Podcast: Manny Pacquiao interview; preview of Berlanga-Sheeraz card
The Taylor-Serrano trilogy fight; Hatton's return, more news of the week
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.
It’s a big boxing weekend with a major card on Friday night and another on Saturday night, and we previewed both of them. There is also my one-on-one interview with the great Manny Pacquiao ahead of his return next week after four years in retirement to challenge WBC welterweight titlist Mario Barrios and a look at the biggest news of the week. Also, check out and subscribe to the YouTube channel.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Preview of the highly anticipated trilogy fight between undisputed women’s junior welterweight champion Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, who headline a loaded all-female card on Friday night on Netflix.
Preview of the Ring magazine DAZN PPV card on Saturday night that includes Edgar Berlanga against Hamzah Sheeraz in a WBC super middleweight title eliminator, WBC lightweight titlist Shakur Stevenson defending against interim titlist William Zepeda, and Hall of Famer Jim Lampley’s late addition to the broadcast team.
My interview with Pacquiao, who, at age 46, is exiting a four-year retirement to challenge Barrios. We discussed many aspects of his return, his reasons for doing it and more.
If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription take advantage of my limited time summer sale and get 10% off. You’ll have full access to the rest of this post and all posts, the full archive and comment posting ability — and you will support independent journalism.
Announcement that Hall of Famer Ricky Hatton is coming out of a 13-year retirement to fight Eisa Al Dah in an official middleweight bout Dec. 2 in Dubai.
Announcement that former junior lightweight titlist Anthony Cacace has suffered a back injury that has forced him out of a fight against Raymond Ford on the Moses Itauma-Dillian Whyte card Aug. 16.
Francisco Rodriguez’s positive drug test in the wake of his shockingly dominant upset decision over Galal Yafai to win the WBC interim flyweight title on June 21.
The Pacquiao interview is also available on the YouTube channel, so please subscribe. We will also be going live on the channel after Taylor-Serrano III and Berlanga-Sheeraz to discuss whatever happened, so join us!
Listen to the episode! 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.
Pacquiao photo: Ryan Hafey/PBC
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
