Minnesota Fight Night

“Bring your son in and I will make him a world champion.” A legendary boxing trainer, the late great Emanuel Steward, made that bold prediction years ago in a conversation with the father of Minnesota boxer Colton Warner. On October 22 in Hinckley, the younger Warner will try to move a step closer to world title contention as he takes on Blaine Perrigo in a heavyweight showdown. Warner is 2-0 heading into the fight. In the following interview, Warner talks about what it was like training and sparring with heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, and working with elite trainer SugarHill Steward, nephew of Emanuel. He also takes a deep dive into the current state of the heavyweight division, among other topics. Intro music: “Ali Shuffle,” by the Toler/Townsend Band. Special thanks to Deb Toler. The full instrumental is available for purchase: music.apple.com/us/album/ali-shuffle/334927560?i=334927635 BoxRec: Colton Warner

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In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, Minnesota-based super middleweight boxer Tony Woods returns to the show to preview his October 22 fight in Hinckley. A member of the One-Two Boxing family of fighters, Woods will attempt to improve his pro record to 8-0. Standing in his way is Brandon Baue, a rugged veteran with 40 pro fights under his belt. Besides talking about his own fight, Woods — a knowledgeable boxing fan — shares his thoughts on other happenings in the world of boxing, including the upcoming heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. Intro music: “Ali Shuffle,” by the Toler/Townsend Band. Special thanks to Deb Toler. The full instrumental is available for purchase: music.apple.com/us/album/ali-shuffle/334927560?i=334927635 BoxRec: Antonio Woods https://www.one-twoboxing.com/

At age 52, Minnesota boxer Marty "The Wolfman" Lindquist shows no signs of slowing down. A popular combat sports veteran with a pro boxing record of 14-12, Lindquist returns to the squared circle on Saturday, Oct. 2, as part of a Valhalla Combat Sports event at Element Gym in St. Paul. His opponent, making his pro boxing debut, is Victor Josef Temnograd of Minneapolis. In the following interview, Lindquist talks about his long boxing and kickboxing career, his work as a boxing trainer at Valhalla and much more. He also gives the inside story behind his stunning 2006 10-second knockout of Max Alexander, a then-unbeaten rising star from Philadelphia. Though the result was later changed to a no-decision, Lindquist proved one thing that night: If you take the Wolfman lightly, you do so at your own risk. Intro music: “Ali Shuffle,” by the Toler/Townsend Band. Special thanks to Deb Toler. The full instrumental is available for purchase: music.apple.com/us/album/ali-shuffle/334927560?i=334927635

(1) Valhalla Combat Sports | Facebook

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, we glance back at the nationally televised Aug. 7 card at the Minneapolis Armory. On that card, Mykal Fox came in on short notice to fight Gabriel Maestre for an interim WBA welterweight title. Most observers believe Fox won the fight, but the judges gave it to Maestre, a two-time Olympian. We interviewed Fox mere minutes after the fight, and you'll hear our conversation in this episode. Also featured are interviews with Luis Collazo, whose Aug. 7 fight with Eimantas Stanionis ended in a no-decision after a clash of heads, and Lucas Santamaria, who upset former two-division world champion Devon Alexander. The Minnesota Fight Night podcast's intro music is "Ali Shuffle," a fabulous instrumental by the great Toler-Townsend Band. Used with permission. Special thanks to Deb Toler. You can find the entire instrumental here: Ali Shuffle by Toler / Townsend Band on Amazon Music - Amazon.com. Be sure to check it out.

Minnesota boxing fans will get a chance to see one of the sport's best young prospects in action this Sunday night at the Armory as unbeaten rising star Jesus Ramos Jr. of Arizona tries to move a step closer to a world title shot. But he faces a tough test in veteran Brian Mendoza, a native of New Mexico now fighting out of Las Vegas. Mendoza has won 19 of 20 professional bouts. This episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast features interviews with both fighters, including an extended chat with Mendoza. We also have an in-depth interview with Minneapolis fighter Ve Shawn Owens (12-2), who talks about his September 5 return to the Armory. At the time of the interview, an opponent had not yet been named. Owens, an Armory fan favorite, is 3-1 at the Minneapolis venue. In addition, we catch up with Armando "El Toro" Resendiz, a promising young Mexican fighter who plans to train out of Minneapolis. Resendiz takes on tough Marcos Hernandez (14-4-2) of Fresno, California. The fights are part of a nationally televised PBC on FOX card. We start out with audio from the PBC's Miguel Flores, who introduces the headliners at Saturday's weigh-in. The Minnesota Fight Night podcast's intro music is "Ali Shuffle," a fabulous instrumental by the great Toler-Townsend Band. Used with permission. Special thanks to Deb Toler. You can find the entire instrumental here: Ali Shuffle by Toler / Townsend Band on Amazon Music - Amazon.com. Be sure to check it out.

