Big Fight Weekend Boxing Podcast

We had a busy weekend of main events in Norfolk, VA, Doncaster, England and even Germany, and we're ready to go over the action and some fight news on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"Host T.J. Rives is back with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter to give insight and analysis.They start with the Saturday night Top Rank/DAZN main event in Norfolk, VirginiaFirst Top Rank event of its DAZN deal, Bob Arum, age 94, back at ringside after knee replacement surgery that had kept him from traveling for months.Junior welterweight Keyshawn Davis wins the main event in 12 over Nahir Albright, but does something stupid, again, during the fight, this time. Will he learn? Will it continue to cost the talented fighter in the future?Also, Welterweight Brian Norman scored a TKO2 over Josh Wagner with a brain dead referee trying to adminsiter the count and then not stopping the fight, when he should have. What. Are. We. Doing Here?Then, the Saturday Queensberry DAZN main event in Doncaster, EnglandHeavyweight Filip Hrgovic scores a lopsided TKO3 over veteran Dave Allen, who needs to retire. Hrgovic is apparently next for Moses Itauama. The guys have the latest.And, back on Friday main event, on DAZN in Mannheim, Germany-Welterweight Paddy Donovan decisions Karen Chukhadzhian for an IBF final eliminator. Will Donovan get another fight with Lewis Crocker? We go over it all. NEWSCanelo Alvarez vs. and newly elevated, WBC super middleweight titlist Christian Mbilli officially announced for September in Saudi Arabia. The guys wonder if Canelo has agreed to fight early Sunday a.m. again, there or not?Also, former WBO heavyweight titlist Fabio Wardley has exercized his contractual right to an immediate rematch with Daniel Dubois, so, they will meet again later this year. The WBA and IBF have finally weighed in on the status of their belts for the Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven fight on Saturday May 23rd at the Pyramids in Giza Egypt. Get ready to be confused.Junior welterweight contender Oscar Duarte will be sidelined until late this year due to a severe laceration he suffered behind his ear in a split decision over Angel Fierro on May 2 so he has passed on fighting Lindlfo Delgado for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title. Dan has more.And, another change to the Matchroom main event on June 6: WBC interim flyweight titlist Galal Yafai is injured and out of a mandatory fight with WBC/WBA titleholder Ricardo Sandoval.It's all part of the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscibe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

It was dramatic and it was brutal and we're ready to recap the WBO heavyweight world title fight won by Daniel Dubois. Plus, we had a featherweight world title fight nixed at the weigh in and controversy continues through the weekend. And, we have fight news too on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and Newsletter with their takes.They give a full recap of Saturday’s Queensberry DAZN PPV in Manchester, EnglandThey start with the Dubois TKO11 Fabio Wardley, as he wins the WBO title. T.J. is adamant that no one cared about the safety of Wardley late in the fight. Dan gives his rebuttal and they also talk the future now for Dubois.They also go over the undercard where:Welterweight Jack Rafferty scored a TKO6 over Ekow EssumanZak Chelli 's stunning TKO10 of David Morrell in a light heavyweight battleAnd gigantic Bakhodir Jalolov TKO7 vs. Agron Smakici but he isn't showing promise and progress enough for Dan at this point. Then it's fight newsFeatherweight contender Ra’eese Aleem badly missed weight on Friday and his mandatory fight with IBF titlist Angelo Leo was canceled though the rest of the Salita Promotions’ DAZN card went on Saturday night.Next, SI's Chris Mannix is reporting that Shakur Stevenson on verge of signing with "Zuffa Boxing" a.k.a. Turki Alashikh bankrolling for Ring PPVs.Also, Lightweights Edwin De Los Santos and Jose Valenzuela will meet in a 10-round rematch their shootout that will headline Zuffa Boxing 08 on June 28 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. And, the Saudis may have ended their LIV golf commitment but TKO says they are still all in their boxing, UFC and WWE business.Hear it all on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

