Marco Antonio Barrera vs Johnny Tapia

so still to come tonight our main event the 126 pound world championship fight between Marco Antonio Barrera and Johnny Tapia we say world championship fight and we're talking in a general ad-hoc sense because neither fighter owns a sanctioned title belt a subject about which we'll say more in just a moment there's Barrera fifty five and three there's Tapia fifty two two and two both of them headed for Boxing Hall of Fame but first a meeting with each other tonight meanwhile the HBO boxing calendar November 16 on HBO pay-per-view it's more top featherweights Erik Morales against Paulie Ayala November 23 a rematch one of the great fights in recent memory Micky Ward against Arturo Gatti let's hope they do what they did in May December 7 a major league double-header first up Floyd Mayweather against Jose Luis Castillo the first time they fought many thought Castillo deserved the decision that Mayweather got been a top heavyweight contender wladimir klitschko against maybe the best American heavyweight Jamil McLean and one week later the ageless Evander Holyfield returns to face Chris Berg within the heavyweight division the winner of this fight emerges with the IBF title belt which Lennox Lewis is dropping rather than to fight the mandatory against birth a chilly clear night on the strip in Las Vegas heavy Mexican and mexican-american flavor in town as the pride of Old Mexico Marco Antonio Barrera prepares to go against the pride of New Mexico Albuquerque's Johnny Tapia and as we've mentioned on a couple of occasions this evening including at the top of the show neither fighter holds one of the three major recognized sanctioned title belts in the case of Barrera it's very much by choice in the case of Tapia it's because he was recently stripped therein hangs a tale narrated by our Larry Merchant it used to be in that the championship belt made the fighter but today the community exact opposite is true the fighters make the championship I believe on bigger disemboweling I'm making more money with all about we are fighting the best in the world because of their prestige we really do not need the belt to show people that we are doing things the right way it has been almost two years and I have had more recognition without being a champion with the confusion of so-called world title belts today an estimated 200 of them most have been devalued just like the scandal-plagued sanctioning bodies that collect big fees for them and deliver favorable rankings to promoters in return now you know you can't be charitable and say they're just totally incompetent but when you have incompetence over and over and over again year after year you know can it possibly really be incompetence I think the people that distribute the belts are the worst people on earth they destroying the business of boxing frankly they're the rankings are often surreal dead guys have turned up in the rankings if you start it with a rotten Foundation which is the rankings of these organizations it's going to be rotten when he gets to the top two months ago IBF featherweight champion Johnny Tapia chose to fight Barrera instead of the IBF mandatory challenger the sanctioning body asked for a $20,000 and Extension feet and their first question was with the pay in the 20,000 is they gonna guarantee that Johnny won't get stripped and they said that is no guarantee what they say it covers is getting their committee together to discuss if it's okay for Johnny to go on it's a non-refundable $20,000 fee is cook it I mean how many people are gonna tell you hey listen you gotta put 20,000 no for extension fee and where's that go who knows I don't know so Tapia gave up his title and took a major payday verses Barrera instead but many fighters are emotionally as well as economically attached to these belts at Adobe ba but they would be see that I'd be tough I'd be oh the NBA that would be tough and I be I don't need the bill but the bill does have significant meaning the bill signifies the champ the father make the bills but the fighters still want those bills you have a lot of history behind those bill my bill traces all the way back to rear opposite Linux nose can just give all the belts up and walk away and saying y'all recognize me and maybe TV will say this is the champion but somebody else will desperately gobble them belts up that's because fighters who haven't made it yet feel that belts will gain them recognition and bargaining leverage people want to say now you know you can do it out the bills no you can't do it out the bills that wasn't making the money that I was making what without those bills I got a unification tournament because of the belt not because of my looks even HBO the main friends to come were championship boxing not just world boxing so how you gonna fight a world champion boxing and I have a championship play television in a way created a monster they wanted every fight to be a championship fight so what you had is you have a proliferation of titles to feed television after about 20 years of that TV starting to realize what we've got a terribly watered-down product here if you want to get rid of dissention bodies give contracts pay dollars to fighters that don't have belts but can fight like Burrell I put in a fight don't do it one time it gots to be an understanding the message sent then they won't get punished whether they have a belt or not that's not clear to most of us tonight's fight makes it clearer as will the upcoming Morales I Ella and ward Gaddy fights none of them sanctioned champions or getting championship level purses well I think that HBO is looking for a good match fights that everyone wants to see and four to quality boxers to fight whether they have a title or not I love to say I'm a world champion and every fighter in the world loves to say that when they have that but it's not those fighters that are doing this it's the other people the organization's what could you say a body you can and because it's one of the dominant themes of the evening at the beginning of the night we asked you to log onto hbo.com slash boxing a boxing website and give us your opinion on whether it mattered to you whether the Tapia barrera fight is for one of the three sanctioned title belts and only 25% of you think that it means something seventy-five percent believe that the stature of the fight is enough without one of these belts attached and now we bring on camera the one man and our commentary team who proudly and firmly believes that the governing bodies have a positive history in the sport they mean something and that every fighter who has