#Boxing #AnthonyJoshua #francisngannou
The involvement of Saudi Arabia in boxing has fans incredibly excited at what could materialise over the next 12 months.
We look ahead to what could be on the table by the end of 2024 after looking back at a year that was certainly a step in the right direction.
Review of 2023 includes, Boxer of the Year, Fight of the Year, Knockout of the Year.
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Fight disciples welcome to podcast episode number 823 we are the fight disciples and this is the first one of 2024 talking about all things boxing there’ll be a bit of reflection we’ll look at 2023 and then we’ll look ahead obviously to 2024 and give you a little bit of
Review of all the action that happened of the weekend where Virgil Ortiz Jr returned and Ohara Davis came up short in his battle with is male but also before we get stuck in please subscribe to us if it’s the first time you’ve ever stumbled across us maybe it’s new year
New you maybe you’ve looked for a fight Sports podcast and thought to yourself who are these fight disciples monkeys well we’re here and we want you to be with us over the next 12 24 36 months as we uh build towards some of the biggest fights hopefully in the sport of box we
Also do an MMA podcast as well so there’s plenty for you to get stuck into you can do it VI our website fight disciples. comom and you can also do it via YouTube so if you prefer to watch your podcast you can do it there fight disciples is what you are looking for
Happy New Year to you manate happy New Year can we still say that it is the [ __ ] 8th of January guess the first it’s the first time we’ve spoken so it is what it is I can see you’ve got your this time you spent in North America
With the family over new years’s rubbed off you’ve got full Buffalo Bills now did you last yes so uh yesterday for those that do follow a bit of NFL and I do get few messages from uh from the alight disciple There and Everywhere that do dip into the old NFL uh
Yesterday big day for the Buffalo Bills they were taking on the Miami Dolphins final game of the regular season it was a weird one right for those that don’t know too much about it if the bills won they won the uh AFC East but if they lost there was there was potential that
They could have missed out on the playoffs however uh Tennessee Titans beat Jacksonville Jaguars earlier on in the day so it kind of nullified that part of of the The Narrative um anyway we went down to Miami and whooped their ass anyway pal you know what I mean so
AFC East champions we’re into the postseason bring it on baby so I’ve got my Josh Allen shirt on today for people that are not watching this and we is the dream of the Buffalo Bills versus the 49ers still a potential still on man still on worry about that
He’s still on listen you know we’ve watched a bit of NFL when we’ve been State Side this uh this year together your Lads are just too good if they don’t win the Super Bowl I’ll be absolutely Gob smacked if the 49ers don’t win the Super Bowl but we’re going
To push you we’re coming that’s it if uh if the bills get to the final man the Super Bowl my birthday weekend 49ers vers the bills in Las Vegas come on man [ __ ] H we’ll be on here begging fight disciples to buy us a beer to pay for those flights to get
Us unreal I love it so you had a good Christmas and New Year anyway got a good go yeah busy Christmas uh New Year got out to uh like you said see uh See family in in Canada that we’ve not seen for five years so that was all good and we got a
Bit of snow M it’s always good to get a little bit of sprinkling of the good stuff in it whilst the whilst the the the season is upon us what about yourself yeah it was good good I stayed home loads of family stuff loads of friends stuff so loads of football as
Well I was uh I seem to be a [ __ ] at the football an awful lot so last night obviously you the fake quadruple is still on let’s go the mighty Reds yeah easy work do you know do you know I love I can always regarding football yeah you’re
Very quiet when it’s [ __ ] aren’t you very quiet and then all of a sudden when Mighty Mo starts flipping him in for fun and he’s doing bits against uh V various teams I know that he wasn’t obviously participating in the FA Cup yesterday yeah um but you just just ramping up slightly
Slight it up if you want to know what I’m all about when it comes to football just read my update on Twitter bio that’s all you need to know I like to cast cast a little hook out there and let the world come and have a little
Cheeky nibble because it’s a game man and sometimes people forget about that with football especially man people get on Twitter invested on Twitter all it says he’s gone fishing yeah there we go exactly that’s me every over Christmas and New Year when you’re talking about football and I had the Arsenal fans
Having a little nibble yesterday fantastic I love it only game yeah but you say this right it’s only a game I’m not even get involved I’m not because we’ll just get Abus left right and Center you know what he’s coming for and I’ve have no doubt that
He’s GNA continue as the as the season progresses because Liverpool looking good looks like it’s on something good could be happening this year for you the quadruple is on baby the Fai quadruple that’s AB what’s the fith quadruple you’re wa for Cup in it oh right yeah yeah I forgot I forgot sorry
[Laughter] B uh anyway um I’ll tell you what we’ll do we’ll quickly have a quick a look at the weekend just gone because boxing started I know that we’ve been away thank you very much for all your nice messages over the Christmas and holiday period hopefully you’ve all had a
Brilliant f time it’s time to get stuck into 2024 because boxing is well and truly underwe the weekend just gone um I was excited uh to see what 154 pound Virgil Ortiz Jr would look like we know that he had a little bit of bother didn’t we at 147 making that weight got
Ill a couple of times we saw him in with mckinson last year uh but that fight even had struggles to get to the scales because of illnesses and struggles with 147 for Virgil ores junr um great to see no problems uh this week building up to the fight um and obviously he dismantled
Frederick Lawson within a round the stoppage is an absolute shocker now I was already ready to come on the show today and start us off as we’ve been to go on getting stuck into officials and what have you but have you seen the post from 20on weeks on uh on his Facebook
Poster no no go on and me right well I was ready to go take a step backwards you take a step back so I was ready to get stuck in because Tony Wicks is obviously the person responsible for the roling Romero is Mel Barosa stoppage
Which we we all went in on absolutely so Tony Weeks on his Facebook in the last 24 hours has posted this what the public didn’t know that prior to the fight they did a brain scan on him and it came up that he had an aneurism and they did a
Test again the same aneurism came up another doctor was brought in and they gave him the examination and he tested negative for the aneurism so therefore they cleared him to fight so North uh Nevada State athletic commission have cleared him to fight and according to Tony Weeks on two separate occasions a
Brain scan of Shan an aneurism in Frederick Lawson therefore Tony Weeks is basically saying that’s why I’ve done what I’ve done I ain’t letting a kid go in there and take punishment take blows to the knowing what I know maybe I’ve acted a little bit prematurely in order
To stop the fight he’s kind of admitting that in a way the way that he’s speaking but he’s basically flagging up that the kids had two aneurysms show up on two separate tests he’s been passed on a third test and he’s been cleared to fight now if that is true if what Tony
Weeks is saying is true we got a big problem there man that’s [ __ ] gigantic what you keep testing someone until they come up clear and then they go go on then [ __ ] hell yeah that’s uh that’s really concerning that’s definitely something that the Nevada State’s athletic Commission Now need to come out
Publicly and speak about I didn’t know anything what they said uh B me a second it’s all over social media this morning prior to go please please find it yeah because yeah found it from so uh sorry it’s Golden Boy this so who obviously with the promoters of
The weekend they’ve said Frederick laon was cleared by a Nevada State athletic commission sanctioned doctor to fight on Saturday night all other questions should be referred to nsac so Golden by basically going in nothing to do with us yeah exactly yeah so the Nevada State athletic commission
No doubt will be inundated with phone calls this morning by proper journalists in in North America who who need because we need answers that needs to be picked up on immediately they need to clarify the situation there you need to clarify the timeline of events where Frederick
Lawson has had a annual ISM shown if indeed what Tony week is saying twice and then that aneurism has been cleared by the third test you know because at the end of the day if you have two shots and it’s there and then one shot and it
Isn’t I would argue you need you need at at least another two to go well it’s three against two now do you know what I mean I don’t know the timeline Frederick Lawson that might have been from five years ago 10 years ago whatever it may be there may also be an equipment
Failure here as well there might it might be something as silly as that just because you know I don’t know any names cuz I as you know I don’t know my mom’s business to that level but obviously there’s been certain instances where my mom is at rescan boxes in the past
Because they’ve moved on the scanner and things like that all kinds of Shadows and weird things can come up so it does happen in the past it has happened where people have been suspended oh wait a minute right we’ got a clear pitchure now that was a mistake we’ll pass you
Forward the fact that he failed twice is really concerning we need more information there above all that though regardless of the situation andada absolutely have to come up and speak about that and clarify it and I’ll back off on Tony Weeks what I will do is I’ll
Flip that back forward and say that’s not fair of Nevada State athletic commission to put a referee in a position where the referee has thinking about a bigger picture that’s not his job referee’s job is to protect those two fighters in that ring in that moment the referee’s job sorry it’s the
Commission’s job to go right see that guy he is 100% fit to fight see that guy he’s 100% fit to fight judge it on what you see in this ring inside a 36 minute window if it’s a 12 round fight like this one was it shouldn’t be Tony
Weeks’s job to go right well have got to protect him because a while ago he had a problem with his brain scan that’s not a referee’s job a board would never sit down with a referee and an official and go right we’ve cleared this fight but
See that guy there’s a problem with his brain scan so don’t let him take too many shots that’s not fair no you’re right but from a human point of view Tony if Tony Weeks knows that information and what he and if what he’s saying is true and he has that in his
