thank you, bob. the electricity is everywhere tonight. rocky balboa, a fifty-to-one underdog, is living a cinderella story which has captured peoples' imaginations all over the world -- to quote a popular sports magazine, 'the fighting style should be 'the caveman against the cavalier.' from the increase in sound it appears the challenger is now approaching the ring. his record is forty-four wins, twenty losses and thirty-eight knockouts. you could go deaf with the noise -- it undoubtedly means champion apollo creed is heading towards the ring -- it's been confirmed that it is definitely an impersonation of george washington -- a great way to start 1976 off. you look in great shape, joe. the champion is smiling and toying with the man -- trying to give the fans their money's worth and make a show of it with the badly out-classes challenger -- another left to right combination. i feel sorry for -- if you had asked anyone who knows boxing, they never would've predicted a first round knockdown and the second round punishment to the body of the champion. most fighters will tell you, receiving a good body punch is the next worst thing to dying. there's no way apollo expected this kind of hitting power. not only has he refused to fall, but he has beaten the champion's body without mercy and the bout has become a vicious slugfest.