13:27And now here comes one of boxing's most impetuous,
00:13:33impulsive, and entertaining characters,
00:13:36welterweight champion Marlon Starling.
00:13:39Only four losses in his career,
00:13:41and the big edge that he holds over Breeland is inexperienced.
00:13:45There have been no fewer than ten fights in Starling's career
00:13:49in which he has gone farther than ten rounds.
00:13:53Breeland only once,
00:13:54and that's the 11th round knockout at the hands of Starling.
00:13:57The fascinating thing about a kid like this is
00:14:00the belief in himself that made him go on and on,
00:14:04and that he's a self-made fighter.
00:14:06He never had a full-time professional trainer
00:14:09until he won the title.
00:14:12Now he has Eddie Futch in his corner.
00:14:14He's just pushed himself ironwood,
00:14:16and that's a very admirable quality
00:14:18in a fighter as well as anyone else.
00:14:22And there is the record 43 wins,
00:14:25four losses, 26 knockouts,
00:14:27two of the losses at the hands of Donald Curry,
00:14:30who was, like Breeland,
00:14:32a conventional stand-up fighter
00:14:33with power in the right hand.
00:14:36Starling believes he gave one of those two fights away to Curry
00:14:38by clowning.
00:14:42Tail of the tape,
00:14:43and you will see the height
00:14:44and reach advantage
00:14:45that Breeland will enjoy
00:14:47throughout his career as a welterweight.
00:14:49There is no other welterweight in the class
00:14:51who is as tall or as long-armed as Mark Breeland.
00:14:54Yeah.
00:14:54Well, we saw in the first fight
00:14:56that the wrecking ball
00:14:57finally caged in the telephone pole.
00:15:00Let's see if you have the same situation
00:15:02or a reverse one here.
00:15:03Here are Puntstadt numbers
00:15:04in that first fight,
00:15:06and these numbers sort of reflect the fact
00:15:08that Breeland was ahead
00:15:10when he got knocked out,
00:15:11although a lot of people thought
00:15:12it was much closer
00:15:13than the officials had it.
00:15:16Here you see the jabs.
00:15:17Now Breeland throws a lot more jabs,
00:15:20obviously, with his size.
00:15:23Rules for this bout,
00:15:24the same as those which obtained
00:15:25in the first fight
00:15:26between Chavez and Aguilar.
00:15:28Again, no standing eight count,
00:15:30three judges scoring the bout
00:15:31on a ten-point must,
00:15:32and the three-knockdown rule is in effect.
00:15:34And let's go back to ring announcer Chuck Hall.
00:15:38Ladies and gentlemen,
00:15:39the officials are signed
00:15:39by the Nevada State Athletic Commission
00:15:41and the WBA
00:15:42for the next bout of the evening.
00:15:44The judges will be
00:15:45Jerry Roth of Nevada,
00:15:47Elias Quintana of New Mexico,
00:15:49and Dave Moretti of Nevada.
00:15:51Your referee is Mills Lane of Reno.
00:15:55The next bout of the evening,
00:15:56ladies and gentlemen,
00:15:57features 12 rounds of boxing
00:15:59for the WBA Welterweight Championship
00:16:03of the World.
00:16:05Introducing In the Blue Corner,
00:16:07fighting out of Brooklyn, New York,
00:16:10weighing in at 146 pounds even,
00:16:13with a professional record of 20 wins,
00:16:15one defeat with 13 KOs.
00:16:18He was a gold medalist
00:16:19in the 23rd Olympiad in Los Angeles
00:16:21and a former WBA Welterweight Champion.
00:16:25Ladies and gentlemen,
00:16:26here is Mark Breeland.
00:16:33And in the red corner,
00:16:35from Hartford, Connecticut,
00:16:38weighing 146 and one-half pounds,
00:16:41his professional record
00:16:43consists of 43 wins,
00:16:45four defeats,
00:16:4626 KOs.
00:16:48He is the WBA Welterweight Champion
00:16:51of the World,
00:16:53Marlon Magic Man Starling.
00:17:00Now referee Mills Lane will issue the final instructions.
00:17:04in the dressing room.
00:17:06I'm not going to put up with any illegal rough stuff
00:17:09from either one of you, okay?
00:17:11Any questions from the Challenger or Chief's second?
00:17:14Any questions from the Champion or Chief's second?
00:17:16Let's get it on.
00:17:17Come on.
00:17:17Let's remember that in a rematch
00:17:20after a knockout,
00:17:22the man who won the first fight,
00:17:2590% of the time,
00:17:26Amor wins the second fight.
00:17:28But Breeland has his work cut out for him.
00:17:31And yet,
00:17:31as you pointed out earlier,
00:17:33and it's worth mentioning again,
00:17:34Breeland is favored by odds of 2 to 1
00:17:37here in Las Vegas
00:17:38to avenge the knockout defeat.
00:17:43I see a change in both fighters already.
00:17:46I see Breeland done his jab up,
00:17:48keeping those hands high.
00:17:49I see a much more aggressive
00:17:51than Marlon Starling.
00:17:53Normally he lays back
00:17:54and he gives away the earlier round.
00:17:56Here there's a different story.
00:17:59Well, one of the things
00:17:59that Starling said to us
00:18:01before the fight
00:18:02was that he would want to come out
00:18:04and try to make Mark
00:18:05remember round 11 early.
00:18:07Well, if he's able to hurt Mark,
00:18:09and then Mark will definitely
00:18:10have a flashback.
00:18:12I think Mark is mentally up
00:18:13in this fight
00:18:14and Starling fight next.
00:18:15He wants to show people
00:18:17that the last fight
00:18:18was not a fluke.
00:18:21Breeland contends
00:18:22that he was not mentally shocked
00:18:24for the fight last long.
00:18:25To some, it is mystifying
00:18:27how a world title holder
00:18:28could not be mentally prepared
00:18:30for a defense of that title
00:18:31in his adopted hometown
00:18:33before his family and friend.
00:18:36Well, sometimes there's
00:18:37so many distractions
00:18:38to a young fighter,
00:18:39a young celebrated fighter,
00:18:40and I think that was the case
00:18:41for Mark Greenland.
00:18:42But here he knows
00:18:43this is definitely reality.
00:18:46First minute of the fight
00:18:47has been dominated
00:18:48by Greenland's efforts
00:18:49to land the long jab.
00:18:50you see how Starling steps in
00:19:00with his chin.
00:19:02What Greenland should be doing
00:19:03is throw some uppercuts.
00:19:05Keep his hands high,
00:19:05but throw some uppercuts.
00:19:07That's good.
00:19:08That's starting right
00:19:09under the jaw, Breeland.
00:19:12That was the reminder, right?
00:19:14Exactly right.
00:19:15And here what we have
00:19:16is a fact that
00:19:17we see a much more aggressive
00:19:20and very physical Martin Starling.