Head he’s got to live with it a he if something goes wrong with the dude and he knew and he knew ah you know what I mean it’s like you say it’s a hard situation to put him in yeah but that’s the whole point Tony week should never
Ever ever be put in that situation he should never be put in a situation where he’s going to be overly protective where he’s got to make sure this guy is is completely safe above and beyond the fact that Frederick Lawson would have been a massive Underdog anyway yeah even
Fredick Lawson at 100% with no issues whatsoever probably would have needed some level of protection but from what I’ve seen in a boxing ring I’ve seen Frederick Lawson take a shot or two roll up against the ropes get his guard up and catch a lot of shots on his guard
And and Tony Weeks has jumped in and everyone like me has gone that’s one of the worst stoppages I’ve ever seen in boxing Tony weeks then to come out and go well there’s why I did it he should never ever be put in that position position where he alone has got to
Protect that man from Serious injury this is on Nevada State athletic commission and to some extent it’s also on Golden Boy is it because he printed the posters is it because they’ gone so far out down in the promotion of V latiz had a real bad stop start year last year
They were like for Christ’s sake we can’t do it to Virgil again let’s just get him out he’s ready Tony this guy shouldn’t be in the ring just look n man that’s not a real sport that’s not how this should have happened this is on Nevada State’s athletic commission they
Need to come out in the next 24 and clarify exactly why Frederick Lawson was passed to fight ragel Ortiz Jr at the weekend and if they make a 100% clarification and go this is exactly why we passed them then it’s on then it comes back to Tony Weeks to go that’s
Not your responsibility kid they put him in there I don’t it’s oh what a shitty situation and what a shitty way to start the year because I thought we were just going to all Pile in on Tony Weeks for doing the worst stoppage of 2023 already
Getting in there to do the W stage of 2024 oh my goodness let’s put him out to pasture but now this is a completely different conversation um Ohara Davis was also on this card I rescheduled one from uh just before Christmas obviously yeah had Visa issues getting into America that all got
Sorted and he took on is M bro so he was a favorite going into the fight I genuinely thought that this was his Coming of Age night for Ohara Davis to propel him forward towards Ry Romero uh but then is my baroso had a different plan yes he might be 40 odd
Yes he might be slowing down yes he might not be the Ismael baroso of 10 years ago that maybe got into the ring uh and and fought the likes of Anthony crawler but he still got the power man still got he still can punch like a mule
And if you leave yourself open if you make yourself a mistake an elite fighter will still find a way through and that power found its way through it found its way through early I think I think aari just got CAU cold if I’m dead honest man
And he and he can’t he just can’t recover can he and it’s over yeah that left left hand to the top of the head’s going to scramble anybody’s senses but I H you know I’ve got to be honest you know with all due respect to Ohara Davis and andlike a lot of people
It would be easy to kick the kid when he’s down uh and it takes a bigger man which I will be in this instance to not kick him when he’s down because Ohara speaks a lot of [ __ ] uh about a lot of people but I just don’t Ohara Davis has
Never been this level let’s make that clear Isel baroso should be the champion of the world he was given roling Meo a bit of a high before a for mentioned Tony Weeks jumped in with the w stoppage of 2023 boso should be the the the the unified world champion and that’s the
Level Ohara Davis was getting back in with here I just on that on that let’s be dead honest none of them are the levels of the tanks of this world and the Sher Stevensons are they come on they’re the WBA the WBA this is 10 Stone
Yeah but it’s the regular it’s the it’s the regular belt is it it’s the it’s the [ __ ] side of the WBA Roy Romero is not a world champion is he come on well he’s the WBA [ __ ] Bel bollock yeah well is Mel also beat him anyway so yeah what I’m saying is
We’re talking about a certain level of fighter now talking about the same level as your jack Catos and your Josh Taylor opponent who Ohara Davis has come short with previously I’ve seen nothing from Ohara Davis again with all due respect I love the kid Lewis ritson’s an absolute
Diamond but Lewis ritson’s not at that level either we’re talking about a certain level of fight which Al har Davis is he’s been well matched he’s been well built rebuilt after the losses against Taylor and catall with the right fight the right time to get him into
This position but at some stage you’ve got to go to proper level and is baroso even at 40 as he proved against Ry Romero is at a certain level a level that is beyond Ohara Davis so I wasn’t shocked by this performance I was shocked it happened in the first round I
Certainly wasn’t shocked that he got stopped again I don’t want to kick how when he’s down but this game’s about levels and ohar Davis has never been at the level that Isel baroso is still competing at so I wasn’t surprised to be totally honest with you okay fair mate
Uh yeah so boxing is well and truly underwear there your two major talking points from the weekend just gone obviously this week we uh Propel ourselves forward towards Quebec looks like it’s nice and snowy out in uh Quebec Canada doesn’t it for uh for Callum Smith’s attempt to become world
Champion at light heavyweight taking on arur Bia we’ve got a big preview show on that coming up your way a little bit later on in the week uh I suppose the big news before we even reflect anything on 2023 I suppose the big news over the
Last 24 48 Hours uh is that Riad season’s got its uh season finale a it hey Mr turkey’s got his cash out he’s uh and he slapped it all on the table and he’s providing Anthony Joshua versus Francis andu March the 9th to close out Riad season we kind of
Said uh I think it might have been August September last year when we started really analyzing Riad season uh and when they announced Tyson Fury versus Francis inaru we said that along the way the circus is going to keep on coming you’re going to still get these
Fights that are a little bit batet crazy but it’s also going to provide fights that you’re really excited about Feb 17th it’s providing the Undisputed heavyweight championship of the world everybody’s buzzing for Tyson Fury versus Alexander usk Anthony Joshua versus Francis in Garner to close out
Riad season is kind of expected with the way that all this is is going uh right now what’s your thought on it um well when I did uh you were away Christmas Eve you were you were in transit so I did a a oneman reflective
Show of the of the Day of Reckoning card in Saudi on Christmas Eve um which back which went up on YouTube I think and I I went all in then I said there is only one fight now for for this Anthony Joshua Resurgence Anthony Joshua more dangerous than we’ve seen him in years
Front foot letting his hands go aggressive Anthony Joshua I paid full credit of Ben Davidson and said right that’s works now don’t go back to Derek James stay right there and I think that’s the truth and I said there’s only one fight there go and batter Francis
And ganu and I truly believe that’s the not only is it the best fight for AJ I think it’s the best fight for the division because Wilder’s gone now the Wilder fighter got no interest in that whatsoever other options Jil Jang have got any interest in that not really does
It get us closer to to AJ fighting the winner of usyk versus Fury not really do want him gone batter Philip hovic and then start screaming for the ibf belt to be stripped away no I don’t want that either what do I want I want AJ to stay
Active to be ready as soon as hopefully we get a clear of usyk Fury now I know there’s a rematch clause there’s all this other the bollocks in there but Uncle te’s Got Deep Pockets man and if he they want the biggest fights possible and if f F comes through against usk in
February and again don’t look at fur’s performance against enanu on a barometer of where fi is and a lot of people are doing that now I’m not dude got off the couch with a week to go and it almost paid the price should have paid the price almost paid the price that version
Of Tyson Fury does not exist in this fight he will te up and he will be all guns blazing against Alexander usk if Fury is that version I think he comes through I think it might be you know a bit of a stal meate but I think he’ll
Come through that fight then what’s the big fight out there it’s AJ versus Fury once more res agent AJ versus Fury how do we set that up well AJ should done it once remember that Otto Wallen kid that giv you 47 stitches in your eye that you probably should have been stopped
Against in Las Vegas remember him I just [ __ ] battered him remember Fran and ganu who made his professional boxing debut give you dropped you twice and give you a bit of a ID in Saudi Arabia you needed the judges to to give you one to go your favor well I’ve just batter
Than knocked him out as well I think it makes absolute sense for AJ to fight and ganu next is it dangerous absolutely if fanu turns up like he did against Fury we could have a we could have a fun old night but if AJ Nails him it sets up
Fury AJ for the end of the year and Saudi honestly I think it’s massive all in I’m all in on it jeez man that’s just the AJ perspective as well I haven’t even got on to the fact that let’s let’s be dead straight let’s be dead straight right I
Think all boxing fans and I’m one of these and I’m still getting used to it I’m still trying to get my head into this space we’ve got to accept that this isn’t a sport it’s a it’s a business in it if fights are being made on sporting
Merit then I’m sure that we would absolutely be you know going going crazy for that but fights sadly aren’t built on sportting Merit you’ve got to be dead honest about it when they when they Tyson Fury versus Francis in con you were talking about the heavyweight
Champion of the world taking on a guy that had never fought in a boxing match before the heavyweight champion of the world by the way didn’t defend his belt all last year this was given their thumbs up by the WBC they allowed him to have a non-title fight that was the far
In and around it that’s where the noise was that’s why I was going as wild as I was about that particular fight if Tyson Fury wants to have a scrap with somebody from the UFC or the world of MMA and make a shitload of cash crack on man but
Don’t hold boxing up that was the whole point of the conversation last year boxing was allowed to be held up in order to start this process so anyway that process plays out now for me building into the fight I said that it was a circus and a little bit of a
Joke and as I step back now I stand by all those things that I said last year I’m not changing my mind on it I look at the fight that actually played out Tyson Fury and and Francis in ganu and Francis inonu surprised everybody nobody’s got