For the second time this summer, the eyes of the boxing world will be on Minneapolis as the historic Armory hosts a nationally televised boxing event this Saturday night, August 7. Some of the top welterweights in the world will be featured on the card, which will be shown live on FOX. Headlining the card is a WBA title eliminator pitting hard-hitting rising welterweight contender Eimantas Stanionis against former world champion Luis Collazo. At stake is the WBA’s interim welterweight title.

In the co-feature, former two-time Olympian Gabriel Maestre takes on Mykal Fox, winner of 22 of 24 professional fights. Maestre has taken the boxing world by storm as a pro after a decorated amateur career. He represented Venezuela in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and is now 3-0 as a pro with three KOs. In yet another compelling welterweight match-up, former two-division world champion Devon Alexander “The Great” returns to the squared circle after a two-year layoff. Alexander faces a tough challenge in the person of Lucas Santamaria of Garden Grove, California.

An interested observer at the fights will be Armory fan favorite Jamal “Shango” James of Minneapolis. James holds the WBA’s regular welterweight title.

Premier Boxing Champions held a press conference for Saturday’s card in downtown Minneapolis Thursday, and the Minnesota Fight Night Podcast was there. In this episode, we present highlights from the press conference, as well as one-on-one interviews with Collazo, Alexander and Maestre.

In the exclusive Minnesota Fight Night interviews, Alexander talks about his connections to Minnesota boxing and his current mindset as he reboots his career. Also, Brooklyn, New York, fighter Collazo expands on his announcement that Saturday’s fight will likely be his last -- and he throws in a mention of his favorite Minnesota Vikings player. In a stellar career, Collazo has won 39 of 47 professional fights and has been in the ring with the likes of Keith Thurman, Amir Kahn, Victor Ortiz and Sammy Vargas.

The Minnesota Fight Night podcast's intro music is "Ali Shuffle," a fabulous instrumental by the great Toler-Townsend Band. Used with permission. Special thanks to Deb Toler. You can find the entire instrumental here: Ali Shuffle by Toler / Townsend Band on Amazon Music - Amazon.com. Be sure to check it out.

The Minnesota Fight Night podcast has introduced listeners to multiple world champions, former champions, contenders and promoters. At the same time, we strive to shine a light on beginners and aspiring boxers. Among those just starting their boxing journey is Prescott Hutton, a 16-year-old former competitive swimmer from Maplewood. "I'm probably the last person you'd expect to be boxing," says Hutton,  who works out at Rice Street Old School Boxing Gym in St. Paul. In the following interview, Hutton talks about how boxing ties in with his fitness goals, what drew him to the sport and more. He even confesses to having a fondness for '80s music. What's not to like about that? Sean Strauss did the honors for this interview. In addition, the Minnesota Fight Night podcast is proud to unveil its new intro music: "Ali Shuffle," a fabulous instrumental by the great Toler-Townsend Band. Used with permission. Special thanks to Deb Toler. You can find the entire instrumental here: Ali Shuffle by Toler/ Townsend Band on Amazon Music - Amazon.com. Be sure to check it out.

It's "Cuba vs. Mexico" as pro boxing returns to The Armory this Sunday, June 27, in a nationally televised fight card on FOX. In the main event, David Morrell Jr., a native of Cuba now fighting out of Minneapolis, defends his WBA Super Middleweight title against Mario Cazares of Mexico. Both fighters are unbeaten. Morrell and Cazares previewed the fight at a Friday morning press conference in Minneapolis -- and the Minnesota Fight Night podcast was there. This special edition of the podcast offers highlights from the presser and one-on-one interviews with the PBC's Miguel Flores and Warriors Boxing President Leon Margules. Warriors Boxing is promoting the event.

Nearly two years after his last official fight, Minnesota boxer Ve Shawn Owens returns to the ring on Sunday, June 27, at the Minneapolis Armory. Owens, who fights out of the Circle of Discipline in Minneapolis, takes on Joseph Francisco of Jacksboro, Tennessee, as part of a nationally televised card. A decorated amateur, Owens had more than 100 fights in the unpaid ranks before turning pro in 2015. He has had his hand raised in 11 of 13 pro fights, including 10 wins by knockout. In the following interview, Owens talks about the upcoming fight and his decision to move down in weight to 140 pounds. The Minneapolis boxer also discusses his vegan diet, his status as unofficial chef in training camp, how he got into boxing, his epic battle with "The Towering Inferno," Sebastian Fundora, and much more.