It was another light weekend in the ring, but we have the recap of the MVP show in Orlando, FL, including an upset in a wild junior middleweight bout. That and some interesting fight news are all part of the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast."

Host T.J. Rives is back with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter. They have takes on it all

Starting with the recap of Saturday’s MVP/DAZN card
Flyweight Yankiel Rivera draw with Angelino Cordova, for vacant WBA interim title leads, but this fight a "stink bomb."

Bigger was the junior middleweight battle with Abass Baraou and Yoenis Tellez, won by Baraou and he's now the WBA interim champ. The final round was also fantastic and the guys discuss it all. 

 Also, lightweight Lucas Bahdi decisioned Roger Gutierrez and wins a WBA eliminator bout.
 
And, from Friday night MVP/DAZN card
Heavily touted junior lightweight Jahmal Harvey, a 2024 U.S. Olympian, won his pro debut by first-round TKO. Dan has more on his potential.
 
Next, some news:

Canelo Alvarez posts photos of "Boots" Ennis in camp sparring with him. Interesting stuff to say the least. We discuss. Plus, Nevada State Athletic Commission selected the Canelo-Crawford referee and judges. Also, the guys also discuss the moving of the UNLV college footall game from Allegiant Stadium in Vegas and what they got financially from TKO Promotions to switch their game to this weekend. 

 
Moving on, one time heavyweight contender Ike Ibeabuchi, now 52 years old and out of the ring for 26 years (much of it spent in prison), returned to the ring Saturday night in Lagos, Nigeria. He stopped Idris Afinni (now 18-9-2) in the third round. Dan reminisces on Ibeabuchi.

Also, speaking of the heavyweights, the Jarrell Miller-Michael Hunter heavyweight bout that was supposed to be September 11th in Las Vegas on a card during Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford fight week has been canceled. We go through the typical boxing shennanigans that include... 94 year old Don King being involved. 

And, we wrap up with former WBA junior lightweight titlist Hector Luis Garcia announcing his retirement earlier in the week.

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

In late August it's another light weekend, but we have plenty of fight news to go over and more on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael to go over it all.

First, a preview of the Saturday MVP card on DAZN in Orlando
Yankiel Rivera meets Angelino Cordova, 12 rounds, for the vacant WBA interim flyweight title and
Yoenis Tellez vs. Abass Baraou, 12 rounds, for Tellez’s WBA interim junior middleweight title. They are solid fights, even if the WBA is a joke with secondary titles, and the guys go over it.
 
Next, some news:
Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis announce an exhibition bout November 14th on Netflix at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. We will say... WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?!

Some notable fights in process of being made or made at 154:Sebastian Fundora- Keith Thurman, Vergil Ortiz Jr.-Erickson Lubin, Bahkram Mutazaliev-Josh Kelly, Serhei Bohachuk- Brandon Adams rematch all upcoming. We have the latest.

Top Rank announces a contract extension with WBO welterweight titlist Brian Norman Jr.

Daniel Dubois fires trainer Don Charles, now to be trained by Mark Tibbs, in wake of his KO loss to Oleksandr Usyk last month.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. deported this week after his arrest in July by the American DHS and is now in a Mexican jail.

And, the WBO orders a cruiserweight interim title fight because Zurdo Ramirez has shoulder surgery and is out rest of year. So, Chris Billam-Smith meets Roman Fress ordered.

It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe to us on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, etc.

Well, we have the answer on whether British heavyweight phenom Moses Itauma would wipe out his first "named" opponent and we're ready to recap that fight/the Riyadh DAZN card and more on the newest "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast."

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

They Recap Saturday’s Queensberry/DAZN PPV card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where Itauma took two mintues to dispatch Dillian Whyte and grow his legend. The guys have thoughts on Itauma an what should be next. Is it possibly Filip Hrgovic who had a battle on the undercard, including a great 8th round of drama, with David Adeleye before winning by decision? Or will it be someone else?


Also, featherweight Nick Ball won a hard fought decison over Sam Goodman and retains his WBA title. Will unification be next for Ball.

