Ali “I’d like to thank the rules committee for giving us a tune up fight, before we get started.  It’s been very difficult to find sparring partners, Mr. Holmes is otherwise disposed preparing for his own upcoming fight, and I need some rounds.”

Fitzsimmons (grinning) I was thinking the same thing, I’m not used to being limited to 15 rounds, this is really a short fight”

Ali  “ It’s going to be shorter than you think, Baldy”

Fitzsimmons (no longer grinning) “Mr. Ali can talk all he likes, tomorrow night, I’ll teach him to respect his elders.”

Ali  “No 37 year old is going to beat me!
          I’m so fast he’ll never even see me! 
          Baldy Fitzsimmons will fall in three,
          Or my name ain’t Muhammad Ali !!! " 

Good evening ladies and gentlemen!  Welcome to the jam-packed Caesar’s Palace here in Las Vegas, we have a full house in anticipation of another superfight of yesteryear between Muhammad Ali and Bob Fitzsimmons..

Lets take a quick look at the Rules for this fight:- 
· Three knockdown rule is in effect 
· There is no standing 8-count 
· A fighter can only be saved by the bell in the final round. 
· Three judges will score on a 10-point must system. 
· Fight is scheduled for 15 three-minute rounds 
The third man in the ring will be Mills Lane.
The three judges scoring tonight's bout are Chuck Giampa and Harold Miller, both of Nevada and New York’s Oscar Perez.

In the RED corner, Muhammad Ali weighs in at 210 lbs, that’s a 42-pound advantage over the smallish Bob Fitzsimmons.  Despite the size advantage, Ali is expected to be the faster man going into tonight’s fight.  Ali has been talking more about Fitzsimmons physique and bald head than about his boxing ability.

In the BLUE corner, Bob Fitzsimmons weighs in at 168 lbs.  He’s awfully small for a heavyweight, and one must wonder if he can absorb the punishment from such a larger man.  Also in question, will Bob have the power to hurt larger modern heavyweights.  Fitzsimmons age is also a concern.  He’s 38 years old, much older than any of the other fighters in the tournament, but then again, he didn’t fight as a heavyweight until he was in his mid thirties. Age was never a problem for him, though,  and he later claimed his third world title, the world light heavyweight title, at the advanced age of 41.
 

ROUND 1 
...The bell starts the action here in the first round. 
Fitzsimmons backs into the ropes, he almost looks awed by Ali’s size and speed...
Ali attacks first, scoring a sharp right, left combination to the chin. Ali snaps Fitzsimmons head back with a quick uppercut! 
Ali seems to be talking to Fitzsimmons this round. 
Slow start by Ali but we've seen this before. 
Fitzsimmons attemting to get inside... but Ali ties him up. 
Mills Lane breaks them up. 
Ali is having trouble with his timing. 
Fitzsimmons lands with a right to the ribs and a left to the jaw! That probably woke the big man up!
He has Ali trapped in the corner! Fitzsimmons tries to connect with a haymaker! 
Ali ducks the punch! 
Angelo Dundee is screaming at Ali to use the jab. 
Ali spins Fitzsimmons into the ropes! 
Fitzsimmons ties Ali up. Intelligent work by Fitzsimmons!
They come apart...
Ali nails Fitzsimmons with a straight left! Fitzsimmons is stunned! 
Fitzsimmons legs looked to have buckled for a split second from that one!
Ali connects with a right to Fitzsimmons right eye! 
Fitzsimmons looking wobbly! The bell sounds, ending round 1.
Ali establishing his autority early on here!

ROUND 2
Fitzsimmons comes out behind the jab to start round two. 
Ali tries to hold, but gets caught with a left hook to the forehead. Both fighters are trying to work the jab. 
Fitzsimmons catches Ali with a sharp right to the mouth! 
Ali retaliates with a left-right combination that gets Fitzsimmons attention. 
Good start to the round!
Ali is not moving much this round. 
Fitzsimmons swings with a right hand that had goodnight written all over it, but Ali is somehow able to lean out of the punch’s way, 
... and counters with a right cross! 
Ali tattoos Fitzsimmons with a three-punch combination to the mouth! Fitzsimmons is sliding back along the ropes. 
Ali connects with another jab through Fitzsimmons’ gloves. 
Ali tries to follow up with a big right, but it is just off target!  Fitzsimmons is tying Ali up on the inside. 
Fitzsimmons’ corner is shouting at him to jab more. 
Fitzsimmons leads with a strong right that connects! 
Ali just shook his head, as if to say, “you can’t hurt me.” Fitzsimmons tries to get inside, but the bell sounds, ending round two.

ROUND 3
Fitzsimmons rushes out at the bell, whatever his corner said seems to have fired him up. 
Fitzsimmons is standing flat footed this round. 
Both fighters seem to be posturing more than fighting. 
Fitzsimmons misses with a hook. 
Ali lands a right counter to the chest. 
Fitzsimmons answers with a left to the body and a right to the chin.  Fitzsimmons tries to work inside, but runs into a stiff jab on the way.  Fitzsimmons misses with a jab, it came up just inches short! 
Ali has an amazing sense of space, but Fitzsimmons keeps coming forward. 
Ali gets trapped on the ropes! 
Fitzsimmons misses with a big haymaker! 
Ali counters with a perfect left-right! Fitzsimmons was SO open !
Fitzsimmons answers with a sharp cross to the eye of Ali! 
Both fighters exchange jabs, and Fitzsimmons follows up with a right cross to the cheek, followed by a left to the temple! 
Got to give Fitzsimmons credit, he's making a fight of this.
Ali is trying to work the angles, but isn’t having much luck.  Fitzsimmons launches a combination, but Ali’s gloves pick it off.  Fitzsimmons launches a hook, only to have it fall short as the third round comes to a close.