competed well enough and worked long and hard enough to win a belt deserves to be called the champion perhaps not coincidentally the one of us who most believes that is the one who's been in the ring as a fighter himself George Foreman George Johnny Tapia is is a heavy underdog against Marco Antonio Barrera barreras bigger he's stronger he's fought better opposition in recent years he's probably the harder puncher so should Barrera go tapi and brawled away did in the first Morales fight or should he box the way he did the second time around against Morales he box the Med and we call him a hero because he fought him with a proper strategy then he came back with Morales and boxed again a guy who really wanted to fight and he lost a lot of luster because he did not weighed in and fight tonight if he allows this guy such an underdog to maul him then I don't think there's much less left on that banana it's the peelings off so in other words if he getting that fight he'd better get an end fight tonight if he is who he's supposed to be should go right at he better get to fighting tonight all right we'll see if he does meanwhile Larry Johnny Tapia at age 35 is a 5 to 1 underdog seen as perhaps having moved way too far up in wait can he even compete with much less beat Barrera at 126 more likely he can compete than beat but Johnny Tapia was a 5 to 100 dog to even live until he was 35 years old and here is a reminder of what he has called his journey me vida loca my crazy life his father was shot dead in a barroom brawl before he was born he saw his mother raped and stabbed to death when he was 8 years old when he was 12 he was in a and bus accident when the bus went a hundred feet off a cliff the woman sitting next to him was killed after he started fighting he had a long battle with cocaine addiction he's had suicide attempts he's been pronounced clinically dead and he's had numerous numerous but that's why Johnny Tapia has said that the only piece he really has is in the ring where he doesn't give his opponents any piece and that's part of why he's become boxing's most treasured and beloved survivor perhaps another glorious moment tonight table the tape now for John Lee Tapia against Marco Antonio Barrera and you can see the seven-year age advantage for Barrera the one year height advantage the seven and a half inch reach advantage they both weighed in at the featherweight limit of 126 pounds they both have put on significant weight coming into tonight Tapia up to 131 he's probably never weighed that much in the ring for any of his previous fights and Barrera unofficially all the way up to a hundred thirty seven pounds rules with about whether on the official ringside scorer Harold Lederman the Marco Antonio Barrera Johnny Tapia fight is scheduled for 12 rounds using the Unified Rules in the association of boxing commissions there is no three knockdown rule only two referee can stop the fight in case the cut is caused by an accidental head but we order two scorecards if the four rounds have been completed and you cannot be Saved by the Bell in any round including the 12th and final round Jim Johnny Tapia a tumultuous life of tumultuous career biggest victory July 18 1997 here in Las Vegas against his hometown archrival Danny Romero Tapia boxed the Slugger Romero then to pitched battles against Paulie I alla the first up then three years ago in 1999 Ayala got a narrow decision taffy and his supporters to this day say we were beaten by a promoter not by a fighter Ayala Gann got the close controversial decision and their second fight two years ago again Tapia said I was beaten by the promoter against Manuel Medina in New York earlier this year Tapia looked slower and less responsive than at any previous time in the ring Medina said a featherweight copy box record for punches thrown nevertheless Tapia was given the decision at the end of the evening the source of considerable controversy here he comes with his manager white with his you for Marco Antonio karela his record will likewise send him toward the Hall of Fame Feb 3 1996 the inaugural fight on HBO's boxing after dark serie a wild battle producing an eventual 12th round knockout of Kennedy McKinney then two fights with jr. Jones and if styles make fights Jones have to style the beat Barrera knocked him out in the first fight won a decision the second time around so Pereira was the underdog when he met unbeaten Erica Ramos February 19 mm here in Vegas and in that year's fight of the year most ringside observers thought Ferreira had won Morales got the decision Barrera April 7 2001 gotten his biggest and most noteworthy victory when he ran Prince Naseem Hamed career into the ring post then earlier this year somewhat disappointing as he curiously played captain doubts for the first five rounds against Morales but ultimately emerged with the questionable unanimous decision 55 wins and only three buses for Barra the upper middle-class kid from Mexico City who turned pro as a fighter when he was 15 years old already a mere living legend that only age 28 sadly let's beat his brother as a bantamweight his brother's name is for gay fighters southern food of disappointing fights he had with junior he's come back all the way and now he steps between the ropes to get ready to take on a dear friend or whom he has nothing but the greatest of respect he says they'll still be friends after the fight when getting instructions from referee Jane ad in the locker room they made he said don't hold behind the head and Johnny Tapia said hold I'm going to be running around all over the place we'll see in a minute or two if he will let's go to ring announcer Michael buffer for the official introductions ladies and gentlemen from the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino on Las Vegas this is the moment we've been waiting for for unboxing in association with the king of beers Budweiser and HBO Sports are proud to present a 12-round contest recognized by boxing fans around the world for the legitimate and true sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission Chairman dr. Luther Mack the three judges at ringside scoring this contest on the 10-point system will be Chuck Champa Bill Graham and Dave Moretti and when the bell rings our referee in charge of the auction working for the 50th time in a world title belt Jane 18 and now from the MGM Grand of Las Vegas ladies and gentlemen introducing first fighting out of the blue corner wearing black with silver and weighing in officially at 126 pounds he brings a future hall-of-fame professional record to the ring 52 victories including 28 knockouts with only two