We are off the weekend that has seen a heavyweight showdown in England that was long on sloppy, big punching and also Tim Tszyu's Aussie return. And, we go over it all on the 'Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast!"Host T.J. Rives is back with Insider Dan Rafael of the Fight Freaks Unite Substack and NewsletterFirst they recap Saturday’s MF Pro DAZN PPV in LondonDeontay Wilder W12 Derek Chisora. This fight appealed to Big Dan and he talks why. Plus,Viddal Riley W12 Mateusz Masternak, IBF cruiser eliminator and wins European title. And, Denzel Bentley TKO7 Endry Saavedra, wins vacant WBO interim middleweight crown.Next, a recap of Saturday’s No Limit/PBC on Prime Video card at Wollongong, AustraliaTim Tszyu W10 Denis Nurja (157 pounds). Tszyu looked good and his Errol Spence going to be next?And, Sam Goodman W12 Rodrigo Ruiz, in an IBF junior featherweight eliminator. Also, a recap of Sunday’s MVP ESPN+ cardLightweight Caroline Dubois W10 Terri Harper, and unifies WBC/WBO women’s titlesJunior featherweight Ellie Scotney W10 Mayelli Flores, unifies all four to become women’s undisputed Junior middleweight Chantelle Cameron W10 Michaela Kotaskova, wins vacant WBO title, Mayer next Another Recap Friday’s Treasure Boxing main event in TokyoJunior flyweight Rene Santiago W12 Masataka Taniguchi, retains the WBO/WBA titles.Recap Friday’s Matchroom Boxing on DAZN in Altrincham, England Cruiserweight Pat Brown a prospect TKO8 Vasil DucarJunior middleweight William Crolla KO7 Glenn Byrne in a WILD FIGHT! WithCrolla down four times, but,rallies for a KO of the year contender! NewsTurki Alashikh announces full Oleksandr Usyk- Rico Verhoeven heavyweight title fight undercard. Dan has the details.Per sources,Keyshawn Davis-Nahir Albright headlines first Top Rank DAZN card May 16 in Norfolk, VA. The guys discuss. Per sources to Dan, June 20 is the date in the works for the vacant WBC lightweight title fight between William Zepeda and Lamont Roach Jr.And, Zuffa Boxing has announced their latest card for May and Dan has more on the main event.It's all on the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

One of the premier fighters at 154 lb., Tim Tszyu, is returning to the ring this weekend, but first he's with our insider Dan Rafael on this special "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast!"Tszyu, who faces unbeaten Denis Nurja on Prime Video on April 4th U.S. time (April 5th in Tszyu’s home country of Australia) looks to set up a likely summer fight against Errol Spence. He and Dan discussed plenty: his stoppage loss to Sebastian Fundora in their rematch last July; why, after having fought in December, he is risking the Spence fight with a tune-up now? Plus, what are his thoughts on working with new trainer Pedro Diaz in Miami and ultimately, his thoughts on the potential Spence fight and more.It's all part of our "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" on this feed and make sure to follow/subscirbe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

We're back wtih a championship PPV showdown in Las Vegas, a heavyweight rising star in Manchester, England and a former world champion joins us in conversation on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"Host T.J. Rives is back with insider Dan Rafael to go over it all.First they talk the Saturday "PBC on Prime PPV" in Las VegasSebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman, 12 rounds, for Fundora’s WBC junior middleweight title. Fundora with the massive height and reach, but the veteran Thurman could pose a threat. On the undercard Yoenis Tellez vs. Brian Mendoza, 10 rounds, junior middleweights and Yoenli Hernandez vs. Terrell Gausha, 10 rounds, middleweights. Plus, we have big Gurgen Hovhannisyan vs. Cesar Navarro, 10 rounds, heavyweights Then, Saturday's Queensberry main event on DAZN in ManchesterUnbeaten Moses Itauma vs. Jermaine Franklin, 10 rounds, heavyweights. Dan is intrigued as this is the first "real guy" Itauma is in with in his 2026 debut. Then it's Tim Tszyu in an interview with DanTszyu fights Denis Nurja in a 10-rounder at 157 live on Prime Video on April 4 US prime time (April 5 in Wollongong, Australia) looking to set up planned summer Errol Spnece Jr. fight. Hear them discuss why Tszyu wants to risk the bigger payday fighting this bout in his homeland? Next, Some NEWSGolden Boy Promotions and DAZN announce a new multi-year rights deal after a very long negotiation. Dan's sources tell him it’s a 2-year deal with option language for an extension. They discuss what it could mean, pricewise, for fans paying for DAZN, too.Some good news- Isis Sio, 19-year-old the novice female junior flyweight who was brutally knocked out on Saturday night, is out of a medically induced coma and has been almost miraculously been released from the hospital just days later.On Tuesday, the U.S. House in voice vote (massively bipartisan) passed the Zuffa Boxing-based "Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act." Soon a Senate vote will come before it would go the president’s desk to be signed into law. Oscar De La Hoya says he will be in Washington speaking with Senators hoping to stop it. We have more.Also, the IBF announced it has formally stripped Jai Opetaia of its cruiserweight title 2 weeks after it withdrew sanction of his March 8 bout vs. Brandon Glanton on the Zuffa Boxing card. This story is far from over, however.IBF featherweight titleholder Angelo Leo will take on mandatory challenger Ra’eese Aleem on May 9 (DAZN) on a Salita Promotions card at Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta. We have the details.And, off his win last Saturday, WBC middleweight titleholder Carlos Adames indicated on social media that he is moving up to super middleweight following his rout of Austin Williams last Saturday. It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.!

