Podcast: Spence-Crawford set; previewing busy Saturday; Leigh Wood interview
Talking Lara-Wood 2, Lopez-Conlan, Rocha-Young, Okolie-Billam-Smith; tons of news; major Muhammad Ali fight anniversary
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It’s a very busy boxing Saturday with four notable cards — but the big news was the long-awaited welterweight unification fight for the undisputed title between Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford at long last being finalized on Thursday. As for Saturday, we previewed and discussed all four bouts: the WBA featherweight title rematch between Mauricio Lara and Leigh Wood; Luis Alberto Lopez’s IBF featherweight title defense against Michael Conlan; welterweight contender Alexis Rocha against Anthony Young; and WBO cruiserweight titlist Lawrence Okolie’s defense versus longtime pal Chris Billam-Smith. There was also a ton of other news besides Spence-Crawford and a huge Muhammad Ali fight anniversary.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Full coverage of the Spence-Crawford deal being done with some context and perspective on why it’s such a huge fight.
My interview with Wood. We covered several topics, including losing the first fight by stoppage to Lara; his decision to invoke his immediate rematch right; his thoughts on trainer Ben Davison throwing in the towel; the big fight for him if he wins and more.
Previewing Lara-Wood II and the return of junior welterweight contender Jack Catterall on the undercard.
Previewing Lopez-Conlan.
Previewing Rocha-Young and Rocha’s decision to step aside from a mandatory shot at Crawford to allow him to make the deal with Spence.
Previewing Okolie-Billam-Smith.
K2 Promotions winning the purse bid for the Oleksandr Usyk-Daniel Dubois mandatory heavyweight fight for more than $8 million.
Announcement that unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev will make a mandatory defense against Callum Smith on Aug. 19 in Quebec City.
My reporting on the Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko pay-per-view doing around 150,000 buys and is that good?
My reporting that WBO junior lightweight titleholder Emanuel Navarrete will defend against Oscar Valdez on Aug. 12 in Glendale, Arizona, in a fantastic fight on paper.
Undisputed women’s middleweight champion Claressa Shields getting a new opponent in Maricela Cornejo for her June 3 (DAZN) defense because Hanna Gabriels failed a drug test.
Discussion on the 58th anniversary of Ali’s first-round knockout of Sonny Liston to retain the heavyweight title in their rematch.
Please give it a listen! Also: rate, review, subscribe and enjoy!
Lara-Wood photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
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