The Opening Bell; A boxing podcast

By Matt Christie and Alex Steedman

Every Thursday Matt Christie and Alex Steedman look at the latest boxing news headlines, review and preview the big fights and speak to the many fascinating characters who make boxing what it is.

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FAQs about The Opening Bell; A boxing podcast:

How many episodes does The Opening Bell; A boxing podcast have?

The podcast currently has 152 episodes available.

The Opening Bell; A boxing podcast episodes:

August 11, 2026 BROOK BACK: EUBANK NEXT?
Kell Brook this week announced he will be coming back in a
‘massive fight’ later in the year at the age of 40, highlighting once again how
difficult peace of mind is to find in the boxing afterlife. Chris Eubank Jnr,
who could soon be another case in point, has been rumoured as the opponent and
proves, once again, there is little that can be done when ageing boxers, fit
and well on the surface, want to keep fighting.
Also bracing himself for a
return is Joseph Parker who has served a three-month ban after UKAD examined
the heavyweight’s reasoning for having traces of cocaine in his system and
deemed them feasible enough.
Callum Simpson gained revenge
over Troy Williamson at the weekend, getting by with a little help from new
coach Robert McCracken, but also exhibiting that there’s plenty for them to
work on. A new ‘world champion’ was crowned in Dublin on Saturday night as
Aaron McKenna picked up the IBF-flavoured slice of the middleweight pie but how
far away is the Irishman from becoming the world’s best at 160lbs? Probably not
as far away as countryman Callum Walsh who, on the Zuffa undercard, passed the
Tyler Denny test.
In This Week, get ready to lamp
up a fat one and get lost in the hazy days of Smokin’ Bert Cooper. In August
1991, with would-be opponent Bruce Seldon outside the ring and Michael Buffer
in glorious voice inside of it, the swarming slugger took on Anthony Wade in an
event glowing with 90’s nostalgia.

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1h 11min
August 04, 2026 START SPREADING THE NEWS
On the week when it looks all but certain that the all-British
heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will land in New
York, a fight with serious consequences for the current title picture in the
division – Moses Itauma and Frank Sanchez on August 29 – was upgraded to an IBF
title fight.
The Fury-Joshua news will no
doubt make those already in a spin about the location lose their minds
completely. But before we put the blame solely at the feet of Netflix and Turki
Alalshikh, one crucial thing should be remembered: Nobody is forcing Joshua or
Fury to fight outside of the UK. And hey, there are worse places than New York
to host heavyweight boxing.
In Dublin there was a contest
worthy of any stage in the world as Mark Chamberlain surprised most when he
defeated Pierce O’Leary in the kind of topsy-turvy thriller that should buoy us
all as to why we’re here. Yet, on the undercard, the fate of Lee Reeves reminds
us of the violent nature of the Sport. Over in Las Vegas, meanwhile, William
Zepeda proved too good for Lamont Roach.
We preview the weekend’s action
with the sequel between Troy Williamson and Callum Simpson leading the way and
Zuffa’s trip to Dublin will give Aaron McKenna and Callum Walsh a chance to
shine.
Last, but never least, is your
weekly dose of nostalgia and a time when Oscar De La Hoya – as he tears
through Jorge Paez – was a fresh-faced up-and-comer yet to be scarred by this
wackiest of businesses.
Thanks to one and all for the
support, we appreciate you. Subscribe, however, and we’ll appreciate you even
more.

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1h 28min
July 28, 2026 JOSHUA v FURY: OVERCOOKED
After the performances of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury last
weekend, there can now be no doubt that the two British heavyweights are both
past their best. Furthermore, it is more obvious than ever before that the
fight we wanted all those years ago – when they were 1 and 2 in the heavyweight
division – is gone forever.
So, what are we left with?
Joshua remains a frightful puncher, that much is clear. But he looks so
susceptible these days it’s difficult to imagine him surviving any kind of
onslaught from Fury. Whether Fury is these days capable of producing that
onslaught, while also avoiding Joshua’s right hand, when he couldn’t avoid that
of 46-year-old Marius Wach, likely makes the bout as well-matched as it’s ever
been.
Don’t expect either to walk
away until this long and winding saga has reached a close, though. Unlike Errol
Spence Jnr, who realised against Tim Tszyu that his days as a prize-fighter are
over and announced his retirement in the aftermath.
We look ahead to Pierce
O’Leary-Mark Chamberlain in Ireland and Lamont Roach-William Zepeda in the US,
before kicking back in the DeLorean, setting the flux capacitor to July 1999,
and enjoying the last hurrah of Michael Carbajal against Jorge Arce.
Spread the good word of The
Opening Bell, folks. And thanks, as always, for the support.

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1h 9min
July 21, 2026 JOSHUA, FURY AND SPENCE TEST FATHER TIME
Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Errol Spence will all this weekend exhibit what is left of themselves. Even if it turns out to be very little, that should still be enough for Joshua and Fury to triumph against Kristian Prenga and Mariusz Wach respectively. If the point of those exercises is questionable then the task that awaits Spence is, by comparison, somewhat formidable.
He takes on Tim Tszyu in Australia in a bout set at 160lbs. Will Spence show he still has what it takes at 36 or will he become the latest athlete to realise that time is the cruellest opponent of them all?
Elsewhere, Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn reminded everyone how much noise they can make and how hard they can appear.
Thanks for listening and for your support, amigos.