00:19:22And he is brawling already,
00:19:24grabbing and holding
00:19:25and throwing Breeland
00:19:26around the ring.
00:19:27Mark doesn't like that.
00:19:36That was a tentative right hand
00:19:38by Breeland.
00:19:38I don't see any snap
00:19:41in the punches
00:19:41of Mark Greenland.
00:19:42Hey, hey, hey, hey.
00:19:43Put the rest stuff up.
00:19:44Come on.
00:19:44He doesn't have the zap.
00:19:46He looks a little still to me.
00:19:48Whereas with Starling,
00:19:49Starling has snapped.
00:19:52Indeed, Greenland
00:19:53has pawed with the jab.
00:19:55The right hand
00:19:55has not been quick.
00:19:58Starling landed
00:19:59the only significant punch
00:20:00at the bout so far.
00:20:05Come on, Breeland!
00:20:07Come on, Breeland!
00:20:08Right hand's solid
00:20:11to the face of Breeland
00:20:12by Starling.
00:20:21Come on, Breeland!
00:20:22Come on, Breeland!
00:20:24Come on, Breeland!
00:20:31As round one comes to a close,
00:20:33already you see Starling
00:20:34preventing Breeland
00:20:35from setting his feet
00:20:36and doing what he wants to do.
00:20:39Already, I think I detect
00:20:41some of the effect
00:20:42of having Eddie Futsch,
00:20:43which is that he's not as wild
00:20:45and wasting as much energy
00:20:47and motion
00:20:47as he earlier did.
00:20:49I'm talking about Starling Futsch.
00:20:50You got that?
00:20:51You got that?
00:20:51You got the water over there.
00:20:52Look at the ground.
00:20:53Damn, you're supposed to come up there!
00:20:56All right.
00:20:57A little bit firmer
00:20:58with that jab, all right?
00:21:00And then when he goes to...
00:21:01when he leads to his left
00:21:02like he's gonna hook,
00:21:03instead of going back,
00:21:04go in.
00:21:06You understand me?
00:21:07You pull him back on him.
00:21:08Let's take a look at how Starling
00:21:10set that punch up
00:21:12right outside and then inside
00:21:15that right hand of Starling.
00:21:17And it stunned...
00:21:19and it stunned the challenger.
00:21:24That was exactly what Breeland
00:21:26didn't want to happen
00:21:27in that first round
00:21:28and exactly what Starling
00:21:30did want to happen.
00:21:31And you mentioned, Larry,
00:21:33the big change
00:21:33in Starling's corner
00:21:34since the first fight.
00:21:36The addition
00:21:36of the well-known
00:21:38Eddie Futsch,
00:21:39trainer of many champions,
00:21:41to improve his technique.
00:21:43They say it's hard
00:21:45to teach an old dog
00:21:46new tricks,
00:21:47but it's also hard
00:21:48to teach a new dog
00:21:49old tricks,
00:21:50which is what they're trying
00:21:51to do with Breeland.
00:21:52I think of the case
00:21:53with Starling,
00:21:54the fact that Eddie Futsch
00:21:55just added something on.
00:21:56He didn't change anything.
00:21:58He just added something on.
00:21:59I see here
00:22:00as Starling
00:22:01has found the spot
00:22:03at the left hook.
00:22:04He is quick, aggressive,
00:22:06and anxious
00:22:07to throw the left hook,
00:22:08which has landed
00:22:08three times now.
00:22:22We're in round two
00:22:23at the Las Vegas Hilton.
00:22:26Mark Freeland
00:22:26trying to regain
00:22:28the welterweight title.
00:22:29He lost to Marlon Starling
00:22:30eight months ago.
00:22:31All right, take care of me.
00:22:32Come on, point shot.
00:22:32Come on, point shot.
00:22:34See, this is not
00:22:35Breeland's fight
00:22:35because a fight like this,
00:22:37somewhat of a physical fight,
00:22:39it wears a man down.
00:22:41And that's what happened
00:22:42in the first fight.
00:22:43Breeland was worn down.
00:22:44with the right star
00:22:57and landed here.
00:22:58Breeland looks a little shaky.
00:23:10Don't want to get a move on.
00:23:11One of her
00:23:11two occasions, Jim.
00:23:20I noticed that
00:23:21Starling was trying to counter
00:23:23with his right hand.
00:23:25He waits to Breeland
00:23:26throws his right hand,
00:23:27then he comes back
00:23:27with his own right hand.
00:23:28All right, let's get back.
00:23:29He hasn't found the target, but it's a good tactic here.
00:23:35Starling digging a left hand up underneath to the body.
00:23:38That one got through.
00:23:39Both hands, too. That's the beauty of it.
00:23:44I should point out that Starling's defense
00:23:46consists mostly of picking punches off with his glove,
00:23:49and he's very effective at it.
00:23:51Stop it, stop it, baby, stop it!
00:23:53Come on, come on!
00:23:55Come on, come on!
00:23:56Come on, come on!
00:23:57Come on, come on!
00:23:58Come on, come on, come on!
00:24:00Come on, come on, come on!
00:24:06Mills Lane trying to pull the two of them apart,
00:24:09and neither will have any odds.
00:24:11And now Lane talks to both fighters
00:24:15and urges them to listen to him when he says break.
00:24:17That better not happen again!
00:24:18That better not happen again!
00:24:19Hey! That better not happen again!
00:24:20All right, Eddie, come on, hold on!
00:24:22In case you didn't hear it, he said,
00:24:23that better not happen again.
00:24:28No points were deducted.
00:24:33Breeland seeming to come to life just a little bit
00:24:36in the closing seconds of round two.
00:24:40More than ever, I'm beginning to wonder
00:24:42how good a fighter Breeland is
00:24:44when he doesn't land and hurt his opponent
00:24:47with his right hand.
00:24:48I saw everything!
00:24:51He's looking for everything to the head.
00:24:53He's looking for everything to the head.
00:24:55You'll bring his hands down
00:24:57and you'll get your shots to the head, okay?
00:24:59All right.
00:25:01Keep your cool.
00:25:03You're on the other side.
00:25:04Keep your cool.
00:25:05Keep your cool!
00:25:06Keep your cool!
00:25:07Keep your cool!
00:25:08Keep your cool!
00:25:09Keep your cool!
00:25:10Keep your cool!
00:25:12Leading, sticking, move that move made all the time.
00:25:15You're good, champ.
00:25:16Always try to take up that slack.
00:25:18Go that side.
00:25:19Let's take a look at Starling as again he tries to set up and wing the right hand.
00:25:25It didn't land clean, landed somewhere around the net.
00:25:30Come on, seconds out. Let's go.
00:25:34Round three begins between rounds in Starling's corner.
00:25:39You heard Eddie Futch issuing the kind of advice he's issued to such as Bob Foster
00:25:43and Alexis Arguello, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Kenny Norton, many other champions.
