1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:10,119 The countdown his own to fight Time. This is Big Fight Weekend. No. 2 00:00:10,519 --> 00:00:15,359 Here is your host, t J. Leeves. Ah, yes, 3 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:18,559 we are fact. We are ready for the weekend, a weekend and has 4 00:00:18,559 --> 00:00:24,839 a Unifine heavyweight title to fin Lookye here Alexander Usik, Welcome to twenty twenty 5 00:00:24,879 --> 00:00:30,320 three. He is ready to defend against English heavyweight w BA top contender Daniel 6 00:00:30,359 --> 00:00:33,520 Dubois. We are ready to preview that fight. We got Jared Real Big 7 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,479 Baby Andrew what is this? Real Big Baby's back in action already. We 8 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,000 love that. That's on the ESPN Top Rank Show. We got a world 9 00:00:41,079 --> 00:00:45,520 title fight in Poland, We've got a heavyweight contender card in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 10 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:49,799 and we've got Jim Lampley on the podcast. My lord, we are 11 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,479 busy, we are ready. It's the big fight we can preview. I 12 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,240 am the somewhat competent host T. J. Reeves. He is our insider. 13 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:58,640 Hello, Dan Raypheel from Big Fight Weekend dot Com. Your fight Freaks 14 00:00:58,719 --> 00:01:02,439 unite, Substack. I gotta stay up front. My man is cranky. 15 00:01:03,039 --> 00:01:06,120 I'm trying to cheer you up before I hit the record button, because it 16 00:01:06,239 --> 00:01:08,680 is about to be your birthday. But you didn't want any part of that 17 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,640 to be cheering you up. Maybe Jim Lampley will cheer you up because we 18 00:01:11,719 --> 00:01:15,359 got that coming up. How are you feeling, Listen, Jim and I 19 00:01:15,719 --> 00:01:19,560 had a great, great interview earlier, you know, a couple hours before 20 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,599 we're taping this on Thursday, and it was good. You know, I 21 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,560 keep in touch with Jim, and we've kept in touch ever since his days 22 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:30,519 he is at HBO when they ended their boxing coverage stopped in twenty eighteen. 23 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,280 But Jim and I have been friends for a long long time and we text 24 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:37,159 regularly. But this was the first time we had like an interview, you 25 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:38,799 know, in a long time. In other words, not not just you 26 00:01:38,799 --> 00:01:44,439 know, two buddies texting back and forth about what's going on, but an 27 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,680 actual interview about what his upcoming plans are, which we'll get into. So 28 00:01:48,799 --> 00:01:49,439 yeah, so that was good. So I'm happy to have him on the 29 00:01:49,439 --> 00:01:53,280 show. We had had some some good you know Todd the Buff last week, 30 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,000 which a lot of people seem to enjoy that interview with him breaking down 31 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,400 all the things that are going on with top Rink, including their activity in 32 00:01:59,439 --> 00:02:02,359 the heavyweight vision with a card on Saturday with Big Baby Anderson. Not to 33 00:02:02,359 --> 00:02:06,519 mention they're not the promoters of the show, but they're involved the extent that 34 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,240 they are doing the event for ESPN plus. Between the second Dubois and now 35 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,520 this week Lampley and you know, hopefully more to come. We got some 36 00:02:14,599 --> 00:02:17,000 good stuff. We love it. We have Ralul Marquez before that from Showtime, 37 00:02:17,039 --> 00:02:21,319 the former World Champions. So we've been bringing you all kinds of good 38 00:02:21,319 --> 00:02:24,039 stuff. Here a reminder rate us and review us. Please find us wherever 39 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:29,759 you get podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker, wherever 40 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,439 you get your podcast, find us, rate us, review us. It 41 00:02:34,479 --> 00:02:37,719 will help with the algorithm. Give us a quick five star review, quick 42 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:39,360 rating. Some of you've even been doing that here in August. We need 43 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,000 more of you to do that as well. And again, thank you to 44 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,879 the thousands and thousands and thousands that are finding us and listening to us every 45 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:50,520 week, every weekend. As we go into the weekend with a preview, 46 00:02:50,599 --> 00:02:53,639 usually out Friday morning, come off the weekend late night Sunday into Monday morning 47 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:58,439 with a recap. I know it's a lot of effort for danning me. 48 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,240 We do like to talk as a lot of effort to stay diligent with this, 49 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:05,400 but a lot of you have appreciated that. Again, help us out 50 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,680 with a rating and a review. And I just have to say I've already 51 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:12,520 previewed some of the Jim Lampley interview. It's fantastic to hear him because that's 52 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,520 an iconic boxing voice for thirty plus years. So I got fired up just 53 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:21,560 listening to him say hello to you and to start talking about what's going on. 54 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:23,360 So I think the fans are going to perk up in a few minutes. 55 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:28,479 So standby, we've got news. Do I see an anniversary of Money 56 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,479 Mayweather and Connor McGregor. I do see that on the rundown, So that's 57 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:37,400 nostalgia later on the show. But before we get to all of that unified 58 00:03:37,479 --> 00:03:40,080 heavyweight title fight, here we go. It has been a little while in 59 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:46,319 the making. It is now slated to happen in Poland Saturday afternoon US times 60 00:03:46,319 --> 00:03:52,120 Saturday night in Poland, where Alexander Usik will defend three of the titles against 61 00:03:52,199 --> 00:03:57,479 Daniel Dubois. Again, Poland a neighboring country to Ukraine, which has been 62 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:02,159 invaded and attacked by Russia, so that's the backdrop the fighters as we're doing 63 00:04:02,159 --> 00:04:08,560 this. Thursday met with the media, Usik talked some about that situation and 64 00:04:08,599 --> 00:04:13,000 about fighting in the backdrop of Poland where there's a ton of Ukrainians and fight 65 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,240 fans, and now Dan Rayfiel it's about to be here, so give me 66 00:04:15,319 --> 00:04:19,800 some thoughts on this for Saturday. Well. Also, in addition to what 67 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:24,000 you mentioned about the fact that it's it's neighboring to Ukraine, that there's going 68 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:28,600 to be lots of Ukrainians that attend to fight, given the population of Ukrainians 69 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,560 who live in Poland or have fled to Poland because of what happened with Russia. 70 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,000 It's also this is the reason that they chose this particular the weekend, 71 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:39,240 is because it's also the weekend of the independence day of Ukraine in the first 72 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,800 place, so that's sort of like a big deal for them. So he's 73 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,120 very motivated from that standpoint. Usk has said all along, ever since this 74 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,480 whole thing started with the Russian invasion, that his perspective is, you know, 75 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:55,120 and remember he stayed behind and was involved in the territorial defense for a 76 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,639 while, and how to be sort of convinced to go back and fight, 77 00:05:00,199 --> 00:05:02,720 and when he talked to some people higher up in the you know, in 78 00:05:02,759 --> 00:05:06,560 the ranks in his country, he's sort of like, okay, because he's 79 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:12,560 more useful to the country to carry it in a high regard around the world 80 00:05:12,639 --> 00:05:17,000 as a heavyweight champion and to bring a positive light and attention to his country. 81 00:05:17,079 --> 00:05:20,680 And as he speaks publicly about what's been happening, that's more valuable to 82 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:25,800 what happens at home than him just being another guy involved in, you know, 83 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,279 in a military situation. So when he when he was told that, 84 00:05:29,399 --> 00:05:30,519 he decided, you know what, I want to go back and I'm going 85 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,879 to continue my career. Obviously he's making lots of money, let's be honest 86 00:05:33,879 --> 00:05:38,199 about that also, but his perspective, and I believe him knowing the type 87 00:05:38,199 --> 00:05:41,199 of guy who'sa is having covered a lot of his fights and knowing his team 88 00:05:41,199 --> 00:05:45,240 for a long time, that for him it's like a big deal that if 89 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:49,199 he can bring that you know, hour of joy and diversion to his countrymen 90 00:05:49,199 --> 00:05:53,959 when he boxes, or just to give them pleasure by thinking about his upcoming 91 00:05:53,959 --> 00:05:56,800 fight or talking about his upcoming fight, like that's a good thing for him 92 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,199 because it takes a lot of people's minds off of all the terrible things that 93 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:04,639 are happening in their country, and it's some at least small sliver of enjoyment 94 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:10,839 and normalcy. So he has this fight in in Poland, bordering his country 95 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,759 against Duwa. It is a mandatory defense. Dwa is the WBA's number one 96 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,079 contender and they're regular title holder. So this is going to, from my 97 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,839 perspective, besides just hopefully be a good fight, it's gonna do one of 98 00:06:21,879 --> 00:06:26,000 my favorite things in boxing, which is get rid of one of the secondary 99 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,839 titles of the WBA and just reduce it by one more. You know, 100 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,439 whoever wins this fight. That said, we all would have preferred obviously to 101 00:06:32,439 --> 00:06:35,560 see him fight Tyson Fury. They tried diligently to make it for this past 102 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:40,079 spring. It did not happen. Usk ultimately walked away, and I don't 103 00:06:40,079 --> 00:06:45,319 blame him because of the demands that Fury was making on him in terms of 104 00:06:45,319 --> 00:06:48,000 the rematch clause. So he had to do this fight and it's going to 105 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,720 happen. Clearly, Usk is going to be a big favorite because as powerful 106 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:57,360 as as do what is, he's a tremendous puncher. He has looked downright 107 00:06:57,519 --> 00:07:01,319 terrible. In the last fight, just just awful. Got knocked down three 108 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,920 times in the first round by basically a cruiserweight. It was like a small 109 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:10,800 cruiserweight frankly and Kevin Lorena hurt his knee. Lucky that the ref didn't jump 110 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:12,519 in and stopped the fight in the first round. I think a lot of 111 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,319 refs might have stopped it. I mean it was in Britain on a on 112 00:07:15,319 --> 00:07:17,120 a Tyson Fury undercard, so I think he did get the benefit of the 113 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,319 doubt. Uh you know. And when he fought the only other top guy 114 00:07:20,319 --> 00:07:23,519 he fought in his career, Not to say Larreno was a top guy, 115 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,639 but the one time he fought a legitimate top ten type opponent was when he 116 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,839 squared off with at the time. Uh you know, they were both two 117 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,959 two guys on the rise. When he met up with Joe Joyce in twenty 118 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,319 twenty, and that was a good fight, and U Joe Joyce was the 119 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,480 underdog in that fight in Duba. He got stopped in the tenth round. 120 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,279 Uh you know, I don't blame him for stopping the fight, is he 121 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,959 would had a very bad break of his orbit bone and that was that was 122 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,879 a rough injury, and so the combination of the injury and then you know 123 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:53,959 there's all the the recovery, and it's also the mental aspect of losing a 124 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,720 fight like that where you get beat up for the first time in your career. 125 00:07:56,759 --> 00:07:58,879 I don't think he's ever really recovered from that. He's at, you 126 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,879 know, four fights instant. You know, he looked okay when he when 127 00:08:01,879 --> 00:08:07,079 he beat Trevor Brian to win the w BA Regular belt. He came to 128 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,360 the to America and had that fight and stopped him in four rounds. But 129 00:08:09,439 --> 00:08:13,560 the Lorena fight is just has to give you pause. Loraina is like such 130 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,160 a lower level guy compared to Usk. Usa is an A plus fighter. 131 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:20,079 You can argue, I mean, I don't know if you can argue he's 132 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:24,199 number one pound for pound given what the recent results have been for Terrence Crawford 133 00:08:24,199 --> 00:08:26,800 and for Noia in a way, but I think you can make a very 134 00:08:26,879 --> 00:08:30,639 valid argument that usk is the number three best fighter in the world pound for 135 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,799 pounder certainly in the top five, and he's a tremendous, tremendous talent, 136 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:39,600 and I just don't think that Loraina. I mean I'd rather Dui has has 137 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:43,799 much more than a puncher's chance. If so, obviously we'll make some predictions. 