Podcast: Edgar Berlanga interview; preview of Pacheco-Sulecki

Plus: The undercard; news of the week; anniversary of an epic battle

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There is just one notable card this weekend, Saturday’s Matchroom Boxing event on DAZN headlined by super middleweight up-and-comer Diego Pacheco against Maciej Sulecki, and we previewed and discussed it. There is also my interview with super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga ahead of his Sept. 14 fight with unified champion Canelo Alvarez; news of the week; and fight anniversary memories.

Here is what’s on the show (in order):

• Preview of Pacheco-Sulecki as well as a look at the undercard: junior lightweight Eduardo Nunez against Miguel Marriaga and cruiserweight Cheavon Clarke versus Efetobor Apochi.

• My interview with Berlanga ahead of his title shot against Canelo, and we covered a lot of ground: landing his dream fight and his confidence in winning it; what it was like when he found out he had the fight; what manager Keith Connolly, who negotiated the Canelo fight, has meant to his career; ending his knockout drought in his last fight against Padraig McCrory; what being part of the Mexico-Puerto Rico boxing rivalry means to him; whether Canelo is downplaying him; what it was like going face to face with him during the media tour; what is his approach to the fight; and more.

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• The WBO’s announcement that it has ordered Sebastian Fundora to make his mandatory defense against interim titlist Terence Crawford.

• My reporting that talks for a Jaron “Boots” Ennis-Brian Norman Jr. welterweight title unification fight have ended and Matchroom Boxing, Ennis’ promoter, will look to finalize his due mandatory defense, a pitiful rematch with Karen Chukhadzhian.

• My reporting that Top Rank will have a Nov. 2 ESPN card that likely will include the WBC-mandated rematch between junior lightweight titlist Robson Conceicao and former titlist O’Shaquie Foster.

• Super middleweight Sergiy Derevyanchenko had surgery on Monday on the torn tendon in his left arm and plans to continue his career when he is healthy.

• Memories on the 14th anniversary of when big puncher Giovani Segura knocked out Hall of Famer Ivan Calderon in the eighth round of their first fight to end his 10-year unbeaten run, unified the WBA and WBO junior flyweight titles; and won the lineal title in a classic Mexico-Puerto Rico showdown that many picked as the 2010 fight of the year.

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 photo: Esther Lin/PBC

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