Big Fight Weekend Boxing Podcast

We are back and ready to go with a large show involving arguably the two biggest names in British boxing on the same show + some world title fights being made and more 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 to over it all.

They start with the preview of the Saturday Ring magazine/Netflix card at Tottemham Hotspur Stadium in London
Tyson Fury returns vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov, 12 rounds, heavyweights. What does "The Gypsy King" really have left? Can Makhmudov test him at all? 

Then, the co-feature, Conor Benn battles Regis Prograis, 10 rounds, junior middleweights. Benn leaves Matchroom Boxing and this fight is leading to bigger things later in 2026. And two heavyweights fights- 
Jeamie “TKV” Tshikeva vs. Richard Riakporhe, 12 rounds, for Tshikeva’s British heavyweight title and Justis Huni vs. Frazer Clarke, 10 rounds, heavyweights  

Next a preview of the DMG PPV main event Saturday at Cosmoplotan of Las Vegas

Brandon Adams meets Caoimhin Agyarko, 12 rounds, IBF junior middleweight eliminator. Is there much here? Dan gives his take.j 

And, also a preview of Teiken Promotions Japan card Saturday early morning US time on DAZN
Future hall of famer Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Tenshin Nasukawa, 12 rounds, WBC bantamweight final eliminator 

Then, some news
Abdullah Mason will make his first WBO lightweight title defense against former junior lightweight titleholder Joe Cordina in the main event of a Top Rank card on July 4 on DAZN in Mason’s hometown of Cleveland, per sources

It will headline the 1st event that will also air on TNT as part of a deal between DAZN and TNT announced on Wednesday. We have more details.

IBF 140 lb. titlist Richardson Hitchins and super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga sign with Zuffa Boxing, as does heavyweight Otto Wallin. Will Hitchins in particular make his mandatory defense against Lindolfo Delgado or not on a Zuffa card?

Next, we have Injury updates on Deontay Wilder and Tim Tszyu following their Saturday bouts from Dan. And also, WBO interim light heavyweight titlist Callum Smith has suffered an injury and his mandatory defense against David Morrell scheduled to headline a Matchroom Boxing card on April 18 (DAZN) at M&S Bank Arena in Smith’s hometown of Liverpool, England, is off. The card will go forward with Ben Whittaker’s 10-rounder against Braian Suarez, the original co-feature, will now headline. 

And, O’Shaquie Foster will defend the WBC junior lightweight title against Raymond Ford in the main event of a Matchroom Boxing card on May 30 (DAZN) in the Houston area. While, unified women’s featherweight champion Amanda Serrano will defend against Cheyenne Hanson in the co-feature of MVPW-03 headlined by the rematch between WBA women’s lightweight titlist Stephanie Hand and Holly Holm also on May 30 (ESPN, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET) at El Paso County Coliseum in Han’s hometown of El Paso, Texas, Most Valuable Promotions announced along with additional undercard fights.

It's all on this edition of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to rate and review us on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

We are off the weekend that has seen a heavyweight showdown in England that was long on sloppy, big punching and also Tim Tszyu's Aussie return. And, we go over it all 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

First they recap Saturday’s MF Pro DAZN PPV in London
Deontay Wilder W12 Derek Chisora. This fight appealed to Big Dan and he talks why. Plus,
Viddal Riley W12 Mateusz Masternak, IBF cruiser eliminator and wins European title. And, Denzel Bentley TKO7 Endry Saavedra, wins vacant WBO interim middleweight crown.

Next, a recap of Saturday’s No Limit/PBC on Prime Video card at Wollongong, Australia
Tim Tszyu W10 Denis Nurja (157 pounds). Tszyu looked good and his Errol Spence going to be next?
And, Sam Goodman W12 Rodrigo Ruiz, in an IBF junior featherweight eliminator. 

Also, a recap of Sunday’s MVP ESPN+ card
Lightweight Caroline Dubois W10 Terri Harper, and unifies WBC/WBO women’s titles
Junior featherweight Ellie Scotney W10 Mayelli Flores, unifies all four to become women’s undisputed Junior middleweight Chantelle Cameron W10 Michaela Kotaskova, wins vacant WBO title, Mayer next   
Another Recap Friday’s Treasure Boxing main event in Tokyo
Junior flyweight Rene Santiago W12 Masataka Taniguchi, retains the WBO/WBA titles.

Recap Friday’s Matchroom Boxing on DAZN in Altrincham, England 
Cruiserweight Pat Brown a prospect TKO8 Vasil Ducar
Junior middleweight William Crolla KO7 Glenn Byrne  in a WILD FIGHT! WithCrolla down four times, but,rallies for a KO of the year contender! 

News
Turki Alashikh announces full Oleksandr Usyk- Rico Verhoeven heavyweight title fight undercard. Dan has the details.

