It's a brand new year in 2026 and for the first time, our guys are back to recap the weekend action in Puerto Rico and have some fight nrews too on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives and insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter are back to give their takes.

First a recap of the Saturday MVP DAZN bouts in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Featherweight Amanda Serrano W10 Reina Tellez, retains WBO/WBA women’s title. What's next for one of the women's all time greats? 

Plus, lightweight Stephanie Han scores tech dec after 7 rounds over Holly Holm and retains WBA women’s title. Could she be a Serrano opponent? 

And, flyweight Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez surprises with a 12 round win over Yankiel Rivera and wins vacant WBA interim title.

Also, a recap of the December 31st Shisei Promotions main event in Tokyo

Kazuto Ioka, who was making his bantamweight debut, put himself in position to win a world title in a fifth weight division when he knocked out Maikel Ordosgoitti in the fourth round of a WBA title eliminator. Dan loves him some Japanese boxing and has more!

News

Anthony Joshua injured in a car accident in Nigeria on Monday that killed two of his close friends and members of his training team, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele. Joshua released from the hospital on Wednesday. Boxing is a distant priority, but does this mean Joshua might not be in the ring for a longer amount of time?

Related- To zero surprise, Tyson Fury posted on Instagram that he is coming out of the retirement. ABSOLUTE SHOCKER!  Dand and TJ discuss.

Next, Matchroom announced it has signed WBO bantamweight titlist Christian Medina and that he will make his first defense at home in Guadalajara on Feb. 6 (DAZN) vs. countryman Adrian Curiel, 26, a former IBF junior flyweight titlist.  

Due to illness, welterweight contender Paddy Donovan has withdrawn from an IBF final eliminator against former junior welterweight titlist Liam Paro scheduled for Jan. 16. No Limit said Paro would remain on the card if a suitable replacement can be found. The winner would have become the mandatory challenger for IBF titlist Lewis Crocker.  

Jake Paul is dropped from new WBA cruiserweight rankings.... that he should have never been ranked in. We have more. Also, Terence Crawford officially vacated the WBA super middleweight title, the last one, and WBA has elevated interim titlist Armando Resendiz.  

In the IBF it invited No. 1 contender Osleys Iglesias and former champion Canelo Alvarez to fight for the vacant title. Canelo not taking it as he is still sidelined after elbow surgery. Next up to accept the position will be Jamie Mungia. Stay tuned.

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

It's a great debate on what the "Fight of the Year" for 2025 should be and why? And, we're ready to have that debate on this special "Fight Freaks Unite Podcsat!"

Host T.J. Rives and insider Dan Rafel of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack are back to go over what they think were the best battles in the boxing ring for this year.

They discuss:

Honorable Mentions first- 

Pitbull Cruz vs. Angel Fierro in an all action battle

Brits Callum Smith-Joshua Buatsi tangle for a light heavyweight great fight

Christian Mbilli-Lester Martinez slugged it out on the Canelo-Crawford undercard

Abdullah Mason of the USA against Sam Noakes of England in a toe-to-toe slugfest

Plus, WBC junior flyweight titlist Carlos Canizales-Panya Pradabsri rematch

Then, it's a great conversation on what is the fight of 2025??

Chris Eubank Jr.- Conor Benn 1 in London or

Kenshiro Teragi - Seigo Akui battle for the unified flyweight belts

Hear the guys and their takes on these matchups and why they were so good on the "Fight Freaks Unite" podcast feed and find more great content here on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

We have come to the end of the calendar year of 2025 and it's time to crank up a debate about which boxer deserves "Figther of the Year" status for work done this year? We're ready to debate on this special "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives and insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter are back to go over it?

In a debate of future hall of famers Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue, which resume was better in 2025? And, how much consideration should someone like Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez or Dmitry Bivol be given in the conversation, too?

Hear the guys go over it and make their selections for Fighter of the Year on this pod! And, make sure that you follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

It's the final weekend of 2025 and we're back to recap the prominent world title card of the weekend in Saudi Arabia and give you some other worldwide fight recaps and news too on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"

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

First a recap of Saturday’s Ring V: "Night of the Samurai" DAZN PPV card from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Junior featherweight Naoya Inoue scores a one sided unanimous decision over Alan David Picasso, retains undisputed title. Should Inoue have gone harder for the KO? And now....

He'll fight new junior featherweight Junto Nakatani, who had a tough battle and won close with Sebastian Hernandez in the co-feature. The guys have more on Nakatani struggling at the higher weight and what does it mean for the Inoue battle in the first part of 2026?

Also, on the card- lightweight Eridson Garcia won a 10 round split decision over Taiga Imanaga, plus, 
junior featherweight Reito Tsutsumi TKO4 Leobardo Quintana.

The IBF junior bantamweight title fight with champ Willibaldo Garcia vs. Kenshiro Teraji was canceled after the ceremonial weigh-in, Garcia was ill and hospitalized. Dan has the latest.
 
