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 fight4:14 Zab Judah’s $100K Ducati crash and Tyson’s response18:22 AD BREAK19:19 Jake Paul on holding back against Tyson21:17 Christy Martin on Tyson’s support22:50 Big Daddy Kane’s club story24:53 AD BREAK26:14 Stephen Espinoza’s nine-month Aston Martin story30:46 Mauricio Sulaimán’s Tyson memories in Mexico Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.--00:00:00 – Back on the Road at Caribe Royale for Project Series 200:01:01 – AJ vs. Fury: Fake News or Real Jeopardy?00:03:45 – Too Late? The Presser & Bigger Than Fury vs. Wilder00:08:41 – Fury Says He’s Going Straight at AJ00:10:03 – Best British Heavyweight Ever on the Line00:11:17 – Ak’s Prediction: Pull the Receipts00:12:49 – AD BREAK00:13:30 – Vito Mielnicki Jr. Joins: Beating Ammo Williams00:15:04 – Turning Pro at 17 & Mistakes on Live TV00:20:06 – Talking His Way Into Big Fights00:22:58 – Sending Canelo Into Retirement?00:23:52 – Sparring Boots & 100 Rounds With Charlo00:28:06 – Growing Up With Shakur’s Family & Tank00:32:54 – “I’m the Best Middleweight”00:35:13 – AD BREAK00:36:17 – Omari Jones: Headlining at Home00:39:24 – Skipping the Four-Rounders & Building at 14700:44:02 – Eddie Hearn’s Train to Paris00:48:53 – A Word From Our Partners00:49:45 – Canelo vs. Mbilli Is No Soft Touch00:52:54 – Is Shakur the Best Fighter in the World? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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” jab2:07 - Explaining the “check the temperature” retirement tease3:20 - Boots Ennis6:34 - Never ducking a fight: the PBC vs. Top Rank history10:09 - Passing the undisputed torch & best Vegas fight nights13:06 - Retirement, the Eminem walkout, and the Ukraine trip16:25 - AD BREAK17:00 - Zab Judah & the state of the welterweight division18:53 - Shakur Stevenson’s next move & rumored Pacquiao fight20:55 - Mayweather’s “phantom knockdown” vs. Judah & his defense23:52 - Mayweather vs. Crawford: comparing résumés and biggest wins29:03 - The Mayweather-Judah brawl and their years-long feud37:39 - Judah brothers’ gym wars, Teofimo Lopez, and AJ-Fury talk42:47 - First big payday, jewelry, and money regrets46:11 - AD BREAK47:33 - Richardson Hitchins joins the show & Keyshawn Davis talks51:39 - Why AJ-Fury might land in Cardiff instead of the U.S.53:31 - Zab breaks down the Hitchins-Davis styles matchup55:19 - Hitchins on staying disciplined and avoiding vices58:05 - Shakur-Devin Haney fight falling apart, and Devin’s size1:00:32 - Fighting your boxing “brothers” for the big money1:03:15 - Fight timeline and location debate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ak & Barak settle it once and for all: the 10 greatest knockouts in boxing history. From Juan Manuel Marquez’s ice-cold finish of Manny Pacquiao to George Foreman reclaiming the title at 45, Canelo’s highlight-reel destruction of Amir Khan, Tommy Hearns vs Roberto Duran, Julian Jackson’s one-punch power, Tank Davis, Michael Carbajal, and yes, Jake Paul’s knockout of Tyron Woodley making the cut. The guys rank their personal top 5 each, argue over who got robbed of Knockout of the Year, and debate which finish is truly the scariest of all time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ak & Barak are back on RING CHAMPS with their boldest take yet: Canelo Alvarez is the greatest Mexican fighter of all time, and they’re settling it with facts over feelings. In one of the most controversial debates in boxing, Ak & Barak break down why Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has surpassed Julio Cesar Chavez Sr to claim the Mexican GOAT crown, and they bring the receipts.They walk through Chavez Sr’s record with a microscope: the 77-0 fight against a 7-2 opponent, the 65-0 fight against a 0-1 fighter, the 51+ journeymen on the resume, and the Meldrick Taylor fight Chavez was losing until the final seconds. Then he stacks Canelo’s accomplishments: 18 world titles across four divisions, becoming the first Mexican fighter to go undisputed at 168 pounds, 20 champions beaten, 9 undefeated fighters defeated, and moving up to 175 pounds to fight bigger men.The conversation also tackles Salvador Sanchez (potential vs accomplishments), Ricardo “Finito” Lopez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez (and his Pacquiao-four-times resume), and the strongest contrarian argument on the board: Oscar De La Hoya’s 11 world titles across six divisions, and the fact that he beat Chavez Sr head-to-head. 00:00 - The Ring Champs: Settling the Mexican GOAT Debate01:25 - Facts Over Feelings: Canelo vs. Chavez Sr.02:50 - Salvador Sanchez: Eye Test vs. Longevity04:44 - Finito