00:25:54They had their share as well.
00:25:57We're going to put down from Starling as it goes to the body. Bring those hands down.
00:26:01Starling!
00:26:08clone debe額 to the left and throw the right.
00:26:10Starling!
00:26:14Come on!
00:26:16arguing
00:26:24Looking to let them throw the right.
00:26:26Well, I see plans trying to get his job man.
00:26:29And once his jab lands, special bottom,
00:26:31his right hand is going to fall for that jab.
00:26:59Now, this is the right type of fight for Starling.
00:27:06Just keep pressing the attack, wear his man down, work the body.
00:27:10Indeed, it's a relatively quiet round,
00:27:12but as Breland continues to back up,
00:27:14you have to wonder where and when he believes
00:27:17he can assume control of the fight.
00:27:19He's going to have to land one of the right hands,
00:27:22which have so far been picked off by Starling's gloves.
00:27:25Well, because Breland was hurt in the early round,
00:27:28he's somewhat reluctant to throw punches.
00:27:32Again, Starling's trying to count a right hand.
00:27:38And again, they wrestle, which is not Breland's style.
00:27:44Breland needs to bring that right hand up, too,
00:27:46because the left hook of Starling has been in punches.
00:27:49Good right hand.
00:27:51Count a right hand finally came in.
00:27:53Breland misses wildly with the right.
00:27:55Starling continues to land on his counter.
00:27:57Now, there's tape coming off the glove of Mark Breland,
00:28:07so Mills Lane stops the clock,
00:28:11sends Starling to a neutral corner.
00:28:13Barriello cuts the tape, and here we go again.
00:28:15Barriello cuts the tape, and here we go again.
00:28:17Brown three ends, there are a few encouraging signs
00:28:19if any yet for Breland's corner.
00:28:33Round three ends, there are few encouraging signs, if any yet, for Breeland's corner.
00:28:46Well, so far, not only his gloves were unraveling, but so is the image of him being a star, regardless
00:28:53of what happens from here on out.
00:28:56When you faint at him, he moves here, he moves there, he moves here.
00:29:00So give him the faint, and get a lead out of him, and then hit him a stiff jab.
00:29:04You understand?
00:29:05Every once in a while, faint him, and then as he moves, watch where he moves, and then
00:29:09put the jab where he moves.
00:29:11Okay?
00:29:12Good.
00:29:13Don't bring your hands off the way you are.
00:29:15Okay?
00:29:16What you're better off doing is letting him get to your stand pushing.
00:29:18Carol Letterman, our unofficial official, how do you have the fight scored?
00:29:22Well, Larry, you know the four points on which we score?
00:29:25Clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, or defense.
00:29:28I think Moochie Starling is sweeping the fight so far.
00:29:31Here we go, second serve!
00:29:32Thirty to twenty-seven, three rounds to none.
00:29:33Corner, please.
00:29:34I agree with you, and what that means is that he's far ahead of where he was last August
00:29:39at this stage of the fight.
00:29:41Let's see if Breeland can mount the comeback.
00:29:44Indeed, at this stage of the fight last August, Breeland had won all three rounds, or at
00:29:49least two of the three, on every judge's call.
00:29:54One judge gave him all of the first ten rounds in that fight.
00:30:01Normally when a guy gives you hair things, he's ready to throw a right hand.
00:30:09So he comes in.
00:30:10He comes in.
00:30:11He's ready to throw it.
00:30:12No harder!
00:30:13No better!
00:30:14Show me the way!
00:30:15Listen until Disneyland was!
00:30:16Three sire!
00:30:17Show him그램!
00:30:18Show him Americans!
00:30:19It's not an explosion!
00:30:20No more detail!
00:30:21Yeah!
00:30:22No higher!
00:30:23No Stay Webber!
00:30:24Still, the Breeland jab, slow and teuct else.
00:30:25Oh, watch, watch, watch.
00:30:26When Starling is just, um, posing, that's when Breeland should be jabbing.
00:30:32That's when Breen should be jabbing. Like now.
00:30:37With this Breen to punch, he should be jabbing his mouth.
00:30:39Instead, he's just cawing.
00:30:41He's cawing, and this is when Stalin retaliates.
00:30:55The mouthpiece of Stalin was knocked out.
00:30:58Fell out, actually.
00:30:59Wasn't knocked out by a punch.
00:31:01He just got lazy with his mouth and let it go.
00:31:04Well, there's an opportunity here for Breen to do some damage
00:31:07in the last minute and a half of round four.
00:31:09You know, Breen worked on a weight program,
00:31:12and it doesn't appear to be evident here.
00:31:24Well, the comparison, Ray, has always been to Thomas Ernst,
00:31:27who was also a 6'2'' welterweight.
00:31:30But to my mind, Breen has never shown the kind of right-hand punching power
00:31:36Hearns had.
00:31:37Starling landed one on Breen's mouth,
00:31:39and Mark holds on with a minute to go.
00:31:41And he has enough time to get his man out of here.
00:31:44Now, Breen now is an unquisting.
00:31:47Left-hand run, Breen's staggering.
00:31:57Starling should continue this.
00:31:58He should stay on top of his man.
00:32:00Just keep throwing punches now.
00:32:01Round four, looking very much like its predecessors.
00:32:11Again, Breen misses with the run.
00:32:15He has thrown it in Ernst,
00:32:16he just hasn't landed it yet.
00:32:18Step back, here we go.
00:32:24Starling does a little onward,
00:32:25because he's never had quite this pace in the past.
00:32:28There's no signs of strength in Mark Breener.
00:32:34That right-hand missed.
00:32:35But once again, Starling landed enough of them
00:32:44to maintain what looks like effective control of the bout.
00:32:48People thought that Breener would be a kind of a man-eating giraffe.
00:32:51Come on.
00:32:52You know, like Tommy Hurts, as you mentioned.
00:32:55But he just doesn't have that kind of great insolence.
00:32:58Why do you stand in front of the guy?
00:32:59Show someone you want from that kind of fire.
00:33:01You're standing still like a mommy.
00:33:03You don't have to run.
00:33:05But use your jab.
00:33:06Use your...
00:33:06Come on, Mark.
00:33:07God damn it.
00:33:08You're throwing punches like a girl.
00:33:09Win those shots.
00:33:10Good Christ's sake.
00:33:11You want to win this fight?
00:33:12Yeah, put this on.
00:33:12Come on, let's go.
00:33:14Good Christ's sake.
00:33:14Come on, Mark.
00:33:15You got this guy hurting.
00:33:16Get out of the mouthpiece.
00:33:17Here.
00:33:17And you're not doing nothing out there.
00:33:18Come on, you got to punch.
00:33:20Good Christ's sake.
00:33:20Get that left hand going.
