Podcast: Previewing a huge weekend, including Wilder's return vs. Helenius
Plus: Haney-Kambosos II, Plant-Dirrell, Shields-Marshall, Mayer-Baumgardner and plenty of news of the week
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We’ve got a very busy boxing Saturday on tap with three significant cards on three continents. The biggest show is the PBC pay-per-view headlined by the return of former heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder taking on Robert Helenius in a WBC title eliminator with former super middleweight titleholders Caleb Plant and Anthony Dirrell meeting in a WBC title eliminator in the co-feature at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
In Melbourne, Australia, undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney faces George Kambosos Jr. in an immediate rematch of Haney’s victory to fully unify the division in June. And in London there is a highly significant all-women’s card headlined by Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall meeting to crown the undisputed middleweight champion and Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner squaring off in a three-belt junior lightweight unification fight. We previewed it all plus covered news of the week.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
We discussed the latest fallout in the case of Conor Benn’s failed drug test that caused last week’s heavily hyped showdown with Chris Eubank Jr. to be canceled three days before the fight.
The formal announcement of a Dec. 13 fight in Tokyo matching three-belt bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue and titleholder Paul Butler for the undisputed title.
The deal that is being finalized for a junior welterweight fight between Teofimo Lopez and Jose Pedraza on Dec. 10 at New York’s Madison Square Garden and some talk about the guys who were also in the running to face Lopez.
A look at the mandatory fight between unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde, who are due to meet Jan. 28 in London after the bout was delayed due to Beterbiev’s summer knee surgery.
A preview of Wilder-Helenius, which will see Wilder fight for the first time since getting stopped by Tyson Fury in their third epic heavyweight championship fight a year ago.
Also a preview of the Plant-Dirrell co-feature and a look at the two other fights on the pay-per-view: heavyweight Frank Sanchez vs. Carlos Negron and the rematch between Gary Antonio Russell and former bantamweight titlist Emmanuel Rodriguez.
Discussion of the Haney-Kambosos rematch and what might be different than the first fight.
Previews of Shields-Marshall and Mayer-Baumgardner and my view on which fight I think will be better.
With all the fights and shows overlapping, how I am going to handle trying to watch all of it, especially since I will be ringside for Wilder-Helenius? I have a plan.
Listen, rate and subscribe here and enjoy!
Wilder photo: Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions
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Dan,
Terrific podcast/breakdown. Loved it! What separates you from the rest is your ability to go in depth the way you do and the way you stand your ground against every single promoter. When you get attacked by everyone, that must mean you are doing something right LOL.
Question for you, are you hearing anything regarding PBC's schedule for the fall/winter? Only SHO card upcoming is the Morrell one. Is there any other cards taking place in 2022? And have you heard anything regarding what PBC plans on doing going forward? The FOX deal expires in 2023 I believe, so what are they going to do after that?
Best regards,
Jay
Is there a difference between a bell and a ding? FWIW, it’s usually a banner that notifies me that a new episode of the pod is up.