1 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Revere, Revere, Donks, look at this now, Tim. To Tim, 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: this is our life. 3 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 2: This is our passion. 4 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: That's the spirit we bring to this show. I'm Luke Thomas. 5 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 2: I'm Brian Campbell. 6 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: This this Morning Combat. It is Friday, the twenty fourth 7 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: of July twenty twenty, and it is time, Donks for 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,199 Speaker 1: Morning Combat Extra. Hi everyone, I am one half of 9 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:34,639 Speaker 1: your hosting duo. My name is Luke Thomas. I am 10 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: joined by the gentleman on the other side of the screen, 11 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: the Conspiracy. To my theory, he is the man in 12 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: Combat Sports over at CBS Sports Connecticut's own raccoon dumpster. 13 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: I don't know searcher eater, guy who just romages through 14 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: the garbage for food. It's my friend and yours. It's 15 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: Brian Campbell. Hi, Brian, how are you very well? 16 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 2: Luke? I'm a man who knows what I want and 17 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 2: what I like. Okay, Luke? All right? A show so nice. 18 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 2: We had to do it twice this week. And can 19 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 2: we take that fourth wall and just remove it for 20 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 2: a second, Luke, because people were in virtual upheaval over 21 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 2: what they thought was a want want, a little bait 22 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 2: and switch, a little fight Island Part two sort of 23 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 2: we're gonna give you the palm tree. No, we're not. 24 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 2: We're gonna put it in an arena. The big surprise 25 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 2: on Monday Show it wasn't supposed to be Jay, Okay, okay, 26 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 2: all right, Jay filled in for that big surprise. Okay. 27 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 2: The big surprise is what came after what we're gonna 28 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 2: get into today. That boxing's back in a big way 29 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 2: with PBC and Showtime. So all people ready to raise 30 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 2: Jacob on a jay on a steak hare and let 31 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 2: him hang for our sins. He tried his best. I know, 32 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 2: it's not like he was coming in from an airplane hangar, 33 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: but he tried his best. 34 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: All right. Yeah, So two responses to that one. You're right. 35 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: The big announcement was supposed to be we were gonna 36 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: debut the Showtime boxing schedule. Then the announcement got pushed 37 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: to Wednesday. And then the other part was, oh my god, 38 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: they were so bitter at Jay. I didn't hear the 39 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: hissing of that ac window unit he has until I 40 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: went back and watched the video afterwards BC, and I 41 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: wanted to die. I couldn't believe how awful it sounded. 42 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: So good news today there's no Jay on the show today. 43 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: I'm sure our listeners and viewers BC will find a 44 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: way to carry on. They will sleep through the night tonight. 45 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, and he had that weird inspector gadget bad guy 46 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: you know, camera over his shoulder. I felt like I 47 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 2: was like watching ladies undress on a on a sneaky 48 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 2: bathroom camera, something gross like that. But hey, we're past 49 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 2: that period. Will Jay return at the normal Monday show. 50 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: We'll have to wait and see. But for now, we 51 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 2: got a big extra show planned, Luke. A lot of 52 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 2: fights this weekend, a lot of fight news. What about 53 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 2: a guest? Do you want to do a guest? 54 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, we're we're going to do our first. I mean, 55 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: we had Aljamaine Sterling, but he was he was a 56 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 1: guest slash host because you weren't there. It was Meat, 57 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: Chuck and Aljamain. So I guess this is our first 58 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: live was that show live? 59 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 3: I don't know. 60 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: Maybe this is our second guest. It's the first time 61 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: we've ever done it in this way, you and me 62 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: together having a guest on but showtimes. Let me make 63 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: sure I get this guy. This guy's got a longer 64 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: title than like the Duke of Essex in the royal family. 65 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: He is the president and sports excuse me, the president 66 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: of Sports and Events programming. Steven Spinosa. He's the guy 67 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: in charge of Showtime's boxing business, but not just that. 68 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: It covers basically, who's the guy in charge of sports 69 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,839 Speaker 1: at Showtime. It's Steven Espinosa. He'll be here around. 70 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 2: Call that can weasel what he is to his face? 71 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 2: Will you, Luke? Will you have the balls? 72 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: I never thought he was a weasel, even before I 73 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: worked at Showtime. You can go back and look this up. 74 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: So he gave me like a thirty minute interview at 75 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: Mayweather Paqiao when I was covering it for SB Nation. 76 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: I've always had a pretty good relationship with Steve. In fact, 77 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have this job if I 78 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: if I hadn't previously had a pretty good relationship with Stephen. 79 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: But we're gonna ask him today about the huge announcement. 80 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: Showtime basically laid out their entire boxing schedule for the 81 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: rest of twenty twenty. We'll get to the future of 82 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: Bellator because everyone's asking about that. And hello, they have 83 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: a show tonight at the Mohegan sun So we'll talk 84 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: to him about that as well the future. What's up 85 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: with Floyd Mayweather. I don't know stuff like that, BC. 86 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 2: And he's great, He's a great guy and didn't even 87 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 2: better guess. So we're excited to do that, you know, 88 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 2: shout out to the VICOMCBS family here. 89 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: But we're gonna bring it. 90 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 2: We're gonna sling it and bring it. And like I mentioned, 91 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 2: I know we got into some of the headline storylines 92 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: heading into this weekend on the Monday show. But good 93 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 2: week for fights, right, we got boxing, We got two 94 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 2: different MMA promotions going at it. It should be fun. 95 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, very quickly. I didn't I wanted to start with 96 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: the UFC, but I just have to get your opinion 97 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: if we can, by the way, of course, get the 98 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: video thumbs up, subscribe to the channel. If you want 99 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: to try Showtime you can. You can go to Showtime 100 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 1: dot com. You could try it free for thirty days. 101 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: If you like it, you can keep it. If not, 102 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 1: you can pound sand And obviously you want to get 103 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: MK merchandise, and of course you do store dot show 104 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: dot com. Okay, BC, with that in mind, very quickly, 105 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: because I'm I want to talk about UFC before Steven 106 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: gets here. I reacted to it yesterday on my radio show. 107 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: I'll just give you the floor here. Tyson versus Roy 108 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: Jones Junior was announced and the for folks who may 109 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: have missed it, it is an exhibition. It is for 110 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: eight rounds. They won't wear headgear. Andy Foster, the head 111 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: of the California's Athletic Commission, promising that they would not 112 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 1: go for the KO They're just going to move around 113 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: a little bit. We'll talk about Jake Paul being on 114 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: the undercar, which makes me just want to die. But 115 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: this is sort of stick to the scenario in the 116 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: main event, fifty four years old versus fifty one years old. 117 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: What do you think? 