1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:10,119 The countdown is on to fight time. This is Big Fight Weekend. No. 2 00:00:10,519 --> 00:00:16,519 Here is your host, TJ. Leaves. Yes, we are ready 3 00:00:16,519 --> 00:00:20,960 to go for another weekend that has a couple of compelling fights, one in 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,519 the US, one in Australia that we're ready to preview. That's some fight 5 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,440 news, some nostalgia. Is always hello and welcome back in It is the 6 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,600 Big Fight Weekend Preview podcast. I am the somewhat competent host t J Reeves. 7 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,719 He is our insider, Fight Freaks Unite, Substack, Big Fight Weekend 8 00:00:36,759 --> 00:00:42,520 dot Com and Lo Dan Raphael for another weekend. My goodness, Tay a 9 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:47,320 female Lopez. You know he may have had the shortest reign, like going 10 00:00:47,359 --> 00:00:51,320 back to the fourteen hundreds when some of those heads of state would be poisoned 11 00:00:51,799 --> 00:00:55,079 if you go back in the old time history book. What is going on 12 00:00:55,119 --> 00:00:59,119 anyway? Good to be with you. Strange times, but you've seen a 13 00:00:59,119 --> 00:01:00,600 bunch, you've seen it all in boxing. But what a five day reign 14 00:01:00,679 --> 00:01:04,959 before he vacates the title. That's highly unusual. How you feeling, I'm 15 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,840 good. We got plenty to discuss and that you know that came out later 16 00:01:08,879 --> 00:01:11,439 in the day on Thursday, so it wasn't on our original rundown. But 17 00:01:11,519 --> 00:01:15,560 here we are after the show. Let's get right to it. Let's do 18 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:17,760 it. By the way, rate us and review us, Apple podcast, 19 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,400 Google podcasts, Spotify, the Big Fight. We can podcast feed those ratings 20 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,680 and reviews help us. We thank you. The audience growth continues. We 21 00:01:23,799 --> 00:01:26,799 got fight season going on right now. We talked a bunch about Taya Females 22 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:32,519 win over Josh Taylor. All right, point blank to you, how shocked 23 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,680 were you that he has followed through and vacated a belt that he won last 24 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,480 Saturday night in New York Man. That is surprising because there was no reason 25 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:42,920 for him to vacate the title, even if he believes he's retired. To 26 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:48,560 me, he just fought for the title. He won it, He paid 27 00:01:48,599 --> 00:01:51,719 for it, you know, a lot of money for the sanction fee. 28 00:01:52,439 --> 00:01:57,599 He's under no mandatory obligation presently. That was Taylor's fight was the mandatory, 29 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,359 so tia Fima wouldn't have a mandatory due for while my point here is very 30 00:02:00,359 --> 00:02:05,959 simple. He could easily just chill think about things, you know, don't 31 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:07,560 rush. I mean, okay, fine, you believe you're retired, but 32 00:02:07,759 --> 00:02:10,800 there's no obligation to give it up. You're not a grieving anybody. No 33 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,919 one expects you to fight for the next at least six or seven months anyway, 34 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,439 So hang on to it, and if you truly truly believe you're done, 35 00:02:19,759 --> 00:02:22,159 you know, in a four or five months or now by all means 36 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:24,360 vacate the title, but to give it up five days afterwards, when you're 37 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:29,080 still in the what I consider sort of like the emotional vortex, if you 38 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,120 will, of having just come out of a long training camp and a big 39 00:02:32,159 --> 00:02:36,960 promotion and the fight and all the things that are scrolling in your personal life, 40 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,919 with the divorce and the fustity battle. You didn't need to give up 41 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,199 the title. So you know, he may come to regret that someday. 42 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,759 I'm still not convinced he's retired for good. I just don't believe that. 43 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,240 I don't believe it either. I don't believe that he's retired. So that 44 00:02:50,319 --> 00:02:54,159 just begs, is this some kind of tactical move because he doesn't we don't 45 00:02:54,199 --> 00:02:58,879 know, but speculate with me, because he doesn't want to be dictated to 46 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:04,039 why. It doesn't make anything to why you would do this. There's nothing 47 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,680 being dictated to him, the organization is not demanding a mandatory fight. He's 48 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:12,039 free and clear of a mandatory fight. And let me tell you something now, 49 00:03:12,159 --> 00:03:15,159 it's one thing for him to say, you're that they're retired, you 50 00:03:15,199 --> 00:03:16,439 know, Tyson Fury said he's retired. He didn't give up the belt. 51 00:03:17,439 --> 00:03:21,400 There have been other fighters that have said they're retired. Didn't necessarily give up 52 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,560 the belt, at least not right away. He said he's retired. But 53 00:03:23,719 --> 00:03:27,039 as long as you have the belt, you still have the leverage of that 54 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,800 belt that it's still yours to you know, help you make the bigger fights. 55 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:38,879 His his vacating of the title hundred thousand percent caught the top executives at 56 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,800 top rank off guard. Bob Aaron was caught off guard, Todd the Buff 57 00:03:42,879 --> 00:03:46,639 was caught off guard. Carl Moretti was caught off guard. These are people 58 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,639 that involved themselves on the boxing end of things, and they were surprised by 59 00:03:49,639 --> 00:03:52,159 it. And I'm gonna tell you right now, Bob Aaron this week, 60 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:57,639 after having a talk with Ti Fimo, I guess on either Sunday or Monday, 61 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,680 after the fight, I guess thought it went well enough. Where he 62 00:04:01,759 --> 00:04:06,800 had engaged with Oscar dal Leoy in a conversation about the prospect of making a 63 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:12,120 fight between Tiafimo Lopez and Ryan Garcia for the end of this year. Where 64 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,759 Okay, it's not like they weren't negotiating. Obviously, they got to go 65 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,519 to their fighters and gauge their interests and they're not talking money. But it's 66 00:04:17,519 --> 00:04:19,600 sort of like, you know, hey, what do you think And you 67 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:24,360 know, Bob and an Oscar, you know, we're of the belief that 68 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,839 if the athletes were interested and that they would, you know, they could 69 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,920 work it out, and that arem could deliver a TIFIMO title fight and vice 70 00:04:32,079 --> 00:04:35,839 versa with Ryan Garcia and listen, at one hundred forty pounds, that's about 71 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:41,600 as big as it gets in the sport right now. So this, this 72 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:46,800 did not This took those folks by surprise that he decided to not said he 73 00:04:46,879 --> 00:04:49,680 retired like he said he was doing on Monday on Max Kellerman Show, but 74 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,800 that he actually took the next step, which in my mind raises it to 75 00:04:53,879 --> 00:04:59,439 another level of seriousness, which is he vacated the title. So clarify for 76 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,240 me, I asked, you understand it. Lopez kept claiming he doesn't have 77 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:06,279 a deal with Top rank any longer obviously, and you said this before on 78 00:05:06,319 --> 00:05:12,160 the podcast. Fighters oftentimes misrepresent or don't even know what they're talking about when 79 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,079 it comes to that, is it you're understanding they still have at least an 80 00:05:15,079 --> 00:05:18,519 option for a fight or maybe more. And that's why I called off. 81 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,839 He is one hundred percent still under contract the top So is he doing this 82 00:05:23,079 --> 00:05:26,800 out of anger at top Rank'll try to say I'm retired, I'm just following 83 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,639 me. I'm retired, I'm not the WBO champion. I'm angry at you? 84 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:32,079 Or are we trying to just make sense out of madness and out of 85 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,480 It's not stupiding, it's not us. You are trying to make something out 86 00:05:35,519 --> 00:05:40,040 of it. To my knowledge, I mean, look, there's been certainly 87 00:05:40,079 --> 00:05:42,480 bumps in the road with him in top rank over the last few years, 88 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,079 no doubt about it. But by all accounts, everything's cool with them. 89 00:05:45,079 --> 00:05:47,360 There was no to my knowledge, no real animosity, no problems. That 90 00:05:47,439 --> 00:05:51,279 promotion for the Josh Taylor fight went well. Obviously Tiefemo won, he was 91 00:05:51,319 --> 00:05:56,240 happy with the way things were done. They gave it a good promotional push, 92 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,240 etc. So I don't think there's anything whatsoever a matter of fact, 93 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,639 when Tifemo posted, the way that this was disseminated was that Paco var Carcel, 94 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,240 who was the president of the WBO, went on his Twitter account and 95 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:12,439 wrote that he was getting text mess got a text message from Tifimo saying he 96 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,519 had vacated the title, and he then said, and you know, we 97 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:19,480 wish him locker how he phrased it, and if he returns, you know, 98 00:06:19,519 --> 00:06:23,839 the w BO door will always be open to him. And then Paco 99 00:06:24,079 --> 00:06:29,079 tagged myself and a few of the other boxing journalists in that tweet, and 100 00:06:29,199 --> 00:06:31,600 so, I mean a half an hour later or something along those lines, 101 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:39,519 Tifimo quote tweeted Paco's statement and wrote his statement, and in his statement he 102 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:44,879 thanked Top Rank and the w BO and ESPN, and so I didn't get 103 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,720 any sense of animosity whatsoever, either towards the organization or to the network or 104 00:06:48,759 --> 00:06:54,759 to the promotion company, which have all worked in concert over these last several 105 00:06:54,879 --> 00:06:58,800 years to help Tifimo Lopez become the big as big of a name as he 106 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,000 has become. They've all done their art, certainly a top Rank in ESPN, 107 00:07:01,079 --> 00:07:05,040 even by having him fight for their belts, the WBO as well. 108 00:07:05,319 --> 00:07:10,040 So I don't think this is I think honestly, here's the thing. This 109 00:07:10,279 --> 00:07:13,439 is a young man going through a lot of shit in his life. There 110 00:07:13,439 --> 00:07:16,680 it is there. I think he made a rash decision that he may someday 111 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,600 regret, but at this moment in time, this is what he wanted to 112 00:07:19,639 --> 00:07:25,439 do. And so that's the that's the youthful exuberance, I guess, or 113 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:30,040 maybe exuberances there isn't the right word. But sometimes when you're that I mean, 114 00:07:30,079 --> 00:07:31,879 think back to when you're twenty five, we did things that we may 115 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:35,759 have regretted. You know, the type of person you are in the mindset 116 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,439 you have, and how you conduct yourself, how you act, how you 117 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:44,839 react to situations. It's I can say this with me, it's a lot 118 00:07:44,879 --> 00:07:48,120 different at age fifty two than it was when I was twenty five. Switched 119 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:53,199 the numbers around and you and I are the same age. All right, 120 00:07:53,319 --> 00:07:55,399 one more on this and then we're gonna move on, and I promise we're 121 00:07:55,399 --> 00:07:59,800 getting to reach his Progray's defense of his one hundred and forty pound title. 