138 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:46,200 We're back with the bet US Boxing Show Friday one Eastern Time, live 139 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:50,600 on the bet Us platforms, including their YouTube. But in that Lorraina fight, 140 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:54,639 you mentioned the knee injury for Dubois. On the first knockdown, Lorraina 141 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:58,879 caught him, caught him off guard, and Dubois clearly buckled leg buckled, 142 00:09:00,039 --> 00:09:03,519 and that's where he hurt the knee. And then it was weird from there 143 00:09:03,159 --> 00:09:07,600 because he actually went down one of the three times on the knockdowns with Lorraina 144 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:11,039 swinging and missing at him. He couldn't stand up and he swung and missed, 145 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:18,159 and Dubos still went down discombobulated injured. So there is a real injury 146 00:09:18,399 --> 00:09:22,320 question still at this point, I believe, knowing what I know about ACL 147 00:09:22,399 --> 00:09:24,639 injuries. I'm not a doctor, I'm not an orthopedis. I'm just playing 148 00:09:24,639 --> 00:09:28,159 one on the podcast. But I know enough about people coming back from ACL 149 00:09:28,279 --> 00:09:33,960 injuries that it's not a given that you're the same. So here we go 150 00:09:33,039 --> 00:09:35,679 off of that, and then again Usic off a one year layoff, he 151 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,919 fought Anthony Joshua and the rematch in Saudi Arabia a year ago. So this 152 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,399 one just one more time, might take a little while to get started, 153 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:48,159 maybe for two or three rounds, because these guys one off of injury and 154 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:50,799 the one off a year layoff. Well, Usick is more of a boxer 155 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:52,799 anyway. He's not a guy that just runs out there like a house of 156 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:56,720 fire and knocks guys out. I mean his game has been from day one, 157 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:58,600 you know, to pick guys apart and outbox on the way he did 158 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:03,600 against Thanny Joshua, for example, on their fights when he claimed these titles 159 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,200 and obviously defended it against him in the rematch, and also he did the 160 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:11,279 same thing as a longtime cruiserweight champion. But he's a key is He's twenty 161 00:10:11,399 --> 00:10:15,399 no right now, and whatever happens on Saturday, I believe that Alexander Russe 162 00:10:15,519 --> 00:10:16,919 will be inducted into the Hall of Fames someday. He's an Olympic gold medal 163 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,440 winner. He's one of the great amateurs of all time. As a professional, 164 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:24,399 he is a former undisputed champion in the cruiserweight division. He has three 165 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:28,519 the belts in the heavyweight division. You know he wanted to have the undisputed 166 00:10:28,519 --> 00:10:31,039 fight with Tyson Fury. I blame that on Fury squarely at this moment in 167 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:35,759 time. Hopefully they can get it together after this if he is successful in 168 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:39,720 devis Duwa. But I'm gonna stay once again. Da is a good fighter, 169 00:10:41,279 --> 00:10:46,240 but to me, he's not what he was before. Joyce and Lorena 170 00:10:46,399 --> 00:10:50,679 was such a was It gave me so much pause what happened in that fight 171 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,320 that I just cannot I mean, maybe I'll be wrong and I'll land a 172 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,399 big punch, because that's the only way he's gonna win. He's sure as 173 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:00,399 X's not gonna outbox Alexander Ussek, certainly not in Poland, you know, 174 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,399 unless there's some kind of freakish thing like an injury and he's got a hobble 175 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,279 around for ten rounds and and Usta just can't move. So I think, 176 00:11:07,879 --> 00:11:09,679 again, maybe I'll be wrong. I view this as just a rank mismatch 177 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:15,120 in terms of talent, skills and all the things. Clearly, it clearly 178 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:16,799 is a mismatch in terms of skill. I think we all agree on that. 179 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,279 But the big thing is what you said just a second ago. Can 180 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:24,000 he land the big equalizer, the big right hand. I don't call him 181 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:28,039 Dynamite Dubois because he's a ballet dancers, because he's trying to land a big 182 00:11:28,039 --> 00:11:33,080 punch. Okay, But Anthony Joshua is a much more experienced fighter than Dua 183 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:37,200 in the pros. He fought much better opposition in the pros than Dua has, 184 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,000 and Anthony Joshua fought him twice. I mean, and Joshua was a 185 00:11:41,039 --> 00:11:45,080 guy would maybe not for one punch the kind of power that Duba has. 186 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,000 But Anthony Joshua, make no mistake, he's a hell of a puncher. 187 00:11:48,039 --> 00:11:50,639 The guy stopped Vladimir Klitchko, the guys stopped in his most recent fight, 188 00:11:50,759 --> 00:11:54,159 Robert Allenius, even though it had been a while since he had a knock 189 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,279 knout title defense. Knockouts for Anthony Joshua as well. Yeah, I mean 190 00:11:58,279 --> 00:12:00,799 he you know, he blew away Charles Martin when he when he won the 191 00:12:00,799 --> 00:12:03,600 title back in the day. He stopped Gubro Pulev, who was a good 192 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,440 contender for a long time. I mean, you know, he didn't know 193 00:12:05,519 --> 00:12:09,440 he didn't get the knockout win, but he dropped Andy Ruiz when they when 194 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,840 they had their first fight which he lost, but it's still had dropped him. 195 00:12:11,879 --> 00:12:15,840 I mean the guy, you know, he pulverized and knocked out Alexander 196 00:12:15,879 --> 00:12:18,759 Povetkin. I mean, the guy's knocked out quality guys. He stopped Carlos 197 00:12:18,759 --> 00:12:22,519 Tokam, who was usually pretty durable. You know, on and on we 198 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:28,519 could go. So I don't see if if if Joshua who landed who did 199 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:33,320 land some very good punches, particularly in the second fight against Alexander Usek, 200 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,519 I just don't see it happening for for Daniel Dubai. I mean, that's 201 00:12:35,519 --> 00:12:39,000 why they fight the fights. But you know, and I'm looking forward to 202 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,320 watching it, I mean, and the interesting about it in terms of the 203 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,200 way it's going to be delivered here in the United States, and this is 204 00:12:43,279 --> 00:12:46,799 highly unusual. But part of it's because the fact that ESPN Plus and Top 205 00:12:46,879 --> 00:12:50,679 Rank are doing a similar doing a heavyweight show that night with the preliminaries that 206 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,159 started a little bit earlier. Uh, they're only showing most of the time, 207 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:58,679 they show full undercards and all kinds of preliminary fights for Usk and Duba, 208 00:12:58,919 --> 00:13:01,639 just so people know, according to their announcement and their schedule, they're 209 00:13:01,639 --> 00:13:05,879 showing just the one fight on ESPN Plus, which is the main event, 210 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:09,960 and then obviously they get to their their their card that takes place in Tulsa 211 00:13:09,039 --> 00:13:11,759 with the with their full card here in the United States, So, uh, 212 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:15,759 you know, that'll be a little interesting. But I'm I'm anytime you 213 00:13:15,759 --> 00:13:18,039 can get a heavyweight title fight, and for us here in America, we 214 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,080 don't have to buy it on pay per view. In the UK, it's 215 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:24,399 a pay per view on TNT Sports. But I'm excited to have Alexander Rustick 216 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:28,440 back in action. He's a tremendous fighter and I watched him do some of 217 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,799 his workout very very and this is not anything unusual. This is just his 218 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:37,559 personality. He's the most jovial, chill like, happy go lucky kind of 219 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:39,360 guy. I mean, obviously there's a serious aspect to him also when he 220 00:13:39,399 --> 00:13:43,039 trains, and certainly when he thinks about I'm sure what happens has happened in 221 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,200 his home country, but he's one of these type of guys. It's like, 222 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,919 I'm just happy to be here and do my thing. He's he's he's 223 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:52,840 just a tremendous fighter, and uh, you know, he's in his he's 224 00:13:52,879 --> 00:13:56,240 in his element getting ready for these fights. He's in great condition. Uh, 225 00:13:56,399 --> 00:13:58,080 no weight issues or anything like that, being a heavyweight now after making 226 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,360 cruise weight. For all those excited to defend the title, to do it 227 00:14:01,399 --> 00:14:03,840 in front of what's gonna be a partisan crowd, obviously make a ton of 228 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,639 money. I mean, life is good if you're Alexander us from from your 229 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:11,440 professional lifestyle. And by the way, one more quick note than we're moving 230 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:15,759 on, I promise there was a heavyweight title fight in Poland with which Klitchko 231 00:14:15,919 --> 00:14:18,840 and Thomas Adamec. That was about a decade ago. So they well, 232 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,799 they're fighting this same location, the same stadium, it was in the same 233 00:14:22,879 --> 00:14:26,679 state, and this is back when the tally Clichko was the WBC heavyweight champion. 234 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:30,159 His mandatory challenger. I believe it was a mandatory fight, but it 235 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:31,919 was a fight that a lot of people wanted to see. Was Thomas Adamec, 236 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,080 who was the number one Polish fighter. I mean, you could argue 237 00:14:35,759 --> 00:14:39,279 that Thomas Adamec is the most accomplished Polish fighter of all time. Certainly had 238 00:14:39,279 --> 00:14:41,720 a lot of popularity both in Poland when he fought and as well as when 239 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:46,080 he fought in the United States. He drew huge crowds in Newark, New 240 00:14:46,159 --> 00:14:48,279 Jersey, being that he spent a lot of time and lived there in Jersey 241 00:14:48,399 --> 00:14:52,480 City and drew tons of people to the Crudential Center after it was built in 242 00:14:52,519 --> 00:14:56,200 Newark anyway. So yeah, so that fight took place also at the same 243 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:01,360 stadium in war Claw, Poland televised on HBO in the United States. And 244 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:05,080 this is the next probably biggest or certainly the only other heavyweight title fight that 245 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:09,399 they've had. They had other heavyweight fights because they had you know, adamc 246 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:11,399 had other fights after that, I think, you know, Andrew Galatta had 247 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:15,960 a couple of other fights that were kicking around. Uh you know. But 248 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:18,559 but this is a big deal for the country. Poll not not exactly a 249 00:15:18,679 --> 00:15:22,879 hotbed for heavyweight title fights. Okay, there's that one. You have alluded 250 00:15:22,879 --> 00:15:24,799 to it, and we will hear from Jim Lampley here in just a few 251 00:15:24,799 --> 00:15:28,639 minutes. Big baby, real big baby Anderson, Jared Anderson right back in 252 00:15:28,759 --> 00:15:37,159 the ring and he's going to fight another Ukrainian in Andre Rudinko, who basically 253 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:41,679 has had a long layoff himself with the outbreak of the Russian invasion and the 254 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:45,360 conflict he's been out of the rings as well, right, so for a 255 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,960 while. But he no, no, he Rudenko. He was off the 256 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,120 entire calendar year of twenty twenty two. He had fought in December of twenty 257 00:15:52,159 --> 00:15:56,960 one. He has had one fight in twenty twenty three, which took place 258 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,840 in January. He got a second on knockout, and so this will be 259 00:15:58,879 --> 00:16:03,399 the next fight after that. To my point, thank you, Sane's February 260 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:07,399 of twenty twenty three, well, actually January of twenty three, Yeah, 261 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,360 January of twenty three. Okay, so he's had one fight earlier this year, 262 00:16:10,759 --> 00:16:12,559 hasn't been that active. And then he's also thirty nine years old. 263 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:18,600 So the fundamental thing is what kind of opposition do you believe this is? 264 00:16:18,279 --> 00:16:22,279 For real? Big Baby headlining on the ESPN Top Ranks show Saturday night. 265 00:16:22,679 --> 00:16:25,080 I mean, look for Big Baby Anderson. It's just you know, if 266 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:29,440 you ask Top Rank, it's another another piece of the evolution of him becoming 267 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,399 a more well rounded fighter, getting experience against guys who have experience, because 268 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:36,799 if you take a look at Ridenko's record, no one's gonna say he's a 269 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:38,679 great fighter. He's thirty five and six he's been stopped just one time, 270 00:16:38,759 --> 00:16:41,919 so that's something to keep an eye. And of Jared Anderson, who's knocked 271 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:48,639 out every opponent's face other than his most recent opponent in Charles Martin. You 272 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,120 know then that that's a pretty good something that he put in his feather in 273 00:16:52,159 --> 00:16:53,759 his cap, so to speak, if he can knocked the guy out. 274 00:16:53,759 --> 00:16:56,759 But if you take a look at at Roydenko's record, he's experienced, he's 275 00:16:56,799 --> 00:17:00,799 fought. You know, he went to distance against Jangs July twenty nineteen. 276 00:17:00,799 --> 00:17:03,279 He lost, you know, a decision, a ten rounder. You know, 277 00:17:03,399 --> 00:17:06,680 he fought your your boy a jid Kapi Yell and lost a decision to 278 00:17:06,799 --> 00:17:10,359 him. In twenty nineteen, he got he went and he went twelve rounds 279 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:14,279 in twenty seventeen with Alexander Povetkin. Uh you know. So the point I'm 280 00:17:14,319 --> 00:17:18,319 making here is he's experienced against that level of opponent. Those are all quality 281 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:22,519 guys, even like back you know, twenty fifteen he went to distance with 282 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:26,079 Huey Fury, you know, the cousin of Tyson Fury. He went to 283 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,759 distance with Lucas Brown, who was a heavyweight contender for a while. So 284 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,359 he's in a very experienced fighter, even if he's thirty nine years old. 285 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,319 Soo, Jared Anderson can look good against him, maybe get the stoppage. 