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SportsTranscript
00:00 [Background noise]
00:02 >> Max Haar, meet you in the dressing room. I want a clean fight. Touchdown.
00:06 [Background noise]
00:10 >> And we take a look at the tail of the tape for this light heavyweight contest.
00:14 The 2016 Olympian Mehmet Nadir Unal taking on Hernan David Perez.
00:20 [Background noise]
00:21 >> See Unal with a height and reach advantage coming into this one.
00:25 Also a heavy favorite although Hernan David Perez likely better than his record suggests.
00:32 He gave Shafat a soofee, a heck of a fight last time out but Unal all over him from the opening bell.
00:39 [Background noise]
00:41 >> I think Unal has got the memo that the 9 and 8 record does not really tell you what El Picante is capable of.
00:48 And so he decided to jump right on him in this 16 foot ring and not leave anything to chance.
00:53 [Background noise]
00:56 >> Bigger fighter digging to the body right away.
00:58 >> A big right hand over the top.
01:01 A tail of the tape might not have told the entire tail so to speak because this looks like a much, much bigger man in Mehmet Unal than Hernan Perez.
01:11 He is towering over Perez right now and physically just looks like he's a different weight class.
01:16 >> Corey I have been reluctant to mention this all night but often the measurements listed either on BoxRec or on these tails of the tape seem not to match what we're seeing in the ring.
01:25 These guys look like they're from two different weight classes.
01:28 >> Again we keep coming back to the 16 by 16 ring that the fighters are operating in right now.
01:34 And for Mehmet Unal a guy who likes to plow forward and has these physical advantages he has to like the confines that he's operating in.
01:42 >> Yeah if you had seen Perez's last match that title fight where he lost the split decision that he frankly should have won.
01:49 But he was able to turn that into sort of a chess match at distance and get that fight going at the rhythm and the range that he wanted.
01:56 Unal is not letting that happen.
01:58 The 16 foot ring really helps him and so does this glaring size advantage.
02:01 >> We want to qualify that title fight.
02:03 How much credit do we want to give the WBF here?
02:06 >> Is it a-- Corey was there a belt?
02:08 >> Was there a belt? Yes there was.
02:09 >> Then it was a title fight.
02:10 >> Now as we mentioned the 2016 Olympian representing Turkey ran into a man by the name of Julio Cesar La Cruz in the second round.
02:22 I hear he's pretty good Morgan.
02:24 >> He is not bad.
02:25 Unless you ask his friend, his former friend Andy Cruz.
02:27 >> I was going to say not my friend anymore.
02:29 >> He'll tell you something different about Julio Cesar La Cruz but in the ring impeccable performer.
02:35 >> Now just digging to the body once more.
02:38 One thing we have seen from Perez there's a sneak shot.
02:40 >> Counter left hook.
02:41 And there's a moment you just saw it there where Unal kind of stepped back and took a breath.
02:48 Almost as if he didn't expect Perez to last this long under this attack.
02:53 And he had to step back and regroup.
02:56 >> We've seen this from Perez in the past.
02:58 Yes he's won just once in his last five fights but particularly against Shafad Sufi last time out.
03:04 We saw him weather a storm.
03:07 We saw him hurt Sufi badly in that fifth round.
03:09 >> Also he's lost.
03:11 He's won one of his last five fights.
03:13 But that four fight losing streak included guys with records of 20 and 1, 15 and 0 and 1, 12 and 0 and 14 and 0.
03:20 So not like he was losing to part-time.
03:22 >> Huge overhand right again there from Unal.
03:24 Perez takes it.
03:26 But Unal spent a good portion of that round just mauling Perez.
03:30 But Unal spent a good portion of that round just mauling Perez around the ring.
03:35 [MUSIC]
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04:25 [ Music ]
04:38 >> Round two begins.
04:40 This one only scheduled for six, so Unal doesn't have a ton to worry about in terms of the tempo that he's cutting so far.
04:47 That's how he's fought all four of his pro bouts to this point.
04:52 Just the same way.
04:55 Unal is also a very high-level kickboxer as well.
04:59 He medaled at the Waco Senior European Championships back in 2012.
05:05 K1 kickboxing for deciding to focus just on, shall we call it, Western boxing full-time.
05:12 >> It's interesting, too, because often when you see somebody with a background in kickboxing,
05:17 they don't move forward like Unal does.
05:19 They keep a lot of their weight on the back foot because in kickboxing you have to.
05:23 So he's made that transition very smoothly.
05:28 >> One thing he has kept that does carry over from kickboxing, Morgan, is that he parries a lot of shots.