The receipt to tell me that Francis in ganu took was going to turn up and for periods of that fight outbox Tyson Fury nobody’s got that receipt everybody said oh he’s got the power no [ __ ] Sherlock of course he’s [ __ ] got the power the whole point when we were talking about
It is can he land the power because is he does he have the boxing Acumen to be able to land it on Tyson Fury nobody also has got the receipt saying Tyson Fury is just gonna get off the couch he’s not going to train for it he’s not
Going to take it seriously he’s just going to rock up in fact I tell you what he’s going to do he’s going to book another fight in the interim he’s going to tell you that he’s going to be fighting on December 23rd for the real fight for the Undisputed fight the
Proper one yeah so as it all played out let’s be dead dead honest with it with everybody and and the Audi you’ve got to be honest with yourself as as you analyze that fight the worst version of Tyson Fury didn’t the the worst version of Tyson Fury for what probably is the best
Version of Francis enanu I’m not saying he can’t get better of course he can he’s still learning the game is he he’s still developing he’s sure that he can develop so much in the world of MMA sure he can do it in boxing as well but the
Worst version of Tyson Fury whether we agree with it or not beat the best version of Francis andon yeah right so people now have this massive Imp in my opinion overinflated opinion of what Francis inaru is as a boxer the fact is he’s had one fight and
He lost it the WBC have [ __ ] ranked him you’re right in what you’re saying this game is now built as a business and it’s built on narratives so it’s perfect for Anthony Joshua to go mate I know we’ve got data now we know that the lad’s got a decent
Jab we know that the lad can hold his form we know that he can fight out of a Southpole stance as well as an orthodox Dan he’s good on the back foot and his counts are decent sound we’ve got data plus that thing that we were talking
About before the power it’s not going to away it’s still there soundmate okay cool the partnership of Ben Davidson and Anthony Joshua will come up analytically with a plan of how to navigate that situation look good probably win every single minute of the fight come out of
It with a great narrative off the back of it I personally don’t think he’s gonna startop Francis because Francis is hard as [ __ ] it’s going to take something very very diff very very special to absolutely obliterate Francis I don’t think he knocks him out you might get a situation where you get to
Around seven and eight and he’s calling to go it’s not working tonight Francis Come On Son yeah let’s put let’s pull him out of this situation and then at the end of it you have a s you have a a moment where everybody goes look AJ’s just done to Francis andon what Tyson
Fury couldn’t there you go okay okay yeah okay you created a story we know the true story the true story is that Tyson Fury didn’t give a [ __ ] and he just turned up and he winged it and he got through it because of how good he
Is as a boxer he he did it on the why whereas AJ I’ll take it seriously I’ll turn up I’ll go and do AJ things I’ll keep the partnership of me and Ben Davison doing I thing and that then propels us forward towards something special you’re right in what you’re
Saying man the the the audience are going to lack this right exactly what fight’s bigger for AJ what fight’s bigger there isn’t a bigger one there you go unless he’s fighting Fury of course exactly I I think it makes absolute sense I could see it coming A
Million Miles Away and as you say a lot of people who didn’t really watch the fight and analyze the fight go oh yeah well you know that guy dropped Tyson a few times he’s legit he’s this he’s that when listen in reality I thought T Fran and G won the fight and
We’re not alone yeah a lot of people especially people in boxing people whose rep whose reputations and and Legacies in this sport are already assured agreed with us was like M Fran and ganu won that fight so I think there’s I think there is some Jeopardy there but I think
AJ as you say the fact that you’ve got the data now you’re not going to go in there like Tyson did off the couch with a week and go yeah this is basically a glorified sparring session I’ll beat this UFC guy up and then I’ll go and do
The proper stuff Tyson not for the first time needed some very favorable judges to come through with his record intact AJ pounced on the wall and narrative and he will pounce on theanu narrative I think I think he could stop enanu a really I think enanu will find out that
When a elite boxer take him takes him incredibly seriously especially this phasion of joshu is’s a lot more aggressive the problem with going in against someone like Gan who’s a puncher is you don’t want to jab and box your way to a 12 round decision you want to
Soften him up humiliate him and then step on them get him the [ __ ] out of there and I think that’s what AJ and Ben Davidson will be working on and that’s the other incredible narrative as we roll into 2024 all roads starting to Career towards Fury AJ at the end of the year
Yeah Ben has to stay on in my opinion as AJ’s coach Ben won’t stay on to coach him against fury because let’s be honest Fury put Ben Davidson on the map by by having him in the corner yeah so that’s going to be interesting how AJ does he
Stick with Ben for the enanu fight and then go back to Derek James for the fury fight it’s going to be really interesting really interested to see how that Dynamic plays out listen he stays he has to stay with Ben for every fight that’s not Tyson Fury
And and even when it is Tyson Fury he’s got to try his best to try and black Ben he’s got he’s got mate please I I knowing Ben as I do I just he’s he’s he won’t do it and I don’t think he’ do it the other way around
Either out of respect for Anthony Joshua yeah but what you’ve got to also what you’ve got to also think about though is the fact that Ben you know there’s no denying it you know I I think I I’ve seen quite a few boxing websites and and
And boxing media at the back end of last year start of this year talk about you know giving their fight of the Year fight of the Year all this kind of stuff stuff we’re going to talk about in a second and quite a few trainer of the
Year you know and I think it was the sportting news Tom Gray who’s very well respected former Ring magazine had put Bak as trainer of the year and when you look at B Mar okay he was with Terence Crawford and Terence Crawford had one fight and it was arguably the biggest
Fight of the year but he also spent a period in [ __ ] strange Way’s jail okay he orchestrated the Ubank win blah blah blah you know he did he had a good year outside of the jail he had a decent year but it wasn’t a stellar year kind of Terence Crawford very similar to
Crawford himself wasn’t it wasn’t a Stell year he had one great night whereas when you look at Ben Davidson’s year Ben Davidson had an incredible 2023 he really did and I think Ben being a young hungry coach that lives eats and breeds and you know you know better as well as
Anyone for him to not be involved in arguably the biggest fight in the history of British boxing would kill him so there’s there’s there’s a lot to [ __ ] digest there there’s a lot to play out this year there really is but what you’re saying there I I I’m genuinely
Believe we might get Fury versus AJ this year 100% I think we will I think it’s happening I don’t want to get to for I’m going to Che one month at a time and one fight time because nobody can with all due respect nobody can predict what
Tyson Fury is going to do he might beat usk and he goes right I’m moed up see a bit today he might do he can’t now he can’t this is the beauty of it AJ AJ is back ladies and gentlemen and as long as AJ is back there’s nothing Tyson can do
You know because Tyson can go ah well you know I’ve waited for I’m not I’m not waiting anymore I’ve beat usk I’ve unified the division again I’m I’m out of here but no no no no no because every British boxing fan will go the [ __ ] are you talking about the man’s back here
He’s back I don’t he’s just battered Francis and ganu there’s more money on the table than sin come on you can’t what Tyson is not in a position where he can walk away now because a re AJ two 0 or 12.0 whatever version of AJ this is he is
Once again a legitimate opponent for Tyson Fury there’s once listen I I talked about and people give me stick about it on on Christmas Eve when I said it is Anthony Joshua the best heavyweight on the planet let’s look at everyone’s just let’s just look at everyone’s last performance M
Usary at times look pedestrian against Daniel dubis but ain’t ain’t the guy talking about just their last performances what Have We Done For Me Lately in 2023 as we ended as we ended 2023 which heavyweight put in the work which heavyweight look the best mate stop comp those three fights who6 performance against
Dubo okay wasn’t too bad bit pedestrian hand it up a little bit in the middle Creator The Narrative that du kind of and Frank jumped on wasn’t his best performance far from it Tyson got beat by inan we’ve just talked about that AJ’s just absolutely slaughtered utto Wallen and I won’t
Throw I refused to allow people to throw Otto Wallen under the bus now Otto Wallen just come off a great win over gasv and he was still fresh in Camp he was fit and he was game and he was invested in that fight he knew ot to
Wallen wins that fight you’re gonna get a fury rematch you’re gonna get something big cash in yeah then yeah then if you put AJ and usyk in the ring together now fight tomorrow who wins that’s not what I’m talking about yes it is if you compare if you compare okay
Then here’s one for you then when you if they were both to retire tomorrow if all three were were were to retire tomorrow in 10 years time yeah if you ranked the heavy weights of the last thing 40 years who who would be above who oh that’s a great question Legacy
Now if we stop right now at this point now if they stop fighting now and we look back historically and we go wait a minute right well Tyson was the guy won’t he well wait let’s stop for a second Tyson ended the Klitschko here and we can never Overlook that to the
Three of them he had the most significant one night win ending the Klitschko era in Germany is the signature win of any of those three heavyweights I’ll give you that absolutely however his only other only other real high-end opponents was Deontay Wilder coming through those three fights with Deontay Wilder now I
Was at two of them you were at all three of them epic some of the greatest Knights of boxing one of the greatest trilogies in the history of the heavyweight division however it’s good by Joseph Parker has just made has just kind of made a lot of people go wait a minute
Yeah let’s have a little look at Deontay record for a second a lot of American journalists are doing that now that loss the amount of stock that’s been removed from Deontay Wilder’s name from the way Joseph Parker boxed his head off for 12 rounds is crazy and by doing so the
Stock has now taken out of the trilogy fight with Tyson Fury Alexander usk done amazing things a cruiserweight amazing things as an amateur as a heavyweight when you look at who he’s beaten his entire heavyweight resume is built on the back of two wins old Anthony Joshua Styles make fights he might just
Be the [ __ ] panel Whitaker he might just be the guy that’s got his number look at AJ’s record AJ’s fought everyone we’ve talked about this extensively AJ has fought more world champion you know how many has he fought seven or eight of the top 10 and all
This well he’s been in 12 World title fights he’s the only he’s the only one out of them to be in a fight that has unified the heavyweight division when he fought Josie Parker yeah and you could class it as I suppose the unification when he fought Klitschko
Because they put the WBA in there as well historically in 10 years time if they all retired now it’s not a foregone conclusion is what I’m saying AJ has got the better resume doesn’t got the better signature wins he got the better resume it’s just the losses to clitch it’s just
The losses to usyk they holding them back now if AJ was to continue his development and continue moving forward I’d like to see this aggressive from for AJ unload against because we both watched usk fight and went tactics are wrong man what are you doing you can’t
Box a boxer you got to fight a boxer what are you trying to box him for you know what the best thing is and we should say thanks to Uncle takey for this because they have eight divisions alive again and I know a lot of people
Are going to come at us and go you [ __ ] bastards you’ve sold us out the Saudis the this the that listen man if it weren’t for the Saudi money none of this would be happening none of these fights would be getting made yeah I I had a conversation with someone on the
Radio about this the other week and and they made an unbelievable amount of good points regarding from a fan point of view what’s in this for me it’s all out in Saudi Arabia I can’t go to this and I can’t go to that well we weren’t going to them anyway they weren’t happening
You know what I mean it’s all right morning well it’s out in Saudi Arabia I want to go to watch this at Wembley what do you want to go and watch at Wembley if it was at Wembley you you you just did there by yourself there’s nothing
Going on it’s all happening purely all this nonsense right as well of we’re doing it for the fans no they’re not they’re not doing it for the fans they’re doing it for their own back pockets they’re doing it because ego and greed has been satisfied Saudi araban
Have come in they’ve got their own agenda of what they’re trying to achieve they’ve slapped a big Mount of D on the table and everybody’s lapping it up and we as boxing fans have kind of got to ride that yeah all right you’re not going to be there in the arena to maybe
Witness Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua that’s probably not going to happen but on a on a time zone which is what two hour difference three hour difference you’re gonna get to watch a fight that would never ever happen without this money it just wouldn’t happen they would
Find ways and means they’ve been doing it for five six seven years finding Ways and Means of not giving us the Undisputed heavyweight championship fight we’re getting it we’re getting it on Fe 17th and hopefully that is event going to lead to the fight that you’ve all been dreaming about in the
Heavyweight division Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua and who cares that it’s in a foreign land you’re going to be watching it on TV are you could be a great year could be a great year is cuz you know I’ve seen a lot of there there’s there’s a lot of
Different ways to come at this is because certainly when you you know when you speak to golf fans Cricket fans even football fans look at you know how embarrassing is it now all these footballers you want to come back to the Premier League yeah your mate your mate greatest
Captain ever he’s on his way back in it well I’m not surprised he’s playing football in front of about 400 people it’s [ __ ] mental it’s mental so listen but that I think that’s the big conversation coming out of 2023 Saudi Arabia has changed the face of the heavyweight Division and has the
Potential to change the face of World Boxing period because when they talk about Crawford Spence 2 when they talk about an New Way moving up to to uh featherweight when they talk about you know Sano possibly fighting Katy Taylor again when they talk about Devin Haney stepping up to fight whoever
When they talk about anything that resembles a super fight in 2024 every single Promoter on the planet will be putting a call in to probably Frank because he’s got the hotline to Uncle Tey and say listen we’ve making this fight you know [ __ ] is going to fight such and such this is
The tank Davis we’ve got the fight done the fighters are ready they’ve agreed to do it Las Vegas are all in T-Mobile won it but Uncle you want it un take want it you better believe that’s the case because the money that can be generated here is nowhere near in the stratosphere
Of what the money is over here so the million dooll question as we leave 2023 as we enter 20224 is is Saudi Arabia and the money in Saudi Arabia good for boxing uh short term yeah I think short term yeah I don’t know what the longevity plan is on this
Because is it generating the numbers that it’s that they want it to generate I don’t know the answer to that because nobody’s releasing any fig facts and figures right now I’ll do a little bit of Delvin and find out whether the actual investment because think of how
Much money it’s costing man we’re not just talking Fighters are we yes they’re putting the fighters in the ring that we want to see in the ring and like I said Feb 17th we’re getting to see two Lads in the ring at the same time together
Fighting each other but how much do you reckon it’s costing to put people like Ronaldo and Conor McGregor and all these other characters ringside they’re not going there for now are they they’re getting weighed in yeah so it’s costing an absolute Fortune to put this on how
Long listen Saudi Arabia I know that they’ve got I think it’s something like a 500 600 billion pot for uh from the from the ministry in order to be yeah to be spending on stuff like this on these Riad Seasons all these concerts all these events and all this type of stuff
So it’s a ridiculous amount of do but how long do they go before they they then say uh is is is this investment worth what we’re trying to achieve so short term I think the answer to your question go on sorry I think short term the answer to your question is yeah
Absolutely man I think this is going to go on for a few more years at least I think their plan for this tourism thing is up to 2030 isn’t it is this forever I don’t think it’s forever but I think it’s at least another five years of plowing in plowing
In plowing in and hopefully we as boxing fans get to kick back and said you know [ __ ] it man you’re getting the fights that you want to see yeah you’re getting a bit of circus every now and again you’re getting some mad [ __ ] don’t for one minute think that you won’t get I
Don’t know some gezer out of the WWE fighting some dude off YouTube or some mad stuff like that but every now and again you’ll get your Fury and usix because that we’re just thinking of golf like John Ram the Masters champion what’s his part is it something like 200
Million he personally is getting paid 200 million to join live golf [ __ ] that’s just a join that’s just to [ __ ] go over and go yeah I’ll play with you guys he is getting 200 million as an individual now of course you know you’re probably talking about a similar
Payday for Fury versus FY versus AJ at the end of the year wouldn’t surprise me if they if they both started to most 100 million pound pots but the fact that they’re paying a golfer an individual golfer that kind of money how much do you think they’ve paid FIFA for the
World Cup FIFA to go right what you need to do is do an anniversary World Cup where you invite all these different countries to share a World Cup and that way you can bypass the fact it has to go to Europe South America North America Asia and come straight back to the UAE
In double quick time so we can have it in Saudi Arabia they haven’t just done that for free they haven’t done that to K for the Saudis FIFA delegation didn’t go to the middle of the Des desert in Saudi Arabia and they go right picture this we’re going to build a city here
Doesn’t exist at the moment we’re going to build an actual C never mind a football stadium we’re going to build a city in the desert where you’re standing now and in the middle of that City will be a football stadium and that’s where the semi-finals are going to be sound
Boys yeah great no problem it takes money and it takes an awful lot of money but the Saudi Arabians have got the kind of money that you can’t even you can’t even imagine the amount money they’ve got that country alone sits on the biggest old reserve on the planet it’s
Absolutely insane so to think but it can’t go on forever there’s got to be a point where they go wait a minute you know we’re throwing good money after bad here let’s change our tactics they’re not stupid they know exactly what they’re doing how do they accelerate it
What how do they accelerate Saudi Arabia to be the number one tourist destination on the planet for art sport and culture witches is ultimately what the Riad season all about that’s what they’re trying to do they’re trying to draw people in there six months of the year
To go oh there there’s no other place I’d rather be than Saudi Arabia join that six months of the year all the big sports events all the big concerts all the big you know Museum shows and art galleries and you know they got everything there for that’s the place to
Be how do they accelerate that they can’t just P it on P it on and eventually people are going to go okay let’s go there’s going to be a point where they go right we’re going to massively subsidize flights in and out of the country we’re going to massively
Subsidize six-star hotels which me and you have seen out in the Middle East you go out there the hotels out there are not like the hotels you’ve seen in Europe or even America they are absolutely Five Star All way staff can’t do enough for you super friendly like
You you get spoiled over there you get treated like a king they’ve got to accelerate that and then of course it comes down to the as well as their own issues the one issue that I think has holding back a lot of fight fans and that is when
People attend sporting events they like a drink Western fight fans by and large like to go like to have a drink and I think until that CH I think when that changes when they go right this city these areas these hotels are going to have bars inside and you have to have a
Passport to get in you have to do whatever however they do it I think that could be the wheels in motion of the change I don’t think it’ll get to a point in 10 years time where we go where we’re doing fight disciples and we look
Back and go oh wasn’t it mad when remember that guy Uncle Tey remember we all went remember everyone went to Saudi Arabia for like five years they owned boxing how mad was that how funny was that hey that’s crazy anyway we’re back to Vegas next week kids I don’t think
It’s ever gonna happen I don’t think the world will go backwards and I think when Frank when Uncle Frank came out when he did Fury and and he went game changed everyone and we all started laughing and went game changed Frank bloody hell he’s never had a boxing match in his life I