122 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:05,519 So Tim Zoo is in action in Australia Interim WBO one hundred and fifty four 123 00:08:05,519 --> 00:08:07,439 pound Champs were preview in both of those fights coming up in a few moments, 124 00:08:07,439 --> 00:08:09,759 but one more on this. I thought this was interesting and I stuck 125 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,800 this in the item we did Thursday night on Big Fight Weekend dot Com. 126 00:08:13,959 --> 00:08:18,160 Is if you were watching the ESPN pre fight as you were Dan, but 127 00:08:18,199 --> 00:08:20,519 for some of the fans that maybe he didn't see it, ESPN did something 128 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:28,480 interesting to just kind of illuminate the behind the scenes aggravation and the relationship of 129 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,759 Taya Femo and his dad, Taya Femoe Senior, where they showed almost an 130 00:08:31,799 --> 00:08:37,480 outtake from a pre fight interview. It's not clear how far back they had 131 00:08:37,519 --> 00:08:41,240 done the interview, but they're doing the interview. I don't think it was 132 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,240 fight week, for example, but I don't know when it was. But 133 00:08:43,279 --> 00:08:48,840 they're doing the interview, and Taya Femo Senior came into the room standing in 134 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:52,080 the in the kind of like the shadows, and he didn't like one of 135 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,360 the answers. This was as it was described. He didn't like one of 136 00:08:54,399 --> 00:08:56,519 the answers, and he was trying to stop the interview and telling Taya Femoe 137 00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:00,799 stop talking about that. And Taya Femo gets up out of his chair and 138 00:09:01,039 --> 00:09:03,879 ESPN showed this whole thing. A lot of times. They don't do that. 139 00:09:03,919 --> 00:09:07,200 They don't want to burn the relationship or that's something that maybe shouldn't air, 140 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:11,039 But they were trying to make the point he has a ying and yang 141 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:15,200 relationship with his dad right now, And Tea Femo said, and I'm paraphrasing 142 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,639 in that interview, stop telling me what to do. I'll talk about this 143 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,039 if I want. I'll continue the interview if I want. So we got 144 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:26,039 kind of a window into what you were just alluding to. He's got a 145 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:30,360 lot going on psychologically, a divorce, custody with his kid, relationship with 146 00:09:30,399 --> 00:09:33,679 his dad. So this is this is a byproduct of that. What he's 147 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:37,840 doing. Thing that was going great was the boxing career inside the ring. 148 00:09:37,039 --> 00:09:41,720 Yes, I don't think I don't think it's wrong to describe he just had 149 00:09:41,759 --> 00:09:46,679 a career rebirth last Saturday night by winning that title and gaining leverage. Right, 150 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:54,000 that's actually an understatement because he's the one that leaned up against the ropes 151 00:09:54,039 --> 00:09:58,159 in Madison Square Garden in December after a very shaky performance and a very shaky 152 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,840 victory in which he got knocked down and looked terrible and He'll be the first 153 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,679 to admit he looked terrible, even though he did win the fight against sand 154 00:10:05,759 --> 00:10:11,799 Or Martin and said, do I still got it well from that moment where 155 00:10:11,799 --> 00:10:16,639 he was so fucked up in his mind that they didn't even let him come 156 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:20,200 to the news conference afterwards because the body would say something that he would come 157 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,600 to regret. So to go from that moment where you know everything other than 158 00:10:24,639 --> 00:10:28,320 the victory is a train wreck. Six months later, you put on one 159 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:33,919 of your most if not your most brilliant performance against Josh Taylor. You win, 160 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:37,240 no doubt about it. You do it in the same ring where you 161 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,120 took your first loss, and maybe you know, erase some of those demons, 162 00:10:41,159 --> 00:10:43,960 so to speak, and you win the w BO Junior walter Weight world 163 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,519 title, you win the lineal title. You look tremendous in that performance. 164 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:52,480 Where things are going great for him is in the ring. So why rock 165 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:54,799 that boat? I mean again, if you want to say you're retired, 166 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,559 fine, but take the time, think it through, wait a little bit 167 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,200 of time, get a little distance from the event, and if you still 168 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:03,759 want to decide to give up the title, you can't. It's the same 169 00:11:03,799 --> 00:11:09,720 perspective I have when referees on a on a knockdown, immediately stop a fight, 170 00:11:09,879 --> 00:11:13,720 unless unless it's like a cataclysmic knockout. But if you but they immediately 171 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:18,879 stop fighting, don't take two seconds to at least assess it, maybe give 172 00:11:18,879 --> 00:11:22,879 account. You can always stop in midcount like that and they just immediately waive 173 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,679 it. Tifimo is doing the same thing in terms of vacating the title. 174 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:28,919 Think about it before you actually move on it. His prerogative. Though I'm 175 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,240 I'm not an ad at him. I mean, I'm I'm I'm kind of 176 00:11:31,279 --> 00:11:33,559 happy for him if this is what he feels is right, you know, 177 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,159 good for him. But all I know is, I'm gonna stick to my 178 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:41,559 guns. When you're twenty five years old and you're in your you're fighting great, 179 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:46,679 and you're not injured, and you've not made you know, the eight 180 00:11:46,759 --> 00:11:50,200 figure money or nine figure money in your cur overall, I mean not like 181 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,080 Tifimo has made nothing, but you know, by his own account, he 182 00:11:54,159 --> 00:11:56,279 was pretty broke not that long ago. So it makes like two and a 183 00:11:56,320 --> 00:12:01,519 two point three million ish the other night, certainly nothing to sneeze at, 184 00:12:01,519 --> 00:12:03,159 but it's not the kind of money you're going to retire on, especially with 185 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,960 a kid on the way, or you know, with a kid already here, 186 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,519 I should say, and an impending divorce, and he's got the chance 187 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:13,639 over the next few years to make huge amounts of money, could do something 188 00:12:13,639 --> 00:12:16,840 that he likes to do. It's not like anybody's forced him to be a 189 00:12:16,919 --> 00:12:20,440 boxer. This is what he's done as a kid. He has a certain 190 00:12:20,519 --> 00:12:24,240 love for it. So again, I'm happy that he's happy. But you 191 00:12:24,279 --> 00:12:26,799 know, I believe we'll see him back in the ring. That's my opinion. 192 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,120 I do too. I believe that he may be back in the ring 193 00:12:30,159 --> 00:12:31,759 as soon as like this fall, this winter or something. I don't know 194 00:12:31,799 --> 00:12:35,240 what's going on. I don't think anybody knows what's going on, you know 195 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,279 what. You know what I do know is going on. We got fights 196 00:12:37,279 --> 00:12:39,559 in the ring. You're ready to get to this, Let's get to regions. 197 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:43,240 Progray Dana leto Zoria. This is for Progray's one hundred and forty pound 198 00:12:43,399 --> 00:12:48,879 WBC version of the Championship. It is Saturday night, New Orleans, Smoothie 199 00:12:48,919 --> 00:12:52,159 King Arena, downtown, right next to the Superdome, right by the French 200 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,919 Quarter. All right here we go. It is the match room to Zone 201 00:12:56,120 --> 00:13:00,840 main event. Thoughts on this one is Progray begins a new relationship in a 202 00:13:00,919 --> 00:13:03,759 multi fight deal with match Room in his hometown. Thoughts on this in the 203 00:13:03,759 --> 00:13:09,000 preview mode place. My thoughts on this is that dan Alto Zuria is like, 204 00:13:09,279 --> 00:13:13,159 um, how shall I say a sheep being led to slaughter? Maybe? 