Podcast: Benavidez interview; Zayas and Carrington in action
Plus: Broner vs. Cobbs; Hall of Fame induction weekend; news of the week; two big fight anniversaries
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There was no recap show this past weekend — TJ was on vacation — but we are back with our weekend preview and much more. We chatted about the three cards of note led by the Top Rank show that features rising stars Xander Zayas and Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington as well as the International Boxing Hall of Fame weekend. There is also my interview with David Benavidez, who moves up to light heavyweight to fight in the co-feature of the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin PPV card next Saturday, as well as news of the week and a look back on the anniversary of two significant fights.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Preview of welterweight Adrien Broner against Blair Cobbs and heavyweight Cassius Chaney against Michael Hunter on promoter Don King’s card on TrillerTV PPV on Friday night.
Preview of the Golden Boy card on DAZN on Friday night that is part of Hall of Fame weekend and headlined by exciting WBO strawweight titlist Oscar Collazo versus Geraldo Zapata.
Preview of Top Rank’s ESPN card in New York on Saturday night, the eve of the Puerto Rican parade, headlined by junior middleweight Zayas taking on the most notable opponent of his career in former titlist Patrick Teixeira and featherweight Carrington facing Brayan De Gracia.
Thoughts on the Hall of Fame class that will be inducted on Sunday and includes Ivan Calderon, the late Diego Corrales, Ricky Hatton and Michael Moorer as well as PR legend Fred Sternburg, trainer Kenny Adams and the late, great broadcaster Nick Charles, among others.
My interview with Benavidez ahead of his fight with former light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, who he faces for the WBC interim 175-pound belt. We covered several topics: his move up in weight; agreeing to fight in the pay-per-view co-feature after headlining his own PPV cards in his previous two fights; thoughts on Canelo Alvarez being unwilling to fight him; thoughts on the WBC not ordering Canelo to face him even though he’s the mandatory and does he think the fight will ever happen; what he has done to transform from a super middleweight to light heavyweight; thoughts on Gvozdyk, a former sparring partner; thoughts on a possible fight with the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol winner; and more.
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Announcement that with Deontay Wilder losing last weekend, heavyweight contender Jared Anderson will instead fight Martin Bakole in a major step up in competition on the Aug. 3 Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov PPV card.
Thoughts on what could be going on as the purse bid for Canelo Alvarez’s IBF mandatory fight against William Scull was postponed for one week.
IBF welterweight titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis needs a new opponent for his July 13 defense because mandatory challenger Cody Crowley was forced out due an eye issue.
Memories on the 36th anniversary of when Iran Barkley scored a major upset by knocking out Thomas Hearns in the third round to win the WBC middleweight title in their first fight.
Ringside memories on the 22nd anniversary of when Lennox Lewis knocked out Mike Tyson in the eighth round to retain the heavyweight title in the biggest money fight in boxing history at the time; the bout that closed that fantastic heavyweights era; and the complicated deal that made the fight possible.
Please give it a listen! Also: rate, review, subscribe and enjoy!
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.
Benavidez photo: Esther Lin/PBC
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