Ring Champs with Ak & Barak

Everybody has a Mike Tyson story—but few have heard them like this. As Netflix’s ‘TYSON’ arrives, Michael Irvin, Zab Judah, Jake Paul, Christy Martin, Big Daddy Kane, Stephen Espinoza and Mauricio Sulaimán look back at the fear, generosity and unforgettable chaos surrounding the youngest heavyweight champion ever.
Zab tells the full story of crashing Tyson’s custom $100,000 Ducati and expecting the worst. Jake Paul explains why he held back after seeing Tyson stumble, Christy Martin remembers how Tyson supported her rise, Stephen Espinoza recalls the Aston Martin left in valet for nine months, and Mauricio Sulaimán shares what Tyson was like away from the spotlight in Mexico.

0:00 Michael Irvin on Tyson’s rise, intimidation and the Ali dream fight
4:14 Zab Judah’s $100K Ducati crash and Tyson’s response
18:22 AD BREAK
19:19 Jake Paul on holding back against Tyson
21:17 Christy Martin on Tyson’s support
22:50 Big Daddy Kane’s club story
24:53 AD BREAK
26:14 Stephen Espinoza’s nine-month Aston Martin story
30:46 Mauricio Sulaimán’s Tyson memories in Mexico

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Max Kellerman sits down with Ak and Barak in Las Vegas during Garcia–Benn fight week, and nobody leaves without an argument. He explains why he thinks the odds are close to zero that Terence Crawford never fights again, the Janibek plan that could make Bud boxing's first six-division champion, and why Boots Ennis is the dangerous fight. Then it gets heated: Max calls Canelo's run at 168 a cherry pick, the guys push back, and he lands on the one fighter he says Canelo did duck.

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Ring Champs is back on the road at Caribe Royale Orlando for Project Series 2, Matchroom and Boxlab Promotions’ proving ground live on DAZN. First up, AJ vs. Fury is official for December 11 in Cardiff on Netflix, but was it ever really in jeopardy? Barak calls it fake news, Ak pushes back with what Turki says the move cost, they argue whether this fight is bigger than Fury vs. Wilder, and Ak puts his prediction on record: AJ goes down, gets up, and knocks Tyson Fury out. Get ready to pull the receipts.
Then Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. drops in fresh off his win over Ammo Williams: the maturity shift that turned his career around, the 100-plus rounds with Jermall Charlo, sparring Boots, growing up in the gym with Shakur’s family and riding a 16-passenger van to tournaments with Tank, and why he thinks he could get a Canelo fight. Friday’s main event star Omari Jones talks headlining at home, and the Eddie Hearn meeting in Paris right after his Olympic bout.
Plus why Canelo vs. Mbilli is no soft touch, and a heated argument over whether Shakur is the best fighter in the world.
Project Series 2 will be LIVE on DAZN Friday, October 2nd.
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00:00:00 – Back on the Road at Caribe Royale for Project Series 2
00:01:01 – AJ vs. Fury: Fake News or Real Jeopardy?
00:03:45 – Too Late? The Presser & Bigger Than Fury vs. Wilder
00:08:41 – Fury Says He’s Going Straight at AJ
00:10:03 – Best British Heavyweight Ever on the Line
00:11:17 – Ak’s Prediction: Pull the Receipts
00:12:49 – AD BREAK
00:13:30 – Vito Mielnicki Jr. Joins: Beating Ammo Williams
00:15:04 – Turning Pro at 17 & Mistakes on Live TV
00:20:06 – Talking His Way Into Big Fights
00:22:58 – Sending Canelo Into Retirement?
00:23:52 – Sparring Boots & 100 Rounds With Charlo
00:28:06 – Growing Up With Shakur’s Family & Tank
00:32:54 – “I’m the Best Middleweight”
00:35:13 – AD BREAK
00:36:17 – Omari Jones: Headlining at Home
00:39:24 – Skipping the Four-Rounders & Building at 147
00:44:02 – Eddie Hearn’s Train to Paris
00:48:53 – A Word From Our Partners
00:49:45 – Canelo vs. Mbilli Is No Soft Touch
00:52:54 – Is Shakur the Best Fighter in the World?