losses and two belts even tonight he challenges the people's champion ladies and gentlemen here's the plating pride of Albuquerque New Mexico the five-time tapping funny and across the ring fighting out of the red corner wearing blue trimmed with white and officially Wang 126 pounds he also has Hall of Fame credentials 55 victories including 39 knockouts with only three defeats and he has captured three world title belts but now by beating the best of the rest he is recognized by fans and pundits alike as the undeniable legitimate and true for the way champion of the world conceal that they may be called presenting the people's champion the baby-faced assassin Marco Antonio any questions gentlemen I gave you good instructions obey my commands let's test left now I'm going to work good luck glass worth it Verona and Tapia have made their marks on boxing now they will try to make their marks on each other a lively house at the MGM Grand as the passionate supporters of both fighters get ready the wrong is the bigger guy he must establish himself as the bigger guy and fight tonight and of course Tapia got to use his lack of size to stay out of the way we can hit get here Herrera banging tapping with jabs to open the fight Johnny Tapia trying to throw right hands over the top neither man knows much about fighting going backward although Barrera did try to fight going backwards in the first five rounds against Morales earlier this year be very assertive early on if you're gonna be feed you might as well established look make this guy worry about your size and your punching power don't go in there trying out boxing speed is gonna win this fight if you do that Jones he lengthened and strengthened his tab it's been the keynote of the early going here Tapia's Binion jab in matches before rose out of the mughals up into position and land some shots on top of those gypsy and his biggest fight against power puncher Danny Romero Johnny Tapia was brilliant at creating angles and never been directly in front of Romero it's probably something he'll have to do again tonight there you go right on top of that jab with that right here in by Tapia that's what you got to be careful of when you throw that jab bring it back snap it is going right at Ferrara challenging him in the middle of the Ring it's a face-to-face fight Ferrara leading Tapia countering and the pace is hot stands his ground Bob the losses in throw shots the frag ropes has been dumped twice as Johnny Tapia's manager are as a trainer I could say but it doesn't diminish his admiration for the fighter he says Johnny is the best boxer in the world it's as simple as I got that kicking that jab that they keep hitting you in the face it hurts your back after a while though he's gotta make certain he doesn't get caught the two-minute those jabs he has been caught with a lot of jabs and a couple right hands here in the first round he's counted effectively at times but by-and-large Barrera has been longer and stronger throughout the first three minutes of the fight I don't like the fact that he's been through those as we go to the corners where Spanish will be spoken in barreras corner our interpreter is Ray Charles okay there kid you keeping working really nice don't lower your hand keep your hand up keep that left hand up okay laughing yeah very close around the table when you jab okay let's head back really low you've got to go it's right hand over the top okay you need more heavy with those who still bring this guy more head more minutes is this or teach me to look at those things okay you see the big copy box number eggs for Barrera in the first round thirty five out of nine three overall eighteen of fifty-one jabs if Marco Antonio Barrera is going to throw 50 jabs around Johnny Tapia will eventually find the way to counter effectively but you wonder how much punishment he'll take well I don't know if we can break his nose because there's nothing left in there he's had it broken about thirty times three those breaks for every trainer if you're gonna be in front of a guy who has a good jab you got to be a way of far away from you can't be in denial jabberin position top you've got to find himself if you're not punching get away from this guy and tap he comes in so close that he gets hit with a lead uppercut like that he's got to be in a different position Johnny's very straight on in front of Marco Antonio Barrera I'm surprised he's not more at angles early on and it's beginning to get a little puffy under his eyes Jim that left jab is coming out just like a heavyweights enough Jim is gonna be able to get the right hands we can locking Tapia's jab upstairs she Tapia trying to go over the left hand that time George and Guerrero it was just waiting for it they plant when you go on a good left jab still you can be the counter puncher and not have to jump out of the way because dip and wait jab jab and wait something will happen to something work enough for you didn't Archie Moore used to teach you back getting that jab back with that quick mess with the rival every caution of the night throw it off the back left hand to the body inside by Johnny Tapia Tapia a great sportsman loves his opponents touch his gloves with other fighters more than any other fighter in despoil he's out that with man-mountain Murali looks like a giant touching like a giant with a love jail that'd be obliged for a round of the ropes Barrera just drives him back with the left hand no Tapia not willing to take no for an answer you may notice that and the bulk of the era's trucks so word Tapia it's not - the fighter in front of him it was his mother's maiden name and on the back of tacky his trucks you may say something that looks like SOS it's actually 505 which is the area smokers hometown Albuquerque Johnny Tapia starts to get into it with a body attack and again Zootopia brings his crowd to life with a late rally in the second misses the uppercut to time punches with bad intentions on Tuesday November 12 HBO's acclaimed documentary series sports of the 20th century presents OJ study in black and white this unique film follows OJ Simpson's journey from his celebrated days at USC through his infamous murder trial from up to his public career Simpson seemed a symbol of racial harmony both on and off the field of reactions to the jury's verdict seem to remind the country how fast our social divide sometimes still lives o tick study in black and white premiering a week from Tuesday here is the Barrera uppercut a surprise punch we haven't seen much from him but Tapia flesh but didn't seem to have any serious effect in round two barreras punch-out