118 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,360 Speaker 2: It's a really hard topic to get into because one thing, 119 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 2: it's on brand for me, right hashtag old guy fights. 120 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: That's the promotion I'm trying to get off the ground 121 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 2: and on the street, and I mean, could this be 122 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,919 Speaker 2: a better matchup for that? In some ways, it's great 123 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 2: because it's an exhibition. So if you're fearful of, you know, 124 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 2: Mike Tyson and what getting back into fighting can do 125 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 2: at this age, at least he's doing it against another 126 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 2: old guy, right, Roy Jones Junior, who you know, his 127 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 2: career kind of went on too long, and he was 128 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 2: fighting pro as recently as twenty eighteen. I'd rather see 129 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 2: that than Mike fight a real fighter, a contender, or 130 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 2: even you know, some some schlub they pad it up for, 131 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 2: you know, another McNeely type or equivalent at this point. 132 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 2: But at the same time, you know, I don't know, 133 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 2: I'm not feeling a lot of it. I'm not feeling 134 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 2: the Hey, let's come out front and say we're not 135 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 2: going to go after each other. This will be a 136 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 2: showcase of skills. Okay, so this is a sparring match, 137 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 2: and it would be different maybe if I didn't already 138 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 2: still have the stain, you know, on my clothing from 139 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 2: that two thousand and six pay per view. I don't 140 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 2: think a lot of people remember Tyson retired in two 141 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 2: thousand and five right showtime pay per view with Kevin McBride. 142 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 2: He kind of just sat down and quit and was like, 143 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 2: I'm done. That's that's fine, Mike. But then he came 144 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 2: back a year later and wanted to do this Sparring 145 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: World tour where he would put on pay per view 146 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 2: cards in every city and they tried one, and they 147 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 2: put real fights quote unquote on the undercard, and then 148 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 2: he sparred Corey t Rex Sanders wearing a T shirt 149 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 2: and headgear in the quote unquote main event, And it 150 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 2: was sloppy and it was gross and it was sparring, 151 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 2: and the pay per view idea got shut down right 152 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 2: after that. So I don't want any kind of exhibition 153 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 2: that's just crap and a waste of our time. I've 154 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,239 Speaker 2: got further issues, Luke, Could you pick a worse date 155 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 2: than Canelo Alvarez's return and possibly a big fight against 156 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 2: Callen Smith and also a UFC fight night in Vegas? 157 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: Yeah? 158 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, come on, you guys. And the third 159 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 2: thing is this Mike's linked his name, and again let 160 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 2: me just preface by saying it's hard not to love 161 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 2: and protect Mike Tyson if you've lived his journey as 162 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 2: a super fan along with him. At this point, it's 163 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 2: like we're more protective of him than anything. He's been 164 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 2: screwed over by, you know, many people business wise and 165 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 2: financially and made some rough turns. I mean, even his 166 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 2: boxing promotional business a few years ago went up in 167 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 2: flames quick. It seemed like this announcement was more about 168 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 2: an infomercial for some app that the fight can be 169 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 2: streamed on than it was for let's celebrate Mike. He's 170 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 2: gonna get back in there. Oh when he's gonna fight 171 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 2: Roy Jones? Oh my god, what's this gonna look like? 172 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 2: What if Mike bites down hard and goes through the 173 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 2: ko and turns crazy. Yeah, there's some elements of carnival 174 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: intriguing that, but overall it's there's something that's, uh, that's 175 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 2: extra gross about it that even I can't stop like 176 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 2: questioning fishing away, like, look, we you know you like 177 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 2: to watching people make a love on camera. Luke, I 178 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 2: know that, But then then r Kelly jumps in. You're like, well, 179 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 2: okay this, you know I'm not into the goal here. 180 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:39,959 Speaker 2: This is going too far, all right, take the gold 181 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: away from me. This feels like that right now. 182 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. I wouldn't say that the sex I watch on 183 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: camera is romantic, but I get your point just the same. 184 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:51,599 Speaker 1: The thing that's for MEBC is like, I don't know 185 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: how to feel about this because I totally thought that 186 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 1: the Mayweather tension Mescala thing was gonna be a scam, 187 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: and then Mayweather when in there, just bulldozed the guy, 188 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,599 Speaker 1: and I was like, what went wrong here? For the Japanese. 189 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 2: By the way, nobody told Tension or Floyd that that 190 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 2: wasn't that was an exhibition. 191 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: So I was like, Okay, well I got that one wrong. 192 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: So I don't want to be you know, I got 193 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: to I have to be informed by how wrong I 194 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: was on that experience. At the same time, though, Floyd, 195 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 1: while certainly at the end of his career there he 196 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: was I think above forty at the time. It was 197 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 1: this was not long ago in Tension. I mean, it 198 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:26,839 Speaker 1: was the first time is in a long time where 199 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 1: I was like, wow, Floyd is way bigger than this guy. 200 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: Usually it's the total opposite, you know, So okay, that's 201 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: a little bit different. But this is fifty four versus 202 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: fifty one, so that's weird. You know. Yes, Tyson hasn't 203 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 1: taken a lot of damage because he's not been fighting 204 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: since he retired on the stool that day in my hometown. 205 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: All right, But Roy Jones, I mean he's been fighting 206 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: since up to twenty eighteen, and he's had a few 207 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: really bad knockouts, like where he got stretched along the way, 208 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: and so you know, I've had two reactions from fans 209 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: about this PC. One is my reaction, my initial reaction, 210 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: and I don't know if it's right. I'm just telling 211 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: you how I feel, which is I don't quite get 212 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: it right because you can. To me, it's like if 213 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: they're gonna have eight rounds, okay, no headgear, but they're 214 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: just gonna be moving around. Let's say that's true. They're 215 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: making it safe enough, but then it's just boring. Well, okay, 216 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: what most fans want is for it to not be safe. 217 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: They kind of want to see, you know, a little 218 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: bit of action. But the problem is it's like, do 219 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 1: you really feel good about a fifty four or a 220 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: fifty one year old man getting knocked out? Like, and 221 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: you're paying money for this in an exhibition when you're not. 222 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 1: I mean, it's like heads, we lose, tails, we also 223 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: lose somehow, I don't yeah. To me, the proposition is 224 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: not clear. 225 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 2: There's the best case scenario middle ground that I've seen 226 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 2: a lot of, you know, casual fans who, by the way, 227 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 2: this will attract in droves in theory. Uh, they've been 228 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 2: really excited about it. I mean, my mom texted me 229 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 2: this morning and said you fly to LA for this 230 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 2: Tyson fight. I'm like, well, no, no chance. But look, 231 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 2: people love the idea that if they go in there 232 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 2: and okay, it's supposed to be an exhibition blah blah blah, 233 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 2: but there's no headgear and Tyson hits pretty hard. And 234 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 2: Roy Jones has had some comments toward this tail end 235 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 2: of his career when interviewed and asked about hanging on 236 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 2: too long, that he's like, you know, I'm willing to 237 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 2: die in there, and that might be my destiny. I mean, 238 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:19,199 Speaker 2: we've heard comments like that in the past. So this 239 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 2: could best case kind of turn into an interesting fight 240 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 2: where Roy's fought heavyweight before, he's been at the cruiserweight 241 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 2: limit in recent years. When active, he's gonna have potentially 242 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 2: speed and stamina advantages that could be dramatic, and then 243 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 2: you offset that with Mike's absurd power. Oh my god, 244 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 2: what's this gonna look like? Okay, for a round or two, 245 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 2: it might be sneaky fun out of nowhere, but if 246 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 2: it becomes like a war, it's gonna get sad quick. Luke. 247 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: And I was gonna say, it feels to me like 248 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: you ever go out to drink and you get like 249 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: really drunk, but you're okay, and then you have that 250 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: one last shot and you're like, we'll have one more 251 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 1: or one more will really do us good. And that 252 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,079 Speaker 1: was the one where you just went and you hit 253 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: the tipping point into nausea, vomiting in the back of 254 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 1: a cab. 255 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 2: You know, you wake us to with a slop fest. Yeah, 256 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 2: you know, we've been there, Luke, We've been there. 257 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:14,840 Speaker 1: That's what it feels like to me. 258 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 2: People might counter and say, like, BC, what the hell 259 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 2: are you talking about? Right, you eat out of a 260 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 2: gas station. This is everything you would want. Okay, if 261 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 2: it plays out to perfect scenario, it's intriguing, it's interesting. 262 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 2: A critic of me might say, hey, didn't you watch 263 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 2: Kimba versus Ken Shamrock and kind of sneaky love it? 264 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,679 Speaker 2: It was short, nobody got extremely hurt. There were you know, 265 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 2: ebbs and flows of momentum. Dota five hundred and five 266 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 2: didn't have a heart attack, Like, yeah, that was actually 267 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 2: maybe not a bad piece of business in the end. Okay, 268 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 2: maybe this could be that. But I hate eight rounds exhibition. 269 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 2: I hate you know what the California Commission saying. I 270 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:53,719 Speaker 2: don't know if that's the only way you can get 271 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 2: this sanctioned. Didn't Pat Militant's just have a professional kickboxing 272 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 2: fight last weekend. I don't know how the world works anymore, Luke, 273 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 2: but I'm going to go into it with easy caution 274 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 2: and probably end up being entertained in some form. 275 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: In the end. The last thing I say abou this 276 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: because I want to get to some UFC talk before 277 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: Steven gets here. It's really quite simple, which is I 278 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: cannot stand these people being like, oh, what's your problem 279 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: with Jake Paul? If he's really training hard, what's the problem. 280 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: I'm like, everything Jake Paul is able to have a 281 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: career doing this nonsense because our economy is totally broken 282 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: and provides for the most perverse incentives. 283 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 2: I mean, listen, well, well, no YouTube on YouTube crime. 284 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 2: You've made your career off the same platform that the 285 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 2: Paul brothers have, right, But. 286 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:38,080 Speaker 1: I don't charge. 287 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 2: I don't charge now. 288 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: I don't charge people to go watch me do mediocre weightlifting. 289 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: That's the difference. I stick to what my area of 290 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 1: expertise is, which, by the way, I didn't get on 291 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 1: YouTube until after ten years in the game. Or more 292 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: of just you know, being in the trenches and working, 293 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: it's not the same. More to the point, it's like, listen, 294 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: if people want to pay money for something that they 295 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: see value in there, let's just American, that's any economy. Fine. 296 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: I don't care. And I get that it doesn't hurt boxing. 297 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: I'm not one of these old fuddy duddies that's so 298 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: out of touch that I recognize it's damaging for the sport. 299 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:12,719 Speaker 1: I don't. But the one thing I just don't want 300 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: to see if you want to buy it by it, 301 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: If you don't, don't whatever, it's all up to you. 302 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:18,719 Speaker 1: I don't care. The one argument I just don't want 303 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: to see trotted out is that we have to like 304 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: dignify it, or that we have to say that this 305 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 1: is good for boxing because it's gonna bring in new fans. 306 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: Shut the fuck up, No, it is not. It did 307 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: not back then, it's not going to now. It is 308 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: such a load of bullshit that people just trot out 309 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: there to get you to buy into something that obviously 310 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: doesn't speak to most people's rational expectations. So I get 311 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: a BC, hands in the air, I'm old, they're cool. Whatever. 