Think Uncle Frank was referencing the fact that not this fight kid the sport of boxing from this moment is game changed sport of boxing now is owned by the Saudi Arabians what they want and then their money they’ve got will dictate the fact that the biggest fights
Happen but they happen on their ground I don’t think we’ll ever go backwards UFC going near the March interesting anyway we’re supposed to be looking back on 2023 on this show yeah but 2024 sounds so [Laughter] good the thing is this time last year when we were started this show it was all doom and gloom it was let’s be dead honest we were sat here talking oh yeah
Boxing this time last year was easy to predict because you had consistent basis of being uh oversold to and underd delivered to consistently for years and years and years and years div the heavyweight division in particular was dead it just but now you start 2024 and you think well hang on a minute
Everything that we want everything that we want knew is now no longer relevant because like you just said everything that all the EXT excuses that were there have now been taken off the table broadcasters working together promoters working who’ have thought that promoters working together big pots of cash on the
Table what’s your excuse well they’re not paying me enough now what’s your excuse well I don’t have one get in the ring son you know what I mean it’s on it’s on anything like you said anything genuinely is is possible and that is why we can all sit here now and if people
Win and people keep that momentum Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua is real yeah it’s a real thing it could really happen by the back end of this year if not the back end of this year I would say we will be starting 2025 with it booked and is going [ __ ]
Hell you know what I mean two months it’s happening yeah Madness what were your highlights of 2023 see is it 2023 is going to be one of those where we just go we’re all right see now we’re on now we’re now it’s on now it’s fing happening do you
Know what I’m just having a little because I made a few notes on a few different things from last year and I’m just having a little look like look down and while while we got some amazing rasat Tas and everything else out in Saudi Arabia I yet I’m yet to see incred
You know the incredible moments probably the best the best thing we’ve seen so far has probably been you know Joseph Parker’s performance against uh against Deontay wer which for me was probably the upset of last year that was a that was a massive moment do you think I
Think it was right up there right up there there was a few like we’re talking about upsets there was a few um less high profile yeah the likes of uh the likes of Gary cly getting chin by Felix Jr uh the one for me go on the upset for
Me you know the South African kid not singer in Monte when he got by Cel yeah because everybody was hyp like in the in the buildup to that I remember speaking to a lot of people and they were all going oh this South African kid
Man I tell you he’s the second coming of this he’s the second coming of that I said all right cool man yeah I’ve seen a couple of bits of tape I haven’t watched him live right I’ll go watch him live watched him live and I just saw him get Bing good
He absolutely spark Cod so for me that I would I put that right up there with the big upsets yeah high profile wise I think a lot of people was probably saying that Deontay Wilder would do Joseph Parker um so yeah you you might be right regarding the high esposa
Beaten Rob beaten Ramirez as well was a big one he got up off the floor to uh to drop Ramirez right at the end and get that decision that that would be that would be in a contender for fighter fight of the Year man that was an
Awesome fight it was a great fight yeah the biggest upset I was present for was probably that um Dar fley beating Robbie Davis if you remember remember Robbie daav was supposed to be fighting uh in Eliminator one and D Foley came in as the sparing partner uh and dropped him
Heavy and busted his ankle that was probably the biggest upset i’ seen fight of the year then you mentioned there espan NOA Ramirez as a potential fight of the year I think domestically yeah domestically and I I think he’s in a sh for British fight of
The year I think Joe cord’s win over shavkat rakov yeah in uh in Cardiff was was very special like that that was probably I was there for Lee Wood versus warington as well that was a special performance but we’ll come back to lewood in a second but I think
Domestically the fight of the year was either Cordina or Cameron Taylor I would say best fight I attended last year was betv yard start of the year yeah yeah yeah good fight yeah listen but wins but yard had a good go he he gave it everything that he had and I thought
That the I thought just as a spectacle just as an enjoyment factor I thought it was a really really good fight but turby ayard uh would be right up there if I was going to claim a fight of the Year C and raimov is absolutely in there mate
Laura Wood one is a belter yeah um and as I just said there on an international scale that Ramirez espanosa fight was mental yeah other ones internationally Lewis ner is the 11th round knockout of havan Asian uh back at back in February was a absolute T charged [ __ ] War the
Two of them teed off on each other from the first minute to the last that was brilliant quite recently we saw osaki Foster come through against Rocky Hernandez that was incredible I would say that fight probably gave us round of the year round 11 of oaki foster versus
Rocky Hernandez was nothing short of [ __ ] almost in the Realms of Haggler H it was brilliant two of them could come back of the year that as well because he was getting his ass kicked he was yeah absolutely and then uh other one I’ve got is santian K six round
Knockout of Alex Rosia that was an absolute brilliant fight no one seen that coming Rosa was supposed to be the next guy at well to wait but uh santian absolutely arrived as a top Contender but for me the fight of the year and again it was only because I went back
Back and was watching these fights and I was like oh my word Hae mongia versus Dean shenko from the summer was an absolute [ __ ] War how many times did he The canas Unbelievable God only it was brilliant you know honestly that left left body shot uh in the last round
From from mongia was what swung the fight what swung the fight in his favor 12th round knock down with a left hand to the left big left to the body that knockdown swung the judges score scorecards it was absolutely incredible it was actually all right
Last year but none of them were in Saudi weirdly enough no weirdly enough no what was your knockout of the year uh knock out of the Year domestically again the one I was ringside for was lewood versus Josh warington lewood once again behind on the scorecards you’ve got the [ __ ] whole
Arena in Sheffield absolutely bouncing it was Mega he’ sold it in halfes so to my I was lucky enough to I was Sting with Mr windas Yet to we were ringside you had leads over here you had Nottingham over there and the place was mental and as the fight progressed this
Side of the room just went quiet the Nottingham fans this side of the room the leads fans were absolutely Gone Bananas cuz Josh warington was putting it on him and he was forcing them back and he was hating lewood and he was catching lewood and you thought oh my word and then
Suddenly lewood just teas him up with a what six seven punch Salvo in that seventh round to force the stoppage and this side of the room just went deadly quiet and this side of the room went absolutely bananas so domestically I would say that was the best knockout of
The year was lewood versus Josh warington I thought you’d have gone for your boy Jordan gil on his big comeback his big huge come Jesus Christ yeah do you know what though I predicted that one maybe that’s why okay maybe that’s why that’s hits different because I
Fancied Josh warington I don’t know why fight week I fancied warington and Lee wood once again boom pulls it out the fire whereas I did fancy Jordan Gil I get I did Chip tip got Jordan Gil so I was kind of wasn’t expecting it but I
Was a bit you know I could I didn’t see it coming but you know maybe that’s why that one hit differently a little bit Yeah but it’s a great shout Jordan was awesome that night uh best not best knockout this is going to sound horrible but the best knockout I saw live last
Year was Big Bang Jang against Joe Joyce yes what a shot [ __ ] hell honestly mate that absolutely silenced the room when he when he landed that it was incredible that’s my knock out the Jang against Jo Joyce it was the it was the fact he was a southpaw ah he throws a
Lead left hand that misses but used the full torque of his shoulder to go and he came the same time yeah that right hook right on the chin and the fact that Joe had never been never been dropped like that yeah man that’s that was a special performance ah big AJ’s knockout of
Helenius as well was a [ __ ] be oh yeah a lovely straight right hand right down the pipe cleaned them out AJ’s not done the part’s starting again so that was a beauty I think internationally uh in terms of size size of the fight I think tank Davis’s knock
Out of Ryan Garcia the body shot just because you had to watch it about six times on the replay to go what did he even hit him with yeah Ryan Garcia throws a right hand opens up and as he does tank just fires in this little left
It’s not even a hook it’s from the it’s from in here and he just goes bang just lands perfectly on that floating rib Garcia takes it and he’s looking at him takes a step back takes another step back and it goes nope NOP I can’t breathe I’m gone my soul’s [ __ ] going
To the sky and uh yeah Ryan Garcia not able to continue that was a that was a sweet shot yeah who’s your fighter of the year then uh fighter sorry I would say The Knockout though was uh natin against Andrew Maloney that overend left boom iced them uh fighter of the
Year before we do fight of the year let’s do performance of the year because I think that allows me then to basically Go a different way with my fight of the year um I would say [ __ ] house you’re an absolute [ __ ] house go I would say my best performance of
2023 yeah you’re right domestically I think Jordan Gill’s got to be in there he was absolutely incredible against Michael Conan I would say uh Parker when you talk about getting a game plan right Parker and Andy Lee absolutely nailed it and I I at me on words in the preview in
Nick’s picks I was like Joseph Parker can’t be perfect for 36 minutes is not about that life to beat the bully you’ve got to go forward and push back the bully is not about that life well guess what Nick Joseph Parker is about that life he [ __ ] was Majestic so Joseph
Parker that was perfect another great performance Chantel camaron absolutely brilliant against Katy Taylor in the first fight I’ve got to give props to that as well but I would say the performance of the year which helps me negate the fighter of the year you’re funny Terence Crawford the against ER
