Big Fight Weekend Boxing Podcast

Some drama and action at separate fight cards in England, including a title win at light heavyweight and we have some interesting fight news, too on the newest "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast"

Host T.J. Rives is aback with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter to go over it all

First, they ecap Saturday’s Queensberry’s DAZN main event in Manchester, England
Light heavyweight Willy Hutchinson W12 Joshua Buatsi, rematch, wins vacant WBC title. It was a tremendous performance in this one for Hutchinson to realize a dream of winning a WBC world title.
 
Next a recap of Saturday’s Zuffa Boxing card in London
Cruiserweight Chev Clarke TKO7 to upset Chris Billam-Smith. Clarke made the most of the main event stage in this one.
 
In the co-feature middleweight Denzel Bentley decisioned Shane Mosley Jr in a good showing, but what 's his short term future? And, American heavyweight Da’Mazion Vanhouter TKO1 Ivan Balaz, as he continues to rise.
 
Also, a recap of Saturday night’s Salita Promotions DAZN main event in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Flyweight Abraham Perez W12 Yankiel Rivera, retains his WBA interim title. Dan is high on Perez.
 
Then, some news
Jaime Munguia-Bektemir Melikuziev update – Melikuziev won a hastily-arranged bout Friday in his tune-up following the step-aside deal they made so Munguia could fight Nikita Zon on Oct. 31.
 
The IBF has ordered super middleweight titlist Osleys Iglesias and mandatory challenger Malik Zinad to begin negotiations. We have more on the timeline for this potential bout.
 
Conor Benn talked to Sky Sports and said he was offered Manny Pacquiao fight for Fury-AJ undercard but turned it down because he wouldn’t be ready so soon after the Garcia fight and so soon after his son was born but would be interested to do it in the first quarter of 2027. But what does Manny have left, anyway?
 
MVP Promotions announced WBC/WBO women’s lightweight titleholder Caroline Dubois and WBA titlist Stephanie Han will meet in a three-belt unification fight on Feb. 20 (ESPN+ in U.S., Sky Sports in U.K.) in Han’s hometown of El Paso, Texas. and also, that they have signed Ring magazine and WBO women’s junior bantamweight champion Mizuki Hiruta (11-0, 2 KOs), 30, a Japanese southpaw and one of the top females pound for pound.

It's all part of the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

It's busy weekend of championship action in England and for a women's title card in Texas and we're ready to go over it all and have lots of fight news on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives is back iwth insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter to go over it all.

First a preview of Saturday’s Queensberry DAZN main event in Manchester, England 
Light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson, rematch, for vacant WBC title. We have more on the matchup for the belt taht David Benavidez vacated.
 
Next, they preview Saturday’s Zuffa Boxing Paramount+/Sky Sports card in London
Chris Billam-Smith vs. Chev Clarke, 10 rounds, cruiserweights
Denzel Bentley vs. Shane Mosley Jr., 10 rounds, middleweights
Da’Mazion Vanhouter vs. Ivan Balaz, 8 rounds, heavyweights

And there is brief conversation on the women's title fights in Arlington, TX for MVP Promotions and on ESPN, as Elif Nur Turhan meets Alycia Baumgardner, 10 rounds, for Turhan’s IBF women’s lightweight title in the headlining bout.
 
Then some news
Top Rank Boxing announces on Thursday the Devin Haney-Liam Paro welterweight unification fight for DAZN PPV (or Ultimate Plan) on Dec. 19 at Chase Center in San Francisco; welterweight Brian Norman Jr.-Abel Ramos co-feature
 
Top Rank also announces it has re-signed unretiring three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko; and Dan is reporting on the date for this return fight.
 
Netflix and Turki Alalshikh confrim the Deontay Wilder-Jai Opetaia official for Dec. 11 as the Fury-Joshua co-feature.
 
Also, PBC announces Erislandy Lara-Tim Tszyu date, site, undercard. We have the latest.
 
The IBF on Tuesday ruled on the Lindolfo Delgado-Arthur Biyarslanov situation, ordering them to resume negotiations for the vacant junior welterweight title. Did they make the rightg call after Delgado skipped traveling last week to Riyadh? There are takes.
 
Next, Floyd Mayweather announces exhibition Dec.19 in Bangkok, Thailand, vs. Australian Matty “The Jedi” Floyd. Huh? Is the Pacquiao fight happening?
 
And, In a fight the Tennessee commission regulated despite the participants being a combined 115 years old, former WBC heavyweight titlist Oliver McCall, who is 61, stopped Jeremiah Williams, 54, in the fifth round on Tuesday night in Nashville. SIXTY-ONE!!!!!!!!!!! What are we doing here???

It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview" podcast and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

One of the greats of the sport for the last 25 years returned and won Saturday night in Saudi Arabia. We have the full fight card review and some fight news on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives is back with insider Dan Rafael of the Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter with their insight and takes.

First a full recap of Saturday’s Canelo Promotions/Riyadh Season DAZN PPV in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Canelo Alvarez W12 Christian Mbilli, regains WBC 168 lb. title. Canelo was in command in this one and how much longer with the future hall of famer continue on?
Next, super middleweight Jaime Munguia decisions little known Nikita Zon, retains WBA title, but not without drama, as he was nearly kayoed in round six in this one. The boys discuss the trouble he was in and Munguia's future.
Also, featherweight Rafael Espinoza TKO3 Ricardo Blandon, , retains his WBO title on a nasty cut for the opponent and Japanese rising junior lightweight Reito Tsutsumi TKO2 Raymundo Rojas +
featherweight Carl Martin W10 split decision over David Picasso, too.
 