00:33:21Work the body of more.
00:33:22When you get inside, work both hands of the body.
00:33:24And then shift to the head, okay?
00:33:26The combination's getting loose.
00:33:27Come on.
00:33:28Okay.
00:33:28Like you know how.
00:33:30There we go.
00:33:31Second's out.
00:33:32Let's go.
00:33:32Well, certainly, Larry, Joe Fariello was being honest with Breland.
00:33:35Come on, Dan.
00:33:35Let's go.
00:33:36That's right.
00:33:37If you can't be honest with the fighter, the fighter has to be honest with himself.
00:33:41And he knows that he's not getting it done.
00:33:44Round five begins.
00:33:47Mark Breland, once touted as a potential challenger to Ray Leonard someday.
00:33:53Kind of image and aura that could conceivably bring Ray out of retirement, is now fighting
00:33:58for boxing respect.
00:34:00I love that kind of right hand of Marlon Starlin, the way he executes.
00:34:05He has good balance.
00:34:07Here, he's fighting the perfect fight inside.
00:34:11He's turned into a very physical fight for Mark Breland.
00:34:17Breland continues to fall with the jab, not to sting with it.
00:34:21Fall.
00:34:22That's it.
00:34:23See what happens with Breland.
00:34:25Although he throws his chair by the end so often, he becomes a stationary target like
00:34:29his car has told him.
00:34:30He said, you can't just stay there.
00:34:32Move a little bit.
00:34:33And he's doing nothing to stop Starling from coming straight in, stalking him.
00:34:44What's making the fight into what he wants?
00:34:46Yeah, what Starling can't do, because you'll notice here the way that he extends his arms.
00:34:52I mean, everything is open.
00:34:54Everything is vulnerable.
00:34:56So all of Starling has is throw some punches while he's reaching for him.
00:34:59Really not, he's not really, he's not really snapping his jab.
00:35:12He's just pulling it out there.
00:35:14And that's why I understand why Starling is not trying to count it, because Breland's
00:35:18bringing his jab, he's dropping it also.
00:35:24Well, it could be Starling's head movement and the way he has his gloves in front of him
00:35:28that makes Breland so tentative in knowing exactly where to aim his punches, that's when
00:35:35the double jazz will come into play.
00:35:37That's what Breland has to do, he's throw more jab, because he needs to break the rhythm.
00:35:42Starling, Starling's walking in.
00:35:45But Larry's point is well taken, Ray.
00:35:48Marlon has been hard to find.
00:35:50Well, I guess that's what they call him, imagine that.
00:35:52I mean, he gave him a lot of head things, a lot of upper body movement, and also he's been
00:35:57able to hurt Mark Breland.
00:35:58But if he had a double jab, he stopped him.
00:36:04Starling appears to have a little mouse under his left eye.
00:36:08Not the kind of thing that would seem bothersome right now.
00:36:12It's about as close as Breland has come to landing a right hand, but it glanced off the
00:36:16face of Marlon Starling.
00:36:18Come on, come on, come on.
00:36:19This round coming to a close, and this remains precisely the kind of fight that Marlon Starling
00:36:36and Eddie Fox might have knocked out on the blackboard in the locker room if they had been
00:36:41a football team.
00:36:42That was kind of a sloppy round for both fighters, but I gave it to Breland.
00:36:47This guy's going downhill fast, but you've got to help him a little bit, but bang that body
00:36:53a little bit more.
00:36:54And you hit him with a jab every time you use it, but you're not using it enough.
00:36:57You've got to walk in and punch him.
00:36:58You can't just...
00:37:00Okay.
00:37:01You've got to walk in and punch him.
00:37:03With three minutes together, this guy won't last more.
00:37:05Okay.
00:37:08You're boxing okay, but when you throw punches, man, let those things go.
00:37:12Don't throw one punch, throw twos or threes.
00:37:15Just don't stand in front of them.
00:37:17Mark, his left eye is closing, and you haven't done that much more yet.
00:37:20You've got to get busier.
00:37:22Okay?
00:37:22All right, come on.
00:37:23Pick it up.
00:37:24Come on, now.
00:37:24You can do it.
00:37:25The graphic will show you just how much better Marlon Starling is doing in this fight
00:37:29in terms of punches going and landing than he did in the same period of time.
00:37:35the first five rounds in their first fight.
00:37:39And also by comparison, how inaccurate Breland has been.
00:37:42I'm sorry, Larry.
00:37:44Numbers just confirming what our eyes tell us.
00:37:50There was some swelling above the left eye of Marlon Starling,
00:37:53and he wears stars above both eyes in previous cuts.
00:37:56Just missed with the right hand.
00:37:58Andy Clark's instructor starting to throw punches when he's moving inside.
00:38:06Not just to come in, just to walk inside.
00:38:09Uh, defense gets.
00:38:10And for the moment, he's succeeded in making him a busier fight.
00:38:13Yeah!
00:38:21Let's go!
00:38:29Now it's at Nick!
00:38:31Nice shot!
00:38:31Here is going to have to get some serious punches off,
00:38:35because what i see here stars not respecting at all there is no signs of respect
00:38:49this began five and a half rounds ago with one of the strangest scenarios in boxing one of the
00:39:06rarest you want to see again general storm there in the first fight the eighth round the legs are
00:39:11getting out of mark green you know there's no bounce to his legs that's why he's not as mobile
00:39:17he's become a stationary target and this is when stars should be able to take advantage of it
00:39:23it was of course at about this time in fight number one ray that greeland complains that his
00:39:28legs gave out on him there's no life to his legs right now you see here that he's just just moving
00:39:35around just to get back to that strange scenario i mentioned you have a champion here as a two to
00:39:41one underdog against the man he knocked out to win the title all right let's sit back as larry merchant
00:39:47has pointed out very seldom does a man come back from a knockout to beat his opponent the next time
00:39:59i'm just wrestling greeland around the ring trying to sap his strength
00:40:04that right hand those right hands are beautiful they weren't being southpaws come on because you
00:40:12can't see the it comes from the brown side get out of there get out of there boy get out of there
00:40:21greeland landing an uppercut get that elbow down
00:40:26come on round six comes to an end starling did follow eddie clutch's orders and in my book
00:40:46and therefore one night now this guy's more the value of having a big time trainer in a big fight
00:40:51is falling okay you got to suck it up mark you gotta put some fire in you
00:41:00come on now mark come on you're strong out there for christ's sake
00:41:03you can't too far for this come on you're punched too first for this guy here you're not throwing
00:41:07your combination you understand me use your jab and get some life to you you just let the guy walk
00:41:14right to you get some life stop him with those jabs come on deep breaths let's go pick it up
00:41:20para letterman midway through this fight how do you have it well larry i've got it 59 to 55 five to
00:41:25one in rounds in favor of moochie starling i just think starling is taking a fight to him and you
00:41:30can tell breeland is getting hurt because every time moochie hits him he grabs seconds up you and
00:41:35i don't always see eye to eye but we certainly do tonight round for round and there is a bit of
00:41:41desperation now in the breeland camp thank you larry and harold so midway through the bout it would
00:41:49appear to our eyes that mark breeland is going to have to try to come out of a very big hole
00:41:54come back and win this fight starling continues as the aggressor of the man who is dictating the
00:42:04terms of the bout to mark breeland
00:42:07you know they told uh he didn't the right thing suck it up i mean he has a sort of initiation of respect
00:42:15like now like yesterday because this far starling has been quite dominant
00:42:28all the lessons unlearned in breeland's rapid ascent to the welterweight crown so apparent in their
00:42:41absence against a cagey fighter like starling
00:42:43and at some point you have to ask about a man who was credited with having such great talent what
00:43:03talent where is it now starling just winked at his corner because starling feels in control here
00:43:20has no reason not to i mean he's doing what pretty much what he wants to do
00:43:25but i don't like the fact that uh breeland hands when he jabs he drops
00:43:47darling stepping in and landing to the body against the ropes
00:43:50all right get off this man let me go let me go get off this man come on come on come on come on
00:44:06mills lane sounding like the third base coach has managed to get the fighters to break
00:44:12just a right hand lands it again
00:44:13Yeah.
