Fighter Health Podcast

Lou DiBella's professional involvement with boxing began when he was appointed Vice President of Programming at HBO Sports in 1989. Over the course of a little over a decade, he and HBO Sports President built HBO into the undisputed champion of boxing broadcasting. In 2000, he left to become an adviser to boxers and then a prinoter, as hewd of DiBella Entertainment. But DiBella, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020, has had enough of the sport. In this typically forthright conversation, DiBella talks about fighter health, steroid abuse, and more, and why he is now focusing on his other life as owner of minor league baseball's Richmond Flying Squirrels.

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In what is probably the most personal and revealing interview we've done, Ishe Smith, former IBF junior middleweight titlist and the first native-born Las Vegan to win a world title, opens up on his career, on being underpaid and becoming bankrupt, of being on “The Contender,” on bouncing back to become world champion and then having to cope with the murder of his ex-wife and the mother of his children. Ishe also talks about fighter health, the need for PED testing, and so much more. It's a must-listen.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fighterhealthpodcast.substack.com

One of the most experienced officials in boxing, Duane Ford judged over 700 fights, including 300 title bouts, in his career. He is now president of the North American Boxing Federation and a vice president of the World Boxing Council. In this episode, he discusses training officials, secrets for maintaining maximum concentration ringside, how to make scoring clearer and more comprehensible, and some of his own more controversial scores.

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In this abbreviated episode, recorded at the International Boxing Hall of Fame, we speak with newly-minted Hall of Famer Nigel Benn about wars in the ring and finding a purpose beyond boxing. And we are joined by four-division world titlist Mikey Garcia, who shares his advice for any young boxer looking for a healthy and prosperous career.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fighterhealthpodcast.substack.com

In our second of three episodes from the International Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend, we speak with former middleweight champion and 2026 inductee Gennady Golovkin, his former promoter Tom Loeffler and trainer Abel Sanchez, and cutman and trainer Russ Anber, also a 2026 inductee.

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This week, we feature the first of three episodes recorded at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. Each episode will feature three quick interviews from Hall-of-Famers and others from the boxing business. This week: former ringside physician and 2026 IBHOF inductee Dr. Flip Homansky, 2023 inductee and former two-weight champion Tim Bradley, and former heavyweight challenger Gerry Cooney.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fighterhealthpodcast.substack.com

Few people in boxing are in less need of an introduction than Christy Martin. Hall of Famer, former world champion, women's boxing pioneer, Sports Illustrated cover girl, Martin is now a boxing promoter. But she is so much more besides. She was shot, stabbed, and left for dead by her former husband. She suffered a stroke after a routine operation. And she is the founder of Christy’s Champs, dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence. In this episode, she talks about her career in and out of the ring, her advice for young boxers, her thoughts on the rise of women's boxing and the challenging state of the business more generally, the importance of Christy's Champs - and also about being portrayed on the silver screen by Sydney Sweeney.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fighterhealthpodcast.substack.com

On February 22, 2026, after eight rounds of her scheduled 10-round 140 pound title defense against Edith Soledad Matthysse, Samantha Worthington was on course to improve her record to 13-0 and potentially set up a lucrative clash with Katie Taylor. But then the evening took a sudden and dramatic turn. In this special episode, Worthington talks about her life, her career, her faith, and the night that changed everything.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fighterhealthpodcast.substack.com

Josh Dubin is the Executive Director of the Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo Law and was the first-ever Innocence Ambassador Advisor for The Innocence Project. He is also an accomplished, exerienced, and highly regarded legal adviser to a number of boxers past and present, including Lennox Lewis, Andre Ward, and Shakur Stevvenson. In this episode, he talks about his involvement in boxing, how he feels watching his boxers compete, the changes sweeping through the industry, and how fighters can best protect themselves and their careers.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fighterhealthpodcast.substack.com

Randy Couture is one of the most celebrated and accomplished mixed martial artists in history. He is a three-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and interim UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He is the first fighter in history to win a UFC championship in two different divisions, is tied for the most wins in UFC Heavyweight Championship bouts, had the most title reigns in the UFC, and was the fourth member of the UFC Hall of Fame.

Since retiring, he has appeared in more than 70 movies and counting, including The Expendables franchise. He also remains a passionate advocate for the rights of pro fighters, and in this episode he shows he is unafraid to challenge and upset those in the industry whom he believes don't have fighters' interests at heart.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fighterhealthpodcast.substack.com