HBO: Telling it like it is... -PART DEUX-

Lampley: “Alright, now we’re back and the officials have finally gotten the situation under control. Our colleague Larry Merchant unfortunately sustained injuries during the chaos in the ring, was knocked unconscious and was about to be taken out on a stretcher when he suddenly awoke and exclaimed I was told, “Don’t take me to the hospital, I want to see the main event if it’s the last thing I do!” after which he passed out again and is currently hooked up to an ECG ringside.” *Camera zooms out to reveal an unconscious Larry Merchant on a hospital bed facing the ring* Lampley: “Larry, we hope you are able to regain consciousness before the night is over. Godspeed, Larry! Anyway, we press on for the moment…one fight down, two more to go before the main event. Next up: grudge match…as Miguel Cotto faces off again against former Mexican welterweight champion Antonio Margarito. Their 2008 fight was one for the ages as Antonio Margarito broke down the previously unbeaten Miguel Cotto over 11 grueling rounds. Now, they face off again…in what is expected to be a potential fight of the year candidate. And before we go back to the dressing rooms where I’m told the fighters are making the final preparations before their ringwalks, Emanuel, you’ve seen Miguel Cotto before, you’ve seen how he fights and you were certainly there for their brutal fight. What do you think Miguel Cotto has to change in this fight to stand a better chance at beating Margarito?” *Camera zooms in on Emanuel* Steward: “Well, Miguel Cotto’s biggest strength is bullying his opponents and going down to the body and breaking them down, but he didn’t do it in the first fight and he certainly can’t do it here. The reason is because Margarito does so well tucking his elbows in and partially blocking anything that people try downstairs. What Miguel has to do to win in this fight is to keep doing what he was doing in the first fight but…fight at a more measured pace. He can’t afford to start exchanging with Margarito because Margarito is a big puncher himself, he’s tougher than Cotto, and he’s got more stamina—and BIGGER. Miguel Cotto just has to control himself, not get too excited and most importantly, stay off the ropes. If he stays on the ropes, Margarito will attack him to the body and wear him down as he did in the first fight, so he can’t afford that. Even though in the first fight he made it very far making all those mistakes, I think he’s in greater danger in the rematch because of the psychological advantage Margarito has. The mentality of a fighter after he gives in is very vulnerable. If he is able to quit once, he is more willing to give up the second time around, so it’s going to be very dangerous for Miguel going down the stretch if he doesn’t correct the mistakes he did in the first fight.” Lampley: “Emanuel, looking at the fight unfold throughout the first five rounds, it looked as if Cotto was on his way to a wide unanimous decision. It was Margarito’s chin that proved itself to be Margarito’s winning trait. Does that still pose a risk considering how much punishment he took in his previous fight against Shane Mosley?” Steward: “Well, I think that’s one of the things people are wondering about. Margarito’s chin is just incredible. You can hit him with your best punch and he keeps coming. I think for this fight Margarito will try to feel Miguel out for a couple rounds and then start much faster than he did in the first fight. If the fight with Mosley is any indication, you could say that there’s some damage given how many punches he took, but in boxing you just never know. It still took Mosley nine rounds to get Margarito out of there. I don’t think Miguel can be thinking about a knockout, I think he has to be prepared to go twelve hard rounds with Margarito because if his chin holds up, Miguel will be in a lot of trouble.” Lampley: “Roy Jones, you said before the first fight that Cotto’s skills would not be enough to overcome the height advantage and pressure that Margarito posed. Do you still think that is the case?” Jones, Jr: “Yes I do, Jim! And I’ll tell you somethin’ else: Miguel’s biggest obstacle is his height. No matter how much more skilled he is than Margarito, he won’t be able to deal easily with Margarito’s height. He has decent boxing skills, but he doesn’t use it consistently. Sooner or later, the Puerto Rican in him is gonna’ get the best of him and he’s gonna’ go to war with Margarito and Jim…it’s gonna’ be a good one! I think it’ll make me get in there and duke it out with the winner! Yeah, I might do that…Hell, I’ll DEFINITELY do that. Most definitely!” Lampley: “Roy, you can’t do that! You have a fight to broadcast! You don’t have any cornermen, nor any ring attire or gloves to fight. You’re not even in the same weight class! You’re…a fat tub of goo in comparison to the welterweight division! How much do you even weigh?” Jones, Jr: “195-200! It don’t matter, Jim! Roy Jones is back, baby! Taking on all comers! I’ll be in the ring with the winner after the fight! Believe that! Pensacaola in the house!” *Camera cuts to close-up of Jim Lampley with a perplexed expression* Lampley: “………” *Camera cuts to statistics* Lampley: “Tale of the tape…for Miguel Cotto versus Antonio Margarito: a three year age advantage for Miguel Cotto at 28, but then a three inch height advantage for Margarito, arm length advantage of one inch for Margarito. Yesterday they weighed in at an equal 147 pounds, but tonight…perhaps one of the most interesting unofficial weights taken this year…Cotto has rehydrated up to 158 pounds, while Margarito has rehydrated only to 155.” *Camera shows Cotto coming into the ring to Daddy Yankee’s “Rompe”* Lampley: “Much to the surprise of followers of the sport, Miguel Cotto, having beaten Joshua Clottey in his last fight…chose to defend his title against Antonio Margarito rather than engage in a rematch with Shane Mosley for a unification bout, or perhaps a match with undefeated prospect Andre Berto. That too, would have been a much safer, perhaps more lucrative decision.” Kellerman: “And Jim, I asked him about that earlier in the dressing room and all he said in regards to that was, ‘This is much more important because by beating the man who beat me, I can make things right again.’ What he meant by that was, ‘By exacting revenge on the only man that beat me, that loss on his record won’t look so bad anymore, and perhaps even restore some of my aura back.’” Lampley: “But Max, wouldn’t it make more sense to take on a man whom he had previously beaten in Shane Mosley, unify titles and then take on Margarito with more titles at stake to make it a much more attractive fight, win, lose, or draw?” Kellerman: “It DOES, Jim. But Cotto doesn’t want to waste any time. He probably thinks he is taking on a lesser risk in fighting Margarito than Mosley at this point and to be honest, I don’t blame him. The Shane we saw in the Margarito fight looked several years younger than what we’ve seen in his recent times.” Lampley: “Correct, Mosley put an epic beatdown of a man that had never before been stopped. It’s natural to assume that Cotto is jumping on the opportunity to take advantage of Margarito who may or may not be on the downfall.” Jones, Jr: “Mosley looked like me in that fight.” Lampley: “…….What?!” Jones, Jr: “His hands were quick! His footspeed was agile! His power was devastating! He was Supaman that night!” Lampley: “R-r-ight. He looked…he looked— Jones, Jr: “Spe—spec-spectac—spectactic—spectacticle!” TO BE CONTINUED...

Lampley: “Well, you saw what happened there. An unusual end to a fight, an even more unusual post-fight interview, and Emmanuel, while I empathize to some degree with Calzaghe about not giving Bernard another rematch, in my view this second fight didn’t resolve anything from the first, did it?” *Camera zooms in on Emmanuel* Steward: “No, and I’ll tell you something else, I’m sure Bernard is really hurt and that he wasn’t faking it. If he continued, he would’ve but given the nature of the rules, it’ll go down as a TKO, but I don’t think Calzaghe will be given full credit for this win. You might even say it improved his standing for the first fight Calzaghe had over Hopkins because it was actually a long, drawn out fight where he outworked Bernard. I’m sure Bernard would’ve loved nothing more than to continue, but this is just how boxing is, and it’s unfortunate that we’re going to have to settle for this result or wait another six, seven months—or more—until they fight again, if they decide to fight again. But I don’t think Joe will take the fight. He said it himself, he was hesitant about a rematch, I think it’ll take a miracle to get him in the ring with Bernard. So, that’s that. Unfortunate, but that’s boxing.” Lampley: “And Emmanuel, it was highly uncharacteristic of Bernard, who is usually composed despite his antics to get under people’s skin, for him to square up and sucker punch Calzaghe in the post-fight interview.” *Cut to overview camera of a handcuffed Hopkins being escorted out by half a dozen policeman* Steward: “I’m not that surprised, Jim. Everything went as I predicted. I knew that if the fight ended in the first round by a Calzaghe TKO, that Bernard was going to sucker punch Joe during the interview with Larry…and as a result that a riot would ensue and that Bernard would be escorted out by six cops. Not two, or three, or four, or five…but SIX cops. And sure enough, that’s what’s happening.” Lampley: “W— Steward: “And Joe won’t give him the rematch. In fact, even if he wanted to, it’s impossible now because Bernard is going to jail. Not only that, he might even go to prison, because during the riot I saw him assault three police officers before mounting Joe on the ground and whaling on him some more. It’s looking really bad for Bernard at this point and I think we might’ve seen the last of him in boxing.” Lampley: “Emmanuel…allow me to be blunt for a second here…you knew that Joe Calzaghe would get a 1st round TKO over Bernard Hopkins under questionable circumstances and that Bernard, who’s stayed out of trouble ever since getting out of prison, would not only assault Joe Calzaghe post-fight, but also assault three police officers in the process?” Steward: “Of course. When you’ve been around the sport long enough, you see things more clearly.” Lampley: “Well Emmanuel, in all honesty…that sounds like a bunch of hoopla because I’ve been around the sport for more than two decades and I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a bizarrely descriptive prediction of a fight as the one you’ve just made.” Steward: “Well, you’d have that ability if you had experience in boxing; actual boxing. You can ask Roy, I told him before the fight that this would happen.” *Emmanuel squints and chuckles* *Camera zooms out and Jim turns to his left where Jones, Jr. is smiling and nodding his head slowly* Lampley: “Alright, Roy…run that by me again. Is it true that Emmanuel made that prediction?” Jones, Jr.: “That’s true, Jim. Before the fight, we had a sit-down and he told me every single detail that’s happened so far. And I know you’re kinda’ surprised, Jim but there’s really nothing to be surprised about. If you’ve been in boxing before, if you’ve stepped in that ring, and know what we go through day in and day out, then you’d know some things to look for that others necessarily just can’t see.” Lampley: “Like what for instance?” Jones, Jr.: “It’s instinct, Jim! You can’t teach it! You just acquire it over time. It’s too late for you…” *Jones, Jr. laughs* *Camera zooms out showing all three commentators and zooms back in to just Steward and Lampley* Lampley: “Emmanuel…let me get this straight, you’re saying that you’re able to see things much more clearly than the average fan who makes predictions? Let me ask you a question…how do you see the Cotto/Margarito fight unfolding?” Steward: “Well, I don’t want to say it before it happens if I’m being broadcasted. The fighters could be listening and that could influence their strategies for the fight, but I’ll tell you something. I’m going to write my prediction on a piece of paper, fold it up, and give it to you, and after the fight, you open it up and see for yourself.” *Steward takes a piece of paper from behind him on the desk, a pen out of his pocket, and begins scribbling on the piece of paper as Lampley tries to get a peek* Steward: “Nah, no peeking, Jim.” *Steward finishes writing, folds up the piece of paper and hands it to Jim, who tucks it inside his tuxedo* Lampley: “So you’re fairly positive this is going to happen?” Steward: “I’m not a psychic, Jim. I just see what I see.” *Camera zooms in on Lampley* Lampley: “Well, we were trying to fill in some time as our colleague comes back, but he has yet to do so. There is still a tumultuous scene up in the ring as officials try to remove the last of the rioters so that we may press on with the fight card. In the mean time, here’s a promotional advertisement for an upcoming pay-per-view fight on HBO.” ~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~ *Show a clip of shirtless overweight Fernando Vargas on a couch eating nachos with cheese. He looks at the camera with his mouth full and cheese oozing out of the side of his mouth* Vargas: “Aughm muhkn mhu kmbk!” *Subtitles below say: “I’m making my comeback!”* *Heavy metal music plays* Voiceover: “Vargas vs. Nachos! September 18, live on Pay-Per-View!” *Cut back to Fernando Vargas finishing his nachos* Vargas: “Mexico, ¡putos!” ~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~ TO BE CONTINUED... Comments/Feedback appreciated! :boxing:

Michael Buffer: “Ladies and gentleman, the fight comes to an end at 59 seconds of the first round as the fighter is unable to continue, the winner by TKO…and still undefeated…Joooooooooooeeeeeeeee Calzaaaaaaaaaaaaagggghhheeeee!” *Camera shot of the ring from afar and punch stats are shown* Lampley: “And as we look at the statistics of this fight, you can see that there were only a total of 3 punches thrown in the fight between BOTH fighters. Joe threw 2 punches, landed both of them. Hopkins threw only one…and it missed. That, of course, was the lead right hand that he missed trying to catch Calzaghe on the way in, missed, fell down, and now we have…an unusual set of circumstances to start the televised portion of the undercard. Joe Calzaghe wins a shocking quick fight against Hopkins, and Hopkins is, for the first time in his long career, officially TKO’d. Let’s go up to the ring where Larry Merchant stands by with the winner of the fight, Joe Calzaghe.” *Camera cuts to inside the ring with Larry Merchant standing next to Joe Calzaghe* Merchant: “Thanks, Jim.” *Merchant puts his hand on Calzaghe’s left shoulder* Merchant: “Joe…you’ve said…numerous times…that…you are against rematches… because they present a danger to your record…against already beaten opposition. You rolled the die, and you got another victory for your trouble. How satisfied are you…with the manner in which you obtained this victory?” Calzaghe: “We are professional athletes and we assume the risks and responsibilities that come with such decisions. It’s a…it’s a shame what happened to Hopkins but I can’t feel sorry for him and take it back. A win’s a win. He could’ve kept his mouth shut and continued fightin’ but he didn’t. So, that’s that. I now have two wins over Bernard Hopkins, and that’s all I can say.” Merchant: “Would you…if by some strange chance…the clamoring for a fight continues, and the money is there, would you seek out a third match with Hopkins given the nature of the ending for