05:33 He's catching a lot on his gloves.
05:35 But that works if you are marching forward and if you have the physical dimensions that Unal is enjoying right now.
05:41 >> That he's enjoying right now.
05:42 I don't know that he enjoys the same physical advantage over the rest of the light heavyweight division.
05:46 >> No, obviously not.
05:47 >> But this is like Bival versus Canelo.
05:50 These are two different sizes of person.
05:53 >> Now trying to come over the top with that right hand again.
06:01 We've seen Perez here in Canada in the past.
06:03 He was blown out by Lexin Mathieu here in Quebec a couple of years back.
06:08 But Perez is kind of one of those fighters who seems to be--
06:12 he's learned on the job by fighting better opposition
06:16 and he gets blown out by Mathieu but then he goes the distance with Pavel Stepien.
06:20 He gives some rounds to Anthony Sims Jr.
06:22 Those are really good fighters that he's been there.
06:25 >> As I was saying, these are very good fighters.
06:27 You look at this four-fight losing streak and again you're tempted to dismiss him as a gatekeeper.
06:34 But that's not quite it.
06:35 That doesn't tell the whole story.
06:38 >> Right hand comes over the top for Unal once again.
06:41 And Perez looking a little bit off balance.
06:44 Unal maybe starting to break Perez.
06:49 Perez wobbled by that right hand.
06:51 >> And those shots to the body are debilitating.
06:56 And I am surprised now as Unal was in round one that Perez is standing up to this.
07:05 >> Perez at 5'8".
07:09 5'8" in a bit obviously.
07:13 Fighting above where perhaps he should be.
07:18 He eats another straight right hand by Unal.
07:20 >> And those body shots, you can hear them inside the arena.
07:23 And I'm not just talking about us having the benefit of a microphone.
07:26 You can hear them inside the arena.
07:28 Those are some heavy, heavy, heavy shots Unal is throwing.
07:33 >> Unal just continues to throw them right until the bell.
07:37 [ Music ]
07:46 [ Music ]
08:12 >> You are in Perez's corner.
08:14 What are you even telling him at this point?
08:18 >> Looks like Ruben Paniagua is trying to tell him to go to the body.
08:21 Which there is a lot of frame for Perez to aim at right now.
08:26 The problem is can he generate enough room to do some work.
08:30 Because Unal is just mauling him right now.
08:32 >> Can he get there and can he hit Unal hard enough to make Unal reconsider what Unal is doing?
08:38 [ Music ]
08:46 >> Round three now underway.
08:53 The 2016 Olympian, Metmet Unal.
08:57 The new signees of Eye of the Tiger.
09:01 You see our scorecard from our French colleague, Matt Cassavant.
09:04 We haven't had to see the scorecard too often here tonight.
09:07 Things have been moving rather quickly in this 11 fight card coming at you from Gatineau, Quebec.
09:19 Unal at 30 years of age with his amateur experience.
09:25 Being moved differently than some of the prospects that we've seen earlier on here tonight.
09:30 >> That's what I was going to say. He's at the opposite end of the spectrum from Yonorovio.
09:33 >> He needs to move fast.
09:34 I mean this is the third time in his young career already that he's faced a fighter with more than 15 fights.
09:38 So they're putting him in with veterans early.
09:41 >> Yes, you can't give Unal a bunch of four round fights against guys that he can dispatch in one round.
09:46 That's not what he needs right now.
09:48 He needs to build his skills and show his skills quickly to move on to whatever he's going to become in the light heavyweight division.
10:00 >> I mean, I think that's a good point.
10:04 I mean, I think that's a good point.
10:05 I mean, I think that's a good point.
10:06 I mean, I think that's a good point.
10:07 I think that's a good point.
10:08 I think that's a good point.
10:09 I think that's a good point.
10:10 I think that's a good point.
10:11 I think that's a good point.
10:12 I think that's a good point.
10:13 I think that's a good point.
10:14 I think that's a good point.
10:15 I think that's a good point.
10:16 I think that's a good point.
10:17 I think that's a good point.
10:18 I think that's a good point.
10:19 I think that's a good point.
10:20 I think that's a good point.
10:21 I think that's a good point.
10:22 I think that's a good point.
10:23 I think that's a good point.
10:30 >> And again, so he leaves that fight with a 9-8 record, and again,
10:33 as his reputation now as an opponent, because what people see is what BoxerX says.
10:38 And they don't necessarily always see that fight.
10:41 >> Sneaky shot there from Perez a moment ago.
10:43 Now getting back on his jab.
10:44 Now Perez finding a little bit of a rhythm inside the final minute of round three.