205 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:18,039 Oh? I mean Zuria is a tough guy. He's one loss was 206 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,840 a decision to Arnold Barboza, who's also an undefeated contender, who actually was 207 00:13:20,879 --> 00:13:26,039 somebody that they approached to try to make this match before Zuria got the fight, 208 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:30,600 who actually was a replacement for the injured Liam Paro, when when the 209 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:35,759 fight was first here that program had signed with match Room that he was going 210 00:13:35,799 --> 00:13:37,080 to fight on this date, he was going to do so in New Orleans 211 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,919 before they signed anybody, Barboza was approached to do the fight. Yeah, 212 00:13:43,919 --> 00:13:46,720 he turned it down and didn't like the money. Whatever, they went with 213 00:13:46,799 --> 00:13:48,120 Liam Paro. Paro got injured a few days later, he was out of 214 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:52,600 the fight and they got Zuria to replace him. Now two fights ago in 215 00:13:52,919 --> 00:14:00,799 July. Last July, Zuria lost a pretty clear decision against Bosa on an 216 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:03,440 ESPN card, but that is his only loss he's a Puerto Rican fighter that's 217 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:09,039 promoted by Miguel Koto's company and they took the fight when offered. And you 218 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,679 know it's not like he's a bad fight or anything like that. He's got 219 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:16,000 to win over Pabo Pablos caesar Cano buy knockout, which was his win before 220 00:14:16,759 --> 00:14:20,799 Barbosa. That's you know, he's a very tough guy. Uh, he's 221 00:14:20,799 --> 00:14:24,440 been in with everybody can know. But here's the thing, Regis program has 222 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,039 got so much confidence right now. He looks so good against the Peta. 223 00:14:26,399 --> 00:14:31,080 He's always been at the upper echelon since he's gotten into the level of championship 224 00:14:31,159 --> 00:14:33,799 level fights. When Josh Taylor was at his absolute best, he gave him, 225 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,519 you know, the best fight of his life in a fight that a 226 00:14:37,559 --> 00:14:41,200 lot of people thought that Regis won when they met to unify titles at the 227 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,960 at the finale of the World Boxing Super Series a few years ago. And 228 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,360 U Regis right now, you know, he's he's He's come and do some 229 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,759 damage, I believe, And I think Zuri is going a whole heap of 230 00:14:50,759 --> 00:14:56,080 shit. Well and again, this is kind of a homecoming here for him, 231 00:14:56,799 --> 00:14:58,519 kind of home it is. Yeah, and he's getting a chance to 232 00:14:58,559 --> 00:15:03,879 show what he can do. He's entertaining in and out of the ring, 233 00:15:03,559 --> 00:15:07,879 and you're right, But then again, Zaria may be tough enough to give 234 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,399 him a little bit of a challenge. Again. We'll make predictions on this 235 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,320 fighting the next one that we're about to talk about with Tim Zoo on the 236 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:18,039 bet Us Boxing Show at one Eastern time Friday, depending on when you're hearing 237 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:22,720 this, as we released the podcast overnight Thursday into Friday one Eastern time. 238 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:24,679 Will make the predictions on the bet Us program on their platforms. But I 239 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:31,639 get the sense from Brother Raphael that he's he's smelling he's smelling pro Gray big 240 00:15:31,679 --> 00:15:35,440 and maybe big early. Maybe maybe you're trying to throw me off here if 241 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:37,000 we're going ahead to Hills. But I just I sense you don't think this 242 00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:39,120 is going to take very long for Reges. I don't know, if I've 243 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:45,200 minutes say it's going to be early. Because Regis is obviously an excellent he's 244 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:46,200 you know, he's a really good fighter number one, and he's got most 245 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,600 of his wins by knockout. He's twenty eight and one, he's got twenty 246 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:52,720 four knockouts, So it's not like he can't knock guys out, but he's 247 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,039 never been the kind of guy, at least since he's gotten to the level 248 00:15:56,039 --> 00:15:58,480 where he's fighting like serious opponents. He doesn't just put you out with one 249 00:15:58,519 --> 00:16:03,320 punch. He's not Deontay Wilder in that respect or anything like that. He 250 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:04,799 breaks you down, he beats you up, and then he stops you. 251 00:16:04,799 --> 00:16:07,440 Now, there's been a couple of early knockouts, but even those are not 252 00:16:07,519 --> 00:16:11,200 like a one punch side a sort of situation. And I think Zury is 253 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:15,320 tough enough to maybe hang with hanging not necessarily hang with him in terms of 254 00:16:15,559 --> 00:16:18,519 being highly competitive, but to take a beating for a while until it's finally 255 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,960 enough is enough. So I can see it's going that. Now. I 256 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:22,879 don't know what the over under is just yet. We'll get to that. 257 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:26,039 We make our picks on the beat Us show. So I'm sitting here saying 258 00:16:26,039 --> 00:16:29,639 that Reges are going to go in there and you know, get him out 259 00:16:29,679 --> 00:16:32,559 in like, you know, two or three rounds. But I think Reges 260 00:16:32,639 --> 00:16:34,000 has coming to do some damage. He's going to serve notice, he wants 261 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,759 to make a statement. He's in front of his home fans. He's extremely 262 00:16:37,799 --> 00:16:41,919 motivated for that. He's excited by being under his new contract with match Room 263 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:45,039 and having a hometown fight, knowing that there's some bigger business down the road. 264 00:16:45,039 --> 00:16:48,039 I mean, this is fight one of three. The whole process has 265 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,840 been this fight, We're gonna step up in a bigger fight next time, 266 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:53,519 and then hopefully at the end of the contract have the biggest fight week in 267 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:57,000 May, and we'll see how that plays out. But right now, you 268 00:16:57,039 --> 00:17:00,000 know, and he got a little chippy. I saw the interviews he did 269 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,679 today, meaning on Thursday. He's just you know, obviously, because there 270 00:17:03,759 --> 00:17:07,240 was such a sea change at the top of his weight class with Tifimo winning 271 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:11,559 the title against Taylor. Even before Tifimo's announcement of his vacating of that belt 272 00:17:11,559 --> 00:17:17,279 had been put out there publicly, He's been asked a thousand times about Taylor, 273 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,240 about Tiffimo, about this guy, about that guy, and he just 274 00:17:19,279 --> 00:17:23,000 basically started like cursing, and everybody saying, you know enough, I'm looking 275 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,240 at Dani Alito Zaria and that's what I got to take care of. Asked 276 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:27,519 me afterwards, and we can talk about any fight you want, but right 277 00:17:27,519 --> 00:17:30,480 now I'm coming to take care of just a one guy in front of me. 278 00:17:30,599 --> 00:17:33,960 He can't fight Tifimo Lopez on Saturday Night, or Josh Taylor or Ryan 279 00:17:33,039 --> 00:17:37,960 Garcia or Tank Davis or Devin Haney or you know, pick up Jose Ramirez 280 00:17:38,039 --> 00:17:41,079 or any of the top guys at one hundred forty pounds. The only guy 281 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:44,759 that he can fight is dan Aldo Zaria, and that's what he plans to 282 00:17:44,799 --> 00:17:48,519 do. I can't blame him. I actually like when fighters get close to 283 00:17:48,559 --> 00:17:49,920 a fight and they start getting prickly like that, because you know, they 284 00:17:51,079 --> 00:17:53,200 starting to get their game face on and they're starting to hunker down. And 285 00:17:53,559 --> 00:17:56,440 that's why, you know, one of the things I learned a long time 286 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,079 ago cover professional boxing. When you go to cover a big event, you 287 00:18:00,079 --> 00:18:04,359 should once you get to fight week, you should already have whatever interviews that 288 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,359 you need with those fighters pretty much done. Now. Some things will come 289 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,680 up at a way in at a press conference, you know, at a 290 00:18:10,759 --> 00:18:14,279 workout, and you right on the things that are occurring at that moment. 291 00:18:14,559 --> 00:18:18,240 If you're looking to do more in depth pieces that are more reflective, more 292 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:22,319 context more perspective, you don't get anything in fight week. And a lot 293 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,200 of times it's because guys are quickly like that they don't want to sit for 294 00:18:25,279 --> 00:18:29,839 those sort of more intelligent, more longer answered, more nuanced questions. So 295 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:33,640 you get them a couple of weeks beforehand. To your point, you got 296 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:37,240 Regis a couple of weeks ago on this podcast feed and it was great stuff 297 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:41,400 and say exactly what you're talking about inside into his mindset on signing with match 298 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:45,400 Room, getting this opportunity here for a good payday in front of the home 299 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:49,200 fans, unification fight probably on the horizon. Yeah, you have great insight. 300 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,359 I would have talked to Regis about it yesterday or today. Yeah, 301 00:18:53,799 --> 00:18:56,839 he would have been because Regis, you know, I know him a bit 302 00:18:56,839 --> 00:18:59,440 over the years, and he's a nice guy in all. But I still 303 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,920 don't think it wouldn't have been as good because he is feeling a little bit 304 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:06,000 more short with people. He is, by the way, trying to make 305 00:19:06,039 --> 00:19:08,000 weight, which is never comfortable for these guys in the last couple of days. 306 00:19:08,319 --> 00:19:12,400 So I always have maintained from when I first, you know, within 307 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,680 a few months after going to cover fights, I realized, if you're you 308 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,680 know, I was written for USA today at the time, you don't leave 309 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,920 it to fight week to get what you need you know me, if you 310 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:25,160 need something from a trainer or promoter or manager, you can get them anytime, 311 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:26,880 fight week or otherwise. But if you're dealing with the boxer, you 312 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,279 better take care of that shit ahead of time. There's a there's a saying 313 00:19:30,319 --> 00:19:32,640 that that many of us have come up with over the years of that. 314 00:19:32,759 --> 00:19:37,440 I have imparted on younger boxer writers who asked my advice, and one of 315 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:38,759 the things I will tell them is, if you go in to fight week 316 00:19:38,799 --> 00:19:44,880 without your fucking interviews, you got nothing. Don't wait to put that on 317 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,000 a bumper sticker. Put that as a mantra. I like that from Raphael. 318 00:19:48,039 --> 00:19:52,240 Here's some good advice on that. So Progray and Zaia is the Matchroom 319 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:56,680 main event on his own Saturday night, Okay, Sunday afternoon in Australia, 320 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:03,680 Saturday night in the US is t Zoo's latest fight dog Bite. Notwithstanding, 321 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,640 we have gotten to fight weekend and it looks like we're good to go. 322 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,480 I know at the time that you and I are releasing the podcast, it 323 00:20:10,759 --> 00:20:17,519 is Friday in Australia and they will be having the way in soon for this 324 00:20:17,799 --> 00:20:22,559 matchup. Zoo and Carlos Ocampo again This fight will be Saturday night in the 325 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:26,160 US. Showtime will show it here, Main event pay per View will show 326 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:30,319 it in Australia. And it's intriguing for a couple of reasons, not the 327 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:34,039 least of which is a dog bite that required twenty stitches on his power punching 328 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:38,160 right forearm has happened in the last couple of weeks. Zoo continues to maintain 329 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,519 he's fine, he's fully recovered from it. And the next thing is are 330 00:20:41,559 --> 00:20:47,599 we going to get a Zoo Jemel Charlo undisputed title fight. Zoo has to 331 00:20:47,599 --> 00:20:49,039 take care of this one and then what happens next after that. So there's 332 00:20:49,039 --> 00:20:52,799 a lot of intrigue here and Zoo a very popular. I think it's safe 333 00:20:52,799 --> 00:20:56,480 to say he's the most prominent fighter in Australia. Again, we got to 334 00:20:56,519 --> 00:21:02,400 keep it in perspective. We're Americans. The rugby stars, the cricket stars. 335 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:06,160 Don't laugh at me, rayphel. They are massive stars in Australia. 336 00:21:06,279 --> 00:21:11,119 I don't know that Zoo ranks up there with their top rugby players, their 337 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:15,240 top cricket stars, their top Australian rules football stars. But Zoo is definitely 338 00:21:15,319 --> 00:21:19,680 popular, prominent fighter and here we go with his latest fight. Your thoughts 339 00:21:21,079 --> 00:21:23,400 on the head of the weekend. As far as Australian boxing goes, at 340 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,160 this moment, the doo big His names in Australian boxing are Tim Zoo and 341 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,480 George Cambosas at this moment, there's no doubt about that, and they've got 342 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:34,680 some good younger talent coming up. But look, you talk about the dog 343 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:38,400 bite. So we all heard about that, and I heard Tim Zoo speak 344 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:42,799 about it at one of his media scrums that his promoter sent out the video 345 00:21:42,839 --> 00:21:47,720 of the other reporters questioning in during a media availability that was like a couple 346 00:21:47,759 --> 00:21:52,319 of days after the injury occurred. So earlier Thursday, they sent me a 347 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:56,480 photo photos of the dog bite. And let me tell you, it'll look 348 00:21:56,519 --> 00:22:00,640 bad. Yes, not a veterinarian, I'm not a doctor, but that 349 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,960 should looked bad. I mean it was bad. Man, Like, oh 350 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:07,519 my god, how are you gonna fight with that? So I'm very interested 351 00:22:07,559 --> 00:22:12,119 to see how he's going to perform on Saturday. But still, you know, 352 00:22:12,279 --> 00:22:15,880 not to not to insult Carlos Ocampo, but he is the kind of 353 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,680 opponent where, if you're truly an elite fighter, that you should be able 354 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:22,440 to fight him with one hand. Frankly, he's tough. He's only got 355 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:29,880 a couple of losses. I maybe slightly jaded by the fact that I was 356 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,119 there ringside in Frisco, Texas when Errol Spenschinger in a what was then an 357 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:38,359 IBF mandatory fight in the welterweight division, knocked out in the first round back 358 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,079 in twenty eighteen. Now he's won a whole bunch of fights in a row 359 00:22:41,079 --> 00:22:45,039 since then, but not really ever fought anybody. Maybe Michael Zouski might be 360 00:22:45,039 --> 00:22:48,839 the best guy he fought, who was like a decent opponent. And then 361 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,559 of course he had a go with Sebastian Fondora. He gave him a pretty 362 00:22:52,559 --> 00:22:53,680 good fight. I mean he lost pretty much every round, like you know, 363 00:22:55,039 --> 00:22:57,200 ten two eleven one type scores on the on the official cards, but 364 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,519 he gave him a pretty solid fight. He hung in there and that was 365 00:23:00,559 --> 00:23:03,599 all the way up a one hundred fifty four pounds. But Fondora, while 366 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:07,680 a very good fighter himself, Tim Zoo, I believe he is on the 367 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:10,920 next level, and so I have a hard time seeing Tim Zoo in front 368 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:14,880 of the hometown, having coming off a very dominating performance against Tony Harrison, 369 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,319 who I think would beat Ocampo, you know, pretty easily. Frankly, 370 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:22,039 it's the kind of fight where they didn't want to put him in too much 371 00:23:22,079 --> 00:23:25,920 of a harm's way with the Charlot fight on the table, But they also 372 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:29,720 didn't want to insult people's intelligence by matching with somebody that couldn't fight. So 373 00:23:29,759 --> 00:23:32,799 when Carlos Ocampo, they have a good, solid game veteran, a guy 374 00:23:32,839 --> 00:23:36,960 they can handle himself. Was ko one to Spence notwithstanding, seems to have 375 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,119 a pretty good chin, but is very basic. He's not fast, He's 376 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,279 not the most powerful guy in the world. This is like a Zoo It's 377 00:23:45,319 --> 00:23:48,880 like a Zoo pizza party, like a tune up. What will be interesting? 378 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:52,039 And I've not seen this anywhere. I don't know if Showtime on their 379 00:23:52,079 --> 00:23:56,559 coverage intends to talk to Jamaal Charlo Now the March fight against Tony Harrison, 380 00:23:56,839 --> 00:24:00,000 they had him in the studio live with them in New York while they were 381 00:24:00,039 --> 00:24:04,640 broadcasting the fight remotely. But as the WBO has said, they have Zoo 382 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,960 as the interim champion and they have ordered Charlo to fight him. Am I 383 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,480 correct right? If I'm wrong by September thirtieth, or they want the fight 384 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,880 made by September thirty. They wanted to fight him, So that's a dan. 385 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:21,680 That's that's one hundred days or so from now. So I wonder is 386 00:24:21,759 --> 00:24:26,240 Charlo gonna be available for showtime to at least say hey, are you healthy 387 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:27,559 enough? Or you get in the ring with Tim Zoo. What's going on? 388 00:24:27,799 --> 00:24:30,000 We don't know it right now. I don't know. We'll see now. 389 00:24:30,039 --> 00:24:33,880 Look the WBO there, their business people, they're not stupid. If 390 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,000 the folks involved come to them and say, listen, we're good to go. 391 00:24:37,599 --> 00:24:41,119 We want to have this fight on October fourteenth. I'm pretty sure that 392 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,240 WBO is not going to get a pushback, but they do want it. 393 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:47,960 They want that fight done this fall. Understandably, it's a long time coming. 394 00:24:48,799 --> 00:24:51,000 They've given him a lot of rope and they've let him he'll I mean, 395 00:24:51,039 --> 00:24:53,559 remember when the injury first happened and caused this fight to be a postpone 396 00:24:53,599 --> 00:24:57,039 from January. The talking point at that moment was it's a couple of weeks 397 00:24:57,319 --> 00:25:00,000 on the ole rehab. He should be back June. Well, June is 398 00:25:00,079 --> 00:25:03,839 long come. You know, we're in June he's well. I mean when 399 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:10,400 I spoke to Garret Games, uh maybe a month ago, he still wasn't 400 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:12,880 He was in the gym, you know, staying in shape and all the 401 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,839 things he could do not using the hand, but he admitted he hadn't been 402 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:21,279 able to use it in any meaningful manner just yet. So he's still aways 403 00:25:21,279 --> 00:25:22,880 away from that now. There's still quite a bit of time between now and 404 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,839 the end of September for him to get to the position where he can, 405 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:30,200 you know, use it to go all out. So we'll see. I 406 00:25:30,279 --> 00:25:32,799 mean, I hope the fight happens. That's the way I looked at it. 407 00:25:32,799 --> 00:25:34,160 That it's it's very attractive fight. It's one of the better fights that 408 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:37,559 could be made in the one fifty four way. Less of all the different 409 00:25:37,559 --> 00:25:42,319 contenders out there, Tim Zoo is certainly a worthy contender for that. You 410 00:25:42,319 --> 00:25:45,720 know, he just knocked out the one guy that beat Charlot, even though 411 00:25:45,759 --> 00:25:48,839 Charlotte later then got lost to Harrison. So look, he's got to come 412 00:25:48,839 --> 00:25:53,240 through with Ocampo. I think he handles him pretty handily. Uh, despite 413 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:57,160 whatever his injury was with the with the dog bite. Uh, it's sort 414 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,960 of a good Uh, it's it's a good story to tell as you're building 415 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,880 up to the fight. And look, I'm sure Ocampo is not even fly 416 00:26:04,319 --> 00:26:07,160 you know, all those thousands of miles just to lay down. He'll give 417 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:11,440 a good effort. I suspect, I don't know, you know a solid 418 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,200 Mexican fighter like that that doesn't go to give a good effort. I just 419 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,240 think it's a different level of skill that Tim Zoo is on a different level 420 00:26:17,279 --> 00:26:22,200 then Carlos Ocampo. And we'll see just how vast that chasm is on Saturday, 421 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,880 assuming that Tim Zoo's arm is okay the way that they claim it is. 422 00:26:26,559 --> 00:26:30,720 And again, Zoo has fought all over He's based in Sydney, which 423 00:26:30,759 --> 00:26:33,000 is if you look at if you look at a clock like bottom of the 424 00:26:33,039 --> 00:26:37,599 clock at about five o'clock. But he's fought all over the coast of Australia 425 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:41,279 and up the northeast coast of Australia at different locations in front of sold out 426 00:26:41,279 --> 00:26:45,759 crowds, arena stadiums, etc. It's expected in broad Beach, which is 427 00:26:45,759 --> 00:26:48,839 a couple of hours away from Sydney up the coast, that it's going to 428 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:52,480 be electric in that building, and we'll find out it is Sunday afternoon in 429 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,440 