We are back for a weekend that has compelling title fights in Orlando and California and we have lots of fight news to go over, too, on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael of his Fight Freaks Unite Substack and newsletter to go over it allFirst a preview of the Saturday Matchroom DAZN card in Orlando, FloridaCarlos Adames vs. Austin Williams, 12 rounds, for Adames’ WBC middleweight title. Adames had problems making weight two months ago to postpone this one. And, "Ammo" Williams can fight. We have some analysis.Also, former Olympian Omari Jones vs. Christian Gomez, 8 rounds, junior middleweights. And massive Teremoana Teremoana vs. Curtis Harper, 8 rounds, heavyweights. We have more on those two bouts.Then, a preview of Saturday's ProBoxTV main event in San Bernardino, CaliforniaLester Martinez vs. Immanuwel Aleem, for vacant WBC interim super middleweight title. Martinez is an action fighter looking to move up in the status in 168 lb. ranks.Some News Top Rank back in business. Press conference was on Wednesday at New York’s Madison Square Garden to announce their multi-year deal with DAZN. We have more on some of the specifics and does it mean that another prominent promotion, Golden Boy, is now out in the cold with DAZN?Next, WBC junior welterweight titlist Dalton Smith and former titleholder and mandatory challenger Alberto Puello two weeks after their mandatory was ordered have a deal. Paperwork being finalized for June 6th in a Matchroom Boxing headlined in Smith’s hometown of Sheffield, England. Dan has more.With Frank Sanchez-Richard Torrez Jr. IBF heavyweight eliminator postponed, PBC made some changes to the Sebastian Fundora-Keith Thurman PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view card on March 28: New co-feature is a junior middleweight fight between former interim titleholders Yoenis Tellez and Brian Mendoza.-- Middleweight bout between Yoenli Hernandez Terrell Gausha intact --New PPV opener: 10-round heavyweight fight between promising Gurgen Hovhannisyan and Cesar Navarro-- Super middleweight fight between Elijah Garcia and Kevin Newman II was the opener but now will be the final bout of the free prelims on Prime Video.Also, PBC officially announces David Benavidez-Zurdo Ramirez PPV undercard on May 2: WBA super mddleweight titlist Armando Reséndiz defends vs. Jaime Munguía Junior welterweight Oscar Duarte vs. Angel Fierro Junior middleweight Isaac Lucero vs. Alan Sandoval And, back to Top Rank, which has promoted heavyweight Jared Anderson for his entire career, is in talks with Queensberry Promotions about a co-promotional deal, that could start with his appearance the Wardley-Dubois card May 9th. Dan has more on why this move and they discuss is Anderson still motivated to be a a great fighter or not?It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