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Recorded in Las Vegas on fight day, hours before Ryan Garcia knocked out Conor Benn and called him out, Teofimo Lopez sits down with Ak and Barak and lays out the plan everyone’s now talking about: Ryan Garcia, Cinco de Mayo weekend 2027, Los Angeles, WBA vs. WBC unification, then the Paro–Haney winner for undisputed and the Ring lineal belt, then Boots Ennis at 154. He also explains the disguise stunt he pitched to DAZN himself, why he thinks Shakur signing with Zuffa was “more money than legacy,” why he’d pick Crawford over Boots today, and why we haven’t seen anything close to the end of Tank Davis.

Then it gets real. Teofimo opens up about the loss to Shakur and the lesson underneath it: trusting his own decisions. That meant a long-overdue conversation with his father and trainer, putting him “on probation”, cutting him off on the business side, and watching him turn everything around.

Plus the full story of the $2.35 million purse bid Take Over Promotions dropped on Haney–Keyshawn (and the sealed-envelope technicality he let slide), making peace with DAZN five years after Kambosos, Lomachenko’s return as a free agent, his pick in AJ–Fury, and a Ring Champs exclusive: the name of the baby girl he and his wife are expecting any day.

0:00 Ring Champs on the road in Vegas with Teofimo Lopez
0:56 What Teofimo learned from the Shakur Stevenson fight
2:57 Taking charge of his career from his father
4:49 The private sit-down with Pops
8:11 Putting his dad on “probation” and bringing back Kay Lacroix
9:00 Dad’s transformation: 40 pounds up and done drinking
9:37 His parents’ 35-year marriage, fatherhood, and new baby girl
11:29 Ad break
13:20 The viral beard disguise during fight week
15:23 Teofimo’s relationship with DAZN
17:01 Why Teofimo bid in the Haney vs. Keyshawn purse bid
21:53 Fighter pay: still waiting on money from the Shakur fight
23:28 Wanting the Garcia vs. Benn winner and the “Four Kings” talk
25:06 Is Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis really done?
27:53 Loma’s comeback as a free agent
28:49 What’s next for Shakur Stevenson
30:27 Fury vs. AJ
31:48 Terence Crawford’s future and the Boots Ennis debate
37:00 Teofimo’s next three opponents

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Ring Champs takes over Las Vegas for Garcia–Benn fight week, and two welterweight legends stop by the MGM Grand. Terence Crawford pulls up first, happily retired and still watching everything, to explain the Boots Ennis post everyone misread, why “belt hunting” doesn’t add up when Canelo’s on the table, the holes he sees, the PBC wall that kept him from Spence for years, and the Eminem walkout that felt like a movie.

Brooklyn’s own Zab Judah, the newest member of the All The Smoke family, settles the Floyd-vs-Crawford-at-38 debate his way, talks Shakur vs. Pacquiao, and finally tells the whole Floyd Mayweather story: the knockdown that wasn’t, the $350,000 fine and one-year suspension, years of not speaking, the bottles he sent back with “send me a contract,” and the Pro Bowl meeting that ended it.

Then Richardson Hitchins is fresh off the plane with news: the Keyshawn Davis fight is close, and he explains the money that finally made sense, why he’s “definitely bigger than him,” what Shakur has to do when it’s signed, and why he believes this fight belongs on American soil.

0:00 - Terence Crawford Intro & reacting to Ryan Garcia’s “Avengers” jab
2:07 - Explaining the “check the temperature” retirement tease
3:20 - Boots Ennis
6:34 - Never ducking a fight: the PBC vs. Top Rank history
10:09 - Passing the undisputed torch & best Vegas fight nights
13:06 - Retirement, the Eminem walkout, and the Ukraine trip
16:25 - AD BREAK
17:00 - Zab Judah & the state of the welterweight division
18:53 - Shakur Stevenson’s next move & rumored Pacquiao fight
20:55 - Mayweather’s “phantom knockdown” vs. Judah & his defense
23:52 - Mayweather vs. Crawford: comparing résumés and biggest wins
29:03 - The Mayweather-Judah brawl and their years-long feud
37:39 - Judah brothers’ gym wars, Teofimo Lopez, and AJ-Fury talk
42:47 - First big payday, jewelry, and money regrets
46:11 - AD BREAK
47:33 - Richardson Hitchins joins the show & Keyshawn Davis talks
51:39 - Why AJ-Fury might land in Cardiff instead of the U.S.
53:31 - Zab breaks down the Hitchins-Davis styles matchup
55:19 - Hitchins on staying disciplined and avoiding vices
58:05 - Shakur-Devin Haney fight falling apart, and Devin’s size
1:00:32 - Fighting your boxing “brothers” for the big money
1:03:15 - Fight timeline and location debate

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One of the most influential promoters in combat sports history sits down with Ak and Barak. Scott Coker built Strikeforce from scratch, developed Ronda Rousey, Daniel Cormier, Fedor and a heavyweight division he says was better than the UFC’s — and then sold it in a deal he calls one of the worst days of his life. He opens up about the pressure campaign that came before the sale (“they couldn’t destroy us, so they had to negotiate”), the seven-year non-compete the lawyers demanded, and why his fighters never wanted to leave.