this fight?” Calzaghe: “No, of course not! I was pushing it enough as it is when I took this fight alone and I didn’t even want to. A third fight is out of the question! Would Hopkins offer me a third match if he had two straight wins over me? Of course not! He’d move on to bigger and better things, and so will I!” Merchant: “Do you…believe…that the fight was stopped…prematurely?” Calzaghe: “I thought Bernard could’ve continued and that the ref should’ve let it go on but that’s not my job, that’s the ref’s job. So, he did what he had to do and there’s nothing that I can do about it. At the end of the day, I’m still undefeated and I have a TKO victory over Bernard Hopkins. That is quite a bragging right. I’m ecstatic I decided to take Hopkins up on the offer!” Merchant: “Do you believe that this TKO was…on the same level as one you could’ve gotten…under other circumstances…such as him retiring on his stool, throwing punches with him against the ropes, or just knocking him down and him being unable to get up?” *Camera zooms out to show Hopkins on the side staring angrily at Joe as he begins to answer Merchant’s question* Calzaghe: “A TKO win is a TKO win. Bernard didn’t want to continue, so it’s a TKO. It goes down in the books as a TKO. I just became the first man to stop Hopkins.” Merchant: “Well, that’s probably…a bit of a stretch. Do you— Hopkins: “Larry, don’t ask this fool anymore questions! He’s delusional!” Calzaghe: “Quit your squabblin’! You just got beat, old man!” Hopkins: “That was a bull**** call, and you kn— Calzaghe: “You got beat! You got beat! You got beat twice by a white boy!” Hopkins: “Your boxing stance is weak, your accuracy is non-existent, and the only thing that got you that tainted win is the canvas which broke my wrist!” Calzaghe: “No accuracy?! I was told by someone on the production crew that I had a 100% accuracy in this fight. I got a 100% accuracy against you and you got TKO’d on top of that! Deal with it, wanker!” Hopkins: “You a *****, Joe! You owe me another fight! And you better not make excuses and pretend to retire!” Calzaghe: “I don’t owe you ****, Bernard! Quit your whining— Hopkins: “Sign the contract and give me my rematch!” Calzaghe: “I already gave— Hopkins: “Sign the contract and give me— Merchant: “Alright, alright. Bernard…Bernard…” Hopkins: “I will come down to Wales! I will come down to Wales and fight you! I’m a real dude from the streets! I’m from Philly, baby!” Calzaghe: “You ain’t— Hopkins: “THUG LIFE MOTHA****A!” *Hopkins clobbers Calzaghe across the face with a straight hand and Calzaghe collapses to the canvas as the cornermen from Calzaghe’s corner come at Hopkins and a riot breaks out in the ring. Merchant, bewildered by Hopkins’ antics, is briefly seen looking at the camera with wide, scared eyes before becoming lost in the chaotic scuffle that ensues* *Camera goes back to Lampley standing at ringside* TO BE CONTINUED...

Buffer: “Ladies and gentleman, good evening and welcome to an evening of live boxing at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada where Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Promotions are proud to present the first of four bouts on the televised HBO PPV card. This fight is scheduled for 12 rounds of boxing…in the light heavyweight division. Introducing first…fighting out of the red corner…his professional record stands at 50 victories, with 32 knockouts, 5 losses, and one draw, here is the former undisputed middleweight champion, and former light heavyweight champion of the world, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania…Bernard… ‘The Executioner’…Hopkins!” *Bernard Hopkins makes an ‘X’ with his forearms* Buffer: “And fighting out of the blue corner…his professional record; a perfect one. 42 bouts, 42 victories, with 32 knockouts…here is the former undisputed super middleweight world champion, and former light heavyweight world champion…from Wales…the undefeated…Joe Calzaghe!” *Calzaghe throws a series of uppercuts in quick succession *Hopkins and Calzaghe walk to the center of the ring to receive instructions from referee Joe Cortez* Joe Cortez: “Alright, gentlemen. You received your instructions in the dressing room. Keep the fight clean at all times. Anything below this is low, anything below THIS is low. Keep the fight clean, and break when I tell you to break. Remember, I’m fair but I’m firm! Touch gloves!” *Fighters touch gloves and go to their corners* Merchant: “If rematches were people…then Bernard Hopkins…would be well-acquianted with them. He is no stranger to rematches and tonight…he introduces his opponent to an old friend…the rematch. Will Calzaghe be able to get along with him or…will they butt heads?” *Ding! Ding!* Lampley: “And there’s the bell for round one as both fighters come out of their corners in a hurry, but neither of them throw punches despite the implied eagerness. Perhaps more surprisingly however, is the particularly large crowd at hand, despite this being only the first of three fights prior to the main event. It emphasizes the star power and genuine interest that there is surrounding what can be summed up as tonight’s quadruple-header.” *Calzaghe and Hopkins circle around each other feigning but both reluctant to throw the slightest of punches* Steward: “You can tell just by looking at the expression of both fighters that Joe is a little bit tense as he usually is in the beginning of a fight, even though both of them are only feigning. Bernard looks more relaxed and looks more confident and he’s actually the one leading the fight right now as you can tell because he’s the one stepping forward and Joe is stepping back.” Lampley: “Well, in a way, the pressure is strictly on Calzaghe. He has never had a rematch and yet he chose to do one against a fighter as dangerous as Bernard Hopkins. Calzaghe didn’t have to do so, yet he did anyway and now his undefeated record is on the line again simply because Bernard kept calling him out after his dominating performance over Kelly Pavlik last year.” Steward: “I still think that was his greatest performance.” *Hopkins barges in with a straight right hand as Calzaghe throws a right hook and both punches graze, their feet get tangled and Hopkins trips; damaging his left wrist as he tries to break his descent* Lampley: “And down goes Hopkins from a right hook by Joe Calzaghe!” Roy Jones, Jr: “I don’t think that punch actually landed, Jim.” Lampley: “Whether it did or not, we’re not sure. But Joe Cortez is doing a ten count on Bernard Hopkins, who is already up, but as you can see…he is a gesturing with his left glove as if to show that something is terribly wrong.” *Cortez counts to eight and asks Hopkins if he wants to continue, Hopkins continues to shake his left glove* Cortez: “Are you alright, Bernard?! Can you continue?!” *Hopkins yells something to Cortez and Cortez throws his hands up in helplessness* Cortez: “Do you want me to stop the fight?!” *Hopkins begins to yell more angrily towards Cortez while he raises his left glove up and points to it with his free hand* Cortez: “I’m going to stop it then!” *Hopkins continues to argue more intensely* Cortez: “That’s it, that’s it!” *Cortez puts his arm on Bernard’s back and waves the fight off* Lampley: “Cortez waves it off! Cortez has waved off the fight! Unbelievable! Joe Calzaghe comes back after his retirement and now it would seem…that he has a 1st round TKO over Bernard Hopkins!” *Calzaghe’s corner comes out to celebrate, while Hopkins’ camp comes out to argue with Cortez* Merchant: “Jim, from what I saw, although I’m not too sure, was that Hopkins rushed in, and their legs became tangled. Uhh…Calzaghe…may or may have not…struck Hopkins while he was coming in, but either case, you could tell he wasn’t in any serious condition.” Steward: “That’s what happens when you have an orthodox and a southpaw fighting each other. Sooner or later, they’re going to trip or stumble because their front legs are trying to get the better footing. It’s never an easy situation even if you train for it, especially if neither fighter is familiar with fighting opposite-handed fighters. It’s messy, it’s awkward, and it’s never easy.” Lampley: “Well, I’m sure that later in the post-fight press conference we’ll be hearing more about this and certainly what Bernard Hopkins has to say in regards to the stoppage. Harold, is this an open-and-shut case or is this a tough call to make in your opinion?” Lederman: “Jim, HAHAHAHA…there’s no tough call to make here! Unless a fighter is unable to continue because of a serious cut as a result of an accident, the fight must go on. Otherwise, the fighter complaining will lose by either KO, TKO, retirement, abandonment, etc. I think Córtez was a little quick to stop the fight but Hopkins kept arguing that he hurt his wrist, so what are you going to do? You instruct the fighters to keep fighting but one of them is telling you...you know, indirectly…that he can’t continue. So, because he can’t continue, he loses by TKO.” Lampley: “Alright, so there you have it from Harold. Bernard loses by TKO because of his reluctance to press on after having landed on the canvas, regardless of whether or not it was considered a knockdown. Emanuel, what do you make of this?” Steward: “I don’t like the fact that they stopped the fight like that, but Bernard should’ve known better. If you are being counted out, don’t keep arguing with the referee, especially if it’s injury-related. I don’t know how bad the injury was, but if you want to continue fighting, you can’t let the ref know that you’re injured, otherwise you risk losing the fight and that’s what happened.” Lampley: “Do you think there’s a chance that they might overturn the result in the future and perhaps change it to a no decision?” Steward: “I really don’t know. To me, it did seem that Bernard landed on his wrist but we won’t know for sure until we see him fight again and how he performs in the future. It’s just a shame for this to happen, especially considering how hard it was to get these two together again.” Lampley: “I agree, Emanuel. If the decision is, by some a stroke of chance, overturned and the result is nullified, then getting Joe Calzaghe to take a SECOND rematch with Bernard Hopkins is highly unlikely. What do you think, Roy?” Jones, Jr: “Oh, most definitely, Jim.” Lampley: “Let’s take it up to the ring with Michael Buffer for the official result.” TO BE CONTINUED...