10 Crawford against L Spence because that was supposed to be a 50/50 now we here on fight the cpes we both said Terence Crawford wins this and he wins it well but we were on the Terence Crawford side of things you better believe there was as many journalists
And media and fans who were on the ter on the Erol Spence side of things it was supposed to be a genuine 5050 it was a fight we’ waited forever in a year for we finally got it in 2023 we were all anticipated some something very special
And we got something very special an absolute Master Class shutout performance from Terence Crawford so for me that was the performance of the year yeah you’re right it is the I think You’ mentioned the domestic ones Jordan Gill’s performance against Michael Colin was was absolutely awesome really really
Good didn’t I personally didn’t expect it in that manner I thought he was awesome on the international scale I go NOA new against Steven Fulton I thought he was brilliant that night in a fight that everybody was billing as is going up this is very very tough Fulton’s the
Absolute legit Real Deal knew it took him to pieces and schooled him um hany performance against reg prog was just a different level um and my guy TFO was back this year against Josh Taylor ladies and gentlemen what a performance what a performance that was um and to finish
Off the year bam Rodriguez’s performance against Sunny Edwards nobody’s done that to Sunny before and yes okay sunny has said two rounds in I’m seeing double so I didn’t really have a choice I had to to stand and bind with the kid and he showed a massive set of CO as did sunny
In that fight we all commended him for that but B Rodriguez that night showed that not only can he it very very hard he can dance as well man his feet and his angles and the the the trajectory of that guy’s career now is going to be something very very special he’s already
Admitted that he’ll never fight I think chocolatito because he’s a huge fan and he doesn’t want to do that but everybody else you’re all on noticed because B Rodriguez is coming and he is a serious serious problem Rodriguez I think has to be in the conversation for fighter of
The year and we’ll come on for that in the second but before we do let me just quickly we’ve just forgot someone and I’ll apologize to him right now because he’s a massive fight disciple in fact he’s sat in your chair on on more than one occasion I’m just about to do Nathan
He I’ll go on then sorry sorry I thought you were G move to fight the year M Dean he is my performance of the year you melon you [ __ ] I agree with you I agree with you right yes so we could talk about all those on that level right
But those guys have proven it the crawfords the yanu the Hanes the lopezes they’ve proven it already Lopez proved it against lomachenko Han’s proven it on previous occasions as well when he unified knew has done it time and time again as a Crawford right nethan heene I
Was lucky enough to be there on that night that he took on Denzel Bentley Denzel Bentley fought Yan Beck and muli who is the best middleweight on the planet right now and Denzel Bentley pushed him started too slow in that fight if he’ started quicker he might have become the WBO world champion
Because Yanni Beck was off he wasn’t at his Full Tilt Denzel was awesome against Yanni Beck and he came into this fight against Nathan he and everybody including me and I can’t speak for you but other people loads of people said this is a [ __ ] stretch for NE man I
Can’t see it I just can’t see it listen just go out there give it your best shot and who knows give it your best shot the dude was out there throwing shares of Muhammad Ali man he was dancing he was [ __ ] mag ftic it was a sensational Sensational performance against yes it’s
A British title fight but it’s against a World level opponent a guy that has proven that he can compete at World level Nathan Heeney came to the party and for me put in the performance of the year because it’s the most surprising performance of the year the way that he
Went about doing it Well Done M it was [ __ ] outstanding incredible absolutely incredible yeah I agree with you performance of the Year Nathan Heeney [ __ ] right get in so then so now then what you gonna do with fighter of the year because you were getting away with it a
Minute ago yeah Ju Just to quickly recap then so we’re saying fight of the year did you agree mongia derenko or did you want to go with osaki fosa Hernandez come to listen have no problem I have no problem with any of that like
I said my own personal one that I was in attendance for was Pia vard that was that was I I thought that was awesome uh knockout of the year we talked about tank we talked about zil Jang zil Jang against Joe Joyce I’m quite happy to settle on that for knockout the year
That was very yeah absolutely yeah um so there’s your fight there’s your knockout you’re upset as I say we had a few there possibly uh Parker potentially uh go on we’re gonna have an argument now about fighter of the Year aren’t we exactly I’m just get get it off get it off your
Chest get it off your chest go on so I think when you when you talking about fighter of the year go say it they’ve got to have more than one say it go on well it’s difficult to give it to one guy who who fights nine rounds even if in those n
Nine round nine rounds he looks incredible especially a fighter that for me and for The Bookies in Las Vegas was the favorite he was the favorite going into the fight Terence Crawford yes it was a massive fight arguably the biggest fight we got of 2023 and it was supposed
To be it was supposed to look like something else it was the fact that he was so utterly dominant against that all Spence that he played with them chopped them up and saved them in round number nine it was absolutely in incredible but he did one Camp he had
One fight and he gave us the performance of the year no problem with that but when you compare that to other Fighters that have had two and maybe three championship fights that have maybe unified weight divisions that have moved up and unified weight divisions that’s when it becomes
Difficult to go well that guy has got to be fighter of the year when the other people have achieved so much more coming into fights as underdogs and winning big fights avenging losses regaining World titles winning big fights like other Fighters have done bigger things less expected things I would say than Terence
Crawford who was statistically expected to beat Errol Spence go on then name him who so I’ve got listen on my list I’ve got uh anyway two fights in 2023 he knocks out fton in eight rounds he knocks out tales in in 10 Rounds he’s successfully moved up to Super
Bantamweight he beats the man at Super Bantam weight in fton he goes and beats Tales coming off the best win of his career and and knocks him out in the 10th round to become Undisputed super baned Weight champion and now he’s what five [ __ ] six weight world champion
Or whatever he is Undisputed as well come on no I the second man to do it obviously the first man to do it was Terence Crawford when he beat Errol Spence in that one fight in the four belt in the four belt here of course so
New way for me is above Terence Crawford I would also put you’ve also got to talk about and again you know I like to come with a bit of a curveball rapael espanosa had the most incredible year last year he had three fights three wins two of those are
Knockouts and he goes and defeats Roby Ramirez in a fight when he was a massive Underdog in December to become WBO FWE champion of the world when you rest started the year this time last year we were like will we get Crawford vs fence please let it happen fantastic Crawford
Will win but we can’t wait for it when we started last we didn’t a year ago we wen’t going I’ve heard about rapael espanosa from Mexico he’s gonna have a big year no one seen this no one’s seen him having the year he’s had to have two
Knockouts back to back to put himself into a position for the world title fight against Roy Ramirez to go in there against uh was it was it yeah it was Ramirez yeah to go in there against Ramirez to beat him in the 10 in in in December
Just a few weeks ago to become world champion for me Rafael espanosa has had the type of year to go fighter of the year he’s been outstanding next Devin Haney Devin Haney for me becoming unified lightweight champion moving up to become the WB super lightweight Weight Champion he has the points win
Over lomachenko now I know people it was a close fight I’ll give you that but he won it he won the fight and then he goes and beats Regis prog in a fight where he’s moving up to super lightweight prog been there done it w the T-shirt he’s
Going in there to beat an established World former world champion and he done it in style one of the performances of the Year bed re just prog great so I think Devon Haney’s got to be in the conversation as well he’s absolutely in the conversation I actually I’m going to say something
Crazy now where people I know that are going to come at me I actually think Deon Han is more in the conversation than no new wow okay the reason why I say that is yes I know Inu has gone up in weight this this time the challenge
For him this year was against step Fulton I think the majority of us given the fact that it was on inu’s home turf would have backed Inu way to come through that fight and win Fulton we expected maybe to ask more questions than he he did but he knew it was
Fantastic that’s his performance of the year against St fon the tales fight as you as you rightfully pointed out Tales is coming off the back of a fantastic win but he was a massive Thunder dog going into a fight with with no way I know that he threw the kitchen sink at
Him I know that he asked in way questions there’s no doubt we’ve seen the fight it was a great fight but everybody knew that in way was going to come through now I backed lomachenko to beat Hy so going into that fight I thought L L’s not going to let this one
Go man he’s going to be he’s going to be clever he’s going to be Wy enough to come through the fight close fight I agree with you I think Haney just does enough to get his hand raised in that particular fight now then we’re stepping
Up in weight to a to a guy in Regis prr who’s looked really really good recently and many listen you could make the argument going into that fight that maybe reges was the best at 140 maybe maybe not because of Tia fal’s performance against Josh Taylor but there’s an argument people might have
Made that argument he wasn’t even in the fight mate he was absolutely outstanding from start to finish was was Devon Haney so I would make the argument that Devon Haney as more of a case than NOA new because he and I can only do this from my own personal point of view he’s
Surprised me more than no and has I expected the things that an new has done hey I’ve gone [ __ ] hell that’s like wow third place son absolutely outstanding and that then hopefully will set up the super fight between me and you of him and Lopez at some point this
Year that would be amazing if we could get that fight on because Lopez was brilliant against Josh Taylor I always knew that Lopez had that in him but I thought that maybe he gone off the rails and stuff that was going on in his personal life maybe had affected where