Lopez: Undefeated & More Skilled Than Chavez?05:33 - Marco Antonio Barrera & Juan Manuel Marquez Resumes11:16 - Lineal Champions vs. Vacant Titles12:46 - Putting Chavez Sr.’s 77-0 Record Under the Microscope17:32 - The Superstar Cultural Impact of Chavez Sr.18:58 - Peak Comparisons: 21-Year-Old Canelo vs. Chavez Sr.22:14 - The Strongest Case: Oscar De La Hoya’s Six-Division Legacy25:36 - Why Canelo Alvarez is the Greatest Mexican Fighter of All Time28:36 - Ticket Gates, Pay-Per-View, & Putting “Asses in Seats”29:42 - Breaking Down Chavez Sr.’s Biggest Career Wins33:59 - Final Verdict: Canelo Stands Alone at the Top See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former IBF, WBA, and lineal welterweight champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis sits down with Ak & Barak ahead of his June 27 Barclays Center showdown with undefeated Xander Zayas. Boots breaks down why Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. never came his way, the real story behind the Vergil Ortiz negotiations falling apart, and the alleged Devin Haney 152 fight offer that was floated his way. He also opens up about sparring Canelo Alvarez during Bud Crawford's Canelo camp, his honest reaction to Conor Benn leaving Eddie Hearn and Matchroom for Zuffa Boxing, and why he thinks Keith Thurman is a different fighter today. Plus: growing up in Philly with his brothers protecting him from the streets, why Pernell Whitaker is his favorite fighter of all time, and his bold knockout prediction for Xander Zayas at 154. Ring Champs with Ak & Barak: where the boxing conversations land. New episodes weekly. Subscribe for more boxing interviews, fight breakdowns, and combat sports debate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán joins Ak & Barak to address the Terence Crawford sanctioning fee controversy head-on, Zuffa Boxing's arrival in the sport, and reveal where every dollar of WBC fees actually goes. Plus: the untold Mike Tyson taxi-driver knockout story from 1988, Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington's emotional title win, Ryan Garcia's WBC reinstatement, Shakur Stevenson's all-time great case, Mauricio's real relationship with Turki Alalshikh, and the Avni Yildirim mandatory saga that rewrote WBC rules forever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hamzah Sheeraz sits down with Ak and Barak at the Fightin Blue in Las Vegas for a no-holds-barred conversation about his rise from fixing sockets in Eden Hazard’s apartment to becoming one of boxing’s most dangerous fighters at 168 pounds. Sheeraz opens up about his father being in and out of prison, dropping out of school at 16, almost walking away from boxing to be an electrician, and the moment of desire that pulled him back. Within six weeks of returning to the gym, Frank Warren offered him a pro contract.Sheeraz breaks down the Edgar Berlanga KO that changed his life, addresses the hand wrap controversy head-on (the commission told him to leave it on), and reveals the Canelo fight was nearly done before the elbow surgery. He shares his honest take on Conor Benn leaving Eddie Hearn for Zuffa Boxing, explains why he’s never had a wandering eye for Matchroom, and gets real about the Ricky Funez trainer split and his brotherhood with Andy Lee. Plus: Floyd vs Crawford P4P debate (he picks Floyd), why Caleb Plant would be his toughest fight, and the legacy vs money question that splits the boxing world. 0:00 - Intro & Hamzah’s Career Journey2:09 - The Edgar Berlanga Fight & Reaction Back Home4:10 - Nothing to Lose Mentality Going Into Berlanga4:50 - Hand Wrap Allegations Explained6:14 - American Fighters Who Inspired Hamzah7:34 - AD BREAK8:54 - Floyd Mayweather vs. Terence Crawford: Who Wins?9:57 - Conor Benn’s Move to Zuffa Boxing12:37 - Is Hamzah Happy With Frank Warren & Queensberry?15:14 - What’s Next? Mbilli, Canelo, Pacheco & Alem Begic17:34 - How Hamzah Almost Quit Boxing to Become an Electrician22:35 - His Father in Prison & the Advice He Gave26:43 - Retiring His Mom & Seeing the Dream Become Reality28:34 - Dealing With Friends Coming Out of the Woodwork33:25 - Who the Real Ones Were After the Adames Draw35:01 - Why Ricky Funez Is No Longer His Trainer40:03 - Why Hamzah Thinks He’ll End His Career With Andy Lee43:19 - What Music Hamzah Is Listening to Right Now44:14 - The Canelo Fight That Almost Happened45:41 - His Toughest Potential Fight: Caleb Plant46:15 - Wanting to Be the Best by Beating the Best47:09 - Top 3 Pound-for-Pound Fighters Right Now47:32 - Next Three Opponents & Why Undisputed Matters More Than Big Money51:35 - Outro See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices