Podcast: Prograis interview; recap of Murtazaliev’s destruction of Tszyu
Plus: The PBC undercard; TJ talks with Murtazaliev, Porter & Tarver; Azim shines; news of the week; big fight anniversary; celebrating Holyfield on his birthday
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There were three cards of note on Saturday and we recapped them, namely Bakhram Murtazaliev’s overwhelming third-round knockout of Tim Tszyu to retain the IBF junior middleweight title. There is also my interview with Regis Prograis ahead of his fight this coming Saturday against Jack Catterall; news of the week; memories on the anniversary of a very significant fight; and a celebration of the great Evander Holyfield on his birthday.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Recap of the PBC on Prime Video card headlined by Murtazaliev’s upset destruction of Tszyu, who he dropped four times in retaining his 154-pound title: What happened, what went wrong, did we overrate Tszyu and underrate Murtazaliev?
TJ was ringside and had short interviews about the fight with Shawn Porter and Antonio Tarver and also got a little time with Murtazaliev.
Recap of the PBC undercard: junior middleweight prospect Yoenis Tellez’s knockout of Johan Gonzalez, the best opponent he has faced so far, and the excellent slugfest between middleweights Cesar Mateo Tapia and Endry Saavedra, who fought to a draw.
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Recap of the Boxxer card headlined by junior welterweight up-and-comer Adam Azim’s superb performance in an eighth-round knockout of Ohara Davies.
Recap of William Scull’s incredibly boring and suspect decision over Vladimir Shishkin to win the vacant IBF super middleweight title in Germany.
My interview with Prograis and we covered plenty: Dealing with the postponement from August due to Catterall’s injury; doing the fight essentially in Catterall’s hometown; thoughts on their performances against common opponent Josh Taylor and does he ever want to have a rematch with Taylor; the need to perform well after being shut out by Devin Haney and losing his title in his last fight and looking very shaky in a debatable split decision win over Danielito Zorrilla in the previous bout; more.
My reporting on a heavyweight fight in the works between Jarrell Miller and Derek Chisora for early next year.
The IBF ordering cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia’s mandatory against Huseiyn Cinkara in what could be an Australian homecoming defense.
The William Zepeda-Tevin Farmer being upgraded to being for the WBC interim lightweight title but the bizarre fact that it will only be scheduled for 10 rounds instead of 12.
Applause for the Japanese Boxing Commission for suspending three-division titlist John Riel Casimero for one year for missing weight for his recent fight there.
Ringside memories on the fifth anniversary of when Artur Beterbiev scored a harsh 10th-round knockout of Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his first unification fight.
A celebration of the legendary Holyfield on his 62nd birthday.
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Prograis photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
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Murtazaliev defended against an opponent coming off a loss.