Podcast: Recap of big weekend, including Tszyu-Fundora bloodbath
Podcast: Recap of big weekend, including Tszyu-Fundora bloodbath
Plus: Rest of PBC on Prime PPV, Goulamirian-Zurdo, Valdez-Wilson, Estrada-Valle, Wardley-Clarke; news of the week; heavyweight title fight anniversary
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 was a jam-packed and outstanding boxing weekend with four excellent cards between Friday and Sunday. We did a massive recap with thoughts on all: the Tim Tszyu-Sebastian Fundora PBC on Prime PPV; Golden Boy’s Arsen Goulamirian-Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez fight; Top Rank’s Oscar Valdez-Liam Wilson event; and the heavyweight barnburner between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke that headlined the Boxxer card. We also discussed several news items of the week and looked back on the anniversary of a great heavyweight title fight.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Recap of the entire PBC on Prime PPV card, including plenty of discussion on all facets of the Tszyu-Fundora bloodbath and Fundora’s victory to claim the WBO and WBC junior middleweight titles and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz’s knockout of Rolly Romero to win the WBA junior welterweight title.
Recap of Ramirez’s history-making decision over Goulamirian to win the WBA cruiserweight title and the winning return of welterweight contender Alexis Rocha.
Recap of Valdez’s action-packed seventh-round knockout of Wilson to win the vacant WBO interim junior lightweight title and Seniesa Estrada’s decision win over Yokasta Valle to become the undisputed women’s strawweight champion.
Recap of the Wardley-Clarke instant classic heavyweight slobber knocker.
Help me celebrate the start of my 25th year of full-time boxing coverage by upgrading to a paid subscription for full access to all posts and comments — and also support independent journalism.
The announcement of the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk undercard for May 18.
My reporting on Top Rank’s plans for junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez’s next defense to be against Steve Claggett; the others who were in the running; and that Robeisy Ramirez will be on the undercard instead of having an immediate rematch with Rafael Espinoza as initially planned.
My reporting on Shakur Stevenson’s lightweight title defense on July 6 will be against Artem Harutyunyan.
Announcement that Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has vacated his unified WBO/IBF flyweight titles and my reporting on the notable fight in the works for the Juan Francisco Estrada-Rodriguez undercard on June 29.
Memories on the 18th anniversary when Siarhei Liakhovich outpointed Lamon Brewster to win the WBO heavyweight title in an absolutely epic slugfest that might be the most underrated heavyweight title fight in history.
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.
Tszyu-Fundora photo: Esther Lin/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
This is the best of the best as far as boxing is concerned. Both TJ and Dan are excellent as host and expert , respectively, and the podcast is consistently entertaining as well as informative.
Two things. Isaac Cruz is nowhere near the second biggest Mexican Draw. That's Jaime Munguía, who actually outdrew Benavidez in his own backyard of Arizona. Cruz has never sold a one single ticket as the headliner. Second. Lamon Brewster had another long forgotten classic Heavyweight Championship fight with Luan Krasniqi in a Sold Out and raucous German arena. It wasn't broadcast here in the US. But what a crazy war. Plenty of belt line shots. And at one point, a cornerman for Krasniqi stands up on the apron for nearly the entire round lol. Brewster needed a KO on foreign soil due to questionable scorecards. I actually got to chat with Lamon up in Tahoe a few weeks later at the Pemberton/Lacy fight. Just prior to Lacy getting dismantled by Calzaghe.