Catch Jim Gray’s Full Interview With Mike Tyson,
Replay Of Twinbill On Wednesday, Nov. 4
Photos: Tom Casino - SHOWTIME
In a “Halloween
Thrilla” main event that lived up to its billing,
undefeated Yonnhy Perez registered an upset
12-round unanimous decision over defending champion
Joseph King Kong Agbeko to capture the
International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight
title Saturday on SHOWTIME®.
In the first half
of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader,
Antonio DeMarco won the World Boxing Council
(WBC) interim lightweight crown with a one-sided 10th-round
TKO over former World Boxing Association (WBA)
135-pound titlist Jose Alfaro.
Between the fights
at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino, legendary,
former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson
was reunited with announcer Jim Gray, who won
an Emmy for his interview with Tyson following the
infamous ear-bite fight with Evander Holyfield
on June 28, 1997.
“I’ve been working
on myself,’’ Tyson told Gray on SHOWTIME. “I’m in
the mood of being truly grateful of my life. I
realize I have nothing to be mad at. I never dreamed
I’d be living at this time (but) I’ve gotten as much
as I gave. I’ve been blessed in my life. I just want
to contribute to humanity now.”
In response to
Gray asking about George Foreman winning a
title at age 45 and if Tyson, at 43, would
contemplate a comeback, Tyson said: “If this guy
(referring to Don King) is going to pay for
my training -- my training team costs a lot of money
-- anything is possible. I don’t see it happening
but anything is possible.’’
The non-stop
action fight between Perez (20-0, 14 KOs) of Santa
Fe Springs, Calif., by way of Colombia, and Agbeko
(27-2, 22 KOs) of Bronx, N.Y., via Accra, Ghana, was
a spirited slugfest that featured numerous exchanges
from start to finish.
During the
telecast, SHOWTIME blow-by-blow announcer Steve
Albert said, “In 22 years of calling boxing, I
don't think I have ever called a fight with this
many punches thrown.’’ Added color commentator Al
Bernstein: “And many big shots. Both of these
men are good punchers landing big."
Perez, the WBC No.
1 contender going in, scored a disputed knockdown in
the 10th round en route to winning by the
scores of 117-110 twice and 116-111.
“The fight went
almost exactly how I planned,’’ said an ecstatic
Perez afterward. “I knew I was winning the rounds
and I deserved to get the victory. I trained to
throw a lot of punches. I know Agbeko likes to
throw a lot of punches, so I knew I had to be better
conditioned.
“All
the hard work and preparation paid off. This is a
dream come true. (On the knockdown) I don’t think
he was in good shape. I think he went down to catch
his breath. I felt I was more consistent, more
active and I pressed the fight throughout.”
A clearly
disappointed Agbeko said, “He head butted me in
round 10. I don’t think that was fair. The
(television) replay clearly shows what happened. I
was fighting well to that point. I thought I was
winning the fight.
“Perez seemed
energized after being awarded the knockdown and I
was never the same after his head hit mine. We will
never know what would have happened had there not
been a head butt.’’
DeMarco (23-1-1,
17 KOs), of Tijuana, the son-in-law of former WBC
122-pound champion Raul “Jibaro’’ Perez,
dominated Alfaro (23-5, 20 KOs). Afterward, he made
no effort to mask his emotions. He fell to the mat
and cried.
“It’s impossible
to describe the feeling I have inside me right
now,’’ said DeMarco, who dropped Alfaro three
times in the 10th before the referee
stepped in at 2:07. “My lifelong dream was to become
the WBC world champion.
“This is the
second happiest day of my life. Only the birth of
my daughter comes first. I was a little surprised
the referee let the fight go. At one point he
(Alfaro) turned around and I knew (at that point) it
was only a matter of time.
“For everyone who
supported me and helped me when I had nothing, I
thank them from the bottom of my heart.”
Said Alfaro, “He
used his jab and distance better than I did
tonight. That was the difference that I could not
overcome. I couldn’t land my punches. I wanted to
press him with my right hand. I got a couple of
them in, but obviously not enough.”
Steve Albert
called the action with Al Bernstein serving
as color commentator and Jim Gray as ringside
reporter. The producer of Saturday’s telecast was
Ray Smaltz with Bob Dunphy directing.
The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is
David Dinkins, Jr.
Saturday’s bouts will re-air as follows:
DAY
CHANNEL
Wednesday, Nov. 4,
at 11 p.m. ET/PT
SHOWTIME 2
The SHOWTIME
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast also will be available
On Demand beginning Tuesday, Nov. 3, and running
through Nov. 30.