312 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 1: I'm just telling you, don't bring that argument around MK 313 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: because it ain't it ain't got no life around here. 314 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 2: Hey, how about Nate Robinson getting involved? Though I can, 315 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 2: I can be it on that. Also, it was a 316 00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 2: little weird that commercial Tyson put out of like Mike 317 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 2: Legends League. I mean, what do you give that seventeen 318 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 2: days before it goes under? I mean, what the hell 319 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 2: is that? What the hell is that? 320 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't give it much. Very quickly, if we can, 321 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: let's get into this card for this weekend. We talked 322 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: a little bit about Till and Whitaker. I want to 323 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: revisit it if we can very quickly. BC. I had 324 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: a thought I actually spoke. Did you speak to either 325 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: of the main event headliners this week? I got a 326 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: chance briefly to speak to Darren Till. He was in 327 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: a great mood. He's funny. I had asked him. I 328 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 1: was like, dude, have I've noticed you've been a lot like, 329 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: I don't know, you're having more fun this year than 330 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: you had early on. It was so intense, you know, 331 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: and like full of angst and expectations, and now he's 332 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: kind of laid back and cool. He said it was 333 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: absolutely true that the loss really made him change his 334 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: perspective because he wasn't having fun. But the thing about it, 335 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: when I just think about it stylistically, beyond just sort 336 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: of like the mental posture that both of them are 337 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: bringing into this one BC, which one do you think 338 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: is more likely? Till said that Whittaker's problem against Atasania 339 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 1: was it Ata Signia is a brilliant counterpuncher, and Rob 340 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: just kept trying to crash into him, and so eventually 341 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: he was gonna go down, right. It was just a 342 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: matter of time because it was a bad game plan. 343 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: And I was like, but why would he be any 344 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: different for you? You are also a bigger counterfighter in this 345 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: particular case from the South Paul position? Won't he do 346 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 1: that to you? And He's like, well, I'm expecting him 347 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: to adjust, But I'm like, which way? He didn't really 348 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: have a good answer. Obviously he's keeping some of that concealed. 349 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: But in terms of how Rob will fight, what do 350 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: you think will be different from the Atasana fight. 351 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 2: Probably a little bit more patient giving everything in this circumstance. 352 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 2: But I think you know, eventually he'll settle it. This 353 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 2: is Whitaker. He'll settle into a flow where it's activity 354 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 2: that's gonna win him this fight. I mean, look, if 355 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 2: what's the biggest criticism of Till At times he just 356 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 2: doesn't do enough right, Like, you know, I'm sorry the 357 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 2: Stephen Thompson fight was close. I know I always harp 358 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 2: on that, but God, he didn't deserve to win that 359 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 2: in my eyes. And he's been pretty darn good at 360 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 2: each of his step ups. But has there been a 361 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 2: Darren Till win outside of again, you know, too busy 362 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 2: cowboy running into his fits where you're like, man, that 363 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 2: was a thorough beat down. This guy's ready. No, he 364 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 2: always leaves a little bit too much on the table, 365 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 2: and there's an opening there for Whitaker to just do 366 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 2: what he does best, to pressure you, not recklessly, but 367 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 2: to show you the full, well rounded game. I'm interested 368 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 2: in seeing if this fight goes to the ground, Luke, 369 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 2: and that's where it's ultimately decided. 370 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: That's interesting. So who do you think takes it there? Rob? 371 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,159 Speaker 2: You know what flawed? Does Whitaker have? None except for 372 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 2: the questions coming in about you know, I guess everything, 373 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 2: not necessarily his heart in his fighting spirit, but the 374 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 2: questions about the toll mentally and physically that that you know, 375 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 2: his top end run as champion has taken on him, 376 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 2: and the the you know, his body falling apart as 377 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 2: long as he corrects that. I'm telling you this has 378 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 2: the potential to be a one sided fight. And I 379 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 2: know there's a lot of Till fans They're like, dude, 380 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 2: stop hating on the guy. 381 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 1: I love him. 382 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 2: He's got a great personality. He's driving Mike Perry crazy 383 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 2: right now. But uh, you know, if Whittaker again is 384 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 2: eighty percent, he wins this fight cleanly. 385 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: That's interesting. I didn't I don't know what to make 386 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 1: of it because, on the one hand, I think Till 387 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 1: fought Gastolum so smart and clever and patient. In the 388 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,120 Speaker 1: way you're describing how Whittaker might be here, I think 389 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,160 Speaker 1: that's probably true too. I think Whittaker will. I mean, 390 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:21,360 Speaker 1: if this was a three round fight, I think it'd 391 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: be a different fight because you kind of have to 392 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 1: step on it a little bit, especially when Till is 393 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: such a strong starter and then not that great of 394 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:30,199 Speaker 1: a finisher at five. You can kind of bleed him 395 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,360 Speaker 1: out a little bit. The thing I just can't get 396 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: I can't get past is like, on the one hand, 397 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: as I think Till rightly noted Whittaker had a bad 398 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: game plan against Adasania now that hindsight being twenty twenty, 399 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: but masvidoal knocked out Till in a similar kind of way, 400 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 1: that kind of switch dance blitz. You know, you don't 401 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 1: know what's coming or going, you eat a huge shot. 402 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:56,439 Speaker 1: It's like, if I'm not saying, Masvidal and Whittaker are 403 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: both very capable strikers in that regard, so that also 404 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,919 Speaker 1: seems like something to me that could be a problem 405 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: for him. It's an interesting one. I think the winner 406 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: gets a title shot. The bigger question is what do 407 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:11,439 Speaker 1: you think happens to the loser. Till loses, Whittaker loses, 408 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,119 Speaker 1: it's bad. Is it catastrophic? 409 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 2: No, it's not catastrophic. And you know, and Pete, we 410 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 2: got roasted by people for our takes on Gastolum last week. 411 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 2: How can you say he didn't you see him push? Uh, 412 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:26,479 Speaker 2: you know out of Sonya. Well, look, you know, when 413 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,119 Speaker 2: you have three losses in a row, though, that's a 414 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: different category here. It's not catastrophic. I'm wondering, though, if 415 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 2: we see a completely relaxed Robert Whittaker, maybe for the 416 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 2: first time. Maybe a big part of his problems, like 417 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:41,879 Speaker 2: maybe he was just running on fumes against out of 418 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 2: Sonia and was more worried about I got to get 419 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 2: back in the cage. I gotta be healthy. I keep 420 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 2: having these issues that are pulling me away. Oddly enough, 421 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:51,200 Speaker 2: you remember when Rose Scott slammed on her head and 422 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 2: the first thing she said was, you know, I'm relieved. 423 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,160 Speaker 2: I mean, there's pressure being the king. It drove George 424 00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:59,479 Speaker 2: Saint Pierre out of the sport to a certain degree. 425 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 2: So I wonder if we're gonna get a relaxed Robert Whitaker, 426 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 2: and if that makes him extra dangerous. But to your point, 427 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 2: you'll take it. Either one will take a step back. 428 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 2: Both have pretty strong name value though you know, I 429 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 2: mean even higher than Gasolain. I think in terms of 430 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,719 Speaker 2: their UFC brand value where they'll be back in it. 431 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 2: They'll have to win one or two, but they'll be there. 