286 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:38,720 You know. Again, it's just a continuing continuation of his development. He 287 00:17:38,799 --> 00:17:42,839 is now fifteen to oh with fourteen knockouts. He's been considered for a while. 288 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:45,839 He's only twenty three years old. Most people have viewed him over the 289 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,400 last couple of years as easily the number one American up and coming heavyweight, 290 00:17:49,839 --> 00:17:55,119 certainly one of the top heavyweights in terms of the rising contenders and prospects in 291 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,200 the sport worldwide for the last few years. And then what happened in July. 292 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,599 On July gave some people pause that maybe there's some folks that were jumping 293 00:18:03,599 --> 00:18:07,839 off the bandwagon because he went in there with Charles Martin, who was a 294 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:11,640 late replacement, and he went to distance with him in a hometown fight in 295 00:18:11,839 --> 00:18:15,960 Toledo, Ohio. It's one thing to go to distance. I never really 296 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,559 get too concerned about that. It's good for guys to go to the distance 297 00:18:18,599 --> 00:18:21,759 and sometimes guys to start not getting knocked out on it given because they got 298 00:18:21,799 --> 00:18:25,039 great chance. But the problem that some people and he also scored a knockdown. 299 00:18:25,039 --> 00:18:26,359 I might add against Charles Martin, who he dropped them the third round. 300 00:18:26,799 --> 00:18:30,200 But Charles Martin had a couple of rounds in the middle of the fight 301 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,880 where he hurt Big Baby, he rocked him, he did some damage. 302 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:38,000 You know, he had him a little discombobulated. And there's two ways to 303 00:18:38,039 --> 00:18:41,319 look at it. You can either jump off the bandwagon and say he was 304 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,279 quote unquote exposed and you know, when he gets into with a guy that's 305 00:18:44,279 --> 00:18:47,160 a lot better than an older Charles Martin, what's gonna happen. And then 306 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,920 there's the other side, if you want to be the more positive viewpoint of 307 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,400 things, say, look, Charles Martin's a good pro. He had a 308 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:56,319 heavyweight title for a minute. He's a good puncher, he was a good 309 00:18:56,359 --> 00:19:00,279 athlete. He came in pretty good shape for that fight. He had opper 310 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:03,480 spirit for that fight, and Jared Anderson took his best shot and never got 311 00:19:03,559 --> 00:19:08,279 knocked down. Overcame some adversity in the heavyweight division, especially if you want 312 00:19:08,279 --> 00:19:11,240 to go to the Promised Land, you know, you gotta show you can 313 00:19:11,279 --> 00:19:15,680 overcome some adversity. And so from that standpoint, if you're a Jared Anderson 314 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,240 supporter, you're like, you know what, my guy got in there with 315 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:21,680 a tough, solid vet. He showed what he's got, He took some 316 00:19:21,799 --> 00:19:23,920 solid shots, he overcame some brief adversity, and oh, by the way, 317 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,839 when it was all said and done, he won ninety nine to ninety 318 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,000 on two scorecards, in ninety nine to ninety one on the third. There 319 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:34,000 was no issue in terms of him winning the fight. So he just didn't 320 00:19:34,079 --> 00:19:37,960 look the best. But everybody is not going to have the perfect night. 321 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:41,599 That was the kind of fight was probably in the long run good for Jared 322 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:45,759 Anderson. The question is Kenny put whatever issues he had behind him. Like 323 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:49,039 you mentioned, he's back in the ring less than two months later, which 324 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:52,960 is good for a developing fighter, and we'll see what he can do. 325 00:19:52,039 --> 00:19:57,079 And he's got a guy like Ridenko who's known to be a tremendous in terms 326 00:19:57,079 --> 00:20:00,359 of a taving a tremendous chin never you know, one time stoppage and all 327 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,279 those all those fights he's had over a long career. We'll see what he 328 00:20:04,319 --> 00:20:08,240 can do. Yep, all right, the co feature just real brief mention 329 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:15,799 of that Faa Jogba and Coastal Buttski another unbeaten but largely unknown and untested fighter. 330 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:18,200 And it seems to me, what do I know, and you're more 331 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:22,400 plugged in with top rank, that they may be looking at a jog Ba 332 00:20:22,519 --> 00:20:26,400 as a real big baby opponent, especially if a Jogba looks good. I 333 00:20:26,519 --> 00:20:29,559 don't know that you would know that better, but this is like the second 334 00:20:29,599 --> 00:20:32,640 time that a jog was fought right there with real big baby on a card 335 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:34,440 that I can recall. Maybe they're trying to set that up. Just a 336 00:20:34,519 --> 00:20:37,319 quick thought on that before we move on. Well, that's certainly a possibility. 337 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,759 One thing top rank they do like, which is good for boxing. 338 00:20:41,799 --> 00:20:44,519 It's good for fans to put on some fights. You know, gotta put 339 00:20:44,559 --> 00:20:47,559 on heavyweight fights. People like heavyweight boxing, and so they have some of 340 00:20:47,599 --> 00:20:49,960 these heavyweight fighters and so putting them on the same card together is not a 341 00:20:51,079 --> 00:20:53,400 huge surprise. You know, Joga has been a little bit disappointing in terms 342 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,039 of his development so far. When he started off in the pros. You 343 00:20:56,079 --> 00:21:00,000 know, he's coming off of the twenty sixteen Olympic. He's from Nigeria. 344 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:04,680 He had relocated the Texas training with Ronnie Shields and looked like a phenomenal prospect, 345 00:21:04,799 --> 00:21:08,039 huge power and big size and you know, just a great physique and 346 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:12,440 all that. And while he is you know, continued to win, he 347 00:21:12,559 --> 00:21:15,920 did have the let's call it stubbing his toe. He fought and this was 348 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,000 a step up fight for both guys. In twenty twenty one, on the 349 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:25,759 undercard of the third fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, he fought Frank 350 00:21:25,799 --> 00:21:29,000 Sanchez. Now, Frank Sanchez is a very slick Cuban boxer, you know, 351 00:21:29,279 --> 00:21:32,440 not a big puncher, but a real skillful guy. And it was 352 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:33,720 a matter of, you know, is it going to be the Sanchez skills 353 00:21:33,799 --> 00:21:37,960 or the Jogma power, And it was the Sanchez skills, you know, 354 00:21:37,039 --> 00:21:41,000 won that fight. So he that was his one loss, a forgivable loss 355 00:21:41,039 --> 00:21:44,920 because Frank Sanchez is an excellent technician and a good quality up and coming contender 356 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,039 in his own right. So since then he's got the two wins in a 357 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:52,759 row against most recently in January against Stefan Shaw, who was lost his next 358 00:21:52,799 --> 00:21:56,720 fight. After that, Tuna Row got released by Top Rank and has kind 359 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:59,720 of been a disappointment. But now he's going with Kasabutski, who's not a 360 00:21:59,799 --> 00:22:02,960 lot as no one about him in terms of he hasn't been seen by American 361 00:22:03,039 --> 00:22:07,000 fan base. He is nineteen and oh you know with eighteen knockouts now, 362 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:10,920 just real quick. He was supposed to be the Jared Anderson opponent back in 363 00:22:11,079 --> 00:22:15,759 July. He had a visa issue and he was who Charles Martin replaced when 364 00:22:15,799 --> 00:22:18,240 they got the visa worked out. The thought originally was they'll match up with 365 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:22,079 Jared in the next fight. For their own reasons, they decided to match 366 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,200 him with a jog Butt instead and put Jared Anderson in with Ridenko. But 367 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:27,720 be that as a may so he's visas tayting caravan. He's fighting his fight 368 00:22:27,799 --> 00:22:33,480 now. He's not fought big name guys. Probably the most recognizable name on 369 00:22:33,559 --> 00:22:37,200 his record was back in twenty twenty two. In May of last year, 370 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:40,640 he has a fifth roun knockout against Johann Duopis, who was a fighter that 371 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,519 has fought lots of name guys. Once fought Deonte Wilder for the WBC Tattle 372 00:22:44,759 --> 00:22:48,079 and lost that fight. So look, these are guys the top rank is. 373 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:55,319 They're putting their guys in in fights where where jog and Jared Anderson are 374 00:22:55,559 --> 00:23:00,559 favored, but the opponents that they're facing are solid pros who it's not like 375 00:23:00,799 --> 00:23:04,160 on paper, you're looking at fights that are humongous mismatches. And one other 376 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:07,920 note I might add, this fight was originally announced. This card was originally 377 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:12,039 announced as a heavyweight televised triple header, and the other fight was supposed to 378 00:23:12,039 --> 00:23:18,240 be the first bout since Top Rank signed the twenty twenty Olympic super heavyweight gold 379 00:23:18,279 --> 00:23:22,279 medalists from Uzbekistan, the big giant south Ba Bakodar Jalabav, and he was 380 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:26,039 on this card supposed to be opening up the broadcast on an eight rounder. 381 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:30,279 That he's still on the card, Top Rank is going to instead show his 382 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,920 bout on its YouTube channel. And the reason for that even though they didn't 383 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:37,000 publicize this, and frankly they didn't bother to tell anybody. I just was 384 00:23:37,079 --> 00:23:41,799 looking at things and asked a few questions. There's an issue, a legal 385 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:45,799 dispute because they signed him. But Disrupt Promotion is living up to its name 386 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:51,599 of being disrupt Promotions by claiming that when they bought out contracts from the now 387 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:56,680 defunct Probellum that they still have some sort of claim on the Jala Lav contract 388 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:59,920 and if your ESPN, you don't need any part of a potential lawsuit. 389 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,559 So they're like, we don't need any part of this, and so they 390 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,680 took him off the ESPN broadcast. They took him off the ESPN Plus broadcast 391 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,319 because ESPN did not have appetite for the potentially a lawsuit. Top Rank is 392 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:15,200 willing to take that gamble because they don't see it as really a big deal, 393 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,400 so they're going to put him on their YouTube channel. They just have 394 00:24:18,559 --> 00:24:22,319 more of an appetite for the confrontation, illegally speaking, than the network does. 395 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:25,119 So that's the reason why that is occurring. So he's still on the 396 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:27,119 card. He's just not going to be mentioned a lot. He's not going 397 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,880 to be seeing a lot unless you watch the YouTube channel. But the three 398 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:34,240 heavyweights that they are building their future on to some degree, Jola, lav 399 00:24:34,799 --> 00:24:38,839 A, Jagba, and Jared Anderson are all on this show and that will 400 00:24:38,839 --> 00:24:44,480 be coming Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. So we have Poland and we have 401 00:24:44,559 --> 00:24:49,160 Oklahoma. We love all of that. Now you're gonna ye, yes, 402 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:56,559 he says sarcastically. Now we are ready to hear from the Hall of Fame 403 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,599 Voice of HBO Sports and it is great to hear this voice. And again 404 00:24:59,599 --> 00:25:03,319 I already to preview some of this. He will be part of the PPV 405 00:25:03,519 --> 00:25:08,359 dot com interactive coverage of Canelo Alvarez Jamel Charlo at the end of next month, 406 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,480 September thirtieth. That's part of why you reached out to him. But 407 00:25:11,599 --> 00:25:17,119 as you said, you love commiserating, talking, catching up with Jim Lampley 408 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:19,319 about all things, including boxing. So in this case, we bring it 409 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:23,359 to boxing and get ready to hear the voice, the iconic voice of HBO, 410 00:25:23,519 --> 00:25:29,839 Jim Lampley, and that is with Dan right now. I'm very excited 411 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,920 to bring into the podcast this week my longtime pal who I haven't seen in 412 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,839 a while because we haven't been ringside together in a long time, and that's 413 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:41,599 the one and only international Boxing Hall of Famer, the great blow by blow 414 00:25:41,599 --> 00:25:45,200 announcer for thirty years on HBO, and it is none other than Jim Lampley. 415 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,079 And we're gonna get into it why you're on the podcast and what you're 416 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:51,480 doing. But thank you very much for doing this, Jim. My privilege, 417 00:25:51,559 --> 00:25:53,240 Dan, and great to be back in touch with you. I look 418 00:25:53,319 --> 00:25:56,279 forward to seeing you. Yeah, well, We were in touch regularly. 419 00:25:56,319 --> 00:25:59,519 We text a lot, even if we'd haven't hung out in a while. 420 00:26:00,079 --> 00:26:03,000 But we'll tell the people why you're here. You haven't done any boxing matches 421 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:08,440 since HBO exited the business at the end of twenty eighteen. Still a shock 422 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:11,920 to me, to be honest with you. But now we're getting you back 423 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:14,839 in. We're getting you back in for a little bit because you've signed on 424 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:19,319 with our good friends at ppev dot com to work fight week for the upcoming 425 00:26:19,559 --> 00:26:25,640 September thirtieth Showtime pay per view event between Canelo Alvarez and Jermale Charlot for the 426 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:30,160 undisputed super middleweight title. Of course, ppv dot com is the digital platform 427 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:32,279 that will stream the event like they do for all the big pay per view 428 00:26:32,319 --> 00:26:36,240 fights, and so you're gonna be working with them, hosting a chat on 429 00:26:36,279 --> 00:26:41,319 the night of the fight, doing some other activities and content creation I guess 430 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,200 during the week for their website, for their social media. So first of 431 00:26:45,279 --> 00:26:48,839 all, just how excited are you be back involved in a big fight of 432 00:26:48,839 --> 00:26:52,519 any capacity, even though you're not necessarily calling the fight. Well, I'm 433 00:26:52,839 --> 00:27:00,240 very excited that I'm coming back to a fight that takes place in the natural 434 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:07,599 homeland of present day boxing, the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, around 435 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:15,720 the corner of the team Obile Arena. So back to a venue and surroundings 436 00:27:15,839 --> 00:27:21,559 with which I'm very familiar from all of my past experiences. Back to strolling 437 00:27:21,599 --> 00:27:29,000 the hallways of the cavernous MGM Grand and bumping into people like you and Lance 438 00:27:29,039 --> 00:27:34,200 bug Meyer and many of my old friends from the years of boxing coverage. 439 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:41,319 I think that you and I might have agreed logically a few years ago that 440 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:48,359 I was likely to show up doing blow by blow somewhere, but that turned 441 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:52,519 out to be, for whatever reason, a false expectation, didn't I did 442 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:59,160 sign you'll recall, I signed a deal to do one fight on Triller, 443 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:03,960 to feen the Lopez against George Camboso's in a proposed rematch. Lopez came down 444 00:28:04,039 --> 00:28:14,759 with covid U, and I wound up with no further connection to that outlet 445 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:18,359 trailer after that, because the next thing they asked me to do was something 446 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:25,759 that I just didn't want to do. And you know, whether it was 447 00:28:25,799 --> 00:28:30,599 to be expected or whether it was unexpected, take your pick, nobody else, 448 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:34,599 no streaming excuse me, no streaming service no cable network, no other 449 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:41,160 television vendor for boxing reached out to say, are you interested in doing our 450 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:45,240 blow by below commentary? So to get a reach out from PPV dot com 451 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:55,039 to do something that's a little bit more free form, that's more editorial analysis, 452 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:59,960 more in keeping with what Larry Merchant and Max Kellerman did in my company 453 00:29:00,079 --> 00:29:07,200 me is very exciting and I'm interested to see what kind of an impression I 454 00:29:07,279 --> 00:29:11,880 can create, what kind of impact I can deliver working in something more like 455 00:29:12,119 --> 00:29:18,880 a Merchant slash Kellerman rolled than calling blow by blow. Very very interesting. 456 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,519 We have a lot to unpack from that. First of all, I think 457 00:29:21,519 --> 00:29:22,960 when you were going to do the Trailer fight, it was actually the first 458 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,319 fight between Cambosis and Lobs. It never fought a second fight, so there 459 00:29:26,359 --> 00:29:30,279 was no rematch. But that was you know, that was because Trailer ended 460 00:29:30,359 --> 00:29:33,640 up mishandling their purse bit and it ended up dropping down to the second bidder 461 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,920 in match room Boxing, and so it was unfortunate you never got the opportunity 462 00:29:37,519 --> 00:29:41,000 to do that fight. And I know that the other fight, I think 463 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:41,799 they tell me if I'm wrong about this, I believe they asked you to 464 00:29:41,839 --> 00:29:52,720 do the farcical exhibition between Vander Holyfield and an MMA fighter, correct, I 465 00:29:52,119 --> 00:29:56,880 you know the lover hate it, judge it the way you will want. 466 00:29:56,119 --> 00:30:03,799 I said to them, I don't do trite and meaningless exhibitions between boxers and 467 00:30:03,279 --> 00:30:08,480 MMA competitors. That's not to my way of thinking, real and legit like 468 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:12,359 all the boxing I've covered over the years. So I wasn't interested in going 469 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:15,799 to Miami, and it feels like the right move since Belfort knocked out holy 470 00:30:15,839 --> 00:30:19,440 Field in the first round and that was that. But now on to what's 471 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:22,759 going on with this I'm curious about So you mentioned our buddy Lance pugm Are. 472 00:30:22,759 --> 00:30:26,279 You're going to work with him, who's also involved with PPB dot com 473 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:30,119 doing some writing for their website and also co hosting the chat with you they'll 474 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:33,279 do on the fight night and some other creation during the week of the fight. 475 00:30:33,759 --> 00:30:37,440 What I'm interested to know is what sorts of things. Okay, the 476 00:30:37,519 --> 00:30:38,680 chat we all know about. I know about chats, anybody that's followed me, 477 00:30:38,799 --> 00:30:42,039 No, I did chats for years on ESPN and USA Today, et 478 00:30:42,079 --> 00:30:45,160 cetera. But besides being involved with that, which is going to be very 479 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:48,880 cool, I think for the viewers. What other sorts of things do you 480 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:52,599 have planned or are you thinking about doing with them during the week of the 481 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:55,559 fight while you're out in Vegas. Well, I think some of it will 482 00:30:55,559 --> 00:30:59,799 be unplanned in the sense that they want me to come to Vegas on Tuesday 483 00:30:59,839 --> 00:31:03,599 night, which is forty eight hours earlier than would have been the case back 484 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:08,000 in the day calling blow by blow. So I'm I'm there to show up 485 00:31:08,039 --> 00:31:14,160 Tuesday night at d MGM Grant and then in the next seventy two hours ninety 486 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:18,720 six hours before the fight. I think what they're looking for is that I 487 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:22,240 stroll the halls, go to the media room, hang out with people like 488 00:31:22,359 --> 00:31:30,119 Dan Raypheel, and wind up being a part of the general conversational environment relative 489 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:37,319 to the fight of Some of that will be taping interviews with radio and online 490 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:44,359 people. Some of it will be just talking with people like you about what 491 00:31:44,519 --> 00:31:49,559 we expect and what are the reasons for those expectations and the context within this 492 00:31:51,519 --> 00:31:53,680 within which this competition is going to take place. Some of it will just 493 00:31:53,839 --> 00:32:01,119 be rubbing the shoulders with people like my dear friend Lance pug Meyer, whom 494 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:07,359 I really admire, who I think is a classy guy with a strong editorial 495 00:32:07,559 --> 00:32:13,960 vision, and you know, some of it will just be enjoying the company 496 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:20,799 of fighters, promoters, managers, trainers, writers, broadcasters, all the 497 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:24,799 people who are part of the fight community and who basically haven't seen me face 498 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:32,559 to face in four years. December eight, twenty eighteen was the date of 499 00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:38,759 the last boxing card on HBO. Were four and a half years removed from 500 00:32:38,799 --> 00:32:45,079 that, and I the one big plan I had in the interim was to 501 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:51,000 go to the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Canistoota, New York three years 502 00:32:51,039 --> 00:32:57,039 ago, to be a part of Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins inductions because they 503 00:32:57,079 --> 00:33:00,359 were so much a part of my friend structure and I felt so close to 504 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:04,799 both and that was the moment when I caught COVID. Yeah, so I 505 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:12,160 was not able to go to Canastota on that planned occasion. So basically I've 506 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:16,359 been isolated. I've been kept in a lock box. I haven't had any 507 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:22,640 of the kinds of experiences in direct contact with boxing that I'm looking forward to 508 00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:27,559 having at the end of September when I go to Las Vegas. And all 509 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:31,160 of that leaves open a lot of room for discovery in terms of what the 510 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:35,920 heck does Jim have to say about this at this point and is it in 511 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,839 any way interesting? We'll find out. So one thing, I mean, 512 00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:42,200 I know the answer because you and I have stayed in touch, but a 513 00:33:42,279 --> 00:33:45,640 lot of people have asked me via social media sometimes I've seen people at fights 514 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:50,039 that I have been to to cover what's Lampley doing now? They don't. 515 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,240 I mean, you're not doing boxing, of course, but can you just 516 00:33:52,319 --> 00:33:54,799 take them in and explain to people what your life is now away from boxing, 517 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,680 because we were so used to seeing you on TV every couple of weeks 518 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:02,519 doing the Fuel events and it's been a while. So at the end of 519 00:34:02,599 --> 00:34:08,599 twenty nineteen, my wife, Debrah, and I made a big move from 520 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:15,360 Delmar, California, to the home of my college alma mater, Chapel Hill, 521 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:21,840 North Carolina. I was responding to an invitation to teach in the Department 522 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:27,000 of Communication at the University of North Carolina. I wound up teaching five semesters 523 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:32,360 and what a thrill that was because I was on campus, a member of 524 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:37,400 the faculty, hobnobbing with the chancellor of the university. At the school where 525 00:34:38,079 --> 00:34:45,079 I dropped out of school more than fifty years ago. In nineteen sixty eight, 526 00:34:45,199 --> 00:34:51,400 I ultimately flunked out of school because of my terrible undergraduate school grades. 527 00:34:52,519 --> 00:34:58,400 I had to fight my way back into school via correspondence courses and a long 528 00:34:58,599 --> 00:35:01,719 string of a when I got back onto campus, I wound up going to 529 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:07,159 graduate school in the department which is now the Department of Communications. And it 530 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:15,280 was at the end of graduate school when I accidentally was chosen out of a 531 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:19,440 talent hunt by ABC Sports to become the first person who ever stood on the 532 00:35:19,519 --> 00:35:24,599 sidelines college football with a camera and a microphone, first person who ever stood 533 00:35:24,639 --> 00:35:30,039 on the sideline of any football game with a cameron on microphone. That was 534 00:35:30,119 --> 00:35:34,400 in nineteen seventy four. It was nineteen eighty seven, of course, when 535 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:40,159 a new division president arrived at ABC Sports, succeeding run Arledge in that job, 536 00:35:40,519 --> 00:35:45,239 and arrived with one basic predilection about ABC Sports, which is, how 537 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:47,719 do I get rid of Jim Lampley? And he assigns me to boxing, 538 00:35:49,159 --> 00:35:52,920 thinking that that would kill me. His idea was boxing will be allergic to 539 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:58,760 Lampley. Why did he want to get rid of you? Why would he 540 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:00,119 want to get rid of you? You were it on college football. I 541 00:36:00,239 --> 00:36:06,880 remember those days. He didn't like me. That's all the pure personal animosity. 542 00:36:07,119 --> 00:36:09,079 He didn't even know me, but he walked in the door at ABC 543 00:36:09,199 --> 00:36:15,840 Sports saying basically, I don't like this guy and I want to get rid 544 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:19,800 of him. Oh and I had I had specific guarantees in my contract for 545 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:27,000 the Calgary Olympics that he absolutely wanted to up end. So his aim was 546 00:36:27,079 --> 00:36:31,039 to mistreat me as much as he possibly could, and part of that was 547 00:36:31,119 --> 00:36:36,039 assigning me to boxing. They had been casting about trying to find the right 548 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:42,199 ringside blow by blow person to succeed co Sell. Obviously, following co Sell 549 00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:49,920 in any role whatsoever was a thankless task. The audience was accustomed to that 550 00:36:50,159 --> 00:36:52,639 bigger than life persona. So he thought, Okay, I'll put Lampley at 551 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:57,639 ringside in boxing. That will kill him, That will force him and his 552 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:02,039 agent to walk away from contract. What he didn't realize at the moment, 553 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:06,320 or didn't pay attention to, I guess, was that the network could just 554 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:10,760 signed a look see, get acquainted contract with a nineteen year old heavyweight from 555 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:15,360 New York named Mike Tyson. So my first several on air boxing appearances at 556 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:23,960 ABC Sports were Tyson's first few appearances on television, and therefore I sort of 557 00:37:24,079 --> 00:37:30,960 became connected to the Tyson story, so that eventually, when HBO signed a 558 00:37:30,079 --> 00:37:36,679 long term contract with Tyson, HBO decided they wanted me to call the fights, 559 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:42,679 and I wound up. You know, everything in this business is poignant 560 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:45,440 and has a downside. The downside was that I was brought in to replace 561 00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:52,480 a very dear friend and a wonderful guy named Barry Tompkins. To Barry's great 562 00:37:52,559 --> 00:37:55,920 credit, we have never had a fractious moment about it. He's still been 563 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,639 my friend ever since that moment, and I loved him and revere him for 564 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:06,239 that. But I replaced Barry Thompkins in the HBO chair and I continued forward 565 00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:08,880 with Tyson February ten, nineteen ninety. As you know, I was in 566 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:14,360 took you to call what became the biggest upset in boxing history, and I 567 00:38:14,519 --> 00:38:22,599 called dozens and dozens of great prize fights over the years before ATNT bought HBO 568 00:38:22,840 --> 00:38:28,000 and in twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen and decided they weren't interested in boxing anymore. 