Big Fight Weekend Boxing Podcast

We're ready for a heavyweight title showdown in an unusual place, the Pyramids of Egypt, as Oleksandr Usyk is back in 2026 to defend against a kick boxing champion. We cover over the full card and lots of fight news too on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

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

They start with Saturday’s Ring magazine DAZN PPV card in Giza, Egypt
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven, 12 rounds, for lineal/WBC heavyweight title. Will this be a joke/easy work for Usyk or does Verhoeven get lucky and make it interesting?

Also, Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Alem Begic, 12 rounds, for vacant WBO super middleweight title. Sheeraz is a rising star in search of a world title and could be a future opponent for Canelo down the road.

Next, Shakhram Giyasov vs. Jack Catterall, 12 rounds, for vacant WBA “regular” welterweight title.
And, Frank Sanchez vs Richard Torrez Jr., 12 rounds, IBF heavyweight eliminator. A big step up for Torrez in level of competition. 

Also, Friday night’s Golden Boy DAZN card in San Jose, California 
Rising Amari Jones vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri, 12 rounds, IBF middleweight eliminator. Dan has big expectations for Jones in this one.

Next, some news
During Ryan Garcia’s appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" on Monday, he announced he is fighting Conor Benn on Sept. 12 in Las Vegas. It may be happening, but we doubt that date and same time as the Canelo PPV in Saudi Arabia.

Next, Dan is reporting that Zuffa Boxing is planning its first American card outside of Las Vegas for July 26in NY, where Edgar Berlanga, Richardson Hitchins & Sergey Derevyanchenko will all be on the card.  

Also, William Zepeda and Lamont Roach Jr., who have had a deal in place for weeks, will meet for the vacant WBC lightweight title in the headliner of a Golden Boy card on August 1, probably at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The card will also be an edition of “The Fight” series and simulcast from DAZN on TNT in the U.S.  

MVP Promotions has banned Claressa Shields from all its future events after she got into a physical altercation with MVP fighter Alycia Baumgardner during the MVP-promoted MMA card topped by Ronda Rousey-Gina Carano on Saturday nightt. Can't we all get along?

And, finally, a few words on the death at age 81 of significant manager Dennis Rappaport, who co-managed Gerry Cooney to the heavyweight title shot vs. Holmes in their mega fight and managed Oleg Maskaev to the WBC heavyweight title in 2008. Dan dealt with this character of the sport in the 2000s and remembers him fondly.

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

We had a busy weekend of main events in Norfolk, VA, Doncaster, England and even Germany, and we're ready to go over the action and some fight news 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 insight and analysis.

They start with the Saturday night Top Rank/DAZN main event in Norfolk, Virginia
First Top Rank event of its DAZN deal, Bob Arum, age 94, back at ringside after knee replacement surgery that had kept him from traveling for months.
Junior welterweight Keyshawn Davis wins the main event in 12 over Nahir Albright, but does something stupid, again, during the fight, this time. Will he learn? Will it continue to cost the talented fighter in the future?

Also, Welterweight Brian Norman scored a TKO2 over Josh Wagner with a brain dead referee trying to adminsiter the count and then not stopping the fight, when he should have. What. Are. We. Doing Here?
Then, the Saturday Queensberry DAZN main event in Doncaster, England
Heavyweight Filip Hrgovic scores a lopsided TKO3 over veteran Dave Allen, who needs to retire. Hrgovic is apparently next for Moses Itauama. The guys have the latest.

And, back on Friday main event, on DAZN in Mannheim, Germany-
Welterweight Paddy Donovan decisions Karen Chukhadzhian for an IBF final eliminator. Will Donovan get another fight with Lewis Crocker? We go over it all.
 

NEWS
Canelo Alvarez vs. and newly elevated, WBC super middleweight titlist Christian Mbilli officially announced for September in Saudi Arabia. The guys wonder if Canelo has agreed to fight early Sunday a.m. again, there or not?

Also, former WBO heavyweight titlist Fabio Wardley has exercized his contractual right to an immediate rematch with Daniel Dubois, so, they will meet again later this year.  

The WBA and IBF have finally weighed in on the status of their belts for the Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven fight on Saturday May 23rd at the Pyramids in Giza Egypt. Get ready to be confused.

Junior welterweight contender Oscar Duarte will be sidelined until late this year due to a severe laceration he suffered behind his ear in a split decision over Angel Fierro on May 2 so he has passed on fighting Lindlfo Delgado for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title. Dan has more.

And, another change to the Matchroom main event on June 6: WBC interim flyweight titlist Galal Yafai is injured and out of a mandatory fight with WBC/WBA titleholder Ricardo Sandoval.

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

It's a weekend without a significant world title bout but there are some interesting fights from Virginia to the U.K. and we'll go over it all with some fight news on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

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

Preview of Saturday's Top Rank DAZN card in Norfolk, Virginia and the first event of Top Rank’s new DAZN deal:
Keyshawn Davis vs. Nahir Albright, in a rematch, 12 rounds, junior welterweights. Has Keyshawn fully gotten his act together, especially when he fought with Albright out of the ring in his locker room last year after he missed weight cancelling his main event?

Also, former world champ Brian Norman vs. Josh Wagner, 10 rounds, welterweights. It's Norman's first bout since losing the WBO title to Devin Haney and he wants to look good.