00:44:17Get up over here.
00:44:19Let him go.
00:44:21Let him go.
00:44:23Let him go, B.
00:44:25Let him go!
00:44:27Let him go!
00:44:29Every time Starr lands on one hand,
00:44:31it's reminded of Breland to bring his hands up.
00:44:35Let him go!
00:44:37Let's go!
00:44:39Time!
00:44:41For more than 17 rounds
00:44:43against each other, and still,
00:44:45Breland has yet to find an answer
00:44:47for Starling's style.
00:44:49I think it's kind of simple, actually,
00:44:51with Jimmy Gray.
00:44:53What I see, Breland,
00:44:55when he had his own way,
00:44:57when his right hand would hurt lesser fighters,
00:44:59he could dominate a fight.
00:45:01Here, open your mouth.
00:45:03Against this professional, he can't hurt him,
00:45:05he can't move him, he can't even slow him up.
00:45:07And so he's turned into an ordinary fighter.
00:45:09Jab, and go with your right hand right to the heart.
00:45:11See?
00:45:13You go into the head, and he's ducking it.
00:45:15Foot right to the heart.
00:45:17Okay? Over the heart.
00:45:19Right hand.
00:45:20Come on, baby!
00:45:21Get this coming in!
00:45:22Let's go!
00:45:23This guy's nothing!
00:45:24But you gotta come on now!
00:45:25You gotta pick it up!
00:45:26It's an eighth run,
00:45:27you gotta knock this guy out now!
00:45:28Come on!
00:45:29Come on, baby!
00:45:30Come on, you can do it!
00:45:31You've done it before!
00:45:32The look on Breland's face when Joey Fariello said,
00:45:35this guy is nothing, he said,
00:45:36well, what am I?
00:45:37And it's a pretty good question right now.
00:45:47As round eight begins.
00:45:49Left four.
00:45:50Starling, pressing the attack.
00:45:51Starling brimming with confidence, Ray.
00:45:53And the difference we have here is the fact that Starling is a combination.
00:46:05Good combination.
00:46:06He's put his body behind him.
00:46:08Galah
00:46:20Greenland's right is no longer thrown with the same gusto as it was earlier in the bout.
00:46:27Greenland is too straight up. I mean, he's too straight up. I mean, he is so.. Everything is so wide open.
00:46:35110 wins in 111 amateur bouts isn't it fair to say that amateur boxing rewards conventionality
00:46:42in a way that professional boxing doesn't it does because well i think the fact that
00:46:46being an amateur for so long you know you have to get from getting the versatility
00:46:51good body shot that's how hurt real to the body and that's what Eddie Futch was stressing to
00:46:56come on and start in the corner and i'm sure when starting to go back to his corner they're gonna
00:47:08say more body shots breeland with one of his more aggressive moments of the bout landed a couple
00:47:15of body shots and now tries to capitalize but watch his hands though you gotta watch his hands
00:47:20he's right there i don't know why star is not retaliating coming back or something
00:47:25going into something approaching a rope adult here one minute to go in round eight
00:47:49well marlon is by his own admission a clown sometimes in the ring
00:47:58well no he's catching the second one he's trying to take a breather here
00:48:02i mean he can do that by moving not necessarily staying against the ropes
00:48:06now watch he see he may come on strong here he allowed
00:48:11really throw a few punches and try and rather punch himself out stealing the round by flurrying in the
00:48:15last 30 seconds that's the key all i have you have you ever tried that yourself right well that's hooked by
00:48:21marlon star
00:48:25and the left to the heart right to the middle of breeland's chest
00:48:32and the right to the jaw
00:48:33and just as you suggested he would starling makes a statement in the last 30 seconds of round eight
00:48:42i thought i thought that starling had blown that round
00:48:46either by showboarding or trying to get a great a breather but as ray said i think he came on in the
00:48:51end and stole it right back all right take it a couple deep breaths all right
00:48:58take a deep breath
00:49:02what
00:49:04when he gets on the ropes just take one or two shots and then back off him don't stay there forever
00:49:09you understand because he's looking to sucker punch you he's not giving you nothing when he's
00:49:13such a deep breath come on you got that right now he's only fighting his sprites when he starts
00:49:19swinging just tie him up and then try and nail him coming in when he throws those white points
00:49:23you got your home runs baby you got to come on now let's work all the way all the marbles
00:49:33come on come on i don't know if marlon starling was meant to be a fighter's name but it's becoming one
00:49:41right here he's going to get some of the recognition he's
00:49:46hungered after for all these years if he can keep going for four more rounds
00:49:54and isn't it interesting that at a time when his nemesis donald curry is trying to rebuild his career
00:50:01starling has reached his apple
00:50:02he's going to be a fighter he's going to be a fighter he's going to be a fighter
00:50:08fortunes can change in boxing if you hang in
00:50:12marlon starling did that
00:50:19it's really no sense of moving the way that
00:50:21really is moving when you're not doing anything
00:50:23all it's going to do is tie your legs out even more
00:50:41reeland now up on his toes and dancing more than has been the case in the three preceding rounds
00:50:50that tactic isn't going to hurt starling
00:50:59starling
00:51:04another counter right by starling to the chest and the flurry to the butt
00:51:11all right
00:51:19mouthpiece drops out
00:51:22the reason starling has actually spit his mouthpiece out is to try to catch his wind
00:51:31though in last starling lost the mouthpiece he proceeded to dominate the next minute and a half of
00:51:36the round
00:51:59which you'll notice is going he comes that strong in the later round
00:52:02he's been proven a successful tactic by more than one fighter
00:52:27in 10 seconds there will be three rounds left in the bout
00:52:33and for mark breeland it's all up hill from here
00:52:48go field lead right hand when you get there tell him no more race in the trunk
00:52:53danny no more race in the trunk no more good no problem good job wish
00:52:59eddie no more ice in the trunk okay
00:53:06i told him too okay okay go get him
00:53:10all right moochie let's go okay pick it up you're gonna pick it up pick it up pick it up
00:53:16arrow letterman we're three quarters of the way through this fight what's the score look like now
00:53:20well larry i've got it seven rounds to two 88 to 83 in favor moochie stalling he's just staying on top
00:53:26well freeland seems to have no snap to his punch here we go second starling is the heart of more
00:53:31cleaner effective puncher if you and i are right it means that
00:53:36come on really needs it not to win this fight
00:53:42round 10
00:53:43wba world welterweight championship belt the champion in red trunks marlon starling the
00:53:51challenger and former champion in black trunks former olympic gold medalist mark reely
00:54:04the champion in black trunks
00:54:17let it go let it go
00:54:21let it go
00:54:32Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!
00:54:36Time! Time! Go over here! Time!
00:54:40More tape coming off of Freeland's glove.
00:54:44Believe it or not, this little break here
00:54:48it means a lot. A few seconds of rest
00:54:52means a whole lot.
00:54:56There have been no knockdowns in a bout
00:55:14which Starling has ruled from the beginning with aggression,
00:55:18superior savvy, counterpunching.
00:55:22Go, go, go!
00:55:26Go, go, go!
00:55:30Go, go, go!
00:55:34Go, go, go!
00:55:38Let's go!
00:55:42Let's go!
00:55:44Round coming to a close.
00:55:46Round coming to a close.
00:55:54Still a minute to go.
00:56:00Let it go!
00:56:06That's all Mark has to do. Every time that Stalin comes in, throws dead, throws right hand.
00:56:14Just stay there and allow Stalin to get inside.
00:56:26Oh, here we go!
00:56:30Good right hand, Stalin.
00:56:38In case you joined us late, earlier on this card, WBA World Lightweight Champion Julio Cesar Chavez defended his title with a knockout of Rodolfo Aguilar.
00:56:50Marlon Starling tries to join him in a successful defense.
00:56:54It has not been a good night for tall, skinny fighters.
00:56:58This is 11. I'll just stop hitting them before.
00:57:00OK.
00:57:02Keep the pressure on. Work the bar.
00:57:06You're winning the fight, but we want to get this guy out of here now.
00:57:10OK. All right.
00:57:12Pick it up.
00:57:14Three minutes. Three minutes.
00:57:18The guy's dead. His mouth is open.
00:57:22He's sticking left hand in his face. Left hand in his face.
00:57:24Close to the body with the right hand.
00:57:26Close to the body with the left.
00:57:28That's how close you are, baby. Come on.
00:57:30Get those combinations going, baby. Come on.
00:57:34You hit him with the right hand. You hurt him. Come on. Do it again.
00:57:36Come on. Do it again. Come on, baby.
00:57:38Come on. Let's do it now.
00:57:40There you go. Second time. Let's go.
00:57:44And Mark Freeland finds something deep within himself to turn this around.
00:57:50He's given no evidence that he has it up to now.
00:57:55All right. All right. All right.
00:57:57He's got six minutes in which to try to find the solution,
00:58:00which he has not found over the course of nearly 21 previous rounds
00:58:06with Marlon Starling.
00:58:08Well, the star is cornered.
00:58:10He's been, uh, expected to pour it on even more.
00:58:13Starting to ask the question, was he winning?
00:58:18Yeah, and the interesting answer was, we want to get him out of here.
00:58:28I'm surprised that they've seen the right hands going by the Marlon Starling.
00:58:32He wanted him to get Breeland out of there, and he's been around to see a lot of strange decisions.
00:58:45Well, there's no question about it that Starling has dominated this fight.
00:58:50He's been very consistent with his punches. He took control of the earlier rounds and even in the middle rounds.
00:59:00Certainly, it's hard to imagine the scorecard that would have Breeland ahead.
00:59:04More clowning from Starling, who took the right cross from Breeland.
00:59:10You know, normally, uh, Starling's made a mistake of clowning earlier rounds,
00:59:15but I guess he feels comfortable enough to know that, uh, he is going to fight.
00:59:19And there's probably an element of desire to humiliate Breeland.
00:59:25I think, yeah, I think it has a lot to do with it also,
00:59:28because there is no love lost between these two guys.
00:59:31All the publicity that Breeland has gotten, the buildup,
00:59:35things which never surrounded Marlon Starling.
00:59:42This is a round that, uh, Starling wants to be able to remember.
00:59:46One minute to go in round 11.
00:59:58Right hand landed on Breeland's jaw.
01:00:08Where's the mouthpiece again of, uh, Marlon Starling?
01:00:11Ah!
01:00:12Good luck to it.
01:00:13Good luck to it.
01:00:14Good luck to it.
01:00:19Good luck to it by Marlon Starling.
01:00:25Good luck to it.
01:00:26Good luck to it by Marlon Starling.
01:00:31Get your hands free, yeah.
01:00:32That's it.
01:00:34Oh, that's it.
01:00:35Let it go.
01:00:36Let the go!
01:00:38Let it go!
01:00:39No way!
01:00:40That was a pretty good round for Breland, I thought.
01:00:54We needed more of them earlier.
01:00:58Three minutes.
01:01:00I want you to go in all the way.
01:01:04Right on.
01:01:05All right.
01:01:07Okay, last round, Danny, Mark.
01:01:09Last round.
01:01:10What you want last?
01:01:11Come on.
01:01:12Start to open up, Mark.
01:01:14Last round, Eddie.
01:01:15Last round, Marlon.
01:01:16Okay.
01:01:17Swallow it.
01:01:18Swallow it.
01:01:19Mark, I'm telling you, this is your whole life now.
01:01:21This mound is your whole life.
01:01:23You've got to come out there like a tiger.
01:01:25This is it.
01:01:26Come on.
01:01:27I was working downstairs.
01:01:29I want you to work upstairs.
01:01:30I want you to punch in combination.
01:01:32Keep going.
01:01:33Keep punching the liquids.
01:01:35Okay.
01:01:36Hitting the stiff jab, stiff jab, and then wing your shots and pop out.
01:01:38Then move out.
01:01:39Okay, let's go.
01:01:40Okay, let's go.
01:01:41Come on.
01:01:42Come on.
01:01:43Come on.
01:01:44Come on.
01:01:45Come on.
01:01:46Come on.
01:01:47Come on.
01:01:48Mark Breland apparently needs a knockout.
01:01:51And the man he has to knockout has never been knocked down as a professional.