569 00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:30,559 Well, one thing you forgot to mention in that is that when that 570 00:38:30,199 --> 00:38:35,039 person at ABC decided to quote unquote punish you by putting you on boxing. 571 00:38:35,559 --> 00:38:38,239 They didn't realize that you were a lifelong boxing fan and that you loved the 572 00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:43,000 fact that they put John boxing. My father died when I was five years 573 00:38:43,039 --> 00:38:45,639 old, and I know you know this story. Sure. Father died when 574 00:38:45,679 --> 00:38:50,440 I was five years old. The very first time my mother ever sat me 575 00:38:50,519 --> 00:38:53,079 down in front of a television step to watch a sports event, she took 576 00:38:53,119 --> 00:38:57,599 me to a neighborous cocktail party. She marched me down a hall and put 577 00:38:57,679 --> 00:39:05,159 me in front of a tiny, miniature television set was on a TV dinner 578 00:39:05,199 --> 00:39:08,920 train, and she pointed to it and said, watched this screen. You're 579 00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:14,360 going to be watching Gillette Friday Night fights at Sugar Ray Robinson versus Bobo Olson 580 00:39:14,639 --> 00:39:17,400 for the middleweight Championship of the World. This will be their second fight. 581 00:39:17,639 --> 00:39:22,920 And the reason you're doing this I was six. And the reason you're doing 582 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:25,559 this is because if your father were still alive, this is what he would 583 00:39:25,599 --> 00:39:32,639 be doing with you. So I watched that fight. I inculcated the voice 584 00:39:32,679 --> 00:39:39,559 of Don Dunfie into my consciousness. I became a constant fan of Gillette Friday 585 00:39:39,639 --> 00:39:44,039 night fights. Over the years, I was still watching Gillette Friday night fights 586 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:51,800 on the Unforgettable night when Amiel Griffiths fought Benny Kidd Perrette. By that time, 587 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:57,320 we had moved to Miami, and eventually I wound up saving lawnbowing and 588 00:39:57,440 --> 00:40:01,159 car washing money to buy a ticket to the very first live prize fight I 589 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:06,920 ever attended, which was February twenty five, nineteen sixty four, Miami Beach 590 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:13,400 Convention Center, Sunny Liston versus Cassius Clay. Three days later, Cassius Clay 591 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:17,920 became Muhammad Ali and and so that was the first time. When we're on 592 00:40:19,039 --> 00:40:22,440 the go day to day, things can get a little jumbled. Okay, 593 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:28,000 are in the dishes, stack the kids, pack the shower of reply to 594 00:40:28,079 --> 00:40:30,480 traffic, present the elevator, take dinner to swimming, cook the homework, 595 00:40:30,519 --> 00:40:35,519 and wash the sandwiches. You need something on the go that's good for you 596 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:39,119 so you're good to go. Glennel and farm Key for protein pouches. Power 597 00:40:39,239 --> 00:40:45,559 your body with a double dose of pure goodness fifteen grams of protein and got 598 00:40:45,639 --> 00:40:50,239 friendly cultures keeping you feeling good. Whatever's on your to do list? Oh, 599 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,039 I almost forgot, I need to Hoover the Dog Glennel and farm Key 600 00:40:53,119 --> 00:40:58,639 for protein, making sure you're got to go every day. Ever saw a 601 00:40:58,719 --> 00:41:04,280 live prize fight, and you know it's just a kind of poetic arc that 602 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:09,079 you eventually go forward to ringside at Tokyo in February of nineteen ninety when I'm 603 00:41:09,119 --> 00:41:15,280 sitting there in the eighth and ninth rounds of what has become an obvious Douglas 604 00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:17,360 win, and I'm thinking, oh my gosh, the first time I ever 605 00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:22,719 went to a live prize fight, that was the biggest upset in the history 606 00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:28,000 of boxing, And now here's the fight that will succeed it as the biggest 607 00:41:28,119 --> 00:41:31,400 upset in the history of boxing. And I'm describing it for the entire American 608 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:37,199 audience. When something like that happens in your life, it's inescapable that you're 609 00:41:37,199 --> 00:41:39,119 going to think, oh my gosh, I was this is destiny. I 610 00:41:39,320 --> 00:41:45,519 was meant to be here. So there has always been a strange and almost 611 00:41:45,599 --> 00:41:52,519 severe, surreal element of destiny surrounding my connection to boxing. And yes, 612 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:55,199 there was no way in the world that Dennis Wanson could have known any of 613 00:41:55,280 --> 00:42:01,239 that. As far as he was concerned. I was a preppy Eastern kid 614 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:07,840 who probably didn't have any background or connection to boxing, and this was his 615 00:42:07,039 --> 00:42:10,719 way of beheading me, was to send me up to Glens Falls, New 616 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:16,079 York for Mike Tyson Versus Jesse Ferguson in early nineteen eighty seven, and I 617 00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:19,400 listen, I grew up not too far from Glens Falls in New York, 618 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:22,599 and I remember watching it. I covered some of my first sports events at 619 00:42:22,639 --> 00:42:25,360 the Glens Falls Civic Center, not boxing, but high school sports. And 620 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:29,760 by the way, the fact that your first live fight was the first fight 621 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:34,639 between then Cassius Clay became Muhamad Ali winning the title against Sonny Listen, it 622 00:42:34,760 --> 00:42:37,480 trump's my first ever live fight of Buddy mcgart against George Heckley. But that's 623 00:42:37,519 --> 00:42:44,280 a different story only. Yes, yes, do you remember do you remember 624 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:50,239 the post fight interview at Tyson Versus Jesse Ferguson Alex Wallow went into the ring 625 00:42:50,519 --> 00:42:52,280 to talk to Mike after that. Do you remember what was said in that 626 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:58,000 interview? I believe it was something to the effect of that he he punched, 627 00:42:58,159 --> 00:43:00,960 was it when he he was gonna punch his nose into his brain? 628 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:07,639 That's exactly right, the memory, Yes, Alex asked Tyson a question about 629 00:43:07,639 --> 00:43:13,280 the uppercut that had splattered Jesse's nose and created blood flow all over the ring 630 00:43:13,679 --> 00:43:15,840 in the fourth round before it was stopped in the fifth, and Mike said, 631 00:43:15,920 --> 00:43:20,880 Customato taught me that the purpose of the uppercut was to drive the opponent's 632 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:23,320 nose bone into his brain. And I was trying to drive his nose bone 633 00:43:23,519 --> 00:43:27,960 into his brain. When I was sitting at ringside, thinking, oh my 634 00:43:28,079 --> 00:43:30,639 god, this guy's not only going to be the greatest quote machine in boxing, 635 00:43:30,960 --> 00:43:35,480 He's going to be the greatest quote machine in sports. Look at what 636 00:43:35,599 --> 00:43:38,480 I've stumbled into here. Because by now it was clear I was going to 637 00:43:38,519 --> 00:43:44,639 be installed as the ringside boxing guy. So within the next few weeks, 638 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:47,880 they all came tumbling out. Boxing is a hurt business. Everybody's got a 639 00:43:47,960 --> 00:43:53,000 plan until you hit them. All the things that made Tyson Tyson were visible 640 00:43:53,199 --> 00:43:58,960 from the start, and I was suddenly the narrator of all that. I 641 00:43:59,039 --> 00:44:00,719 mean, I wasn't a narrator that but because I grew up in that area, 642 00:44:01,719 --> 00:44:04,800 we all you know, and I was a teenager, like a young 643 00:44:04,840 --> 00:44:07,800 teenager at that time. We all knew Tyson in school. Not because he 644 00:44:07,920 --> 00:44:10,840 was the heavyweight champion at that point. He wasn't, but he had fought 645 00:44:10,880 --> 00:44:14,960 all of those early fights in our capital region of New York where we grew 646 00:44:15,079 --> 00:44:19,079 up. So we saw him on the local TV news, We've read about 647 00:44:19,119 --> 00:44:21,559 him in the newspapers. You know, it was like he was they talked 648 00:44:21,559 --> 00:44:22,280 about him on the radio. It was like kind of a he was like 649 00:44:22,320 --> 00:44:25,719 a local celebrity before he became a world figure, like you know, as 650 00:44:27,079 --> 00:44:31,840 your chronicling of his fights helped him become over those years well all over the 651 00:44:31,920 --> 00:44:39,239 country because his very skilled manager slash promoters Bill Katon and Jimmy Jacobs knew how 652 00:44:39,239 --> 00:44:44,599 to build a personality. And at that moment, this is before the cable 653 00:44:44,639 --> 00:44:49,440 television era, so every local television station in the country has a sports director, 654 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:52,639 and the sports director has to somehow fill three three and a half minutes 655 00:44:53,039 --> 00:45:00,760 every night between the weather and the end of the newscast, and and sometimes 656 00:45:00,119 --> 00:45:04,639 if there's nothing going on locally, it's not easy to fill those three three 657 00:45:04,679 --> 00:45:08,239 and a half minutes. So Kayton and Jacob's put together a videotape of mike 658 00:45:08,480 --> 00:45:14,199 first seventeen knockouts, and you can remember seeing the tape. It was comical. 659 00:45:14,599 --> 00:45:17,480 Guys are flying through the air, Guys are doing summersaults as they land 660 00:45:17,599 --> 00:45:21,400 on the canvas. You know, it was all. Every one of those 661 00:45:21,480 --> 00:45:28,199 knockouts was a spectacular mismatch type knockout. And that's how Mike's image was built 662 00:45:28,519 --> 00:45:34,760 before he ever chose to try to drive Jesse Perkinson's snows bone into his brain. 663 00:45:35,239 --> 00:45:37,159 Now, I wonder, so that's back obviously back in the day, 664 00:45:37,519 --> 00:45:43,199 but and now you're coming back to do this project with pbev dot com. 665 00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:45,840 You're living in North Carolina, working as a as a professor at your alma 666 00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:50,440 mater at North Carolina. So I wonder how much since the end of the 667 00:45:50,599 --> 00:45:52,880 HBO days, at the end of twenty eighteen, how much are you still 668 00:45:52,960 --> 00:46:00,400 or how closely are you still following professional boxing these days? Do you think? 669 00:46:00,679 --> 00:46:02,960 I mean, I probably, I think pretty close. I know you're 670 00:46:04,000 --> 00:46:07,679 reading my fight for each night news letter. I'm sitting here every week, 671 00:46:07,800 --> 00:46:09,760 stupidly thinking that somebody's going to call me up. I'm offer a blow by 672 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:16,639 blow gate so intelligently trying to stay abreast of the curve. I'm watching all 673 00:46:16,679 --> 00:46:20,880 the fights so that I will have opinions on them. Not all, but 674 00:46:21,119 --> 00:46:24,679 you know, everything meaningful and important, such as, for instance, Canelo 675 00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:29,960 Alvarez versus Dmitri b Bull too, you know, two fighters I had covered 676 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:34,719 extensively on HBO. I'm watching all of these things as they go along. 677 00:46:35,039 --> 00:46:40,000 I got some kudos from our mutual friend Tom Howser a couple of weeks ago, 678 00:46:40,519 --> 00:46:45,719 because Howser called me to ask, you know, what do you think 679 00:46:45,880 --> 00:46:49,719 is going to happen in Crawford Spence? And I, you know, went 680 00:46:49,760 --> 00:46:52,599 out on a limb and said, I not only do I think Crawford's gonna 681 00:46:52,599 --> 00:46:54,360 win, but I think Spence might be to rescue in the late rounds. 682 00:46:55,800 --> 00:47:00,039 And so you know, I've picked up as much as I can. I 683 00:47:00,119 --> 00:47:05,920 can't say that I am as knowledgeable and astute me as I was when it 684 00:47:06,039 --> 00:47:10,519 all stopped back in December of twenty eighteen. But I still pay attention and 685 00:47:10,880 --> 00:47:16,679 I feel fairly confident that I'll be able to offer some opinions with regard to 686 00:47:16,719 --> 00:47:22,159 Canelo and Charlo on September thirty. All right, so you've called obviously tons 687 00:47:22,199 --> 00:47:24,079 of Canelo fights because he had many, many fights on HBO and on HBO 688 00:47:24,119 --> 00:47:27,800 pay per view. You know, some of his biggest fights he's ever had. 689 00:47:28,800 --> 00:47:32,280 Charlo never appeared on HBO even though he was fighting when you were still 690 00:47:32,840 --> 00:47:36,519 doing back in HBO, but you never, to my recollection, never had 691 00:47:36,519 --> 00:47:39,599 an opportunity to call one of his fights. So I'm curious. Since you 692 00:47:39,679 --> 00:47:43,719 are following the sport, it means you're probably familiar with the fact that Charlo 693 00:47:44,079 --> 00:47:47,679 became the undisputed champion in his weight class at junior middleweight and clearly still following 694 00:47:47,719 --> 00:47:51,760 what Canelo was. What's going on with him? Can you just give me 695 00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:54,119 your initial thoughts on Canelo versus Charlo. He is moving up to weight classes 696 00:47:54,320 --> 00:47:58,480 to challenge Canelo, but it doesn't seem to be that big of a size 697 00:47:58,519 --> 00:48:00,559 difference when I've seen them together at the news conferences and and uh, you 698 00:48:00,599 --> 00:48:05,880 know, having been in their presence in person. Also, just what are 699 00:48:05,880 --> 00:48:09,519 your thoughts on the general matchup that you're going to be chronically Well, you 700 00:48:09,599 --> 00:48:15,880 know, it's it's natural two favorite Canelo because of his vastly more high profile 701 00:48:15,960 --> 00:48:22,440 resume. It's natural to favorite Canelo even with regard to the weight equation, 702 00:48:22,519 --> 00:48:29,119 because he's basically the larger man and one sixty eight would seem to be at 703 00:48:29,199 --> 00:48:34,559 this point Canelo's natural weight and Charlo's going up fourteen pounds from one hundred and 704 00:48:34,559 --> 00:48:42,079 fifty four. So there are all sorts of reasons to assume that Charlo is 705 00:48:42,360 --> 00:48:45,480 an underdog to canelo aldrest. But on the other hand, Canelo is older, 706 00:48:45,559 --> 00:48:52,079 Canelo has had many more fights, Canelo has made tons of money at 707 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:57,280 One of the things I've always said about boxing is if you go into the 708 00:48:57,400 --> 00:49:02,800 gym and you are one percent less every day during training than you used to 709 00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:09,320 be because unconsciously your motivation has slipped, your dedication has slipped. You take 710 00:49:09,360 --> 00:49:13,960 a little short cut here and there, scoop of ice cream at night, 711 00:49:14,199 --> 00:49:17,360 stuff like that that you don't think he's going to affect you. And the 712 00:49:17,440 --> 00:49:23,519 margins of competition are so fine that ultimately those kinds of things can and do 713 00:49:24,199 --> 00:49:30,280 affect you. So at what point has Canelo made too much money to continue 714 00:49:30,320 --> 00:49:36,920 to be the hungry competitor that he used to be. At what point is 715 00:49:37,159 --> 00:49:42,400 Charlo biting off more than he can shoot by going up and wait? What 716 00:49:42,519 --> 00:49:47,639 happened when Canelo took another bite of the apple at light heavyweight after having easily 717 00:49:47,840 --> 00:49:52,679 beaten Sergei Kovilev and found out that Dmitri Gogol was an entirely different thing. 718 00:49:53,519 --> 00:49:58,440 This is a sport. A lot of people think these are wide margins of 719 00:49:58,519 --> 00:50:02,000 competition because you see people getting knocked out. That's not the case. Knockouts 720 00:50:02,119 --> 00:50:09,679 proceed from fine margins of competition, just as decisions too, and so at 721 00:50:09,719 --> 00:50:14,920 the end of the day, there are fine margins. There are unpredictable factors. 