Podcast: Otto Wallin interview; previewing Rodriguez-Edwards
Plus: Jake Paul in action and Morrell-Agbeko on final Showtime event; Joshua-Wilder facts; more news of the week; two anniversaries
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We have three cards of note this weekend and we previewed and discussed them: cruiserweight Jake Paul taking on full-time boxer Andre August on Friday night on DAZN; the excellent flyweight unification fight between Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards on Saturday night on DAZN; and the final Showtime boxing event on Saturday night headlined by David Morrell defending his secondary super middleweight belt against Sena Agbeko. There is also my interview with heavyweight contender Otto Wallin, who fights Anthony Joshua in the main event of the mega pay-per-view card on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia. We also covered news of the week and shared memories on the anniversary of two fights.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Preview of Paul-August and Paul’s decision to take on a boxer of similar experience in a non-pay-per-view fight as he tries to develop as a boxer.
Preview of Rodriguez-Edwards, which pits undefeated flyweight titleholders in a high-class unification fight that they both wanted very badly and figures to be a contrast of styles.
Preview of the final Showtime card in its 37-year history with Morrell-Agbeko headlining what was reduced to a tripleheader after one fight was postponed on Thursday.
My interview with Wallin as he preps for Joshua in his biggest fight other than his competitive decision loss to Tyson Fury. We covered various topics, including the ease of making the match; his thoughts on Joshua; his aim to ruin plans for a potential Joshua-Deontay Wilder fight; his frustration of not getting a significant fight for years after the match with Fury; and much more.
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The latest on the talks for a Joshua-Wilder fight if they both win their Dec. 23 bouts, but contrary to an ESPN report, there was no deal agreed to as of Thursday.
The wild back and forth on social media between Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney and whether it could lead to a huge fight between them in 2024.
Announcement of two world title cards in Japan (which still stream on ESPN+ in the U.S.), including a defense by unified junior flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji against Carlos Canizales on Jan. 23 and WBC bantamweight titlist Alexandro Santiago making a very high-risk defense against Junto Nakatani on Feb. 24.
Ringside memories on the 20th anniversary of the stacked Don King pay-per-view card that had a record eight world title fights, including Bernard Hopkins defending the undisputed middleweight title against William Joppy and the unification for the undisputed welterweight title between Cory Spinks and Ricardo Mayorga.
Memories on the 27th anniversary of when Andrew Golota was shockingly disqualified for the second fight in a row for repeated low blows against former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe.
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Wallin photo: Queensberry Promotions
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