Big Fight Weekend Boxing Podcast

We are ready for two championship fight cards in San Antonio, TX and Sheffield, England, plus, there are some interesting developments with Canelo's planned card next weekend and a prominent name divorces Zuffa Boxing befofe he ever fights for them. It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack/Podcast for their insight and takes.

First, they preview Saturday’s Top Rank DAZN card in San Antonio
Emanuel Navarrete vs. O’Shaquie Foster, WBO/IBF/WBC junior lightweight unification. Tremendous matchup on paper. What happens in the "Alamo City?" in this one?

On the undercard, Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez vs. Edward Vazquez, 10 rounds, featherweights and 
Frank Martin vs. Tarik Zaina, 10 rounds, junior welterweights. Dan has more.
 
Next, Saturday’s Matchroom Boxing DAZN main event in Sheffield, England
Dalton Smith vs. Alberto Puello, 12 rounds, for Smith’s WBC junior welterweight title. High stakes here at 140 lb., including a potential fight with a fighter we're talking about below that's now a free agent!
 
Some news:
PBC announcement of the Dec. 5th DAZN PPV in Glendale, Arizona:

David Benavidez headlines vs. Michal Cieslak, WBO/WBA/WBC cruiserweight unification. Benavidez is a massive fan favorite in Arizona and should roll here. The co-feature has Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Keith Thurman, 12 rounds, middleweights. This is the best we can do for Vergil? And, also on the undercard, Emiliano Vargas, Marco Romero and Nikita Tszyu are all in separate fights, against opponents to be named.
 
Next, Shocker! Shakur Stevenson asked for and given his release by Zuffa Boxing three months into deal and never having fought – There is no spin, it's a VERY bad look for Zuffa. This, includes further illustrating that they haven't accomplished anything with garnering big time talent or putting promotions and organizations out of business. Now, we wonder whether they are really in trouble??
 
Speaking of trouble- we update the Canelo Alvarez-Christian Mbilli situation for next Saturday in Riyadh, as folks involved begin making the trip, but others are not going or unsure of how to get there with the missle attacks and threats? What. Are. We. Doing. Here?! with this card going forward...
 
Also, Jaron Ennis signs 7 fight contract extension with Matchroom, which also signs Englishman Joish Kelly to an extension ahead of imminent announcement of their unification 154 lb,. fight likely first quarter of next year.
 
And, Lucas Bahdi appeals to WBA to order 135 lb. title rematch with Floyd Shofield on the basis of missed knockdowns in their title fight two weeks ago. We have more on why it likely won't go anywhere.
 
And, finally, strawweight champion Oscar Collazo's mandatory has been ordered and he plans to return to 105 after injury and cancelation of flyweight title shot earlier this month.

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

The heavyweight rematch was a quick destruction in London and the WBC Jr. Middleweight title bout in Vegas was a one-sided win, but we're ready to go over it all on the newest "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack to go over it all and give their takes.
 
First, a recap of Saturday’s Queensberry DAZN PPV main event
Heavyweight Daniel Dubois destroys with a TKO2 Fabio Wardley, in their rematch and retains the WBO title. Wardley clearly had nothing and Dubois is now an even bigger threat and about to get even wealthier at heavyweight with what happens next?
 
Next, they recap Saturday’s PBC “The Fight” card on DAZN and TNT
Junior middleweight Sebastian Fundora TKO12 Ermal Hadribeaj, retains WBC 154 – But, when is a knockout not really a "knockout" if it happens after the final bell? Dan is READY TO LAUNCH on referee Thomas Taylor's actions and verdict in stopping a fight that was already over after the ifinal bell. 
 
On the under card, super middleweight Armando Resendiz as a late replacement W10 Koen Mazoudier from Australia. probably best fight on the Vegas card. And, middleweight prospect Marco Romero KO1 Brauli Ferreira to grow the intrigue around him.
 
Then, we discuss the Brandon Figueroa--Tomoki Kameda fight being canceled. Figueroa was stripped of the WBA featherweight title for missing weight Friday and the fight got completely canceled when he later became ill from it. What now for Figueroa?
 
Next, some news:

Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson have been trading insults on social media but also in talks  to still fight for Haney's WBO welterweight crown, but alas, they have collapsed, again, if the fight was ever happening. Now, both are looking at new fights. Dan has more on that, too.
 
Matchroom Boxing announces lineup for its annual card in Monte Carlo in December.
 
A date and site are set for the vaant WBO super middleweight title bout between Janibek Alimkhanuly and Jacob Bank. Dan has the deets.
 