He’s currently at he bounced back in style and he looked the most comfortable that he’s looked for a long period of time in the ring and he did it against the guy that we all know he’s an elite fighter in Josh Taylor Sensational uh one performance this year for T fimal
Lopez I need to see him more uh in 2024 but I put so much stock on the performance of of Terence Crawford mate I think Crawford’s performance against Errol Spence is just unreal we’re talking a guy that took that schooled a a fellow pound-for-pound top FIV schooled him pulled his pants down
Slapped his ass and sent him on his way stopped him as well made him quit let’s be straight that performance alone yes it’s only one yes yes it is only one but that performance alone I put so much stock into that Terence Crawford is my guy Terence Crawford to
Me I can’t believe you just said you expected Lama to beat Devin Haney you expected PR to be maybe a test to far for Devon Haney but you expected Terence Crawford to beat Errol Spence he did EXA what you expected him to do no no no no
No no no yeah I expected him to win I didn’t expect him to do that I did not expect him to just just completely battering and embarrassing didn’t expect that I did that’s why I that’s that’s why for me Deon Hae had a big year you’re a liar you expected Errol Spence
To ask him at least one question didn’t even get didn’t even get off the chairmate what other Fighters I want to give a quick shout out to before we decide on Devon Haney being figh of the Year Jesse bam Rodriguez you touched on it earlier unied the highweight division
With the win over Hernandez which was a scrappy points decision but you know what sometimes it’s on your off nights where you have to shine and ultimately come through and I think he did that against Hernandez he dug deep he picked up an injur he still come through he
Still kept his belts and then again Sunny Edwards he did the one thing that Sunny told us he was begging for I want someone that’s going to test me I want someone that’s going to really put me in positions I’ve never been [ __ ] me put Sonny Edwards in positions he’d never
Been before proved he was the best flyweight on the planet Jesse bam Rodriguez had a great year Tim tuo had a great year finally became a world champion had three wins this year couple of Knockouts then his last one he won on points uh to become WBO uh super
Welterweight world champion so a good year for him the female division which dominated 2022 all the big fights with in there we had natas Jonas we agreed was fight of the Year moving up [ __ ] four or five weight divisions becoming Undisputed that was pretty incredible I think
Probably the best year in the women’s divisions was Amanda Sano she had three fights in 2023 of course she hardly lost round in any of those fights but you know she’s fighting in New York she’s fighting in Dallas she’s fighting in Orlando she’s on the she’s taking this game on the
Road and she’s changing the game you know the significance of that 12 threes performance again you know it it it didn’t give us the knockout maybe we thought we were’re suggesting more three rounds for women would do but she’s changing the game I think as Amanda Serrano for me as the unified fed
Aweight Champion was the standout female boxer of 20 20 23 again it wasn’t wasn’t a massive year for female boxing in that regard even though we got some big fights um and I think the other than that I’d say domestically fighter of the Year domestic weirdly I would say the
Fighter of the Year domestically was Lee wood even though he had three fights in 2023 and he lost one of those fights obviously about he lost against Lara he got revenge against Lara in a fight that we were all like Lee don’t do it man don’t [ __ ] go
Straight back in with merito L it’s a mistake and he was like N I want even the dressing room straight afterwards I want the rematch I want it right now like [ __ ] hell to go in there and do to L what he did took something very
Very special and then he had one of the biggest you know all British fights of the year with Josh warington a fight that’s been on the pipeline for a long time com from behind to get a stoppage win Le was had a great year yeah the the
Other guy is Chris ban Smith me of course became world champion against thei I know it’s a stinker fight I know it’s horrible but he beats Lawrence aoli becomes world champion and then voluntarily says I’ll have matius masterack masterack yeah made him quit yeah made him quit well I say b as him
He was up against it he was getting beat in the fight he was but he turned the fight he found something he found a massive set of stones in there he found something dug deep turned the fight on its head uh and has propelled himself into 2024 into in in a really really
Really good position yeah good one and and and he’s turned Bournemouth into a [ __ ] proper boxing location Jesus yeah yeah um my prediction for fighter of 2024 is going to be jop payre there you go he’s coming man he’s coming from all he might even move up to heavyweight
At some point this year they seem to love him in Saudi Arabia don’t they so he’s going to do something um do you have a prospect do you have someone to look out for in 2024 yeah I’ve got a couple go on then uh right oh [ __ ] we haven’t even done
The big one yet okay we’ll do one to watch first because obviously a lot of fight fans a lot of fight disciples especially will be waiting for where’s the official of the year that don’t go anywhere kids do you want to do that first no that’s pie is it that’s that’s
Your that’s our showcase is it sh have we got we’ve got a new thing [ __ ] official of the year ah [ __ ] hell Jesus where you going for you want to watch you are you keeping it British or are you going International uh let me see want to
Watch I’ve got I’ve got a long list here and I’ve got a short list so my my my long list you allow one you can’t you name don’t do this don’t name 10 people and then at the end of the year go and then you’ll use the clip of that one and
Go told you this is the guy that I said this is the person I know well I’ve got a long list because I’ve Got a Feeling a couple of them that I’m going to spit out you’re going to go you’re not having him you’re not having him I know where
He is you’re not having him probably so what’s the criteria for our ones to watch again what’s the it was under 25s isn’t it under 25s Edge yeah under 25s Can’t Be A Champion is that right can’t be a yeah of course they can’t be a champion you know you can’t you can’t
Just [ __ ] go and drop an Adam aim on me no I’m just having a quick look now regarding record right you’ve got to I think we’ve always said under 10 fights haven’t we and you’ve got to be under 25 years of age okay yeah well I’ve only uh there’s
Only just to let you know mine mine is still a teenager and he’s under 10 fights [ __ ] hell there you go is he British no mine’s International okay look at you try to pick the right one off your list just name them go on get them all off your chest the problem
Is mine have had a lot of mine have had more than 10 fights I forgot about that bit of the criter see what I mean see what I mean look at you you’re just trying to cheat every year so you’re not letting me have Diego Pacho now I’m a [ __ ] letting you have
Him how many how many’s Diego had 20 he’s at 20 he’s had more fights I think more Prof fights than AIA [ __ ] hell manate yeah Prospect okay that’s fair enough okay okay so neither of us allowed to have Adam maim obviously who the European champion after 10 fights [ __ ]
Adamu is probably guaranteed to fight for a world title within the next 12 to 15 months no you can’t have that no okay caraline de can I have Caroline she’s fighting for a world title next in noed no you can’t okay domestically I’m gonna have Paddy Donovan that’s a nice shout I’ll give
You how many fights is patad he’s at 12 though he’s at 12 he’s scrap you scraping it but he has good and he is still on that Prospect cusp 24 years of age Bas out of limmer three fights last year three Knockouts we got high on him
Every time he was he was on these cards look really good yeah looks like a real tasty Prospect so yeah I’m going to go with uh I’m gonna go with domestically I’m gonna go with Paddy Donovan sound cool I’ve only got one I’m you’re you’re covering all your bases you’re going
Domestic and you’re going International yeah do you want my International one yeah just give us your one yeah right my guy he’s 19 years of age he’s had eight Pro fights he’s looked Sensational every single time he has fought so far he comes from fighting stock it is Emiliano Vargas that is who
I’m picking he’s gonna get opportunities as well yeah that’s my guy for this year uh he’s just look at him he looks like a [ __ ] movie star but when you the Bell goes obviously like I say comes from a fighting family he is outstanding spiteful little booger so emilano Vargas
Is my one to watch for 2024 nice what wait is he uh is he 140 just let me check that I let me just check that for you he is no he’s light 135 okay same as his dad yeah down that like okay yeah the only the only name I’ve got down because
Again I had a few funny ones which I knew you would let me off because they were just outrageous Anthony Joshua yeah exactly yeah yeah there’s a couple of 22y old there’s a there’s a 20-year-old uh Elijah Garcia who looks absolutely legitimate who’s a who’s a Southport out
Of Arizona he’s got 13 Knockouts and 16 wins but he’s still only 20 years of age he looks incredible and there’s another kid called Tito Mardo out of California who’s uh only 22 years of age he’s had 13 fight 12 wins by Knockouts um but he
Had he had five fights in 2023 he only te Pro like in 2020 2020 or 2021 he’s already had 13 fights um he’s averaging five fights a year he’s knocking every [ __ ] out and the people he’s knocking out and are not bodies you know what I mean they the decent Club level Fighters
So yeah Tito Mardo but just like you I’m gonna go with one my one is Paddy Donovan okay cool Paddy Donovan for you Emiliano Vargas for me there’s on to watch right here you go kids this is what you waited for cherry on top of the cake which official has been nominated
For [ __ ] official of the year I bet you’ve got a list massive list I’ve got a [ __ ] list should I just run through everyone that got that that made the list what with bad this is bad judging this this is bad well Ton Tony Weeks was about to run away with it
But obviously we’ve had some rest by there now after his uh after his explanation of the of the Frederick Lawson well no no the Fred Lawson is 2024 if you still yet if you still want to give it him for his r r looking back to Romero versus baroso
Was one of the worst stoppages I’ve ever seen certainly the W stoppage of 2023 but this is more of a worte official because it’s easy we’ve obviously s pick out the referees we picked them up when they’re rubbish we don’t enough look back and go that judge is [ __ ] well it’s
A list of [ __ ] judging from 2023 we started in Telford in March oh Kristoff Fernandez of France watched bout absolutely batter Kane from Liverpool Andrew Kane yes and he gave the fight 9691 in favor of Andrew Kane just because he was the home promoters fighter that was absolutely shocking Javier Javier Javier