Also, Junior lightweight Hayato Tsutsumi squahes Qais Ashfaq, junior lightweight Raymond Ford defeats vet Abraham Nova in 10 and lightweight prospect Mohammed Alakel KO's Yumnam Santosh Singh in one round.

News
Lots of fights in works at 154 lbs: Sebastian Fundora-Keith Thurman headed for an Oct 25th PBC PPV at MGM Grand? It looks like it. We have more. 

Plus, Vergil Ortiz–Erickson Lubin headed for the week before, Oct. 18 on DAZN. And, Serheii Bohachuk-Brandon Adams will rematch Sept. 13 on Canelo-Crawford undercaard. Adams handed Bohachuk first loss by 8th-rd TKO 2021. 

Also, Liam Paro will face David Papot in an IBF welterweight title eliminator for the mandatory position on Sept. 18 in Brisbane, Australia, No Limit Boxing announced the bout.

And finally, former WBA welterweight titlist Eimantas Stanionis returns vs. South Africa’s Jabulani Makhense at 150 pounds catchweight on Sept. 27th in Stanionis’ hometown of Kaunas, Lithuania, Stanionis announced. This will be Stanionis' first ever pro fight in his home country and his first fight since a one-sided sixth-round knockout to Jaron “Boots” Ennis in their April unification fight
 
Finally, some nostalgia

Aug. 19, 2017 – 8 years ago on Tuesday – Terence Crawford demolishes Julius Indongo to unify the four titles and become undisputed junior welterweight champion. Big Dan was ringside in Lincoln, Nebraska and reminisces.

It's all on the "Figtht Freaks Unite Recap Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify! 

Finally we get a big time fight card this weekend in Saudi Arabia and we're ready to go over the return of phenom heavyweight Moses Itauma, have some fight news discussion and more on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast."

Host T.J. Rives is back with insider Dan Rafael to go over it all.

First, the take a look at Satrurday’s Riyadh Season DAZN PPV in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Itauma has his first "named test" in Dillian Whyte, 10 rounds, heavyweights. Time to see what the youngster can do against a proven vet and will the hype continue after this one? 

In the co-feature Nick Ball takes on Sam Goodman for Ball’s WBA featherweight title. The highly entertaining champ from Liverpool, England will battle the top contender from Australia in this one. 

Also there's talk of Filip Hrgovic vs. David Adeleye in a heavyweight matchup and American Raymond Ford battles countryman Abraham Nova in a junior lightweight showdown.

Then, some news
The Canelo-Crawford undercard was announced: jjunior middleweight prospects Callum Walsh and Fernando Vargas Jr. will fight the 10-round co-feature and WBC interim super middleweight titleholder Christian Mbilli, a potential 2026 opponent for Alvarez, defends against rising contender Lester Martinez.

Also, Paramount+, just off this week’s massive seven-year, $7.7 billion deal for all United States broadcast and streaming rights for UFC, is reportedly also the “front-runner” for Zuffa Boxing rights, per Front Office Sports. We discuss the massive money being thrown the UFC's way, while boxing cannot get a fraction of those kind of deals.

Next, the domestic violence case against WBA lightweight titleholder Gervonta Davis was dropped on Tuesday, according to the Miami-Dade County Court. The woman declined to prosecute. We discuss and Dan has a theory on Davis' next big battle.

Oh, and there's Jason “Boots” Ennis, who recently vacated his unified welterweight title to move up to junior middleweight. But, not for a huge fight, rather, he is set for his debut in perhaps boxing’s deepest division in garbage fight vs. unknown Uisma Lima in a WBA title eliminator Oct.11 on DAZN at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Ennis’ hometown. What are we doing here (Part 1)?!

And, apparently, there is a real chance that Anthony Joshua will fight Jake Paul next, per Eddie Hearn in various interviews. What are we doing here (part 2)?!


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

Coming up on Saturay night August 16th, British heavyweight phenom Moses Itauma looks to take his biggest step yet towards being a contender. That's when he meets former multi-time world title challenger Dillian Whyte in a DAZN PPV main event from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The unbeaten Itauma is not yet 21 years old, but has already created buzz with 10 KOs in his first 12 victories. And, some are wondering if he's a "Mike Tyson 2.0" with all of the big KOs? 