Australia Saturday night in the US. Will make predictions again on the bet Us 430 00:26:56,519 --> 00:27:00,640 Show one Eastern time Friday on how Quickly? Thank You? And I both 431 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,839 agree Zoo wins? How quickly does he win? The how the win? 432 00:27:03,279 --> 00:27:08,039 Will debate that on that show. So there are a couple of prominent fights 433 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:14,839 and now some fight news including since we now have talked last on the Recap 434 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:19,359 podcast, Errol Spence and Terrence Crawford have criss crossed the country in LA and 435 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:25,039 in New York talking about their late July undisputed world walterweight title fight. Your 436 00:27:25,039 --> 00:27:27,559 thoughts as the hype has begun a little early, but the hype has at 437 00:27:27,599 --> 00:27:32,160 least gotten It's not too early, It's exactly when it's supposed to be. 438 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:34,720 We've been talking about this damn fight for five years and so now we're a 439 00:27:34,799 --> 00:27:37,720 month and a half out of the fight, and they went on a media 440 00:27:37,759 --> 00:27:41,920 tour and we got to see finally the first official faceoff, see them against 441 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,480 it, you know, sized up with each other. Hear them speak about 442 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,279 it here from their teams, and I loved it. I thought the press 443 00:27:47,279 --> 00:27:51,759 tour was terrific. The guys handled it beautifully. I thought they spoke well, 444 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:53,680 They spoke with confidence. They said what they're gonna do, what they 445 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,839 want to do. They talked about the historical implications of the fight, how 446 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,799 significant the fight is compared it against other great welterweight championship fights, which it 447 00:28:00,839 --> 00:28:03,720 deserves to be mentioned with. It's not just hype. So when you tell 448 00:28:03,759 --> 00:28:10,319 me, for our time now this is like it was for say Leonard Hearns 449 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:11,640 back then, I mean, nothing is ever going to be that big, 450 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:17,960 but understandably of our era, you know, Deloya Trinidad, pac Yale Floyd 451 00:28:18,079 --> 00:28:21,960 obviously was a much bigger fight. But it's that kind of fight, historical 452 00:28:22,079 --> 00:28:25,359 implications. Two guys were probably going to be in the Hall of Fame. 453 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:29,880 They're both undefeated, which those other fights don't necessarily have in common. They're 454 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:32,839 fighting for four belts, undisputed. It has everything you want, and they 455 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:37,319 made the point of that in their In their press conferences, you got to 456 00:28:37,319 --> 00:28:40,559 see them stare each other in the eyes. I certainly got the impression, 457 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:45,519 which is what I believe they'd before seeing this news conference on Wednesday in la 458 00:28:45,559 --> 00:28:48,720 and then the Thursday one in New York City. They may not be best 459 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,480 friends, but they have a lot of respect for each other. I think 460 00:28:51,519 --> 00:28:53,599 they like each other. I think they want to kick each other's ass also. 461 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:57,640 And the other thing about it is their teams, namely Brian McIntyre the 462 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:02,720 trainer for Terrence Crawford and Derek James, the trainer for Aerospence. They have 463 00:29:02,799 --> 00:29:06,480 a lot of respect for each other also, and they understand the caliber of 464 00:29:06,559 --> 00:29:08,279 the other guy in the other corner, both the fighter and the trainer, 465 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:11,759 and they're just going to come out and give a world a great fight. 466 00:29:11,799 --> 00:29:15,200 I truly believe this is going to be a special fight, and I think 467 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:18,680 the two fighters understand. I mean, there's the pressure you want to win, 468 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:23,880 but I think they understand the pressure of of this is our moment in 469 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:29,400 the history of this great sport and we need to elevate our sport. And 470 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:33,759 we can do that together by giving the public the fight that they expect. 471 00:29:33,119 --> 00:29:37,079 And I think that we're in for a real treat July twenty ninth, and 472 00:29:37,119 --> 00:29:38,519 it's not too early to talk about it. I hope we talk about it 473 00:29:38,519 --> 00:29:42,119 in some former fashion on every single podcast we do between now and Fight Night, 474 00:29:44,279 --> 00:29:48,720 and seeing them speak about it and their body language and the way they 475 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:52,880 faced off with each other and the back and forth, which was I thought 476 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:56,680 it was perfect because maybe it's just because I'm old, get the fuck off 477 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:00,480 my lawn. But it sometimes annoys me when these guys going. All they 478 00:30:00,519 --> 00:30:03,559 do is curse and and try to punch each other and do all the bullshit 479 00:30:03,839 --> 00:30:07,359 before the fight, you know, and they and they just curse, the 480 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:11,000 curse and just get vulgar for no reason. They acted like champions, and 481 00:30:11,039 --> 00:30:12,680 they had some class, and you like that, I can tell. I 482 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:15,079 mean, they puff their chests out in the whole thing with the big Fish, 483 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,880 I'm gonna fry the fish and all that stuff, with Errol calling himself 484 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,759 the big fish and been said in the New York when we're gonna roll him 485 00:30:22,839 --> 00:30:26,200 up and smoke him. Whoa, whoa. Maybe settle down on the drug 486 00:30:26,279 --> 00:30:30,720 part. But the whole point is that's sort of like amusing and funny and 487 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:34,680 inventive, and but it's it doesn't cross the line of making extusively personal. 488 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:38,839 You're not calling his MoMA any bad names. But it's amusing and you get 489 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:41,559 some decent quotes out of it. If you're in our job as reporters. 490 00:30:41,839 --> 00:30:45,279 I thought they hit. I thought the tone of the way the press comments 491 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:51,480 was was enough tension and enough like beat your chest, but also with enough 492 00:30:51,559 --> 00:30:55,200 like reverence for you know, we have to be adults here. This is 493 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:57,240 business. I thought they did a good job of selling the fight, which 494 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,559 at the end of the day is the purpose of the media tour, because 495 00:31:00,599 --> 00:31:03,119 they're not trying to sell it to you and me and the other diehards. 496 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:06,880 They're trying to get others who may not really they might have Hey, I 497 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:08,039 hear like there's this big fight. Maybe I need to know a little bit 498 00:31:08,079 --> 00:31:11,640 more about it. So you somehow tuned into it, or you caught wind 499 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:15,319 of it, or you read a quote forward or saw a clip on social 500 00:31:15,359 --> 00:31:19,079 media, or maybe read a newspaper article about it. They definitely gave you 501 00:31:19,119 --> 00:31:22,880 what you needed to be given. And you know what, because of the 502 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,680 fact that the fight was in the big media markets, there was reporters from 503 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:30,799 the New York Times, there, from I believe, the Wall Street Journal, 504 00:31:30,839 --> 00:31:33,279 from the New York Daily News, from the New York Post, from 505 00:31:33,319 --> 00:31:37,359 the important publications in those markets that are running about the fight, which is 506 00:31:37,359 --> 00:31:40,640 great for the sport because by the way, the fight's not taking place in 507 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:42,559 New York City, it's taking place in Vegas. But those media outlets, 508 00:31:44,519 --> 00:31:48,000 and trust me, I know when it comes to mainstream media market, a 509 00:31:48,039 --> 00:31:52,240 mainstream, big, big, big publications, having spent you know, twenty 510 00:31:52,279 --> 00:31:55,960 years working for ESPN in USA today, it's a big deal when those papers 511 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:57,519 come out to cover your press covers these day. So I was happy to 512 00:31:57,559 --> 00:32:04,279 see that those those sports editors and sports sections, they recognize the significance of 513 00:32:04,319 --> 00:32:06,279 the event, and that was a good thing. By the way, same 514 00:32:06,319 --> 00:32:08,559 thing in Los Angeles, they had their presscouts when I believe was it the 515 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:13,119 US Open or what was it? What tournament was going on? Yeah, 516 00:32:13,119 --> 00:32:15,960 the US Open golf tournament's going on this week. Correct, yes, and 517 00:32:15,119 --> 00:32:17,440 that was a lot of a lot of US Open stuff was going on in 518 00:32:17,559 --> 00:32:20,880 LA. But yet the uh, you know, the LA Times and some 519 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:23,119 of the other big outlets were out there to cover their prescotts in Los Angeles. 520 00:32:23,119 --> 00:32:25,240 So I think it bodes well, it's going to be a great event. 521 00:32:25,279 --> 00:32:29,200 I can't wait my and uh, for the record, my flight is 522 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:31,000 booked and so yeah, I know you're excited for that reason, and I'm 523 00:32:31,079 --> 00:32:35,000 looking into being out there without you. We got to alert the authorities. 524 00:32:35,079 --> 00:32:37,839 Raphael and Reeves in Vegas. Of course. Hey, by the way, 525 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:43,359 they have had a Stanley Cup win in Vegas and the parade upcoming for that. 526 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,480 So it's big time in Vegas right now with the Raiders getting a baseball 527 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:49,839 team also, they get a baseball team coming, and now they got this 528 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:52,480 fight at a time. As we keep emphasizing, and we're about to move 529 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:55,799 on July late July, there's nothing else going on. The NBA's long gone, 530 00:32:55,799 --> 00:32:59,599 the NHL's long gone, the football as it started. We got baseball. 