Flynn dropped from 93 in the first round to 69 in the second round his connect percentage went way down also 20 out of 69 but still better than Tapia is 10 out of 47 in the second Ferrara has got to keep that left jab working the moment he eases up and tries the leverage for harder shot that's when Tapia can take over keep the jab going you tell a guy with a picking up jab with nothing you can't do anything else for tale right hand by Barrera that's not necessary give her head up [ __ ] not necessary but it sure did hurt a penis that hurt Jane eighty warning Barrera against holding while hitting but that was after the light hand that right hand did a lot of damage you don't want to get hit with two of those in one round there's a big left jab just busting Tapia in the face Ferrara looks sharp early on found myself wondering going into this fight whether Ferrara needed the kind of rage he showed against Morales and Prince Ahmed to fight effectively because of his friendship with Kathy Epple he seems okay without the range yeah he's my good life you know knowing and there's a body shop and Tatyana says it was a low blow and now maybes gonna buy it even though he didn't see it because he was behind Tapia and Barrera thinks it was a sales job don't hit him back and Tapia was about ready to go for a low blow against Barrera and mate he saw that and said no no you're not going to be the retaliate er okay John making quite a show for the crowd happy wheeling around here like a wounded pro if you were looking for a captain for that it would be my package hurts not be going on top of that logjam again trying to but that breach just keeps them too far out there there the first of barreras classic left hooks to the body for so long it was his defining weapon he's added so much to the article in recent years that we don't focus on it that much anymore and he's still one of the batter left hookers the guy has that kind of reach advantage and Ferrara has the night you just gotta find other ways to keep any same but boxing you got a fighter be careful guys well taffy is view of the fight often expressed has been sooner or later it's going to come to me and he's going to want to fight and we're going to get it on so far bears out boxing it among many leading lights in the crowd tonight former heavyweight contender and perhaps future heavyweight contender Mike Tyson he's the biggest name from the boxing world here no single punch I can't wait to see him fight again I like that style well we need most of all huggers head movement right now let him come to you alright take a look at the low blow it was a borderline shot it didn't look like it was real low did it to you George backwater land yeah it certainly didn't look like it was way down there where Tapia attempted to tell the crowd it was yeah it was more it was around the border of between Mexico and New Mexico it was not in yet it was not in Mexico City or Bolivia treated the result was in Cancun 32:27 three rounds to nothing Marco Antonio Barrera Jim he's winning this fight unclean crunching with that left jab legit if you look at we always talk about the fourth of our judges go up keep working Ferrara this is effective aggressiveness he's the aggressor and while he's coming for he scores punches pace has slowed here in the fourth round as Johnny Tapia seems to try to figure out answers for what to deal back for Ellen's attack and Barrera just watches to see which adjustments taffy is making before resuming the attack you give up a title to fight a man like Kathy has done you can have to get out there fight no doubt about it you can't try to pop this big tall guy up you gotta fight make him start fighting you back all of the question of the things governing bodies have been in recent years stripping Johnny Tapia for fighting the fighter the quality of Marco Antonio Barrera has to be one of the most questionable this is a great fight for pass hook to the body bag Tapia ok once again borrowers plan this cautious game allows has got to get him into the rope bang on it even the aggressive now those we could actually jab to the body by forever well after coming out and throwing 93 punches in the first round Barrera has become exceedingly patient here in the fourth bangs tap it back to the right hand the body Burrell is simply just waiting for Jackie to come to him as if to say hey I'm winning all the rounds she better come at me sooner or later and then reacting when Tapia gets close it just shows how much they can do in the ring we know he can grow we know we can move forward he's showing us now that he can fight while he's moving back and he's hot shouting Donny from the outside ripping the body when he comes in close top you just can't get past that left jab Antonio's continues to be the story of the fight if you want to know what it's like to have somebody hit you with a pole from outside over and over again here is a medley of these part jabs that Barrera is landing on Tapia right turning a buzzsaw into a penknife they're getting in there all your straight punches but keep jabbing them more jabs okay let's go now let's use your head box now you need good happy with though you can't slip that jab now when you flip that jab he brings you back wall goes to right hand over the top okay you slip that jab right happy box numbers through four of a scheduled 12 Barrera 96 out of 264 36% Johnny Tapia 31 out of hundred and sixty-five in other words Marco Antonio Barrera according to Compubox has landed three times as many punches as Johnny Tapia in the fight and of course the that Martin coming friend repeated fair that we right hand by Barrera which is another weapon he's improved in recent years boy you find a tall guy and he keeps his hands up it's just to minute things to overcome just to land one shot Johnny's face is starting to get nicked up in a variety of areas now he tries to unload his own jab maybe see if he can establish our tempo against forever Happy's gonna need the speed to fight up somehow he's not going to get anything done one punch at a time against Burrell he's got to turn this into a brawl and then make then make the other guys start fighting so he can box a little bit jump on him you can't be accurate just jump on it that's what job he has to do we try to wait involved you leave this up and then I'm just going to get hit with that Jam jump on it merton mentioned Johnny Tapia has waded through his long career 56 fights before tonight before getting this first seven-figure paycheck second street scene it's difficult of Johnny Tapia that legal problems related to boxing and unrelated to bring the Kenosha