432 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 1: Let me ask you about this one. I did a 433 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: couple of segments on my radio show this week when 434 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: Gustasen came back out of retirement or at least announced 435 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 1: that he was and saying he was gonna go to heavyweight. 436 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: Everyone was so interested, and I feel like the interest 437 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 1: has kind of died down now. I don't really know why. 438 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 1: Maybe it's just fatigue, or the world's gone crazy and 439 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,959 Speaker 1: people just can't concentrate, or maybe I'm just misreading it. 440 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 1: It could be, but I would love to know what 441 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: you make about gustuson going out against Verdun because my 442 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 1: whole thought was people like, oh, how's he going to 443 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: look at heavyweight, and I'm like, well, he can't really 444 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: change too much of what made him great at light heavyweight, 445 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 1: which was great job, great footwork, you know, a ton 446 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: of different weapons, well rounded, good takedown defense, good takedowns 447 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: when he needed it, like that Belahovich win for him 448 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 1: when he had to wrestle the guy. It's kind of 449 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: aged pretty well actually, given how Blahovitch has done so 450 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: he's he can do it all. We know he weighed 451 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: two hundred and forty pounds and Verduom is two forty 452 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 1: two BC. Is he gonna be fleet of foot in 453 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 1: the way that he needs to be, you hope to be. 454 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:23,439 Speaker 2: I saw the picture of him on the scale and 455 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 2: it was a bit surprising. I do think this whole storyline. 456 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 2: You're right, it's it's fallen under the radar. How well 457 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 2: Gustupson look at heavyweight. I think there's there's like bright 458 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 2: potential here above just okay, can he extend his career. 459 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,639 Speaker 2: It's a curiosity. Let's see how he looks. He's fighting 460 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:39,400 Speaker 2: you know, a big name in Verdum, but he's fighting 461 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 2: the guy at the right time, coming off of you know, 462 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 2: two bad losses in the in the inactivity between the 463 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 2: two of them and all that where it's weird, Luke, 464 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 2: that gap between I say all the time, the gap 465 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 2: between the light heavyweight and heavyweight can be the widest 466 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 2: in in some situations given your skill set. Where at 467 00:21:57,280 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 2: thirty three, when he walked away from from two oh five, 468 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 2: we were like, okay, you've been through the wars. It's 469 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,439 Speaker 2: probably never gonna get better than this. You're probably never 470 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 2: gonna be able to be the Jones or a Rais 471 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 2: or whatever, and you'll just be a tough out. And 472 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 2: yet suddenly, now if you really look at it, you're like, 473 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 2: what's gonna stop this guy from having a Ryan Batter 474 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 2: type situation in a new weight class? And I know 475 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 2: Bader was a little bit more fresh certainly, and in 476 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 2: a better spot in wins and losses when he took 477 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 2: the chance and moved up into that tournament. And I 478 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 2: know he thought different level of competition potentially than Gusu 479 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 2: sentle Face here. But the whole idea of a guy 480 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 2: who's still young enough is gonna have an inherent speed advantage, 481 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 2: is such a detailed striker. And oh, by the way, 482 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 2: has really good size at six ' four. And you 483 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 2: know you mentioned the Blahowic site five five that aged well. 484 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 2: I just went back and watched the Daniel Cormier title 485 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,880 Speaker 2: loss two days ago. That's aged extremely well in terms 486 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 2: of a great performance. He took DC down, He's toff takedowns. 487 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:56,399 Speaker 2: I mean, that was the full game. That may have 488 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 2: been the last time we've seen him at his five 489 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 2: star ultra elite level. There is a lot of potential 490 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 2: because you can use those advantages at heavyweight against older, 491 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 2: slower guys and your age is not an issue. And 492 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,360 Speaker 2: when you have like John Jones, which is why I've 493 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 2: made a long case that Jones could go unbeaten for 494 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:16,639 Speaker 2: a stretch at heavyweight. If you have got the size 495 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 2: to go with it, and you can you can stop 496 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,879 Speaker 2: the takedown and take people down. It's a different story. 497 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 2: I'm not saying Guvson's gonna walk in there overnight and 498 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 2: be a new fighter, but he has the skill set 499 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 2: to do that. I mean, even Ali Latifi moved up, 500 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 2: and I know it was one of the best fight, 501 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 2: but you're like, he may have found an avenue for 502 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 2: a longer career here if he focuses on wrestling as 503 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 2: a heavyweight. This is very interesting. Luke the size, he's 504 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 2: gonna have to prove to us that it doesn't matter 505 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 2: that it's just extra blob on him. I mean, didn't 506 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 2: work for John Valante as much, but you know, we'll 507 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 2: see what happens. 508 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 1: Well, here's the thing for folks who been I realized 509 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 1: I looked at the tail of tape at least with Verduom, 510 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: and Verdun was a huge guy. Gustafsen six five to 511 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,240 Speaker 1: his six ' four seventy nine inch reached to Verduome 512 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: seventy seven. So in terms of the frame anyway, he's 513 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: got the frame. We'll see how the size does. Again, 514 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,919 Speaker 1: he was so light on his feet and sticking and 515 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 1: moving at light heavyweight. He's gonna have to retain some 516 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 1: of that. But he brought up some great points and 517 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,119 Speaker 1: thirty three at heavyweight is in no way, shape or 518 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: form old, not even close. It might even be on 519 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: the younger side, to be quite honest with you. 520 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,359 Speaker 2: He may have the time to learn and adjust and 521 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:24,560 Speaker 2: grow and figure out the best heavyweight version of him. 522 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 2: It's that early in the process, right. 