531 00:33:00,039 --> 00:33:02,319 But that, I mean, that is a prime opportunity for this that 532 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:07,279 weekend to cross over to the casual sports fans on that's your point. So 533 00:33:07,359 --> 00:33:10,599 let's see if that momentum continues. All right, some some fight announcements in 534 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:16,839 news quickly and then some nostalgia. Zalajang and Joe Joyce. It apparently it 535 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:21,839 has a date. Tell me more, September. They're gonna rematch after Jang 536 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:25,279 busted his eye up, stopped them and derail Joyce's hopes of a world title 537 00:33:25,279 --> 00:33:29,599 shot at least for now. Give me more. Okay, So it's not 538 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,319 one hundred percent done, but it's likely going this direction, it's probably going 539 00:33:32,359 --> 00:33:36,559 to be done. They have a few details, I guess to iron out, 540 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:38,279 not not ironed out, but they just got to get everything one hundred 541 00:33:38,319 --> 00:33:43,400 percent paper. But this fight rematch is going to take place on September second. 542 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:45,319 It'll be at the Ovo Arena, Wemley, which is the as we've 543 00:33:45,359 --> 00:33:50,920 talked about before, it's the normal arena across the street from the largest national 544 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:55,119 soccer stadium where Vladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua fob where Tyson Ferry fought against Dillian 545 00:33:55,119 --> 00:33:59,559 White, etc. And they're gonna do that fight. It's a rematch that 546 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:05,039 that the Joyce when he lost. Suddenly, you know, Zang is now 547 00:34:05,039 --> 00:34:08,079 in a position where they're getting calls about maybe fighting Tyson Fury. But that 548 00:34:08,199 --> 00:34:13,519 was quickly put the rest because he didn't have a choice because Joe Joyce held 549 00:34:13,559 --> 00:34:15,920 the right to an immediate rematch if he wanted it, and he exercised that 550 00:34:16,039 --> 00:34:20,840 right. And so even though he got his eye pretty badly busted up and 551 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:23,480 stopped in that fight, you know, lost the interim WBO title, He's 552 00:34:23,519 --> 00:34:28,159 doing the immedia rematch, and you know it's kind of like a big deal 553 00:34:28,159 --> 00:34:30,480 for him. It's I wouldn't be totally dramatic and say his entire careers on 554 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:34,840 the line, but another loss is going to be awfully develicating at his age 555 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:38,239 of thirty seven. And for Zilae, it's like he probably would have rather 556 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:42,639 fought for the title against Tyson Fury, the real big boy title, but 557 00:34:42,719 --> 00:34:45,960 he doesn't have a choice. So they got to be any chanced, one 558 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:52,239 bit of intrigue, any chance because Joyce is promoted by Frank Warren, who 559 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,719 promotes Tyson Fury, that they go to Joyce and say, listen, we 560 00:34:55,840 --> 00:35:00,519 know you have your rematch with Zijlage, what if we of you. I'm 561 00:35:00,559 --> 00:35:04,480 just throwing a number out three million dollars to step aside because Tyson Fury wants 562 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:08,639 to fight him in September instead of you fighting him in September. Any chance 563 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:13,840 at that because it's the same promoter. I mean, it's possible, but 564 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:16,360 it just seems at this moment that that window may have closed. They are 565 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:21,639 making plans for the fight in September. Again, it's not one official, 566 00:35:21,679 --> 00:35:24,199 but it will be on ESPN Plus in the United States, the same way 567 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:28,800 their first fight was. So you know, look in boxing, dude, 568 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:30,840 anything can happen. Sure, So you know, but Tyson Fury, I 569 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:35,360 think they're looking for some other things. There's still the prosper of that big 570 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:37,800 fight in the end of the year in Saudi Arabia. Fury's talking about fighting 571 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:42,599 MMA guys. He's he's talking about fighting everybody but hul Covid or clause. 572 00:35:42,599 --> 00:35:44,800 At this point, you can't listen to him. You know that, well, 573 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:46,400 I say, you never can say for sure. I think it's pretty 574 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:52,039 well as close as you can get to unless it's sufficiently signed. Zang and 575 00:35:52,119 --> 00:35:54,400 Joyce are going to rematch September. Second end of story. All right, 576 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:58,880 we move on notes. It'll be interesting to see how Joyce adjusts. I 577 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:02,079 don't think you overstay that his career is basically on the line because he's almost 578 00:36:02,119 --> 00:36:06,840 thirty seven. I think he's about Trent and thirty seven. Thirty seven, 579 00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:09,920 and so if you lose again to Jang here, I don't know where your 580 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:14,559 leverage is to ever get back in a heavyweight title picture. At least anytime 581 00:36:14,559 --> 00:36:16,559 you can, you can still fight. It's just a matter of what counter 582 00:36:16,679 --> 00:36:20,599 of money and yport and you get. It's a little bit of a longer 583 00:36:20,639 --> 00:36:22,599 road back and by the way, it's not again Zang's got one lost kind 584 00:36:22,639 --> 00:36:28,599 of a disputed decision against Philipergovich. But he's forty years old. So these 585 00:36:28,599 --> 00:36:34,280 are not the guys that are on the way up. This is not Ryan 586 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,599 Garcia Tank Davis in their twenties. This is you know, guys that are 587 00:36:37,639 --> 00:36:42,760 closer to Social Security numbers than uh than not. All right, you did 588 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:46,360 mention on the recap podcast about no Nito don are fighting for the vacant WBC 589 00:36:46,519 --> 00:36:51,599 Banumway title after the monster Naolia in a way vacated those belts. It now 590 00:36:51,679 --> 00:36:53,639 has a date, it has a location, more details on this real quick. 591 00:36:54,199 --> 00:36:57,760 Yeah, well, I mean Donaire is an all time great. He's 592 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,440 going to be in the Hall of Fame someday. No doubt that. He's 593 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:02,880 a past winner of the Fight of the Year. He has been a guy 594 00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:07,199 that's been a winner of a Knockout of the Year. He has been a 595 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:10,039 champion in a variety of weight classes. He's been a champion at flyweight, 596 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:15,519 at bannomwaight, at junior featherweight, at featherweight. He won an interim delt 597 00:37:15,559 --> 00:37:20,119 even at junior Banomwait if you count that. So his his his legacy is 598 00:37:20,159 --> 00:37:22,519 secure. I mean what he has done. He's being a whole bunch of 599 00:37:22,559 --> 00:37:25,239 good quality fighters through the years. You know, he did get knocked out 600 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:29,519 in his last fight in the second round against in a Way in their rematch, 601 00:37:29,559 --> 00:37:34,280 and their rematch was of a closer decision. What was the twenty and 602 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:38,400 nineteen fight of the year. Just an awesome fight. But Donaire is not 603 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:42,679 done yet. Even though he's post forty, which if you're fighting at any 604 00:37:42,679 --> 00:37:45,000 weight class in your forties year kind of an old man or a woman for 605 00:37:45,039 --> 00:37:49,519 that matter. He's at forty and he's gonna be fighting all the way down 606 00:37:49,599 --> 00:37:53,239 at bantomwaight, which is almost not heard of for guys to still be able 607 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:57,559 to handle themselves at that advanced age in the smaller weight class. But at 608 00:37:57,599 --> 00:38:00,920 the end of the day, he's highly ranked. And when when in a 609 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:04,599 Way vacated all four of the belts, it created a free for all at 610 00:38:04,599 --> 00:38:07,119 the Bannumway division because now all the belts are available, and so the different 611 00:38:07,159 --> 00:38:10,679 organizations look at their ratings and Donais maintain a high rating in the WBC. 612 00:38:12,199 --> 00:38:14,280 So he and this was a fight. This is the fact that they're making 613 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:16,800 this match is not a total surprise. It was back in February, uh 614 00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:22,679 like within a couple of weeks after in a way vacated that the WBC ordered 615 00:38:22,679 --> 00:38:24,199 this fight. Now they just have made the deal. So he's fighting Alexandro 616 00:38:24,519 --> 00:38:30,280 Santiago. That fight will take place July fifteenth, that is on showtime on 617 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:35,760 the undercard of of the Frank Martin fight. That's a WBC a wominar that's 618 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:39,320 gonna be at the Palms in vague Um is that the Palms or the Cosmos, 619 00:38:42,079 --> 00:38:44,519 which you know in Donas you know, he's lived in Vegas for many 620 00:38:44,599 --> 00:38:47,000 years, so it's he doesn't have to drive ten minutes to the uh you 621 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:50,320 know, to the arena from where he is at unless he's staying at the 622 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:53,360 hotel anyway. But it's a great opportunity for him and frankly because alex Alexandro 623 00:38:53,440 --> 00:38:58,559 Santiago is not the most known guy. He's got you know, a decent 624 00:38:58,599 --> 00:39:02,000 rectord twenty seven three and five with fourteen knockouts. He is much younger by 625 00:39:02,039 --> 00:39:07,880 thirteen years. He's twenty seven from Mexico. He's won you know, I 626 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:12,639 think two or three fights throw He's probably most known for a loss to Gary 627 00:39:12,679 --> 00:39:16,320 Antonio Russell, the younger brother of Gary Russell, the older brother of Gary 628 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:21,440 Antoine Russell, one of the three fighting Russell brothers. I rely on you 629 00:39:21,519 --> 00:39:23,559 to keep me straight on all those guys. Very nicely done. It's a 630 00:39:23,639 --> 00:39:29,440 It's a great opportunity for Donare. He'll be the favorite even at forty and 631 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:32,079 and if he can win, it's his legacy, is what it is. 632 00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:37,039 He's going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer. He's a beloved figure 633 00:39:37,039 --> 00:39:39,559 within the sport. But if he can win another world championship at age forty, 634 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:44,360 it's just sort of like, you know, gravy and one sends icing 635 00:39:44,360 --> 00:39:45,960 on top of the cake, so to speed. All right, One more 636 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:51,880 news item than some nostalgia. That is Golden Boy announcing on Thursday the undercard 637 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:58,199 for the upcoming stanionis Virgil Ortiz main event July eighth and San Antonio Floyd's Schofield 638 00:39:58,559 --> 00:40:00,320 We're very interested in as part of this card. What else about the undercard 639 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:04,280 here? Well, Schofield is one of my favorite prospects in boxing. I 640 00:40:04,280 --> 00:40:06,920 mean he was on my top list, you know, top fifteen lists at 641 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:09,079 the end of the year. A good fighter, obviously, I'm still kind 642 00:40:09,079 --> 00:40:15,039 of annoyed because when he fought his most recent fight on the undercard, when 643 00:40:15,199 --> 00:40:21,760 Ryan Garcia five Tank Davis, he fought what he fought. The original schedule 644 00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:24,320 of fights had him fighting a little bit later on the card. I think 645 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:28,719 at the last minute, you know, there was always gamesmanship between Golden Boy 646 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:31,280 and PBC. He ended up fighting in a slough or two earlier, and 647 00:40:31,320 --> 00:40:35,760 I was still like having my bag checked and getting into the arena, and 648 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:38,039 I missed his fight, which only lasted like one round, less than one 649 00:40:38,119 --> 00:40:40,840 round. And the funny thing was when when it was over and I had 650 00:40:40,840 --> 00:40:44,679 then seen some of the other that was the one fight that I missed. 651 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:46,400 I think he was the first fight of the night, had seen some other 652 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:51,599 fights. I went, you know, back underneath to like, you know, 653 00:40:51,679 --> 00:40:54,239 get something to drink and take a leak and just get some air during 654 00:40:54,239 --> 00:40:58,760 a break in the thing, and I ran into Floyd and his advisor Michael 655 00:40:58,760 --> 00:41:01,360 Miller and spoke to them for a few minutes and sort of joked around them. 656 00:41:01,519 --> 00:41:04,360 I said, you know, you gotta make your fights last a little 657 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:06,599 bit longer so I don't miss your whole damn fight. He laughed. But 658 00:41:06,719 --> 00:41:08,480 anyway, he's no longer in the first fighting to night. This is the 659 00:41:08,519 --> 00:41:13,880 point I'm trying to make. He's now on the undercard of Standionis against Virgil. 660 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:16,559 He is in a co feature and it's gonna be the first time on 661 00:41:16,599 --> 00:41:20,719 a bigger show that people are going to actually see because even on the Tank 662 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:24,320 and Ryan Carter, he wasn't even on the on the stream prelimbs. But 663 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:29,519 he's taking on a veteran fighter named Haskell Rhodes, who's you know, been 664 00:41:29,519 --> 00:41:30,599 in the ring with some good fighters over the year. He's got like four 665 00:41:30,639 --> 00:41:35,960 losses, but he's a solid veteran and it's a ten round fighting, you 666 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:37,679 know the idea. Here's you know, Ken Floyd's Scholfield, who this is 667 00:41:37,719 --> 00:41:40,920 definitely a step up for him in terms of competition. He's only fourteen, 668 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:45,840 No Floyd. We'll see if he can you know, turn some heads, 669 00:41:45,920 --> 00:41:47,199 open some eyes and make people say, boy, I got to see that 670 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:51,760 kid again. He's still very young and that's a good opportunity for him. 671 00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:53,360 So that's the co feature on the card, and then they've got two other 672 00:41:53,360 --> 00:41:58,360 fights. One is a women's unification fight for three of the belts, in 673 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:01,280 the women's flyweight division between mar Esparza, who has two of the titles she's 674 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:06,000 taking on. She's the WBC and the w BA A champion and the women's 675 00:42:06,039 --> 00:42:09,559 flightweight division. She's fighting a woman from Argentina who was also an undefeated fighter. 676 00:42:09,679 --> 00:42:13,840 Marlin's got the one lost thirteen and one, but the woman, Gabriella 677 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:16,679 Alanez, is fourteen and oz, so they're fighting to unify three of the 678 00:42:16,679 --> 00:42:21,679 titles. Marlin's goal is to become undisputed. I'm assuming that Alantis would like 679 00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:24,519 the same situation. So the winner of this fight has three titles, then 680 00:42:24,519 --> 00:42:27,920 the'll only be one more to go after And the other fight that that's going 681 00:42:27,960 --> 00:42:30,840 to be on the main card is the return of Joseph Diaz Junior, the 682 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:35,880 former one hundred thirty pound title holder who has lost three fights in a row, 683 00:42:36,599 --> 00:42:37,719 so he's in dire need of a victory. He does not have an 684 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:43,599 opponent officially yet, but also it's the first fight since Golden Boy announced within 685 00:42:43,719 --> 00:42:46,880 recent weeks that he had signed a contract extension with the company and they're going 686 00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:50,559 to try to clean him up and get him into a bigger fight, and 687 00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:53,800 he needs to start with the victory he come July eighth, and good on 688 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:58,719 Jojo Diaz, by the way, because he's being very public with fights with 689 00:42:58,760 --> 00:43:02,599 alcohol and addiction and trying to keep his life straight and get his life back 690 00:43:02,599 --> 00:43:06,639 on track. And that's part of what you're referring to as he gets back 691 00:43:06,679 --> 00:43:09,440 in the ring on this card coming up in San Antonio. All right, 692 00:43:09,519 --> 00:43:15,800 to wrap it here on the preview some nostalgia June of nineteen ninety. June 693 00:43:15,840 --> 00:43:22,159 sixteenth of nineteen nineties, so as we release this, it's Friday now. 694 00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:29,039 Some thirty three years ago, Mike Tyson returned after his knockout loss against James 695 00:43:29,039 --> 00:43:32,519 Buster Douglas and foughtay fighter that had beaten him in the amateurs in the Olympic 696 00:43:32,559 --> 00:43:36,480 Trials, and Henry Tillman and Henry Tilman went on to win the gold medal 697 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:40,280 in the eighty four Summer Games in boxing, and that was part of a 698 00:43:40,320 --> 00:43:43,519 double head. This is why you are who you are. I didn't realize 699 00:43:43,559 --> 00:43:45,239 this was part of a double header involving George Foreman. So give me some 700 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:50,400 more on the nostalgia June sixteenth, nineteen ninety, because they were trying to 701 00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:53,239 have Tyson fight big George eventually, Well, that was the whole thing. 702 00:43:53,239 --> 00:44:00,920 I mean, I don't think people are younger listeners can understand the main and 703 00:44:00,039 --> 00:44:05,679 I can remember it vividly. I mean it was front page news and mainstream 704 00:44:05,719 --> 00:44:09,880 publications and all that kind of stuff. That a fight between Mike Tyson, 705 00:44:10,159 --> 00:44:15,360 who, even though he had already been dethroned by Buster Douglas but certainly wasn't 706 00:44:15,360 --> 00:44:19,119 retiring. He was still a younger fighter at that time. And now we're 707 00:44:19,159 --> 00:44:22,639 in the second career of George Foreman, who at this point hadn't yet regained 708 00:44:22,639 --> 00:44:29,280 the title against Michael Moore, but you know, was still somewhat of a 709 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:34,639 force and was now being taken more seriously than just as a as a sideshow. 710 00:44:34,679 --> 00:44:38,119 He had lost a challenge to Evander Holyfield for then the Spirited Tunnel, 711 00:44:38,159 --> 00:44:43,079 but that lost I think opened a lot of everybody's eyes that he was a 712 00:44:43,119 --> 00:44:45,960 real serious guy at this point, not just a side show coming back after 713 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:52,199 ten years in retirement. So the notion of two of the most mainstream stars, 714 00:44:52,239 --> 00:44:55,840 not just in boxing but in sports, Mike Tyson and George Foreman is 715 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:59,480 like, I mean, for lack of a bitter phrase, that's like a 716 00:44:59,480 --> 00:45:01,679 wet dream for people back then to see these two guys that they could get 717 00:45:01,719 --> 00:45:07,440 in the ring and fight each other. And the whole idea here was Tyson 718 00:45:07,559 --> 00:45:09,840 is now postbuster and match him up with Tillman to get the revenge on the 719 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:13,440 amateur loss. And Mike in the main event of that show did what he 720 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:15,239 supposed to. He puts him out in one round. He got big George 721 00:45:15,239 --> 00:45:19,880 in the in the co feature, takes out Addison Rodriguez, you know, 722 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:23,599 with a devastating knockout and a big performance. And remember this was a card 723 00:45:23,639 --> 00:45:27,559 which was highly unusual at the time. They were a bitter, bitter bitter 724 00:45:27,639 --> 00:45:30,880 at that time. This was a co promotion between Don King and Bob Aaron. 725 00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:35,000 Don King, of course was still with Mike and Bob Aaron was the 726 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:38,360 promoter of George Foreman, and all through the build up and even after the 727 00:45:38,360 --> 00:45:42,559 fight, it was all about, we're getting ready to make a big megafight 728 00:45:42,559 --> 00:45:45,920 between Foreman and Tyson and let's see them performed together. It certainly didn't go 729 00:45:45,960 --> 00:45:50,559 that way because even though the two guys came out with their ws, it's 730 00:45:50,559 --> 00:45:52,480 soon well, you know, as they what the shit hit the fan? 731 00:45:52,519 --> 00:45:57,599 I guess because Don King was in a beef with HBO because he was upset 732 00:45:57,639 --> 00:46:00,880 and Mike Tyson was upset. We've discussed this for about how they were covering 733 00:46:00,880 --> 00:46:06,320 Tyson on HBO, particularly the way Larry Merchant spoke about Tyson on HBO, 734 00:46:06,760 --> 00:46:09,280 and uh, that was Mike's last fight with HBO before he left and went 735 00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:14,239 over to Showtime. Had had the fights with the Razor Ruddick ended up going 736 00:46:14,239 --> 00:46:17,800 to prison obviously, and so that sort of ended that situation, and George 737 00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:22,360 Foreman, uh, you know, would go on and you know, ultimately 738 00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:25,239 he fought Tommy Morrison in a WBO fight, which he lost. He then 739 00:46:25,360 --> 00:46:29,519 ended up obviously regaining a title against the Michael Moore you know a few years 740 00:46:29,599 --> 00:46:32,960 later. But the Foreman and Tyson fight never came off. And I don't 741 00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:37,719 know about you, but I get asked a lot of times by people through 742 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:40,559 when I used to do my chats at USA Today later at ESPN on social 743 00:46:40,599 --> 00:46:44,840 media, when I see people that come up to me to talk boxing if 744 00:46:44,840 --> 00:46:46,800 I'm at an event, you know, what's like the biggest fight that never 745 00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:51,440 happened? You know that you wanted to see George Foreman against Mike Tyson at 746 00:46:51,480 --> 00:46:53,960 that point in the early nineties, would have been as big a bega fight 747 00:46:54,000 --> 00:46:58,880 as you can make. It would have dwarfed, you know, Anthony Joshua, 748 00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:02,039 Deontay Wilder or in fury Anthony Joshua was a huge worldwide event, and 749 00:47:02,119 --> 00:47:07,079 it's a shame that never happened. But on one night on June sixteenth, 750 00:47:07,119 --> 00:47:10,039 nineteen ninety, thirty three years ago, on Friday, everybody in the world 751 00:47:10,039 --> 00:47:14,920 thought that fight was coming next when these two giant punchers blew out their opponents. 752 00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:17,719 It's interesting on the timeline too, because Buster Douglas was in the process 753 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:22,880 of suing and eventually winning to get out of the rematch contract with Tyson and 754 00:47:22,920 --> 00:47:28,480 would eventually fight Evander Holyfield and lose, and a Douglas Tyson rematch never happened. 755 00:47:28,480 --> 00:47:32,000 As well, in any of this, Buster flamed out on the big 756 00:47:32,039 --> 00:47:37,519 stage almost as quickly as that shocking upset in February of nineteen ninety. So 757 00:47:37,599 --> 00:47:40,760 there you go, great nostalgia on that. And if you back up six 758 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:45,960 years earlier, as we released the podcast on Thursday, June the fifteenth of 759 00:47:46,199 --> 00:47:52,920 nineteen eighty four, that is the arguably one of the signature moments not only 760 00:47:52,960 --> 00:47:59,639 of the Four King series, but of Thomas Hearns's career. His demolition of 761 00:47:59,679 --> 00:48:05,920 Reb Duran is now nearly forty years old. The second round knockout, devastating 762 00:48:06,039 --> 00:48:12,519 Tim Burr face first knockout of Duran happened thirty nine years ago. My friend 763 00:48:12,599 --> 00:48:16,599 had set into motion Hearns to take on Marvin Hagler the following year. Eventually, 764 00:48:17,880 --> 00:48:21,440 well, Tommy Harns is known for his devastating right hand, and I 765 00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:25,320 don't know if it was ever more devastating than it was in planting Roberto Durant 766 00:48:25,320 --> 00:48:29,800 face first on the canvas. I mean Duran. One of his calling cards 767 00:48:29,840 --> 00:48:31,719 was having an iron chin. I mean, he had lost by stoppage against 768 00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:35,840 Sugar Ray Leonard in their rematch, but that was from quitting. That wasn't 769 00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:38,880 because he got knocked down or knocked out. This was, you know, 770 00:48:39,000 --> 00:48:42,480 Tommy, one of the great punchers of all time, who had roughed them 771 00:48:42,559 --> 00:48:45,119 up in the first round and then lands the devastating right hand on the button. 772 00:48:45,119 --> 00:48:49,519 I mean it was like splat. I mean, there's no other way 773 00:48:49,559 --> 00:48:52,719 to describe it. It's one of the quintessential knockouts in boxing history. Just 774 00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:59,440 because of the level of the names. You know, Hearns was defending the 775 00:48:59,599 --> 00:49:04,199 junior WBC title that that was his, so there were stakes besides just the 776 00:49:04,239 --> 00:49:07,480 great names that were involved, and it was just a crushing, crushing knock 777 00:49:07,480 --> 00:49:10,159 at. In fact, did you take a look at the entirety of the 778 00:49:10,199 --> 00:49:14,760 Four Kings series, it's the most one sided fight of all them, because 779 00:49:14,760 --> 00:49:16,800 you could say, well, maybe it was the last of those nine fights, 780 00:49:16,800 --> 00:49:22,599 which was Leonard versus Duran number three, which was a horrible fight, 781 00:49:22,039 --> 00:49:25,360 but it went twelve rounds and Duran hung in the twelve rounds. He lost 782 00:49:25,400 --> 00:49:29,400 every round, but he went to distance with Ray when they were both pretty 783 00:49:29,400 --> 00:49:31,920 faded at that point, so that Durand was more faded than Ray was. 784 00:49:32,280 --> 00:49:37,320 But in the fight between Hearns and Duran, they were still considered quality fighters. 785 00:49:37,599 --> 00:49:40,840 Tommy was the champion at that time, and it was a one punch 786 00:49:40,920 --> 00:49:45,679 knock at. It was the most one sided in that sense of any of 787 00:49:45,719 --> 00:49:47,199 the fights of the Night of the Four Kings, because the other fights, 788 00:49:47,400 --> 00:49:51,000 you know, even even Haggler Hearns, which ended in the third round, 789 00:49:51,400 --> 00:49:53,880 was certainly competitive, you know, in the first couple of rounds, and 790 00:49:54,239 --> 00:49:58,800 all the other fights, you know, there was back and forth and all 791 00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:00,360 that, but this was one of those. It was the earliest ending of 792 00:50:00,400 --> 00:50:05,239 any of the fights in the nine fight series. But it goes down as 793 00:50:05,400 --> 00:50:09,519 maybe the most notable impressive victory of Tommy's entire career. I think, you 794 00:50:09,559 --> 00:50:13,360 know, the one punch knockout he had in this fight, and then I 795 00:50:13,360 --> 00:50:15,679 guess, uh, maybe maybe when he won the title at Walter Wait in 796 00:50:15,679 --> 00:50:21,960 the first place, which was a devastating knockout also, but this was like 797 00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:24,119 a big one. And uh, you know, I'm gonna make you happy. 798 00:50:24,199 --> 00:50:28,760 That knockout fights. Yeah, we love talking about these fights. That 799 00:50:28,840 --> 00:50:32,599 knockout you're talking about. That was on CBS shown nationally was Peppino Quavas where 800 00:50:32,599 --> 00:50:37,679 he starts Kim the same way with the bomb right hand, face first. 801 00:50:37,880 --> 00:50:40,880 But now this is Roberto Duran and again Durand was trying to stand up to 802 00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:44,360 him and be and be a tough guy. I thought it was fascinating in 803 00:50:44,400 --> 00:50:50,760 the whole dynamic that you know that deal the documentary. Durand claimed this that 804 00:50:50,840 --> 00:50:55,880 deal got done because he was supposedly partying and whomever came around with the contract. 805 00:50:57,440 --> 00:51:00,679 Uh. Duran said, if you can get me a mill million dollars. 806 00:51:00,679 --> 00:51:02,760 I'll sign to fight Tommy Hearns if you get me a million dollars right 807 00:51:02,800 --> 00:51:06,840 now by tomorrow. And they said, we can't get you a million, 808 00:51:06,880 --> 00:51:08,920 we can get you a half million. So they got him a half million 809 00:51:08,960 --> 00:51:13,639 dollars to agree by the next day for the Herns fight in the store. 810 00:51:14,199 --> 00:51:17,920 But the real number was he was actually they actually fought for parody. Both 811 00:51:19,119 --> 00:51:22,679 both fighters were guaranteed one point eight five million, right, but he but 812 00:51:22,760 --> 00:51:25,880 he wanted like a million right then. He said, I'll sign it if 813 00:51:25,920 --> 00:51:28,840 you can get it right then. And the answer was, well, we 814 00:51:28,880 --> 00:51:30,280 can't get you a million, but we can get you a half million by 815 00:51:30,320 --> 00:51:37,320 tomorrow morning. And he agreed. Could you could see the knockout coming because 816 00:51:37,400 --> 00:51:39,800 Hearns had dropped the ice in round one. And this is one of those 817 00:51:39,840 --> 00:51:45,679 classic eighties of those fights that took place at the outdoor arena at Caesar's Palace 818 00:51:45,880 --> 00:51:50,360 had like fifteen thousand people, you know, so with those same kind of 819 00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:52,400 big megafights and not just the four Kings fights, but you know, like 820 00:51:52,400 --> 00:51:57,440 when Larry Holmes fought Jerry Cooney, who was that type of big Vegas atmosphere, 821 00:51:57,679 --> 00:52:00,079 and I'm gonna tell you in anyway that you we've discussed. As you 822 00:52:00,079 --> 00:52:02,840 know, I'm a big memorabilia collector. So I posted on my Twitter and 823 00:52:02,920 --> 00:52:07,119 my Instagram and Facebook pages today my poster from the fight, the on site 824 00:52:07,159 --> 00:52:12,039 poster and the program, and I'm going to tell you right now, the 825 00:52:12,119 --> 00:52:15,440 poster is a little bit tough to find, but it's find the bole the 826 00:52:15,559 --> 00:52:19,280 program for that fight, because my understanding of the way the story goes is 827 00:52:19,280 --> 00:52:22,639 when the fight was over, whatever didn't sell, they just threw them away 828 00:52:22,639 --> 00:52:27,519 in the garbage. Literally. Wow. The program for that fight is of 829 00:52:27,559 --> 00:52:31,440 all the four King fights, by far and away the toughest to find. 830 00:52:31,599 --> 00:52:35,920 And what makes even more difficult is if you do find it, the cover 831 00:52:36,119 --> 00:52:39,960 is black, so the edges are extremely conditioned sensitive to show any kind of 832 00:52:40,199 --> 00:52:45,239 white markings or fraying. And thank god, like five six years ago, 833 00:52:45,519 --> 00:52:47,440 I found a beautiful, beautiful example. I paid good money for it, 834 00:52:49,199 --> 00:52:52,639 but it's now in the ray Field collection and at going anywhere. I just 835 00:52:52,679 --> 00:52:53,800 want to keep saying this all the time. I want to be the curator 836 00:52:53,800 --> 00:52:57,800 of the ray Field Museum. And that was a straight purchase because you've talked 837 00:52:57,840 --> 00:53:00,280 to us before about trades you didn't trade. There's a straight purchase on this 838 00:53:00,320 --> 00:53:04,440 one. It's a straight purchase. And I mean and I and I paid. 839 00:53:05,239 --> 00:53:07,639 The reason I'm talking like this because I know how much I paid for 840 00:53:07,679 --> 00:53:10,199 it, but it was a question would be for right now? If you 841 00:53:10,239 --> 00:53:15,480 went to resale, would it be worth twenty percent more? Fifty percent more? 842 00:53:15,480 --> 00:53:16,639 A few years later? I can probably get I probably could get my 843 00:53:16,639 --> 00:53:21,599 money back on it, all right, But I can tell I part with 844 00:53:21,599 --> 00:53:23,920 it. It's I love it too much. It's it's it's a really beautiful 845 00:53:23,920 --> 00:53:25,559 program. I have to say. I mean, I love all that shit, 846 00:53:25,679 --> 00:53:30,519 but you would you know? This was again nine fights. One of 847 00:53:30,519 --> 00:53:34,079 my collecting goals is a ticket, a program, and a post from all 848 00:53:34,119 --> 00:53:36,199 nine fights. And I'm working my way down nless. I've got a few 849 00:53:36,199 --> 00:53:39,079 more things to check off the list, but that program, Thank god I 850 00:53:39,079 --> 00:53:42,599 found the years ago, because I still, even though I have one in 851 00:53:42,679 --> 00:53:45,760 beautiful shape, I still look around at dealers on eBay and other places and 852 00:53:46,079 --> 00:53:49,840 have people that know I look for that kind of stuff, and even even 853 00:53:49,920 --> 00:53:52,360 having already found it, very rarely do you see them, and if you 854 00:53:52,400 --> 00:53:57,079 do, they're all messed up, interesting all right, nostalgia, memorabilia, 855 00:53:57,199 --> 00:54:00,800 all of it. Again, we look forward to what's going to happen this 856 00:54:00,840 --> 00:54:05,400 weekend Saturday in New Orleans and also Sunday in Australia Saturday night in the United 857 00:54:05,440 --> 00:54:08,119 States for Tim Zoo and Carlos o'campbell reads program and action in New Orleans. 858 00:54:08,519 --> 00:54:13,480 Another reminder, we will pick these fights on the bet Us Live Boxing Show 859 00:54:13,519 --> 00:54:17,639 on their platform's YouTube, Twitter, Twitch coming Friday one Eastern time, and 860 00:54:19,079 --> 00:54:22,920 off the weekend we'll do a Fight Freaks You Night recap on this podcast feed. 861 00:54:22,960 --> 00:54:27,000 Again, make sure you're following subscribing because you're gonna get that recap podcast 862 00:54:27,039 --> 00:54:30,599 feed with whatever happens this weekend. With that, Dan rayphel another busy show. 863 00:54:30,960 --> 00:54:34,159 He's in the books, have a tremendous weekend, enjoy all the action. 864 00:54:34,280 --> 00:54:37,159 We look forward to reading you on your substack and Big Fight Weekend dot 865 00:54:37,159 --> 00:54:38,960 Com, and we look forward to recapping all of this once the weekend is 866 00:54:39,000 --> 00:54:43,480 over. My friend, I'll see you on the show tomorrow and make sure 867 00:54:43,480 --> 00:54:45,159 we get some good picks on. Let's get the picks going on the bet 868 00:54:45,199 --> 00:54:49,039 Us show. There he is, Dan rayphel Our insider. I'm merely TJ 869 00:54:49,199 --> 00:54:55,079 Reeves. You've been listening to the Big Fight Weekend preview podcast. 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