Podcast: Preview of the Usyk-Fury rematch for the heavyweight title
Plus: Favorite heavyweight championship rematches; plenty of news of the week; memories on the anniversary of two big-time doubleheaders
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.
There’s only one card of note this weekend but it’s a big one — the Riyadh Season show headlined by the rematch between lineal and unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, who meet again on Saturday on DAZN PPV. We previewed the fight in detail and also discussed the undercard. We also covered several notable news items of the week and looked back on the anniversary of two memorable and significant cards.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Preview of the rematch between Usyk and Fury, who meet again seven months after their classic first battle that crowned Usyk undisputed champion. What to expect in this fight, will either man do anything dramatically different in the sequel?
Preview of the undercard, which includes fights such as junior middleweight Serheii Bohachuk versus late replacement Ishmael Davis in a WBC final eliminator, heavyweight up-and-comer Moses Itauma versus Demsey McKean, and more.
TJ and discuss our favorite heavyweight title rematches.
I am in my 25th year of full-time boxing coverage. Take advantage of that experience by upgrading to a paid subscription for full access to all posts and comments — and also support independent journalism.
My reporting on Top Rank’s Feb. 14 ESPN card, which has not been announced but will be headlined by Keyshawn Davis challenging Denys Berinchyk for his WBO lightweight title and other fights on the card.
Announcement that lineal/IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia will now face David Nyika on Jan 8 in the DAZN main event in Australia after mandatory challenger Huseiyn Cinkara withdrew due to injury.
The latest on the WBO junior welterweight title eliminator between Jack Catterall and Arnold Barboza, which is close to being finalized for Feb. 15 on DAZN in Manchester, England.
Plans for IBF featherweight titlist Angelo Leo to make his first defense against mandatory challenger Tomoki Kameda’s in Kameda’s hometown of Osaka, Japan.
An overview of some of the most notable news from the recently wrapped up annual WBC convention.
Memories on the 27th anniversary of a fantastic HBO doubleheader when Prince Naseem Hamed and Kevin Kelley exchanged six knockdowns in one of the best fights of the 1990s, which Hamed won by fourth-round knockout to retain the WBO featherweight title, and the co-feature in which Kennedy McKinney and Junior Jones exchanged knockdowns before McKinney won by fourth-round KO to claim the WBO junior featherweight title.
Memories on the 26th anniversary of another fantastic HBO doubleheader when Floyd Mayweather made his first junior lightweight title defense and impressively stopped top contender Angel Manfredy in the second round of the main event and heavyweight David Tua stopped fellow contender (and future champion) Hasim Rahman in the 10th round of a title eliminator in their first fight.
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.
Usyk-Fury photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
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