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59min
July 14, 2026 JOYCE, CHISORA & THE LONG GOODBYE
Joe Joyce
was again on the wrong end of a painful loss, one that might, this time, mean
the end. But that’s easy for those who merely watch and pass judgement to say.
A case in
point, when examining how difficult retirement is for a fighter to accept is
Derek Chisora who teased another return by going nose-to-nose with Murat
Gassiev on the same Russia event where Joyce was defeated.
We examine
the latest comings and goings at Zuffa and Matchroom as Johnny Fisher makes the
switch. Shakur Stevenson has joined up with Dana White’s men, too plus in This Week,
we go back to 1999 when Baby Jake Matlala shocks Michael Carbajal.
You can
support The Opening Bell by following us on all the usual social media
platforms while Ad free content is available for less than a fiver a month via Apple
+ and Patreon.

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1h 8min
July 07, 2026 TYSON FURY vs WHO?!
Oleksandr Usyk looks set to
fight Deontay Wilder, potentially under the Zuffa umbrella, in a bout that
could signal the end of the current heavyweight era.
But not before we get Tyson Fury
vs Mariusz Wach. Whether marking time or just wasting it, Fury's decision to
fight a shot 46-year-old is curious.
The good times seem to be just
beginning for Abdullah Mason who rebounded from a slow start to stop Albert
Bell in the 12th and final round.
In This Week, we set the dial to
1991 and head back for some vintage Tony Lopez action as he takes on Lupe
Gutierrez atop a bill that featured a young Lennox Lewis getting the better of
Mike Weaver.
Keep listening to The Opening
Bell, folks; the sweetest sound in boxing.

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1h 14min
June 30, 2026 USYK RELINQUISHES, WHAT NOW?
Oleksandr Usyk last week vacated three heavyweight titles to focus on a “last dance”. Who will be Usyk’s final dance partner? Where does his departure leave the rest of the division? And what does this decision mean for his legacy?
Jaron ‘Boots” Ennis, meanwhile, at last found a befitting dance partner in Xander Zayas last weekend as the pair unleashed some sumptuous moves in Brooklyn. Ennis wasn’t perfect but reminded the boxing world exactly why he’s been held in high regard for such a long time. But then, with the fight being stuck behind a paywall, it’s easy to wonder if this was a missed opportunity to draw new fans to the sport.
Ben Whittaker dazzled again on the undercard only days after one of British boxing’s most reliable showmen, Chris Eubank Jr, revealed his plans to keep fighting “until the wheels fall off” at the age of 36.
We review Lewis Crocker’s tight loss to Liam Paro before heading back to the 1990s and not one but two “Sugar” Shane Mosley fights. Thanks to some classic Christie chaos we look at his victory over Wilfrido Ruiz in 1998 AND his beatdown of Wilfredo Rivera the following year.
Thanks for listening to The Opening Bell, one and all. Your support is treasured.

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1h 12min
June 23, 2026 TURKI TELLS ‘EM
In a week when Ryan Garner scored a glorious victory in a stadium,
Moses Itauma signed for his biggest test, and Boots Ennis is preparing for
Xander Zayas, the biggest story is the one we know the least about: Anthony
Joshua v Tyson Fury.
After much squabbling between
various promoters about who is in control, when it will take place, and where
it will be staged, Turki Alalshikh announced to the world that he is the one
calling the shots. But what does the sport look like without Alalshikh in it; a
very real possibility considering the recent reports about his health.
Meanwhile, everyone’s ‘next
heavyweight champion’ Itauma faced off with Filip Hrgovic to find someone
completely unwilling to read the script. Will Hrgovic toe the line when they
meet on August 29?
Alex and Matt reflect on
Garner’s thrilling triumph inside Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium, we look
ahead to Ennis-Zayas, but arguably save the best for last…
This Week is anchored in 1999
and a time when Johnny Tapia was taken by the biggest of surprises by Paulie
Ayala. As ever with Tapia fights, this one has a heck of a backstory.
The Opening Bell: Unbiased,
unflinching, unmissable.

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1h 16min
June 15, 2026 BAM V INOUE IS BETTER THAN AJ – FURY
As self-proclaimed President of the Jessie ‘Bam’ Rodriguez
appreciation society, we welcome fan favourite commentator and former World
Champion boxer Barry Jones to The Opening Bell Pod to assess the latest Bam performance.
Is Inoue a weight too far and a fight too soon? We discuss the latest on the
FURY – AJ saga while running the rule over the upcoming fights including Ryan
Garner’s title eliminator and Lewis Crocker’s trip down under. Make sure you follow
and subscribe to The Opening Bell on socials and check out supporting us on
Patreon or Apple + with our thanks.

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1h 6min
June 09, 2026 ZUFFA vs MATCHROOM
Saturday night saw Eddie Hearn and Dana White go head-to-head, even though miles apart, when they both staged TV shows on UK soil.
White likely won that battle, as Chris Billam-Smith and Ryan Rozicki turned their Zuffa colours red with a violent and bloody slugfest. White wasn’t done there, however.
At the post-fight press conference he questioned Hearn’s true influence in world boxing as he claimed to know more about Joshua-Fury than the Matchroom boss. Hearn, in response, took aim at the UFC model that made White’s name.
Before that, Hearn secured a fitting venue, Croke Park, for the great Katie Taylor but is Flora Pili a fitting rival?
We look ahead to ‘Bam’ Rodriguez in the hope victory leads to a mouthwatering showdown with Naoya Inoue.
And, in This Week, dust off your disco balls and join us in 1985 where Pinklon Thomas and Mike Weaver unleash a forgotten thriller at heavyweight.
Hit subscribe, show your support, and spread the good word of The Opening Bell.

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1h 14min

FAQs about The Opening Bell; A boxing podcast:

How many episodes does The Opening Bell; A boxing podcast have?

The podcast currently has 152 episodes available.

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