Ray Ford Dramatic TKO Win, Francis Ngannou With Dan + News And Nostalgia | Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast

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Well off the weekend that has seen
a wild ending for the WBA Featherweight Championship
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where ray Ford his crowned as the
champ with seconds despair. We're going to
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talk about his TKO of Coolmatov in
the main event of the ESPN plus Top
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Rank show Saturday night in Borona,
New York. Plus. Luis Alberto Lopez
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kept his IBF featherweight title on that
same card. Discussion on that discussion on
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Dear God, a Jake Paul fight
that didn't even make it out of the
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first round yet again, and then
and a main event that never happened with
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Amanda Serrano and the controversy around that. We are ready to recap all of
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it. It is the Fight Freaks
Night Recap. I am the somewhat competent
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host TJ Reeves plenty on the show, including our insider Dan Rayfield. Good
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to be with you, my friend. And we should say upfront, fresh
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out of the oven peaks Sunday Night
and the Monday you have talked with Francis
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and Gano. The Francis and Gano
who's fighting Anthony Joshua and Saudi Arabia already
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coming this week on Friday, coming
quickly US time. That's Friday afternoon.
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So Francis and Ganhu on the podcast
coming up. How are you a big
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Dan? Everything good? Yeah,
I'm a little cranky today, but we
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don't have to get into that.
But I'm good and I'm happy to be
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with you to talk boxing on all
the other bullshitting life. The good the
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good news is this time it ain't
anything that Reeves did. It's other people
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that you're looking to take. It
Usually isn't things that you've done. That's
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true sometimes in it. But all
right, listen, we're gonna cheer it
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up because we've got a lot to
cover and include some great nostalgia, some
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news like I'm not gonna sing it
again, but the divorce may not be
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final for Canelo and Premiere Boxing Champions. Stay tuned, stay tuned more on
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that. All right, let's begin. By the way Radus review Us.
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The ratings do help rad Us and
review Us follow subscribe, Apple, Spreaker,
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Spotify. By the way, if
you are subscribing on Google podcast,
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they're warning you Google Podcast about to
go away. Find another podcast outlet where
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we are on Apple, on Spreaker, on Spotify, so you don't miss
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us as we come off the weekend
with the recaps. What a fight?
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What a fight, I say a
third time, what a finish to the
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fight with ray Ford of Canda,
New Jersey becoming a world champ. Kalmatov
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was tremendous, but Ford out fought
him and stopped him with seconds to spare
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in a fight that he was about
to apparently win on decision. All right,
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Dan, your thoughts on the main
event as Ford captures the WBA featherweight
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title in what I will call a
phenomenal ending at least anyway to that fight,
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Well, I can say, and
you know this because you and I
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talked about it going into this fight. I thought this was going to be
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a really good fight, and I
was glad to see that. Not only
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was it a really good fight,
it was even better than I would have
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expected. It was a really superb
fight. It's the kind of fight where
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you see, frankly, both guys
make a name for themselves. Even though
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Komatov lost, it's got nothing to
hang his head about. He fought a
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heck of a fight too. He
was winning going into the twelfth round on
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two scorecards, and ray Ford same
deal. Obviously, he won in dramatic
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fashion. He makes a big name
for him. So these two guys announced
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their presence. I hope boxing fans
got a chance to see it. If
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they didn't see it and missed it
for whatever reason, on ESPN Plus,
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watch the replay. It's there on
demand. Absolutely worth. It will be
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a fight of the Year candidate sort
of in the conversation, obviously we got
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a long way to go. Certainly
you don't see more dramatic ending. So
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to set the stage, these guys
are fighting for the belt that was vacated
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by Lee Wood. Komatov had been
the mandatory, but Lee would announced he
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was going to move up and wait. So ray Ford was the next guy.
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He's been dying for this type of
opportunity, a top rank which signed
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Komatov won the purse bid. Ford
is with Mattroom Boxing, so he had
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an interesting aspect in terms of the
politics where Mattriom has their fighter going on
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a top rank card because of a
purse bit. So Eddie Hearn makes the
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trip with this fighter to see the
fight and they put on an outstanding,
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outstanding fight. You had the power, punching, aggressive style of Komatov against
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the guy in ray Ford that's more
of a boxer. But they can each
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do the other thing. But Kolmada
is a better broad Ford's a better boxer,
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but they can also you know,
Klomatov can box and Ready can fight.
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So it made I said ahead of
time, this makes it for a
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really good style matchup and they and
they absolutely fucking delivered in spades on that
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type of performance. Really close fight. I mean, Komatov I thought pretty
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much dominated the early going and it
showed on the cards. He was up
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after five rounds on h I believe
all three cards actually, and Ford finally
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turned it on in his corner.
They were talking to him. He was
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telling himself, basically talking to himself
to get himself into the groove. And
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slowly but surely he's chipping away.
He's winning rounds. And but the beautiful
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thing about this is they're just banging
it out, but not like with reckless
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abandon where they don't know what they're
doing in terms of defensive responsibility or technical
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aspects or using jabs or you know, by the way standing in the pocket
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but not being afraid to you know, I don't know duck and and and
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you know, make a guy miss
and faint and that type of thing.
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Uh, and it just just kept
heating up and heating up, and they
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weren't running. They were in the
center of the ring just as a great,
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great fight to watch. Never really
slowed down, good paced the whole
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time, back and forth, back
and forth. And you know, listen,
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there was lots of action, I
mean, and one guy would get
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the better, the other guy would
get the better. Now, all that
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said, my feeling was, even
though Ford is starting to win some rounds,
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that Kolmotov is maintaining his lead.
Never did I have even though Kolmotov
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in my card, which I had
at the same as two judges one oh
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six to one oh three going into
the twelfth round, the other judge had
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it h one oh five one oh
four in favor of Ford, and and
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you had a situation where you know, you can see it close as long
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as like I wouldn't have been upset
if it goes to the cards and you
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got normal, like close scores as
long as I thank god there wasn't some
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wacky outlier and it goes a distance. But obviously if Ford's down, he
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doesn't know this, but they suspect
it because his corner is telling him,
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you know, all the right things
in the in the in the in the
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corner. Before the twelfth round,
his team did a hell of a job,
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you know, his trainer, Freddie
Anthony Rodriguez told him the true ruth
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spot on the entire fight. And
I can appreciate that, and like they
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really they really thought they could win
this fight, get the knockout, and
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he just kept going after it,
kept going after he hurt him with a
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with a couple of shots there to
southpaws. So there's that aspect to it.
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And look in the end Ray had
is in terms of his output,
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like in terms of differential on punches
landed, if you take a look at
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the coffee box, he saved his
best for last because his biggest rounds in
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terms of the punches landed was around
eleven and then followed up by round twelve.
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Now you're getting down the stretch,
DJ, two minutes fifty three seconds
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are seven seconds left in the fight. He gets the knockout, all right,
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So let's get to the ending.
Because I thought it was the right
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call line that it was not a
knockdown right away. Now that would have
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been vital for the ending. Had
the fight finished, and potentially it's a
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ten eight or ten to seven round
on the decision. So I thought that
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was the right call. You heard
some ooing and aye, and Tim Bradley
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like right away thought that maybe it
was a knockdown, but I thought even
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live before the replay, he shoved
him down. So now there's like fifteen
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seconds left in the fight, and
Ford gets him turned around and hit him
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with a good left and Kolmatoff is
clearly noodle legged, as I like to
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say, he's out. He's and
he's staggering towards the corner and the ropes
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and that's the only thing that kept
him up with his back turn. So
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I can tell by your inflection you
agreed with the call. There didn't need
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to be an extra punch or two
anybody with the stoppage. Anybody who doesn't
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think that was the right stoppage is
a fucking idiot who doesn't know anything about
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boxing. Twelfth round are the hard
fight. The guy's been badly hurt a
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few seconds earlier. This is not
Meldrick Taylor Chavez, where one guy's all
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the way in one quarner and the
other guy's on the complete other side of
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the ring and there are two seconds
left and there's you know, now you
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know you can speculate if he can
you know, if the referee new not
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know the red lights fashion blub bla
blight, Nos, there's less than ten
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seconds left. Whatever, they're right
there. Ford's on top of him,
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and if he lets him keep throwing
punches, he's gonna badly, badly hurt
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this man who's turned around and all
fucked up. And so Charlie Fitch,
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who was the referee in this fight, I thought, did a perfect stoppage.
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There was Comatov did not complain about
it, which is you know,
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often a telltale sign when the other
guy, you know, has nothing negative
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to say or doesn't make a stink
about it. The corner didn't make a
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stink about it. Perfect stoppage in
this fight, and you know he'll live
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to fight another day. He's still
young, twenty five years old, only
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has the one loss now, and
it was a great fight that he was
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winning. And so Ford gets a
let me just give you a stat here
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as dramatic a knockout win as you
can get. I mean, this is
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what it comes down to. We
saw a similar situation last year with O'shaki
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Foster when he retained his title against
Rocky Hernandez and needing the knockout to win.
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So back at that time, the
great historian and our pal Steve Farhood,
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you know, all those years with
showtime, you know, did the
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research. So I'm not taking credit
for the stat but he put out at
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that time that when O'shaki Foss did
that, he became the fourth teenth fighter
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in the history of boxing history ever
one hundred bazillion years, whatever how long
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the sports around one hundred plus years, just the fourteenth boxer ever to in
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the history of world title bouts to
trail going into the last round and get
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a knockout. Ray Ford now becomes
the fifteenth guy to do that. And
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I'm thinking of others. There's you
know, when when Mike Weaver won the
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heavyweight title by knocking out John Tate
in your home state of Tennessee, Knoxville,
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Tennessee, where literally it's a fifteen
round fight, Timber John John Tate
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probably won thirteen or fourteen rounds,
and then you're right, Timber, Mike
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Weaver knocked him out. He heard
him, He knocked him out face first.
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There's not a lot of examples of
that, but that was one we
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mentioned though Shaky Foster. There's also
the famous obviously chav Is and Melja Taylor.
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Yes, was going to lose us, all okay, so interesting on
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that point. The wild thing to
contemplate is if Kolmatoff simply goes down while
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he's sputtering noodle legged and goes down
and can stand up after he goes down
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for the mandatory eight count, he's
gonna win the fight. He doesn't know
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that, and he's concrusted probably,
but it's crazy in that moment that because
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he didn't go down and he's laying
on top of the ropes in the corner
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back turned. That's wild to contemplate. You talk about what ifs, and
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there's the win for ray Ford and
we should not take away from what was
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a tremendous twelfth round. One more
example and celebrating the championship, Yes,
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go ahead. Another great example that
I was because I've been thinking about this
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ever since it happened. I'm like, what other fights can I think of?
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Were the guy because I didn't ask
Farhood for the list of the fourteen
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fights, But the other one that
springs to mind. I remember watching it
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live on HBO back in the day
when you had Pernel Whitaker, who at
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the time was the WBC welterweight world
champion. He was absolutely having his clock
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cleaned by a guy that at the
time no one ever heard of. It
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was undefeated from Cuba. Theobellis hurtito
and if he doesn't win the fight,
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Oscar de la hoy is sitting at
ringside and there Gargante when pay per view
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goes dow on the drain and he's
getting his rare end kick. Now,
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Pernel is not a guy with a
lot of punching power, and in round
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eleven he absolutely cleaned Diabelli's Tartato's clock
and knocked him out extremely violently and salvage
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the del ay fight. But he
fits into that statistic of trailing in a
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world title fight and coming from behind
in uh, well, I take that
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back. I guess that wouldn't coun
because it was it wasn't the last round,
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It wasn't the last Still dramatic,
but okay, fair enough, doesn't
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fit the metric I mentioned, But
still a late knockout in a guy getting
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his rare end kicked to come back. But look what Ray four did is
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not the kind of thing you see
every day in boxing. And the kid
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has a lot to be proud of. Uh. You know, we talked
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to him on the podcast last week. We know how important this fight was
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to him, you know, really
meant everything to him. He's been working
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his whole life to this, I
mean, and that's what it comes down
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to, in your biggest moment,
do you rise to the occasion. He
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did, and Kolmatov did for eleven
and a half rounds or eleven and three
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quarters rounds or whatever, and was
not able to close the deal. And
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uh, you know it's it was
a I love I watched the fight a
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little bit this afternoon again. It
just a great, terrific matchup. Absolutely
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loved it. Glad it lived up
to what I thought it would be.
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And by the way, ray Ford
accomplishes another thing. When Mattroom Boxing started
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its Matchroom, it's Matchroom USA brand. When de Zone was created at the
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late part of twenty eighteen, they
signed a bunch of amateur fighters. Some
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panned out, some didn't. Somebody
like ray Ford now wins the title they
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had. Diego Pacheco is now on
the cusp of you know, being in
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a major fights at super middleweight sille
undefeated prospects, some guys you know,
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never did anything. But ray Ford
becomes the first fighter in Mattroom USA history
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or their American prospects that they signed
to take a kid from the amateurs,
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sign them and develop them into a
world champion. So you got to give
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a tip of the hat to all
the folks at Matchroom for being able to
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do that. That's a you know, I remember for a long time Golden
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Boy, which was always a top
promoter, but the one thing they hadn't
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done was take a fighter from O
and O to a world title, and
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it was like they kept they would
lose, they'd get the opportunity, their
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guy would lose. Finally they got
the job done, and now Mattroom Boxing
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can hang their hat to say that
we know what we can sign you,
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we can develop you, and we
can help you get to the world title.
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And now ray Ford's gonna, you
know, obviously be in some bigger
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fights. He's talking about maybe going
to one thirty because he had so much
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trouble with the weight cut. He's
not going to be at one twenty six
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for much longer. Maybe he'll make
one defense. Certainly, no more than
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that. I don't think maybe one
thirty. Even in the next fight.
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They've got Cordino over there, as
he mentioned some other fighters in the weight
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class. But it was an awesome
fight. Loved it. Sign measured every
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minute we've given to it. Yes, sign me up for rematch. And
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by the way, I did not
mention this leading up to it, but
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our writer on Big Fight Weekend dot
Com, Sadik Ahmed, young up and
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coming writer, he was in the
building. He was in the Turning Stone
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Casino covering the fight for Big Fight
Weekend dot Com. And I'm going to
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play a conversation that he and I
had here in a few minutes, just
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because of the atmosphere in the arena. But go ahead and finish up.
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Luis Alberto Lopez won the co feature
fight, as we theorized, heavily favored
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over Abe, the Japanese opponent.
He defends his title. Some quick thoughts
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from you on that in the co
feature, Well, he's a very unorthodox
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fighter, and he's a lot of
fun to watch because he throws punches from
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all angles. You don't know where
the heck they're coming from. And it
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was the kind of fight where going
in you know, it was not meant.
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I don't think anybody at top rank, or if you knew what was
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up, that you really thought it
was gonna be super competitive. As a
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matter of fact, I actually asked
one of the people at top rank just,
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you know, not like it was
a big deal, but just in
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a passing conversation, you had these
two featherweight world title fights on the same
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card. How was it determined that
we'll put Louis Alberta Lopez against Abbe in
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the co feature and Ford and Clmatov
in the main event. With Lopez having
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been the more established champion and have
done the fights overseas and look good and
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scored knockouts, but Kolmotov and Ford
are not known for it is not even
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your fighter. And it was basically
said, we think that that's going to
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be a better fight. It was
nothing against Lopez, and they were right
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because Lopez and Abbe was a mismatch
as many expected. It's not Lopez's fault
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or top ranks fault. It was
the mandatory inflicted by the IBF. He
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did win an eliminator against Keiko Martinez
and so he got the fight. He
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saw bertal Lopez completely outclassed him.
He was a lot shorter than Abe,
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and you know, abb came,
he tried, but he just didn't have
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the skill level or the punching power
to deal with it. And unfortunately for
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Abbi also, you know, he
was very very badly hampered in the second
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round. There was a very severe
bruising and swelling around his I believe it
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was his right eye that caused all
kinds of problems that ended up being a
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complete, you know, disaster on
the eye, and it certainly impacted him
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for the for the rest of the
fight. And so by the time they
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got to round eight, and he's
losing badly. He's lost every single round
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and Lopez is almost daring him to
come in at times, and you know,
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he just couldn't do anything with him. And there was, you know,
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the closing sequence. You know,
Lopez is a showman. He raised
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his hand and raises his glove to
the crowd and started waving it around.
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Crowd starts going crazy, and he
basically literally runs to the guy and unloads
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I don't know, fifteen sixteen punches. Now, a lot of them missed,
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but a lot of them landed.
And at that point, you know,
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Mark Nelson, who's the referee for
this fight, who was one of
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the best referees in boxing. He
just had no choice but to stop the
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fight. It was a complete shot
out and he retains the title. And
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you asked, I know, in
the pre fight, we talked about,
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well, if the guys who win
in the defenses against you know, against
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their opponent in this doubleheader, you
know, might the two winners fight in
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a unification. But I can tell
you right now there's virtually no chance that
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ray Ford and Lopez get together in
the next fight. I would be shocked
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beyond belief. I just doubt that's
happening. They both talk about wanting to
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go to one thirty. You know, Lopez wants a unification. He's probably
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you know, may be able to
get it with maybe the winner of Espinoza
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and Robasi Ramirez rematch. But he
also talked about going up to till one
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thirty. He said he'd love to
fight the winner of the Oscar Valdez and
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Liam Wilson, who take you know, take each other on, you know,
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coming at the end of the month. So maybe that's a possibility.
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That fight has the possibility that could
be upgraded to an interim title, so
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it might be it would make it
more interesting for Lopez potentially, but uh,
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look, I enjoyed the card.
I mean, it may have been
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a mismatch between Lopez and not Bay, but it was a good fight to
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watch it with some good action there. And then the main event is you
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know, you're not going to get
much more competitive of better fights. And
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as I as I as I made
the point to some others and posted on
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social media. You know, we
as boxing fans, we're so abused by
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this business, by this sport,
by the industry, by the TV people,
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by the promoters, by fighters talking
shit on social media but not getting
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in the fucking ring that you put
up for all that all that shit you
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put up with as a fan to
just once in a while get that kind
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of gemis we got it. And
we've had some stink bombs as of late
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to a Femo Lopez title defense,
hold your Nose comes to mind, but
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at least that one obviously delivered Dan
hanging there again. Some comments here from
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Sadiq Ahmed coming who was in the
arena for that title fight, and then
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we're talking to Zone Show and Francis
Anganu here in just a few moments,
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sadik As I've been promoting. You
were right there, and what a dramatic
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ending, you know, like like
any great Hollywood movie, it's the ending.
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It's the ending that everybody wants to
talk about. Let's talk about the
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ending first, crazy ending. You're
there at ringside covering it. Did you
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realize at the time how close it
was to being the final bell when everything
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got stopped there? Or did it
take a few seconds to process all that?
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How did it work? Yeah?
Well, so I had the sense
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that Holmtov took their early rounds at
least you know, you know, three
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at least three of the first five
to me, at least from ringside,
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and then after that, around the
fourth round, Ford started to come forward,
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and that's when things started to really
change. That's when Ford started to
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win rounds. It didn't hit me
until, you know, we were sending
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the scorecards that yeah, he was
like behind on two digitous scorecards and that
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he actually needed to get the stoppage
to in order to win. I was
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surprised personally. I did have it
close. But I feel like what transpired
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after the fourth round sort of impacted
how I saw things because from the from
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then on, I soft forward,
you know, coming forward winning rounds after
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you know, sort of struggling those
in those early rounds. But certainly at
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the dramatic end, in the final
few seconds, did you realize that the
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fight was almost over? Could you
tell that as it ends up being stopped
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with seven seconds left in the fight. What about take me back to that
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specific memory. Yeah. See,
I personally thought Holmotov would make it to
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the very end, but then there
was a moment where Ford clearly clearly shook
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him. He went down. That
was rule to push, which I believe
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was rightfully so. And then it
seems that Homotov, whatever happened before that
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push, didn't recover and he just
you know, for the slimed punch after
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punch after punch, and it caused
Holmotov to slightly turn his back away,
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something that we struggled to see because
the people in front of us, Eddie
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heard and all the top brand people
were just jumping up and down of what
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was going on, but trying to
look between Eddie Hearn, Bob Aarram,
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whoever else what just happened there.
I just made the point with Dan that
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in a wild twist, if he
actually goes down doesn't flop into the ropes.
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If he actually goes down and there's
a mandatory eight count and he can
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stand back up, the round is
over. The wild part of it is
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he didn't go down, back to
Ford laying kind of over the top rope,
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gets hit again and the referee says, that's it. Amazing, amazing.
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How loud was it in the Turning
Stone resort in that moment when he's
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waving it off, Because you could
see on the TV Ford's crowd, his
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part of the crowd, his corner, going crazy. It didn't translate as
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well maybe on the ESPN Plus broadcast. How loud was it in that moment
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when the fight is stopped with seconds
remaining? Sadik To me, it was
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pretty loud. Granted Turningstone is in
you know, it's on the largest of
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arenas, I think seats about five
thousand, But it was pretty loud given
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the number of people that were there, very wild seasons when that happened.
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What about for Ford? You were
there for the aftermath? I mean tears
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in his eyes. He becomes a
world champ, As Dan was saying,
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he doesn't think he's long for the
featherweight division, had so much trouble making
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00:21:22.440 --> 00:21:26.440
the weight here. But what about
for Ford in this victory. What do
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you say, having been there,
having covered the post fight aftermath, and
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what is his potential here? What's
his upside? Yeah, for the last
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few years I've underestimated him, even
going into this fight. I didn't think
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he'd pull it off, so he
surprised me here. Yeah. I think
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going forward, if he just continues
working, you know, doing his thing,
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I think he could do pretty well
at one thirty as well. I
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know he's talked about, you know, moving up, so we'll see.
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If he doesn't move up to one
thirty. I think he holds you all
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right, Sadik I met as with
us. There is another moment or two
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here on the Fight Freaktion Night recap
podcast. He was there for Big Fight
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Weekend dot Com inside the Turning Stone
Resort. Sign me up for a rematch.
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I don't know that it's realistic that
it can happen, but you would
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not be opposed to that, and
Needa would a whole lot of fight fans.
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That was a very entertaining fight.
I'd love to see Kolmatov get another
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shot at Ford because he was so
close to winning this fight. Saturday night.
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For sure, I'd be down again. I know Ford has talked about
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potentially moving up, so I don't
know how workable it is given that Ford
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is also a match from Fighter Cloths
with or it's co promoted at least by
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top rank. I mean this happened
because of a purse s bid, but
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ain't gonna work it out somehow?
Then sure, I'm down. Listen,
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We're down with your great coverage.
Nice, nice job. I know you
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made extra effort to be with me
as we take this Sunday night and get
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into Monday, because Sadiq has been
traveling all Sunday afternoon and Sunday night to
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his home in Canada after being there. But two words that we love in
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my household worth it Was it worth
it? I think yes? For sure?
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It was a getting out of fights. Yeah, it was definitely worth
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it. Sadiq, Thanks my friend, keep up the good work. Thank
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you great stuff, and again Sadiq
doing a fantastic job as a young writer.
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00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:30.240
Reporter was there on scene in the
Turning Stone Casino for that Ford Kolmatov
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fight. Let's move on the other
show simultaneously was in Puerto Rico. Okay,
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can we get it let's get it
out of the way before we get
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to the Amana Serrano cancelation of her
title fight. All we did was debate
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would this Jake Paul fight get to
the middle of the second round with Ryan
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Borland, little known from Dickinson,
North Dakota on the big est show originally
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California, but fighting out of the
mega center of Dickinson, North Dakota.
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So we spent like ten minutes on
the bet Us show going on and on
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about over under one and a half
rounds. That was the only intrigue.
377
00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:12.640
Rayfield, I'm gonna start complete disappointment
that he's in there with a guy that
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not only is trying to not hold
him, not try to fight back,
379
00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:22.400
but just seemed from the first time
he got hit for how can I comfortably
380
00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:26.000
go down and not get killed here? That's all that it looked like.
381
00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:27.839
As soon as he got hurt a
minute into the fight, there was no
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00:24:27.880 --> 00:24:30.799
attempt to hold, no attempt to
get out of the way, no attempt
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to fight back. It's a joke. I'm saying that, all right,
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00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:37.599
give me, give me your right. Yeah, I mean the reason why
385
00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:38.359
I was disappointing was, I mean, look, first of all, nobody
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00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:42.400
expected he's gonna win the fight,
obviously, but if you are in the
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00:24:44.359 --> 00:24:48.119
mindset of your trying to develop Jake
Paul, this was not an unreasonable match.
388
00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:52.839
They saw a guy with a good
record, a guy that had a
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decent amateur career, who had way
more professional fights seventeen and two coming in.
390
00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:59.720
They didn't want to put Jake in
with a big puncher. Find this
391
00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:03.519
check stat box two because Borland,
Ryan Borland only had six knockouts. But
392
00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:07.400
it was they thought that Ryan Borland
would move a little bit on him and
393
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maybe take him a few rounds and
that sort of thing. And he didn't
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00:25:11.640 --> 00:25:15.640
do the kind of fight apparently that
he normally did, because he just covered
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up. I mean again, I
don't want to get to and down in
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00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:19.759
the weeds. But on the punch
stats, I mean, you have Jake
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00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:23.799
Paul. This is hilarious. Jake
Paul lands twenty four of seventy four punches
398
00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:29.039
in one round thirty two percent.
Borland landed three of twenty four. Point
399
00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:33.720
is Jake Paul landed as many punches
as Borland threw, and that is never
400
00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:37.480
a recipe for a victory. He
was looking for the soft spot to fall
401
00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:41.480
down. He finally went down to
the knee and referee appropriately stopped the fight.
402
00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:45.880
You know, but I'm not and
I'm not I'm just not going to
403
00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:48.960
criticize Jake Paul because if he was
starting out, these are the kinds of
404
00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:52.680
fights that you have, and I
think that they truly believed that, yes,
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00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:56.079
he would win, but this guy
would at least be there to extend
406
00:25:56.160 --> 00:26:00.759
him a little bit. And I
couldn't good conscience take an under one and
407
00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:03.799
a half. I know three that
I just couldn't do it. You and
408
00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:07.160
I are texting each other as it
was about to begin, and we both
409
00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:10.880
held hands and jumped off the cliff
that it was going to make it to
410
00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:14.200
the middle of the second round.
Are you Selma or Louise? I don't
411
00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:18.960
know. I don't know better.
It was like we didn't when we handicapped
412
00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:21.359
on the US Show. I think
you took it the same way I did.
413
00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:23.480
We weren't doing this in a serious
manner. It was all about under
414
00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:26.279
correct and you know, and if
I had to do it again, so
415
00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:32.240
just one more time, it's gotta
be a little more credible moving forward,
416
00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:33.559
or I mean, if it's just
gonna be on regular zone, that's one
417
00:26:33.559 --> 00:26:36.720
thing, and maybe that's what he's
content to do for the next couple of
418
00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:40.680
fights. But a little more credible
is gonna help or else the interest is
419
00:26:40.680 --> 00:26:44.720
going to wane in watching this.
Perfect example, all right, perfect example.
420
00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:49.720
Just quick story. Buddy of mine
is a marketing manager for two nightclub
421
00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:53.319
bars in Clearwater, Florida, one
of them on Clearwater Beach. So they
422
00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:56.759
worked out, they broke her to
deal with the zone to be able to
423
00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:00.759
show this fight card as as as
the bars, which is more expensive than
424
00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:04.839
having your individual dezone thing. So
he was in touch with me and he
425
00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:10.079
said to me, is this Jake
Paul fight gonna be a complete joke,
426
00:27:10.119 --> 00:27:14.079
a complete circus? I said,
likely by the second round, yes,
427
00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:18.160
but the hope is that at least
goes one round. He was texting me
428
00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:21.279
and calling me Rayfield and going,
that looks like a fixed fight. I'm
429
00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:26.279
just giving you his I'm just telling
you. His reaction was that looked like
430
00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:29.480
a fixed fight. And his attitude
was, if this is what they're gonna
431
00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:32.160
offer, even on his own for
a bar pay per view, We're not
432
00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:36.359
buying that right now unless the quality
is better. I'm just putting that out
433
00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:37.880
there. For consent. I'll just
tell you they're gonna He's gonna come back
434
00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:42.240
and his next fight's gonna be another
boxer, hopefully it's a better than Borland.
435
00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:45.440
He's gonna do a non pay per
view fight, and after that's over
436
00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:48.039
there, look to see what other
thing they want to do another pay per
437
00:27:48.119 --> 00:27:52.039
view. You know, Look,
Jake was calling out Canelo Alvarez afterwards.
438
00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:53.880
Pleased with that enough, and you
know, I'm a I'm a Jake Paul
439
00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:56.359
fan. I don't. I think
he gets a lot of grief for no
440
00:27:56.440 --> 00:28:00.480
reason. But I also get when
you do that your stern things on purpose.
441
00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:03.880
I don't take I think he probably
would love to fight Canello, but
442
00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:06.960
I don't take that serious because I
know that's not happening. He's thirty pounds
443
00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:11.000
difference. Canelo is obviously doing other
things. But I enjoyed the show and
444
00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:15.359
he wasn't the main event, so
I don't know why people are so uptight
445
00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:19.160
about it. He's a prospect with
popularity trying to fight, and these are
446
00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:22.799
developmental fights. End of story.
Okay, ray Ford had these developmental fights
447
00:28:22.839 --> 00:28:26.319
when he turned pro I mean all
these guys did. The Komotov had these
448
00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:30.519
types of developmental fights when he turn
pro all these guys do that, and
449
00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:33.160
then it was supposed to set the
states for the Serrano fight, and then
450
00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:37.359
what happened happened. Okay, let's
get into that, all right. So
451
00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:38.640
again, you and I were in
text communication. I've been talking to you
452
00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:41.799
more than Missus Reeves all weekend,
and I don't know that that's a good
453
00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:44.920
thing. You certainly shouldn't be talking
to me more than you're talking to Missus
454
00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:48.720
Rayfield, but we're in touch.
I saw it on social media, and
455
00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:52.200
full disclosure, I was also doing
stuff with college basketball and a live show
456
00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:55.200
Saturday, and I'm like, Rayfield, WHOA. I'm like, is this
457
00:28:55.359 --> 00:29:00.759
true? You texted me back legit
legit that you were hearing from another ride
458
00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:06.039
ahead of time. You did.
You said, legit legit about the rumor
459
00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:11.119
that she's not even glowed a rule. Well, right, but I mean
460
00:29:11.160 --> 00:29:12.960
you also put she's not gloved up
a half hour. You put that on
461
00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:15.000
the text message to me, So
then I'm looking into it and I'm like,
462
00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:18.920
she's not gloved up a half hour
before she's supposed to fight, or
463
00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:22.400
fifteen minutes before she's supposed to fight, all right, so we now have
464
00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:25.759
learned more. You know, she's
in tears in the ring Amanda Serrano.
465
00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:30.480
She was sort of explaining it after
the fight. We've learned more because Nakisa
466
00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:36.000
Baderian, who is the partner of
Jake paul Most Valuable Promotions, he explained
467
00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:40.319
it that while preparing to have her
hair done and or having her hair done,
468
00:29:40.359 --> 00:29:44.599
some chemical apparently got in her eye
and on her hands. That's what
469
00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:51.519
happened, and they believe that treatment
Friday and treatment Saturday afternoon was gonna help.
470
00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:56.160
And in Nikisa Baderian's words, she
was improved vision wise, but the
471
00:29:56.240 --> 00:30:00.839
doctor was too concerned about you're about
to go in there in a sport where
472
00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:04.599
they're swinging back at you. I'm
not going to clear you. And apparently
473
00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:08.839
they were pleading, pleading for her
to have the opportunity to even try it,
474
00:30:08.880 --> 00:30:14.319
and he said nope. The commission
overruled and said no, the medical
475
00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:17.079
the medical people have to do what
the medical people have to do. It
476
00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:22.640
sucks, it's it's unfortunate, but
look, you know, as Raypiel ever
477
00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:26.079
been around hair, chemical in the
eye can't cancel the main event. Can
478
00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:30.480
you ever recall that one? Because
you know, apparently she went out for
479
00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:32.960
a jog and the stuff got in
her eye. And you know, nobody
480
00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:36.559
did anything on purpose. No one
was trying to defraud anybody. Amanda Torano
481
00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:38.880
was absolutely crushed by the situation.
You could tell by the emotion that she
482
00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:42.279
had when she was doing the interview
in the ring after it was announced to
483
00:30:42.359 --> 00:30:47.119
the crowd, you know the crowd, because it's a humiliating thing for her.
484
00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:49.720
No, I mean it has happened. I mean the fans there,
485
00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:53.000
they got a complete show other than
the main event. Unfortunately, they did
486
00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:56.640
offer them everybody a refund. They
paid or said they would pay. Her
487
00:30:56.640 --> 00:31:00.240
opponent, Nina Menke, her full
purse was a mandatory fight. They said
488
00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:06.279
they hoped to reschedule when Amanda is
ready to go again. And it sucks
489
00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:08.680
now, it is not unprecedent.
I actually remember a specific example and I
490
00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:11.920
went and I looked up my reporting
on this from ten years ago, and
491
00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:17.480
there was a fight that took place
in It was supposed to take place in
492
00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:19.960
Russia, and this was a fight
that was a cruiserweight world title fight.
493
00:31:19.960 --> 00:31:25.640
It was the rematch. People remember
this was the WBA Cruiserweight title holder Dennis
494
00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:29.000
Lebedev who was having a rematch with
Girmo Jones, who was a don King
495
00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:32.839
fighter, and they're literally in the
dressing room taking care of business. And
496
00:31:32.920 --> 00:31:36.440
as you know, when drug testing
happens, lots, you know, samples
497
00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:38.359
get collected before the fight, samples
get collected after the fight. The results
498
00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:42.119
come back at different times when your
tested more than once. It turned out
499
00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:47.319
that one of the test results that
was related to a test that Girmo Jones
500
00:31:47.319 --> 00:31:51.559
had taken, who had failed to
drug test previously in his career, came
501
00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:56.400
back positive and the result came to
the attention of the regulators while the undercard
502
00:31:56.440 --> 00:31:59.599
was going on. So they have
a positive drug test while the dudes in
503
00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:02.119
the dress This on after a lot
of discussion. This is like two hours
504
00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:06.000
before the fight's supposed to start.
They're in the dress room trying to figure
505
00:32:06.039 --> 00:32:07.880
out what they heck to do,
and like twenty minutes before they're supposed to
506
00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:10.759
walk to the ring, that fight, the main event, a cruiserweight world
507
00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:16.279
title fight, was canceled. So
it's rare, but it does happens.
508
00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:20.359
Happen, Yeah, ocasially, and
I've looked and it's it's less rare,
509
00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:23.039
but again, not common where you
have fights that are canceled at the weigh
510
00:32:23.079 --> 00:32:27.039
in. And we saw what happened
with Zerdo Ramirez canceled at the Wayne.
511
00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:30.119
I was there in Las Vegas.
I can still a picture when they canceled
512
00:32:30.119 --> 00:32:35.279
Corrals Castillo three because Jose Lewis Castillo
was overweight. Yet again, there's a
513
00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:38.880
famous Michael Spinks fight against Dwight Braxton
that was canceled the night before in Washington,
514
00:32:38.920 --> 00:32:42.759
d C. Because I got one, I'll jog you. Carl Frampton
515
00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:46.599
lost out on a title fight,
title defend something because he was in Philadelphia.
516
00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:51.400
If I'm right, he's sitting there, he's sitting there in the lobby
517
00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:58.119
and a worker in the hotel lobby
knocked like a concrete something over onto his
518
00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:01.640
hand and broke his hand. I
was there, and so that I mean,
519
00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:07.880
but again that's the day before.
But that's yet on that Bruce Trampler
520
00:33:07.880 --> 00:33:10.039
and Brad Goodman from top rank.
I mean, it was crazy. That's
521
00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:14.759
that's what happened. Yes, so
strange things happen. And again we wish
522
00:33:14.839 --> 00:33:16.400
her well, we don't, we
don't. We don't want to see her
523
00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:21.000
sideline for any length of time.
She is being evaluated further for the eye.
524
00:33:22.039 --> 00:33:27.160
Jake Paul even said cornea damage to
the eye. I believe them when
525
00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:30.319
they say they were doing anti inflammatory
treatment and they were trying to see if
526
00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:34.079
she could fight, but obviously better
safe than sorry. And she'll come back
527
00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:36.920
there, probably in fight at some
point and maybe even later this year.
528
00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:39.359
We'll see, Uh, we'll see
what anything on that, anything further.
529
00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:44.759
Just just a crazy situation and it's
it's very unfortunate. And I'll just add
530
00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:47.559
she is a class act. I
have been around her. I watched her,
531
00:33:47.880 --> 00:33:52.920
uh when she was on the undercard
of the Jake poll battle with Tyron
532
00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:58.319
Woodley the rematch in Tampa, Rayphael
she must have done fifteen interviews with all
533
00:33:58.440 --> 00:34:01.000
kinds of different people that didn't really
matter, a whole lot local media,
534
00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:06.400
whatever she gets it. She used
to fight for very little money, so
535
00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:09.079
she has calm full circle now to
fight for big money. And this was
536
00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:13.559
a huge moment for her. And
it's humiliating, that's the word I'll use
537
00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:15.559
again, that she could not defend
and had to stand there in the ring
538
00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:22.199
in tears and say I can't I
can't defend tonight, and I'm upset.
539
00:34:22.360 --> 00:34:25.599
My heart hurts and eighteen thousand people. Roughly, they had over a million
540
00:34:25.639 --> 00:34:30.599
dollar game. Matter of fact,
I spoke to Nikisa on Sunday and he
541
00:34:30.679 --> 00:34:36.239
was telling me that the gate for
this fight was it was it was large
542
00:34:36.519 --> 00:34:38.800
dollar wise, it was bigger than
when she fought Katie Taylor at the Garden.
543
00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:42.800
That's not how much. The people
in Puerto Rico were happy to have
544
00:34:42.840 --> 00:34:45.760
her fight there for the first time
in a couple in a few years.
545
00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:47.800
And you know, she's spent most
of her career living in Brooklyn. She's
546
00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:51.920
now apparently living once again in Puerto
Rico, but she hadn't fought there for
547
00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:53.360
a few years, and so this
was like a big moment. And like
548
00:34:53.400 --> 00:34:55.840
I said, we can move on, but you just hope that she heels
549
00:34:55.920 --> 00:35:00.599
up and comes back to fight another
day. Else said on that all right,
550
00:35:00.679 --> 00:35:05.639
now, later this week coming up
it quickly. It is Francis and
551
00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:13.480
Ghanu and Anthony Joshua heavyweight showed a
knockout Chaos Rayphael coming Friday in Saudi Arabia.
552
00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:15.400
You do not have to wait for
later this week to hear from Francis
553
00:35:15.400 --> 00:35:22.000
and Ghanu. Here he is right
now on our recap pot well, it's
554
00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:24.599
my great privilege to have my first
interview today on our podcast with the one
555
00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:29.559
and only the man from the UFC, now a big boxing star making his
556
00:35:29.679 --> 00:35:32.360
name. It's Francis Naganu, the
Predator, and Francis, welcome to my
557
00:35:32.440 --> 00:35:36.960
show. I appreciate it. First
of all, just how excited are you
558
00:35:37.079 --> 00:35:42.320
for what is another huge boxing match
in your career from BFF. Bro from
559
00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:45.320
BFF, I think you'll really be
rowing. I see PFL Yes, sir,
560
00:35:45.760 --> 00:35:49.599
that's that's you. Well, that's
your new that's your new MMA home.
561
00:35:49.639 --> 00:35:53.000
But people know you from your UFC
days. You got trus through fair
562
00:35:53.119 --> 00:35:59.519
enough anyway, So huge fight again, another big one, just a few
563
00:35:59.559 --> 00:36:05.079
months after a last Yeah, another
big one, right, So, I
564
00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:09.480
mean it's great to get here,
get in the boxing after all those little
565
00:36:09.519 --> 00:36:14.599
drama in the past, gets here
finally getting in the boxing that was my
566
00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:17.920
dream spot. And then get to
the point that, you know, I'm
567
00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:22.320
fighting the two best fighters in the
world back to bad who have done that
568
00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:28.000
before, Nobody Prances and Ghana.
So I'm very happy about that. I
569
00:36:28.039 --> 00:36:34.159
feel very you know, I feel
that things are shifting up. I feel
570
00:36:34.199 --> 00:36:39.559
from the to be the unprivileged to
become the privilege in life. Well,
571
00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:43.360
it is quite a remarkable story,
as you said, to come into boxing
572
00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:46.119
and immediately in your first two boxing
matches fight the two biggest names in the
573
00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:51.760
heavyweight division, uh and and and
uh. You know, perhaps more after
574
00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:53.280
this, depending on what happens,
if it's your if it's what you want
575
00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:57.400
to do. But you mentioned that
was always your dream sport about boxing.
576
00:36:57.440 --> 00:36:59.920
What I'm curious about because I,
you know, I don't follow a lot.
577
00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:01.800
I know a little bit about you, but I've been reading up on
578
00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:05.679
you a bit, but I haven't
really seen the answer to this. If
579
00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:09.159
it was your dream, what made
you go into mixed martial arts instead of
580
00:37:09.239 --> 00:37:16.480
trying boxing first as a professional opportunity. I started boxing, but again I
581
00:37:16.599 --> 00:37:20.360
was alone. I started boxing.
I was twenty two, and then it
582
00:37:20.440 --> 00:37:25.840
took me five years. I was
in Cameroon for like another four years.
583
00:37:27.079 --> 00:37:31.079
They didn't have any opportunity, and
then I have to lift Cameroon to Europe.
584
00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:36.679
That took me over a year to
get in Europe and then get there.
585
00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:39.840
Was looking an opportunity for boxing,
where to box and this, and
586
00:37:39.880 --> 00:37:45.559
then MM came around and was quick
and easy, you know, Grabb and
587
00:37:45.639 --> 00:37:50.679
go, and I was doing it
until someday even without me expecting I have
588
00:37:50.760 --> 00:37:57.719
the US, had the USC contract. Then I couldn't let that opportunity go
589
00:37:58.679 --> 00:38:02.960
regarding my stretch tradition of the time. So I took the opportunity, but
590
00:38:04.119 --> 00:38:07.639
Buxton was always in the back of
my head. And then again when it
591
00:38:07.679 --> 00:38:10.840
comes the moment, when it come
the opportunity to take on Buxton, I
592
00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:15.760
didn't as it did to cross over
and dive into that opportunity. Well,
593
00:38:15.800 --> 00:38:20.920
when you took that opportunity this passed
October and got the chance to fight against
594
00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:23.800
the heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury,
I mean, you know this, nobody
595
00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:29.880
gave you a real chance to win, much less really compete. I think
596
00:38:29.960 --> 00:38:32.280
you know among the public, certainly
among a lot of the media members.
597
00:38:32.400 --> 00:38:37.199
Obviously you had a lot of belief
in yourself. So I wonder what was
598
00:38:37.239 --> 00:38:40.079
it that coming into the sport as
a professional gave you the confidence that you
599
00:38:40.119 --> 00:38:43.800
could not only compete, but in
the eyes of a lot of people,
600
00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:49.480
Francis win against Tyson Fury. Well, my life experience was what gave me
601
00:38:49.559 --> 00:38:54.280
the confident because people are not giving
me any chance. For me, it
602
00:38:54.320 --> 00:39:00.599
wasn't anything you It was just he
has always been like that, you know,
603
00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:07.800
they always write me out. Uh
so much that went better on me.
604
00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:12.559
I'm concerned, you know, always
been there the duck. So coming
605
00:39:12.599 --> 00:39:16.440
into this fight, you was just
already it was another another day in the
606
00:39:16.519 --> 00:39:22.360
office, you know, another story, same thing. So when you when
607
00:39:22.400 --> 00:39:25.039
you fought him, you did obviously
very well. You knocked him down.
