Big Fight Weekend Boxing Podcast

We are back with a recap of the big win by Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez to caputre a world title, we have plenty of fight news and we have a titlle for the NY Knicks in Pro Basketball and the host is headed on a vacation! We cover it all on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives is back with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and newsletter to give their insight and takes on it all.

Dan MUST talk first about his Knicks finally, finally, after 53 years winning the NBA title Saturday night in San Antonio. Has he gotten memorabilla already? Will he be at the parade on Thursday through Manhattan? It's all discussed.

T.J. cares only slightly, as he lives in Florida and is headed on a CRUISE with his family after this show!

So we are ready to get to it!

First, a recap of the Sataurday night Matchroom Boxing main event at Glendale, Arizona
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez KO6 Antonio Vargas and wins WBA bantamweight title. Bam is rolling and is one of the best in the sport. Now, will he get the mega-fight with Naoya Inoue next or not? The guys go over everything.
 
Then, some news
Announcement during the Saturday Matchroom card that super middleweight Diego Pacheco will headline against Immanuwel Aleem on July 26 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Andy Cruz vs. Albert Bell IBF lightweight eliminator in the co-feature.  

No is done yet, but PBC is working to make WBA junior welterweight titlist Gary Antuanne Russell to make his second defense against Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (the WBC interim titlist) in late August or September.  

Heavyweight Moses Itauma’s summer date has been moved to Aug. 29 in London but the hunt is still on for an opponent as Filip Hrgovic has turned down the fight for August. T.J. wonders on all levels WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE with Itauma, who needs rounds and credibility not fighting more regularly.

Next, talks are going on for a mandatory fight between WBA lightweight titlist Gervonta "Tank" Davis and Floyd Schofield. How realistic is this for either of them.

Opponents set for Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins on Zuffa Boxing’s NYC debut card July 26 at Madison Square Garden Theater. Berlanga will take on two-time middleweight title challenger Steven Butler and Hitchins, moving up to welterweight, will face Ricardo Salas. Dan has more on the matchups.

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

One of the top pound for pound fighters in the sport is back and we're ready to discuss his title challenge and go over a bunch of fight news, as well on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives and insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and newsletter are back with all of their insight and takes.

First, a preview of the Saturday night’s Matchroom DAZN main event at Glendale, Ariz.
Antonio Vargas vs. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, 12 rounds, for Vargas’ WBA bantamweight title. Bam is looking for another world title in a 3rd division with sights set on Naoya "the Monster" Inoue. But, can he get back the talented champ Vargas, who is admittedly never been in with a fighter like Bam? The boys debate it all.
 
Then, some news
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductions are on Sunday in Verona, NY, 12 person class in five categories led by modern men: Gennadiy Golovkin, Nigel Benn and Antonio Tarver. Dan has much more on the HOF and the weekend and those being honored. 
Next, Golden Boy Promottions and Oscar De La Hoya sent Zuffa Boxing and parent company TKO a "cease and desist letter" related to the making of the proposed Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn massive bout, because they have not been included in the talks for the Sept. 12 fight, And, they claim Garcia is contractually bound to DAZN and cant fight on Paramount+ or Netflix, where they may do the fight. Not a surprising mess, once again, for Zuffa.

And, then, MVP Promotions announces that WBC/WBA women’s junior middleweight titleholder Mikaela Mayer and WBO titlist Chantelle Cameron, two of the best and most well-known female boxers, will meet to unify their titles on Aug. 29 (ESPN+ in U.S., Sky Sports in U.K.) at bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham, England. A tremendous matchup on paper.

Then, British promoter Boxxer has secured a deal with DAZN beginning August 8 at First Direct Bank Arena in Leeds, England with British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion Troy Williamson defending in a rematch with Callum Simpson.  

Almost comically, iVB Boxing has canceled a July 11 event at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco, where they bragged they would challenge the all-time attendance record 135,132 for Tony Zale-Billy Pryor, a free card in Milwaukee in 1941. NO SHOCK!!!! Dan has more.

And, Floyd Mayweather, at 49, who is mired in deep financial problems, will go through with a boxing exhibition he announced in early March against retired Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis on June 27 at Telekom Center in Athens, Greece. The six-round exhibition will headline the “Battle of Legends” event on DAZN PPV, it was announced on Wednesday.

Hear it all on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

Coming up Saturday night in Arizona, unified 115 lb. champ Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez steps up to challenge Antonio Vargas for the WBA world bantamweight title.

It would be the San Antonio, TX native Bam's third world title win in a third different weight division and he also has his sights set on a much, much, bigger name in Naoya "The Monster" Inoue. 

Hear one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world discuss it all with our insider Dan Rafael in this one on one interview.

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

It was a busy fight weekend in England, Japan and even Montreal and we're ready to go over it all and some fight news and great nostalgia on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and newsletter and are full of takes and insight.