Well, HEAR him here in a one on one conversation with our insider Dan Rafael for more.

It's al part of our coveage from the "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" as part of this feed and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

It was another light weekend in big time boxing, but we do have a card to discuss. Plus, hear from a prominent boxing play by play broadcaster and the guys also go over the horrible news of not one, but two Japanese fighters off the same early August card dying after their fights. It's all on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast."

Host T.J. Rives is back with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and newsletter to go over it all.

Dan has the recap of the Friday card in Benghazi, Libya
Featherweight Mirco Cuello big KO2 of Sergio Rios Jimenez and wins (don't laugh) the vacant WBA interim title. Also, light heavyweight Albert Ramirez scored an impressive TKO of Jerome Pampellone, and also wins a vacant WBA interim title. And, a large upset as lightweight Francisco Fonseca decisioned Sofiane Oumiha on this card.

Next, hear a portion of our Youtube live show with DAZN's Todd Grisham. 
Grisham talks the recent Oscar Duarte and Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez wins in broadcasts he's done, as we play a portion of the show.

Then, some News

Horiibly, two Japanese fighters both suffered fatal brain injuries on the same August 2nd Teiken Promotions card in Tokyo – junior lightweight Shigetoshi Kotari died on Friday after fighting to a draw in the 12-round main event and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa died on Saturday following an eighth-round KO loss in an eight-rounder. It's awful and Dan explains more about how neither fight seemed to be leading to such a tragic ending. Also, the Japanese Boxing Committee will now look to shorten some regional title fights out of safety concerns.

Next, lineal/unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol will be sidelined for the rest of the year after undergoing back surgery in his hometown of Saint Petersburg, Russia, on Friday. We have more, including does this maybe mean that Artur Beterbiev and David Benavidez might fight each other, if they both win on the November Riyadh Season Card in Saudi Arabia?

Not unexpectedly, WBC/IBF bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani announced he will vacate his titles and move up junior featherweight, putting him in Naoya Inoue’s division for a possible all-Japan mega fight in the spring.

And, after Sky Sports declined to renew its broadcast deal with Boxxer Promotions, one of the United Kingdom’s leading promoters, it has struck a deal with the BBC, which has not shown boxing in 21 years. Dan goes over it all.

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

A very light weekend of action in the ring, but plenty to go over and British rising heavyweight phenom Moses Itauma is with us,, too, on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast."

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

First a quick preview of the Friday afternoon card in Benghazi, Libya (?) on DAZN
Mirco Cuello meets Sergio Rios Jimenez, for the vacant WBA interim featherweight title and
Albert Ramirez takes Jerome Pampellone, WBA light heavyweight eliminator. Dan has more on why these fights are there and what's worth watching?
 
Next it's the Itauma interview
He takes a big step up vs. former top contender and fellow Brit Dillian Whyte in the main event of a DAZN PPV on Aug. 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Is Itauma trending to a title shot soon? Hear him in his own words Big Dan.

Then, some fight news
A new date for Chris Eubank Jr.-Conor Benn rematch. Now Nov. 15 after Turki Alashikh previously announced it for Sept. 20th.

Former undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev is moving on, at least for now, from next facing unified champion Dmitry Bivol for the third time and will face Deon Nicholson on Nov. 22 on the big card in Riyadh headlined by WBC light heavyweight champ David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde. T.J. wonders for us all "What are We Doing Here?!" with Beterbiev?

Meanwhile, Oscar De La Hoya said he is not at all interested in making a rematch between Ryan Garcia and Rolando Romero and would prefer to match Garcia with Teofimo Lopez.

A big signing for Most Valuable Promotions – Junior lightweight Jahmal Harvey, a 2024 U.S. Olympian, whom Dan and many others are high on. He talks why.

And, former junior lightweight and featherweight titlist Oscar Valdez is going home. He will face Ricky Medina in a 10-rounder on Sept. 6 in his hometown of Nogales, Mexico. The guys discuss this and since he's a Top Rank main event fighter, what's going on with them finding a broadcast outlet?

It's all on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

Coming up in September, two division undisputed world champ and future hall of famer Terence Crawford will face, by far, his biggest name/challenge to date. That's when he moves up to super middleweight to meet Canelo Alvarez in one of the mega-fights of this decade.

But, before the mayhem of that showdown Crawford, the former undisputed world junior welterweight and welterweight champ talked one on one with our insider Dan Rafael. 

Hear him discuss what motivated him to try this, when clearly he's made monstrous money already and Alvarez is significantly bigger and more powerful than anyone he's ever fought as a pro? Plus, what about his place in history, if he can pull the upset against the Mexican legend? And, what about the massive setting inside Las Vegas' Allegiant Football Stadium, where over 60,000 fans are expected to be part of the showdown?

It's all in this conversation with "Bud" Crawford here on our Big Fight Weekend Podcast feed on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

We are back for the first time in August and ready to review the weekend action and also hear from one of the premiere fighters in the sport on the latest "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast."

Host T.J. Rives is joined by insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter.

They begin with the:

Recap of Friday night in Caracas, Venezuela that was on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes
Junior flyweight Carlos Canizales kayoes Panya Pradabsri to win the WBC title in a mandatory immediate rematch. Canizales avenged a controversial decision loss in December in Thailand. The rematch was a wild shootout with both fighters down that was nonstop action. We discuss the bout and the future for Canizales.
 
Next is the recap of Saturday night’s Golden Boy DAZN card in Chicago
Junior welterweight Oscar Duarte defeats Kenneth Sims Jr. in a hotly contested WBA eliminator. We asses that fight and what's next for Duarte. In the co-feature it was a junior welterweight brawl between to aged/worn fighters in Regis Prograis and Joseph Diaz Jr. Prograis wins by decision but took punishment too. What's next for him. Also, rising heayweight prospect Joshua Edwards scored an easy TKO1 over Cayman Audie. Dan wonders how fast Edwards can rise?
 
Then, it's a one on one Terence Crawford interview with Big Dan

He challenges Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight title on Sept.13. Hear how his preparation is going and more in this conversation.
 
Finally, some brief news
Matchroom and DAZN announce 4 September/October cards, mainly British oriented plus Eduard "Sugar" Nunez's 130 lb. title defense upcoming.

And, Queensberry Promotions is loading up on light heavys – signing top contender Josh Buatsi and European champion Bradley Rea on Friday. We go over the implications.

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

We get ready for the first weekend in August and one prominent fight card in the U.S. in Chicago, plus we have fight news and several prominent boxing deaths to go over on the latest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast."

Host T.J. Rives and insider Dan Rafael return to go over it all.

They start first with 

Recaps of Wednesday’s Teiken Promotions card from Yokohama, Japan
Flyweight Ricardo Sandoval upsets Kenshiro Teraji viia split decision  and wins the WBC/WBA titles in a huge upset. How did Sandoval pull it off and what does it mean for his future? In the co-feature
bantamweight Antonio Vargas gets a draw with Daigo Higa and retains WBA title in a wild ending. And, junior flyweight Kosuke Takami scores a TKO10 over Erick Rosa and wins the WBA title.
 
Next a preview of Saturday’s Golden Boy DAZN card in Chicago
Oscar Duarte meets Kenneth Sims Jr., in a junior welterweight showdown that has some intrigue. Meanwhile, the co-feature has former world champs Regis Prograis and Joseph Diaz Jr. in a "last gasp" type junior welterweight matchup. Also young Joshua Edwards is in a heavyweight fight and Dan has more.
 
Some News
Three obitiuaries to go over: HOF light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi dying late last week, HOF matmaker/promoter Don Elbaum, a true character of the sport and top trainer Tommy Brooks also passed away. Dan has plenty on all of their careers and contributions.

Next, the WBC has stripped Mexico's Francisco Rodriguez Jr. of the WBC interim flyweight title after his positive drug test and ordered a rematch with England's Galal Yafai. The WBC also gave him year of ”probation” but no other real punishment. but the.BBBofC has yet to officially weigh in.

And, former IBF junior welterweight titlist Liam Paro announced he is moving up to welterweight and will forego an IBF 140-pound title eliminator ordered against Lindolfo Delgado. Paro is calling out Keith Thurman (at 150 lb) and of course, Manny Pacquiao. How realistiic are either.

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