Podcast: Berlanga-McCrory preview; interview with Ray Ford
Plus: A look at Santiago-Nakatani world title tripleheader; news of the week; two significant heavyweight anniversaries
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
There are two notable cards on Saturday and we previewed both of them: the Matchroom Boxing event headlined by super middleweight Edgar Berlanga against Padraig McCrory and a world title tripleheader from Japan that includes WBC bantamweight titlist Alexandro Santiago defending against dangerous Junto Nakatani. There is also my interview with featherweight contender Ray Ford, who is preparing to fight for the vacant WBA title; news items of the week; and ringside memories on the anniversary of two significant heavyweight fights.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Preview of Berlanga-McCrory: Can Berlanga find his KO punch, what do we know about McCrory, and what might a win lead to? We also discussed the undercard, including the third pro fight of fast-rising 2020 Cuban Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz.
Preview of the Japanese world title card that will stream on ESPN+ beginning at 4 a.m. Saturday: Santiago’s first defense against Nakatani, who is moving up in weight and seeking a world title in a third division; Takuma Inoue defending the WBA bantamweight title against Jerwin Ancajas, who is going for a title in a second division; and Kosei Tanaka versus Christian Bacasegua for the vacant WBO junior bantamweight title as Tanaka looks for a belt in a fourth division.
My interview with Ford, who faces fellow unbeaten Otabek Kholmatov in the main event of Top Rank Boxing on ESPN+ on March 2. We covered a lot: How he describes his style; his thoughts on Kholmatov and his KO in the title eliminator; what winning a title would mean to him; inconsistency in some fights; his big win over former junior featherweight titlist Jessie Magdaleno in his last fight; being ready to fight for a world title; the difficulties of growing up in Camden, New Jersey; his desire to follow in a Camden tradition of top fighters that includes former heavyweight champion Jersey Joe Walcott; more.
Please upgrade to a paid subscription for full access to all posts and comments — and also help support independent journalism
Announcement that the big fight between Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, rather than Las Vegas as initially planned.
David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk signing to fight for the WBC interim light heavyweight title.
Golden Boy finalizing the expected fight between WBA cruiserweight titlist Arsen Goulamirian and Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.
The IOC denying Manny Pacquiao’s bid to compete in the Paris Olympics this summer because is 45 and the age limit is 40.
Ringside memories on the fourth anniversary of when Tyson Fury pummeled Deontay Wilder and stopped him in the seventh round of their rematch to retain the lineal heavyweight title and win the WBC belt.
Ringside memories on the 21st anniversary of when Mike Tyson scored his final win in a 49-second KO of Clifford Etienne and all the wildness leading up to the fight and after.
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.
Berlanga-McCrory photo: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing
Please upgrade your subscription here: https://danrafael.substack.com/subscribe
Thank you so much for your support of Fight Freaks Unite!
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danrafael1/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanRafael1
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanRafaelBoxing
Is Ray Ford the guy whose schtick was bringing a pillow out to the ring with him, or am I thinking of someone else?