608
00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:29.840
You ultimately lost a split decision.
But I mentioned so many people thought that
609
00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:34.079
you won, did you uh,
even though you didn't get your hand raised.
610
00:39:34.119 --> 00:39:37.639
I just wanted to know if you
did you know, did it?
611
00:39:37.840 --> 00:39:39.719
Did it? Did it? How
did you feel about that? Like mentally
612
00:39:39.800 --> 00:39:43.280
emotionally that you feel like maybe you
got robbed in the fight, but it
613
00:39:43.320 --> 00:39:46.519
certinly didn't impact your ability to make
obviously a ton of fans in boxing,
614
00:39:46.800 --> 00:39:50.920
to show what you could do in
the ring, obviously to land another huge
615
00:39:50.920 --> 00:39:52.280
fight like you have. And I'll
mention, uh, you know, obviously
616
00:39:52.280 --> 00:39:57.440
this fight against Anthony Joshua in Riad, Saudi Arabia on pay per view and
617
00:39:57.519 --> 00:40:00.800
uh PPV dot com his own pay
per view. Uh, Like, were
618
00:40:00.840 --> 00:40:06.880
you bothered by that or were you
just sort of shuk it off? You
619
00:40:06.920 --> 00:40:09.599
know, I shake it off.
Life is not always fair. As soon
620
00:40:09.599 --> 00:40:15.119
as you understand that you're going to
be doing great in life, you know,
621
00:40:15.639 --> 00:40:19.440
And then I knew even getting there. That's why I wasn't even surprised.
622
00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:25.639
I knew that I was coming into
this new sport. Every nobody was
623
00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:30.920
counting on me. I'm even sure
that some Joorges wasn't watching the fight.
624
00:40:30.119 --> 00:40:36.239
They have the scoreboard ready even before
the fight started, you know, or
625
00:40:36.280 --> 00:40:38.480
sometimes they wake up sometime in between
the fire. I'm like them, the
626
00:40:38.519 --> 00:40:43.320
fight is still on, and then
just decided to put something on the paper.
627
00:40:43.519 --> 00:40:47.119
But they wasn't watching at all.
Right, So again it's the story
628
00:40:47.159 --> 00:40:52.480
of my life, always been count
out. And I knew that he wasn't
629
00:40:52.519 --> 00:40:57.719
going to be easy in the term
of like just stepping into a boxing and
630
00:40:57.760 --> 00:41:04.039
then just being in everybody hard and
and just expecting to be treated right by
631
00:41:04.239 --> 00:41:07.320
every by everybody. So when you
when you come into the fight against Tyson
632
00:41:07.400 --> 00:41:12.039
Fury, obviously just kind of snuck
up on people. I Mean they knew
633
00:41:12.039 --> 00:41:15.559
who Francis Nuangandu was, but had
no concept of what you might be able
634
00:41:15.559 --> 00:41:19.440
to do inside the boxing ring.
Uh, clearly everybody saw what you did
635
00:41:19.519 --> 00:41:22.840
so I would I would think that
you're not sneaking up on Anthony Joshua.
636
00:41:22.119 --> 00:41:25.760
They they they realize what you're capable
of. I'm sure that they've watched your
637
00:41:25.800 --> 00:41:30.000
fight against Tyson Fury. Does that
make it maybe like a little more difficult
638
00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:34.440
going into this fight. It's no
longer like a stealth operation. They know
639
00:41:34.559 --> 00:41:37.320
you, they've watched you box.
They only have ten rounds to look at,
640
00:41:37.679 --> 00:41:42.519
but they're gonna be more prepared,
perhaps than Tyson Fury was. Then
641
00:41:42.559 --> 00:41:45.760
it's up to me to find another
way to be sneaky. You know,
642
00:41:45.119 --> 00:41:47.559
if they're waiting into the left and
then I'll come to the right. If
643
00:41:47.559 --> 00:41:52.079
they are waiting into the right,
I'll come to the left. Listen,
644
00:41:52.119 --> 00:41:54.880
I understand that. I know because
you have the experience now in both sports
645
00:41:55.119 --> 00:42:00.679
at the highest level, between boxing
and mixed martial arts. I wonder which
646
00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:06.599
do you enjoy doing more. Well, First of all, you have to
647
00:42:06.639 --> 00:42:13.239
understand that boxing has always been my
first dream, but it's complicated because Meme,
648
00:42:13.480 --> 00:42:16.679
I've been into mm for the past
ten years and I'm very comfortable in
649
00:42:16.840 --> 00:42:23.320
MME. So regardless boxing is tough
for me or Meme is, boxing is
650
00:42:23.320 --> 00:42:28.199
still tough for me and Meme in
MM, I'm more confident. You know,
651
00:42:28.320 --> 00:42:32.360
I know everything in my body mechanics
is they are there. Everything is
652
00:42:32.400 --> 00:42:38.199
there. Not that it's easier,
but it's less complicated. It's less stressful,
653
00:42:38.239 --> 00:42:43.079
even on my body. That might
sound crazy, or it's more that
654
00:42:43.719 --> 00:42:50.719
on your knee and everything, but
it's so physically easy for me than than
655
00:42:50.800 --> 00:42:57.400
boxing because my body mechanics is adjusting
to the boxing. When you fought against
656
00:42:57.400 --> 00:43:02.960
Tyson Theory, I wonder do you
think it was it was more because you
657
00:43:04.039 --> 00:43:07.800
are a lot better than maybe many
people thought you might be, or was
658
00:43:07.840 --> 00:43:10.760
part of it because maybe he didn't
take you seriously because he wasn't as prepared
659
00:43:10.760 --> 00:43:17.880
as he should have been a professional
athlete. Well, I think he must
660
00:43:17.960 --> 00:43:22.920
have been prepared, But first of
all, the most important element was that
661
00:43:25.280 --> 00:43:31.239
people I was better than what people
expected. First of all, people many
662
00:43:31.280 --> 00:43:37.639
people wasn't even expected anything. Who
was hilarious for a guy that is even
663
00:43:37.639 --> 00:43:44.079
though I never did a boxing was
a compassport added a compassport champion in another
664
00:43:44.199 --> 00:43:51.639
com combassport, right, So I
think that was the thing, because honestly,
665
00:43:51.760 --> 00:43:53.960
I don't think that was a great
performance. I don't think that was
666
00:43:54.000 --> 00:43:59.360
the awesome performance. But I think
he was just enough to surprise people and
667
00:43:59.400 --> 00:44:02.280
they were like, wow, you
know, but I believe that I can
668
00:44:02.360 --> 00:44:06.280
do better than that. I can
do way better than that. Right,
669
00:44:06.400 --> 00:44:09.280
you the greatest that you can find
about him, But you were just like,
670
00:44:09.360 --> 00:44:13.639
Well, for a guy that who
wasn't expecting anything from him, that's
671
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:16.679
great. What are you expecting from
Joshua? I mean, he's obviously a
672
00:44:16.719 --> 00:44:21.599
much different type of opponent, different
type of style fighter, not as tall
673
00:44:21.639 --> 00:44:23.719
as Tyson Fury. Like I said, you're not sneaking up on anybody this
674
00:44:23.800 --> 00:44:29.079
time. So what are you expecting
from the former heavyweight champion? Well,
675
00:44:29.840 --> 00:44:34.599
expecting him to come, prepare and
come to the war, because yes,
676
00:44:34.639 --> 00:44:37.159
he has seen me already, and
then he knows that he has a lot.
677
00:44:37.480 --> 00:44:40.760
There's a lot under line here.
There's a lot for him to lose
678
00:44:40.800 --> 00:44:46.079
here, So it's gonna come with
everything that he has. One thing I'm
679
00:44:46.159 --> 00:44:51.199
very interested in is you're obviously making
a huge amount of money in this fight.
680
00:44:51.320 --> 00:44:53.960
You made a huge amount of money
in the fight against Tyson Fury,
681
00:44:54.000 --> 00:44:58.320
as as I've heard you say in
interviews. You know you got the bag.
682
00:44:58.679 --> 00:45:00.000
You know, after a lot of
time. I'm in a in a
683
00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:04.679
MMA where you didn't make the kind
of huge money I said, I fumbled
684
00:45:04.719 --> 00:45:07.559
the back. I fumbled the back. Well you didn't you that's not what
685
00:45:07.599 --> 00:45:12.559
you said. That's what other suns
somebody else said that you bumbled the bag.
686
00:45:13.119 --> 00:45:15.719
Uh. But I just wonder,
you know, how how just amazing
687
00:45:15.800 --> 00:45:19.800
is it to you that you could
have such a storied career in mm A.
688
00:45:20.519 --> 00:45:22.519
Uh, you know, make money, but come into boxing and your
689
00:45:22.559 --> 00:45:27.920
two fights, from what I understand, anyway, eclipse your entire career earnings
690
00:45:27.920 --> 00:45:31.199
in mm A in one fight,
much less the second fights you're gonna have.
691
00:45:32.679 --> 00:45:37.559
Well, I think we don't.
I would not use this to like
692
00:45:37.679 --> 00:45:42.760
bash what MMA have given to me, you know, the opportunity. But
693
00:45:42.880 --> 00:45:46.320
the reason why we were sharing is
because of my MMA career. And then
694
00:45:46.519 --> 00:45:51.280
there's also a lot of boxing fighters
that they are not even making what I
695
00:45:51.440 --> 00:45:59.639
was making in the MMA, and
also not because I have a we have
696
00:45:59.719 --> 00:46:05.239
some situation in mm whish mean about
that was the standard? Right? That's
697
00:46:05.239 --> 00:46:07.920
not the standard. If I would
have fight in the PFO after if I
698
00:46:07.920 --> 00:46:14.159
would have fight uh in the in
mm after my last fight, that was
699
00:46:14.199 --> 00:46:21.320
the moment that I was basically manifesting
if I would have to fight in MMA,
700
00:46:21.920 --> 00:46:24.280
I would have still made a lot
of money, right, because even
701
00:46:24.320 --> 00:46:28.239
from my last fight, I turned
down a lot of money, the money
702
00:46:28.280 --> 00:46:31.400
that I have never made career,
I turned down because I was standing by
703
00:46:31.480 --> 00:46:35.480
something. I had some principle that
I didn't want to break it up.
704
00:46:35.760 --> 00:46:40.400
Right. So the fact that I
didn't have the money is not because the
705
00:46:40.519 --> 00:46:45.840
money wasn't there or because the money
wasn't offered. It is because I swich
706
00:46:45.039 --> 00:46:49.440
and then I get to that specific
point and it was the moment that I
707
00:46:49.440 --> 00:46:52.119
stepped into boxing. But again,
if I were to fight in MMA,
708
00:46:52.239 --> 00:46:57.039
in any MMA organization, I would
have made make a lot of money as
709
00:46:57.079 --> 00:46:59.239
well. All right, So let
me then wrap up with this. You
710
00:46:59.280 --> 00:47:02.360
mentioned my last question for you.
Uh, it's been announced by PFL that
711
00:47:02.679 --> 00:47:07.000
after this fight against Anthony Joshua in
a boxing match, that you're supposed to
712
00:47:07.000 --> 00:47:12.320
return to have your first ever PFL
fight against the winner of their big show
713
00:47:12.360 --> 00:47:16.199
that they just recently had in Saudi
Arabia against Uh, I forget the guy's
714
00:47:16.280 --> 00:47:23.159
name who won the Renan Ferra,
right who who won that that big match
715
00:47:23.199 --> 00:47:27.239
that he had? So is that
your plan to go back and do that
716
00:47:27.280 --> 00:47:30.480
PFL fight next, and do you
plan like I think of Claressa Shields and
717
00:47:30.519 --> 00:47:34.960
boxing. She's also was on that
card with the PFL, and she's been
718
00:47:35.000 --> 00:47:38.320
shuttling back and forth between the two
sports. Is that your intention to have
719
00:47:38.400 --> 00:47:43.920
this fight with aj, go do
that fight in PFL, maybe another one
720
00:47:43.960 --> 00:47:47.320
whatever, and then eventually come back
in boxing again and basically make two sports
721
00:47:47.360 --> 00:47:54.400
as a combat stars. As far
as fighting in the MMA, yes,
722
00:47:54.519 --> 00:48:00.320
that's my uh, that's my uh, my goal to combine a bit,
723
00:48:00.400 --> 00:48:02.920
because I think I still have to. I still have a few fights in
724
00:48:04.079 --> 00:48:09.079
MMA, but after this one.
The understatement from fighting ren and Ferrera after
725
00:48:09.079 --> 00:48:15.639
this fight is a potential option because
it depends how this fight goes. Because
726
00:48:15.679 --> 00:48:22.079
this fight is my lead into a
un disputed fight, which I think will
727
00:48:22.119 --> 00:48:25.679
be back to back. I will
not let this after this fight. If
728
00:48:25.719 --> 00:48:29.679
I win this fight, I'm going
to fight for the on disputed. I
729
00:48:29.719 --> 00:48:32.719
will not step out and go fight
MM. Maybe had a reason of injury
730
00:48:32.800 --> 00:48:37.880
or something before fight on disputed.
I think I will go straight to fight
731
00:48:37.039 --> 00:48:39.400
on dispuit. Well, I'll tell
you what. If you can go back
732
00:48:39.440 --> 00:48:42.960
and forth and get those big mega
fights. It's a beautiful thing to have
733
00:48:43.039 --> 00:48:46.360
options, and you obviously are a
man that has options. Francis, thank
734
00:48:46.400 --> 00:48:49.639
you so much for your time today. I appreciate it. I wish your
735
00:48:49.639 --> 00:48:51.920
best of luck. Let me tell
you've made a big splash in boxing,
736
00:48:52.199 --> 00:48:55.519
and having not known your story and
followed what's occurred, I can't help but
737
00:48:55.519 --> 00:48:58.920
be a fan. And I'm not
just trying to kiss beer in here.
738
00:49:00.239 --> 00:49:01.639
Thank you. I appreciate you,
Bo, Thank you so much, Fransis.
739
00:49:01.679 --> 00:49:06.280
Good luck with you. Excellent.
Get mister ray Field, to get
740
00:49:06.360 --> 00:49:08.920
him fight week and to get it
rolling, all right, You got to
741
00:49:08.920 --> 00:49:13.000
look at him while you were talking
to him. Everybody wants to know what
742
00:49:13.119 --> 00:49:15.599
kind of shot do you think he
has? You saw him as fight week
743
00:49:15.719 --> 00:49:19.639
begins. Give me a read on
what you saw. We heard from him
744
00:49:19.639 --> 00:49:22.280
obviously, but yeah, give me
thought really confident. You know. My
745
00:49:22.400 --> 00:49:25.960
perspective is he kind of and we
and as people heard the interview, I
746
00:49:27.039 --> 00:49:30.559
use the terminology he snuck up on
Tyson Fury because nobody gave him a chance
747
00:49:30.559 --> 00:49:34.400
in hell to do anything, even
though everybody respected him for his accomplishments as
748
00:49:34.440 --> 00:49:37.480
a MMA fighter. But you're not
gonna hang with the heavyweight champ of the
749
00:49:37.519 --> 00:49:40.760
world in your pro debut as a
boxer. But he did because Fury does.