Alvarez now this one’s in interesting this is the only official to appear on the list twice he’s the guy got to have Alvarez from from Texas he scored tales’s victory over akmad delv he gave it to akmad alev 118 110 didn’t happen what was won the world
Title on a split because he went that way absolutely unbelievable what was his other Blockbuster his other one Alvarez was in July when he was the again he was the judge judge well espara fought Alain for the Undisputed women’s uh titles Marina Spar for Gabriella elaines and it was
The it was super close it was one or two rounds either way and he scored the fight 9991 in favor of the promoters girl ES barza so yeah Javier Alvarez is gonna [ __ ] do well to get overtaken here um Alex Levan needes a shout out he scored it
116 111 for shavkat against Cordina down in Cardiff absolutely didn’t didn’t happen Dave Moretti Dave Moretti was scoring Devin Haney versus lomachenko now close fight I’ll give you that Dave Moretti gave Devin Haney round number 10 lomachenko’s best round of the fight was round number 10 absolutely shocking
Scoring Robert Tapper of Canada y you made the list my friend he scored Regis prog versus zerilla he scored the fight 118 109 in favor of PR gr again that was a super close fight did not happen Joseph Mason of Denmark scored the kosas versus Maxi Hughes fight again super
Close fight he scored it 117 111 in favor of George kosas did not happen Mark Rand of Florida scored the Mill versus Sandy Ryan draw if you remember the reason it was a draw because this tit scored it 9793 in favor of Jessica mcll robing Sandy Ryan of a world title
Absolutely shocking that could be the guy that’s my robbery of the year that could Bey if we’re gonna do a robbery of the year that’s my one Sandy Ryan that it’s because of Mark strand of Florida his scorecard robbed Sandy Ryan that night there you go to show we don’t you
Know there’s no sexism here Patricia Mor Jarman of Las Vegas you’re also [ __ ] you’re garbage as well you scored the uh lubben versus Jesus Ramos Jr fight you scored it 1171 11 in favor of Luben absolutely that fight did not happen Matas Montella of Italy you’re the guy
You scored Otto Wallen versus morak GV 117 111 in favor of gasv when Noto and box The Zed off the entire fight that was absolutely shocking one of the worst Homer decisions it didn’t matter uto W on a split but that was one of the worst scorecards of the Year Nicholas Hidalgo
Of Venezuela you scored the osaki Foster Rocky Hernandez fight right just to be clear yeah osaki Foster pulled it out the bag and managed the 10th round stoppage against Rocky Hernandez to stop this fight prematurely but it was a sensational fight one of the fight of the year round
They were absolutely going back and forwards all over the place one of the rounds of the year was in this fight this dude scored the fight 110 to 99 in favor of hernand didn’t give o shaki Foster a single round until the stoppage absolutely shocking one of the worst
Cards of the Year from the Venezuelan Nicholas Hidalgo and I’ll just finish here because we got to finish with the big boys I want to finish with Juan Carlos Pano of Mexico Yes you heard me WBC fan favorite of course well paid off by maritzio and the boys he scored Tyson Fury
9693 winner against Francis and ganu didn’t nothing kid but hopefully you got your paycheck so there you go there’s a list of the worst officials of 2023 jaier Alvarez the only official to pop up twice with two of the worst scorecards on of the year but I’ve got
To be honest and I don’t know whether it’s because he’s been around for a long time and he’s established and we know his name but I think Mark strand of Florida his score card of 9793 in favor of mccal against Sandy Ryan for me was the worst scorecard of the year I agree
It’s the robbery of the year there’s no doubt about that absolutely there you go hey extensive have you got yourself a new book for Christmas ready to fill in some new names there it is Go kids ready to go boys and girls so you’re on watch now all the officials you’re on
Watch uh and that concludes the first boxing show of the Year all good um listen we’ve got a big week this week hopefully we’re going to uh put another British champion world champion uh on the mantle as Callum Smith aims to become a two weight world champion
Taking on the very listen it’s a tough task we know that but we’re going to give you a preview of his of his fight with ar BBF a little later on in the week so make sure you come back you can subscribe to us VI our website fight
Disciples. comom and we are also on YouTube as well where you can watch the show in full hopefully you’ve enjoyed today’s program I’m sure you got loads of comments to get stuck into the section whether you agree disagree with some of the things that we’ve been talking about everything’s welcome we’re
All fight disciples get stuck in 2024 is set to be a sensational year for boxing and we are right here for it uh thanks for listening thanks for watching we’ll catch you next time fight disciples
35 Comments
Just imagine…if Fury AJ takes place, AJ wins. What a rocky story. If he wins, they need to netflix it.
No, Luke is a coward and has avoided AJ since AJ beat him up in the gym.
Like he ducked the Vlad rematch, and will find another way to duck Usyk.
Lads when are you guys hooking up with Bisping for a 2023 UFC review show.
AJ fights 3 bums and is gonna fight his 4th bum fight but AJs back 😂😂😂
Junior nailing smith was a decent KO nick tbf 👍
You look at Fury's achievements….. Won every belt you can win and the only fighter to have held all 4 belts in this era.
Fury would leave the best if they retired now.
AJ's resume is shocking…. look at the rankings of his opponents. Winning belts off half bake paper champions. Charles Martin and parker 🤣🤣
Adam Catterall so desperate to talk Ngannou down to please Dana White and keep those free tickets and interviews coming.
Is Adam saying that Tom Aspinall lied about Fury training for the Ngannou fight.
Regis “looked good recently” 👀👀 he looked trash the fight before Haney got an absolute gift of a decision he was terrible ffs 🤦🏻♂️
Hey Adam, did you notice your Ngannou video is doing way better numbers than your "Dana White keeps delivering" UFC brown-nosing one.
How about stop sounding so heartbroken Ngannou did well and making excuses for the boxer, saying that he didn't train or got the best Ngannou, when Ngannou hadn't fought for nearly 2 years.
Dana White treats Adam and Nick the way Conor McGregor treats Michael Chandler.
Why is there no under card for uysk v fury? They are already adding fights to Joshua v ngannou
I will never buy a beer for Peet. The guy is clearly already drunk after calling AJ the best on the planet.
City will make those scousers cry. They never ever learn.
Wilder Vs parker was no shock at all, wilder is outboxed in 95% of his fights.. he was always gonna be down on the scorecards unless he got the ko. Definitely doesn't qualify for upset of the year, it wasn't even upset of the card 😂 Agit kabiyel gets that one
Loving the podcast as always lads, but surely after a 3 week break where AJ, Bivol, Wilder etc have all fought + AJ/Ngannou has been announced + your BIG 2023 boxing year review, you can save a comparatively bog-standard fight card review until end of the pod? Still will obviously listen all the way through, just think some new fans may be put off, especially if no time stamps on the vids. But looking forward to listening in 2024👍
Nice to see you back fellas 🤜🏻💥🤛🏻
Adam, not rating the Inoue wins that highly isn’t his fault he’s just levels about everyone, the guy is having to climb to weight divisions because he’s too good! But could give fighter of the year to Crawford, Haney or Inoue. It’s a coin flip between Haney or Inoue for me though!
The 2023 cock up of the year award goes to Adam and Nick for not including arguably the fight of the year – Ramirez v Espinosa in their show the week after it happened. Love the show boys but that was baffling.
Ego and greed has been satisfied, needs to be on some Fight Disciples merch
These boys talk so much shit, used to love the show lost a listener in the new year, can see why you haven’t got many subs
Brilliant podcast. Missed the laughs 🤣🤣 nick picking all the champs is class
I dont like the ngannou fight, I have to be honest. I think what we will see is, ngannou very much like he was against tyson, joshua will find it hard to hit him.with real significant shots but he will have heavy haymakers coming back at him. That will put joshua on the back foot worried to engage and fight not to lose instead of fighting to win.. I still think joshua will win but it won't look good and of course he could get sparked out at any second. If he loses, then what?
I've stuck by AJ the entire time. I've always said he's the best of this era and I think he beata fury quite convincingly. I think he beat wilder convincingly too.
The ruiz fight changed joshua and as I said above from then on he was fighting not to lose, insdead of fighting to win, so we lost that aggressive beast that could bully everyone.
Finger crossed he gets it done. He beats tyson and if it's usyk he beats him if he fight like he did against wallin
Tuned in all last year to these two but by fuck this episode has opened my eyes to the shit peet comes out with at times
Fuckin Monty Burns in charge . Fuckin if that lad had died , that's fuckin murder. Tony Weeks needs a fuxkin medal.
The boundaries in Nick the Cex Peet' gaff must be Liberal, whilst also maluable. I like this man.
This is ridiculous. I don't understand how people can still doubt Ngannou after what he has done through his career and his life? I'd be more cautious than that mates. This guy has shown over and over in his life, in MMA career, and now in his boxing debut that we should never bet against him. Now to see these guys pretending that AJ will make a fool of Francis is utterly ridiculous. As for me, I've learnt that Ngannou would make you swallow your words. Let's wait and see what happens 😅
AM i stupid or us this guy's insane?
Why won't ben train AJ for fury fight? Didn't fury fire him? Didn't john fury say ben doesn't have the experience for big fights? .but now when its time to show himself in the big stage he should say no to the guy that is gonna make him a great well known coach
Love boxing but the corruption behind the Taylor vs Catterall fight leaves a bitter taste as it has ruined Catterall’s career as he should have had the chance to have been in these conversations in 2023.
Might get AJ v Fury as AJ is a lot more relevant
One fight and AJ is now back. God
Usyk and Fury have signed up for 2 fights lads
Lads you do realise you don't have to use the word 'absolute' in every sentence? The podcasts would be 15 minutes long without it.
Lomachenko beat Haney. 110% every day of the week job. You just love Haney on FD 😂
NO, your not going to see that after nguana??? knock him ouy he will retire. so fury won't get a chance..
THE FIGHT WE WANT BUT THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA DONT WANT US TO HAVE!
Edit: Ngannou didn’t loose he was robbed
Edit: this narrative of fury didn’t care etc is a load of shite pushed by the British media 😂
Edit: how in earth does Ben Davidson deserve trainer of the year over BoMac lol are you two daft