Big Fight Weekend Boxing Podcast

Coming up Saturday night in Las Vegas, it's the battle for the WBC world welterweight title, as Ryan Garcia defends against Conor Benn. However, before the one of the biggest bouts of 2026 gets into the ring, flamboyant UFC president and head of Zuffa Boxing, Dana White joins our insider Dan Rafael for a one on one conversation.

This conversation is actually a recorded audio interview that Dan did mid-week prior to the #GarciaBenn showdown. 

In their discussion, White talks about the magnitude for Zuffa and benefactor Turki Alashikh putting this bout on in Las Vegas. Also, their belief that Benn can become a superstar starting Saturday night that will catapult their promotion and interest. This is especially if the son of hall of famer Nigel Benn can capture the coveted "WBC green belt" and become an even more marketable star in the U,.K., as well.

They also discuss White's contentious relationship with Garcia's promoter and hall of fame fighter Oscar De La Hoya, whom he regularly insults publicly and and on social media. 

Hear it all on this "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" feed and follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!!

It's a massive world title showdown in Vegas for Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, plus, Dana White is aboard talking one on one with our Dan Rafael and the latest on Fury-Joshua, which looks like it will now take place in the U.K. afterall. And, we shall go over it all on the newest "Big Figtht Weekend Preview Podcast!"

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

First, they preview Saturday night's Zuffa/Paramount+ card at T-Mobile in Las Vegas 

Garcia meets the son of the hall of famer Nigel Benn in a 12 round battle for Garcia’s WBC welterweight title. Both fighters have "checkered pasts" with previous PED suspensions and there is a lot of intrigue around whether either fighter is handling the weight drain well? There's plenty to dissect, including can Garcia pack the bigger punch in this one?

In the co-feature, Jai Opetaia vs. Noel Mikaelian, 12 rounds, for Opetaia’s lineal cruiserweight title. There is also some controversy around this bout, including, will the WBC vacate the title after this fight no matter who wins?

And, also Mark Magsayo vs. Andres Cortes, 10 rounds, lightweights, plus, Jose Ramirez vs. Alexis Rocha, 10 rounds, welterweights are discussed on the undercard.

Then, a quick preview of Friday night's ProBox card in Oceanside, Calif.
Giovani Santillan vs. Abass Baraou, 10 rounds, junior middleweights
Luis Alberto Lopez vs. Daniel Lugo, 10 rounds, junior lightweights  
 
Next it's Dan iwth Dana White 
The flamboyant head of UFC and the "front face" of Zuffa Boxing is promoting the Garcia-Benn event, which we discussed plus other topics like the progress of their promotion, the attempt to change the Muhammad Ali Act in Congress, and more.

Then, some intriguing news

Per Dan;s reporting, the Joshua-Fury is now headed for Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on Nov. 28th. Dan, has the latest on why Turki Alashikh, White, Zuffa, etc. are relenting on the fight not taking place in New York on November 20. 

Also, Dan is reporting, WBC heavyweight titlist Agit Kabayel will make his first defense against Nelson Hysa in Germany. The date penciled in is Nov. 28th also, like the Joshua-Fury.

And, more from Dan, who says Matchroom is finalizing a three-belt junior middleweight unification fight between WBO/WBA titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis and IBF titleholder Josh Kelly on a date that has not been determined yet. But his sources say would take place in late November or December but it will be at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. 

Next, hall of fame two-time undisputed lightweight champion Ismael Laguna died on Tuesday in his home country of Panama. He was 83. Dan pays tribute, as only he can.

Also, in the wake of Raymond Muratalla’s decision to vacate the IBF lightweight title, the IBF has ordered Russian Artur Subkhankulov and Andy Cruz to meet for the vacant title, so Cruz will not move down in weight as he planned.

And, finally, Amanda Serrano, the lineal and WBO/WBA women’s unified featherweight champion, whose world titles in seven divisions are a female record, announced on social media that she will have her final fight in January. 

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

It was an intriguing and bizarre at times weekend of action in Ireland and New Jersey and we're ready to recap Katie Taylor's "Farewell Fight" and former unified heavyweight champ Andy Ruiz comeback to title contntion ending before it began. And we're going over it all 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 all the takes.