750
00:49:42.039 --> 00:49:45.559
I believe it's a combination of Fury
not taking him seriously and the Gano
751
00:49:45.719 --> 00:49:47.880
being obviously better than maybe people gave
him credit for it, and you put
752
00:49:47.880 --> 00:49:52.440
the two together and it makes for
a fight that he obviously scored a knockdown
753
00:49:52.440 --> 00:49:54.199
in and looked very good and you
know, certainly could have walked away with
754
00:49:54.239 --> 00:49:59.280
his hand raised in a victory even
though he ended up losing his split decision.
755
00:49:59.480 --> 00:50:01.800
Well, he's not sneaking up on
Anthony Joshua because everybody now knows that
756
00:50:01.840 --> 00:50:05.440
you got to take the dude seriously
because he just did what he did against
757
00:50:05.480 --> 00:50:07.559
Tyson Fury. And Anthony Joshua has
never been the kind of guy, in
758
00:50:07.559 --> 00:50:12.400
my mind to take an opponent lightly. Number one and number two. Anthony
759
00:50:12.480 --> 00:50:15.800
Joshua has been active, he's been
fighting well, he has that confidence.
760
00:50:15.800 --> 00:50:17.840
I mean, he's going to now
be fighting for the fourth time in a
761
00:50:17.840 --> 00:50:22.280
twelve month period, so you know
he should be sharp. And while I
762
00:50:22.320 --> 00:50:27.199
expect Anthony Joshua to win the fight, you just can't underestimate the fact that
763
00:50:27.280 --> 00:50:30.079
if if somehow, some way he
can land the kind of punch on Joshua
764
00:50:30.119 --> 00:50:34.000
that he landed on Tyson Fury.
That could be a problem. So there's
765
00:50:34.079 --> 00:50:37.320
definitely intrigue. The fact that it's
a ten round fight not a twelve round
766
00:50:37.320 --> 00:50:40.119
fight, you know, probably is
better in the sense for Joshua because not
767
00:50:40.119 --> 00:50:44.840
that he ever had a problem with
the stamina note, but it just makes
768
00:50:44.960 --> 00:50:47.199
me it just gives him another advantage
that, you know, he doesn't have
769
00:50:47.239 --> 00:50:50.000
to go as long. I mean, I guess France and the guy who
770
00:50:50.039 --> 00:50:52.480
might be troubled if they did go
into the twelfth round, but he seemed
771
00:50:52.480 --> 00:50:54.639
to go ten rounds with no real
problem in terms of his win against Tyson
772
00:50:54.719 --> 00:50:58.320
Fury. I think it's going to
be a fun fight. I mean,
773
00:50:58.360 --> 00:51:00.599
I think Joshua's going to probably be
a little a little uh, gonna box
774
00:51:00.639 --> 00:51:02.719
a little bit early on. I
don't think he's gonna rush out there and
775
00:51:02.719 --> 00:51:06.599
try to clean his clock right off
the bat, and I'll see what he's
776
00:51:06.599 --> 00:51:08.360
in front of him, and and
uh and and they'll they'll do what they
777
00:51:08.400 --> 00:51:10.719
do. But I think it's gonna
be fun to watch. I'm actually very
778
00:51:10.760 --> 00:51:15.760
excited about it. I mean,
there's hey, there's there's there's real intrigue
779
00:51:15.760 --> 00:51:19.760
just from this standpoint, because if
in Ghanu is good again, then he's
780
00:51:19.760 --> 00:51:22.800
got a chance to screw it up
for Anthony Joshua once and for all.
781
00:51:22.119 --> 00:51:25.679
And if Joshua does something that Fury
couldn't do, which is beating Ghanu up
782
00:51:25.719 --> 00:51:29.199
and or knock came out, okay, now there's more leverage. There's a
783
00:51:29.199 --> 00:51:31.800
lot of He thinks Friday, he
thinks there's a chance. Mean he supposedly
784
00:51:31.800 --> 00:51:36.159
he's supposed to go back to PFL
to have his first fight under their banner
785
00:51:36.159 --> 00:51:42.119
after signing with them against the winner
of their unification PFL Delator fight. That
786
00:51:42.159 --> 00:51:44.840
happened, But he was saying,
like, maybe I'll fight the winner of
787
00:51:45.360 --> 00:51:49.039
uh ooh sick against Fury perhaps made
to the second place to shut it undisputed.
788
00:51:49.280 --> 00:51:51.960
That probably won't be undisputed because the
titles will splinter, but he can
789
00:51:51.960 --> 00:51:54.400
still get maybe a title shot.
He's ranked in the WBC now and all
790
00:51:54.400 --> 00:52:00.119
that he you know, the world
is his oyster right now. He's and
791
00:52:00.480 --> 00:52:01.800
do what he wants to do and
make a lot of money in big fights,
792
00:52:01.800 --> 00:52:06.199
and with PFL he can do the
same in boxing. And I must
793
00:52:06.239 --> 00:52:08.039
say, I'd never interviewed him before. I never met France and Naganu.
794
00:52:08.079 --> 00:52:10.480
Today was the first time I ever
spoke to him. But I've been following
795
00:52:10.559 --> 00:52:14.559
and learning about him ever since he
was signed to fight Theory. And I
796
00:52:14.639 --> 00:52:19.719
must say for in my experience in
listening to those interviews and watching him do
797
00:52:19.800 --> 00:52:22.880
interviews, and now having a chance
to spend a little time with him on
798
00:52:22.920 --> 00:52:28.119
Sunday morning on a zoom call,
what an absolute pleasure. A pleasant guy
799
00:52:28.159 --> 00:52:31.000
who knows where he's from, knows
what he wants to do, very endearing,
800
00:52:31.440 --> 00:52:35.239
just a great quality about him,
a nice sense of humor, like
801
00:52:35.559 --> 00:52:38.239
I thoroughly enjoyed getting a chance to
talk to him. Great stuff on that,
802
00:52:38.360 --> 00:52:43.800
some news and some nostalgia. Rayphael
helped me. I thought it was
803
00:52:43.800 --> 00:52:49.440
Splitsville with Canelo and Premiere Boxing Champions. Now we got word flying around everywhere
804
00:52:50.079 --> 00:52:53.239
that they may be back at the
table here Heimimungia may be the opponent.
805
00:52:53.239 --> 00:52:57.159
How many times am I going to
say may in my preference, maybe it's
806
00:52:57.199 --> 00:53:01.239
Berlanga, maybe it's not. Back
on Merre Boxing Champions on Amazon, we
807
00:53:01.320 --> 00:53:05.440
got a lot of Maybies. What's
the deal, what's the latest? Real
808
00:53:05.559 --> 00:53:07.880
quick well, first of all,
ever in your life have you known a
809
00:53:08.000 --> 00:53:14.480
couple that was madly in love together
and married, split up, went their
810
00:53:14.519 --> 00:53:16.639
separate ways, and then then they're
getting back together and getting remarried. I
811
00:53:16.639 --> 00:53:20.159
know some people that have been like
that over the years. It happens.
812
00:53:20.480 --> 00:53:22.280
It happens. Uh, not to
say that. I think that PBC and
813
00:53:22.320 --> 00:53:24.719
Canelo are madly in love with each
other. I think it's not that watched
814
00:53:24.760 --> 00:53:28.599
the Doctor Phil show all the time. It's right there, it's there.
815
00:53:28.840 --> 00:53:30.400
I don't watch Doctor Fell. I'll
leave the Doctor Phil watching to you.
816
00:53:30.920 --> 00:53:35.880
However, Uh, what's the old
saying, Tej. It's a fluid situation.
817
00:53:36.079 --> 00:53:37.920
Okay, But here's here's the best. Here's the best version of the
818
00:53:37.920 --> 00:53:42.599
truth as I know it as we
record this on Sunday evening. He did
819
00:53:42.599 --> 00:53:45.639
split with PBC. They were done
and he was walking. To my knowledge,
820
00:53:45.920 --> 00:53:49.840
maybe that's wrong, but that's what
I was told by sources on both
821
00:53:49.880 --> 00:53:52.719
sides of the coin. But I
think at the end of the day,
822
00:53:53.039 --> 00:53:59.679
PBC realizes that this is my conjecture, if they're gonna make the Amazon thing
823
00:53:59.760 --> 00:54:01.960
work in some capacity, you have
to have the number one attraction in the
824
00:54:02.000 --> 00:54:06.440
sport and you're not that far off
of trying to get the deal done anyway,
825
00:54:06.480 --> 00:54:08.000
because they did obviously sign him,
they do have opponents for him,
826
00:54:08.079 --> 00:54:14.079
et cetera. So they're now working
on this as a possibility. And again,
827
00:54:14.159 --> 00:54:16.320
unless something happened on Sunday afternoon or
Sunday night, which is I guess
828
00:54:16.320 --> 00:54:20.239
possible. To my knowledge, there's
no deal done. They're just trying to
829
00:54:20.239 --> 00:54:23.639
get it work through the process.
But there are multiple suitors involved, and
830
00:54:23.679 --> 00:54:29.519
he's talked to varying various outlets.
So yes, they're back talking about doing
831
00:54:29.519 --> 00:54:34.239
something with PBC on Amazon, whether
it's Mongia, I don't think Charlotte's back
832
00:54:34.239 --> 00:54:37.519
in the picture. I you know, on a more distant basis, perhaps
833
00:54:37.519 --> 00:54:42.039
Berlanga, but I doubt it because
that Erlanga put on social media that it's
834
00:54:42.039 --> 00:54:45.360
cooking for him to be the guy. Nothing nothing definitive from anybody other than
835
00:54:46.119 --> 00:54:51.199
Berlanga. But often the fighters are
the last I mean, I have to
836
00:54:51.199 --> 00:54:52.280
be honest. I mean, I
can tell you that in my career there
837
00:54:52.320 --> 00:54:55.199
have been a multiple of occasions rod
fighters that said they learned about their next
838
00:54:55.239 --> 00:54:59.360
fight by reading something that I wrote. Very true. I mean, Oscar
839
00:54:59.360 --> 00:55:02.280
Deloya found that or I mean Freddie
Roach found out that Oscar Deloya fired him
840
00:55:02.280 --> 00:55:06.039
as a trainer because of talking to
me in a hotel in Texas. I
841
00:55:06.039 --> 00:55:09.199
mean it shit happens, I understand. So these are all possibilities. So
842
00:55:09.239 --> 00:55:12.559
you have his Oonne is still in
the mix. From what I am told,
843
00:55:12.719 --> 00:55:15.320
it could be banger Langa, it
could be Mangia, it could be
844
00:55:15.400 --> 00:55:19.159
back on Amazon against you know one
of those opponents. Uh it won't be
845
00:55:19.159 --> 00:55:22.920
Benavidi's I don't believe in May.
And there is another party that's also been
846
00:55:22.960 --> 00:55:25.679
in the conversation and you've been saying
that, and we got a role here
847
00:55:25.719 --> 00:55:30.159
on this, but we're about eight
weeks away. You've got to make up
848
00:55:30.199 --> 00:55:32.159
your mind on what you're doing and
there you're doing it coming up, so
849
00:55:32.400 --> 00:55:35.440
they got time. It'll get done
in the next few days. I believe
850
00:55:35.440 --> 00:55:37.280
it's certainly by the end of the
week. So there is Canelo, and
851
00:55:37.320 --> 00:55:43.039
whether he's coming back to uh PBC
in Amazon or whether he's gonna end up
852
00:55:43.039 --> 00:55:45.840
on his own or somewhere else remains
to be seen. All right, Quickly,
853
00:55:45.880 --> 00:55:51.440
some news you mentioned Charlo Jamel Charlo
is now beltless because the WBA says
854
00:55:51.440 --> 00:55:53.079
you're now the champion in recess.
He has none of the belts left correct
855
00:55:53.239 --> 00:55:59.719
one p. Fifty four all right, and so uh fascinating. He did
856
00:55:59.760 --> 00:56:04.440
fight Canelo and cashed in big for
the money, but now starts at zero
857
00:56:04.559 --> 00:56:06.840
in the junior middleweight division. And
maybe he's not even gonna fight at junior
858
00:56:06.840 --> 00:56:08.559
middlewaight anymore. What's the latest?
What else? Well, I don't think
859
00:56:08.599 --> 00:56:12.079
he's gonna fight at junior middlewa anymore. I mean, he does have the
860
00:56:12.159 --> 00:56:14.880
Ring magazine title, for what that's
worth. He is still the lineal champion,
861
00:56:15.400 --> 00:56:17.920
so those are meaningful things. But
yes, the WBA followed suit from
862
00:56:17.920 --> 00:56:22.440
what the WBC did and made him
the in recess champion. So I thought
863
00:56:22.440 --> 00:56:24.519
to myself, he might be the
only fighter in the history of this cobble
864
00:56:24.599 --> 00:56:29.679
league look alphabet stuff that's ever been
the unified champion in recess, which I
865
00:56:29.719 --> 00:56:32.639
find to be a bizarre situation.
Good but again, I can't really blame
866
00:56:32.719 --> 00:56:37.639
the organizations because I think, you
know, it could have just outright stripped
867
00:56:37.719 --> 00:56:39.519
him. This was sort of like
the happy media. They don't have to,
868
00:56:40.039 --> 00:56:44.199
you know, kick him to the
curb. But it's pretty obviously he's
869
00:56:44.199 --> 00:56:45.239
probably not gonna fight in the weight
class. He's got the option to do
870
00:56:45.320 --> 00:56:47.840
so if he wants to come back
to the weight class. So they call
871
00:56:47.920 --> 00:56:51.320
him a champion in recess, and
so what that means is if he decides
872
00:56:51.360 --> 00:56:53.360
he wants to fight in the division, he can do so and get the
873
00:56:53.360 --> 00:56:58.119
next shot available at the person that
becomes, you know, that wins the
874
00:56:58.199 --> 00:57:01.599
vacant title. But the reason why
they did this is because he hasn't fought,
875
00:57:01.960 --> 00:57:06.480
you know, in his weight class
or defended those titles. You know,
876
00:57:06.519 --> 00:57:09.440
it's been ever since the Brian Kastanio
rematch when he became the unified champion
877
00:57:09.480 --> 00:57:13.639
of the undisputed champion, and they
took a long layoff. When he came
878
00:57:13.679 --> 00:57:16.559
back, it was against Canelo in
September of last fall. That was at
879
00:57:16.559 --> 00:57:21.000
one hundred and sixty eight pounds.