722 00:50:15,719 --> 00:50:19,199 You want to say, Oh, canell is an obvious favorite, he's 723 00:50:19,280 --> 00:50:22,639 bigger, he has more, big fight experience, et cetera, et cetera. 724 00:50:22,960 --> 00:50:27,880 Not necessarily the case, until until I get a chance to look at 725 00:50:27,960 --> 00:50:31,360 them and maybe talk to them face to face in Las Vegas, the way 726 00:50:31,360 --> 00:50:38,239 I used to do in a private room in intimate circumstances the day before the 727 00:50:38,280 --> 00:50:42,760 fight. It probably won't be exactly that kind of thing. But until I 728 00:50:42,960 --> 00:50:45,840 see them and talk to them, I'm not ready to tell you what I 729 00:50:45,920 --> 00:50:51,880 think happens in the fight. It's always the product of very personal factors and 730 00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:57,079 equations that you really can't fully evaluate until you get to the site and see 731 00:50:57,119 --> 00:50:59,039 the fighters. Listen, I agree with you, and I get asked that 732 00:50:59,079 --> 00:51:00,840 all the time. While you pick who you're picking, then you know you 733 00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:02,800 have an idea. But I tell people all the time when at least when 734 00:51:02,800 --> 00:51:07,159 they're fights, I attend Spence Crawford's a prime example. I kind of knew 735 00:51:07,159 --> 00:51:08,800 who I was gonna pick, but I really didn't know for sure until I 736 00:51:08,960 --> 00:51:14,079 was face to face with Crawford and Spence on Thursday and talk to them after 737 00:51:14,119 --> 00:51:15,920 the press converts, where then I really kind of at that point you assess 738 00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:21,320 body language and that sort of thing and you make your pick. So I'm 739 00:51:21,360 --> 00:51:24,159 sure that it'll be the same when we get the Vegas for Cannello versus Charlotte. 740 00:51:25,920 --> 00:51:29,440 I did pick Crawford. I didn't pick him by by a knockout the 741 00:51:29,480 --> 00:51:30,920 way you did, and I didn't think he would totally dominate, But I 742 00:51:31,239 --> 00:51:34,880 definitely had the opinion that Crawford would be and I kind of always had the 743 00:51:34,920 --> 00:51:38,280 opinion that Crawford would probably win. But I was really much more firmative when 744 00:51:38,320 --> 00:51:42,039 we got to the you know, the couple of days prior to the bout. 745 00:51:43,719 --> 00:51:45,679 And so when you see those guys, I'm sure it's you know, 746 00:51:45,960 --> 00:51:49,920 like I said, you covered a lot of the Canello fights for HBO. 747 00:51:50,480 --> 00:51:53,199 Will be your first experience with with Charlo. Uh. I mean, I 748 00:51:53,280 --> 00:51:55,079 guess for you. I mean, even though you're not calling the fight, 749 00:51:55,119 --> 00:51:58,559 it's kind of like like riding a bike, you kind of don't forget, 750 00:51:58,639 --> 00:52:00,400 like when you get the fight week is you just gonna feel back at home 751 00:52:00,440 --> 00:52:04,800 in one sense, even though it's been a while. I hope so. 752 00:52:06,719 --> 00:52:10,480 And you know, I'm doing something different than I've done before. I'm communicating 753 00:52:12,400 --> 00:52:15,880 via chat on a computer rather than talking into a microphone. I hope I 754 00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:20,360 can remember during the fight that I'm supposed to write it down. I guess 755 00:52:20,480 --> 00:52:23,639 Lamp gonna elbow me or wave his hand in front of me or something if 756 00:52:23,639 --> 00:52:30,039 I make a mistake. But the bottom line is it'll be an introductory experience. 757 00:52:30,119 --> 00:52:32,679 Will be the first time that I'm doing chat, would be the first 758 00:52:32,719 --> 00:52:37,239 time I'm working for PPB dot com, and I don't expect to be perfect. 759 00:52:38,320 --> 00:52:42,760 I expect to give it a good try and see if I can provide 760 00:52:42,840 --> 00:52:47,519 some interesting material and follow Lance's lead because he's the veteran. Now he's he's 761 00:52:47,559 --> 00:52:52,119 done this before, and then we'll see where it goes from there. Well, 762 00:52:52,199 --> 00:52:54,400 it sounds good to me. I'll tell you one thing, I'm sure, 763 00:52:54,440 --> 00:52:58,760 a lot of boxing fans who've missed having you around at the very least, 764 00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:00,400 we'll be excited to see your involvement with this event. And I'll tell 765 00:53:00,400 --> 00:53:05,400 you I'm looking forward to seeing Las Vegas in a few weeks. I'm looking 766 00:53:05,440 --> 00:53:09,639 forward to seeing you Dan. We'll have to find a moment to get together, 767 00:53:09,719 --> 00:53:14,480 whether it's for an ill or just to sit down, diet coke or 768 00:53:14,519 --> 00:53:17,559 whatever. Absolutely, but bottom line is yes, there are many many dear 769 00:53:17,639 --> 00:53:22,400 friends I am really looking forward to seeing in Las Vegas, and you are 770 00:53:22,079 --> 00:53:24,480 very much at the top of the list. I appreciate that. Jim. 771 00:53:24,559 --> 00:53:28,079 Thank you very much for doing this today. I'm glad we're about to get 772 00:53:28,079 --> 00:53:30,280 together. Like I said, I'm glad you'll be doing some work with ppev 773 00:53:30,360 --> 00:53:32,199 dot com, who, by the way, I'd be remiss if I did 774 00:53:32,239 --> 00:53:36,719 not say, has been an outstanding sponsor of this podcast at times, as 775 00:53:36,760 --> 00:53:38,800 well as my Fight for Each Night newsletter, which I appreciate. And I 776 00:53:38,840 --> 00:53:40,880 will look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks or a few weeks. 777 00:53:42,519 --> 00:53:44,599 Thank you so much. Talk to you later. Dan, Thank you, 778 00:53:44,679 --> 00:53:49,239 Jim, take care one more time. I'm not fawning all over you. 779 00:53:49,679 --> 00:53:52,559 But I really enjoyed that. I enjoyed getting to hear here because you 780 00:53:52,599 --> 00:53:55,599 don't hear him really anywhere anymore for the last five years. That's kind of 781 00:53:55,920 --> 00:53:59,920 the point of why PPV dot Com is doing this. But if you were 782 00:54:00,119 --> 00:54:02,679 watching Big Time boxing in the late eighties, the nineties, the two thousands, 783 00:54:02,760 --> 00:54:06,199 you were hearing Jim Wampley over and over and over again, and we 784 00:54:06,280 --> 00:54:08,079 just haven't heard him for the last few years. So great stuff. They're 785 00:54:08,119 --> 00:54:12,559 on that one more time. No, I'm really I'm happy that they looked 786 00:54:12,599 --> 00:54:14,480 him up. Look, the bottom line is, and you can hear it 787 00:54:14,519 --> 00:54:15,960 in the interview, he would like to call fights again. He's somewhat dumbfounded 788 00:54:16,039 --> 00:54:21,599 why no one has sought out his services as am I to call fights once 789 00:54:21,639 --> 00:54:23,440 again, but it hasn't happened. But he's he's you know, he's got 790 00:54:23,480 --> 00:54:29,199 another life, as people heard in terms of him being a professor at his 791 00:54:29,239 --> 00:54:31,400 alma mater of the University of North Carolina doing other things. But he's excited 792 00:54:31,400 --> 00:54:35,920 to get back and dip his toe back into boxing and hopefully he enjoys him 793 00:54:36,280 --> 00:54:38,960 his time working to fight in Las Vegas and the fans enjoy you know, 794 00:54:39,079 --> 00:54:43,519 interacting on PPV dot com and seeing what other types of stuff that he along 795 00:54:43,559 --> 00:54:45,559 with my good pal Lance plug Meyer produced for them during fight week. And 796 00:54:45,679 --> 00:54:52,079 it'll be good to see him and again he and Larry Merchant and Sugar Ray 797 00:54:52,159 --> 00:54:54,440 Leonard there in the late eighties and the and the early nineties and eventually Emmanuel 798 00:54:54,480 --> 00:55:00,599 Stewart, George Foreman, Roy jones On and On Kellerman kell him and it 799 00:55:00,719 --> 00:55:04,760 was big time boxing when you heard those guys on, there is no doubt 800 00:55:05,360 --> 00:55:08,199 news and then some nostalgia and we're gonna be done. So Tim Zoo, 801 00:55:08,440 --> 00:55:13,920 hey, once again, I'm going to applaud here being active. And this 802 00:55:14,159 --> 00:55:20,760 is not a surprise that Zoo will fight as the elevated WBO World champ when 803 00:55:20,800 --> 00:55:23,960 he fights in October. They announced this on Thursday in Australia that he will 804 00:55:24,000 --> 00:55:30,400 fight Brian Mendoza in October October fifteenth in Australia, venue to be announced. 805 00:55:31,400 --> 00:55:36,039 Zoom, who's already fought twice this year, Hey, what a novel concept. 806 00:55:36,239 --> 00:55:39,840 A third title fight now really in about a seven or eight month time 807 00:55:39,920 --> 00:55:44,559 period. We love that. So a couple of quick thoughts because Mendoza's off 808 00:55:44,599 --> 00:55:49,599 the upset of Sebastian Fondura earlier this year, so this is not some intrigue, 809 00:55:49,639 --> 00:55:51,960 so go ahead. Does it count as an extra fight? Also on 810 00:55:52,000 --> 00:55:53,480 top that, because of the fact that he wrestled with that dog that did 811 00:55:53,519 --> 00:55:58,159 him before the last five and he overcame that, and then the dog might 812 00:55:58,199 --> 00:56:00,039 have given him a tougher fight than Carlos ocamp Did I say that? But 813 00:56:00,119 --> 00:56:04,559 I'm bump continue on, my friend. So yes, As you mentioned, 814 00:56:04,599 --> 00:56:07,599 the fight will take place October fifteenth in Australia, which will be a Saturday 815 00:56:07,639 --> 00:56:10,760 night October fourteenth in the United States. And because even though the paperwork is 816 00:56:10,800 --> 00:56:14,679 not signed and the eyes are not dotted and the teas are not cross, 817 00:56:14,760 --> 00:56:17,440 this fight will be on showtime in the United States, the same way Tim 818 00:56:17,559 --> 00:56:21,760 Zoo's previous three fights have been, including the last two that took place in 819 00:56:21,800 --> 00:56:24,440 aus Shelly against Tony Harrison when he won the interim title of the WBO, 820 00:56:24,760 --> 00:56:28,440 the old Campo fight that you mentioned, and this will be the next one 821 00:56:28,440 --> 00:56:31,280 out. What's interesting about this fight is because of the w BO recent ruling, 822 00:56:31,960 --> 00:56:37,119 when Charlo fights Canelo on September thirtieth, he'll be able to go into 823 00:56:37,159 --> 00:56:39,280 the ring as the undisputed champion, you know, for the pageantry purposes and 824 00:56:39,599 --> 00:56:44,360 the historical purposes and all that. When the bell rings, he'll be stripped 825 00:56:44,360 --> 00:56:49,000 of the WBO title and Tim Zoo will automatically be elevated from interim champion to 826 00:56:49,039 --> 00:56:52,199 the full champion. Remember, he was supposed to fight Charlo back in January. 827 00:56:52,280 --> 00:56:53,039 It's not his fault. He's been waiting on this fight. They hope 828 00:56:53,079 --> 00:56:57,719 to reschedule in June. Charlo wasn't ready, and then when Charlo was going 829 00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:00,880 to be ready, he got the opportunity for Hugh j money and legacy kind 830 00:57:00,920 --> 00:57:05,360 of stuff against Canelo. So the tim Zouki people didn't even blame Charlot for 831 00:57:05,440 --> 00:57:07,800 taking that opportunity. But in the end, they want the title. They'd 832 00:57:07,800 --> 00:57:10,519 still like to be on the student, so he'll have the So even though 833 00:57:10,599 --> 00:57:15,760 at this moment he's not the full WBO champion, he's still the interim champion. 834 00:57:15,960 --> 00:57:19,199 Comes September thirtieth, after the bell rings for the Canelo fight, Zoo 835 00:57:19,239 --> 00:57:22,440 will be the full champion and therefore when he fights Brian Mendoza, it'll be 836 00:57:22,559 --> 00:57:28,480 a title defense. And also of significance is that part of that WBO ruling 837 00:57:28,480 --> 00:57:31,840 which was very nuanced. Even if the Canello Charlotte fight does not happen for 838 00:57:31,960 --> 00:57:37,000 some reason on the thirtieth, it's still you know, if it doesn't happen 839 00:57:37,039 --> 00:57:40,119 on the thirty he'll still be elevated to the full champion. And what also 840 00:57:40,199 --> 00:57:45,280 adds another small layer of intrigue. Of course, when Mendoza knocked out Fendora 841 00:57:45,639 --> 00:57:49,079 with that one punch and a big upset in a fight that Fendora was winning 842 00:57:49,239 --> 00:57:53,079 candily in all three scorecards, Mendoza won the WBC's interim title. Should the 843 00:57:53,280 --> 00:57:59,960 WBC follow suit and eventually strip Charlo, also he would be elevated, which 844 00:58:00,039 --> 00:58:04,400 would technically make this a unification fight because Mendoza would become the full champion of 845 00:58:04,480 --> 00:58:07,159 the WBC, Zoo will be the w BO full champion, and so it'll 846 00:58:07,159 --> 00:58:12,280 be an unusual sort of unification fight. But that's would have been nonetheless, 847 00:58:12,599 --> 00:58:15,639 so good matchup. You know, it's a solid fight. I don't I 848 00:58:15,679 --> 00:58:17,679 mean, I don't think it's something that's the end all be all because no 849 00:58:17,800 --> 00:58:22,639 offense Mendoza. But to me, it's a huge difference in class between Tim 850 00:58:22,719 --> 00:58:25,199 Zoo and Mendoza. And we saw Fandorra and just played with him for six 851 00:58:25,360 --> 00:58:30,639 rounds before he got knocked out. Clarify for me with what you just said, 852 00:58:30,679 --> 00:58:32,280 because you travel in these circles and you know this. So part of 853 00:58:32,320 --> 00:58:35,760 the intrigue, and they were playing this up in the press conference. Is 854 00:58:35,880 --> 00:58:42,000 he's the WBC interim champion fighting the WBO soon to be elevated. That's the 855 00:58:42,039 --> 00:58:46,079 phrase world champion they kept using. If Zoo wins the fight, hypothetically, 856 00:58:46,599 --> 00:58:52,079 would he be the WBC's elevated champion at some point if they fight, if 857 00:58:52,320 --> 00:58:57,360 they stripped Charlo, or would he have to still fight somebody else like for 858 00:58:57,480 --> 00:59:01,559 the vacant world title. I'm always confused on the rules. You're not even 859 00:59:01,599 --> 00:59:07,159 talking straight right now. If they fight and it's for Zoo's title a w 860 00:59:07,280 --> 00:59:12,360 BO, that's right, and and Doza has has and has not been elevated 861 00:59:12,519 --> 00:59:15,519 because the WBC is not gonna probably strip Charlo, then that interim title wouldn't 862 00:59:15,519 --> 00:59:19,880 even be at stake for for for Zoo. Why would only get why? 863 00:59:19,920 --> 00:59:22,760 I just had a curiosity. Why would it not Because you can't unify a 864 00:59:22,840 --> 00:59:24,559 regular you can't unify a full title with an interim title. It just doesn't 865 00:59:24,599 --> 00:59:29,840 happen. It's not happening. So this sport, this sport makes up the 866 00:59:29,960 --> 00:59:31,480 rules about all the titles and all the things. Anyway, I just want 867 00:59:31,480 --> 00:59:37,280 to the bottom line. I want to get to Charlo and and Tim Zoo 868 00:59:37,320 --> 00:59:39,360 with as much on the line as possible. And if you're telling me that 869 00:59:39,440 --> 00:59:43,480 I can get Zoo with two titles to fight Charlo with two titles, that 870 00:59:43,559 --> 00:59:45,199 be even better. That's what they would like to have happen. The chance 871 00:59:45,280 --> 00:59:51,440 of that are very very smart. Carlo has said if whatever happens against Canelo, 872 00:59:51,519 --> 00:59:53,880 he plans to return to junior middleway A. I'll believe it when I 873 00:59:53,960 --> 00:59:58,599 see it. B Well, let's see how many delts he has left. 874 00:59:58,639 --> 01:00:00,719 Because the sanction bodies are not I can all just let him linger and linger 875 01:00:00,760 --> 01:00:04,880 and linger. At least the w BO had the balls to make a firm 876 01:00:04,960 --> 01:00:07,400 decision. I felt like they made the right decision. They didn't mess up 877 01:00:07,480 --> 01:00:12,199 the undisputed aspect of the promotion for Canelo. But they're also going to make 878 01:00:12,239 --> 01:00:15,639 sure that Zoo is not, you know, left holding the bag and not 879 01:00:15,760 --> 01:00:20,840 get his opportunity and Mendoza interim or whatever if he does get elevated, will 880 01:00:20,840 --> 01:00:22,519 be a gutification fight. If not, he's just fighting another good contender in 881 01:00:22,559 --> 01:00:25,719 Brian Mendoza. All right, as some might say, don't worry, you're 882 01:00:25,719 --> 01:00:30,800 pretty little head about it. But still let's credit him for being active. 883 01:00:30,880 --> 01:00:34,559 This is a smart time he keeps him on the same timeline because he's fighting 884 01:00:34,599 --> 01:00:38,079 only a couple of weeks after Charlo. That this could happen, God willing, 885 01:00:38,159 --> 01:00:42,559 this could happen in the first half of the year next year to get 886 01:00:42,639 --> 01:00:45,119 Jamel Charlo back in the ring. Depending on what happens, I'm with you, 887 01:00:45,760 --> 01:00:49,239 we got plenty of time to talk about it. Jamel Charlo pulls the 888 01:00:49,320 --> 01:00:52,000 upset with Canelo. He's not coming back to one fifty four. He'll defend 889 01:00:52,039 --> 01:00:55,159 those titles at one sixty eight. What do I know? That's my belief. 890 01:00:55,559 --> 01:00:59,119 I'm just interjecting what you were just saying there too. I'll believe it 891 01:00:59,159 --> 01:01:01,199 when I see it. Ye were to happen. All right, let's move 892 01:01:01,280 --> 01:01:06,280 on a couple more quick ones than we'll get to the nostalgia or Dennis Ugas, 893 01:01:06,800 --> 01:01:10,199 Mario Barrios. They're going to be part of the Canelo Charlo undercard with 894 01:01:10,400 --> 01:01:14,920 something significant on the Here we go interim titles again with something significant on the 895 01:01:15,000 --> 01:01:17,199 line, go ahead. Yeah, I mean, this is one of those 896 01:01:17,239 --> 01:01:21,119 fights that's sort of been in the you know, been discussed, been sort 897 01:01:21,119 --> 01:01:23,400 of rumored for a while. Uh, it's going to happen. It hasn't 898 01:01:23,400 --> 01:01:27,920 been officially announced yet, but it is my understanding that you know, perhaps 899 01:01:28,039 --> 01:01:30,199 on Friday, perhaps at the beginning of next week, they will make the 900 01:01:30,280 --> 01:01:35,480 formal announcement of the Canelo Charlot undercard, which they've gone through their press tour 901 01:01:35,519 --> 01:01:37,199 and obviously for the main event, and now they're getting ready to announce, 902 01:01:37,599 --> 01:01:42,559 you know, in total what the PPV with the pay per view undercard will 903 01:01:42,559 --> 01:01:45,639 be. And I have reported, as others have, the other two fights 904 01:01:45,679 --> 01:01:49,400 on this card, which one is the opening fight between Elijah Garcia and Armando 905 01:01:49,519 --> 01:01:52,320 Razendez, a very good middleweight fight between you know, two exciting guys or 906 01:01:52,360 --> 01:01:55,400 you know, kind of on the rise. Then the co feature which has 907 01:01:55,400 --> 01:01:59,760 been widely reported by myself and others as well, tremendous matchup in the middle 908 01:01:59,800 --> 01:02:02,199 and the junior in aweight division, that's Hayzis Ramos Junior against ericson Lubin, 909 01:02:02,280 --> 01:02:06,000 which has you know, all action ran all over it. The fight that 910 01:02:06,039 --> 01:02:08,079 will go in between those two fights on the pay per view will be this 911 01:02:08,239 --> 01:02:13,480 or Dennis Ugas versus Mario Barrios fight. They will fight for the WBC's interim 912 01:02:13,559 --> 01:02:16,119 welterweight title. Why do you need a welterweight interim title fight? I don't 913 01:02:16,159 --> 01:02:21,800 really know that. Terrence Crawford just became the undisputed champion, obviously, you 914 01:02:21,880 --> 01:02:23,840 know, his schedules up in the air. If he fights Spence in a 915 01:02:23,880 --> 01:02:28,400 rematch, maybe it'll be at one fifty four. So in essence, the 916 01:02:28,599 --> 01:02:32,760 WBC is sort of like producing who's gonna win the vacant title when Crawford, 917 01:02:32,920 --> 01:02:36,320 you know, ends up vacating. They often do that. They kind of 918 01:02:36,360 --> 01:02:37,960 get it backwards a little bit in terms of the timing, But as far 919 01:02:38,000 --> 01:02:40,599 as the matchup goes, you know, it's a it's a somewhat interesting matchup. 920 01:02:40,599 --> 01:02:45,280 Look for Dennis Ugas has been one of the better welterweights out there for 921 01:02:45,320 --> 01:02:49,400 the last several years. He has not fought since April of twenty twenty two. 922 01:02:49,440 --> 01:02:52,239 That is, when he lost the WB eight title in a one side 923 01:02:52,480 --> 01:02:57,719 knockout loss against Errol Spence. When Errol unified the three belts. He suffered 924 01:02:57,719 --> 01:03:00,599 a very serious eye an orbit injury in that fight, and so he has 925 01:03:00,639 --> 01:03:05,800 been offered that long. So now he is coming back into the ring after 926 01:03:05,880 --> 01:03:07,400 that injury. So he's going to be coming off fight of a long layoff. 927 01:03:07,639 --> 01:03:12,480 And Mario Barrios is a guy who most people know just for his two 928 01:03:12,519 --> 01:03:15,360 big losses, which was, you know, he gave Gervata Davis a solid 929 01:03:15,440 --> 01:03:19,559 fight at one hundred and forty pounds and twenty one and he got stopped in 930 01:03:19,559 --> 01:03:22,519 the eleventh round. And his next fight, he came back and you know, 931 01:03:22,559 --> 01:03:24,199 he lost a one side of decision to the you know, to the 932 01:03:24,280 --> 01:03:29,079 former title holder, Keith Thurman. He's only fought once in twenty twenty three. 933 01:03:29,199 --> 01:03:32,880 That was a eighth round knockout against the very average Jovanni Santiago. You 934 01:03:32,920 --> 01:03:37,320 know, Mario Barrios, in my opinion, nothing against the guy, nice 935 01:03:37,400 --> 01:03:39,199 guy, pretty good fighter, doesn't belong in a world title fight at this 936 01:03:39,360 --> 01:03:42,960 level in my mind, has never won a big fight. When he got 937 01:03:43,000 --> 01:03:45,679 an interim belt or whatever, a regular belt for the WBA back in twenty 938 01:03:45,800 --> 01:03:51,159 nineteen, he got a gift from God in that fight against Akmadoff, I 939 01:03:51,239 --> 01:03:54,679 was ringside for that it was an atrocity of a decision. So look, 940 01:03:54,800 --> 01:04:00,599 if Ugus is not damaged from what occurred against the Spence fight, you know 941 01:04:00,800 --> 01:04:02,920 it should be a fight that he'll be favored to win. But putting the 942 01:04:03,000 --> 01:04:06,400 title element of it aside, just in terms of a match on the card, 943 01:04:06,840 --> 01:04:10,440 this is a very very good pay per view and I don't say that 944 01:04:10,519 --> 01:04:13,880 a lot. I think this is an excellent pay per view undercard. It 945 01:04:13,960 --> 01:04:16,519 may not have big, sexy world title fights, but each of those three 946 01:04:16,559 --> 01:04:19,840 bouts that they have announced, Raymar they haven't announced, but they will announce 947 01:04:19,960 --> 01:04:26,360 shortly, Ramos versus Lubin, Ugas versus Barrios, and Garcia versus Razendez, 948 01:04:26,800 --> 01:04:31,360 all worth time, all worth interest. I think it's a tremendous undercard and 949 01:04:31,440 --> 01:04:34,519 obviously Ugs built his name. You know, this off the huge win over 950 01:04:34,599 --> 01:04:39,519 Manny Pachiou, which was a while ago, but he'll be on that undercard 951 01:04:39,599 --> 01:04:42,400 quickly. We move on to two more news items and then the nostalgia. 952 01:04:42,599 --> 01:04:48,000 Jai Opataia will defend the IBF Cruiserweight Championship. He's been out a lot of 953 01:04:48,039 --> 01:04:50,639 these guys have been out with injuries. He's been out because of a broken 954 01:04:50,800 --> 01:04:56,360 jaw after his win over Britas, which was over a year ago. He's 955 01:04:56,440 --> 01:05:00,199 now back tell us more about when that's happening where and the opponent. Well, 956 01:05:00,239 --> 01:05:01,960 he is the IBF champion, but he's also the ring magazine champion, 957 01:05:02,000 --> 01:05:06,079 the lineal champion based on that victory over Bradest, a tremendous battle that they 958 01:05:06,559 --> 01:05:12,599 had in Australia last year. That's where where Opataia is from. He's a 959 01:05:12,760 --> 01:05:16,639 very durable, very strong, very exciting fighter. That was his first big 960 01:05:16,719 --> 01:05:20,280 time fight. He won, but he suffered the jaw injury as you mentioned 961 01:05:20,320 --> 01:05:24,280 in that fight, so he's coming off of that. He was now Remember 962 01:05:24,519 --> 01:05:28,360 there had been multiple mandatories that he was ordered to make. One was against 963 01:05:28,480 --> 01:05:32,440 Richard Riakapore. One was against the Polish fighter whose name escapes me at the 964 01:05:32,480 --> 01:05:38,000 moment, and those guys turn him down. So the next guy available was 965 01:05:38,119 --> 01:05:41,679 Bredest and so he accepted. So it was going to be a rematch. 966 01:05:42,760 --> 01:05:45,679 They had asked the IBF about a week or so ago for an extension because 967 01:05:45,880 --> 01:05:50,480 supposedly they were close to a deal. As it turns out, part of 968 01:05:50,559 --> 01:05:54,199 what they did, and this is what I was told today by sources that 969 01:05:54,280 --> 01:05:58,760 were involved is that they dad a deal to give Bradest a step aside, 970 01:05:59,400 --> 01:06:01,840 so he'll get paid whatever he's getting paid and allow opa Ty to do this 971 01:06:01,960 --> 01:06:05,679 optional defense, which will take place on September thirtieth, unfortunately, the same 972 01:06:05,760 --> 01:06:09,599 day as the Canella fight. He will fight. He's an Australian fighter. 973 01:06:09,679 --> 01:06:13,440 He will fight in London at the Wembley Arena and he will take on the 974 01:06:13,519 --> 01:06:16,880 British fighter Jordan Thompson in this defense. Because remember he is promoted by Tasman 975 01:06:16,960 --> 01:06:21,320 Fighters out of you know, Australia, but they recently made a deal for 976 01:06:21,400 --> 01:06:25,280 him to be co promoted by Natchurroom Boxing, so he's going to go to 977 01:06:25,320 --> 01:06:28,559 the UK. This will be a natch Room Boxing card. He'll be televised 978 01:06:28,599 --> 01:06:31,800 on the Zone around the world except for and I believe Australia and New Zealand, 979 01:06:31,800 --> 01:06:35,000 where I guess it'll be a pay per viewer I suppose. But so 980 01:06:35,199 --> 01:06:39,199 this is going to be for a lot of people an introduction to this fighter 981 01:06:39,559 --> 01:06:42,119 that haven't previously seen him. But he's an exciting guy, like I said, 982 01:06:42,400 --> 01:06:45,920 makes good fights. Put on a well of a fight against Brightest. 983 01:06:45,960 --> 01:06:47,719 They both did a really good action fight. Showed a lot of recall, 984 01:06:47,800 --> 01:06:50,199 I remember we talked about this fight, and I remember we recapped it. 985 01:06:50,280 --> 01:06:54,880 Didn't Opataia broke his jaw like early on in the fight, or at least 986 01:06:54,880 --> 01:06:57,480 midway through the fight, and had to fight several rounds, if not like 987 01:06:57,719 --> 01:07:01,039 half the fight with a broken jaw, showing nothing but toughness against a world 988 01:07:01,119 --> 01:07:04,159 class fighter to upset him and win the belts. And this will be the 989 01:07:04,199 --> 01:07:06,960 first fight since then. What does he look like now? And it's a 990 01:07:08,079 --> 01:07:12,119 road warrior fight in England in somebody else's backyard, plenty of right, I 991 01:07:12,119 --> 01:07:14,960 mean, they're listen the guys that are mashed up with Thompson's not exactly the 992 01:07:15,039 --> 01:07:17,039 number one contender, but you know what, honestly, coming off of that 993 01:07:17,159 --> 01:07:21,239 type of fight that he had, plus the layoff, plus the new promotion 994 01:07:21,360 --> 01:07:24,960 contract, plus you know what, everybody's entitled maybe to a little bit of 995 01:07:25,000 --> 01:07:28,079 a lesser fight once in a while, especially after that tough fight. This 996 01:07:28,239 --> 01:07:30,599 is that for him. He is undefeated at twenty two and zero. You 997 01:07:30,679 --> 01:07:32,519 know, had a great background also, it was a you know, a 998 01:07:32,559 --> 01:07:36,159 top amateur, was an Olympian. So it'll be good to see him back 999 01:07:36,159 --> 01:07:39,719 in the ring. I mean to try to grow his profile because he's worth 1000 01:07:39,760 --> 01:07:44,280 watching. Is my point good enough? One more news item than the nostalgia. 1001 01:07:44,719 --> 01:07:47,360 And we did talk about Zero Ramirez and Joe Smith Junior. You were 1002 01:07:47,480 --> 01:07:54,000 reporting that fighting. You've learned more details, including the weight agreement. Zurgo's 1003 01:07:54,039 --> 01:07:58,559 weight keeps going up and up and up here is it just me? All 1004 01:07:58,599 --> 01:08:01,079 right? Give me details? Well? As I reported they were going to 1005 01:08:01,159 --> 01:08:04,039 fight this fight, uh, and it was finally officially announced that they're going 1006 01:08:04,079 --> 01:08:08,360 to fight October seventh. It'll headline at the Zone Show. It'll take place 1007 01:08:08,400 --> 01:08:11,960 at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, a very nice venue, small venue, 1008 01:08:12,000 --> 01:08:15,199 but an excellent place for this type of fight. And they announced it as 1009 01:08:15,199 --> 01:08:16,960 a cruiserweight fight. But like promoters do, they don't like to tell you 1010 01:08:17,039 --> 01:08:19,800 the exact weight. So I have to make the phone calls and figure it 1011 01:08:19,800 --> 01:08:23,760 out. So I spoke to Joe di Guardia from Starboxing, who was the 1012 01:08:23,800 --> 01:08:26,600 promoter for Joe Smith Jr. Who said, yeah, the weight that we 1013 01:08:26,720 --> 01:08:30,359 signed for is one hundred and ninety three So the official wait for this fight 1014 01:08:30,439 --> 01:08:32,479 was one hundred ninety three pounds, which is in a commod limit, right 1015 01:08:32,560 --> 01:08:35,319 the limit? Yeah, that's the maximum that's in a combination the Ramiers. 1016 01:08:35,359 --> 01:08:38,880 Now, not to say that Joe Smith won't be happy to put on a 1017 01:08:38,960 --> 01:08:42,279 few pounds, but remember when Gilberto Ramirez was supposed to have his most recent 1018 01:08:42,319 --> 01:08:45,119 fight, he came in way over the one hundred and twenty five pound limit. 1019 01:08:45,119 --> 01:08:49,239 Like, let's sarcastically fill in the weight limited super middleweight audience and Dan 1020 01:08:49,640 --> 01:08:56,319 is one hundred and sixty eight pounds. The weight limit audience and Dan at 1021 01:08:56,439 --> 01:09:01,359 light heavyweight is one seventy five and zero that by three exits on the interstate 1022 01:09:01,439 --> 01:09:04,439 for his fight earlier this year at like one eighty something, and now he 1023 01:09:04,600 --> 01:09:11,399 wants a weight limit at one ninety three. That's not a problem. The 1024 01:09:11,479 --> 01:09:14,600 problem was missing to wait for the last fight, I understand. But he 1025 01:09:14,920 --> 01:09:17,159 needs a weight limit of one ninety three when he fought at one seventy five 1026 01:09:17,239 --> 01:09:20,039 a year ago. I don't have a problem with that, because the whole 1027 01:09:20,079 --> 01:09:25,399 point here is he fucked up and missed the weight back last. He needs 1028 01:09:25,439 --> 01:09:29,520 to be eighteen pounds heavy. Oh he doesn't. He's moving up the cruiserweight. 1029 01:09:29,680 --> 01:09:33,720 That's the point. Let plenty of guys go from light heavyweight to cruiserweight. 1030 01:09:34,000 --> 01:09:36,880 He's actually making a stop in between. He's not going to fight at 1031 01:09:36,920 --> 01:09:42,039 the fall two hundred that's twenty five pounds difference. He's fighting at one hundred 1032 01:09:42,119 --> 01:09:44,720 ninety three. Sort of get used to the weight. There's been plenty of 1033 01:09:44,760 --> 01:09:46,960 guys that have moved up and weight like that. So this is at one 1034 01:09:47,199 --> 01:09:50,399 ninety three. Let's hope he makes one ninety three, is my perspective, 1035 01:09:51,000 --> 01:09:54,720 and he'll he'll do this fight. And by the way, when this fight's 1036 01:09:54,760 --> 01:09:59,239 over with, presumably Gilberto Ramirez will then be on his way to fighting a 1037 01:09:59,319 --> 01:10:01,920 full fledge cruiserweight fight, perhaps the title fight down the road. You know, 1038 01:10:02,119 --> 01:10:04,520 we'll see what happens with Joe Smith winner Los. Does he stay in 1039 01:10:04,560 --> 01:10:09,119 that weight range, does he try to go WBC route and look for a 1040 01:10:09,199 --> 01:10:12,520 bridgerweight title. Does he go back to light heavyweight. But the point is, 1041 01:10:12,920 --> 01:10:15,600 here's the bottom line. Whatever the weight is, he's the one guy's 1042 01:10:15,640 --> 01:10:19,520 moving up. And it's still a good matchup between two guys who are experienced 1043 01:10:19,560 --> 01:10:25,319 championship blabbo fighters who have not faced each other yet, who are or willing 1044 01:10:25,359 --> 01:10:27,800 to fight each other, both coming off losses, both need to win. 1045 01:10:29,159 --> 01:10:31,079 It may not be the biggest fight in terms of what it means. But 1046 01:10:31,199 --> 01:10:33,439 I do think it happens to be a pretty good fight. I'm actually looking 1047 01:10:33,439 --> 01:10:36,960 forward to it so again October seventh, on that date, first Saturday in 1048 01:10:38,039 --> 01:10:44,399 October in Las Vegas for Zerdo and Joe Smith Junior and Nostalgia Time. It 1049 01:10:44,479 --> 01:10:49,640 was August twenty sixth of just six years ago on Sunday that Floyd maybe I 1050 01:10:49,680 --> 01:10:51,800 was telling my back when I was telling my forties. By the way, 1051 01:10:51,960 --> 01:10:56,960 you were in your forties then, Floyd Money, Mayweather, Connor McGregor, 1052 01:10:57,359 --> 01:11:01,479 you were there, you were ringside all the Mayhem. McGregor kept calling you 1053 01:11:01,600 --> 01:11:05,159 the boxing guy. That's why it's in your byline on Twitter. You've talked 1054 01:11:05,199 --> 01:11:11,039 about this before, but reminisce because the anniversary is here. Give me something 1055 01:11:11,119 --> 01:11:15,640 else about this event where Floyd, Floyd knew what he was doing, He 1056 01:11:15,920 --> 01:11:17,000 took him into the deep rounds, wore him down, He knew what he 1057 01:11:17,079 --> 01:11:19,560 was doing in that fight. Well, I mean, listen, most people 1058 01:11:19,600 --> 01:11:24,199 look at it as though, you know, people were shocked when Connor seemed 1059 01:11:24,199 --> 01:11:28,119 to win like rounds one and two, and people were like, oh my 1060 01:11:28,199 --> 01:11:30,760 god. But the reality is, and I'll go to my grade belief in 1061 01:11:30,800 --> 01:11:31,600 this, and I know a lot of guys that were there covering up with 1062 01:11:31,680 --> 01:11:34,119 me. He carried him, he let him do it. He knew what 1063 01:11:34,159 --> 01:11:36,319 he was doing. Floyd made with her. He wanted to put on a 1064 01:11:36,359 --> 01:11:40,119 little bit of a show. He wasn't gonna do anything stupid and get himself 1065 01:11:40,159 --> 01:11:43,760 knocked out or anything like that. But he basically didn't do anything, gave 1066 01:11:43,800 --> 01:11:46,239 away a couple of rounds and then slowly maturey picked it up and until he 1067 01:11:46,319 --> 01:11:48,960 put the you know, put the fight out of reach and stopped the Connor 1068 01:11:49,039 --> 01:11:53,640 mcgerger in round ten. But this was about more than just the fight. 