Podcast: Seniesa Estrada interview; preview of Smith-Zepeda card
Tszyu on switch to Fundora; Canelo-Munguia presser; more news of the week; anniversaries of two notable fights
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There is just one notable card this weekend, Saturday’s Matchroom Boxing show on DAZN headlined by junior welterweight Dalton Smith against Jose Zepeda, and we previewed it. There are also two interviews I conducted: one with Tim Tszyu on his reaction to the change of opponent to Sebastian Fundora on 12 days’ notice and a more in-depth conversation with women’s unified strawweight champion Seniesa Estrada ahead of her fight for the undisputed title against fellow unified champion Yokasta Valle. We also covered notable news of the week and looked back on the anniversaries of two important fights.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
The big news that Keith Thurman suffered a biceps injury and has been replaced by Fundora in the main event against Tszyu on the PBC pay-per-view card on March 30.
My brief chat with Tszyu about making the change, dealing with going from a 5-foot-9 right-hander in Thurman to a 6-6 southpaw in Fundora, and more.
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Preview of Smith’s step up in competition against former world title challenger Zepeda. We also discussed two undercard fights: WBO women’s welterweight titlist Sandy Ryan’s defense against Terri Harper and junior welterweight Campbell Hatton (Ricky’s son) stepping up in class against James Flint.
My interview with Estrada in which we covered many topics, including the opportunity to fight Valle for the undisputed crown March 29 (ESPN+); the evolution of women’s boxing during her 13-year career; her disdain for Valle and how that came about; her plans to go up in weight after Valle and the desire to face unified flyweight champion Marlen Esparza in a rematch; the arguments over money that led to her parting ways with Golden Boy on bad terms before signing with Top Rank; more.
Thoughts on Tuesday’s kickoff press conference for the Canelo Alvarez-Jaime Munguia undisputed super middleweight fight set for May 4.
Top Rank’s announcement of Emanuel Navarrete-Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight title with welterweight contender Giovani Santillan appearing in the May 18 co-feature in his first fight off his impressive upset knockout of Alexis Roach in October.
The unfortunate news that Carlos Cuadras tore his Achilles, had surgery, and is out of a WBC interim junior bantamweight defense against Andrew Moloney on the Lomachenko-Kambosos card in May and my reporting on the details of Moloney’s replacement opponent.
The good news that Roberto Duran is out of the hospital after getting a pacemaker.
Memories on the 27th anniversary of when then-P4P king Roy Jones Jr. suffered his first defeat and lost the WBC light heavyweight title by stunning and controversial ninth-round disqualification to Montell Griffin.
Memories on the 25th anniversary when heavyweight contender Ike Ibeabuchi, viewed by many as a future champion, destroyed undefeated Chris Byrd, who would go on to win heavyweight titles twice, in a huge win on HBO — and then never fought again because of his massive problems outside the ring.
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We bring you the preview each Friday and the weekend recap each Monday. Let me know what you think of the podcast by leaving your comments.
Estrada photo: Top Rank
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