The Opening Bell; A boxing podcast

BALANCE OF POWER | SUPREME SHAKUR | JOSH KELLY | TYSON FURY | BALL vs FIGUEROA

As 2026 gathers pace in the boxing world, figures like Dana White, Eddie Hearn, Turki Alalshikh and Oscar De La Hoya are jostling for power. Will those sizeable egos be able to work together or are we facing a new battle: Zuffa vs DAZN?

Shakur Stevenson turned on the style to dominate Teofimo Lopez and signal his arrival amongst the pound-for-pound elite.

In the UK, Josh Kelly surprised plenty when he boxed the perfect fight to win a world title in Newcastle and, bracing for his return, Tyson Fury prepares to become the new face of Netflix.

Our trip back in time lands in 1974, in a talent-rich Paris no less, for a battle between Carlos Monzon and Jose Napoles.

Read the Thomas Hauser piece on Zuffa Boxing here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/28/zuffa-boxing-contract-dana-white-reform?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
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TEOFIMO LOPEZ vs SHAKUR STEVENSON | DEONTAY WILDER vs DEREK CHISORA | BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV vs JOSH KELLY

It’s a Teofimo Lopez fight week which can mean only one thing: We have no idea which Teofimo Lopez is going to turn up.

As well as studying the form for his showdown with Shakur Stevenson, we look ahead to Josh Kelly’s date with destiny and wonder if now is the time for those bags of potential to be fulfilled.

We also put ourselves in the brace position for the heavyweight showdown between Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora and head back to 1994 for the first loss of Julio Cesar Chavez’s career.
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TANK GOES MISSING | ORTIZ vs OSCAR | CRUZ vs MURATELLA | ZUFFA MAKE MOVES

The career of Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is surely over following the latest charges placed against his name… That he’s nowhere to be found won’t help, either.

Zuffa prepare to show the boxing world what they’ve made of but is the signing of Jai Opetaia a more accurate indicator of their long-term plans?

Vergil Ortiz made his own plans clear when he filed a lawsuit against Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy. Whether the world’s appetite is really there for a Boots Ennis showdown remains to be seen.

Elsewhere there’s more grandiose plans to break attendance records and we look ahead to this weekend’s terrific Cruz-Muratella showdown.

And, in this week, it’s back to 1981 for a cultured exhibition from a peak Alexis Arguello.
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DYNAMITE DALTON SMITH | TYSON FURY RETURNS | ANTHONY JOSHUA | INOUE vs NAKATANI

Reflections on the inspirational performance from Dalton Smith out in Brooklyn where he stood tall to upset Subriel Matias in five violent rounds.

The almost inevitable comeback of Tyson Fury was all but confirmed over Christmas but what do his predictions about future brain damage tell us about the lure of fighting?

Japan awaits the Inoue-Nakatani showdown but have their most recent performances dampened the appeal?

Finally, let us take you back to New Orleans in 1972 when Joe Frazier dismantled an honest but overmatched Terry Daniels in four rounds.

Keep listening, folks!
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LESSONS IN POSITIVITY | JOE GALLAGHER

Joe Gallagher, one of the heroes of 2025, tells The Opening Bell how he found the mental strength to beat cancer.

There were times, he admits, when his pride was dented but not once did he allow fears about the worst case scenario to linger.

‘It was always f*** cancer, I will beat you,’ he tells us. From the long nights in hospital to the days he forced himself into the gym, Gallagher’s bravery alongside the sport that drove him prove to be the heroes of the tale.

Essential listening!
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