523 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: So that's the question, is that does his game to 524 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:32,119 Speaker 1: what exit? Is his game at heavyweight his game at 525 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 1: light heavyweight. For Daniel Cormier it was pretty similar. They 526 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: had basically the same game, but sometimes when guys move 527 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: up they change it just a little bit. So I'm 528 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,879 Speaker 1: curious to see what happens there with him. But the 529 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: part for me that I can't get out of my 530 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:46,919 Speaker 1: head BC, and I wonder what you make of this 531 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: part too, is let's say he goes up and does well. 532 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: Now there's a big question about how well he will do, 533 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: because do I think he can beat this shemil Afdo 534 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: Rocky Mobs of the world. Yes, I certainly do. I 535 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: think he can make it inside the top ten, although 536 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 1: we'll see, you know, how things go this weekend, But 537 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,679 Speaker 1: it seems plausible in theory he could do that. You 538 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 1: start getting up to the jds's and the Francis's and 539 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: then I just don't know what to make of that. 540 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 1: But I'll say this, If Gustafson goes up and looks 541 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: good this weekend and then it gets another good win 542 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: at heavyweight against a ranked sort of well known name, 543 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: do you think that that makes it a little bit 544 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 1: more likely that John Jones comes back, which we know 545 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 1: his beef is about fighter pay and about the principle 546 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:30,560 Speaker 1: of the matter, and he doesn't need it in the 547 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 1: way that Gustafson badly needs a rebrand here, I understand, 548 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,160 Speaker 1: But how could John Jones look around and see, wow, 549 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: DC got to be a champ. Champ, here's the other 550 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 1: guy I vanquished twice and now he's up there kicking ass, Like, 551 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 1: maybe I should just come back and just make the 552 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: best of it, because it's just it makes more sense 553 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:52,120 Speaker 1: than the end for what it's available to me given 554 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 1: the circumstances. 555 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's a great point on look at 556 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 2: like that will only speed up John coming there. If 557 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,160 Speaker 2: Gustin's able to go in there again for doom out 558 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 2: box him completely, and and you know, and and if 559 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:06,159 Speaker 2: he can control him and statut of trouble on the ground, 560 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:08,439 Speaker 2: certainly and look great. That could be a tip in 561 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 2: the in the cap of John thinking you can do 562 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 2: the same. And also, let's not forget when John took 563 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:15,679 Speaker 2: that stance publicly about the pay. That was when we 564 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 2: had no live gates. We still have no live gates, 565 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 2: but we have deep pockets in our friends at the UAE, 566 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 2: so that could also fuel John's return the same. I 567 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 2: think ultimately final point on GUV is gonna come down 568 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 2: to his punch resistance, Luke. I mean, he's been in 569 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 2: there with with heavyweight level punchers when you're talking about 570 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:34,199 Speaker 2: like a rumble Johnson in a DC and you know, 571 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,159 Speaker 2: and he for the most part, I know he got 572 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:38,400 Speaker 2: blitzed in that one fight, but for the most part 573 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 2: he's incredibly sturdy and has great punch resistance. So we'll 574 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 2: see if that can hold up. 575 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 1: For sure, we're waiting on Steven Espinosa. He should be 576 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 1: here any minute before the time remaining. Jesus Christ, Dude, 577 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: I can't be the only one who looks at this 578 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 1: comaine between Showgun and Little Nog and it's like it's 579 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 1: the trilogy, and I'm like, it's the sadness is what 580 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,160 Speaker 1: it is. Dude. I hate to say say this because 581 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,159 Speaker 1: I you know, I certainly no doctor. I can't make 582 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,479 Speaker 1: a claim like this. It would be absolutely the biggest 583 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 1: surprise of my career if both of these guys end 584 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: up with no long term ill effects from brain trauma. 585 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying this is some kind of joke 586 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 1: or punchline. 587 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:17,399 Speaker 3: It's not. 588 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 1: I'm legitimately worried about them both. 589 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 2: I'm not as worried right now based on the recent 590 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:25,680 Speaker 2: signs they've shown. I mean, if you look at Chogun 591 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 2: Hua's record, it's like, actually sneaky, really good in the 592 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:29,440 Speaker 2: past five. 593 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 1: Years, saying I didn't say he was bad, I just 594 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,120 Speaker 1: saw I got a lot of problems. 595 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,159 Speaker 2: See the problem for him and even little nog To 596 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:37,919 Speaker 2: a certain girl though he's forty four, and it's a 597 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 2: different story. Is they got old early to where we 598 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 2: can go Okay, they're not the same title version, meaning 599 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 2: thirty two years old, thirty three years old. Yet they 600 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:51,120 Speaker 2: were still great enough as what their role became as 601 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 2: a gatekeeper that they never suffered enough damaging losses to 602 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:57,959 Speaker 2: to really speed up their exit, and it's allowed them 603 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,399 Speaker 2: to linger in. Yes, this is a sloppy trilogy. They 604 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:02,959 Speaker 2: might as well go eight rounds with no headgear and 605 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 2: promise not to knock each other out. Luke, but uh, 606 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 2: you know, maybe it'll be sneaky good. I don't know. 607 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:09,919 Speaker 2: I don't hate it as much as most people. 608 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:11,639 Speaker 1: I hate it. I hate it. 609 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 2: I don't know. We're gonna prove here. We're not even 610 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 2: on Brazilian soil, so there's a lot. There's a lot 611 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,360 Speaker 2: not to love here. But would you rather see these 612 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 2: two fight each other than some young horse that's gonna 613 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:24,119 Speaker 2: walk in there and wallop them? Yes, Luke, you would. 614 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,479 Speaker 1: The other part is like Showgun ended up actually becoming 615 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,200 Speaker 1: a UFC fan favorite because he still had enough lift 616 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,120 Speaker 1: in the tank to become a champion while he was here, 617 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,719 Speaker 1: whereas Little Knog was, first of all, never as good 618 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,520 Speaker 1: as his brother Number one, or at least as successful anyway, 619 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 1: and number two. Dude, this is an old Brazilian top 620 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 1: team versus shooter box rivalry. Are either of these teams 621 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 1: still around? It's like, what are we what an anachronistic 622 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: vibe are we going for here? 623 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:53,800 Speaker 4: Uh? 624 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean look, maybe the matchmaker's just going, uh 625 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 2: you know, why are we gonna get either of these 626 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 2: guys hurt? Right now? If they fight each other. The 627 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 2: old school of crowd will care. I mean, there's a 628 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 2: market for it. I love that shit, all right, there 629 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 2: is a market for it. 630 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 1: All right. Well, let's go to our guest. Now, we've 631 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: never had a guest live on the air like this 632 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: with you and MEBC, it's pretty pretty special. He is, uh, well, 633 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 1: he's the man who signs the checks BC. He is 634 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: the president of Sports and Events Programming. When when you ask, hey, 635 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: who was in charge of sports at Showtime? It is 636 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,760 Speaker 1: our next guest. It is the one and only Harvard alum, 637 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 1: mister Steven Espinosa. Hi, Stephen, how are you welcome to 638 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: the show? 639 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 3: Do you get that question a lot? 640 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: You know? 641 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:31,479 Speaker 4: Who who over there is in charge of Showtimes Sports? 642 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 4: Is it like that that tone of disbelief that you. 643 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 3: Just asked it with? 644 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: They're like, is that the guy that was feuding with Connor? 645 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 1: I'm like, that's the guy that was feuding with Connor 646 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: Steve Ivy League. 647 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 2: I didn't know about this side of the all right. 648 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, Stanford actually, you know, Harvard's the Stanford of the East. 649 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 1: But that's right, Yeah, sorry, there's only one. Yes, that's right. 650 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 1: I forgot my mistake. Okay, well that in mind, Stephen, 651 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: thank you for making some time for us. We appreciate it. 652 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: Let's get right to it with the boxing as they 653 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: got announced on Wednesday, So it seemed to me quite deliberate, right, 654 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: you had top rank coming back, and they were kind 655 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 1: of piecemealing the rollout in terms of what fights were coming, 656 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: some dribbles of announcements from Golden Boy and match Room. 657 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 1: You guys decided to come out and say we're just 658 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:18,600 Speaker 1: going to give you the entire rest of the schedule 659 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: for the rest of the year. It seemed quite deliberate. 660 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:23,400 Speaker 1: Talk to me about the strategy there. What were you 661 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:25,719 Speaker 1: looking for and making that kind of an announcement in 662 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 1: that particular way. 663 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 3: It definitely was deliberate. 664 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 4: We said early on that we weren't going to be 665 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 4: the first ones back for for several reasons, I know, were. 666 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 3: We going to be the last ones back. 667 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 4: But one thing we wanted to do is to come 668 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 4: back with a you know, a high quality schedule of 669 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 4: meaningful fights. You know, sure we could have come back 670 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 4: earlier with you know, with fights that that didn't quite 671 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 4: have the same impact, but that's just not wasn't interesting 672 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 4: to us. You know, that wasn't where we're going to go, 673 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 4: and you know, we liked the idea of trying to 674 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:03,280 Speaker 4: impose a little bit of logic and predictability on boxing. 675 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 4: I know those are things that don't go with combat sports, 676 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 4: but you know, whenever we can being able to set 677 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 4: out a schedule of five or six months, it's a 678 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 4: paint in the butt, but it is absolutely worth it 679 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 4: because you know, it just signals that that boxing doesn't 680 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 4: have to be a sort of ad hoc case by case, 681 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:28,560 Speaker 4: fight by fight. We can do this in an organized 682 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 4: way that looks like the other major professional sports. 683 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 3: I think that's a big advancement for the sport. 684 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 4: If we can start, you know, acting like a professional, 685 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 4: organized sport. 686 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:41,720 Speaker 3: And this is one part of it. 687 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 1: So the big question for me is inside the UFC. 688 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 1: There's a lot of reasons why they've been able to 689 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: have their premier talent compete, and we could delineate them, 690 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,440 Speaker 1: but for lack of a better description, essentially, they just 691 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 1: have more control over that kind of a thing. You've 692 00:31:57,320 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 1: been hearing from a lot of high end boxers, not 693 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: all of them, but a lot of them. They're like, 694 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:03,480 Speaker 1: if there's no gate, I'm not going to compete. Now, 695 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: I've not heard that specifically from the Charlot Twins, but 696 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 1: they're of that level of the other kind of boxers 697 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 1: who have been saying that. So I guess my question 698 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: is you see top rank again. They're out there rolling shows. 699 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 1: I commend them for it, but they don't have their 700 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 1: premiere product. How are you able to, like, what is 701 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: the economic mechanism that got these sort of A listers 702 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:26,479 Speaker 1: to be able to compete, including Gervante Davis and others. 703 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 4: I think what it is is really just a mindset 704 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 4: more than anything else, and that is we don't know 705 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 4: what the future holds. We don't know if we're going 706 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:37,280 Speaker 4: to be back in crowds you know, October, November, December, 707 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 4: or whether we'll be doing fan lists, you know, into 708 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:45,200 Speaker 4: twenty twenty one. So in light of that uncertainty, everybody 709 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:48,320 Speaker 4: in the sport has one of two choices. Either you 710 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 4: can sort of say, look, I'm gonna hang around and 711 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:55,600 Speaker 4: wait until some undetermined date, you know, and I'm not 712 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 4: going to do big fights until we can have crowds back. 713 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 4: And I understand there are some of those, you know, 714 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 4: Wilder Fury, you know you're not going to walk away 715 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:08,480 Speaker 4: from ten million dollars plus at the game. But you know, 716 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:10,959 Speaker 4: short of that, what you've seen from everybody on our 717 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 4: schedule and particularly the pay per view fights, is you know, 718 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 4: they're saying, look, we don't know what the future holds, 719 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 4: but we're not going to wait. We're not going to 720 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 4: be sidelined waiting indefinitely. It's not good for the sport. 721 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 4: You know, it's not good for these guys' careers. So 722 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,040 Speaker 4: they're saying, look, if we need to take a little 723 00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 4: bit of a hit, you know, we're going to better 724 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 4: to continue to proceed your career than to put it 725 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 4: on hold indefinitely waiting for a day where we can 726 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 4: be in front of fans, which who knows when that's 727 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 4: going to be. 728 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 2: Uh Steven, there's a theme ongoing theme of this show. 729 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 2: We remove the fourth wall. We you know, we don't 730 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:52,880 Speaker 2: protect anybody. We bring it and knowing you personally, that's 731 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:56,720 Speaker 2: also your style, your Twitter account always riding the edge 732 00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:59,320 Speaker 2: of probably getting you suspended, and I love that about you. 733 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,640 Speaker 2: Look the boxing media one year ago, they were writing 734 00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 2: your obituary from the standpoint of we love showtime, great 735 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 2: announced team, great production. But they're on the way of 736 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 2: becoming the next HBO and getting out of it. And 737 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 2: you've heard Bob Aram of Toprik many times say, you 738 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:19,400 Speaker 2: know cable premiere boxing, you know boxing and premiere cable homes. 739 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:22,640 Speaker 2: It doesn't work anymore. It works better on big sports networks. 