01:01:58And Marlon Starling enters round 12 for the 10th time in his career.
01:02:02Mark Breland has never been this far.
01:02:05I'm looking at both guys, the expression.
01:02:10There is mutual respect.
01:02:11They can't deny each other.
01:02:13We can't see that.
01:02:15Let's go.
01:02:16Oh, hey, hey.
01:02:18Come here.
01:02:19Come here, come here.
01:02:20Come here.
01:02:21Come here, come here.
01:02:22Come here.
01:02:23Okay, let's go.
01:02:24Right there.
01:02:25There we go.
01:02:26Right there.
01:02:27We'll get back in there.
01:02:28Let's go.
01:02:29Hey, hey.
01:02:30Hey, hey, hey.
01:02:31Come here.
01:02:33Come here, come here, come here.
01:02:34Okay.
01:02:35The last man on the field fight, okay?
01:02:36Let's go.
01:02:37Come here.
01:02:38Let's go.
01:02:39The last round of the close fight, he may have been leading Breeland on just a little bit.
01:02:53Crowd beginning to chant, Moochie, Moochie, Starling's north end of Hartford nickname.
01:03:00And a few in response chant, Breeland, Breeland.
01:03:06I'll be interested to hear Breeland's statement, whether he felt his legs and his hands and his condition he didn't know.
01:03:23Well, there were various explanations for what happened in Colombia.
01:03:26He had torn rib cartilage in training nine days before that fight and said that that bothered him.
01:03:32He said that mentally he felt unprepared for the belt.
01:03:39It just doesn't seem to be there.
01:03:43Has never appeared to have a real answer to Starling's unorthodox style.
01:03:54He didn't know many.
01:03:55He was like, oh man.
01:03:56He was like, oh man.
01:03:57Go in!
01:03:58Two hands, two hands!
01:03:59Two hands!
01:04:00Let go!
01:04:01Two hands, let go!
01:04:02Come on, Roleby.
01:04:03Two hands, two hands, two hands.
01:04:04All right, what said that?
01:04:05All right, hey, they need the animal.
01:04:07Come on, Roleby.
01:04:08Let go!
01:04:10Let go!
01:04:11There!
01:04:12Mark Whelan was a professional boxing star before he was in the
01:04:42game.
01:04:43He fought his first professional bout in Madison Square Garden.
01:04:46His tour of duty with that identity may have ended for the time being.
01:04:58This is not a fight you would want to put in a time capsule, but I think that if Marlon
01:05:04Starling wins it, he'll take it.
01:05:09You see the respect here.
01:05:11Not a great fight, not a classic fight, a brawl, but that's what Starling wanted out
01:05:18of it.
01:05:19Freeland's co-manager, Shelley Finkel, apparently briefly congratulating Starling for his effort.
01:05:27A couple of Connecticut natives talking to each other, and now let's go to our own scorer,
01:05:33New York Judge Harold Letterman for his view of the bout.
01:05:36Harold?
01:05:37Thank you, Jim.
01:05:38You know, I saw an 8-4, 116-112 in favor of Moochie Starling.
01:05:42He got inside effectively up, Breeland, in a fight that was marked by a lot of wrestling,
01:05:47and holding, and grabbing, and pushing, and shoving.
01:05:49But certainly, Moochie landed the harder, cleaner, more effective punches, and was in control,
01:05:54and was the effective aggressor.
01:05:55And you know, since a judge has got to watch everything in a fight, I'd love to know what
01:05:59it says on the bottom of the soles of Moochie Starling's shoes, because he's got something
01:06:02written there.
01:06:03But, Jim, I think Moochie retained the title tonight, and I think he did a darn good job.
01:06:08Harold, given the latitude available within the discipline of boxing scoring, can you imagine
01:06:14a plausible explanation from a judge for a card which would show Breeland winning this
01:06:18fight?
01:06:19Well, you call him the way you see him, you try to give an honest call based on the
01:06:23four points in which we score, clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship,
01:06:27and defense.
01:06:28And if a judge saw it that way, that's the way he should call it, Jim.
01:06:31And, you know, that's all you can ask of a judge is, you know, call it the way you see
01:06:35it, and give him an honest call based on those four points.
01:06:39Thank you, Harold Letterman.
01:06:40Now let's take a look at our final punch stat, I should say, computations for the evening.
01:06:46Starling throwing 520 punches, Breeland 666.
01:06:50Starling much more efficient with his punches, and that is not a very efficient accuracy rate
01:06:57for Mark Breeland, Ray.
01:06:58Well, Breeland, I tell you, he wasn't really into the fight for some apparent reason.
01:07:02He had no snap, he had no movement, and I'm very interested to hear what he has to say.
01:07:07Well, let's hear what Chuck Hall has to say as we go to him for the official decision.
01:07:11Here we go, all right.
01:07:13Ladies and gentlemen, here is the decision of the judges.
01:07:19Judge Jerry Ross scores, Starling 116, Breeland 113.
01:07:30Judge Dave Moretti scores, Breeland 115, Starling 114.
01:07:44Judge Elias Quintana scores, Starling 114, Breeland 114.
01:07:54The decision is a draw, and Marlon Starling remains the WBA welterweight champion of the world.
01:08:04And the announcement of a draw brought applause from Mark Breeland's family along the front row.
01:08:11So it is pretty obvious what they had expected from that announcement.
01:08:17Well, Marlon Starling has always claimed that he doesn't get the respect he deserves,
01:08:22and I have a feeling he's about to make that claim one more time, Ray.
01:08:26Well, he deserves respect. Marlon Starling for the magnificent fight.
01:08:29He's won the right fight. It wasn't really a cute fight, but he stayed inside,
01:08:33gained early rounds, and gained the victory.
01:08:38Larry Merchant in the ring.
01:08:41Marlon, a tie here, and you win and you retain your championship,
01:08:46but you don't look too happy about it.
01:08:48I'm not happy about it because I think I beat him.
01:08:51He showed a little hard this fight, but we can do it again.
01:08:56I love making a million dollars.
01:08:58You know, Larry, it was a great fight.
01:09:00You know, Mark hit me with the jab a little bit.
01:09:03Too much. You got to give Mark credit, too.
01:09:05Mark's a good fight.
01:09:06Did you think you had won the fight going into the end of the fight?
01:09:09Yes, I believe I won the fight.
01:09:11The Olympic champion, you know, he won the Los Angeles Games in 84.
01:09:18Like I said, you have to knock him out to win.
01:09:20So you still think that he's a star because he's a star and he's getting a break because of it?
01:09:26Of course, of course, you know.
01:09:28They want Mark to fight another fight.
01:09:30But you know what?
01:09:31It appeared that whatever really damaging blows that were landed in the fight,
01:09:34and they weren't a whole lot, were by you.
01:09:36Of course, you know.