And, happy 68th birthday on Sunday the all-time legend Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, Hall of Famer, first to win titles in five divisions (welterweight to light heavyweight). We talk about his legendary career.

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

Coming up next weekend in San Antonio, TX, it's a very intriquing 130 lb. showdown for three of the world titles, as WBC champ O'Shaquie Foster meets two belt title holder Emanuel Navarrete in one of the best fights in the remaining weeks of 2026.

But before fight week, our insider Dan Rafael has a one on one interview with Foster about the battle with Navarrete that will also determine supremacy in the division. Plus, O'Shaquie is fantastic story, having been in jail years ago and maybe, was on the verge of never having a boxing career.

Now, he's a prominent fighter fighting in lucrative, world title bouts, just like Saturday night 10/24 and this is certainly an intriguing one.

Hear him with Dan on this "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe for more great content on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

We are back with a jammed packed weekend of action in London and Las Vegas, plus a world champ joins us in advance of his unficiation showdown later in the month. It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview" podcast!

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

First, a preview of Saturday’s Queensberry DAZN PPV fight in London
Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley, rematch, 12 rounds, for Dubois’ WBO heavyweight title. It was fantastic dramatic fight in May. Will the rematch live up to fight one or will Dubois dominate like he did in the back half of the first bout?
 
Next, they preview Saturday night PBC DAZN/TNT/truTV “The Fight” in Las Vegas
Sebastian Fundora vs. Ermal Hadribeaj, for Fundora’s WBC junior middleweight title. The dominant guy at 154 lb. is back and will he get much of a challenge?
 
In the co-feature, Brandon Figueroa vs. Tomoki Kameda, for Figueroa’s WBA featherweight title. Will Figueroa deliver a big win and set himself up at 126 lb.?
 
And, a solid undercard bout Armando Resendiz vs. Koen Mazoudier, super middleweights is discussed.
 
Next O'Shaquie Foster joins Dan, as he faces Emanuel Navarrete in a three-belt junior lightweight unification fight in the Top Rank main event on Oct. 25 on DAZN in San Antonio.
 
News
WBA middleweight titlist Erisandy Lara will defend against Tim Tszyu in Noveber in Australia. Will be a PBC/DAZN fight in the US. Dan's reporting is the bout will be Nov. 27 or 28. 

An update that two prominent worldwide sporting events have now been postponed in Saudi Arabia. So, what will happen shortly with Canelo Alvarez fighting Christian Mbilli on Ocober 31st? Will it go ahead or perhaps be called off this weekend?
 
Next, Zuffa Boxing announced Tuesday it has signed WBC titlist Carlos Adames, adding to their middleweight roster (WBO titlist Denzel Bentley and IBF titlist Aaron McKenna are also there. We update when Adames might be in the ring?
 
WBO flyweight titlist Anthony Olascuaga, who has long been promoted by Japan’s Teiken Promotions, has signed a multi-fight co-promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing and will against two-time Colombian Olympian Yuberjen Martinez Nov. 14 on the Pacheco-Fukghum co-feature in Carson, Calif. – a home fight LA’s Olascuaga
 
Former WBA middleweight champion Jorge Castro (130-11-3, 90 KOs), who won he dramatic 1994 fight of the year and also split two fights with Roberto Duran, died on Wednesday in his hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 59. Dan has more on his incredible longevity career.
 
And, Happy 37th birthday to Anthony Joshua on Thursday and also birthday of John L. Sullivan 168 years ago!!!!

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

Saturday night in London, it's a highly anticipated heavyweight title rematch for Daniel Dubois as he battles Fabio Wardley for the WBO portion of the championship. But, before it all gets ramped up in the U,K., we've got an early preview of things here on the "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" mid-week.

Host T.J. Rives returns with lead writer/editor of Big Fight Weekend's website, Ricky Carroll, who's in England for this one.

It was a wild first fight in May, as Dubois got off the canvas, not once but twice, early in the bout and then brutally beat Wardley for 7 rounds or so, until a TKO stoppage in the 11th to recapture a world title belt.

Now, the guys discuss the magnitude of this rematch for the British fight fans and is the build up similar or bigger than last year with Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn and their tremendous first fight followed by their late in 2025 second bout?

Also, there is analysis from Ricky on whether Wardley can summon a different strategy/outcome or is he destined to be beaten up by the brutish Dubois, again?

Also, the winner of this bouts has serious unifications options with Filip Hrgovic and Agit Kabayel or dare we say, the winner of Fury/Joshua in December?

All of it's discussed in advance of Dubois-Wardley II here on a special "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe to this feed for more this bout and all the action through Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!