Square Up

Sebastian Fundora looked me in the eye and said Boots Ennis, Josh Kelly and Vergil Ortiz don't feel like threats — "I feel like I can control this division." Ten days before his WBC title defense against unbeaten mandatory Ermal Hadribeaj, the Towering Inferno opened up his family compound for a no-holds-barred Square Up. I'm Andre Berto, two-time world champion. I went to the Fundora compound, got walked up a 2,000-foot mountain by his father Freddy, and sat down with the WBC super welterweight champion for nearly two hours. We cover everything: why he says Hadribeaj "doesn't seem like a threat," why PBC and DAZN now have "no more excuses" on undisputed at 154, why the WBO situation frustrated him so much he considered being done with unifications, and what he'd say to Boots Ennis. Fundora also gets personal — the Florida roots (Davie, FL and the fire-sprinkler building his dad turned into a boxing gym), the "Intimidator" van road trips to amateur tournaments, the knockout loss to Brian Mendoza and the moment on the canvas he only wanted to know where his dad was, getting the 11-day-notice call to fight Tim Tszyu, and beating Tszyu twice. He breaks down the Keith Thurman fight — the one name he admits made him nervous — and why a 6'6" southpaw loves fighting on the inside. Plus: sister Gabriela Fundora, the "face of women's boxing," 12-year-old Fabiola, the Errol Spence moment Fundora describes after the Tszyu fight, Johnny Cash, karaoke with Shawn Porter, the Harvard question, and his post-weigh-in meal. Fundora vs. Hadribeaj — Saturday, October 17, The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas, live on DAZN. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro — Andre takes on the Fundora mountain 0:53 Oct 17 vs. Ermal Hadribeaj: "He doesn't seem like a threat" 3:35 Fundora's top 3 targets: Ennis, Kelly, Ortiz 7:10 PBC on DAZN — "No more excuses" for undisputed 8:58 "I can control this division" + Florida roots 12:33 The fire-sprinkler office that became a boxing gym 15:15 The "Intimidator" van & amateur road trips 19:44 Moving from Florida to Coachella 22:26 Six kids, two world champions 27:49 Gabriela Fundora: face of women's boxing 30:30 First brother & sister unified champions + Fabiola 34:06 The growth spurt: 5'7" to 6'2" in one year 36:47 Why Fundora quit basketball 37:41 The Fundora family empire dream 39:29 Why a 6'6" southpaw fights inside + Paul Williams 43:04 Should boxing have a height division? 44:52 First PBC fight & proving the doubters wrong 47:34 Building the record in South America 52:57 Sampson Lewkowicz called him "fragile" 56:32 The Erickson Lubin fight 1:01:01 The viral sunglasses phone call 1:02:49 Ocampo & sharing a card with Gabriela 1:06:24 Why he didn't watch his title win for a year 1:08:12 The Mendoza loss: "Where's my dad?" 1:11:47 From Bohachuk camp to the 11-day Tszyu call 1:15:23 Unified champion off a loss 1:18:58 The Errol Spence moment 1:19:52 Losing the WBO belt — why it still frustrates him 1:22:34 Tszyu 2: "I already have your ticket" 1:25:15 Keith Thurman: the name that made him nervous 1:29:44 "The mountain keeps you honest" 1:31:32 Why boxing is a selfish sport 1:35:08 Karaoke nights & Ring of Fire with Shawn Porter 1:38:43 Johnny Cash, disco & his dream ring walk 1:40:31 The Harvard question 1:41:25 Foodie talk: the In-N-Out order Subscribe to Square Up with Andre Berto for real conversations with the biggest names in combat sports — champion to champion. #SebastianFundora #SquareUp #AndreBerto #FundoraHadribeaj #Boxing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Edgar Berlanga says he took two cortisone shots in his arm to get through the Canelo Alvarez fight — and that Hamzah Sheeraz, the man who stopped him, "has no IQ" and was "easy work." He gets into all of it with Andre Berto in Tampa: Canelo, Dana White, Eddie Hearn, Oscar De La Hoya, Fat Joe, Jay-Z, and the fans he says turned on him. Fresh off the seventh-round TKO of Steven Butler at Madison Square Garden, "The Chosen One" sat down and held nothing back. "The Chosen One" doesn't dodge much here. He walks through getting dropped in the second round against Butler and deciding right there it wasn't ending that way. He goes back to Bushwick — his father gone for seven years, the shelters, Benny Roman driving him from Brooklyn to the East Side and back every single day so he wouldn't miss the gym. He talks about the 160 amateur fights nobody credits him for, the 16 straight first-round knockouts that made him famous and, in his own words, slowed his development. Then it gets honest. He says boxing fans are not good people, and talks about what it costs to carry a flag into the ring for people who question you. He talks about the loss to Hamzah Sheeraz and the stretch after it — the drinking, the breakup, the crying in an empty six-bedroom house, and his coach Marc Farrait refusing to let him hide at the gym. Four days of fasting. Opening the Bible and landing on Jeremiah. And he talks about what's on the other side of it: signing with Dana White and Zuffa Boxing, linking with Jay-Z at Fanatics Fest, the "Baby Mamá" record that Fat Joe originally told him to shelve, the Creed III role he lost to a torn bicep, the WWE run he's pitching to Nick Khan, and exactly who he wants next — Chris Eubank Jr in London, Jaime Munguia, Jermall Charlo, Caleb Plant, and Sheeraz last. New episodes of Square Up with Andre Berto every week. Subscribe so you don't miss one. CHAPTERS 0:00 Cold open 0:45 Welcome to Square Up — live from Tampa 1:16 Steven Butler, MSG, and the weight of New York 2:36 The second-round knockdown 5:50 "Don't bring my son to the fight" 8:07 Bushwick: growing up Puerto Rican in Brooklyn 11:20 When his father went away 13:42 Benny Roman drove him to the gym every day 21:17 The 160 amateur fights nobody talks about 28:42 16 straight first-round knockouts 32:12 When the knockouts stopped feeling like his 35:47 "Boxing fans are not good people" 39:18 Carrying the flag for people who doubted him 43:51 Marc Farrait and the hardest gym in boxing 48:05 Buying himself out of Top Rank 49:31 Signing with Eddie Hearn to get Canelo 51:03 The dream that predicted the Canelo fight 58:34 "That fight with Canelo was my best fight ever" 1:01:02 "I gave myself 50%" 1:03:00 Two cortisone shots for the Canelo fight 1:07:04 Why the Hearn relationship ended 1:10:20 The Sheeraz loss 1:12:20 "He was easy work" 1:13:00 The stretch nobody saw 1:16:54 Four days fasting, and Jeremiah 1:21:37 Dana White, Zuffa Boxing, and the second run 1:28:23 The music, and Fat Joe telling him to stick to boxing 1:37:37 The Creed III role he lost 1:39:34 WWE, Damian Priest, and the character 1:40:43 Who's next: Eubank Jr, Munguia, Charlo, Plant 1:42:21 Raising Chosen 1:47:38 Andre's closing word #EdgarBerlanga #SquareUp #Boxing #Canelo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Days before Errol Spence Jr faces Tim Tszyu in Australia, he sits down with Andre Berto for his most candid interview yet — the truth about the Terence Crawford loss, why he really left longtime trainer Derrick James, nearly dying in a Ferrari crash and getting hit by a drunk driver, losing an eye mid-fight against Yordenis Ugas, and how he rebuilt his identity after his first loss. Recorded in Houston ahead of Spence's July 26 comeback against Tim Tszyu in Sydney, Australia — the same card as Jermall Charlo's return — this is Square Up with Andre Berto at its most unfiltered: the Crawford fallout, the trainer split, the near-death experiences, the infamous Floyd Mayweather sparring session, and what's actually left to prove. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Cold open: "I don't give a [ __ ] mentality" 0:24 – Square Up intro, live from Houston 2:57 – The mindset going into Tim Tszyu, July 26 in Australia 6:03 – Why he really made the trainer switch 9:54 – Growing up in Minnesota, how he got into boxing at 15 16:44 – The 2012 Olympics and the India robbery 20:06 – Signing with Al Haymon and why he trusts him 27:18 – The infamous Floyd Mayweather sparring session buzz 39:08 – Becoming a Dallas legend, the Shawn Porter homecoming 41:00 – The Ferrari crash that nearly killed him 48:00 – Hit by a drunk driver in his bulletproof truck 58:07 – Losing an eye against Yordenis Ugas and coming back anyway 1:10:05 – Life after the Crawford loss, and finding his way back 1:20:00 – What time away taught him about family 1:23:17 – Final thoughts before July 26 against Tim Tszyu Follow Errol Spence Jr's July 26 return live from Sydney, Australia, against Tim Tszyu. Subscribe to Square Up with Andre Berto for new episodes with the biggest names in boxing — real conversations, no PR filter. #SquareUp #ErrolSpenceJr #Boxing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He knocked Floyd Mayweather's legs BUCKLE. He beat Oscar De La Hoya not once — but TWICE. He won titles in THREE weight classes. And somehow, "Sugar" Shane Mosley still doesn't get the full respect he deserves. Andre Berto sits down with Hall of Famer Shane Mosley for a raw, unfiltered conversation about what it really took to build one of boxing's most legendary careers — the sacrifices, the politics, the rivalries, and the life nobody saw behind the curtain. This is not a highlight reel. This is the REAL story. 🥊 IN THIS EPISODE: – The truth behind the Floyd Mayweather fight — what really happened in Round 2 – Beating Oscar De La Hoya twice and what it meant for his legacy – What Manny Pacquiao taught him about heart – Training Shane Mosley Jr. and watching his son chase greatness – The mental game: how champions think differently – Life after the ring — what retirement really looks like for a boxer – The moments that almost broke him — and what kept him going – Advice for the next generation of fighters 🏆 WHO IS SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY? Shane "Sugar Shane" Mosley is a 3x world boxing champion (Lightweight, Welterweight, Super Welterweight), International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2020), and one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of his generation. Career record: 49 wins (41 KOs), 10 losses, 1 draw. 📲 SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW: 🔔 Subscribe for more champion conversations: https://www.youtube.com/@SquareUpWithAndreBerto 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/andreberto 🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/andreberto 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts — search "Square Up with Andre Berto" 💬 Drop your favorite Shane Mosley moment in the comments 👇 #SugarShane #ShaneMosley #BoxingLegend #SquareUp #AndreBerto #Boxing #HallOfFame #FloydMayweather #OscarDeLaHoya #MannyPacquiao #BoxingPodcast #FightLife #Champions #BoxingHistory #PoundForPound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two-time world champion Andre Berto sits down with the King of Violence himself — Mike Perry. No filter. No script. Just the real story. Mike Perry is about to step into the biggest fight of his life against Nate Diaz on Netflix, and he's not coming to survive — he's coming to knock him out. In this episode, Mike breaks down exactly why, and what most people don't understand about the man behind the chaos. We go deep on everything: • The Netflix mega-fight: Mike Perry vs. Nate Diaz — what's really at stake • Connor McGregor and Jake Paul — Mike gives his unfiltered take • The brutal reality of Bare Knuckle Fighting and why most fighters don't have the mental toughness to do it • How Mike became the undisputed King of BKFC and what it cost him • Growing up in Flint, Michigan and Florida — the streets, the hunger, the grind • Being bullied as a kid and how that shaped his mentality • His father's tough love and what it built in him • Going to jail — and how he used every day inside to stay locked in on becoming a champion • 3 years out of jail: straight to the UFC, straight to impact • Why his mindset separates him from everyone else in combat sports This is what Square Up is built for. Real conversations with real champions. Subscribe. Turn on notifications. You don't want to miss what's coming next. 