10:49 Now going back downstairs to the body.
10:51 And again, at what point do those body shots start to crumble Perez?
11:00 Or within a six-round distance, is there just not enough time for Unal to chop down Perez,
11:06 who has shown himself to be quite durable throughout his career?
11:08 >> That's what we're going to see.
11:09 But again, as you said that, another heavy left hand to the body.
11:13 And Perez takes them well, but at some point they have to start to drain.
11:22 And on the one hand, they make you tired, and on the other hand,
11:25 they start to drain the power that you can output.
11:28 >> Some good work there from Perez a moment ago.
11:30 Three-punch combination just lands flush on Unal, who just walks through it.
11:35 And tries to bully Perez along the ropes.
11:37 >> Best moments of the fight for Perez.
11:40 Probably still didn't win the round.
11:42 >> As we're now throwing heavy stuff in the final moments of round three.
11:46 [MUSIC]
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12:20 >> Let's have a huddle.
12:21 >> You don't know what a huddle is, do you?
12:22 >> No.
12:23 >> Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please.
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12:36 Now, a knuckleballer and a catcher walk into a bullpen and a knuckleballer turns to the catcher.
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12:48 >> You can start from long distance, so stay at long distance, get in close, but in close also is where Perez wants to be.
12:54 So we'll see who's actually in the advantage when they get at close range.
12:58 But there aren't too many ranges to fight at in a 16-foot ring.
13:02 >> Yeah, there's closer, there's closer.
13:06 Or you're basically not doing anything.
13:07 You're just completely out of range.
13:10 And we actually see our French colleague Matt Katzivon giving that last round to Hernan Perez.
13:15 I can certainly see that as well.
13:18 So that might be the very first professional round that Mehmet Unal has lost if the official judges do agree with that.
13:26 >> You also heard something interesting from Ramsey in the corner, like this resignation that this fight is not going to end early.
13:33 He said this is the bill you have to pay to win this fight.
13:37 It's going to go around.
13:39 So if Unal was expecting an early knockout before, he's not really expecting it now.
13:44 He's resigned himself to the fact that he's going to have to win this by decision.
13:47 >> Perez just took a couple of steps back after a pair of right hands to the body.
13:51 And I imagine he didn't like how that one felt either.
13:54 Perez now retreating to the perimeter and holds on voluntarily.
13:58 I think we can certainly say he felt those ones more.
14:02 >> Yeah, I think that's the first clinch he's initiated all night.
14:05 [BLANK_AUDIO]
14:13 >> And again, Perez's problem is that he just can't hurt Unal at this point.
14:16 I don't know if he could have hurt him at any point.
14:18 But it's really starting to make a difference now.
14:22 >> Hard left hook to the body there from Unal.
14:25 He looks for another one.
14:27 And Perez looks like he might be in a little bit of trouble again.
14:32 Body language of Perez changing.
14:35 [BLANK_AUDIO]
14:38 >> Doubling over a little bit.
14:40 >> And again, Corey, we've reached this moment that we notice in the Guerrero fight,
14:43 where the person who's getting the worst of it,
14:45 they start looking for some place to go in the ring, and there is just no place to go.
14:49 Looking for room, and there is no room.
14:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]
15:07 >> Right hand over the top there from Perez.
15:09 >> Punishing right hand to the body of Unal, Unal left.
15:14 >> Unal again with that right hand upstairs now.
15:19 [BLANK_AUDIO]
15:22 >> One thing working against Perez is that some of these shots, Morgan,
15:26 he's kind of riding with them, but he's knocked off balance a lot.
15:30 And so it doesn't reflect well to the judges.
15:32 Even if he isn't hurt, it visually does not reflect well.
15:36 >> But he is at the point in the fight where he's tiring.
15:38 The damage and the size disparity, they're starting to compound.
15:41 It's starting to wear down.
15:44 Perez is starting to sap whatever power he had.
15:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]
15:49 >> And now, he's temporarily working out of a little bit of a Philly shell,
15:53 counters to the body, getting a little bit more playful as round four wraps up.
15:57 [MUSIC]
16:07 >> [INAUDIBLE]
16:12 >> Make sure, now he knows you go for this punch.
16:17 Try to hit here.
16:19 Now, the mid-step, boom, the mid-step, boom.
16:22 >> In the center.
16:23 >> In the middle, in the middle.
16:24 >> And also, I want to see this uppercut.
16:26 I don't see this uppercut.
16:27 I want to see your uppercut.
16:28 It's the best punch for you.
16:30 Now, uppercut and down, uppercut and down.
16:33 [MUSIC]
16:36 >> We heard some of the instructions from Mark Ramsey in the corner.
16:39 We'll take a look at some of the uppercuts to the body.
16:43 Now, Mark Ramsey is calling for some more shots up top,
16:46 but Rinal doing some great work to the body
16:48 and perhaps hurting Perez in the last round.
16:52 >> Yeah, this was the round where Perez started circling
16:54 or when Perez started clinching, and we had not seen that before.
16:57 And again, this is an incredibly tough person.
16:59 So if you get him to the point where he wants to clinch and wants to run,
17:02 you're doing some damage.
17:04 >> And he clinches about two seconds into the round as well
17:07 as we kick off round five.
17:09 This one's scheduled for six.
17:11 [CROWD NOISE]
17:17 There's the exact shot that Mark Ramsey called for
17:20 the first time Rinal attempts it.
17:22 It lands flush.
17:23 >> Off a bad pivot, switched southpaw, left uppercut, and it landed.
17:27 [CROWD NOISE]
17:35 And Perez is really laboring here.
17:38 [CROWD NOISE]
17:41 The difference in size, Rinal's punching power,
17:46 really making themselves felt here in this fifth round.
17:50 [CROWD NOISE]
17:57 >> I think what we're seeing in this fight, Morgan,
18:00 is some of the offensive arsenal of Unal,
18:03 but this probably isn't the best representation of what Unal will look like.
18:07 If he fights at 168, if he fights at 175,
18:10 as you mentioned, he's going to be fighting guys of drastically different statures here.
18:15 >> Yes.
18:16 >> If he becomes a full-time super middleweight,
18:20 he's going to be a gigantic super middleweight.
18:23 His challenge will be making 168 consistent.
18:27 Whereas if he fights at 175, he's not going to come across a ton of people Perez's size.
18:33 >> It will be interesting seeing Unal with this type of approach,
18:37 say against an opponent that's 6'2".
18:39 >> Right.
18:40 >> Seeing him try and chop him down.
18:42 >> He's both towering over and overwhelming Perez,
18:45 although Perez doing some decent work to the body there
18:48 when he gets rocked by a left hook.
18:50 [CROWD NOISE]
18:59 >> There he is switching southpaw again and throwing that left uppercut again.
19:04 Perez smothered it.
19:06 >> If Perez figured out every time Unal switches southpaw, that left uppercut is coming.
19:12 >> See what adjustment Unal can make now.
19:15 And that was pointed out in Unal's corner.
19:18 Hey, he can see when that shot's going to the body.
19:21 Why don't you try this?
19:22 Well, now Perez, as you mentioned Morgan,
19:24 can pretty much tell if Unal's switching southpaw,
19:27 he's looking to bring that left hand downstairs.
19:29 >> Yes.
19:30 [CROWD NOISE]
19:38 >> Momentarily here came some offense from Perez.
19:41 >> Yeah, nice little combination up top there from Perez a moment ago.
19:44 15 seconds here of round 5.
19:47 One round to go.
19:50 And this one is the 2016 Olympian Mehmet Unal.
19:55 He has to keep his undefeated pro record intact.
19:58 >> Nice right hand there.
20:01 Sneaky quick right hand from Perez right before the bell.
20:07 >> Whatever the scorecards might look like right now, he has not given up.
20:10 [MUSIC]
20:23 >> We're seeing images of both men's corner work right now.
20:32 >> And looking at the-- >> Refs from Unal.
20:34 >> I was going to say, looking at the corner,
20:36 looking at the split shot of each of them in the corner,
20:38 you would not know who's winning this fight.
20:40 Like, Unal, for whatever he gets from this fight,
20:43 whatever the result is, he'll know he has been in a fight.
20:45 This has been a learning-- like a bruising learning experience for him.
20:54 [WHISTLE BLOWS]
20:57 >> And regardless of the result,
21:00 Perez has burnished his reputation as somebody who is much better than his record indicates.
21:08 >> Round 6 begins.
21:09 Mehmet Unal trying to remain undefeated.
21:12 And Jon Perez will need something big here in the 6th round
21:16 to avoid becoming a 500 fighter,
21:19 which again, when you look at who Perez has fought
21:22 and how he's fought against some of those names, is rather surprising.
21:27 >> Yes, and it does have implications for your career
21:29 because once you become a 500 fighter,
21:31 the fights you get matched in are much more likely to be against people with sparkling records.
21:38 And from 500, you get down to 490, 400, 380.
21:45 It's a much more uphill battle for Perez after this.
21:49 >> Yeah, the optics don't look quite as pleasing on the fight poster.