negotiations for that fight to a close and knocking off the drawing big ben Tapia came back and said to his wife Theresa I'm gonna fight Marco Antonio Barrera instead Theresa said oh no that man hits too hard but then she agreed it was a good idea she might have been right both ways whatever she's done a magnificent job of holding his life together outside the ring and managing him for his fights inside the ring we approach the midway point of this fight denisa better get the rally monkey out with Johnny Tapia when a guy is fighting like this that's why you need an experienced corner that's dedicated to telling you remember what we did last time in a guy who doesn't have that face pixelate Johnny Tapia has never been dominated in a boxing match the way he was in that round in here a Tapia band and there are being a box okay Commissioner Cameron combinations of it you have to win these things before me okay nice keep on ahead me very okay here with that put that you heard Jeff they're bobbing back up come on okay you know we don't like the body showed him our dead body okay tell me the [ __ ] sorry alumni listener that job was beautiful keep going he let the one is its rugged out there with you you controlling him absolutely the jab in the combination we're working together around six of a schedule 12 between Marco Antonio Barrera and Johnny Tapia and you can see that on Harold Lederman starred its whitewash so far with bolero winning every round while it looked as though Tapia was starting to get into a little bit of rhythm but the last two rounds have been one-sided marilla's long jab continuing to dominate the fight Tapia if he want to get back into his fight he's got to start laying on a lot of shots to the body I mean go body crazy make Ferreira drop his hand so that he can get him protected himself he hadn't done anything to make Barrera bring his arms down here you can't get into the fight again like that there you go with the ripe [ __ ] about it yep right look keep it up biggest rally in the fight for champion as finally he decides to just the continent for and pays for it right there but comes back this is a fight Pataki can do some damage in this is what I was taught these is my monkey he seems to Safia goes down and they may be says it's a slip knock down a matey who has tremendously helpful to Pereira's chances of beating Morales in their second fight when he ruled the slip-on gorillas clip to the canvas that some observers thought should have been called a knockdown that been the case the change in this forum will be enough to get Morales the [ __ ] but fun capias goes the borrower tried to take his father son and that's when you can do on top of utopia and they can protect his body every team there trying to get back into his dad woman driving father Amy Miller forever with the right African inside fix his hands in a Texas the gradient aptean having a continuing conversation in that conversation with you good combination Boxey okay don't wave from a dream tell me about the ropes get off the road in the center of the Ring that's what you have to fight them keep off the road berrera scoring punches and points by getting I'm sorry tap him by scoring punches and points by getting Barrera on the ropes that's where he slipped on a shoulder but of that we had success trying to bull bear error on the ropes when we continued that because he took some severe punishment on the inside the sixth round appeared to be Johnny Tapia is bastard - give it to him absolutely Jin 5955 flat round storm Marco Antonio Barrera gym for five rounds this was a very easy fight the school Claudia Perez left jab in round six for two minutes Johnny Tapia uses tremendous experience and bit of the rare he gave up those ropes no matter what bidding it off Johnny pamphlet beat him up on the ropes Perez in Belarus corner saying get off the ropes you've got to fight him in the center of the lake this was the first round at Verona Kona actually our kiddin jumped on him make things excited in the corner so that means they don't like what's happening normally they're one of the calmest corners in the sport under any and all circumstances we can make that part of it excited in the cottages have a good luck what's your head Johnny Chafee had got himself and the crowd into the fight in the last round now the pace tends to slow just a little bit again he's trying to coach he expelled expend a lot of his energy don't let it go if you per hour attack demand is calculus he was at his best as a candidate at 35 the best featherweight in the world so in quickness so any resilience killing his old compatibles they touch gloves for the third time in the round you know the referee is going to get job he's commanding his fight with his boss hasn't had to put his hand on these guys at all what we've seen in Las Vegas recently has been so magnificent ten and a half rounds of Oscar De La Hoya vs Fernando Vargas didn't have a single claim Kenneth and there hasn't been a clink here either before that one it's all Mike Tyson earlier there's the newer version of the Tyson prototype David Tua also watching at ringside okay JC arrange breathe through your mouth okay weekend you work on the plaza we worked on this in the gym okay all right don't follow okay this one way right right okay go with the overhand right and they book their body your favorite shot right dig gunshots done okay all right tap you landed a nice right hand waiting that round where it came right back with his own copy box numbers in seventh ap11 out of 36 here George Foreman say he was trying to coast to get a little energy back Barrera 16 out of 50th and 14 of barreras 16 connects by coffeeboxx numbers were tabs we go to the eighth of a scheduled Club Tapia seemed to do so much better when he's on a move move into barreras left side jab step to the left things go right and stay in the right side that's when he gets the shot even the jab works better for Bharata and Tapia is on the right side remember the now I have to hide week I mean the rich advantage when they stayed in the middle of the rope I'm in the middle it around ring but all of that disappears when his backs against the Rope because there's only one step and it's against the rope that's where it's best at top you keep right there on the road reach and everything disappears when you're on the road I but hold his head the jellified enough has dropped his hands but Tapia does better when he drops his hand against a local also and he makes his opponent panic short left hand inside by Barrera stopped at me in his tracks Tapia lands a right hand across the top four if you