He hasn't committed to anybody about whether you're
880
00:57:21.079 --> 00:57:22.679
going to go back and fight and
defend at one hundred and fifty four.
881
00:57:22.800 --> 00:57:25.880
So you're take into account the layoff, then you take into account the fact
882
00:57:25.880 --> 00:57:29.239
that his last fight was out of
the weight class. Then you take into
883
00:57:29.280 --> 00:57:32.000
account the fact that he hasn't given
an answer to any of the organization about
884
00:57:32.000 --> 00:57:35.280
whether he plans to fight in the
weight class, and then on top of
885
00:57:35.360 --> 00:57:37.159
that you throw in his legal problems
that are sidelining him at the moment,
886
00:57:37.400 --> 00:57:40.079
and that obviously is going to hold
things up for quite a while. So
887
00:57:40.119 --> 00:57:43.639
you know what go be in recess
when you decide what you want to do.
888
00:57:43.679 --> 00:57:45.280
If you want to fight for the
title, let us know and you
889
00:57:45.320 --> 00:57:47.119
can have the title shot right off
the bat. So in the meantime,
890
00:57:47.159 --> 00:57:50.840
now it's how do they fill the
vacant title, and so they put together
891
00:57:50.880 --> 00:57:54.400
this fight between Israel Majimov and Kurbanov. That fight had been added to the
892
00:57:54.440 --> 00:57:59.360
Anthony Joshua and the gun Who undercart
in Saudi Arabia on Friday. You know,
893
00:58:00.159 --> 00:58:04.039
Hercy Alaschk had put a big picture
up of the card with the faces
894
00:58:04.039 --> 00:58:07.239
of the people that are on the
undercart. That fight was announced. The
895
00:58:07.239 --> 00:58:12.039
guys have been training and everybody was
expecting it to become for the vacant WBA
896
00:58:12.119 --> 00:58:15.599
title, which it is. Then
as I reported that the fight was going
897
00:58:15.639 --> 00:58:20.199
to be off because Madromov had a
pre fight medical scan, that there was
898
00:58:20.239 --> 00:58:22.280
some kind of issue with that.
The British Board of Boxing Control, which
899
00:58:22.320 --> 00:58:25.000
is the people who are regulating the
fight in Saudi Arabia because they don't have
900
00:58:25.079 --> 00:58:29.639
their own you know, athletic commission, boxing com mission, so the Brits
901
00:58:29.880 --> 00:58:32.039
you know, usually take the reins
on that. They basically said, you
902
00:58:32.079 --> 00:58:36.559
know what, you can't fight,
and now the fight was off. But
903
00:58:36.679 --> 00:58:39.320
they're going through the process of second
opinion, rescan, double checking, so
904
00:58:39.559 --> 00:58:43.760
it is conceivable the fight may be
back on. Obviously, the fight's on
905
00:58:43.800 --> 00:58:45.440
Friday. There's not a lot of
time I would expect something to happen.
906
00:58:45.480 --> 00:58:49.400
Obviously sometime the next you know,
I can't believe it would go more than
907
00:58:49.440 --> 00:58:52.320
the next forty eight hours. So
it remains up in the air. But
908
00:58:52.440 --> 00:58:57.599
whatever, Charlot is no longer the
WBA fifty four champion. He doesn't have
909
00:58:57.639 --> 00:59:00.400
any of the sanctioning body titles,
and they're looking to fill that belt with
910
00:59:00.519 --> 00:59:04.400
this magromv versus kribononf fight, which
by the way, is a pretty good
911
00:59:04.400 --> 00:59:07.079
fight on paper if they can get
it for the Saudi card later this week.
912
00:59:07.280 --> 00:59:10.280
All right, quickly, a couple
more things than some nostalgia. Terrence
913
00:59:10.320 --> 00:59:15.400
Crawford now a free agent. That
doesn't necessarily mean Rayfield was already prepping me
914
00:59:15.559 --> 00:59:17.880
that doesn't necessarily mean that he's not
still going to fight under the Premiere Boxing
915
00:59:17.960 --> 00:59:22.480
Champion's umbrella and maybe on pay per
view on Amazon, et cetera. But
916
00:59:22.519 --> 00:59:27.280
he's checking out his options after winning
that undisputed fight with Earl Spence. Yeah,
917
00:59:27.280 --> 00:59:30.280
as he should. I mean yeah, I mean I wrote a thing
918
00:59:30.320 --> 00:59:34.000
about that in my substack newsletter Fight
Freaks two nights I'll go there and sign
919
00:59:34.039 --> 00:59:36.719
it home. I wrote about that, and all of a sudden, I
920
00:59:36.719 --> 00:59:40.719
have people like taking, like twisting
the words on social media, saying that
921
00:59:40.719 --> 00:59:45.480
that you know, he that he's
divorced PBC, that he's he's leaving PBC.
922
00:59:45.840 --> 00:59:50.159
No, he, I mean he
might, but the reality is he
923
00:59:50.239 --> 00:59:52.280
might stay. Just because I'm a
free agent doesn't mean you don't re sign
924
00:59:52.360 --> 00:59:55.840
or do a new deal. It's
just that he's no longer under an obligation
925
00:59:57.000 --> 01:00:00.239
to his next fight. He only
had a one fight deal with p It
926
01:00:00.320 --> 01:00:05.679
also contained an option from Errol Spence
if Erol Spence loss, which he did.
927
01:00:05.840 --> 01:00:08.760
He exercised the rematch right when he
got defeated in their fight this past
928
01:00:08.760 --> 01:00:14.239
summer. The contract specified that the
rematch should take place by the end of
929
01:00:14.280 --> 01:00:16.880
twenty twenty three. But just because
the contract says something, and this is
930
01:00:16.960 --> 01:00:22.320
or any contract, if the parties
agree to go under different terms, so
931
01:00:22.440 --> 01:00:25.280
be it. So. They had
I'm told a handshake agreement between the parties
932
01:00:25.679 --> 01:00:30.360
Spence, Crawford and PBC to you
know, forget about the deadline at the
933
01:00:30.440 --> 01:00:32.800
end of the year. Let's put
it off into twenty twenty four. We'll
934
01:00:32.800 --> 01:00:37.119
see what we can do. But
it got to a point where it was
935
01:00:37.159 --> 01:00:40.079
clear that the rematch wasn't going to
happen. Incidentally, Crawford, as the
936
01:00:40.119 --> 01:00:43.480
winner, had the right to select
the wait for the rematch, be it
937
01:00:43.519 --> 01:00:45.599
one to fifty four or one forty
seven. He did, in fact,
938
01:00:45.639 --> 01:00:49.800
from what I was told, picked
one fifty four. But the fight is
939
01:00:49.840 --> 01:00:52.559
not happening for obvious reasons. You
know, you put that fight on the
940
01:00:52.599 --> 01:00:57.039
business side of it is a disaster
because he got absolutely killed, slaughtered and
941
01:00:57.079 --> 01:01:00.400
crushed in the first fight, you
know, Spence did. I don't think
942
01:01:00.440 --> 01:01:05.920
there's an appetite for PBC to put
on a very very high level, expensive
943
01:01:06.039 --> 01:01:08.440
sort of fight that you know is
going to die in terms of the gate
944
01:01:08.480 --> 01:01:12.440
in the in the box office.
So you know it makes do it.
945
01:01:12.519 --> 01:01:15.239
So at Crawford is now allowed to
go and fight wherever he wants, but
946
01:01:15.440 --> 01:01:20.199
his best options, it seems on
paper anyway, would still be with PBC
947
01:01:20.280 --> 01:01:23.320
because they have the opponents now.
He was in Puerto Rico at an event
948
01:01:23.440 --> 01:01:27.719
over the weekend and he was asking
some questions and well, he didn't like
949
01:01:27.760 --> 01:01:30.199
embrace it and say I'm definitely gonna
do this. Like he didn't close the
950
01:01:30.239 --> 01:01:31.320
door when he was asked about fighting. Say, like Tim Zoo, if
951
01:01:31.320 --> 01:01:35.480
he beats Sermon or Thurman, if
he beats Tim Zoo, certainly, if
952
01:01:35.519 --> 01:01:37.639
Zoo beats Thurman on March thirtieth,
which is the PBC main event of their
953
01:01:37.679 --> 01:01:40.480
first pay per view with Amazon,
that's a good fight. I mean,
954
01:01:40.800 --> 01:01:45.039
there's nothing wrong with that. Is
it a mega fight? No, But
955
01:01:45.079 --> 01:01:47.280
Crawford has got a huge name now
compared to what it was after the Arrow
956
01:01:47.280 --> 01:01:51.760
Spence victory. Tim Zoo is now
the only guy with a belt in that
957
01:01:51.800 --> 01:01:53.719
weight class because the other titles are
vacant. You know, he was elevated
958
01:01:53.760 --> 01:01:59.639
from the interim when the Canelo Charlotte
fight started, So he's got to defend
959
01:01:59.719 --> 01:02:02.880
his idle uh and that would be
a heck of a fight. He's undefeated,
960
01:02:02.880 --> 01:02:06.880
he's in with a solid guy,
lot of subplots, got a whole
961
01:02:07.039 --> 01:02:09.519
got a whole continent of Australia behind
Tim Zuo too well. Who knows,
962
01:02:09.840 --> 01:02:14.320
but you know, the other belts
at the present time are vacant. IBS,
963
01:02:14.920 --> 01:02:17.519
the WBA, WBC all vacant.
They'll be still be filled in due
964
01:02:17.519 --> 01:02:22.840
time. So there's there's those options. Obviously, he would like to fight
965
01:02:22.840 --> 01:02:25.119
Canelo. That seems a bridge too
far. Canelo hasn't really shown any interest
966
01:02:25.159 --> 01:02:29.480
in that. You never know,
you know, maybe it could be down
967
01:02:29.519 --> 01:02:31.719
the road. But you hope that
Crawford isn't gonna have some crazy long layoff.
968
01:02:31.719 --> 01:02:35.639
He fought in July. He probably
is not back in the ring,
969
01:02:35.760 --> 01:02:38.320
no question, until at least June, probably longer. He's gonna be looking
970
01:02:38.360 --> 01:02:42.679
at a year long layoff, and
uh, you know, we want to
971
01:02:42.719 --> 01:02:45.639
see the best fighters fight more often, particularly when you make good fights the
972
01:02:45.639 --> 01:02:49.320
way Crawford does. So he'll figure
it out. I just hope that they
973
01:02:49.320 --> 01:02:51.599
can get him a good opponent,
and if he chooses to go elsewhere,
974
01:02:51.599 --> 01:02:53.079
maybe there's a fight for him,
you know, with Matchroom, Maybe he
975
01:02:53.119 --> 01:02:57.000
goes back with top rank, Maybe
there's a fight in Saudi Arabia. You
976
01:02:57.000 --> 01:03:00.400
know, any promoter out there would
want at least have a common station with
977
01:03:00.480 --> 01:03:04.280
Terrence Crawford. I mean, it
depends on what his financial expectations are.
978
01:03:04.360 --> 01:03:06.960
It depends on what kind of opponents
you have to offer them. But you
979
01:03:06.960 --> 01:03:09.320
know, I think PBC, in
terms of least the opponent portion of things
980
01:03:09.599 --> 01:03:13.679
is still the likely place to wind
up because they have the best opponents to
981
01:03:13.719 --> 01:03:19.239
offer him. All good on the
news, some nostalgia on this busy podcast,
982
01:03:19.320 --> 01:03:24.559
and then we are done. All
right. Two different anniversaries all within
983
01:03:25.320 --> 01:03:30.639
one year. March first of two
thousand and eight, sixteen years ago,
984
01:03:30.800 --> 01:03:36.320
back on Friday, Israel Vasquez in
the wild Fight to regain the WBC Junior
985
01:03:36.360 --> 01:03:43.599
Featherway title beat Raphael Marquez and the
first fight the anniversary is as we are
986
01:03:43.599 --> 01:03:46.559
taping this podcast, it happened back
in two thousand and seven on March third,
987
01:03:46.599 --> 01:03:51.840
So they fought basically fifty two weeks
later in the rematch. So give
988
01:03:51.840 --> 01:03:54.800
me the full lowdown. No,
you got that wrong load down on these
989
01:03:54.840 --> 01:03:59.519
fights, Go ahead, DJ.
They thought the first fight and the third
990
01:03:59.519 --> 01:04:02.119
fight fifty two weeks. The second
fight was in the middle because they fought
991
01:04:02.159 --> 01:04:05.559
in March and they fought a rematch
in August, and then they fought the
992
01:04:05.559 --> 01:04:09.880
third fight. Then wait a minute, we talk about rematches that can't happen
993
01:04:09.960 --> 01:04:14.000
for three or four years. These
guys fought three times in fifty two weeks.
994
01:04:14.000 --> 01:04:15.920
Go ahead, yeah, And the
fact of the matter is a lot
995
01:04:15.920 --> 01:04:18.800
of times the big ones don't happen
so quickly because of the amount of money
996
01:04:18.800 --> 01:04:21.559
involved. These guys didn't make that
kind of money, although they were well
997
01:04:21.599 --> 01:04:25.360
paid, and they deserved every penny
of it and a lot more for what
998
01:04:25.400 --> 01:04:28.280
they gave to, you know,
to the sport and to you know,
999
01:04:28.760 --> 01:04:30.599
you know, Ezra Vaskez essentially lost
an eye because of this, this series
1000
01:04:30.639 --> 01:04:33.280
of fights. But the first fight
that we talked about, that was the
1001
01:04:33.320 --> 01:04:36.880
March's third fight two thousand and seven
at the Home Depot Center in Carson,
1002
01:04:38.079 --> 01:04:43.280
which is the now called the Dignity
Health Park Spectacular Fight. This was a
1003
01:04:43.280 --> 01:04:46.360
fight where you had Rafael Marquez,
who was the bantamweight champion, moving up
1004
01:04:47.039 --> 01:04:51.880
to one hundred and twenty two pound
way class to challenge Vasquez for the title
1005
01:04:53.000 --> 01:04:56.239
in that weight class, the WBC
title, And it was a sensational fight
1006
01:04:56.480 --> 01:04:59.719
and it would have been the fight
of the year unquestionably, except for the
1007
01:04:59.760 --> 01:05:01.679
fight that there was in a rematch
that took place in August wasn't even better
1008
01:05:01.719 --> 01:05:04.000
fight, and that became the fight
of the year for two thousand and seven.