Fisrt, a recap of Saturday's Zuffa Boxing Paramount+/Sky Sports main event in Bournemouth, England
Chris Billam-Smith TKO 7 over Ryan Rozicki, cruiserweights. This was a wild slugfest won by Billam-Smith. Now, how big a fight will he get next?
 
Next, a recap of the Saturday Kameda Promotions show in Tokoname, Japan
Masamichi Yabuki W12 Rene Calixto and retains IBF flyweight title.
Andrew Moloney edges out Willibaldo Garcia in 12 and wins IBF junior bantamweight title
And, John Riel Casimero TKO4 Luis Nery, featherweights 

We also recap Thursday night's  Eye of the Tiger/DAZN card in Montreal
Albert Ramirez W12 Lerrone Richards, retains WBA interim light heavyweight title. A TREMENDOUSLY controversial decision according to Big Dan. And, 
Jhon Orobio and Imam Khataev won on the undercard.

Next, some news
Former middleweight and junior middleweight titlist Demetrius Andrade is returning to the ring for the first time in 2½ years on July 24th. We have more.

Next, Dana White at his post fight presser after Saturday’s card in England agains insisted he/Zuffa will be the promoter for Joshua-Fury, while Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren say otherwise. We go over the "preschool fighting over the toy."

Also, Zuffa announces their next overseas show – August 8 at 3Arena in Dublin. Etinosa Oliha vs. Aaron McKenna headliner for the vacant IBF middleweight title and middleweight Callum Walsh vs. Tyler Denny in the co-feature.

Dan has learned junior middleweight contender Charles Conwell, out of action since his only loss in April 2025, will be back on the Lamont Roach Jr.-William Zepeda card Aug. 1 (DAZN, TNT, truTV).

And, it's official: Katie Taylor vs. Flora Pili for undisputed women’s junior welterweight title Sept. 5 (DAZN) at 82,000-seat Croke Park in Dublin. The presser was Friday and it will be the first boxing event there since Muhammad Ali KO11Alvin “Blue” Lewis July 19, 1972.

Finally, the guys look back on the historic Oscar De La Hoya win over legend Julio Cesar Chavez on June 7, 1996. It was the "passing of the torch" fight in Mexican boxing history with a twsit on it. Dan explains the siginificance. And, we go over other nostalgia from Lennox Lewis to Iran Barkley to Miguel Cotto on this day, too.

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

We're back in June with a cruiserweight contender battle in England, a championship doubleheader in Japan and one of the best pound for pound fighters in the sport joins us, as well, on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives is back with insider Dan Rafael to go over it all with their insight and takes.

They start with a preview of the Saturday Zuffa Boxing Paramount+/Sky Sports main event in Bournemouth, England
Chris Billam-Smith vs. Ryan Rozicki, 10 rounds, cruiserweights. Is the winner in position for Zuffa's Jai Opetaia? It seems so.
 
Also, a preview of the early Saturday (USA time) Kameda Promotions carfd in Tokoname, Japan
Masamichi Yabuki vs. Rene Calixto, for Yabuki’s IBF flyweight title. Yabuki is a tremendous puncher but Calixto has world title experience, Plus, 
Willibaldo Garcia vs. Andrew Moloney, for Garcia’s IBF junior bantamweight title is discussed, too.

Then, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez talks with Dan-
The lineal and three-belt junior bantamweight champion moves up to bantamweight to challenge WBA titleholder Antonio Vargas on June 13 at Glendale, Arizona, and a win likely will propel him to a Naoya Inoue undisputed junior featherweight title fight in the Fall. Hear more from one of the best in the sport!
 
And, some news:

In an unusual ruling, the WBC has ordered cruiserweight titlist Noel Mikaelian to next make a mandatory defense against David Benavidez, the unified WBO/WBA cruiserweight champ, who also still holds the WBC light heavyweight title. There is debate here over all of this.

Next, Irish national hero Katie Taylor, the unified women’s junior welterweight champion and one of the top female boxers of all time, will get her wish for her retirement fight to take place at famed Croke Park in Dublin. There is a Friday presser at the famed venue for an announcement that will be the Taylor fight. She will face IBF mandatory challenger Flora Pili on September 5th, also for the vacant WBC title.  

Also, Lindolfo Delgado (Top Rank Boxing) and Eye of the Tiger fighter Arthur Biyarslanov are negotiating the vacant IBF junior welterweight title fight that was ordered after Teofimo Lopez (moving up), Oscar Duarte (injured) and Keyshawn Davis (moving up), all ahead of Biyarslanov in the IBF rankings, turned down the fight.  

Now official: Lamont Roach-William Zepeda for the vacant WBC lightweight title fight has been announced for August 1st at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. It wiill headline Golden Boy card on DAZN and be simulcast on TNT and truTV in the US.

Finally, Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of Muhammad Ali’s death. The boys discuss the greatness of Ali for awhile.

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