talked about how Tapia does better when he goes to barreras left side does that mean if he's going to do damage he's going to have to do it with the right hand no it's just he stays out of harm waiting he's over to get in his shot because not his best side for a shot single but he's out of harm's way interesting that he eats fewer dabs by going toward barreras dead isn't it strange some guys need a comfort zone and want you in front of them before they could be anything also perhaps it's because Barrera naturally steps to his left when he throws his dead phrase across his back Donnie's looking grave here that's not landed and he's taking left hands in return each Thursday June in inside the NFL Bob Costas Cris Collinsworth Dan Marino still hosting but now former host Chris Carter has become a special correspondent covering the game from the inside laying for the Dolphins beginning Monday night in Green Bay then reporting back to HBO duty afterward the show is truly now inside the NFL Super Bowl on HBO and particularly inside apparently in his column Dan Marino convinced him to sign the contract with the jab now combination Jem's in round 8 another great round for beretta 19 out of 54 with the tab in the 8th round Johnny Tapia by copy box numbers landed no jabs in 20 attempted stole were they working as we reach the night the popular picking the casino was barrera by decision darning had so far that looks like where we're headed the apparatus getting in enough occasion it has better make a gal play to go to your man you do that by leaning the left hook off that jail affected by copy Marrero was so dominantly a left hook our early in his career that single crimes totally defined to his style clearly after the two losses to jr. Jones he decided he need greater variety in his game particularly a longer jab he transformed himself as a fighter Tapia is no longer missing with old overhand rights now found a range doesn't have to move that forward because Marrero is another snapping at me left jab anymore not like he did in the early rounds he's thrown it but there's no snap to it that's the radio's you just can't let a guy just let you step down because the gas beast you in the first a second round will not read another one I don't think anybody ever thought Johnny Tapia with goodwill or we back off in some way his heartbeats right through his death the world is fighting with a kind of cold calculation rather than with the rage in passionate by a vaulted ceiling Piper this guy jumped on him like a termite and he just doesn't know exactly what to do that dispersion now hoodies got it to get those combination can they're back in the center of the Ring where Valera has been totally dominant for most of the evening working and working the capya crowd rising from their feet trying to urge their man back into the fight series of lands and they Hagen touch gloves again cool mama her okay judging here for here okay now he's getting away my beanbag it's good keep the pressure on this day yeah put him on the ropes throw your card combination get that exchange going okay you gotta win the exchanges okay all right PC hey you don't get to change out these days into the jab in the weigh-in okay you've got to get the combinations going for you don't take it easy on top of the ring there's nobody Jim don't give him any brakes ah coupons numbers in the ninth Carrera 27 out of 65 Tapia 12 out of 45 the numbers pile up for Barrera Harold how do you have it look at Jim I get a little bit closer Andy 784 six rounds to three Marco Antonio Barrera Jim for five rounds he couldn't find the rhythm meeting Johnny Tapia when I round six and seventy jump throw a locum some air another he stop punching around eight inside and lived in enough solid Chuck brought me to pull it out six three Barrera I haven't ate one for the road tapia tries to play possum then come back you can't think those kind of shots but rather the puncher well you have to do is look at their faces to see who is winning this fight it's a high right hand over the top by tappy when barreras cab goes soft for a while I sometimes wonder if he isn't tempting Johnny in so they can punish him inside a little bit late his jab goes soft because he's able to land top of her head to get in the body earlier now he's starting to realize the volunteer dis guys didn't walk all over me doraleous camp in the stars fight in the puncher left to the body sets up a right hand upstairs for Guerrero Johnny Tapia as always tries to bounce right back rarest on the take initiative moving forward them not men that boxers in the way okay he's making more of a show of fighting than actually fighting course he's filling a few players like that that he's taking two midgets here's someone who takes up if it guy like this you got to accept did he get caught something but you got to keep fighting he's giving something but he's taking a lot the puncher he should close in and finish top the off before he refreshes himself got the power why does he hold back I don't know because tacky and there have been even close to stop that's right only one fighter in Johnny Tapia's long career really clocked him with a shot and knocked him on his butt according to him how mystic is a figure in Johnny Tapia well in order for a fighter to knock him down he had to be named James Dean doesn't matter what a guy down the lap you can punch me to knock him out tap his love doctor maybe either didn't see it or decided not to roll it or not that ix exactly trying to sell the judges on his fighting but his fighting I doubt we'll sell that okay okay don't get it from this guy let him hit you on yeah okay keep moving your head okay you move your head let's go two rounds ago come on you can't be loose water combination followed by the other before my girl when he has to Barrera can throw lean combinations next to the body right to the head left to the head right to the body upstairs Downstairs mr. replay showed that Tapia's guelph approached the canvas i couldn't tell from the angle whether it actually touched maybe it came up just a tiny bit short of the canvas and that would justify Maties decision not to call it a knockdown with the championship rounds and he saw the Beaufighters have good records past the time one knockdown former era in his career or one knockout for air in his career past the tent that was the pending McKinney fight that 31996 cappy's hat too we got the right opponent the right size he hasn't tried to finish this man out let me know they are friends and he does have a great respect for Tapia they both wear the same word on the back of their trucks because