1009
01:05:04.039 --> 01:05:09.400
So the two top candidates were Fight
one in Fight two. You know,
1010
01:05:09.400 --> 01:05:13.039
obviously in the second fight was Vasquez
regaining the title. But the first
1011
01:05:13.079 --> 01:05:15.239
fight that we're talking about was absolutely
sensational, and in the end it was
1012
01:05:15.559 --> 01:05:19.840
it was Marquez getting the victory because
Vasquez retired on the stool after the seventh
1013
01:05:19.880 --> 01:05:23.880
round because he couldn't breathe because his
nose was so badly broken. I don't
1014
01:05:23.880 --> 01:05:27.239
think it was him quitting. It
was really the corner and the ref stop
1015
01:05:27.239 --> 01:05:30.880
in the fight because of that situation. So he wins Marquez does, he
1016
01:05:30.920 --> 01:05:34.039
wins the junior featherweight WBC title,
He wins the Ring Magazine title. It
1017
01:05:34.119 --> 01:05:36.599
was a huge deal and everybody wanted
to see the rematch, and we got
1018
01:05:36.639 --> 01:05:42.159
it a few months later, and
then you know, fifty two weeks later
1019
01:05:42.239 --> 01:05:44.960
we got the third fight, and
so that anniversary was almost to the exact
1020
01:05:45.039 --> 01:05:47.360
date. It was like March first
of two thousand and eight, so you
1021
01:05:47.360 --> 01:05:51.000
know, three hundred and what sixty
three days apart. Correct, So the
1022
01:05:51.039 --> 01:05:56.039
first fight's a fucking classic, the
second fight's even more of a fucking classic.
1023
01:05:56.079 --> 01:05:58.760
Wins the Fight of the Year award
by everybody in twenty oh seven.
1024
01:05:59.159 --> 01:06:01.440
Then they have the third fight,
and that's We talk all the time about
1025
01:06:01.760 --> 01:06:05.119
trilogies where the first fight might be
this, or the second fight might be
1026
01:06:05.119 --> 01:06:08.920
that third fight, but there's always
one kind of maybe not as good of
1027
01:06:08.920 --> 01:06:12.519
a fight. This is all three
are outstanding out Technically, they had four
1028
01:06:12.599 --> 01:06:15.559
fights, so it's a four fight
series, but we disavowed the fourth fight,
1029
01:06:15.920 --> 01:06:18.280
right, We don't even need to
get into that one. That was
1030
01:06:18.320 --> 01:06:21.719
just pathetic, That was just not
good. But the third fight spectacular,
1031
01:06:21.800 --> 01:06:26.440
also in the same venue at the
home what was called the Home Depots uder
1032
01:06:26.440 --> 01:06:29.400
of the time. It took the
second fight to Texas, but the third
1033
01:06:29.400 --> 01:06:31.800
fight was even more spectacular than the
first and the second fight, and you
1034
01:06:31.840 --> 01:06:39.039
had Vasquez winning, I mean,
yeah, Vasquez winning on a split decision,
1035
01:06:39.960 --> 01:06:42.639
but it came down to the final
round. You know, it was
1036
01:06:42.679 --> 01:06:45.559
anybody's fight. It was just an
absolute sensational fight. Vasquez had been down
1037
01:06:45.760 --> 01:06:49.800
in the fourth round. Marquez had
had a point deducted for a low blow
1038
01:06:50.320 --> 01:06:55.320
late in the fight. Marquez also
in the final seconds of the fight,
1039
01:06:55.360 --> 01:06:58.360
he didn't get dropped like flat on
his ass, but the ref called a
1040
01:06:58.440 --> 01:07:01.639
knockdown because the ropes said prevented him
from going down, And there was some
1041
01:07:01.679 --> 01:07:04.679
controversy with that, uh. And
it turned out to be a super close
1042
01:07:04.719 --> 01:07:09.519
fight because one judge had it one
fourteen to one to eleven one way,
1043
01:07:09.559 --> 01:07:12.400
one had at the same score the
other way, and it was you know,
1044
01:07:12.480 --> 01:07:17.119
Vasquez, you know, getting the
uh, getting the win because of
1045
01:07:17.159 --> 01:07:20.199
that in the in the in the
other judge had it for him. Just
1046
01:07:20.519 --> 01:07:24.719
I mean, look, we talked
a lot of times about Gaddy Ward,
1047
01:07:24.760 --> 01:07:28.880
about Morales and Marera, about Riddick
bow and Evander Holyfield and some of these
1048
01:07:28.920 --> 01:07:33.440
classic trilogies, certainly the four fights
between Marquez and Pakia. But these fights,
1049
01:07:33.800 --> 01:07:38.280
these three out of the four anyway
between Marquees and Vasquez, two of
1050
01:07:38.320 --> 01:07:42.440
which the anniversary are you know,
within these couple of days weekend right right
1051
01:07:42.480 --> 01:07:45.079
right, are every bit as good
as those fights at the absolute highest level.
1052
01:07:45.079 --> 01:07:48.880
They were on showtime, they were
main event fights. They were sensational.
1053
01:07:49.480 --> 01:07:54.679
You don't get better. Rafael Marquez
has been elected to the Hall of
1054
01:07:54.760 --> 01:07:59.079
Fame to join his brother Jan Danuel
Mark one, Daniel one Danuel Marquez.
1055
01:07:59.079 --> 01:08:01.719
There's also in All of Fame now. His Hall of Fame legacy is not
1056
01:08:01.880 --> 01:08:05.159
only built on what he did in
the two wins he had in their four
1057
01:08:05.199 --> 01:08:10.519
fight series, but he also had
the benefit of a very dominating and excellent
1058
01:08:10.559 --> 01:08:14.360
dantamweight title reign. Vasquez has been
on the ballot for a Hall of Fame
1059
01:08:14.679 --> 01:08:17.000
hasn't gotten over the hump. To
me, he's borderlined. I mean,
1060
01:08:17.079 --> 01:08:19.399
yes, these were great fights,
but it's not just great fights. I
1061
01:08:19.439 --> 01:08:23.479
put you in All Fame. There
has to be some more level of accomplishment.
1062
01:08:23.560 --> 01:08:25.920
So I've kind of been on the
fence with him. I could see
1063
01:08:25.960 --> 01:08:28.840
him getting in this someday because he
was a credit to the sport in terms
1064
01:08:28.880 --> 01:08:32.720
of always fighting, you know,
the great action fights. Does have some
1065
01:08:32.760 --> 01:08:36.800
other solid victories besides just what he
did against Basquez. But look, if
1066
01:08:36.800 --> 01:08:41.039
you never saw the fights, find
them. They're worth it. They're fucking
1067
01:08:41.079 --> 01:08:45.039
great. I love them just as
good as it gets in that era,
1068
01:08:45.319 --> 01:08:47.960
in any era. If you ask
me, all right, two more real
1069
01:08:48.039 --> 01:08:51.920
quick twenty four years ago, Sunday, March third, two thousand, as
1070
01:08:51.920 --> 01:08:58.199
we released the podcast, Felix Trinidad
wiped out David Reid, former US Olympian,
1071
01:08:58.239 --> 01:09:02.720
and won the WBA Junior your Middleweight
title. And I love the Rayfield
1072
01:09:02.720 --> 01:09:08.720
phrase of the rundown, his three
fight swath of destruction? Did you write
1073
01:09:08.760 --> 01:09:11.600
that at some point about this about
Trinidad? Somehow? I think that might
1074
01:09:11.640 --> 01:09:14.479
be in a Rayfield story somewhere.
I don't think I wrote that exact Terminigo
1075
01:09:14.600 --> 01:09:16.680
for a lot of reasons. The
reason I know it so well is because
1076
01:09:17.159 --> 01:09:20.640
I don't know. Like a year
or two ago, the Ring magazine did
1077
01:09:20.680 --> 01:09:26.279
a special issue devoted towards Felix Trinidad, and I was asked to write the
1078
01:09:26.319 --> 01:09:30.039
piece in the magazine by my pal
Doug Fisher, who's the editor in chief,
1079
01:09:30.680 --> 01:09:34.479
and he and he did this because
I covered these fights and was very
1080
01:09:34.520 --> 01:09:39.279
familiar with the material, which was
to write about. The section that I
1081
01:09:39.359 --> 01:09:42.960
was writing about of his career was
write about his three fight run and the
1082
01:09:43.000 --> 01:09:45.960
junior middleweight division, which was spectacular. Now, I didn't cover the David
1083
01:09:45.960 --> 01:09:48.239
Reid fight. This was in the
period of time where I had been hired
1084
01:09:48.279 --> 01:09:53.079
to be the boxing writer at USA
Today. But I had yet to relocate
1085
01:09:53.159 --> 01:09:56.279
for the job and actually start the
job. So I actually watched the fight
1086
01:09:56.600 --> 01:10:00.800
on Showtime pay per view on a
Friday night, you know, knowing I'm
1087
01:10:00.800 --> 01:10:03.119
going to be the boxing writer at
USA Today. You know the fights on
1088
01:10:03.159 --> 01:10:06.399
March third. My first day of
work at USA Today was like March eighteenth
1089
01:10:06.479 --> 01:10:10.399
or nineteenth, so I knew I
was going there. So in that fight
1090
01:10:10.479 --> 01:10:14.439
he moved up. This is his
first fight after defeating Oscar de Laya to
1091
01:10:14.520 --> 01:10:17.319
unify at welterweight. Obviously that was
a very controversial decision. He went from
1092
01:10:17.399 --> 01:10:21.079
HBO to Showtime with Don King for
this one bout and he fought David Reid
1093
01:10:21.119 --> 01:10:25.600
outdoors at Caesar's Palace on a main
event of a pay per view. And
1094
01:10:25.760 --> 01:10:28.279
in the first half of the fight, David Reid was doing very well.
1095
01:10:28.359 --> 01:10:31.720
He was giving him a lot of
good competition. But Tito Trinidad came on
1096
01:10:31.920 --> 01:10:38.560
very very strong, and not only
did he win ultimately, he absolutely punished
1097
01:10:38.600 --> 01:10:42.880
and destroyed David Reid over the second
half of the fight. It's as one
1098
01:10:42.920 --> 01:10:45.279
sided an ass kicking as you could
possibly get other than having a knockout,
1099
01:10:45.560 --> 01:10:49.079
and really, in my opinion,
it destroyed what was left of David Reed's
1100
01:10:49.079 --> 01:10:51.319
career. He was a young fighter. He always had the issue with the
1101
01:10:51.319 --> 01:10:54.800
eyelid. He was never going to
be around for a very long time.
1102
01:10:55.079 --> 01:10:58.520
But this fight destroyed him. He
was never the same. Tito knocked him
1103
01:10:58.560 --> 01:11:01.000
down in the third round, but
it was really in the seventh round that
1104
01:11:01.399 --> 01:11:04.479
really started to do the serious damage. Put him down three more times in
1105
01:11:04.520 --> 01:11:08.239
the eleventh round. I remember at
one point when he got knocked down,
1106
01:11:08.319 --> 01:11:10.720
David, he got up and he
put his glove to his nose and he
1107
01:11:10.960 --> 01:11:14.359
blew out the other nostril. It
was like fucking silly string flying across.
1108
01:11:14.920 --> 01:11:17.079
I don't know if that was brain
matter or if it was bogers, or
1109
01:11:17.119 --> 01:11:23.000
it was disgusting. That's how much
damage that Tito Trinidad inflicted on him.
1110
01:11:23.159 --> 01:11:25.840
And in that fight he won the
WBA title, so made him a two
1111
01:11:25.840 --> 01:11:29.560
division champion. And then you talk
about the swath of terror through the weight
1112
01:11:29.600 --> 01:11:31.640
class. Now I'm on the boxing
me and I'm covering these fights. The
1113
01:11:31.640 --> 01:11:36.760
second fight was the mandatory against Mama
du TM in Miami. He blew his
1114
01:11:36.800 --> 01:11:41.239
eye up and stopped him in the
third round. And then came his final
1115
01:11:41.239 --> 01:11:44.159
fight in the weight class, which
was the all time classic. I submit
1116
01:11:44.199 --> 01:11:46.600
to you the greatest fight in the
history of the junior middleweight division. This
1117
01:11:46.800 --> 01:11:51.600
was the unification fight between him and
the fellow undefeated Felix Trinidad against the fellow
1118
01:11:51.640 --> 01:11:57.279
undefeated Fernando Vargas. A spectacular fight. My second ever fight in Las Vegas,
1119
01:11:57.760 --> 01:12:00.359
and it doesn't get much better than
that. But David Reid fight was
1120
01:12:00.399 --> 01:12:04.560
something special because whenever you thought about
Trinidad as a welterweight, he always looks
1121
01:12:04.560 --> 01:12:08.600
scrawny and skinny, like he didn't
look like you know, like he looked
1122
01:12:08.640 --> 01:12:11.399
weak, even though he had great
power. Now he puts on a few
1123
01:12:11.439 --> 01:12:15.680
pounds and he really kept the power, you know, and he looked absolutely
1124
01:12:15.680 --> 01:12:18.600
sensational. I think that as great
as he was as a welterweight, and
1125
01:12:18.680 --> 01:12:23.119
he did have a little bit of
success as a middleweight, I wish we
1126
01:12:23.159 --> 01:12:26.319
could have seen the prime Trinidad for
more than just three fights at fifty four,
1127
01:12:26.560 --> 01:12:28.960
because I think he would have been
you know, he's already a first
1128
01:12:29.000 --> 01:12:30.560
ballot Hall of Famer. You know, he got in several years ago.
1129
01:12:30.600 --> 01:12:33.079
He was an all time great,
one of the greatest fighters in the history
1130
01:12:33.119 --> 01:12:36.640
of Puerto Rico. Matter of fact, the fans that were at the Serrano
1131
01:12:36.720 --> 01:12:40.319
fight, you know, with Jay
paulnerring, Tito was with them in the
1132
01:12:40.399 --> 01:12:42.920
ring when they made the announcement that
the fight was canceled, and then he
1133
01:12:42.960 --> 01:12:45.960
spoke to the crowd in Spanish.