The guys also get into the brutality and the long boring parts of the DAZN  broadcast Saturday.
 
Next, some news:
Per Dan's reporting, Deontay Wilder will meet Jai Opetaia, as they have agreed for Dec. 11 Fury-Joshua undercard. Why this fight for both?
 
And, future hall of fame, former undisputed heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk, with no Wilder fight apparently now, says he is dropping down to cruiserweight and hopes to fight unbeaten David Benavidez, who has said he is open to it. What's the likelihood that this one actually happens?

Hear it all on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

One of the greats of the sport, Canelo Alvarez is back and we're ready to discuss his return fight in the Middle East and the title bouts on the undercard, plus, tons of fight news too on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter to go over it all and give their takes.

They begin with the Preview of Saturday’s Canelo Promotions/Riyadh Season DAZN PPV card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:
 
Super middleweight title fight as Christian Mbilli meets Canelo for Mbilli’s WBC title. Can Canelo rebound a year after his Terence Crawford defeat to beat the young, tough Mbilli? We discuss.
On the undercard-
Super middleweight Jaime Munguia vs. Nikita Zon, for Munguia’s WBA title. This is a silly, supposedly easy fight for Munguia, but then again, he got kayoed by an unknown opponent two years ago, too,. Stay tuned. Plus,, featherweight Rafael Espinoza vs. Ricardo Blandon, for Espinoza’s WBO title and also on the show: 
Junior featherweight David Picasso vs. Carl Martin, 10 rounds
Junior lightweight Reito Tsutsumi vs. Raymundo Rojas, 10 rounds

 
Then tons of fight news
Per Bob Arum, former three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, who is coming out of retirement, is doing a new deal with Top Rank that will commence in February vs. Chrarly Saurez of the Philippines. The winner headed to a shot at O’Shaquie Foster and eventually the winner possibly for undisputed vs. the Dec. 19 Anthony Cacace-Nick Ball winner.
 
Also, Top Rank will promote the Devin Haney-Liam Paro welterweight unification fight Dec. 19 DAZN PPV at the Chase Center in Haney’s native San Francisco. Co-feature: Brian Norman vs. Abel Ramos. Dan has more.
 
Next, the WBO on Tuesday named Raymond Muratalla, who was already its No. 1 junior welterweight contender, the mandatory challenger and ordered champion Shakur Stevenson to fight him next. Will this bout happen?
 
On Wednesday, PBC hosted the kickoff presser for the Dec. 5 DAZN PPV card headlined by the David Benavidez-Michal Cieslak three-belt cruiserweight unification fight. Benavidez heavily favored to roll and look for a massive fight in May.
 
Queensberry Promotions is already making plans for WBO heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois to be back in action with Jan. 30 penciled in, as the date. He is possibly meeting top heavyweight Joseph Parker, per sources to Dan.
 
Next, awful look for super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga, who was charged with two counts of battery in a domestic violence case in Polk County, Florida.late last week and taken to jail/bonded out this week, We have the details.
 
Continuing, Jake Paul announced Thursday he will return to ring Dec. 24 in Dubai, UAE. No opponent, rounds, weight, broadcaster announced yet. First fight since last December when Anthony Joshua broke his jaw in two places in a massive KO loss. Will the public really care, especially for a fight in the middle of the afternoon USA time on Christmas Eve?
 
Next, Amanda Serrano, who has won world titles in a women’s record seven divisions and is a surefire Hall of Famer, announced her final fight before retirement. She will defend the lineal and WBO/WBA featherweight belts against Australia’s Sky Falzon in the headliner of an MVP card dubbed Jan. 9 (DAZN) in a homecoming fight at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan.
 
And, finally an update on talks for the fight between WBC welterweight titlist Ryan Garcia and WBA titleholder Teofimo Lopez with date of Feb. 6 penciled in. This fight "has legs" to happen, but is not signed, yet.

It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview" podcast and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

One of the premier promoters/personalities in the sport for six decades is a special guest on this "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast!"

Dan Rafael talks to Top Rank chairman Bob Arum about a variety of topics. Bob weighs in his card from Saturday night when O’Shaquie Foster dominated dropped Emanuel Navarrete to unify three junior lightweight titles and also lays out the plans he has in mind for him culminating in fighting for the undisputed title. Arum also discussed rising featherweight contender Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez’s big knockout on in the co-feature and plans for him as well.

Arum also talked about the deal he has made for unretiring future hall of famer Vasiliy Lomachenko to re-join Top Rank and the plans for him, including his February return and a potential shot at Foster.

Bob also plenty to say about potentially working again with WBO 140 lb. champ Shakur Stevenson, the impending order of his junior welterweight mandatory defense Top Rank’s Raymond Muratalla, and what went wrong in Shakur’s deal with Zuffa Boxing?

Plus, Arum weighs in on releasing Keyshawn Davis on his promotional deal; and he reveals that Top Rank will work with Devin Haney and promote his Dec. 19 unification fight with Liam Paro in San Francisco.

It's all part of the "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" and make sure to follow/suibscribe on this feed on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!