barreras mother's last name is Tapia they are not Gallade of the course now go Airways beer that's becoming target crappy [ __ ] at the door go get this guy up there showed up I roll I think Barrera this got infuriated when he heard that Harold Lederman have given the ninth round to Tapia he said what the rarer doesn't even look like he's been in a fight nice quick right hand button tap-in never quits this is one this is one of those cages here the ice is beating the fire dousing the fire right hands trying to get inside to fire it uppercut Guerrero just pop pop pop with the jab the way he's fighting now Johnny Tapia seems to ethnic sexist repeat the magic word you said Larry is the way he's fighting the reason he looks the way he looks because he's been talking all night forever well somebody's been landing those shots on them he's man stuff okay okay okay all right marry me you've got to work the whole three minutes good put him on the ropes and rough him up let's go combinations okay combination we don't have to save nothing this is it you better let it all hang out now okay in the 11th round Marco Antonio Barrera 267 punches my copy box numbers only 37 that may be the statistical signal that taffy is done I haven't booked agent 2007 103 hate rats the three Marco Antonio Barrera Jimmy the tenth fret real quickly Johnny Tapia slipped because the traction is poor because the ring is very slippery so that's why it wasn't a knockdown right Harold without question [ __ ] was 107 102 it's the rear of my pride thank you now Barrera goes to the body and to the head punches punches maybe looks at pereira as if to say what's wrong with Johnny and Barrera on his head that's it to say I don't know he caught a pike he says he caught a head I didn't see it it looked like a punch in the eye boy double ups on a left hook that's what piranha didn't I thought maybe he caught a lace I thought maybe he got lace portlet or thumb he has to win the last round and you heard Harold tell you the ring is slippery the lawyers got him now he's gathered all he has to do is go for the finish Delta Tapia trademark as he loses here's the last around 4:20 taffy agent Marco Borel one more violent blurring and there it is as they go back to the center of the ring and Barrera starts ticking his left hand in tap his face again that left campus told a story tonight it will shock none of you watch Johnny Tapia through his long career to know that copy box numbers Marco Antonio verella has landed more punches tonight against Johnny Tapia than any other Tapia opponent seven fights the Tapia crowd still hoping against hope 20 seconds and barillaz dillan [ __ ] popping away with the day a boxing exhibition tonight for the man Johnny Tapia thought the king of the Netherlands kappa a clear victory with this is a better fight than many people had anticipated the rare apparently has won it once idly Tapia is a wonderful performer with great fighting language every time he did something he wanted to put quotation marks around it buddy its clowning or in some other way by arousing the crowd and certainly one of the things most to be celebrated tonight Larry and George is that after everything he's given to the sport Johnny Tapia finally got a paycheck commensurate with the love that fans feel for him know what if I've got $10 it's my last $10 I'm gonna spin her in a boxing match the last boxing match I see before I'm called up younger spin it on generate because he gives you everything he's got every knot on forever in the 12th round though Marco Antonio Barrera landed 45 of 108 punches and he doesn't need your $10 and Johnny Jaffe only 9 of 59 by conga box numbers so it was the latest of a of a handful of rather one-sided rounds in favor of Barrera this guy's gonna go down in history Barrera as an excellent boxer so many people think he's a brawler but the guy is a master boxer well he's changed himself I mean there's no question that he transformed himself in the middle of his career to earn that identity you give him George let's go to Michael buffer who already has the scores ladies and gentlemen here at the MGM Grand we go to the Budweiser scorecards Chuck jumpa scores it 16 to 112 Bill Graham has it 118 to 110 and Dave Moretti scores it 118 to 110 all for the winner by unanimous decision and still the peoples tapping the baby assassin that feel that they may and final copy box numbers the 323 punches landed by Barrera by far the largest number of punches ever landed against Johnny Tapia and nobody else ever landed 300 blows against Tapia in a fight it's a margin of nearly 200 landed punches for Barrera the eight hundred punches he threw in the fight more than 200 more punches than he threw in his unanimous decision win over Erik Morales last time out here in Las Vegas and a 40 percent connect percentage for Barrera fairly withering jabs this is where he really won the fight and this is where he's established that identity that George Foreman talked about a boxer supreme now 179 out of 467 look at that Johnny Tapia at that seven and a half inch reach disadvantage only able according to Compubox observers to land 17 jabs in the fight underlining the point George made throughout the Tapia had to get in close and brawl somehow he did it sporadically but by-and-large not consistently enough to give him a chance to really to give him a chance to really be competitive in the fight let's go to Larry Merchant in the ring thank you very much Jim congratulations Marco Antonio are you just a little surprised that Johnny Tapia at 35 who had his best years as a bantamweight was still able to fight such a spirited fight with a friend in part because Johnny Tapia and De Sica 100 peso Gallo pulled open una pelea Tom wanna know your respect I Johnny Tapia de ganancia toda la Vida laughter - Lucas - massage is key it's not love Nicole is new taken cells medicine contrary not at all I respect Johnny Tapia a lot he was a IBF champion you get it he's a great fighter did you feel that the fact that you dominated him with your jab early in the fight set up the whole fight to tailor it to in fact all like a little minute upon to jab the LOB see it's okay todo lo lo más importante de la pelea user casey davis/casey empanada box a nutria mousse la semana con la semana share goes around says super como vamos forgive my fidelity yeah absolutely my corner told me go out there and jab and control the fight winning one no accidents that happen and that's what we did do you like fighting the way you fight now primarily as a pure boxer with punching gusta como si Italia saw India manaman table siendo border pass were this when