Podcast: Canelo/PBC divorce; preview of Kholmatov-Ford card
Plus: A look at Serrano/Paul event; plenty of news of the week; anniversary memories of big Roy Jones, Juan Manuel Marquez fights
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There are two notable cards on Saturday and we previewed both of them: the Top Rank ESPN+ card that features two featherweight world title fights and the MVP DAZN card featuring Amanda Serrano in a women’s unified featherweight title defense and Jake Paul. We also spent quite a bit of time on the big news of the split between Canelo Alvarez and PBC, plus other news items. And, of course, I shared ringside memories on the anniversaries of two very significant fights.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
The news that shook the sport this week as Canelo and PBC have split after just one fight of their three-fight deal: What happened, why, what does it mean for Canelo and for PBC and what’s next?
Preview of the Top Rank card: Otabek Kholmatov-Raymond Ford for the vacant WBA featherweight title and Luis Alberto Lopez’s IBF featherweight title mandatory against Reiya Abe.
Preview of the MVP card: Serrano’s defense against mandatory challenger Nina Meinke and Paul’s return in the co-feature against Ryan Bourland.
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WBA president Gilberto Mendoza confirms to me that Edgar Berlanga’s win in a super middleweight title eliminator made him mandatory for “regular” titlist David Morrell, not “super” champion Canelo as many thought.
Announcement that junior welterweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr. will appear in the Devin Haney-Ryan Garcia co-feature and thoughts on the Haney-Garcia Los Angeles press conference on Thursday that quickly devolved into a mess.
A Gennadiy Golovkin announcement that gives the impression that he’s not coming back to the ring.
The Japan Boxing Commission announcing that it has lifted the indefinite suspension of Luis Nery, paving the way for him to face undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue on May 6 at the Tokyo Dome.
Ringside memories on the 15th anniversary of when Juan Manuel Marquez knocked out Juan Diaz in the ninth round for lightweight supremacy in the spectacular 2009 fight of the year.
Ringside memories on the 21st anniversary of when the legendary Roy Jones Jr. moved up to heavyweight and routed John Ruiz to win the WBA heavyweight title in a historic masterpiece.
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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.
Alvarez photo: Ryan Hafey/PBC
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Did the WBA give any indication of when they intend to order a title consolidation at 168?