We are back off a weekend that has seen some significant main event rematches in Las Vegas and Cancun, Mexico to analyze and give our takes on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast."
Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and newsletter to go over it all and give the insight.
They start with the Saturday Top Rank card on ESPN in Las Vegas, as Mikaela Mayer once again beats Sandy Ryan and retains WBO women’s welterweight title. An impressive showing from Mayer and what's possibly next?
In the co-feature, newly crowned Brian Norman smashes Derrieck Cuevas and retains his WBO welterweight title. Big fight in the offing for Norman at 147 lb. And, on the undercard Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington TKOs Jose Enrique Vivas early in the WBC featherweight final eliminator
Also, the Saturday Golden Boy card on DAZN in Cancun, Mexico with William Zepeda repeating a decision win by majority over Tevin Farmer and he remains the WBC interim lightweight champ. Plus,
Oscar Collazo stops Edwin Cano in the 5th round and retains WBO/WBA strawweight titles. Collazo is rolling.
Then, on Sunday in Japan: Melvin Jerusalem decisioned Yudai Shigeoka in their rematch to kee p the WBC strawweight title – Maybe he'll fight Collazo in Rematch to unify??
We turn to news with former WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder set to return to ring on June 27 after year layoff and four losses in his last five fights. Yes, T.J. asks "What are we doing here?!
Next, the IBF orders Lewis Crocker-Paddy Donovan 2 in a welterweight final eliminator after Donovan was controversially DQ’d in the eighth round after a punch KO’d Crocker a split second after the bell in their fight earlier this month.We discuss.
And, we have a rescheduled rematch between WBA junior bantamweight titlist Fernando Martinez and former four-division titlist Kazuto Ioka announced for May 11 in Tokyo. Had been set for Dec. 31 but Martinez became ill during fight week. Their first fight was epic 2024 fight of the year contender.
Finally, some Nostalgia
April 1, 2000 – 25 years ago on Tuesday – Chris Byrd TKO9 Vitali Klitschko to win the WBO heavyweight title as a short notice replacement in a monumental upset in Berlin, Germany.
April 1, 2006 – 19 years ago on Monday – Sergei Liakhovich W12 Lamon Brewster to win the WBO heavyweight title in probably the best heavyweight title title fight of the decade outside Lewis-Klitschko. Lots of big heavyweight drama in these fights!
It's all part of the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap" and make sure to follow/subscribe to this feed for all of our content on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!