🥊 Square Up with Andre Berto — where champions speak. Mike Perry, Nate Diaz Netflix, Mike Perry vs Nate Diaz, BKFC, Bare Knuckle Fighting, Andre Berto, Square Up, UFC, Jake Paul fight, Connor McGregor, Flint Michigan, combat sports podcast, boxing interview, MMA interview, King of Violence, PFL, bare knuckle boxing, fighter interview 2025, Netflix boxing This episode hit different. Mike Perry is not what the headlines make him out to be — this is the real story. Flint. Jail. Bare knuckle. Netflix. He's been building to this moment his whole life. Drop a 🥊 if you're riding with Mike Perry vs Nate Diaz on Netflix. And if this is your first time here — welcome to Square Up. Hit subscribe. We're just getting started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know Rico Love from the hits — Usher, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Trey Songz. But what you don't know is that Rico Love has been studying the fight game since his dad put a VHS tape of Thriller in Manila in front of him as a kid. And he never stopped. In this episode of Square Up, Andre Berto sits down with Grammy Award-winning songwriter, producer, and artist Rico Love — and what unfolds is one of the most honest, surprising, and flat-out real conversations about boxing, life, and what it means to compete at the highest level. What goes down in this episode: • Rico breaks down Tank Davis, Shakur Stevenson, and Devin Haney at a level most analysts can't touch • Andre reveals what REALLY happened mentally and physically in the Ortiz fight — and why he was never truly ready • The psychology of walking to the ring — and why some fighters never make it out of the dressing room • Why the CAMP is harder than the fight — and why fighters miss the pain when it's over • Rico's come-up story: from rapper signed to Usher to writing Confessions, Climax, and hits for Beyoncé • How Rico wrote Mr. Wrong, 4AM, and Heart Attack in the same two days — while living every single word • The Floyd Mayweather broken hands theory that will change how you see his entire career • Why Rico says "I want to move and act like a champion" — and what that means for his life now Round 7 — The KO Round: Andre asks Rico the question nobody else would ask. You'll want to see his answer. This is Square Up. Champions don't just fight in the ring — every conversation is a fight. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 🏆 📲 Follow Andre: Instagram @andreberto | YouTube: Square Up with Andre Berto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Damon Dash doesn’t hold back. In this powerful episode of SQUARE UP, 2x World Champion Andre Berto sits down with legendary entrepreneur and Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Damon Dash for a raw, unfiltered conversation about the mindset that built an empire. From his Harlem upbringing to discovering Jay-Z and building one of the most influential companies in hip-hop history, Dame breaks down how Roc-A-Fella became more than just a record label — it became a blueprint for ownership, culture, and generational wealth. Dame also opens up about: • The mentality that made him fearless in business • Finding and believing in Jay-Z before the world knew him • Building Roc-A-Fella into a multi-million dollar empire • Why ownership is everything in the music business • His move into boxing and becoming Andre Berto’s first promoter • The real story behind the controversies that followed • Lessons on loyalty, power, and protecting your vision This episode is part business masterclass, part cultural history, and part life philosophy from one of the most outspoken figures in entertainment. Whether you respect him, disagree with him, or are just curious about the truth behind the headlines — this conversation is impossible to ignore. Tap in. About SQUARE UP Hosted by 2x World Champion Andre Berto, SQUARE UP brings you real conversations with fighters, entrepreneurs, and cultural icons. No scripts. No filters. Just raw stories, mindset, and the moments that shape champions. Subscribe for more episodes: 🥊 Fighters 💼 Entrepreneurs 🎤 Cultural legends Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SQUARE UP follows Andre Berto as he travels to the homes of the biggest names in boxing and pop culture. The shows aim to highlight the true personality of each guest and their love for not only boxing but outside of the ring as well. Berto will sit down and engage in a barber shop - face to face interview with the guests regarding boxing, predications, careers and life outside of the ring. Berto will also get his hands dirty as he actively participates with each guest in their favorite pastime outside of the ring. From milking cows to rapping in the studio - This will take the audience on an immersive experience that feels as if they themselves are taking this journey with Berto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices