Boxing Esq. Podcast

My guest on this podcast is boxing writer and attorney Scott Shaffer. We analyzed last weekend’s busy schedule of fights including Usyk-Chisora, Inoue-Moloney and Davis-Santa Cruz. We also discussed recent comments by Deontay Wilder breaking his silence after Fury-Wilder III fell through, the proposed "Junior Heavyweight" division the WBC is implementing and the continuing saga of the Canelo lawsuit. This will be my last show as host of the Boxing Esq. Podcast but I am passing it on to Scott to host. It was a really fun conversation - hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is former two-time Heavyweight Champion of the World - Chris Byrd. We talk about Chris’s miraculous recovery from years of debilitating pain from nerve damage in his foot, hip replacement surgery, and numerous shoulder problems. We discussed Chris's new diet and alternative therapies that aided his recovery. We also spoke about Chris’s great career from his days in the amateurs and sparring in an 8 by 10 ring in his parents' basement; his trip to the Olympic trials in 1988; his Olympic Silver Medal in 1992; not getting signed by a major promoter coming off of that medal and his roundabout journey as an avoided fighter to a shot at the Heavyweight title and eventually becoming a two-time champ. We also go into his battles in the ring with Ike Ibeabuchi, Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, Maurice Harris, David Tua, Evander Holyfield, Jameel McCline and many more and how he found out that many of his contemporaries were using PEDs. It was a great conversation - hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is author and boxing historian Mike Silver. We talk about Mike’s new book, "The Night The Referee Hit Back - Memorable Moments from the World of Boxing". It’s a compilation of articles and interviews that Mike’s done over the years that is really captivating and provocative. We discuss Mike’s background and how he had the chance to train alongside Emile Griffith and Ingemar Johansson at the iconic Stillman’s Gym in mid-town Manhattan in the late-50’s early 60’s. Mike gives a great account of the history of that gym and its significance. We also spoke about the history of the governance of the sport. How there was generally only one world champion per division for decades. And how tournaments of contenders fighting to determine a new champion in divisions where the title was vacant were a common occurrence throughout the 1920s through the late 1960s. Finally, Mike gives boxing fans a great list of fights from boxing’s Golden Age that demonstrate the skills and technique that may be missing from today's fighters. It was a great conversation - Hope you enjoy it.

My guests on this episode are the undisputed Women’s World Welterweight Champion and unified WBC/WBA Junior Welterweight Champion Jessica McCaskill and her manager and trainer Rick Ramos. We talked about their backgrounds growing up in Illinois and how both of them came to the sport of boxing. I spoke to Jessica about her time at Pagedale Boxing in St. Louis with my late friend and mentor Marvin “Coots” Millett. I talked with Rick about his opening of the Body Shot Boxing Club and how he competes with the fitness gyms and stays afloat during the pandemic. We got into how Jessica’s big fights with Katie Taylor and Cecilia Braekhus got made and how Rick thought he might have burned a bridge with Eddie Hearn. We spoke about how difficult it is to fight in your hometown and the challenges of maintaining focus while being pulled in a million directions marketing the fight. And we also discussed what’s next for Jessica and how big fight rematches with Katie Taylor and Cecilia Braekhus are possible and how a superfight with Claressa Shields is also in play. It was a great conversation - Hope you enjoy.

My first guest on this is episode one of the heroes of our sport - Dr. Margaret Goodman. We talked about her views on COVID protocols and which states are doing it right. We discussed how VADA’s testing protocols have been affected by COVID and how they have used the downtime in the sport to make informational videos available on the VADA website. We also got into the debate about the proper use of MRIs. My second guest on this podcast was boxing writer and attorney extraordinaire Scott Shaffer. We analyzed last weekend’s busy schedule of fights including Whyte-Povetkin. Taylor-Persoon, Smith-Alvarez, and Porter-Formella. And how it finally seemed like boxing was back after the long hiatus due to the pandemic. Two really fun conversations - hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode the VP of Communications at Haymon Sports - Mr. Tim Smith. We spoke about the PBC’s game plan in not rushing to be first to come back to the airways Post-COVID. And how their schedule of fights came together over the months that they were off-air. We got into the difficulties of putting on shows with the various medical and logistical problems associated with COVID and how PBC prepared for the inevitability of a fighter testing positive - as it happened on their very first show with Stephon Fulton. We then spoke about the excellent schedule of fights that PBC rolled out on Showtime including the Charlos shared PPV, Tank vs Santa Cruz, and Ouballi-Donaire. We also got into what to expect for the upcoming schedule for PBC on FOX. It was a really fun conversation. Hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is promoter and New York State Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Joe DeGuardia. We spoke about Joe’s upbringing in the Bronx where his father and uncle were professional fighters. We talked about Joe’s amateur boxing career which culminated in him winning the 1988 New York Golden Gloves. We got into how he started in the pro game as a manager and then switched to promoting to keep his fighters busy and how that lead him to co-promoting such big events as Roy Jones-Antonio Tarver and Manny Pacquiao-Chris Algieri. We also discussed his current roster of fighters including Joe Smith and Carlos Takam, the difficulties of putting on club shows in the time of COVID and Joe’s attempt at organizing the sport with the Boxing Promoters Association. It was a great conversation. Hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is the Editor-in-Chief of Ring Magazine - Mr. Doug Fischer. We spoke about how The Ring Magazine and ringtv.com are faring during this pandemic. We also undertook the difficult task of making mid-year assessments of the traditional year-end categories such as Fight of the Year, Round of the Year, KO of the Year, Upset of the Year, and Fighter of the Year in the time of COVID. We also discussed the upcoming boxing schedule and previewed some of the bigger tentatively scheduled big fights such as Lonachenko-Lopez and Dubois-Joyce. It was a great conversation. Hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is a 2020 IBHOF inductee, top promoter, film producer, and minor league franchise owner - Mr. Lou DiBella. Lou shared his feelings on not being able to enjoy his induction into the IBHOF this year due to the COVID shutdown. We spoke about how major league baseball is making a mistake in retracting a big part of its minor league system. We talked about how Top Rank is managing at implementing their COVID protocols and still putting on shows - and how Lou’s fighter Mikkel LesPierre’s COVID situation went down. We also got into how the financial burden of testing is particularly rough on smaller promoters and club shows. We discussed what’s next for other members of the DiBella Entertainment roster including Regis Prograis, Amanda Serrano, Ivan Baranchyk, Jerry Forrest, Tevin Farmer, Charles Conwell, and Bakhodir Jalalov. We also find out if Lou is making plans to go to Bahrain for the big boxing summit later this year. It was a lively and informative conversation. Hope you enjoy it.

My guests on this episode are two distinguished Irish sports writers - Kieran Cunningham, Chief Sports Writer at the Irish Daily Star in Dublin and Ewan MacKenna, Host of The Black Eye Podcast and Columnist for the Irish Independent News. We discussed the recent comments by Promoter Bob Arum about using alleged drug cartel boss Daniel Kinahan as his agent in United Arab Emirates to negotiate a potential deal for the Heavyweight unification fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Additionally, we spoke about the origins of MTK Global and the chilling effect the shooting at a weigh-in at The Regency Hotel in Dublin has had on boxing in The Republic of Ireland. Great conversation - I hope you enjoy.

My guest on this episode is one of the top matchmakers in the game, Golden Boy’s Roberto Diaz. We discussed how Roberto got into the sport through a chance meeting with one of his favorite fighters - Marco Antonio Barrera and how Eric Gomez drafted him to be a matchmaker for Golden Boy out of necessity. We got into how Roberto learned matchmaking on the job and what a typical day in the life of a matchmaker is like. We talked about how Golden Boy has handled the COVID lockdown on social media and what their plans are for coming back after the lockdown is lifted. Roberto broke down GB’s plans for the starfighters and prospects on their roster including Canelo Alvarez, JoJo Diaz, Ryan Garcia, Vergil Ortiz, Xu Can, and many more. It was a great conversation - hope you enjoy!

My guest on this episode is one of the foremost attorneys and managers in the game - Mike Borao. We spoke about two heavyweights Mike is involved with who scored big wins in the last few months Charles Martin and Robert Helenius. We also talked about future plans for other fighters who Mike represents including middleweight Matt Korobov and heavyweight Frank Sanchez. We also spoke about Mike’s background and participation in toughman contests. How he met and came to represent his first major fighter Heavyweight Jameel McCline. We got into his major role in getting McCline, Shannon Briggs, Monte Barrett, and Ray Austin shots at the Heavyweight crown in the same year. He also told some great stories about dealing with major promoters Cedric Kushner and Don King. And finally, we went into what a typical day in the life of a boxing manager is like. Really great conversation - I hope you enjoy it!

My guest on this episode is one of the most powerful and thoughtful executives in boxing - Showtime President of Sports and Event Programming Stephen Espinoza. We talk about Showtime’s excellent way to fill the COVID-19 programming void on Friday Nights with their Showtime Classic Boxing series. We discuss Showtime’s gameplan on how they’ll proceed when boxing events are allowed to come back and what precautions need to be in place. We also spoke about the bidding wars between networks and what Stephen anticipates the market looking like post-COVID. We get into his plans for Gervonta Davis and the 154 lb. division as well as his attempts to get a Jermall Charlo- Demetrius Andrade unification made. And finally, we discuss his comments at last year's Leaders conference on the sport of boxing and whether we’ve reached “peak boxing” yet. Really great conversation with Stephen, as always - hope you enjoy it!

For this special episode, I’m joined by Fistianados host Evan Rutkowski to go over the recent Coronavirus stimulus legislation set up to provide relief to those forced out of work by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are joined by two distinguished guests. Labor Attorney Walter Kane and accountant and financial planner Mike Alvini. Walter and Mike broke down how and when to apply for unemployment benefits, the Paycheck Protection Program Loan (aka 7a loan), the COVID Disaster Relief Loan (aka the 7B loan), as well as the qualifications for the $1200 stimulus, check advances on tax returns that the government is sending out. The main takeaway is apply, apply, apply. Definitely give this pod a good listen and contact your accountant or financial advisor to help you. If you don’t have one - Walter and Mike leave their contact information at the end of the podcast. Really great informative conversation - hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is author and editor at Hannibal Boxing.com - Mr. Carlos Acevedo. We discuss Carlos’s excellent new book - Sporting Blood - Tales From The Darkside of Boxing - which goes on sale March 31st. We get into a few of the subjects of the book including Sonny Liston, Tony Ayala, and Smokin’ Bert Cooper. We also talk about Carlos’s youth in the Bronx and how he came to be interested in the Sweet Science. And finally, we get into the good and the bad in today’s boxing scene and how things evolved over time from boxing’s resurgence in the 1970s. I really enjoyed the conversation and finally getting Carlos on the podcast. Hope you enjoy it too.

My guest on this episode is a copy editor and feature writer at The Ring Magazine - Ryan Songalia. We spoke about how Ryan and his family are coping with the Covid-19 pandemic. We also got into his background in boxing including writing for Boxing Digest, The New York Daily News, Rappler.com in the Philippines, as well as The Ring. We discussed his latest article - How Covid-19 Isn’t The First Pandemic To Halt Boxing. We looked at how the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 affected boxing and the world at large and what lessons we can draw from it. We also got into the effects the current Covid-19 pandemic has had on fighters, managers and boxing gyms here in the US and around the world. It was a really interesting conversation- hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is a litigation partner at Olshan Frome Wolosky but you know him as a longtime writer and editor at Boxingtalk.com - Scott Shaffer. We had a chance to analyze the Wilder-Fury rematch in depth including costume-gate. We also discussed the loaded boxing card this past weekend headlined by Mikey Garcia-Jesse Vargas and featuring a great victory by Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez over Khal Yafai as well a great Flyweight tussle between Julio Cesar Martinez and the very game Jay Harris. We also got into the proposed sale of Top Rank, the upcoming boxing schedule and the effect the coronavirus has had on the boxing community. It was a great conversation- hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is a staff writer covering the sport of boxing at The Athletic - Mr. Rafe Bartholomew. We get into Rafe’s background as a native New Yorker and growing up around the famous NY bar McSorley’s. Also, his love and fascination with the Philippines and the sport of basketball, as well as his time at Grantland and his beloved newsletter, Respect Boxe. We also get into Wilder-Fury II, Garcia-Linares and preview Caleb Plant vs. Vincent Feigenbutz. It was a Great conversation - hope you enjoy.

My guest on this episode is the Editor-in-chief of Ring Magazine and ringtv.com - Mr. Doug Fischer. We talk about Doug’s new gig as color commentator at DAZN for Golden Boy’s Thursday Night Fights and how season one of that program went. We also talk about the big fight card this past week with Roman-Akmadaliev, Farmer-Diaz, and Andrade-Keeler as well as DAZN’s continued dalliance with fighting YouTubers. We further spoke about the good fights upcoming in February and beyond as well as Thomas Hauser’s three-part piece on the New York State Athletic Commission. It was a great conversation- hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is truly a legend in the sports law community - Jim Quinn. He's been legal counsel for every major sport's players union in labor disputes, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. He’s now of counsel at Berg & Androphy after a long, illustrious run at Weil, Gotshal & Manges. We discuss his new book, Don’t Be Afraid to Win: How Free Agency Changed The Business of Pro Sports. We get into the labor history of the NBA and NFL and how each players union achieved free agency. We also get into how salary caps got imposed in both leagues as a result of collective bargaining. And we also talk about how the sport of boxing can be better organized to maximize its potential. Great conversation - hope you enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Brin-Jonathan Butler, critically-acclaimed author and one of the preeminent boxing journalists. We look ahead to 2020 division-by-division from Heavyweight down through Bantamweight. We discuss what fights we hope to see in each division as well as what is most likely to occur. It was a really fun conversation, hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this podcast is Brin-Jonathan Butler, a critically acclaimed author and one of the preeminent boxing journalists. We recap the year in boxing for 2019. We spoke about Andy Ruiz and the Heavyweights; Canelo's likely Fighter of The Year worthy campaign; the WBSS and the de facto tournaments at Welterweight and Lightweight and much more. It was a really interesting conversation, hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this podcast is John Nash, a top MMA writer for Bloody Elbow. John writes primarily about MMA and Boxing and also does an excellent podcast called Show Money which covers the business side of MMA. We spoke about the idea of a Boxing League and what the nuts and bolts of that would look like. We spoke about how revenues would be split and what the wage share would be, what antitrust or Ali Act concerns there would be and what would happen with the sanctioning bodies. It was an excellent discussion - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Cliff Rold, a founding member of the media-run independent ratings organization the Transnational Boxing Ratings Board (TBRB) and managing editor at Boxing Scene. We spoke about the 2020 IBHOF ballot and Cliff's choices for the Hall of Fame. We also talked about his criteria for selecting his potential inductees and which writers receive which ballots We also got into the great fights of the last few weeks including Canelo-Kovalev and Inoue-Donaire. It was a really interesting discussion. Enjoy!

My guests on this podcast are Hall of Famer Buddy McGirt and boxing writer Michael Woods. I spoke with McGirt about the upcoming Light Heavyweight title fight between his champion Sergey Kovalev and Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez. We also spoke about the ring passing of Patrick Day and what safety measures the sport can take to prevent future deaths. I spoke to Woods about Woods' upbringing in Massachusetts and what brought him to New York to become a boxing writer. We also spoke about the state of the boxing press today and how it differs from when Woods started. Great conversations - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Tom Loeffler of GGG Promotions and 360 Promotions. We spoke about the recent Middleweight title fight and "Big Drama Show" at Madison Square Garden between Gennady Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Tom's upcoming 360 Promotions show in Hollywood with Serhei Bohachuk. We also talked about Tom's background in sports memorabilia (with his partner Harlan Werner) and their list of clients including Muhammad Ali, Sandy Koufax, Joe Namath, Ronald Reagan, and Mikhail Gorbachev. Additionally, we discussed his time as a boxing manager of Kevin Kelley, Oba Carr and Shane Mosley and his transition into promoting with K2 and the Klitschko brothers. It was a fun discussion - enjoy it!

My guest on this podcast is the former Executive Director of the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), David Berlin. We spoke about David's background and interest in the sport, including a brief amateur boxing career. We also talked about his relationship with Teddy Atlas, his representation of Salita Promotions and his new management company Four Corners Advisory Group. Additionally, we discussed David's time at the NYSAC and his implementation of policies regarding drug testing, health care for boxers, bout insurance, selection of officials and instant replay. It was a fun discussion - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Tim Smith, VP of Communications at Haymon Sports and the PBC. We spoke about the upcoming Welterweight unification fight between Errol Spence and Shawn Porter and the rest of the top Welterweights on the PBC roster - Manny Pacquiao, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, and Mikey Garcia. We also talked about the Heavyweights, including the rematches between Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz and Andy Ruiz-Anthony Joshua. We further discussed the loaded Jr. Middleweight division and what's next for Jermall Charlo, Adrian Broner, Leo Santa Cruz, and others. It was a fun discussion - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is world-class trainer and manager Kevin Cunningham. We discussed Kevin's move from St. Louis and the establishment of his world-class training camp in West Palm Beach. We further discussed Kevin's work with Junior Middleweight contender Erickson Lubin, WBA Super Featherweight Champion Gervonta Davis and former four-division champion Adrian Broner. Additionally, we spoke about Kevin's relationship with former Junior Welterweight and Welterweight Champion Devon Alexander and where it's at today. Great conversation - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is David Duenez, owner of the Leave It In The Ring podcast network. We talk about the weekend of fights including Kovalev-Yarde and Figueroa-Cintron. We also talk about the Ruiz-Joshua 2 negotiations and Dana White's entry into boxing promotion. Additionally, we spoke about David's background and interest in boxing and the origins of the Leave It In The Ring network. A really fun and interesting conversation, hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this podcast is Brin-Jonathan Butler, critically acclaimed author, as well as one of the preeminent boxing journalists. We review the good (Pacquiao-Thurman, Ramirez-Hooker), the bad (the administrative mess of Whyte-Rivas) and the ugly/tragic (RIP Maxim Dadashev and Hugo Santillan). A really interesting conversation, hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this podcast is boxing historian Herbert Goldman. We discussed Herbert's time as a managing editor at The Ring and his role in putting together the last three Ring Record Books. We also discussed Herbert's four-volume magnum opus boxing record book for the sport "Boxing - A Worldwide Record of Bouts and Boxers", with a particular focus on the Timeline of Boxing History. Additionally, we went through an abbreviated history of the sanctioning bodies in the interest of tracking how we got to the present of a proliferation of organizations and how close we came at various points to having one overarching regulatory organization. It was a great conversation. Enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Doug Fischer, Editor-in-Chief of The Ring Magazine. We spoke about Doug's upbringing in the midwest and his journey as a boxing writer. We discussed the origins of internet boxing coverage and Doug's time as one of the principals of both House of Boxing and MaxBoxing, as well as his move to the The Ring. We also did a division by division review of the sport from Heavyweight to Bantamweight as well as our candidates for Fight of the Year so far in 2019. It was a great discussion - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Todd duBoef, the President of one of the leading promoters in boxing Top Rank, Inc. We spoke about his company's television deal with ESPN and how it came about. We also talked about his vision for the future and what shoulder-programming will go on the network. We also spoke about his star heavyweight Tyson Fury and how he fits into the heavyweight picture as well as the great fights coming up on the schedule and collision course that Vasyl Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez are on. It was a great conversation - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Cliff Rold, a top boxing writer and managing editor for BoxingScene.com. Cliff is also a founding member of the media-run independent ratings organization the Transnational Boxing Ratings Board (TBRB). We spoke about his journey in the sport from watching fights with his grandparents to writing for RIngTalk, CyberBoxingZone and Boxing Scene. We also talked about his break from The Ring Ratings Panel to form the TBRB, the art of rating fighters and the goals and impact of the TBRB. We also got into the state of the game, the Heavyweights and what should be the next weight classes for the World Boxing Super Series. It was a really interesting discussion. Enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is John Nash, a top MMA writer for Bloody Elbow. John writes primarily about MMA and Boxing and also does an excellent podcast called Show Money which covers the business side of MMA. We spoke about the rumors about Endeavor purchasing Waddell & Reed's interest in Haymon Sports and the PBC. We also discussed Endeavor's possible interest in Top Rank and what an Endeavor boxing promotional entity would look like. We also discussed a few MMA topics including how the UFC's deal with ESPN is going and if Bellator is benefitting from its DAZN deal. It was an excellent discussion - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Connecticut Boxing Hall of Famer, six-time sports Emmy award-winner and new President of MTK Global Management, Bob Yalen. We spoke about the future of MTK's top fighters Tyson Fury, Carl Frampton and Billy Joe Saunders. We also spoke about MTK's broadcast deals with ESPN and IFL TV. We then got into Bob's rich experience in the sport as a researcher for Flash Gordon, The Ring Record Book and Fight Fax. We also talked about his time as head of boxing programming at ABC and ESPN networks and as the Chairman of the WBC Ratings Committee. We closed with a discussion of the state of televised boxing today. It was a really informative conversation. Enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Hall of Fame boxing writer and television commentator, Steve Farhood. We spoke about Steve's experience growing up in NYC in the 1970's and his first job out of college with London Publishing where he founded the legendary KO Magazine. We also spoke about his time as Editor-in-Chief of The Ring Magazine and his nearly 20 years as an expert analyst on ShoBox. Steve also gave his insights on the state of game, where women's boxing is going and who he thinks will win the major fights in the next few months. It was a really fun conversation. Enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is New York-based boxing manager Ketih Connolly. We talked about how Keith got into the management business and his tremendous roster of fighters including: Daniel Jacobs, Luis Collazo, Marcus Browne, Sergey Derevyanchenko, Adam Kownacki, Chris Algieri, Nikita Abibiy, Reshet Mait and Nkosi Solomon. It was an interesting conversation with some great insight on how "working across the aisle" can happen in the sport. Enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is top trainer and 2019 IBHOF inductee James "Buddy" McGirt. We discussed Buddy's recent work in the corner of WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey Kovalev, as well as young prospect and 2016 Olympian Janibek Alimkhanuly. We also discussed Buddy's HOF career and legendary fights with Frankie Warren, Saoul Mamby, Howard Davis, Meldrick Taylor, Simon Brown and Pernell Whitaker. We talked about his notorious management team Al Certo and Stuart Weiner. We then got into his adjustment to retiring from the ring and his becoming a trainer of champions such as Arturo Gatti, Antonio Tarver and Vernon Forrest. It was a really great conversation - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is legendary Philly promoter Russell Peltz. It's Russell's 50th year as a promoter and we talked about his journey from being a sports reporter to promoting his first bout in 1969 at the age of 22. We discussed his amazing career as a promoter and focused on the decade of the 1970's when he promoted such greats as Bennie Briscoe, Marvin Hagler, Bobby "Boogaloo" Watts, Eugene "Cyclone" Hart, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Marvin Johnson, Roberto Duran, Bobby Chacon, Jeff Chandler and others. We also got into how the sport and business of boxing have evolved and changed since Russell's first promotion in 1969. It was a fascinating conversation - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is boxing manager David McWater. We talked about his journey from Oklahoma to NYC and his stints as a basketball agent, bar owner and Manhattan Community Board member. We then got into his move into boxing and his statistical method of evaluating fighters. We talked about his roster of boxers including IBF JW Champ Ivan Baranchyk (and his withdrawal from the WBSS), super prospect Teofimo Lopez and Olympians Charles Conwell, Vikas Krishan and Antonio Vargas. We also discussed a few of his other prospects - Brian Ceballo, Erick DeLeon, Otha Jones, III and Sonny Conto. It was a great conversation - hope you enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Matchroom USA matchmaker Eric Bottjer. We talked about his journey in the sport and all of the promoters he's worked for including Dan Goossen, Cedric Kushner, Don King, Art Pellulo, Lou DiBella and Eddie Hearn. We also talked about the art of matchmaking and his theory on how to develop fighters. We also got into why there should be a boxing league and the PBC's missed opportunity with all that hedge fund money. It was a great conversation - hope you enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is top boxing judge - Steve Weisfeld. We talked about how he became a judge, some of the significant fights he's worked, the criteria he uses to score a fight and some tips for the viewers scoring at home. We also spoke about the criticisms levied at judges and some possible reforms for more transparency of the judges cards. It was a great conversation - hope you enjoy!

Bonus Podcast from my interview with Scott Shaffer, litigation attorney and longtime senior boxing writer at Boxingtalk.com. Scott and I went long in our conversation last week so I had to edit out our discussion about the broadcast networks. Here is the 10 minutes or so of that discussion. Enjoy the bonus 10 minutes and Happy Holidays!

My guest on this podcast is Scott Shaffer, litigation attorney and Partner at Olshan, Frome and Wolosky, as well as a longtime senior boxing writer at Boxingtalk.com. Scott has represented some of the top promoters in the sport including Sauerland Promotions, DiBella Entertainment and Gary Shaw, as well as world champions such as Ricky Hatton. We look at what happened in the year of boxing for 2018. We also look ahead at what's to come in 2019. It was a great discussion - enjoy!.

My guest on this podcast is Philadelphia Boxing Trainer and Writer - Stephen "Breadman" Edwards. I talked to him about his origins in the sport; the Philadelphia boxing scene; and what's next for his star fighter Julian "J-Rock" Williams. We also discussed his outspoken views on the prevalence of PEDs in the sport. It was a great conversation - hope you enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is the President of Showtime Sports and Event Programming - Stephen Espinoza. I talked to him about the great 2018 Showtime had; what's coming up in 2019; life after Les Moonves; the Wilder-Fury and Pacquiao-Broner PPVs and what criteria he uses to determine what goes on PPV. We also discussed his role as a possible conscience of the sport. It was a great conversation - hope you enjoy!

My guests on this podcast are two of the best promoters in the sport of boxing - Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment and Kathy Duva of Main Events. I talked to each of them about upcoming shows featuring their fighters, as well as the state of play in regards to the many recent broadcasting deals in the sport. We also discussed the impact of HBO exiting the scene. Two great conversations - hope you enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is Tim Smith, VP of Communications at Haymon Sports and the PBC. We spoke about the PBC's recent multi-year television deals with Showtime and Fox. We also got into what's next for Deontay Wilder, Errol Spence, Keith Thurman, the Charlo Twins, Mikey Garcia, Leo Santa Cruz and others. It was fun discussion - enjoy!

My guest on this podcast is, Thomas Hauser, acclaimed author of Missing, The Black Lights and Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. Tom is one of the foremost boxing writers in the business and you can find his articles at The Sweet Science, Boxing Scene and The Ring. His latest boxing books are There Will Always Be Boxing (2017) and Protect Yourself At All Times (2018). We spoke about Eddie Hearn's deal with DAZN, the Joshua-Wilder negotiations, the WBSS and the general state of boxing. It was an insightful and informative conversation - enjoy!