Podcast: Recapping Jake Paul-Nate Diaz; Whyte's positive test

Serrano-Hardy beatdown; news of week; anniversary memories

Dan Rafael

Aug 07, 2023

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We recapped and discussed the only major card of the weekend, which was the DAZN PPV headlined by Jake Paul-Nate Diaz on Saturday night. We also discussed various news items of the week, most notably heavyweight Dillian Whyte’s failed drug test that caused his rematch with Anthony Joshua scheduled for this coming Saturday to be canceled. For our nostalgia segment we looked back on a big-time lightweight fight I was ringside to cover 19 years ago.

Here’s what we discussed on this episode (in order):

Whyte’s positive VADA test, the cancellation of the rematch with Joshua and what happens now with the card in limbo.
Recap of Paul’s entertaining decision over former UFC star Diaz and the prospect that they could meet in a rematch in an MMA fight, something both fighters said they were interested in.
Recap of undisputed women’s featherweight champion Amanda Serrano’s one-sided beatdown of former titlist Heather Hardy in the co-feature, which was a gross mismatch on paper and in reality, and where Serrano goes next.
The announcement that Mike Tyson will train Francis Ngannou for his fight with Tyson Fury on Oct. 28.
Matchroom Boxing’s announcement that junior welterweight contender Jack Catterall will face the long-faded former lightweight titlist Jorge Linares in a DAZN headliner on Oct. 21.
Announcement that lightweight contender William Zepeda will face former title challenger Mercito Gesta in a Golden Boy main event on DAZN on Sept. 16.
Ringside memories on the 19th anniversary of when the late Diego Corrales rallied to stop Acelino “Popo” Freitas in the 10th round of a Showtime main event to win the WBO lightweight title.