you're okay is he a predictable sarafina's if I was content and almost a la gente no le gusta vamos a cambiar mi still identity like box and I hope the people liked it I hopefully learn how to box but if the people don't like it then we can always change what kind of emotion did you feel as you were beating up your old friend Johnny Tapia the closet emotions and teeth taken to the telescas llegando at the viejo amigo Johnny Tapia new official uhuru namioka Reposado pero bueno es el deporte gracias nicer lastimado seguimos Ianelli I'm a ghost it was very difficult because Johnny is my friend but this is boxing that's the sport you're in and I never had to do that before what do you see in your immediate future get to listen to the second oh no say películas que la gente PV con la camisa much agape they before such a vo like a like a they see the Mirabella says can you still lista para it maybe sing I'm not sure but I'll fight anybody HBO's the wonders they're gonna have the last say so now whoever they can we all assume that you will be watching the morales Ayala fight next week with special interest but what's been said it wasn't a monopoly evade the Morales kamut interested Waseda cho vamos a oh yeah Noah Morales present placer Mexicano yokel is viable in time in salinas de maras absolutely we're gonna be watching the fire and we're going to be rooting for Morales to win it'd be an awesome Mexican and hopefully everything goes well thank you very much again for an outstanding fight Segundo Isis wanted some pardon amigo una de la pelea LT epidermis ratafia Roberto son para ti tourism he's dedicating these loves to his friend Roberto he's got a tough fight we had a tough fight we dedicate these gloves to him thank you thank you and now to Johnny Tapia Johnny you're in with the king of the featherweights what was it like I wanna do it again I got the people happy you know first of all I like to give a lot of time to praise the God for guiding and protecting also for the MGF letting me finally put a great fight on thought the king of the feather works I give him all ahead he ran I kept trying to catch him and he just kept on run from the look of you though he stopped often enough to hit you with a lot of punches I like to get here they don't matter to me I'm mall Sentinel dollars baby don't make no difference to me I like to say on a lot of thanks from grandma my grandpa that I love so much and I will creaking your message comes to your champion baby is it difficult moving up and waiting I mean you really at your best as a bantamweight now you're fighting a bigger guy with a longer reach I came off of jr. by the way when the banner waves super super Superman Superman Eminem feather hateful I'm still here at 35 but that left hand was in your face all night long wasn't it he put it in my face I took it but I still try to get after him but what a beautiful person what a beautiful champion and uh what can I say I did the best I can and I'm still here are you gonna be doing this again Johnny you've often said you had enough money to put away to retire but but this is a sanctuary for you in the ring here's what my safety issues with my life is uh I'm gonna come back maybe we can fight again if you give me another chance I would like it sell off the car give him a good fire bang again get two more black guys and then go home again thank you very much Johnny you'd like to take this bill thank you too Jim we love you Johnny Tapia George Foreman anyone can see you've made the point eloquently about Marco Antonio barreras transformation from puncher to boxer brawler the boxer he began his professional career when he was 15 years old I think it's pretty wise of him to have made this transformation because let's face it that's what's gonna give him a chance to fight on into his 30s that's right and I'm surprised I guess I expected him to brawl and get it in weighed in but the guy has transformed himself into a master boxer why not box these guys look I'll pay $15 to see em fight Morales again because two weeks from Hannam here November 16 here in Las Vegas we make our next significant visit to this boxing venue and also one more time to the featherweight division on pay-per-view also from here in Las Vegas November 16 another battle near the summit of the featherweight division fighter who slipped to controversial decisions with Marco Antonio Borella Siwon is Erik Morales and the fighter who won two controversial decisions from Johnny Tapia Fort Worth Texas as Paulie I alla alla reached the top of 122-pound totem pole with his two close decisions over Tapia followed by two more decisions against parents bones out of Texas southpaw comes from a boxing family has great ring instincts and boxing skills and will probably need them if he wasn't a big puncher at 122 logic says he's in danger of being outgunned as a featherweight against Bahrain G Morales another boxing gym rat and second generation fighter from Tijuana Morales got a win over Marco Antonio Barrera at 122 and a fight many thought he'd lost then a loss to Barrera at 126 in a fight many thought he'd won he's longer stronger probably hits harder than Iowa but must worry about being out quit by the slick southpaw live November 16 on HBO pay-per-view from Las Vegas Erik Morales against Paul AI Ella Larry Merchant this is another one of those bigger smaller equations most of us see Erik Morales as note worthily the bigger man over Paulie Allah will his physical advantages against Ayala be as significant as barreras word tonight against a peon maybe not because he has had some problems with tough rugged go straight ahead short on fighters who stay on top of them and that's what Ayala does best George Foreman Erik Morales is an emotional young man and we also have disappointed he was by the decision against him in the second Barrera fight here a few months ago he actually stormed out of the ring before correcting myself and coming back to answer questions so do you think that Morales will come out and go at Ayala and try to detonate him the way you thought maybe Barrera would against I met I think Morales got a lot to prove now he's got no time to waste get that fight there call them Barrera the best all around now get in there and show the world he's the best I think he's gonna come out prove it this next fight as much as anything he's gonna try to put on a great show that's probably what we'll see when Morales goes against Ayala and

Channel: Solaris

Views: 131,471

Keywords: Marco Antonio Barrera, Johnny Tapia

Id: 9kWcuQl9MnY

Length: 79min 14sec (4754 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 03 2016