The Cut

We are not even halfway through the fight

here in Vegas and the crowd is really eating it up.

Both these guys deserve to win,

but I don't think there's a chance in hell

this fight is going the distance.

Someone's going home on their shield tonight.

This is relentless, simply relentless.

You know what a good chin he's got,

but if he keeps eating punches like that,

there's no way he's surviving to the end of the fight.

And that is a huge blow by the Irishman.

Oh! The sweat is just flying off

these guys here. The energy is unbelievable.

I don't think either fighter's gonna quit.

They are really barreling hard.

And that is a flurry of brutal shots.

He's gotta find an answer to this.

He's gotta fire back.

You have him, d'you hear me?

Just keep your distance. Pick your shots.

Caitlin Harney is working hard

in the Irishman's corner over there.

Joe, they are not letting up.

He has to keep the pressure on now.

This fight is his to lose.

Look at that left to the body there.

- And a right to the head. - Mom!

Mom!

Mom!

Oh, and he eats a right to the body.

And a left and a right.

He's let him off the hook there.

That is a huge cut

that's opened up above the eye.

Brutal. There is no way

the doctor lets this continue at the break.

No way. That cut is nasty.

If he doesn't close the show this round, it's over.

But he takes another, and another.

He's out on his feet. The referee surely

has to stop this now.

- Oh! - It's over!

It's over! He came so close, but he's thrown it away.

Can't hear ya!

Louder. Louder.

Let's go. All right, hit it, hit it, hit it, hit it.

Oh, you missed it. Oh, you missed it.

Where's your left? Where's your left?

Hit, hit.

Rounded up a few stragglers here.

Nice one, ladies.

All right, let's go. On your feet.

Come on. Right, who's ready?

Me! I can't hear you.

- Who's ready? - Me!

Great. Ten press-ups. Let's go.

Let me see that twist. Come on. Flick it.

That's right.

One, two. A little flick like that.

Parry.

Jab, parry. Jab, parry.

Now, remember, straight down the middle.

Keep your arm straight, okay?

That's great. Now, one, two.

Lovely, lovely. You've been doing good, right?

Can I get a photo with my wee son?

- Go on, get in there. Yeah. - You want a photo?

- Yeah. - Right.

Put your fists up.

Gorgeous.

- Thank you. - Go on, double it up.

Go on, double it up.

You all right, Bobby? Yeah, I'm good.

We're just finishing up the squirts.

Hmm? Finished that meal prep

I sent you? Yeah, I'm thinning up.

I mean, what do you think, kitty cat? Tight, yeah?

Why don't you go get changed?

Right. I'm going.

Pop that left. Pick your shots.

- It's not a fucking brawl. - What's that?

Just tighten up.

Oh, she likes it tight.

Your rhythm's off.

- Well, I can't hear a damn thing. - You're mumbling.

Turn that thing off, will ya?

Just stay focused. It's hard to focus

when your man keeps fucking with my flow.

Right, Bobby, out of the ring.

Still got your floor work to get through.

Short one with the right hand.

He's taking Mendez's shots well too,

proving he's got a chin.

If he connects with one of these big swings,

well, that could be lights out.

And if Mendez is backing off here...

I mean, he needs to put some pressure on him.

And his defence has been terrible tonight.

He just cannot seem to get into this fight.

Makes you think how well he's trained. Has he really...

Give me another five?

- I've got plenty I can do. - Good.

Get to it, you lazy shite.

Mendez slumps onto his stool there.

The trainer seems to be really concerned there.

Hey. You ready?

Pop.

You fucking with me?

- Are you fucking with me? - I'm with you.

Sad news from here at the hospital

where Mendez was being treated

is that he has succumbed to the injuries sustained...

Here. ...over the fight earlier this evening

and has regrettably lost his life. Thanks.

The medical team released a statement

confirming dehydration

may have been a factor in the boxer's death.

There will now be a full investigation.

Meanwhile, the boxing community mourns

the loss of a talented athlete.

It has not been confirmed whether the fight

will go on with a replacement challenger at this time.

From Las Vegas, I'm Catalina Pérez de Armiñán.

That's the latest news there from Las Vegas.

More, of course, as we have it. Moving on now...

You okay if I head out for a bit?

Yeah, sure.

Mmm.

Vegetarians. Pescatarians. Vegans, huh?

Me, personally, if I can't kill it,

I can't eat it. Mm? Mm.

Jesus.

Here's the man, right?

Highest knockout-to-win ratio for a super welterweight, huh?

Hey, that's a stat that's still unchallenged.

Nobody's close.

People don't care about stats, only champions.

That's for sure.

You sure you don't wanna order nothin'?

No. I'm grand.

Okay, then, business.

We weren't already talking business?

You're Ricky Dove's little girl, right?

That's no secret. Hmm. Some trainer, your old man.

That must have been quite the schooling.

He wanted boys, not girls.

We washed the towels, made a lot of tea and listened.

Your little problem must have broke his heart.

Mind your manners.

You fighting my fights for me now?

Okay, then. Business.

I have a title fight set in Vegas for next week,

and the contender knocked dead

after a goddamn celebrity match with a fucking palooka YouTuber.

What kind of circus are you running?

Johnny YouTube has a half a billion viewers.

We wanted those, so we set it up.

He wasn't supposed to swing real hits.

Got all excited and, boo, there you go.

Six months' work.

Venue, insurance, pay-per-view...

Yeah, and a dead contender.

Yeah, sure, that too.

If you wanna swing by the gym and have a look

at a few of the lads, you're more than welcome.

I got plenty of contenders I could go to.

But who pays to see Mr. Nobody

from Timbuktu fight a champ, huh?

People like a comeback kid story,

plain as that, always have.

He's not a competitive fighter anymore.

Yeah? Then why did he call me?

I was going to say.

He won't make the weight check. We talked about that.

I'll take care of the checks.

So long as he can hit the official weigh-in.

So it's all worked out, huh?

I need you, and I don't do it without you.

- You know that. - Hey.

Don't say no to a good thing.

You're carrying what?

One seventy-five.

Don't fucking bullshit this.

One eighty. I said don't fucking bullshit.

One eighty straight.

Seven days. Six, including travel.

That's 26 pounds in six days.

Look, it's just a number.

Let's not get too down here, huh?

Come out to Vegas. Come to the facility.

We have trainers, man, the very best. Hmm?

She trains me. I can get you anyone.

Name a name. I'll make it happen.

It's you and me.

That's how I do it.

Or not at all. Right?

And if it doesn't go well?

We pull out.

I train him, and we choose the team.

Sure.