Zbikowski's debut a KO
June 11, 2006
BY PAT REICHART Special to the Sun-Times

NEW YORK -- Forty-nine seconds. That's all it took for Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski to become an undefeated professional boxer.
A stunning series of left uppercuts sent his opponent, Robert Bell, to the canvas 30 seconds into their fight Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Upon rising, Bell was hit with a devastating right hook and a partial left uppercut. And before Zbikowski had broken a sweat, the bout was finished.
"I worked real hard the last six, seven weeks,'' Zbikowski said from the ring immediately after his victory. "I wanted to prove to everyone I can fight. I'm not just a football player.''
He took the ring with a pomp and circumstance rarely seen in a pro debut, and he suddenly was standing front and center at the "World's Most Famous Arena.'' The football season is still more than two months away, but the pep rally rivaled anything the Joyce Center had to offer.
Zbikowski was serenaded with the Notre Dame fight song, performed by gospel singer Bebe Winans, as his Notre Dame teammates lined the tunnel leading to the ring. The crowd sang along, as did his teammates, some of whom waved Irish flags. They were led by Brady Quinn, and behind Zbikowski marched roommate Jeff Samardzija, who waved a Polish flag. Chants of "Let's go, Irish!'' rained down.
The crowd was littered with supporters, some rather surprising. In Section 84 sat Nick Mangold, the former Ohio State center drafted by the New York Jets. He was there to cheer on Zbikowski.
When Bell took the ring, Mangold sat on his hands, even though Bell and his cornermen wore Buckeyes football jerseys. Then, rising, he cheered the Notre Dame fight song, too.
Before the bout, there was worry in the hallways beneath the Garden, as Zbikowski was the last fighter to show up. In fact, four fighters had come, fought and departed before he and his remarkably large entourage arrived.
"We just took our time walking over here from the hotel,'' said Zbikowski's brother, E.J., who was dressed in an all-black tuxedo with a long white tie.
The other members of Zbikowski's crew wore T-shirts that read "Tommy Z Entourage'' on the front and "Fight Like A Champion Today'' on the back.
The fight was over before it began, as Zbikowski lived up to the opulence of his entrance. Afterward, he and a few hundred friends headed to a postfight gala to celebrate his victory.
In the main event, Miguel Cotto retained his World Boxing Organization junior-welterweight title with a unanimous decision against challenger Paulie Malignaggi. Cotto won 116-111 on two of the three judges' cards and 115-112 on the other.
*In Atlantic City, N.J., former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins outboxed Antonio Tarver to win the world light-heavyweight title. All three judges scored the fight 118-109 for Hopkins.