Podcast: Figueroa-Magsayo preview; interviews with Jarrett Hurd, Showtime's Stephen Espinoza

Plus: News of the week; 20th anniversary of historic Roy Jones win

Mar 3, 2023

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The significant card of the weekend is a Showtime PBC tripleheader on Saturday night in Ontario, California, headlined by the Brandon Figueroa-Mark Magsayo WBC interim featherweight title bout. We previewed and discussed that card, which also includes the return from a long layoff of former unified junior middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd. There’s also my interview with Hurd and my interview with Showtime Sports president Steven Espinoza. I covered several topics with both of them. We also covered some of the week’s news and looked back on the 20th anniversary of a huge fight.

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

A preview of the expected action fight between Figueroa and Magsayo and Hurd’s return after a nearly two-year layoff to face Armando Resendiz in the middleweight co-feature.
My interview with Hurd. We covered several topics, including the Covid-19 death of his father and taking time off; what sparked his to return; what surprised me about our van ride together to the airport on the morning after Hurd won his first world title in 2017; his big win over Erislandy Lara to unify in the 2018 fight of the year; his title loss to Julian Williams; the disastrous loss to Luis Arias in the rain; his plan to go back to the all-out pressure fighter he was before trying to become more of a boxer; and what kind of bigger fight does he have his eye on.

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Initial thoughts on the three cards Showtime added to its already busy schedule this week: April 8 headlined by Sebastian Fundora’s WBC interim middleweight title defense vs. Brian Mendoza; May 13 Alberto Puello defending the WBA junior welterweight title vs. Rolando Romero; and June 24 Carlos Adames defending the WBC interim middleweight belt vs. Julian Williams.
My interview with Espinoza. We covered several topics, including finally getting the Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia fight signed; what the future might hold for the winner of the March 25 David Benavidez-Caleb Plant Showtime PPV fight; what Showtime becoming part of Paramount+ means for the future of its boxing franchise; his thoughts on the three shows the network announced this week; and what other sorts of fights are soon to be added to the schedule.

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The disappointing news that Amanda Serrano is injured and the highly anticipated rematch with Katie Taylor scheduled for May 20 has been postponed.
Terence Crawford being ordered to make his mandatory WBO welterweight title defense against Alexis Rocha and why it might lead to a deal with Golden Boy.
Memories on the 20th anniversary of the great Roy Jones Jr.’s move up in weight and his historic victory over John Ruiz for the WBA heavyweight title in what was a massive event and an all-time great performance.

Listen, rate, review, subscribe and enjoy!

Figueroa-Magsayo photo: Esther Lin/Showtime

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