1069 01:11:53,720 --> 01:11:57,800 The fight actually because of Floyd's willingness to kind of play along a little bit, 1070 01:11:58,000 --> 01:12:00,840 we lived up to the expectations because the expectations were really from people that 1071 01:12:00,880 --> 01:12:04,119 really knew, were very low, because again, this was the first really 1072 01:12:04,239 --> 01:12:09,359 big time fight that took place between an MMA fighter who wanted to come over 1073 01:12:09,439 --> 01:12:12,439 and cross into boxing. Now it seems like it's happening all the time, 1074 01:12:12,880 --> 01:12:15,880 but at the time that this took place in twenty seventeen, it was still 1075 01:12:15,920 --> 01:12:19,159 a novel thing. Particularly fighters on the level of Mayweather, who was, 1076 01:12:19,840 --> 01:12:24,000 you know, the biggest name, even though he'd been retired for a couple 1077 01:12:24,039 --> 01:12:27,680 of years and McGregor was the number one star in the UFC. Correct So 1078 01:12:27,840 --> 01:12:30,319 Floyd you know who had retired after his victory against Andre Berto, he came 1079 01:12:30,359 --> 01:12:33,119 out of retirement a couple of years later. He said, just for this 1080 01:12:33,279 --> 01:12:38,880 one fight to make his record a nice I glossy fifty and ozer he fought 1081 01:12:38,920 --> 01:12:42,920 against McGregor. I have said many times that the Nevada Commission regulating this fight, 1082 01:12:42,960 --> 01:12:46,159 agreeing to sanction this fight was ridiculous because you're putting a guy with making 1083 01:12:46,199 --> 01:12:50,520 his professional debut in with the greatest fighter of his time. Which now, 1084 01:12:50,760 --> 01:12:54,880 anytime there's a questionable fight for the commission, you can always point this, 1085 01:12:54,960 --> 01:12:57,479 well, you'll let McGregor fight Mayweather. Why can't you, you know, 1086 01:12:57,600 --> 01:13:00,199 sanction this fight. So from that standpoint, you know, not good but 1087 01:13:01,479 --> 01:13:04,840 big time promotion. It was a short promotion, only about seventy five days 1088 01:13:04,960 --> 01:13:08,560 or so, maybe a couple less than that, from the time the fight 1089 01:13:08,680 --> 01:13:13,000 was actually done until they actually were in the ring, and it was a 1090 01:13:13,119 --> 01:13:17,199 fight week where everybody was there, I mean from all walks of media, 1091 01:13:17,800 --> 01:13:21,359 not just boxing media, but but, but mainstream press, you know, 1092 01:13:21,920 --> 01:13:26,840 entertainment shows, you know, you name it, publications that wouldn't typically cover 1093 01:13:26,960 --> 01:13:29,640 a boxing event because it was such a big deal. And you know what, 1094 01:13:29,720 --> 01:13:31,880 they did the business because other than Mayweather pack yet which set every record 1095 01:13:31,960 --> 01:13:38,560 conceivable in terms of dollars generated, pay per view, you know, sponsors, 1096 01:13:39,079 --> 01:13:42,319 you name it, you know the ticket, the live gate, in 1097 01:13:42,399 --> 01:13:47,000 terms of the tickets, this fight did every single record other than beat what 1098 01:13:47,079 --> 01:13:49,800 Mayweather pack. Yeah, did So Floyd is number one and number two in 1099 01:13:49,960 --> 01:13:54,560 terms of all time events. So think about this, a guy making his 1100 01:13:54,640 --> 01:13:58,359 pro debut, but a huge superstar in the UFC. Six hundred million dollars 1101 01:13:58,439 --> 01:14:01,680 plus in revenue for the event. Again, we can't overstate, and that 1102 01:14:01,800 --> 01:14:08,119 number states it. We can't overstate. He was tremendously prominent and popular in 1103 01:14:08,319 --> 01:14:14,399 UFC. And the buzz was, will this translate into him handing comical as 1104 01:14:14,439 --> 01:14:17,600 it might have been for boxing fans, could he hand Floyd Mayweather his first 1105 01:14:17,640 --> 01:14:21,079 ever loss? And that was the build up, That was the intrigue. 1106 01:14:21,239 --> 01:14:27,399 Now you were right there at ringside for all of it, and and so 1107 01:14:27,600 --> 01:14:32,439 just a final thought was largely a waste of time. Did you think because 1108 01:14:32,479 --> 01:14:35,840 Mayweather was carrying him in your words early on, as it dominated him, 1109 01:14:36,119 --> 01:14:39,479 it turned out to be a fun event. It you know, it lived 1110 01:14:39,560 --> 01:14:42,039 up better than the expectation. I want to give you some of these crazy 1111 01:14:42,159 --> 01:14:45,000 numbers just because this is how sick it was, so putting the Mayweather pack 1112 01:14:45,039 --> 01:14:50,239 Yo numbers aside for a minute, Mayweather versus Connor McGregor six hundred plus million 1113 01:14:50,279 --> 01:14:55,680 in total revenue, a little less than what Mayweather at Pachyo did four point 1114 01:14:55,880 --> 01:15:00,239 three million pay per views, the record set by mayweth a Packers four point 1115 01:15:00,319 --> 01:15:03,359 six So just not that many less than, you know, all things considered, 1116 01:15:03,800 --> 01:15:08,079 and that's still, by the way, two million more than the previous 1117 01:15:08,159 --> 01:15:11,680 record, which was I believe Da La Hoya versus Mayweather. And right now, 1118 01:15:11,720 --> 01:15:14,840 how about big time just as a reference, any big time, prominent 1119 01:15:14,920 --> 01:15:16,800 fight. We're jumping up and down if they get seven fifty or a million 1120 01:15:16,840 --> 01:15:19,920 pay per views, and that one had four million, six years, four 1121 01:15:19,960 --> 01:15:24,439 point three million, wow, four point three million. And here's another thing, 1122 01:15:24,880 --> 01:15:28,640 the Mayweather versus pack Yo fight, the gross for the tickets at the 1123 01:15:29,000 --> 01:15:32,960 at the MGM Grand was seventy five million, just a hair below seventy five 1124 01:15:33,039 --> 01:15:38,760 million. The gross for Mayweather pak yaw, I mean Mayweather McGregor, which 1125 01:15:38,800 --> 01:15:44,000 was at the Team Obile Arena. How about fifty five million, four hundred, 1126 01:15:44,079 --> 01:15:47,039 fourteen thousand, eight hundred and sixty five dollars and seventy nine cents. 1127 01:15:47,199 --> 01:15:50,119 You have a down a tenny. Well, yeah, that's exactly what it 1128 01:15:50,239 --> 01:15:55,000 was. So the gate was astronomical, the pay per view was astronomical, 1129 01:15:55,600 --> 01:15:59,199 and Mayweather walked away with the easiest win of his career, practically fifty and 1130 01:15:59,279 --> 01:16:00,840 oh and as he said, I robbed you know, I was robbing the 1131 01:16:00,880 --> 01:16:03,640 bank that night. And but at least they put on a fun show. 1132 01:16:03,640 --> 01:16:05,680 I mean, I don't care to see it again. I don't need to 1133 01:16:05,760 --> 01:16:11,239 see Tyson Fury against uh, you know, Francis Naganu from the standpoint of 1134 01:16:11,319 --> 01:16:14,840 a and then they start against a boxing star. But this was the first 1135 01:16:14,880 --> 01:16:17,199 one. It was a huge event. I was still at ESPN at the 1136 01:16:17,199 --> 01:16:20,560 time, and our whole, our group of boxing folks and the MMA folks 1137 01:16:20,600 --> 01:16:24,960 were all over this. It was nutso, uh, you know, I 1138 01:16:25,079 --> 01:16:27,279 was out there. You know, meant you meant my birthday. I covered 1139 01:16:27,319 --> 01:16:30,640 the weighing on my birthday for that fight the day before and then uh, 1140 01:16:30,000 --> 01:16:33,720 it was just it's an interesting, so t J. Quick nostalgia on top 1141 01:16:33,760 --> 01:16:39,199 of your nostalgia for sixty seconds. I still remember that night. I'm working 1142 01:16:39,319 --> 01:16:43,520 preseason football in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers radio broadcast, just like 1143 01:16:43,600 --> 01:16:45,680 I will do this Saturday for the final preseason game. And those days they 1144 01:16:45,720 --> 01:16:48,399 had four preseason games. That was the night of the fourth game, right 1145 01:16:48,439 --> 01:16:51,039 Phil, If you know anything, and you do because you follow the Giants, 1146 01:16:51,079 --> 01:16:55,920 anybody that follows the Cowboys, Patriots, Packers NFL football, the fourth 1147 01:16:56,039 --> 01:16:59,800 or the final preseason game is usually worthless. So this is largely a worthless 1148 01:16:59,840 --> 01:17:04,239 game. I'm having to participate in the postgame show, live radio duties after 1149 01:17:04,319 --> 01:17:08,680 the worthless game while this fight is going on, and there's a group of 1150 01:17:08,840 --> 01:17:11,760 us that have it up on the computer. It bought the pay per view 1151 01:17:11,880 --> 01:17:14,920 just like everybody else. There's about eight of us. I'm talking about the 1152 01:17:15,039 --> 01:17:17,960 worthless game, and there's people going ooh, uh, ooh ooh around me 1153 01:17:18,720 --> 01:17:24,079 in the Raymond James Stadium press box because we had to fight on I vividly 1154 01:17:24,159 --> 01:17:28,359 remember that from six years ago, you were ringside. I was detached watching 1155 01:17:28,520 --> 01:17:32,000 while working and talking about a meaningless preseason game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 1156 01:17:32,439 --> 01:17:36,640 So there you go, littleness. It won't go down as like the big 1157 01:17:36,720 --> 01:17:40,960 Time championship fight. It had no real bearing on pound for pound, but 1158 01:17:41,079 --> 01:17:44,920 as events go, because of the star power of both of the two guys 1159 01:17:44,960 --> 01:17:46,159 involved, that was a big deal. As you mentioned, you know my 1160 01:17:46,880 --> 01:17:50,000 thing with McGregor when it all first started when he came into confront of me 1161 01:17:50,520 --> 01:17:54,560 at ringside at the Madison Square Garden Theater. If you don't know what I'm 1162 01:17:54,560 --> 01:17:57,840 talking about, google it or YouTube it. And then of course they had 1163 01:17:57,880 --> 01:18:00,199 the Wild for City press tour. Uh look, I'll tell you, I'll 1164 01:18:00,199 --> 01:18:02,720 give you an example how big of a deal this fight was. I've been 1165 01:18:02,760 --> 01:18:06,600 doing this a long time and there's been a zillions of press conferences. I've 1166 01:18:06,640 --> 01:18:11,000 actually only traveled for a kickoff press conference just a handful of times in my 1167 01:18:11,680 --> 01:18:14,119 day. Most of the time they're just, you know, really conducive to 1168 01:18:14,159 --> 01:18:16,439 getting real work done. But this was such a big deal that ESPN asked 1169 01:18:16,439 --> 01:18:19,520 me to go to Brooklyn to cover the press stop that took place at Barclay 1170 01:18:19,600 --> 01:18:24,119 Center, and uh, it was complete and utter Can also did one in 1171 01:18:24,239 --> 01:18:27,920 London, right, they went over and ramped up the UK fans. They 1172 01:18:27,960 --> 01:18:30,640 did, They did a couple, They did a couple where they did like 1173 01:18:30,720 --> 01:18:33,960 four cities. But the PostScript of that was I went to the press conference 1174 01:18:34,039 --> 01:18:38,640 in New York City and it was running very behind schedule, so instead of 1175 01:18:38,720 --> 01:18:43,800 having the media availability prior to the to the formal nonsense, we had to 1176 01:18:43,880 --> 01:18:47,920 wait to get with Connor until after the craziness. So We're sitting in the 1177 01:18:48,039 --> 01:18:50,760 interview room at the Barclays and I've done a thousand times for all the fights 1178 01:18:50,800 --> 01:18:54,119 I've covered at Barklay Center, So I'm sitting on my seat that happened to 1179 01:18:54,119 --> 01:18:56,079 be like in like the first or second row, kind of in the middle, 1180 01:18:56,520 --> 01:18:59,399 and uh, they asked, you know, please, when you when 1181 01:18:59,640 --> 01:19:02,039 when you ask your question, say your name and tell them where you're from. 1182 01:19:02,359 --> 01:19:04,479 Like with Floyd Mayweather, I didn't need to do that because he knows 1183 01:19:04,520 --> 01:19:08,479 who I am. I've covered him for twenty years and a lot of guys, 1184 01:19:08,520 --> 01:19:10,760 so they didn't really have to introduce him. He knew who that guys 1185 01:19:10,800 --> 01:19:14,720 were. But Connor didn't really know a lot of US boxing reporters. So 1186 01:19:15,000 --> 01:19:17,119 I got the microphone. It was my turn to ask a question and I 1187 01:19:17,479 --> 01:19:21,800 said, I'm Dan Raphael from ESPN. Oh you're the boxing guy. Like 1188 01:19:21,920 --> 01:19:26,600 it was like exactly, that's where it came. Well, then he'll call 1189 01:19:26,640 --> 01:19:29,119 me the boxing guy the first time. So it was like full circle of 1190 01:19:29,199 --> 01:19:32,880 that first incident. It was a crazy night her Connor McGregor. That's where 1191 01:19:32,880 --> 01:19:36,800 it comes back from on that. By the way, Happy birthday. We're 1192 01:19:36,840 --> 01:19:40,960 done with the podcast. It will be your birthday on Friday. Happy birthday. 1193 01:19:41,000 --> 01:19:44,720 You have joined the fifty three club along with me. We're vintage nineteen 1194 01:19:44,880 --> 01:19:48,640 seventy baby on the podcast here Missus Reeves is a year behind us and about 1195 01:19:48,640 --> 01:19:51,560 to be her number, which she doesn't want uttered in about a month. 1196 01:19:51,960 --> 01:19:56,039 Stand by actually actually a box now that I think of it. Oh my 1197 01:19:56,119 --> 01:19:58,199 lord, I gotta I gotta get a gift. It's coming up in like 1198 01:19:58,279 --> 01:20:02,279 ten days. But that my advice, that's my issue. Don't don't fuck 1199 01:20:02,359 --> 01:20:04,760 that up. No, yes we will. We will keep it straight and 1200 01:20:04,880 --> 01:20:11,279 narrow on that X for life, baby, Yes, very nice. Great 1201 01:20:11,359 --> 01:20:15,279 job with Jim Lampley. We gave you plenty here again the bet Us Boxing 1202 01:20:15,359 --> 01:20:19,680 Show. As we release this podcast, bet US platforms, YouTube, Twitter, 1203 01:20:19,840 --> 01:20:27,079 Twitch, One Eastern Time will make gambling handicap predictions on USA Dubois and 1204 01:20:27,199 --> 01:20:30,560 the Real Big Baby main Event ESPN Top Rank Heavyweight main event in Tulsa, 1205 01:20:30,600 --> 01:20:35,079 Oklahoma. Catch that show One Eastern Time again. Followers subscribe to get this 1206 01:20:35,239 --> 01:20:41,760 podcast as it comes your way as a preview every Friday Recap podcast Dan ray 1207 01:20:41,800 --> 01:20:45,159 Field. No matter what happens this weekend, including if dubh shocks the world, 1208 01:20:45,520 --> 01:20:48,159 which would be huge, We're ready to talk about all of its Sunday 1209 01:20:48,199 --> 01:20:53,960 Night into Monday on the Fight Freaks Night Recap with that happy Birthday and enjoy 1210 01:20:54,039 --> 01:20:57,560 the rest of the weekend. Thanks sir, appreciate that, and we thank 1211 01:20:57,680 --> 01:21:00,279 all of you for being with us again. Bet us show Friday at one, 1212 01:21:00,359 --> 01:21:02,520 We come your way with a big fight. We can freeve you into 1213 01:21:02,560 --> 01:21:06,359 the weekend and then the recap comes off the weekend on Monday morning. Follow 1214 01:21:06,479 --> 01:21:10,239 or subscribe on the Big Fight we Can podcast feed for Dan Rayfield. I'm 1215 01:21:10,279 --> 01:21:13,239 TJ Reeves. Enjoy the fights. Thank you for being with us.