Then it turns to the money: the $500 million in purses he’s paid, the 58% of revenue Strikeforce shared with fighters, and the question about pay he says belongs to Dana White. Plus Cyborg calling out Claressa Shields and why he’d pay to see it, the truth about Conor McGregor’s injury and why he believes Conor can’t go out like that, the Crawford–McGregor $200M two-fight idea, remembering Kimbo Slice, and what’s next: $60 million raised for a new MMA venture that includes a one-year invite-only tournament at 126 pounds launching in 2027, built on the Super Six blueprint that made Andre Ward a star.

00:00 Intro: Welcoming Scott Coker
00:28 The Bellator–Showtime Years & COVID Fallout
02:12 Selling Strikeforce to the UFC
09:38 Building Bellator From the Ground Up
14:16 What Makes a Fighter a Star?
18:36 MMA Money vs. Boxing Money
22:06 Fighter Pay & the Strikeforce Model
33:05 Launching a New Tournament Promotion
34:01 Inspired by Pride & K1's Tournament Format
38:19 The $60M Funding Round
40:54 Weight Class Strategy & Q1 2027 Launch
58:49 Naming the New Company

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RING CHAMPS hits the road. Ak and Barak are live from the Stadium Club at Caribe Royale Orlando for the launch of the Project Series — Matchroom and Boxlab Promotions’ new proving ground on DAZN, where undefeated fighters actually fight each other. They break down what Teofimo Lopez just did to Rolly Romero in Vegas and why the casuals scoring it close need a lesson in how rounds actually work, then get into Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn and the keys for both men on September 12.

Then it gets loud: AJ vs. Fury is signed for Netflix, but the venue war is real — Wembley or Madison Square Garden? Ak makes his call on both the venue and the fight, and the argument that follows gets personal. Plus the prospect graveyard (the Felix Verdejo story Top Rank saw coming), the debut of a new segment, Who the Heck Is That?, and a sit-down with undefeated Christian “El Capitán” Barreto before he faces Corey Marksman in Friday’s main event of the inaugural Project Series broadcast.

Don’t miss Project Series, live from the Caribe Royale Orlando, Friday August 28th and streaming on DAZN.

00:00:00 – Cold Open: On the Road at the Stadium Club
00:02:38 – Teofimo Handles Rolly: The Recap
00:04:18 – Scoring 101: Body Shots Count & the 10-8 Debate
00:07:19 – What’s Next for Teofimo & Rolly
00:09:37 – What the Project Series Is: Projects vs. Prospects
00:14:23 – The Prospect Graveyard: Brandon Lee, Joey Spencer & Felix Verdejo
00:19:30 – The Ones They Got Right: Shakur at 17
00:22:59 – Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn: The Breakdown
00:27:02 – Ryan’s Jab, Conor’s Pressure & the Dogfight Question
00:32:24 – AJ vs. Fury: The Netflix Venue War
00:36:18 – The 4 A.M. Problem & the Falling-Asleep Argument
00:42:14 – Ak’s Call: “AJ Knocks Fury Out”
00:46:21 – New Segment Debut: Who the Heck Is That?
00:52:02 – Christian Barreto Joins the Show
00:56:22 – Cotto, Money & the Question He Wouldn’t Answer
01:03:19 – See You Friday/Wrap

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Ak and Barak break down Rolly Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez before Saturday’s title fight in Vegas: the smarter Rolly that showed up against Ryan Garcia, why Teofimo comes back different after a loss, and the style question that decides it. Then they get into Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn on September 12, why Conor has the most to gain, and the business story behind it all — the DAZN and PBC deal they never thought they’d see, and what it felt like betting their careers on “the app” back in 2018 when everyone called it suicide.

Plus: the report that AJ vs. Fury is headed to Madison Square Garden on Netflix — and why Barak thought it was fake news before making the case that New York wins. Canelo’s dangerous fight with Christian Mbilli that casuals are sleeping on. A heated argument about Micky Ward, belts, and what actually makes a legacy. And finally a farewell to Errol Spence: the career, the what-ifs, and the Hall of Fame verdict.

