Episodes

  • Special Guest Mike Costello Joins Us to Talk Jack Catterall vs. Regis Prograis and All Things Boxing
    Oct 22 2024

    Our special guest this week is Mike Costello, the legendary British boxing broadcaster who worked for BBC for 45 years and now calls the fights for DAZN.

    The conversation was both engaging and wide-ranging, which is no surprise when you bring the likes of Costello and British boxing commentator Darren Rees together. Among the topics they discussed were two big junior welterweight fights in the U.K. Jack Catterall, once robbed of the championship at 140 pounds, still wants to rule the division and will face Regis Prograis this Saturday at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester. And Adam Azim, a junior welterweight prospect himself, just scored his biggest win with a victory in a crossroads bout over his longtime friend, Ohara Davies, at the Copper Box Arena in London.

    Costello and Rees also talked about boxing being in a special period, the heavyweight division, and Mike's special nights behind a microphone.

    Also in this episode, Darren brings us up to date on other U.K. boxing news, including Sam Gilley winning at York Hall against Jack McGann and Dan Azeez losing a close decision against
    Lewis Edmondson.

    And on the U.S. side, American boxing writer David Greisman examines Bakhram Murtazaliev's sensational three-round TKO of Tim Tszyu to defend his junior middleweight world title, and all the opportunities now available for Murtazaliev at 154. That, plus other boxing news in the States such as Chris Colbert's loss to Omar Salcido, Miyo Yoshida's bantamweight title fight against Shurretta Metcalf, and what's going on with undisputed champions Artur Beterbiev and Naoye Inoue and their mandatory challengers.

    United Boxing Podcast comes out every Tuesday. Follow Darren @DarrenRees_, David @FightingWords2, and the show itself on X at @UnitedBoxingPod

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • INTERVIEW: Boxing promoter Tom Loeffler
    Oct 17 2024

    INTERVIEW: Boxing promoter Tom Loeffler on Callum Walsh, Serhii Bohachuk vs. Israil Madrimov, and more.

    Tom Loeffler's career in boxing as a manager and promoter has spanned more than three decades and included some of boxing's most recognizable names. As a manager, he worked with stars such as James Toney, Shane Mosley and Kevin Kelley. And as a promoter, he worked alongside heavyweight champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko and guided Gennadiy Golovkin from a relative unknown into one of the best middleweights of this era.

    These days, Loeffler heads up 360 Promotions, whose stable includes junior middleweight contender Serhii Bohachuk, former undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus, and prospects Callum Walsh (junior middleweight), Gor Yeritsyan (featherweight), Omar Trinidad (welterweight) and Cain Sandoval (junior welterweight). Trinidad and Yeritsyan will headline in separate fights on October 26 on UFC Fight Pass.

    In this interview, boxing writer David Greisman talks to Loeffler about Bohachuk's upcoming fight with Israil Madrimov and what could come next if he wins; the relationship with UFC and how that's helping build Loeffler's next generation of talent; whether Golovkin has officially retired and what GGG is up to in his new role as chairman of World Boxing's Olympic commission.

    United Boxing Podcast comes out every Tuesday — with standalone interviews like this posted on occasion. Follow Darren @DarrenRees_, David @FightingWords2, and the show itself on X at @UnitedBoxingPod

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    30 mins
  • Undisputed But Disputed: Artur Beterbiev beats Dmitry Bivol
    Oct 14 2024

    Artur Beterbiev took home all four major world titles with a majority decision over Dmitry Bivol, and yet it still feels like there's unfinished business between the two best 175-pound fighters in the world.

    In this week's episode, American boxing writer David Greisman and British boxing commentator Darren Rees recap Beterbiev vs. Bivol, their desire for a rematch, and what could come next, including a fight with the winner of January's match between David Benavidez and David Morrell.

    We also discuss the eventful undercard featuring Fabio Wardley's sensational first-round knockout of Frazer Clarke, Skye Nicolson defending her featherweight title against Raven Chapman, Jai Opetaia defeating Jack Massey and moving on toward a unification bout against the winner of Chris Billam-Smith vs. Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez, and Ben Whittaker going over the top rope against Liam Cameron and leaving in a wheelchair.

    Our guest this week is highly respected boxing writer Cliff Rold, who will give us his insights on both Beterbiev vs. Bivol as well as the huge set of fights that took place in Japan, including the bantamweight title fights that saw Junto Nakatani defeat Petch Sor Chitpattana and Takuma Inoue lose to Seiya Tsutsumi. Cliff can be followed on Twitter @roldboxing and you can read his writing at roldboxing.substack.com.

    And we look forward to this coming weekend's action, with Bakhram Murtazaliev defending his junior middleweight title again Tim Tszyu and junior welterweight prospect Adam Azim facing his longtime frined Ohara Davies in a crossroads bout. All of that, plus our Fighters of the Week!

    United Boxing Podcast comes out every Tuesday. Follow Darren @DarrenRees_, David @FightingWords2, and the show itself on X at @UnitedBoxingPod

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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • FULL INTERVIEW: KATHY DUVA & JOE ROTONDA
    Oct 10 2024

    Artur Beterbiev has knocked out everyone he's ever faced. But Kathy Duva, the longtime Main Events promoter who also serves as an adviser to Dmitry Bivol, feels that Beterbiev is ready-made for Bivol to win on Saturday in Riyadh.

    Also hear from Duva and Main Events Director of Operations Joe Rotonda about their junior middleweight titleholder, Bakhram Murtazaliev, and his upcoming defense against Tim Tszyu. Plus Duva and Rotonda talk the sate of boxing as they see it, including whether they would work with Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season.

    United Boxing Podcast comes out every Tuesday. Follow Darren @DarrenRees_, David @FightingWords2, and the show itself on X at @UnitedBoxingPod

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    55 mins
  • FULL INTERVIEW: JOHN SCULLY
    Oct 9 2024

    What does Artur Beterbiev need to do to defeat Dmitry Bivol and become the undisputed light heavyweight champion? We talk to "Iceman" John Scully, Beterbiev's assistant trainer, to get his insight. Hear from Scully about how he came to work with Beterbiev eight years ago, the ways he's seen Beterbiev grow since, why he holds Bivol in such high regard, and why that Scully thinks that still won't matter once the bell rings and Beterbiev gets to doing what he does best.

    United Boxing Podcast comes out every Tuesday. Follow Darren @DarrenRees_, David @FightingWords2, and the show itself on X at @UnitedBoxingPod

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    38 mins
  • LIVER-BALL & THE KINGS OF 175
    Oct 9 2024

    Nick Ball's Star is Born in Liverpool, Beterbiev vs. Bivol Just Days Away

    The Echo Arena hosted thousands of Liverpudlians and Scousers to see Nick Ball in a well-deserved homecoming, and Ball gave them an entertaining fight against Ronny Rios in the first defense of his WBA featherweight title.

    British boxing commentator Darren Rees was ringside for Ball vs. Rios and the eventful undercard. Darren and American fight writer David Greisman recap this past weekend's action while also looking forward to this coming weekend's huge event headlined by Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight championship.

    This episode of United Boxing also features an interview with "Iceman" John Scully, the assistant trainer to Beterbiev, who explains why he holds Bivol in high regard yet why he feels Beterbiev will triumph and ascend the throne at 175. (We've also separately uploaded the full interview with Scully, as well as an interview with Kathy Duva, who advises Bivol.)

    Darren and David also talk about the rematch between Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley, Skye Nicolson vs. Raven Chapman, Chris Eubank vs. Kamil Szeremeta, Jai Opetaia vs. Jack Massey and a potential unification bout with the winner of Chris Billam Smith vs. Gilberto Ramirez, Gervonta "Tank" Davis vs. Lamont Roach Jr., Jack Rafferty's win over Henry Turner, Boma Brown, Walter Fury, plus our Fighters of the Week.

    United Boxing Podcast comes out every Tuesday. Follow Darren @DarrenRees_, David @FightingWords2, and the show itself on X at @UnitedBoxingPod

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • A BIG WEEK FOR WOMEN'S BOXING IN THE U.K. AND U.S.
    Oct 1 2024

    And the new? Terri Harper and Mikaela Mayer. And still? Alycia Baumgardner.

    This past week in boxing was headlined by three women's title matches on both sides of the Atlantic. Thankfully, we've got British boxing commentator Darren Rees and American fight writer David Greisman here to provide insightful analysis on what happened in those fights, and what comes next.

    Darren and David also discuss Charlie Edwards' win over Thomas Essomba, Skye Nicolson vs. Raven Chapman, Devin Haney's lawsuit against Ryan Garcia and the use of performance-enhancing drugs in boxing, Galal Yafai vs. Sunny Edwards, Gervonta 'Tank' Davis' potential fight with Lamont Roach Jr. wins by Xander Zayas and Bruce Carrington, this week's upcoming title fights (Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios, Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Andrei Mikhailovich).

    Plus our Fighters of the Week. Oh, and Marmite.

    United Boxing Podcast comes out every Tuesday. Follow Darren @DarrenRees_, David @FightingWords2, and the show itself on X at @UnitedBoxingPod.

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    50 mins
  • DUBOIS DESTROYS JOSHUA UNDER THE WEMBLEY ARCH
    Sep 25 2024

    How Daniel Dubois destroyed Anthony Joshua, what that means and what comes next

    The shockwaves of Daniel Dubois' fifth-round knockout of Anthony Joshua continue to reverberate on both sides of the pond, so there's no better time for the debut episode of the United Boxing Podcast, featuring British boxing commentator Darren Rees and American fight writer David Greisman.

    Darren and David go deep on what happened at Wembley Stadium between Dubois and Joshua, whether Joshua should retire, the possibility of a rematch, who each heavyweight could face next, and whether this means we will never get fights involving Joshua against Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.

    We also talk about Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson, Anthony Cacace vs. Josh Warrington, Hamzah Sheeraz, Chris Eubank Jr., Conor Benn, Josh Padley's upset win over Mark Chamberlain, the dust-up between Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing and Devin Haney, and the stories about Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season banning certain journalists from being able to cover Dubois vs. Joshua.

    In addition, this episode discusses whether Jaime Munguia is on a path to becoming a Mexican boxing icon, even if he never otherwise reaches the heights that Canelo Alvarez has; the recently announced fight card featuring Jaron Ennis-Karen Chukhadzhian 2 and Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez vs. Pedro Guevara; and the potential entry into boxing of UFC honcho Dana White.

    We preview this week's major boxing matches, including three title fights — Alycia Baumgardner vs. Delfine Persoon, Sandy Ryan vs. Mikaela Mayer, and Rhiannon Dixon vs. Terri Harper — and the strange scenario that is Charlie Edwards taking on Thomas Essomba, who is managed by Edwards' brother, former flyweight titleholder Sunny Edwards.

    All of that, plus our Fighters of the Week, on the first-ever episode of the United Boxing Podcast.

    This week notwithstanding, United Boxing Podcast will come out every Tuesday. Follow Darren @DarrenRees_, David @FightingWords2, and the show itself on X at @UnitedBoxingPod.

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    1 hr and 24 mins