Podcast: Interview with Deontay Wilder, who returns to the ring next week
Plus: Luis Nery wins in Mexico and other news and notes
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Welcome to the Fight Freaks Unite recap podcast coming off a very light boxing weekend that featured only one fight of remote note in former two-division titleholder Luis Nery’s knockout of David Carmona in Mexico. But the main part of the podcast is my exclusive interview with former WBC heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder, who returns to the ring on Oct. 15 to headline a Fox PPV card against contender Robert Helenius in Wilder’s first bout in a year — since a knockout loss to Tyson Fury in their third fight, which was the 2021 fight of the year.
Here’s what we discussed on this episode (in order):
Nery’s third-round KO of Carmona that could set him up for a shot at unified junior featherweight titlist Stephen Fulton.
The WBA’s reversal of a previous ruling that now has ordered (once again) featherweight “super” titlist Leo Santa Cruz and “regular” titleholder Leigh Wood to meet next — period.
My interview with Wilder with whom I discussed a variety of topics, including his trilogy with Fury; why he decided to continue his career; what having his hometown build a statue in his honor meant to him; what being in the fight of the year meant to him; his relationship with Helenius, who he has sparred countless rounds with through various training camps; the prospect of a final eliminator with Andy Ruiz Jr.; his thoughts on the Oleksandr Usyk-Anthony Joshua rematch, the possible Fury-Joshua bout and possibly facing Joshua at some point; and how much longer he wants to fight.
Glendale, Arizona being set as the site for the highly anticipated trilogy fight between Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez on Dec. 3 (DAZN).
The vacant WBC junior welterweight title fight between Jose Zepeda and Regis Prograis being signed and the likely date and site.
Please give it a listen! Also: rate, review, subscribe and enjoy!
We will be bringing you the weekend recap each Monday. Let me know what you think of the podcast by leaving your comments.
Wilder photo: Toby Acuna/PBC
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