0:00 – Intro
0:43 – DAZN’s rise and the PBC/DAZN partnership
3:59 – Can boxing’s rival networks coexist?
5:09 – Promoters, networks & fighter loyalty debate
7:17 – Rolly Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez preview
10:39 – Styles breakdown: Romero vs. Lopez
14:18 – Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn intro
15:17 – DAZN vs. Zuffa: the promotional landscape
16:51 – Garcia’s recent form & Benn’s résumé
18:20 – Conor Benn interview callback & legacy debate
22:11 – Garcia vs. Benn matchup & odds
24:32 – Who benefits more from a win?
27:24 – AD BREAK
30:12 – Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury reportedly heading to MSG
36:10 – Canelo’s next fight and the danger of overlooking Mbili
38:33 – Errol Spence Jr.’s career tribute & Hall of Fame case

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Edgar Berlanga sits down with Ak & Barak to finally clear the air — addressing the on-camera tension with Ak head-on before diving into everything else. From there, “The Chosen One” opens up about the toughest stretch of his career, the massive payday from signing with Zuffa Boxing, and why he says it’s already outpacing what he made fighting Canelo.

The conversation covers his fallout with Top Rank and Bob Arum vs. Todd DuBoef, the real story behind his beef with Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn (including getting shut out of ringside tickets), the rise of his viral song “Baby Mama” and plans for a full EP, and a no-holds-barred Untold Stories segment. He closes it out naming his next three dream opponents — and the one rematch he’d want above all else.

0:00 Intro
0:46 Addressing the tension with Ak
6:23 The Sheeraz loss, the dark place
11:55 - AD BREAK
14:29 Fat Joe loyalty — origin story
20:37 MSG pressure, the knockdown & comeback KO
28:20 The Angulo fight — dirty tactics
29:28 Leaving Top Rank
31:19 The Canelo fight, mindset, biggest purse
43:43 Signing with Zuffa Boxing
46:30 “Baby Mama” origin story
53:19 Oscar De La Hoya & Eddie Hearn tension
1:05:31 Untold Stories
1:09:19 Is the persona a show?
1:11:11 Haney/Keyshawn Davis, Hitchins talk
1:20:45 Next 3 opponents, Canelo rematch dream

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The first football guest in RING CHAMPS history is a Hall of Famer who’s been ringside for boxing’s biggest nights. Michael Irvin sits down with Ak and Barak and starts at the beginning: the 15th of 17 kids, bused 25 miles out of the ghetto at five years old & feeling inferior in an all-white school post-integration, until a tutor threw him a football and said the words that changed his life. He opens up about the father who never saw him play, driving him to cancer treatments at 15, the promise he made the night before he died, and why he wore 88 for his dad’s favorite Cowboy.

Then the boxing stories come out. Dinner with Mike Tyson fresh out of prison (and the moment with the waiter Irvin will never forget), why the Buster Douglas loss hurt him like nothing else in sports, the Chávez–Taylor war that made him ask for the only autograph of his life, his breakdown of how Ali vs. Tyson actually goes, his love for Terence Crawford, and his shock at what Floyd Mayweather is going through.

Plus the truth about Deion Sanders, the physics of why cornerbacks couldn’t press him, and the prison-mentality workouts that built a Hall of Fame career.

00:00 – Intro & Welcoming Michael Irvin
00:52 – Growing Up in Segregation-Era Florida
02:06 – Feeling Inferior & Discovering He Could Be Special
04:37 – St. Thomas Aquinas, Miss Jones & Fighting to Play
07:50 – Moving from Defense to Wide Receiver
10:05 – Freshman Year at Miami Under Jimmy Johnson
12:21 – His Father: The Pastor Who Never Saw Him Play
15:16 – Losing His Father & the Promise He Made
18:02 – Giving Back to St. Thomas Aquinas
20:35 – Ad Break
21:45 – Realizing He Was a Special Wide Receiver
22:59 – Miami Hurricanes Legends & Cowboys Brotherhood
25:13 – Buying Family Homes & Helping Without Hurting
27:21 – Chasing Jerry Rice & Darrell Green
28:23 – Fear, Courage & the Mental Game of Football
31:26 – The Legendary Super Bowl Catch
32:22 – Becoming a Mike Tyson Superfan
35:51 – Deion Sanders & Paying It Forward
39:46 – Boxing’s Meaning & Today’s Top Fighters
44:34 – Greatest Fights, Dream Matchups & the Tyson Dinner Story

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