ROUND 4
The bell rings, beginning round four. 
Ali strikes first, shooting three lightning fast jabs at Fitzsimmons’ head! 
Fitzsimmons bobs and weaves, none of those jabs hit Fitzsimmons! Both fighters seem to be in good shape here in round four, neither of them is cut or swelling. 
Fitzsimmons starts working the jab at his corner’s request.  Fitzsimmons is nailing Ali with jab after jab! 
Ali seems a bit confused here in round four. 
Fitzsimmons continues to strike with the jab. 
Ali tries to counter and misses, causing him to get hit with another double jab! 
Ali changes strategy, and lands a solid uppercut! 
Fitzsimmons doesn’t shy away, however, as he lands three more jabs followed by a solid right hand cross. 
Ali responds with a booming right of his own! 
Ali is beginning to adapt now, dancing on the tips of his toes. 
Ali darts in and scores with a cross! 
Fitzsimmons actually seems to be beating Ali to the punch this round. 
Ali is smiling, he doesn't look too worried. 
Fitzsimmons lands with a left-right combination to the eye!  Fitzsimmons lands a jab followed by a left hook to Ali’s right eye!  Fitzsimmons’ really looking good this round. 
Ali feints with the right, and connects with a left hook to the chest as the round comes to a close.

ROUND 5
Ali didn’t even sit down between rounds four and five. 
Ali immediately attacks Fitzsimmons with both hands. 
Fitzsimmons, however, is able to parry Ali’s shots, and eventually counters with a solid double jab. 
Fitzsimmons’ corner is screaming at him to jab more. 
Fitzsimmons comes in with anther jab, but misses. 
Fitzsimmons tries to connect with a left hook, but Ali ducks it! 
Ali counterpunches with a wicked shot to the body. 
Ali tries to work the jab, but Fitzsimmons defense is more than adequate, as none of those shots land. 
Fitzsimmons looks to be getting a little tired from chasing Ali around the ring. 
Both fighters are beginning to clinch. 
Mills lane separates the two, and both fighters go back to posturing. Neither fighter seems to be taking the initiative this round. 
Ali tries to shoot in some shots from long distance, but they fall short. 
Fitzsimmons is back to stalking his man, following Ali all over the ring.  Ali pivots, and launches a hard right hand! 
That right stunned Fitzsimmons, who never saw it coming!  Ali lands a hard combination, he’s trying to finish this before the end of the round. 
The referee is taking a close look!
Ali lands another combination that has Fitzsimmons in deep trouble, but the bell ends the action here in the fifth.
Mills Lane jumps between them!

ROUND 6
Ali looks to be gaining momentum as we start the sixth.  Fitzsimmons comes out behind the jab, and lands two. 
Fitzsimmons forces Ali into the ropes! 
Ali bobs and weaves to avoid a terrific combination from Fitzsimmons! 
Fantastic fluid movment from Ali
Ali counters with an especially sharp overhand right! 
Fitzsimmons seems to be walking away from Ali! 
There is something wrong! That jaw is swelling up fast!  It’s defiantly broken!  Mills Lane is calling time! He’s stopping the fight! 
Ali is going to win by TKO here in the sixth!

.... Its officially a sixth round technical knockout! Bob Fitzsimmons' jaw is broken. Flip Hormanski is taking a look as we speak. Ali's bouncing around the ring addressing the crowd. We'll see if we can get an interview with the winner. Fitzsimmons looks ok, he's leaving the ring.. Here's Ali...

Muhammad, congratulations. Are you happy with the ending.

Ali The old man was winded, by the second. I can beat these guys all night. Old Baldy knew he was going nowhere and was in for a beating so he saved himself the inconvenience...

Muhammad, You looked almost bemused in the fourth. Fitzsimmons appeared to be landing with his jab at will...

Ali You call that landing at will? Did you see the whoopin I laid on old Baldy. I was landing at will. I dont know what you were watching - Fitszimmons is, as I alway said he was - flat footed, I was the one landing at will.

Just looking at the schedule, it looks like you'll be fighting the winner of Lennox Lewis and Jimmy Ellis. How do you see that fight going? 

Ali  Firstly Mr Lewis needs to cut his hair, I can recommend a good barber back home in Louisville, who can make a nice cushion from the wastage. Mr Lewis will be needing a nice cushion after the butt whiping I'll give him.

... Do you give Ellis a chance?

Ali I know all about Ellis. Sure I give him a chance, because Ellis isn't as big and clumsy as Lewis and I'll be happy to give him another boxing lesson, just like I did the first time...

Thank You Muhammad...

OFFICIAL SCORECARD

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Chuck Giampa
Ali	10	10	10	9	10											49
Fitzsimmons	9	9	9	10	9											46
Harold Miller
Ali	10	10	9	9	10											48
Fitzsimmons	9	9	10	10	10											48
Oscar Perez
Ali	10	10	10	9	10											49
Fitzsimmons	9	10	10	10	9											48

I hope you enjoyed this latest fight in the heavyweight superfight series. Check back soon for the next showdown on HEAVYWEIGHTNEWS between, Mike Tyson and James J Jeffries.

Swanny