01:09:37And I still, I'm not happy with my performance once again.
01:09:40Mark is a good fight.
01:09:41Wasn't it a better performance than the last time?
01:09:43You said you thought you were terrible when you won the title.
01:09:45Of course.
01:09:46How do you rate this one then?
01:09:47A little better.
01:09:48A little better than the last time because I have Eddie Fudge, Rick Sorenson.
01:09:52You know, I'm happy.
01:09:54Chris, I want to say hi.
01:09:56You know, we'll get together.
01:09:57But you're going to have an opportunity now, and you're still the WBA champion,
01:10:04to fight Lloyd Hunnigan for his WBC champion and maybe make a whole lot of money.
01:10:09Is that going to be your next move?
01:10:11I don't know.
01:10:12I have to discuss that with my manager, which is Marlinson.
01:10:14I'm not sure.
01:10:15If they, you know, if they want to pay me $2 million, I'll fight Lloyd Hunnigan.
01:10:20But, you know, I have to set up some of the critics and I have to give Mark a beating.
01:10:26I'm walking out, you know, I have a big eye.
01:10:28You know I'm not happy.
01:10:29But I'm happy.
01:10:31I want to say one thing, Larry.
01:10:33Maybe me and Julio can fight.
01:10:35I like to fight Julio.
01:10:36I want to say hi to all my friends and friends out there.
01:10:40You know, I've been away from Hartford for a long time.
01:10:43Thank you very much, Marlon Starling.
01:10:45Back to you, Jim.
01:10:47All right.
01:10:48Thanks very much, Larry.
01:10:49And Ray Leonard, Larry Merchant mentioned in the interview the possibility of Marlon Starling going on to fight WBC world welterweight champion Lloyd Hunnigan.
01:10:58But what is it likely to do?
01:10:59You know, Moochie.
01:11:00What's it likely to do to his continued outlook on boxing, his attitude toward training, the continuation of his career to have fought a fight here that I'm sure he thinks he won and see the decision come down as a draw?
01:11:11Well, I'm sure he feels deprived.
01:11:14And the fact that here is a man who's been fighting for so long and he's taking the longest way up to the top.
01:11:20And even tonight, I thought he fought a very good fight.
01:11:23Wasn't really a beautiful fight, but he was very effective in his tactics.
01:11:27He fought Mark Breeland.
01:11:28He won the fight.
01:11:29I thought he won the fight.
01:11:31No question about that.
01:11:32But I think he feels that his recognition is long overdue.
01:11:35Mark Breeland now standing by with Larry Merchant.
01:11:38Again, we emphasize that Marlon Starling retained his title as the result of the draw.
01:11:44But the man whom we must see as the beneficiary of the decision is with Larry right now.
01:11:50Mark Breeland, from the urgency that we felt from your corner, they kept pushing you on and on.
01:11:55They didn't feel you had a great performance.
01:11:57What were you feeling at the end of the fight?
01:11:59Well, the first couple of rounds, I felt very stale.
01:12:01I just couldn't punch.
01:12:02And then I felt a little better on the later round.
01:12:05And after the sixth round, I started to feel a little better.
01:12:07Did you feel at the end that you had to hurt him and hurt him seriously to pull it out?
01:12:12Well, I thought I had to out-punch him.
01:12:14I thought I would punch him in the last three rounds.
01:12:19But he kept coming.
01:12:20I just kept throwing punches.
01:12:22A lot of people, myself included, are going to say, you got away with one tonight.
01:12:27That you should have had a loss.
01:12:29What is your response going to be?
01:12:30Well, you know, I'm not the judge.
01:12:32The judges take care of the fight.
01:12:34I'm just in there fighting.
01:12:36Like I said, the first couple of rounds, I just felt very stale.
01:12:39You know, we did it once and we did it again.
01:12:42What do you think his next move is going to be quickly, Lou Duva?
01:12:46Very simple.
01:12:47I mean, he won one.
01:12:48They got a draw on this one here.
01:12:50Let's fight again.
01:12:51Let's get it over with.
01:12:52He lost one and he got a draw.
01:12:53Well, I still think the situation's reversed.
01:12:55Would you give the other guy another fight?
01:12:57Absolutely.
01:12:58Absolutely.
01:12:59This is boxing.
01:13:00It's good boxing.
01:13:01Aren't you in favor of another rematch?
01:13:02No.
01:13:03Back to ringside.
01:13:08All right.
01:13:09Thanks very much again, Larry.
01:13:10And we should mention here that we asked for an interview with one of the three judges
01:13:15combined to rule the bout to draw and the Nevada State Boxing Commission has said no dice.
01:13:19We can't interview judges.
01:13:20Your final thoughts, Ray?
01:13:21Well, I thought again that Stalin showed that he wanted to fight.
01:13:26He wanted to win.
01:13:27He was very aggressive in the earlier rounds and I thought he took advantage of the opportunity.
01:13:31For Mark Breland, I don't know.
01:13:32He just did.
01:13:33He was not aggressive as I thought he should have been and was.
01:13:37He was just somewhat lackadaisical.
01:13:39We saw two world championship bouts this evening.
01:13:42Julio Cesar Chavez of Mexico retaining his world lightweight championship in the eyes
01:13:47of the WBA with the sixth round knockout of Rodolfo Aguilar.
01:13:51And now as the result of this draw, Marlon Starling remains the WBA world welterweight champion.
01:13:57Larry Merchant, your final thoughts.
01:13:58Well, I guess my final thoughts should be about the virtue of hard work, of doing it the
01:14:05hard way instead of the easy way.
01:14:08Julio Cesar Chavez five months ago fought a really hard, tough fight against Edwin Rosario
01:14:15and came out of it with a victory.
01:14:18He had a big fight here tonight again trying to convince the American public of how great
01:14:23a fighter he is.
01:14:24And yet a couple of months ago he took another fight in Mexico just to stay active.
01:14:31Marlon Starling has had well over 40 fights.
01:14:34He's made it the hard way.
01:14:36Too many young fighters today are steered to their championships.
01:14:40They take their amateur titles and are marketed much as Mark Breland is.
01:14:45And I think he is a very, very ordinary fighter.
01:14:49He doesn't deserve a rematch.
01:14:51He got the best of the judge's decision here tonight.
01:14:55He's lucky to get what he got, but he didn't do what he had to do, which is to win his title
01:15:00back.
01:15:01And for me, I'd like to see the well-awake titles united with a fight between Starling and
01:15:06Huntington next.
01:15:07All right.
01:15:08Thanks very much, Larry Merchant.
01:15:09So that concludes the night of boxing from here at the Las Vegas Hilton.
01:15:14As you saw, an outstanding performance by Chavez.
01:15:17And then the questionable draw between Marlon Starling and Mark Breland.
01:15:21Be sure to join us on May 10 when HBO's.