Also, they recap Saturday’s Kameda Promotions main event in Tokoname, Japan
Flyweight Masamichi Yabuki TKO12 Felix Alvarado, retains IBF title. Impressive win for Yabuki.
 
And, a brief recap from Wednesday
Heavyweight Ike Ibeabuchi, 52, the former top contender, who was in the second fight of his return after 26 years (most spent in prison) suffered his first defeat, a 12-round decision to Nigerian countryman Kabiru Towolawi in Lagos, Nigeria.
 
And, some news
Turki Alashikh announces undercard for Ring VI Teofimo-Shakur event on Jan. 31 at MSG
Keyshawn Davis vs. Jamaine Ortiz, 12 rounds, junior welterweights
Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington vs. Carlos Castro, 12 rounds, for vacant WBC featherweight title
Carlos Adames vs. Austin “Ammo” Williams, 12 rounds, for Adames’ WBC middleweight title
Jarrell Miller vs. Kingsley Ibeh, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Ziyad Almayouf vs. Kevin Castillo, 8 rounds, welterweights

Next, Dan is reporting on some fighters signed by Zuffa Boxing for its new league that begins in January:
Former WBA junior welterweight titlist Jose Valenzuela
Former WBA “regular” welterweight titlist Radzhab Butaev, junior lightweight Justin Viloria and lightweight Eridson Garcia
And, finally Matchroom Boxing's announcement of some more undercard bouts on the Leigh Wood vs. Josh Warrington 2 show Feb. 21 in Nottingham, England
Sandy Ryan vs. Karla Zamora, 10 rounds, for vacant WBC women’s junior welterweight title
David Allen vs. TBA, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Tiah Mai Ayton vs. TBA, 8 rounds, female bantamweights
Junaid Bostan vs. TBA, 10 rounds, junior middleweights

We have it all on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast" and make sure for all the great content on this feed to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

We are back off the Christmas holiday with a new show as the Riyadh Season card "Ring V- Night of the Samurai" takes place Saturday in Saudi Arabia. We've got the preview and fight news on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview" Podcast!

Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael for the full breakdown.

The begin with the Preview of the  Night of the Samurai” card on Saturday (DAZN PPV, 4 a.m. ET) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Naoya "the Monster" Inoue vs. Alan David Picasso, 12 rounds, for Inoue’s undisputed junior featherweight titles. It's the fourth time in the ring this year for Inoue and will he deliver the big KO to puncuate his 2025?

In the co-feature, Junto Nakatani vs. Sebastian Hernandez Reyes, 12 rounds, junior featherweight battle. Is Nakatani next for the Monster?
 
And, also, Willibaldo Garcia vs. Kenshiro Teraji, 12 rounds, for Garcia’s IBF junior bantamweight title


Then, some fight news
Netflix announced the numbers for Jake-Joshua event, including “an estimated average minute audience of 33 million” globally from opening to closing bell. That's another huge number, but what about it relative to Canelo-Crawford, much less, Paul-Tyson in 2024 both on Netflix also?

Then, In wake of Terence Crawford’s retirement and vacating the WBO super middleweight title, the WBO has ordered Diego Pacheco and Hamzah Sheeraz, the leading available contenders, to meet for the vacant title  

Also, Crawford has now formally vacated the IBF title, per IBF announcement. WBA vacating at 168 lb. is imminent  

Matchroom Boxing has announced the undercard for its January 24 DAZN card in Las Vegas topped by IBF lightweight titlist Raymond Muratalla’s mandatory defense against Andy Cruz. Co-feature will be the return of former WBA junior middleweight titlist Israil Madrimov vs. Luis David Salazar in a 10-round middleweight bout. Dan has more.

Per Dan's reporting, IBF featherweight titlist Angelo Leo’s second defense against South Africa’s Lerato Dlamini on February 21 in the ProBox TV headliner is postponed. Is it injury or scheduling?

Also, per Dan's reporting, the overdue fight between WBA junior welterweight titlist Gary Antuanne Russell and mandatory challenger and fellow southpaw Andy Hiraoka is being lined up for the pay-per-view undercard of WBC welterweight titlist Mario Barrios’ defense against Ryan Garcia on Feb. 21 in Las Vegas.

We have it all for you headed into the final weekend of the year on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview" Podcast and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

Coming up Saturday night in Saudi Arabia, it's the "Night of the Samurai" card from Riyadh season feturing a series of fights with Japanese stars and the card is headlined by undisputed junior featherweight champ Naoya "The Monster" Inoue back defending his titles in the main event.

However, the second biggest name is former three division world champ himself, Junto Nakatani, Inoue's new potential rival, fighting a non-title, tune up at 122 lb. And, the beileft is that Nakatani will be meeting Inoue in the Tokyo Dome coming in a massive all Japan showdown in 2026.

So, with all that in mind, our insider Dan Rafael went to work and scored a one on one conversation with Nakatani prior to him leaving for Saudi Arabia, to talk moving up in weight and possibly fighting Inoue, etc.?

Hear the conversation now, as Dan talks to Nakatani through the interpreter on a special "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.! 

It was KO return for former unified heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, as he did as expected and kayoed Jake Paul in the Miami main event Friday night. And, we are ready to discuss that fight, the entire card and be joined by a special guest, too on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives and insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter return with their takes.

The recap is from our early Saturday morning Youtube coverage on our Big Fight Weekend page and you'll hear the discussion of Jake Paul seemingly running throughout the first four rounds and eventually, Joshua got to him with big shots, knockdowns and the knockout. 

The guys also talk whether Joshua should take another fight before fighting Tyson Fury in 2026? And, they recap the undercard including the Alycia Baumgardner and Caroline Dubois victories. 

Then, hear Dan with former bantamweight champ Junto Nakatani, as he moves up to 122 lb. for a non-title, tune up with Sebastian Hernandez Saturday night on the "Night of the Samuri Card" from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Naoya "the Monster' Inoue defends the four 122 lb. titles in the main event and Nakatani may be his next opponent in a Japanese mega fight. It's all covered through an interpreter on the pod!

It's the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaer/Spotify, etc.

We've reached the fight weekend and the Friday night Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua heavyweight bout in Miami is happening and we're ready to discuss that bout, the undercard and have somee MASSIVE retirement news, too on the latest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast."

Host T.J. Rives returns with Insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter with their insight and analysis.

They begin with the preview of Friday night’s MVP/Netflix card
Jake Paul is meeting former unified champ Anthony Joshua, 8 rounds, heavyweights. Is this a "foregone conclusion" that Joshua wipes out the social media/Youtube star turned fighter? The guys have their takes. 

Also, Alycia Baumgardner vs. Leila Beaudoin, 12 rounds, for Baumgardner’s WBO/IBF/WBA women’s junior lightweight title is the co-feature. And, there is potentially a bigger bout on the horizon for Baumgardner if she gets the expected win.

Also MMA stars Anderson Silva vs. Tyron Woodley, 6 rounds, cruiserweights
And, highly regarded prospect Jahmal Harvey vs. Kevin Cervantes, 6 rounds, junior lightweights  

Then we have the recaps from Wednesday's Teiken Promotions card in Tokyo
Seiya Tsutsumi decisions Nonito Donaire, and keeps the WBA bantamweight crown. An entertaining bout. Dan has more.
Plus, Rene Santiago W12 over Kyosuke Takami and unifies the WBO/WBA 108 lb. titles. Plus, Anthony Olascuaga TKO4 Taku Kuwahara and keeps the WBO flyweight title.
 
Also, in the No Limit Boxing main event in Sydney, Australia
Tim Tszyu W10 Anthony Velazquez, 157 lb. catchweight fight. Does Tszyu have a future getting back to major title contention or not?
 
Then, some news
Bombshell- Terence Crawford retires on top.... but is it for real and could he be back by the middle of next year?

An update that WBO/WBA women’s featherweight champion Amanda Serrano will now face Reina Tellez January 3 instead of Erika Cruz due to Cruz's “atypical” drug test result. Dan has the latest. 

Badou Jack went to the hospital after losing WBC cruiserweight title to Noel Mikaelian last Saturday  night in L.A. due to a broken cheekbone.

And, Japanese junior lightweight Hayato Tsutsumi has suffered a fractured orbital bone during training, forcing his fight with WBA titlist James Dickens to be canceled from the “Ring V: Night of the Samurai” card on Dec. 27 (DAZN PPV) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

We cover it all on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview" Podcast and make sure to follow/subscribe on this feed on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

Coming up Friday night in Miami the hyped heavyweight bout between Jake Paul and former unified champ Anthony Joshua is really happening. The fighters have arrived in South Florida and appear ready to go. And, we have a special guest, who's on the blow by blow call of the bout for Netflix, in veteran broadcaster Crystina Poncher on this "BFW Preview Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives has the conversation with Crystina about how she got involved with this matchup in Miami? What does she think about the risks for both Jake and Joshua in this one? Also, there are a couple of talented world champion women's fighters on the card, as well, in Alycia Baumgardner defending her 130 lb. titles and England's Caroline Dubois defending her WBC lightweight crown.

Crystina gives thoughts on them in action and the rise of women's boxing through signings by Most Valuable Promotions.

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

The buildup is now fully in gear for Friday night's heavyweight spectacle in Miami, as social media star turned boxer Jake Paul takes on his biggest challenge to date (literally) in former unified heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua in Miami.

And, we're giving you an early preview on a special "BFW Preview Podcast" with host T.J. Rives and guests Ricky Carroll of BFW website and David Payne of Roundtable Sports Boxing coverage.

The guys go over a couple of interesting angles:

As Ricky and David are in the U.K. and Europe, what's the interest there for this bout?

Also, will this be Joshua hammering Paul quickly or will there be some caution and then, suspicion rising?

How big a risk is Joshua taking that it could mess up the Tyson Fury fight for him for 2026, if he some how loses this one?

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