21:52 >> No. >> Even if it doesn't reflect reality.
21:54 >> 100%. >> That just is the reality of how fights get made.
21:57 >> You do have to wonder, like, how different Perez's career would look
22:01 if he had different management and more ability to get into fights that he knew he could win.
22:06 As opposed to always going out and fighting a guy that's 20-1, 15-0, 12-0.
22:10 >> Yeah, Olympian fresh out of the amateurs, as he is tonight.
22:13 As he now digs back downstairs to the body.
22:17 Cuffing right hand caught on the gloves of Perez a moment ago.
22:20 [crowd noise]
22:36 >> You know, and he's sneaking up on us, but this might be another Perez round.
22:39 He's landing that jab again.
22:40 >> There's three jabs in a row that are connecting from Perez, and there's a nice right hand.
22:45 The work from Perez, very sneaky, but it is getting in there.
22:50 [crowd noise]
22:53 >> Again.
22:54 >> And to be the shorter fighter landing that jab, too.
22:57 >> Exactly, and these are the questions that will have to be answered about Unal moving forward.
23:01 What happens when he can't just voluntarily take some of these shots?
23:05 >> Yes. >> Because he isn't bothering to move his head.
23:07 He's just absorbing these from Perez.
23:09 >> And what happens when you can't overwhelm somebody physically?
23:12 When you get six rounds into the fight and you have not made that person tired just by leaning on him,
23:17 just by mauling him, just by hitting him to the body.
23:20 And in the six rounds, he's hitting as hard as he was in the first.
23:23 What happens then?
23:24 This is the question Unal's going to have to answer.
23:26 >> That was a good reply from Unal.
23:28 You saw Perez starting to get a rhythm, starting to bounce a little bit.
23:32 Then he ate a right hand from Unal, and all of that stopped.
23:35 [crowd noise]
23:39 >> Nice sharp counter left hand from Perez once more.
23:43 >> A series of jabs.
23:45 Man, this might be another Perez round.
23:49 >> Now doubling up on that left hook.
23:52 Perez just continuing to hustle.
23:54 Wisely holding on on the inside.
23:57 That'll kill a little bit of time.
23:58 >> Yes, and that's frustration from Unal.
24:01 A little surprising given the fact that he is likely winning the fight.
24:05 [bell ringing]
24:07 >> And that will do it.
24:10 So Memet Unal goes the distance for the first time in his pro career.
24:14 And he's given a good fight by Ernan David Perez.
24:20 We'll see what the scorecards say.
24:22 But Morgan, there'll certainly be some things on the tape for Unal and Mark Ramsey to review.
24:27 >> Win or lose, Perez is much better than his record.
24:30 Win or lose, again, Unal has a lot to learn from this fight.
24:35 And a lot to adjust to as a result of this fight.
24:44 Because the way he won tonight, I don't see that carrying him to victory against a bigger guy
24:50 or more resourceful guy or a physically stronger guy.
24:54 >> Yeah, remember when Unal left the amateurs, he was arguably one of the ten best 81kg fighters in the world
25:01 at that time when he left the amateurs.
25:03 But there was a gap between when he stopped amateur boxing and when he turned pro.
25:09 And perhaps Unal is just kind of finding his footing a little bit.
25:12 But nonetheless, in all likelihood, did enough to beat Ernan David Perez.
25:19 And again, we're praising Perez as being better than his record.
25:23 So that should say something about Unal, that even if he didn't look his best here tonight,
25:27 was still able to get the victory.
25:29 >> 100%.
25:31 >> And again, longer term, if you are-- because you understand that Unal is not going to spend
25:34 the rest of his career fighting guys at Perez's level.
25:37 If you're a results person, all you care about is the win.
25:40 But if you're a process person, you have to ask questions about the process
25:43 and whether the way he won this fight is going to allow him to win fights against stiffer oppositions.
25:47 >> Right. Is that applicable anywhere beyond this level?
25:51 [music]
26:03 >> Another tough assignment for the road warrior, Ernan Perez.
26:06 Looks like we are ready with the scorecards.
26:08 >> [speaking in French]
26:10 >> After six rounds, we go to the judges' scorecards for the decision.
26:14 [speaking in French]
26:24 >> Judges Guérin and Roussel score about 60-54, while Judge Woodburn scores at 59-55.
26:31 All for the winner, by unanimous decision, Mehmet "Nadir" Unal!
26:40 [cheers]
26:44 >> So Mehmet Unal improves to 5-0 as a professional, has taken the distance for the first time in his pro career.
26:52 The score is 60-54 twice, 59-55.