He's as beloved a figured in Puerto Rico
1134
01:12:45.960 --> 01:12:48.079
as there is in terms of athletics, just just a legend. And I
1135
01:12:48.239 --> 01:12:51.880
saw the rough translation as he was
standing there. He was telling the crowd,
1136
01:12:53.079 --> 01:12:57.239
she is Puerto Rico hero, she
is a great fighter, she will
1137
01:12:57.279 --> 01:12:59.960
be back. He was encouraging everybody
because it was ninety miles an hour,
1138
01:13:00.039 --> 01:13:00.840
or in Spanish if you don't speak
Spanish, he didn't know what he was
1139
01:13:00.880 --> 01:13:04.560
saying, That's essentially what he was
saying. But yeah, beloved, I
1140
01:13:04.600 --> 01:13:08.680
just would have loved to see Trinidad
for a longer period of time that one
1141
01:13:08.760 --> 01:13:11.199
fifty four, because we got a
glimpse of what he did, the way
1142
01:13:11.239 --> 01:13:15.439
he just destroyed David Reid and then
Mamadu and then even though it was a
1143
01:13:15.439 --> 01:13:19.560
more competitive, superb fight in the
end, it was also it turned out
1144
01:13:19.600 --> 01:13:24.399
to be a destruction of Fernando Vargas, the way that he knocked him out
1145
01:13:24.560 --> 01:13:29.279
and that run that. As I
said, the swath of destruction at one
1146
01:13:29.439 --> 01:13:31.920
fifty four started with the David refight, which was a very very hyped up
1147
01:13:31.960 --> 01:13:34.119
big fight. And as a matter
of fact, you want to maybe ask,
1148
01:13:34.159 --> 01:13:36.760
well, why would they have this
big showtime pay per view on a
1149
01:13:36.760 --> 01:13:41.000
Friday night when it was already the
era where it was basically every time it
1150
01:13:41.039 --> 01:13:44.000
was a Saturday night. And the
reason was because then the Vada State Athletic
1151
01:13:44.039 --> 01:13:47.239
Commission already had a card that was
scheduled. I believe at the Mandalay Bay
1152
01:13:47.279 --> 01:13:51.600
that Top Rank was doing on pay
per view a Pauly Ayala titled Defense,
1153
01:13:53.039 --> 01:13:56.279
and they didn't they declined to regulate
both fights on the same night. Now
1154
01:13:56.319 --> 01:13:59.800
they will do that sometimes, but
not if there're two big shows. I
1155
01:13:59.840 --> 01:14:02.399
guess, right, right in any
event, they've done that occasionally because you've
1156
01:14:02.439 --> 01:14:05.600
got to have your personnel for the
undercard fights and all the other stuff.
1157
01:14:05.640 --> 01:14:09.079
I mean, they've done right,
right, they've done I mean they did,
1158
01:14:09.119 --> 01:14:13.720
like Chavez against Sergio Martinez on the
same night that Canelo fought at the
1159
01:14:13.840 --> 01:14:16.560
MGM, but for whatever reason,
they didn't they didn't do it on this
1160
01:14:16.680 --> 01:14:20.000
night. So Don went on Friday
night with his card with Reed and Top
1161
01:14:20.079 --> 01:14:24.800
Rank went on their car with their
card on Saturday. So imagine if Twitter
1162
01:14:24.880 --> 01:14:27.279
was around then, how it would
have broken when every he was bitching and
1163
01:14:27.279 --> 01:14:30.439
moaning because there was two pay reviews
on two nights, both for like,
1164
01:14:30.600 --> 01:14:33.279
you know, fifty bucks a pop. All right, you did mention sweet
1165
01:14:33.279 --> 01:14:36.000
Pee Whittaker and before we're gone,
give me a little bit. It was
1166
01:14:36.159 --> 01:14:40.800
twenty nine years ago on Monday,
as we released the podcast March fourth of
1167
01:14:40.880 --> 01:14:45.640
ninety five, Parnel Whittaker moved up
as the reigning welterweight champion. HA beat
1168
01:14:45.720 --> 01:14:48.800
Julio Caesar Vasquez for the WBA one
hundred and fifty four pound title, that
1169
01:14:48.920 --> 01:14:55.119
same title that Trinidad would win years
later. How about that for Sweet Pea
1170
01:14:55.600 --> 01:14:59.239
Whittaker Hall of famer, no doubt, and including that night, right,
1171
01:14:59.800 --> 01:15:01.520
yeah, so I mean the late
great Parnel Whittaker. At that time,
1172
01:15:01.600 --> 01:15:05.680
this is nineteen ninety five, he
is considered widely as the pound for pound
1173
01:15:05.760 --> 01:15:10.000
king, and they can't find opponents
to fight him, to give him competition.
1174
01:15:10.039 --> 01:15:12.960
It's very much like the problems that
Roy Jones had, the problems that
1175
01:15:13.000 --> 01:15:15.840
Floyd Mayweather has had. You know, there's always this particular fighter where the
1176
01:15:15.880 --> 01:15:19.239
only way you can find them competition
is to force them up and wait.
1177
01:15:19.600 --> 01:15:25.079
And so even though Trinidad was not
planning to go and stay in the one
1178
01:15:25.159 --> 01:15:27.359
hundred and fifty four pound weight class, he took this fight. Now keep
1179
01:15:27.359 --> 01:15:30.760
in mind this is when he established
himself as the king, because this is
1180
01:15:30.880 --> 01:15:33.279
three fights post Chavez draw, which
we all know is bullshit. So he
1181
01:15:33.399 --> 01:15:39.640
was really in the throes of his
absolute peak. He'd beaten Buddy McGirt,
1182
01:15:40.039 --> 01:15:42.840
the Hall of Famer, in the
previous fight, and so the only way
1183
01:15:42.840 --> 01:15:46.359
they can sort of find something that's
interesting to the promoters, to HBO,
1184
01:15:46.840 --> 01:15:50.560
to feel to Parnel Whitaker, was
to go up to one hundred and fifty
1185
01:15:50.560 --> 01:15:56.119
four pounds, and he took on
the very credible WBA champion Julio sazar Vasquez,
1186
01:15:56.239 --> 01:15:58.600
who was a very good fighter,
was fifty three and one going into
1187
01:15:58.640 --> 01:16:01.920
this fight, tough as now south
Ball from Argentina, you know, really
1188
01:16:01.920 --> 01:16:08.560
good fighter, and Keito Trinidad just
annihilated him on points. Basically. I
1189
01:16:08.600 --> 01:16:11.359
mean the cards were one card was
like one sixteen to one ten, but
1190
01:16:11.399 --> 01:16:14.560
the other ones were very very wide, one eighteen or whatever. This was
1191
01:16:14.600 --> 01:16:18.520
a clear and decisive victory. But
Parnel never intended to go to fifty four
1192
01:16:18.560 --> 01:16:21.119
to stay. It was just like, let me go and let me make
1193
01:16:21.119 --> 01:16:25.039
a little history he became at that
time. You know, now it happens
1194
01:16:25.039 --> 01:16:28.680
a little more often because there's more
belts with the WBO and whatever. But
1195
01:16:28.840 --> 01:16:31.479
at that time, in ninety five, he becomes only the fourth boxer in
1196
01:16:31.640 --> 01:16:35.000
history to win a world title in
four weight classes. He had been a
1197
01:16:35.119 --> 01:16:41.000
champion, the undisputed champion at a
lightweight where he unified at the time the
1198
01:16:41.039 --> 01:16:43.680
three belts. He had moved up
and been the champion at one hundred and
1199
01:16:43.720 --> 01:16:45.800
forty. He had won the welterweight
title, obviously, and now here he
1200
01:16:45.840 --> 01:16:49.279
goes to win a title in the
one hundred and fifty four pound weight class.
1201
01:16:49.319 --> 01:16:53.960
And this was just one of the
brilliant, brilliant nights of boxing in
1202
01:16:54.000 --> 01:16:58.359
the great Parnel Whitaker love it,
Sweet Pee a Hall of Famer for so
1203
01:16:58.399 --> 01:17:00.600
many reasons. One a show we've
had here on the recap. You've gotten
1204
01:17:00.640 --> 01:17:04.680
a ton about the dramatic win by
Raymond Ford, all the controversy in Puerto
1205
01:17:04.760 --> 01:17:08.399
Rico with Amanda Serrano, not being
able to fight. You heard from Francis
1206
01:17:08.399 --> 01:17:12.479
and Ghanu before the Anthony joshuall fight, some news and some nostalgia. I
1207
01:17:12.479 --> 01:17:15.239
think we pretty well covered it all. Listen, you know when you said
1208
01:17:15.279 --> 01:17:17.399
all that stuff like we are bringing
it, we are, and why are
1209
01:17:17.439 --> 01:17:20.720
you not listening to this show?
You've got to be following, subscribing,
1210
01:17:20.840 --> 01:17:27.199
share it out again. Thousands and
thousands and thousands of you finding us each
1211
01:17:27.239 --> 01:17:30.439
and every week. Tens of thousands
of you again found us in February.
1212
01:17:30.520 --> 01:17:32.560
Spread the word, give us a
five star review. Make sure you're following,
1213
01:17:32.560 --> 01:17:36.640
subscribing, and Raphael, it is
already Joshua and Ghanu fight week.
1214
01:17:36.680 --> 01:17:43.640
That main event is here Friday night
in Saudi Arabia Friday afternoon in the United
1215
01:17:43.640 --> 01:17:45.439
States. So we're ready for that
fight week, and you did a great
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01:17:45.520 --> 01:17:49.319
job of priming us for it within
Ghanu on the pod. Anything else or
1217
01:17:49.319 --> 01:17:53.800
are we looking at that? So
people just know this ahead of time that
1218
01:17:53.800 --> 01:17:57.880
they're listening that pay per view.
I was looking on the schedule that de
1219
01:17:58.000 --> 01:18:00.960
Zone has listed for the start time, and I don't know, I think
1220
01:18:00.960 --> 01:18:03.159
they're showing the whole card, but
the the you know, so the main
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01:18:03.199 --> 01:18:09.760
event obviously will come several hours later
the card starts the pay per view whichever
1222
01:18:09.840 --> 01:18:12.159
bouts they're going to show. Like
I said, I think all of them
1223
01:18:12.479 --> 01:18:15.680
starts at like I think it's eleven
o'clock Eastern time in the morning AM,
1224
01:18:15.800 --> 01:18:18.920
because because Saudi Arabia read is eight
hours ahead of prostern the United States time.
1225
01:18:19.000 --> 01:18:23.560
So do the math. And it's
funny that I just said about do
1226
01:18:23.600 --> 01:18:28.439
the math because when I was dealing
with the folks at Queensberry Promotions setting up
1227
01:18:28.439 --> 01:18:30.680
the interview with Francis Naganu, because
they're the folks that are obviously the promoter
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01:18:30.720 --> 01:18:33.880
of record for the event, so
I was dealing with their media team to
1229
01:18:34.039 --> 01:18:36.720
set this up. We were going
back and forth on the text, like,
1230
01:18:36.880 --> 01:18:39.520
well, what time is it there? What time is it here?
1231
01:18:39.720 --> 01:18:42.720
I'm in the you know, the
east cost east coast United States times,
1232
01:18:42.720 --> 01:18:45.079
oh year, eight hours ahead,
and we're trying to they're trying to give
1233
01:18:45.079 --> 01:18:46.560
it to me a military time,
which I was trying to translate. It
1234
01:18:46.680 --> 01:18:50.640
was a fuckings the year the Europeans
all want to do GMT military time with
1235
01:18:50.720 --> 01:18:54.119
the you know, the twenty four
hour clock. I know that, and
1236
01:18:54.159 --> 01:18:57.279
so I'm just like just tell me
what time, Yes, what time is
1237
01:18:57.319 --> 01:19:00.359
the interview in Saudi Arabia, your
time, and use it in like you
1238
01:19:00.399 --> 01:19:03.760
know, seven eight nine ten,
not like sixteen seventeen eighteen, right,
1239
01:19:04.399 --> 01:19:08.159
and you got it done. That's
the important thing. But again, brunch
1240
01:19:08.199 --> 01:19:12.640
with Rayfield coming up on Friday,
late morning US time. The card starts.
1241
01:19:12.680 --> 01:19:15.199
Main event will be much later in
the afternoon, but it's Friday afternoon
1242
01:19:15.680 --> 01:19:20.159
US time, Friday night prime time
in Europe for that pay per view,
1243
01:19:20.159 --> 01:19:25.960
including Saudi Arabia for knock Out Chaos. I don't know. I don't know
1244
01:19:26.000 --> 01:19:27.960
about the name of the about the
show. I mean, I like the
1245
01:19:28.000 --> 01:19:30.119
fact that they give these shows names. But I have to say, though,
1246
01:19:30.279 --> 01:19:31.920
you know, we obviously are going
to spend a lot of time talking
1247
01:19:31.920 --> 01:19:35.279
about the main event, you know, between Joshua and the Gun, which
1248
01:19:35.319 --> 01:19:40.239
is obviously we talked about a super
interesting fight, but the whole part is
1249
01:19:40.319 --> 01:19:43.279
really interesting. I mean, whether
the Madramov fight takes place, and I'll
1250
01:19:43.279 --> 01:19:47.119
put that to the side. Jeans
julais against Joseph Parker as the co feature
1251
01:19:47.479 --> 01:19:50.960
heavyweight fight. That's sort of lost
in this thing. That's a very interesting
1252
01:19:50.960 --> 01:19:54.920
fight. To a lesser degree,
obviously it's not on that level. But
1253
01:19:55.279 --> 01:20:00.000
Ray Vargas defending his title against nick
Ball, that's a very interesting fight.
1254
01:20:00.399 --> 01:20:02.439
You know Ray Vargas. By the
way, I'll just point this out.
1255
01:20:02.479 --> 01:20:05.880
I know there has been a lot
of conversation that Ray Vargas had left PBC.
1256
01:20:06.119 --> 01:20:09.760
The reality is he's still with them
and said they just were able to
1257
01:20:09.760 --> 01:20:12.800
make a deal to have him defend
the title on this show because obviously they
1258
01:20:12.800 --> 01:20:15.000
don't have a ton of dates right
now when he needed to be active,
1259
01:20:15.039 --> 01:20:17.520
and this is a fight where nick
Ball did win the eliminator, so they're
1260
01:20:17.560 --> 01:20:20.800
doing the fight. But the point
is the top four to five fights in
1261
01:20:20.800 --> 01:20:25.159
this card are all interesting for different
reasons. I'm excited to see Justin Hooney,
1262
01:20:25.239 --> 01:20:29.039
the Australian heavyweight that's on the card
against Kevin Lorena and some other younger
1263
01:20:29.079 --> 01:20:31.279
guys. They got Tyson Furry's half
brothers on the card. Who's you know,
1264
01:20:31.319 --> 01:20:33.680
a four round fighter at the moment
trying to make his way in the
1265
01:20:33.760 --> 01:20:38.720
cruiserweight division. So I'm all pumped
up for it. Good stuff, good
1266
01:20:38.720 --> 01:20:42.159
stuff off the weekend with the recap, mister Rayfield, have a good week.
1267
01:20:42.720 --> 01:20:45.279
We appreciate it as always thank you
so much. You bet there's big
1268
01:20:45.359 --> 01:20:48.960
Dan Our Insider Fight Breaks Unite is
a substack and be locked in right there,
1269
01:20:48.960 --> 01:20:53.840
including if there's Canelo news coming to
I am merely TJ Reeves. Thank
1270
01:20:53.880 --> 01:20:58.199
you for being with us here on
the Fight Breaks Unite Recap podcast