We ready for an action packed weekend of championship action from Ireland to Southern California on the newest "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast!"Host T.J. Rives and insider Dan Rafael return for their insight and takes.First, they preview the Golden Boy DAZN card Saturday night in Anaheim, CaliforniaWelterweight Arnold Barboza meets Kenneth Sims in a 12 round contender main event. Both are looking to stay in contention in the division.Also, WBO/WBA strawweight champion Oscar Collazo defends against Jesus Haro. Welterweight Alexis Rocha looks to get back on the winning track vs. veteran Jo Jo Diaz, and undisputed women’s flyweight champion Gabriela Fundora meets her mandatory challenger Viviana Ruiz Corredor. Then, a preview of the Queensberry DAZN main event on Saturday in Dublin, IrelandJames "Jazza" Dickens battles former world champ. Anthony Cacace, 12 rounds, for Dickens’ WBA junior lightweight title. This will be a rockiing atmosphere for two hard hitting 130 lb. fighters. Some newsJai Opetaia team has sent legal letters to various industry folks demanding records preservation ahead of a possible lawsuit against the IBF by he and Zuffa Boxing claiming “that the IBF's abrupt decision to withdraw was the product of coordinated, industry-wide collusion designed to punish him for working with Zuffa and to deter other athletes from doing the same.”Big Dan was texted the letter from a numbe he did not know and I know at least one other boxing writer it was also sent to. It's CRAZY and he has more! Per sources, negotiations are ongoing for a fight between former lightweight titlist Gervonta Davis and WBC interim junior welterweight titlist Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz to meet in a rematch that would headline a PBC on Prime PPV this summer while Davis’ court case winds it way through the Florida legal system. The boys discuss.Dan is also reporting, lineal and unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and IBF mandatory challenger Michael Eifert have a deal. The purse bid scheduled for this past Tuesday was cancdeled and the fight is supposed to be added to the Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven Ring magazine undercard on May 23 outdoors at the Pyramids of Giza in Giza, Egypt.Bivol's manager Vadim Kornilov also told Dan about Bivol’s “hit list” for his next three fights. Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez is dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired knee, which forced him on Wednesday to postpone his IBF title eliminator against Richard Torrez Jr. on the March 28 Sebastian Fundora-Keith Thurman PBC on Prime Video PPV. Sources told me plans are to reschedule it for May 30 on the undercard of the soon-to-be-finalized Devin Haney-Rolando Romero welterweight unification fight in Brooklyn. The IBF on Tuesday stripped Janibek Alimkhanuly of its middleweight world title but not specifically due to the failed VADA test but because by the time returns from a year suspension he will not have been able to fulfill his mandatory defense, which is due on or before July 4. Tim Tszyu will take a warm-up fight before an expected summer bout with Errol Spence. He will fight Denis Nurja in a 10-rounder at 157 pounds in Wollongong, Australia. PBC announced Wednesday the card will be stream on Prime Video in the U.S. on April 4 at 9 p.m. (April 5 morning in Australia). Card also includes Australia’s Sam Goodman in a hometown fight against Rodrigo Ruiz in an IBF junior featherweight title eliminator. And, Zuffa Boxing 05 card is set for April 5 at Apex in Las Vegas. Main event announced during Opetaia-Glanton card: Andres Cortes will move up to lightweight and fight Eridson Garcia. Also, not announced yet but per Dan's reporting, in the co-feature, former WBC featherweight titlist Mark Magsayo will face former WBA junior lightweight title challenger Feargal McCrory in a 10-rounder as both also move up to lightweight.Hear it all on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

We are back and ready for a "Title" Fight at cruiserweight, but curious as to which title is at stake in Las Vegas Sunday night. We sort that and preview that matchup and have some fight news on the "Big Fight Weekend Preview" Podcast!Host T.J. Rives is back with insider Dan Rafael to go over it all.They start with Sunday night’s Zuffa Boxing main event at the Apex in Las VegasJai Opetaia vs. Brandon Glanton, for Opetaia’s lineal cruiserweight title, the Ring Magazine belt, the Zuffa new title, but what about Opetaia's IBF championship? That's unclear. We have the latest. Then, some newsGolden Boy Promotions won a legal victory in United States District Court in Nevada on Monday night, as Judge Cristina Silva keeps Golden Boy's interim injunctive relief preventing, at least for now, Vergil Ortiz from contracting for the Jarpm Ennis. She has ordered the case be settled in arbitration. We explain what it all means for now?Then, William Zepeda and Lamont Roach Jr. will fight for the vacant WBC lightweight title stripped from Shakur Stevenson last month. However, how is the "interim" WBC 135 lb. champ Jadier Herrera not involved?Floyd Mayweather announces another exhibition- this one for June 27 in Athens, Greece, vs. Mike Zambidis, a retired Greek kickboxer who won a variety of world titles in various promotions during his 2000 to 2015 career. How many exhibitions are we up to with Floyd before he rematches Pacquiao in September?MVP is hosting a press conference at Madison Square Garden on Friday for what it says is a major announcement. Per Dan's reporting, it will be to announce an April 17 card involving Alycia Baumgardner in a unified women’s junior lightweight title defense vs. former lightweight title challenger Bo Mi Re Shin of Korea with the card on ESPN as the first of multiple ESPN events. Eddie Hearn announced Thursday he has signed UFC heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall as his first client of the newly created Matchroom Talent Agency. Will put him negotiating with Dana White on Aspinnal’s UFC fight. That should be fun to hear Eddie talk about how underpaid UFC fighters are. We go over the latest in the fued.And, with Oscar Duarte having his title shot vs. Richardson Hitchins canceled the day of the fight from the Barrios-Garcia card, Golden Boy tells Dan they plan to add him to the May 2 Benavidez-Zurdo PPV card.It's all part of the "Big Fight Weekend Preview Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.