They start with Saturday’s Matchroom Boxing DAZN card at famed Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland

Junior welterweight Katie Taylor W10 Flora Pili, retains WBO/IBF/WBA, wins vacant WBC women’s title to become undisputed again. What a night in fron of over 80,000 fans in one of the greatest scenes in the history of women's boxing.

Also, heavyweight Dave Allen No Contest 1 Thomas Carty after Carty fell head first out of the ring to the floor! And, Welterweight Paddy Donovan TKO4 Tyrone McKenna too.

Then they discuss Friday’s Matchroom Boxing DAZN/TNT card in Newark, N.J.

Heavyweight Damian Knyba W12 Andy Ruiz Jr. with a debacle from the referee after Ruiz was down in the seventh and Knyba was the better fighter to upset Ruiz. The guys have more on Ruiz obviously suffering from age and inactivity.

In the co-feature, middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. W10 Austin “Ammo” Williams to help his title contention hopes, but  Lightweight Eridson Garcia stunned rising Alan Chaves over 10 rounds. Plus,
lightweight Zaquin Moses TKO5 Angel Contreras.  

Next some news
It's our obligatory Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua update on the newest nonsense / now, maybe it will be in the UK, and Eddie Hearn is accusing TKO of trying to talk directly to Joshua. Will this fight happen at all in November?

Then, the WBO orders middleweight titlist Denzel Bentley to next fight mandatory challenger Yoenli Hernandez, messing up plans for a Bentley unification with Aaron McKenna that had been agreed to in recent days.

And, per Hearn, super middleweight Diego Pacheco will have a Los Angeles hometown fight on Nov. 13 in the headliner of “The Fight” on DAZN and TNT. Opponent TBA.

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

Coming up Saturday night September 12th in Las Vegas, Conor Benn goes for the WBC Welterweight title meeting Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas.

However, before the Brit takes on Garcia, he talked one on one with our insider Dan Rafael on several subjects.

They discussed his two trremendous battles last year with Chris Eubank Jr., with Benn avenging a narrow loss in the "Fight of the Year" in May 2025, by dominating Eubank in thei November rematch. They also discuss what it would mean to win a WBC world title like his hall of fame father, Nigel Benn, And, they also go over the matchup with the massively popular and dangerous punching Garcia in one of the biggest fights of 2026.

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

We are ready to go for the Labor Day holiday weekend with a former heavyweight champ in action in NJ, an Irish hero with a huge farewell fight looming and also, Conor Benn joins us too! All of this is 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 to give insight and analysis.

First, they talk Friday night Matchroom’s “The Fight” card on DAZN/TNT/truTV in Newark, New Jersey

Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Damian Knyba, 12 rounds, heavyweight contender battle. Ruiz back from two years off and only three fights in the last six years. Will he have something in this one?
Also, Vito Mielnicki Jr. vs. Austin “Ammo” Williams, 12 rounds, middleweights and 
Alan Chaves vs. Eridson Garcia, 10 rounds, WBO Latino lightweights  

Then, the Saturday Matchroom/DAZN card 80,00-seat sold-out Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland for Katie Taylor’s farewell fight
Taylor vs. Flora Pili, for Taylor’s WBO/IBF/WBA and vacant WBC women’s junior welterweight title 

Next, Benn's interview, as he challenges Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight title on Sept. 12 (Paramount+) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Benn is emotional in this interview for the massive fight coming up.
 
Then, some news

Do we need to do a Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua update? Probably, but there's nothing definite, at least as of Thursday night,.

And, Emanuel Navarrete and O’Shaquie Foster met kickoff presser was Wednesday in San Antonio.  for the three belt unified 130 lb  fight. There are also some quality names on the undercard also announced.

Raymond Muratalla has vacated the IBF lightweight title, informing the organization of his decision on Tuesday, Carl Moretti of Top Rank, Muratalla’s promoter, told Dan this week.
 Next, WBO featherweight titlist Rafael Espinoza is now being trained by Eddy Reynoso alongside Canelo Alvarez in San Diego. And, Espinoza plans to fight Oct. 31 in Riyadh on the Canelo-Mbilli card vs. mandatory challenger Lorenzo Parra.

And, we wrap with Nostalgia! Hall of Famer Erik Morales celebrated his 50th birthday on Tuesday. All-time great won world titles in four divisions. Dan gives you more!

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