Per sources,Keyshawn Davis-Nahir Albright headlines first Top Rank DAZN card May 16 in Norfolk, VA. The guys discuss. 

Per sources to Dan, June 20 is the date in the works for the vacant WBC lightweight title fight between William Zepeda and Lamont Roach Jr.

And, Zuffa Boxing has announced their latest card for May and Dan has more on the main event.

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

We are back in a new month with more intriguing action from England to Australia and we're ready to preview it and go over some fight news and more on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

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

They start with the preview of Saturday’s MF Pro/DAZN card at London’s O2 ArenaDeontay Wilder vs. Derek Chisora, 12 rounds, heavyweights. Do either of them have anything left. Will we get a big brawl from these older veterans that cannot get out of the way? There are takes.

On the undercard Poland's Mateusz Masternak vs. Viddal Riley, 12 rounds, IBF cruiserweight eliminator and for Masternak’s European title. Plus, British star Denzel Bentley vs. Endry Saavedra, 12 rounds, for vacant WBO interim middleweight title.

Next, preview Saturday night’s No Limit PBC on Prime Video in Wollongong, Australia
Tim Tszyu vs. Denis Nurja, 10 rounds, middleweights. Tszyu spoke with Dan earlier in the week and now risks a future fight with Errol Spence that will pay him much more wih this one.
 
Preview MVP’s Sunday ESPN+ card in Lonon
Caroline Dubois vs. Terri Harper, 10 rounds, WBC/WBO women’s lightweight unification. Should be a highly entertaining bout with Dubois on the rise.
   
News

Xander Zayas set to defend unified 154 titles against Jaron 'Boots' Ennis on June 27 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on DAZN PPV, it was announced Monday. This has a lot of intrigue.

Next, the negotiations for a May 30th unification fight between WBO welterweight titlist Devin Haney and WBA titleholder Rolando Romero have fallen through.... SHOCKER, unless it's not. Now, what for Haney?

Also, rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma is supposed to be back in action in July in England but after that Frank Warren told Dan that the plan is to bring him to fight in the U.S. in September. Let’s hear it for actvitiy!  

And, the IBA looking to put on Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev III, but that will be late this year at the earliest. They discuss.

And, per Dan's sources, welterweight contenders Shakhram Giyasov and Jack Catterall have reached an agreement to meet for the vacant WBA “regular” welterweight title on the undercard of lineal and unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s defense against Rico Verhoeven on May 23 (DAZN PPV) at the Pyramids in Giza, Egypt.

We go over it all on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview" and make sure to follow/subscribe to this feed on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

One of the premier fighters at 154 lb., Tim Tszyu, is returning to the ring this weekend, but first he's with our insider Dan Rafael on this special "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast!"

Tszyu, who faces unbeaten Denis Nurja on Prime Video on April 4th U.S. time (April 5th in Tszyu’s home country of Australia) looks to set up a likely summer fight against Errol Spence. 

He and Dan discussed plenty: his stoppage loss to Sebastian Fundora in their rematch last July; why, after having fought in December, he is risking the Spence fight with a tune-up now? Plus, what are his thoughts on working with new trainer Pedro Diaz in Miami and ultimately, his thoughts on the potential Spence fight and more.

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

We're back off a weekend that has seen a championship thumping in Vegas and a British heavyweight rising star scores another big KO. And, we're ready to break it all down on the newest "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Show!"

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

First a recap of Saturday’s PBC on Prime Video PPV
Junior middleweight Sebastian Fundora TKO6 Keith Thurman, retains WBC title. It was a beatiing that Keith Thurman didn't agree with, but everyone else thought was correct. We discuss. In the co-feature
junior middleweight Yoenis Tellez W10 Brian Mendoza. Tellez could be next for Fundora? Pluls, more on middleweight Yoenli Hernandez TKO4 Terrell Gausha and heavyweight Gurgen Hovhannisyan TKO5 Cesar Navarro. 

Next a recap Saturday’s Queensberry DAZN main event in Manchester, England (DAZN)
Heavyweight Moses Itauma continues a roll with a KO5 of veteran of Jermaine Franklin. We discuss his rise and does he get a title shot soon?

Then, some news

Manny Pacquiao-Ruslan Provodnikov exhibition for April 18th postponed and now, Floyd Mayweather claims the fight he signed to rematch Manny won’t be an official fight?! And, he says it might not be at the Sphere!!? What are we doing here?!

Per Dan's reporting, the fight between lineal and unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and IBF mandatory challenger Michael Eifert will top an RCC Promotions card in Ekaterinburg, Russia, in May, and won’t be on the Oleksandr Usyk card in Egypt.  

And, the guys spend some time contemplating the 60th anniversary of Bob Arum promoting his first fight on March 29th, 1966 and he's still going strong now, at 94 years old! 

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