Podcast: Should Wood-Lara have been stopped?; Nery-Hovannisyan another FOY candidate

Plus: Action fights every week; Davis-Garcia update; next for Fundora; Eubank-Smith II plans; Donaire title shot; Broner fight off; Ioka vacates; memories Chavez-Haugen

Feb 20, 2023

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Welcome to the Fight Freaks Unite recap podcast coming off a weekend that included two main events on separate DAZN cards Saturday that were fight of the year candidates: Mauricio Lara’s action-packed knockout of Leigh Wood to win the WBA featherweight title and Luis Nery’s knockout of Azat Hovhannisyan in a grueling WBC junior featherweight title eliminator. We discussed both in depth, covered plenty of news of the week and looked back on the anniversary of the fight that drew the biggest crowd in boxing history.

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

Full recap and thoughts the Nery-Hovhannisyan slugfest, the heart they both showed and the stakes.
Full recap on the outstanding Wood-Lara bout with thoughts on the fight and an extended discussion Wood trainer Ben Davison’s decision to throw in the towel.
That we are only in February and we have already seen five candidates for fight of the year.
The expected imminent announcement that Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia is a go for April 15.
The expected return of Sebastian Fundora to face Brian Mendoza on Showtime on April 8.
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The decision of Chris Eubank Jr. to exercise his contractual right to an immediate rematch with Liam Smith.
Future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire, in the twilight of his career, getting a shot at the vacant WBC bantamweight title.
The cancellation of this Saturday’s Adrien Broner-Michael Williams Jr. pay-per-view card.
Kazuto Ioka vacating his junior bantamweight title but going forward with a rematch with titleholder Joshua Franco.
Memories on the 30th anniversary of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez’s junior welterweight title defense against Greg Haugen that drew an all-time boxing attendance record of 132, 247 for a loaded Don King pay-per-view card at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

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We will be bringing you the weekend recap each Monday. Let me know what you think of the podcast by leaving your comments.