Bleed for This Page #7

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- No, you didn't.

I did. No, you didn't do that.

I... I did. Right?

And... I know it's a little late

to be making a change, but...

What change?

I can't...

Be in your corner for this one.

Or any of them.

I can't be part of you

getting hurt no more.

Why are you doing this

right now?

I should've done it

a long time ago.

All right. Come on.

Vinny.

You got a second?

Yeah.

What's up, Lou?

I got a hell

of an offer for you.

I don't need a hell of an offer.

I need a fight.

Underpromise, overdeliver.

Here comes the good news.

First off, we've been trying to

get you a fight this whole time.

Obviously, the recent press

coverage... save it, Dan.

What are you bringing us, Lou?

Roberto Durn.

IBC world super

middleweight title.

$1.6 million.

Biggest payday of your career.

So we're good?

It's up...

It's all up to Kev.

1.6 million.

Let's get it on. Yeah,

let's get it on.

All right.

Come on.

Let's get a fight.

Come on.

Come on. Don't let

tension screw you.

Vinny was the man, the junior

middleweight champion of the world.

When a brutal car accident left him

inches away from complete paralysis,

doctors said

he'd never box again.

Doctors told him, "you'll never

walk again, let alone fight."

He said,

"doc, I'm gonna fight."

Doc said, "you're crazy.

He can't even walk."

It's a fascinating story.

Vinny Pazienza.

Pazienza?

Let's say hello to him.

Pazienza! Pazienza!

Oh, my god. Yeah, look at him.

Oh!

Oh, he looks so handsome.

You broke your neck.

Obviously. I see you wearing

that brace there. Then what?

The doctors told you you'd never even

walk again, let alone fight again.

Never fight again, but now I'm

about to fight Roberto Durn.

- Yeah. -June 25th at the

MGM on pay-per-view.

We're a bit more than 48 hours away

from the showdown in Las Vegas

between Vinny Pazienza

and Roberto Durn.

Durn's record, 93-9,

64 knockouts.

A crushing combination

by Roberto Durn.

It's scheduled for 12 rounds,

and, uh, it should be

one heck of a fight.

The duel in the desert.

Durn. Pazienza.

Ladies and gentlemen,

it's mano a mano.

Twelve rounds of boxing for the IBC

super middleweight world title.

Tonight's main event is sanctioned

by the Nevada athletic commission

and the honorable

governor Bob Miller.

First,

introducing the principals.

Boxing out of the blue corner,

wearing the red trunks,

weighing in

at an even 165 pounds.

From Cranston, Rhode Island,

this man is a former

two-time world champion.

The pazmanian devil,

Vinny Pazienza!

And his opponent,

boxing out of the red corner,

this man needs no introduction.

Wearing the black trunks

with the solid gold trim,

he weighed in at a fit

and fighting-ready

165 and a half pounds.

Ninety-three wins,

with 64 coming by knockout.

He's a four-time world champion.

el hijo de la Repblica

de Panam!

From Panama City, Panama,

manos de Piedras,

the hands of stone,

Roberto...

Durn!

These are dramatic moments

for Vinny Pazienza.

He has made it back

from a broken neck,

doctors telling him

he might never walk again.

He wore the halo for six months.

The metal brace screwed

into his skull in four spots.

That he's standing in this ring

is a minor miracle in itself.

That and the fact that he's

jumped three weight classes

from where he won his first title,

that makes this a long shot at best.

All right, gentlemen.

Went over the rules in the dressing room.

I want a good, clean fight.

Obey my commands at all times

and protect yourselves.

Now tap gloves

and come out fighting.

And what is on everyone's mind

is will the neck of Pazienza

hold up in a 12-round

championship fight?

He's only sparred up until now.

And these are, after all,

the hands of stone

coming at him tonight.

Angelo Pazienza

is not in Vinny's corner tonight

for the first time

in his son's boxing career.

- Stay! Stay!

- And down goes Pazienza!

He took a huge shot

on that damaged neck.

Durn putting Pazienza

on the canvas in round 1.

Four...

Five...

Six.

Pazienza refuses to take

the entire count.

Not wise,

but certainly consistent.

How are you feeling, huh?

You gave him a free shot.

- How's the neck?

- I'm good.

Every time he's gonna throw that left hook.

You're under it, back with a left.

Move. You're bigger,

you're stronger, you're faster.

All right?

The guy can't even move.

Everything off the jab. Everything

off the jab. All right?

Put your punches together. Yeah.

Let's go. All right.

Go kill him.

You can see it already.

Pazienza's moving well,

but Durn's catching Vinny

on the way in.

- He can't even get close.

- Combination by Durn.

Move your head, Vinny!

Move your head!

Ooh!

Oh, god.

Vinny, what are you doing?

Keep your hands up!

Give me defense!

Hey!

Combination for Pazienza.

Right hand from Durn.

Durn with a big right hand!

Vinny, why you

going toe-to-toe with him?

And it's all Durn here

in the early going.

Don't slug with this guy.

You're a better boxer.

Everything off the jab.

On to round 4.

It's been all Roberto Durn. Good

right hand there by Pazienza.

There you go. Follow it up.

Follow it up.

Keep moving.

Keep moving! Keep moving!

Pazienza shaken by that right

hand delivered by Durn.

Use the ring! Use the ring, damn it!

What's he doing?

I can't watch this.

Come on! Jab!

Roberto Durn

taking this fight over.

Watch out for the hook.

Watch out for the hook.

Every single time he's looking

for that left hook. I told you.

Move away from it.

All right?

Come on!

As Pazienza tries to get his

rhythm going in this fight.

Call it.

Call the fight,

for Christ's sake.

Not yet.

Hey, come on!

He's dying out there!

Come on!

Go sit down.

It's all right. Just relax.

Relax. Relax, huh?

Take a breath.

What'd my dad say?

Don't matter what he said.

All right? Okay.

Hey, Vinny, listen to me.

If he didn't think you could win this

without him, he'd be in the corner.

Yeah.

Vinny, we started this

in a basement.

In a f***ing basement!

Now go out there

and show me how you do things.

Show me how you live.

Show me how you fight.

Show you how I fight?

Yeah. Show me

who the f*** you are.

Again, Pazienza back

into the corner.

Durn misses!

Big overhand right

from Pazienza.

There you go.

There you go.

Move it. Move. Move.

You got him, Vinny.

There you go.

Can you give him something?

Get him scared.

Get him scared.

Go to the body, Vinny.

Give him a 5-6. 5-6!

Pazienza turning things

around in the seventh round.

5-5-1, Vinny.

5-5-1. Go upstairs!

Oh, my god.

The kid listened to me!

That's how

you fight. Huh?

That's how you box.

You're a f***ing animal, Vinny.

What a round for Vinny Pazienza.

And now, this is the

Pazienza we've seen before.

The brawling, powerful Pazienza.

Pazienza able to land

to the chin of Durn.

Go! Go!

You hear them? Yeah. Yeah.

You got him. Go!

Pazienza with a wicked shot

to the side of Durn's head.

These are huge moments

for Vinny Pazienza.

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