well done, captures the hbo crew well. Altho, I'm not sure Steward would've been so emotional, otherwise good stuff. This is a parody, this is going to go more and more off the rails as it goes while still retaining the personalities of the HBO crew. I am sincerely thankful that it's getting some feedback. More to come after I get off work. Thanks again, folks.

Good job also! :luvbed:

well done, captures the hbo crew well. Altho, I'm not sure Steward would've been so emotional, otherwise good stuff. This is pretty much what I thought. I wish this was a cartoon or something.

what....is...this? I believe it is called creative writing~

what....is...this?

MGM Grand...FIRST QUARTER 2010… Lampley: “Hello, I’m Jim Lampley. Welcome to HBO Pay-Per-View Boxing, where tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada undefeated and former pound for pound fighter Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is making his return to the sport against the number one pound for pound fighter in the sport Manny Pacquiao.. But before that, an intriguing series of match-ups before the main event. First up, a 175 pound rematch between Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe. Following that fight, it’s another rematch; this time in the welterweight division as Miguel Cotto takes on Antonio Margarito, which could make for a highly entertaining and highly confrontational battle! Afterwards, in our co-featured bout of the evening, Juan Manuel Márquez will take on Shane Mosley at a weight of 140 pounds. Then, in our main event, it’s Mayweather vs. Pacquiao at a 144 pound weight limit. Once again, I’m Jim Lampley joined by my colleagues Larry Merchant and Emanuel Steward standing here at ringside. What was originally thought to be an unfortunate postponement ultimately ended up being a blessing in disguise, as tonight we are fortunate enough to bear witness to a spectacular set of matches on a single card. With a star-studded crowd on hand here tonight, it is somewhat hard to digest the fact that the fights we will see in the following hours are all together on one night, considering that alone they could all headline a pay-per-view. As I turn to my colleague Larry Merchant, Larry, one question: how exciting is this?” *Camera zooms out and moves in on Larry Merchant* Merchant: “Jim, I’m having trouble just trying to speak. I’m hooked up to an electrocardiograph for God’s sake!” *Laughs a little* Merchant: “When I originally heard that the fight between Mayweather and Márquez would go on…naturally I was disgusted, but when I heard…that there would be some changes and that an additional six fighters…all of whom are fighters who…attract audiences…who have fan bases…I couldn’t help but be intrigued. But I, like many others wondering…..how did promoters find a way to pull this off? The average salary of the boxers here tonight is around…$8 to $10 million. When you take two fighters headlining a fight while commandeering that kind of money, it’s a risk. When you have eight fighters asking for that amount, it’s not a huge risk, it’s financial suicide! Something’s gotta’ give…so as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months…reports came from the companies and from promoters’ own mouths that…the event would be big, it would be spectacular…but that it would come with a heavy price…literally. Under normal circumstances this event…would probably do better than any Pay-per-view…with the exception of De la Hoya-Mayweather…whose numbers will stand the test of time…but…I’m not so sure it’ll do as well as it’s expected…since ordering it will set you back $200. Ringside seats cost a staggering $30,000…it’s unfathomable! I, for one…will never understand…what it’s like to pay to go to a fight… rarely, if ever. But believe me when I say the following: boxing fans out there, I sympathize with you all…due to the price.” *Camera zooms out to both Larry Merchant and Jim Lampley* Lampley: “Well, I’m sure everyone watching right now has managed to scrap together the money to watch this highly intriguing series of match-ups. The only question I’m asking myself is how well this will do at the end of the day?” Merchant: “One more thing, Jim: given that Top Rank and Golden Boy have upped the prices in exchange for more attractive fighters on one card, it still wasn’t enough…to safely ‘green light’…this costly mega event. Enter Virgin mogul Richard Branson, who strangely enough as a fan of boxing…decided to put money from his own businesses…into the purses of these fighters to make this event possible, with no strings attached…I know I’m past my prime, but if I manage to keep myself alive to see who’ll emerge victorious in the main event …I can surely die…a happy man.” Lampley: “It’s interesting to note that 7 of the 8 fighters are considering retiring in the following year due to various reasons. The only one that isn’t considering retirement is recently unsuspended welterweight Antonio Margarito, who after being outclassed and knocked out by Shane Mosley in January of this year re-emerges back with his boxing license after a stunning revelation in late July, more on that later on. But first, let me turn my attention to Emanuel Steward. Emanuel…in just a few moments, we’ll be seeing Bernard Hopkins take on Joe Calzaghe. What’s your take on this fight and do you think it ultimately means anything to the light heavyweight division?” *Camera zooms in on Emanuel Steward* Steward: “Well, to me the fight doesn’t really have a lasting impact on the future of this division. Joe Calzaghe’s comin’ out for one big payday, and so is Bernard. They’re not particularly interested in fighting others beside themselves, because there isn’t very much talent, aside from Dawson, who looked decent enough in his rematch with both Tarver and Johnson. Joe’s said that he hasn’t wanted to fight Dawson because he says he’s too green, and Bernard has said that he doesn’t want to fight Dawson because he’s not a financial attraction. As sad as it is, what’s happened is that Dawson’s been left out in the cold……like a puppy…and Dawson……*Voice begins to break*…Dawson’s shivering and trembling because nobody wants to open the door for him. Bernard… *Tears are forming while the camera zooms out slowly and we see Lampley looking at Emanuel with wide eyes in a perplexed manner* …Bernard and Joe are eating turkey, corn on the cob and fried chicken, some mashed potatoes and warm apple pie inside the cabin…and……Dawson is still outside… *Sentences are nearly turning into pure blubbering and Emanuel looks up fighting a runny nose and fighting back tears* …starving to death that poor basta— *Emanuel covers his eyes and walks to his right, exiting the camera’s view, while Lampley faces the camera and tries to keep on going amidst the confusion* Lampley: “Uhh…well…that pretty much sums up the future of the light heavyweight division. We’ll check in on Emanuel in a little while, but now, uhh…let’s get ready…for Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe 2...rules for the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Lederman.” TO BE CONTINUED... A little background into this. I began writing this back in June 2010 but never got around to finishing it. I recently started again just so I could finish it and am about halfway through. I will be releasing more depending on feedback. Comments/Feedback is nourishment for the writer. Any is welcome! More to come and as always, thank you for your support! well done, captures the hbo crew well. Altho, I'm not sure Steward would've been so emotional, otherwise good stuff.

Lederman: “The Bernard Hopkins Joe Calzaghe fight is scheduled for 12 rounds, using the unified rules of the association of boxing commission. There is NO three knockdown rule, only the referee can stop the fight, incase a cut is caused by an accidental headbutt, we go to the scorecards after four rounds have been completed and you cannot be saved by the bell in ANY round, including…the twelfth and final round…JIM!” *Camera shows Bernard Hopkins getting ready for his ring entrance* Lampley: “Bernard Hopkins said in an interview that this would be his farewell fight. Do you see any truth to that Larry, or is it just Bernard being himself and fooling us all once again like he has done so many times in the past?” Merchant: “I DO think this IS…his last fight. I’m not sure whether he’ll win…meaning…I think Calzaghe has the clear advantages, but who knows? He’s surprised us before…Most of us would believe that Bernard might lose this fight, and that he’ll retire soon after. But maybe, just maybe…he can shock the world not once, but twice more…by beating Calzaghe, and by continuing…to fight. Not saying that would be good, but just that it would be shocking…if he’d decide…to do so.” *Bernard Hopkins begins his ringwalk with “Close to the Edge” playing in the background* Lampley: “Behind Bernard, we can see Naazim Richardson, one of the hottest trainers in the business after he trained Shane Mosley en route to a stunning knockout upset of Antonio Margarito back when Antonio Margarito was coming off of his biggest career win against Miguel Cotto. He’s also known for employing the use of a towel against his fighters for defensive purposes by swinging it around to create the habit of constant alertness. Emanuel, have you ever heard of any trainer throughout your career using this particular training technique with his fighters?” Steward: “No, I haven’t. Although it’s not surprising because Naazim utilizes a lot of unorthodox training methods for his fighters.” Lampley: “Do you see any particular benefit this would have over other particular training methods for its intended purpose?” Steward: “I honestly don’t find it any different than defensive equipment. The double end bag is probably more effective since it actually moves faster and requires you to hit it back, and with precision; something you can’t practice with just a heavy bag and a towel.” *Bernard Hopkins steps in through the ropes and is booed by the Europeans in the crowd* Lampley: “Bernard Hopkins has long been a rarity in the sport. He is a fighter who, at the age of 36, had the biggest moment of his career by stopping a young, undefeated fighter in Felix Trinidad in Madison Square Garden. He became the undisputed middleweight champion and even though some said that he would just make a few title defenses, make some money and go out through the back door, he didn’t. 9 years later, he is still fighting, he is still relevant, he is still a threat in the divisions he chooses to fight in. Bernard Hopkins…is here.” Merchant: “And a very proud fighter…” Lampley: “Yes, he is. Yesterday when we sat down with him, he said to us, ‘If Joe was so content with his legacy, then why was he criticized so much for getting out of the business so soon after his fight with Roy Jones, Jr?’ to which he answered his own question with, ‘Because he is afraid of losing, especially against a fighter who’s never been dominated like me.’” Merchant: “Hopkins has…never admitted…to being dominated, but he has been on record as saying…that the ONLY time…he accepted a loss…was…when he fought Roy Jones, Jr…in 1993. The rest of his losses…he says…are questionable.” *Joe Calzaghe begins his ringwalk as “Breadfan” plays* Lampley: “And here comes the Welsh man...Joe Calzaghe!” *Joe Calzaghe moves briskly towards the ring with his corner men following closely behind* Lampley: “Much like Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe has shown to be a proud fighter. His confidence whenever he steps in the ring is as well exhibited as the undefeated record he currently holds. For a long time, he was unknown to fans stateside until his one-sided beatdown of undefeated Jeff Lacy. However, criticisms continued to linger long after that fight. It wasn’t until 2008 that he came to the states and gained wins over Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, Jr. And even after that terrific year, Calzaghe was criticized by many, particularly because of his decision to elect retirement rather than pursue a fight with the young, undefeated Chad Dawson or, in tonight’s case, a rematch with the legendary Bernard Hopkins, who was last seen dismantling a young, undefeated, power-punching fighter in Kelly Pavlik.” Merchant: “A performance as great as, if not better, than the Trinidad fight.” Steward: “I think his fight with Pavlik was the best he ever looked.” Lampley: “It’s curious that throughout most fighters’ entire careers, they don’t often encounter an opponent who they rematch with, either because someone exercises a rematch clause because there’s enough financial incentive to make it. This fight does not fit either scenario. Bernard Hopkins is a highly respected fighter, but he does not draw big crowds. Joe Calzaghe, much like Ricky Hatton, has a large following, particularly because of his undefeated record and showmanship. And while there’s a bit of interest surrounding this rematch, the fact is Joe did not have to take this fight, but he did so anyway. In the past, he has been adamant about his position on rematches, saying, ‘I don’t do rematches. If you want to fight me, I have no problem. But if I beat you, then that’s that. Why should I have to put my record on the line twice if the judges saw me win the first time?’ But nevertheless, tonight he’s here, defying his longstanding belief that rematches pose a high risk/low reward kind of situation by taking on Bernard Hopkins a second time.” Merchant: “And Jim, I’d like to add on that…when I asked Calzaghe…about the…supposition…that if he had lost a fight with…say, a Chris Eubank, Mikkel Kessler, or even Roy Jones, Jr…wouldn’t he have asked for a rematch? And he responded, ‘I can’t answer that…because I will never lose a fight as long as I stay hungry.’…Give him credit for that, Jim. He certainly has…that fighter’s stubborn mentality of megalomania.” *Some rustling can be heard* Lampley: “And now joining us ringside is boxer and former champion Roy Jones, Jr. Roy, glad to have you with us.” Jones, Jr: “Thanks for havin’ me, Jim. ‘Preciate it!” Lampley: “Roy, we were just discussing how these two fighters stacked up against each other. What’s your personal take on— Jones, Jr: “Bernard got this.” Lampley: “You sound completely certain.” Jones, Jr: “I am, Jim! Bernard Hopkins is more experienced, more crafty, more wily and sneaky than Joe is. Bernard also has more power than Calzaghe. The only advantage Calzaghe has is speed, but Bernard will be able to nullify that with his timing.” Merchant: “Well, I don’t know about that, Roy. It’s not only Calzaghe’s speed…that Bernard has to worry about. It’s his…voluminous output…and his…decent power. Calzaghe is not known…as a power force…but his power…is still formidable.” Jones, Jr: “Not necessarily, Larry. Calzaghe throws a lotta’ punches, but a lot of them don’t land, because they usually glance and are more shoe shining punches. Calzaghe’s punches hit hard, but not enough to make it a factor.” Larry: “Roy…if that’s true…then I suppose his opponents would…barge in…and throw caution to the wind. If Calzaghe didn’t have power, then…he wouldn’t have stopped…over 75% of his opponents.” Jones, Jr: “And a lot of them were bad stoppages. His flurries are open-handed slapping, he slaps, he’s slap-happy, he’s Cal-slappy, he’s sloppy with his slapping.” *Calzaghe enters the ring through the ropes and jogs around through the center* Merchant: “It didn’t look…like he was slapping…when he fought you.” Jones, Jr: “…” Lampley: “…” Steward: “…” Lederman: “…” Merchant: “Nothing to say to that, Roy?” Jones, Jr: “I’m gonna’ slap the sh** outta’ you when this telecast is over.” Steward: “Heh heh heh heh heh!” Lampley: “Alright, and now we send it up to the ring where Michael Buffer stands by to begin the official introductions.” TO BE CONTINUED...

144 pound catch weight ? Sounds like a PAC fight alright . Calzaghe vs. Hopkins ... no thanks , boooring . Hated the first one and even though ima get alot of flack for this ... Calslappy is kinda overrated . Not to mention his unappealing style . Now if its Margs vs Cotton 1... he'll yeah . If its 2 ...I'll pass on matchmakers choosing Margs while damaged goods to give Cotto the opportunity to redeem himself . Now I love me some Marquez ... so put him in with anyone descent and I'm in .