Then, it's a preview of Saturday's Queensberry DAZN card in Doncaster, England
Dave Allen vs. Filip Hrgovic, 10 rounds, heavyweights. It's an opportunity for the Croatian Hrgovic to look good and likely fight unbeaten rising star heavyweight Moses Itauma next in August. We discuss.

Then, some news
Three-division champion and former pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko, who has not fought since May 2024 and announced his retirement in June 2025, is ending his retirement to return this fall. Whom will he fight? Dan has more also on Top Rank and DAZN working on April 8 IBF title defense for Ray Muratalla and discussing two opponents,  But would this be Loma trying to get his belt back against Muratalla? Dan has the latest.

Next, Jake Paul said in an interview this week with Ariel Helwani that he may not be able to fight again due to the severity of the broken jaw he suffered vs. Anthony Joshua in December. The guys discuss it and his options, if he doesn't box anymore.

Heavyweight Derek Chisora said this week to Sky Sports he is ending his extremely brief retirement – since the April 4 Wilder fight -- with permission from his wife and claims he is getting a rematch with Wilder. 

IBF welterweight titlist Lewis Crocker will make his mandatory defense against Liam Paro on June 24th at Pat Rafter Arena in Paro’s hometown of Brisbane, Australia, No Limit Boxing announced the details on Tuesday.  

The fight between middleweight Amari Jones and former IBF titlist Vincenzo Gualtieri, which headlines a Golden Boy card on May 22 (DAZN) in San Jose, California, has now been elevated to an official IBF title eliminator.  

We also take a look back to Sunday night's Zuffa card in Las Vegas: Middleweight Shane Mosley Jr., with his Hall of Fame father Shane Sr. at ringside, notched the biggest win of his career with a sixth-round knockout of Serhii Bohachuk in the Zuffa Boxing 06. 

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

It was dramatic and it was brutal and we're ready to recap the WBO heavyweight world title fight won by Daniel Dubois. Plus, we had a featherweight world title fight nixed at the weigh in and controversy continues through the weekend. And, we have fight news too on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter with their takes.

They give a full recap of Saturday’s Queensberry DAZN PPV in Manchester, England
They start with the Dubois TKO11 Fabio Wardley, as he wins the WBO title. T.J. is adamant that no one cared about the safety of Wardley late in the fight. Dan gives his rebuttal and they also talk the future now for Dubois.

They also go over the undercard where:
Welterweight Jack Rafferty scored a TKO6 over Ekow Essuman
Zak Chelli 's stunning TKO10 of David Morrell in a light heavyweight battle
And gigantic Bakhodir Jalolov TKO7 vs. Agron Smakici but he isn't showing promise and progress enough for Dan at this point.
 
Then it's fight news
Featherweight contender Ra’eese Aleem badly missed weight on Friday and his mandatory fight with IBF titlist Angelo Leo was canceled though the rest of the Salita Promotions’ DAZN card went on Saturday night.

Next, SI's Chris Mannix is reporting that Shakur Stevenson on verge of signing with "Zuffa Boxing" a.k.a. Turki Alashikh bankrolling for Ring PPVs.

Also, Lightweights Edwin De Los Santos and Jose Valenzuela will meet in a 10-round rematch their shootout that will headline Zuffa Boxing 08 on June 28  at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. And, the Saudis may have ended their LIV golf commitment but TKO says they are still all in their boxing, UFC and WWE business.

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

We're back with title fight action in England and Atlanta and some fight news, as it's the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

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

They start with the preview of the Saturday Queensberry DAZN card in Manchester, England
Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois, for Wardley’s WBO heavyweight title. This has the possibility of being fireworks early and should be quite the atmosphere.

Also on the undercard David Morrell vs. Zak Chelli, 10 rounds, light heavyweights, as Morrell gets a fight after his Callum Smith main event was cancelled a couple of weeks ago due to Smtih injury.
 
Then, a preview of Saturday night's Salita Promotions DAZN main event in Atlanta
Angelo Leo vs. Ra’eese Aleem, 12 rounds, for Leo’s IBF featherweight title. Leo has some big title wins, but Aleem may be poised for an upset, too.
 
And, a quick Preview of Sunday night's Paramount+ Zuffa main event in Las Vegas
Shane Mosley Jr. vs. Serhii Bohachuk, 10 rounds, middleweights. A solid second level, non title fight in the main event.
 
Then, some fight news
WBO welterweight Devin Haney and "Zuffa Boxing" in talks for a multi-fight promotional deal. However, T.J. wants to make clear what's "Zuffa" and what's actually Turki Alashikh paying for and putting a fight on PPV that has nothing to do with "Zuffa Boxing."

Next, Junto Nakatani is diagnosed with a broken orbit bone by his left eye. It apparently happened on a right uppercut in round 11 of the loss to Inoue Saturday night. He will be out a while.

Also, the official announcement of WBO lightweight titleholder Abdullah Mason’s first defense, a Cleveland homecoming vs. Joe Cordina on DAZN July 4 with WBC featherweight titlist Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington’s first defense vs. Rene Palacios in the co-feature. An intriguing card on the famous holiday.

And, a new date for British rising phenom heavyweight Moses Itauma – moving off a July 25th main event date, so as not to go same day as the Anthony Joshua-Prenga PPV. Dan has more.

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