740 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:25,520 Speaker 2: And of course we know PBC splits time with Fox. 741 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 2: This announcement, though, I mean, I think under the guise 742 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:30,839 Speaker 2: of a quarantine, it's an a plus. I think even 743 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 2: without that, it is so strong because it's competitive, there's variety, 744 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 2: there's a lot of good stuff here. Does this say 745 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:41,399 Speaker 2: like you all must have forgot Showtime Boxing the best 746 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 2: in the business at this moment. I mean you had 747 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 2: to like a little a little bit of a you know, 748 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:48,359 Speaker 2: two words for you when you drop this. 749 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:53,880 Speaker 4: The reality it wasn't the primary focus or the objective 750 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:57,880 Speaker 4: here was to answer that. But you know, sure this 751 00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:01,880 Speaker 4: sort of removes any questions. To be clear, the questions. 752 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:05,000 Speaker 3: Really are the doubts or the rumors of our demise. 753 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,360 Speaker 4: We're coming from two sources, and two sources who weren't 754 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 4: particularly objective. They have their own interests in building boxing elsewhere, 755 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 4: but neither of those two sources have any visibility into 756 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 4: our business. So for them to be able to generalize 757 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 4: and say, look, you know the business isn't working for showtime, 758 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:25,239 Speaker 4: that's that's not a decision. It's not a judgment you 759 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:28,360 Speaker 4: can make from outside. So yes, look, is there a 760 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:31,400 Speaker 4: little bit of personal satisfaction in doing a schedule this big, 761 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:35,440 Speaker 4: in doing a schedule that is more comprehensive, more meaningful, 762 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,760 Speaker 4: I think, higher quality than what anyone's done in boxing before. 763 00:35:40,719 --> 00:35:44,399 Speaker 4: You know, in this current environment, yes, you know that 764 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:47,600 Speaker 4: is job one. But also saying look, you know, for 765 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:50,319 Speaker 4: all those that you doubted, there's a reason we've been 766 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:53,840 Speaker 4: here thirty five years where we're not going anywhere whereas 767 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:57,640 Speaker 4: committed and enthusiastic, and we know the sport you know 768 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:00,840 Speaker 4: better than anybody. So you know, we're not going to 769 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:04,279 Speaker 4: answer every sort of criticism. We'll just continue to do 770 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:08,320 Speaker 4: what we do and let our work speak for ourselves. 771 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:11,520 Speaker 2: The modern boxing game as we speak right now in 772 00:36:11,560 --> 00:36:14,400 Speaker 2: twenty twenty step and look, we know what the promoters 773 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:18,920 Speaker 2: are very tied to their exclusive network. It's created almost 774 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:21,879 Speaker 2: like a separate group of leagues. Yes, we do see 775 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,399 Speaker 2: some crossover at the very highest level. We do see 776 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,600 Speaker 2: it sometimes at the lowest level in terms of promoters, 777 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 2: sharing fighters and all that. PBC is in a unique 778 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 2: spot with two major networks, as I mentioned, Showtime and Fox. 779 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 2: What is that conversation like ahead of this launch between 780 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:39,520 Speaker 2: you and Al Haim and the PBC founder in terms 781 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 2: of what fighters are right for Showtime? What fighters are 782 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 2: right for Fox? Because I almost see right now that 783 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 2: you know, there's a focused look at certain divisions in 784 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 2: the Showtime rollout, and like I mentioned, competitive fights that 785 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:53,200 Speaker 2: seem to have Hey, if this guy wins this, he 786 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:55,840 Speaker 2: may be fighting this guy down the road on Showtime. 787 00:36:56,239 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 4: Look, the dynamics is really clear. You know, at Showtime 788 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:03,080 Speaker 4: we want all the best fights. I'm sure they feel 789 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:06,560 Speaker 4: the same way at Fox, you know. And it's the 790 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,799 Speaker 4: same situation with the NFL. You know, CBS wants all 791 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 4: the best NFL games, you know, wants to have a better. 792 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,920 Speaker 3: Schedule than NBC and ESPN. 793 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:19,920 Speaker 4: You know, the reality is there's there's good events and 794 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:24,839 Speaker 4: they can be spread out everywhere. I'm really happy at 795 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 4: the quality of our schedule top to bottom, not just 796 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:30,919 Speaker 4: the headliners. The headliners are in tough fights, but top 797 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:34,160 Speaker 4: to bottom they're competitive fights and more importantly, meaningful fights 798 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:38,360 Speaker 4: and I think that is what's necessary right now. I am, 799 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:41,839 Speaker 4: you know, in this whole era of the pandemic in 800 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:45,959 Speaker 4: those sports. I'm sort of a contrarian. I don't think 801 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 4: that there's pent up demand. I don't think that that's 802 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:53,279 Speaker 4: what is going on right now. If anything, it's the opposite. 803 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,800 Speaker 4: You know, our audience has pretty much figured out how 804 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,920 Speaker 4: to exist without us for several months. 805 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:02,440 Speaker 3: You never want your audience. 806 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 4: To get used to not having you around. So we 807 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:09,640 Speaker 4: need to come out strong and remind people why they 808 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:13,040 Speaker 4: love this sport and remind people of the best this 809 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:17,520 Speaker 4: sports to offer. Coming out with a schedule of you know, 810 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 4: four six and eight rounders that aren't particularly meaningful, isn't 811 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:25,239 Speaker 4: the way to bring you know, sports fans, you know, 812 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:29,760 Speaker 4: back to the sport after a period of inactivity. 813 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:32,919 Speaker 1: Uh, Steven, I want to focus in on the two 814 00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:35,839 Speaker 1: Crown Jewel events of the schedule that we're announced. It's 815 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:38,359 Speaker 1: two pay per views. The first is the twenty six. 816 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:39,799 Speaker 1: As I mentioned, it's going to be a pay per 817 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:45,160 Speaker 1: view doubleheader with both Jermal Charlo and Jermel Charlo. What 818 00:38:45,239 --> 00:38:47,680 Speaker 1: it was the genesis of this idea. I love it 819 00:38:47,719 --> 00:38:49,720 Speaker 1: because I actually went through and I was searching every 820 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:52,920 Speaker 1: boxing online forum I could find, and it was a 821 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:57,239 Speaker 1: consistent theme with this event. One, it was the totality 822 00:38:57,280 --> 00:38:59,520 Speaker 1: of it, like, oh, we're gonna get both Charlo brothers, okay. 823 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:02,720 Speaker 1: Two it was they both got real fights on their hands. 824 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:05,040 Speaker 1: And then three that the card was sort of filled 825 00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:07,759 Speaker 1: out all the way down. It wasn't it was. This 826 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:09,800 Speaker 1: was the one that they highlighted on the showtime schedules 827 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:12,640 Speaker 1: being the most stacked, So why go so heavy on 828 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:13,960 Speaker 1: the twenty six with the two brothers? 829 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:18,920 Speaker 4: In this way, part of it is is an acknowledgement 830 00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:22,120 Speaker 4: of the economic conditions that were that we're in. 831 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 3: You know, look, the employment is at record numbers. 832 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:30,480 Speaker 4: There's a lot of financial stresses, and you know, they 833 00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:33,279 Speaker 4: really want to deliver value for someone who's going to 834 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:35,960 Speaker 4: put down their hard earned money on this on this 835 00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:39,440 Speaker 4: pay per view, you know. And the other aspect is, 836 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:43,000 Speaker 4: you know, this is an important fight for the sport, 837 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:47,279 Speaker 4: it's an important fight for the Charlo's in particular, and 838 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:49,480 Speaker 4: we wanted to make it feel big. We wanted to 839 00:39:49,520 --> 00:39:53,200 Speaker 4: get back on on the calendar with big, big events 840 00:39:53,320 --> 00:39:59,240 Speaker 4: like this. Idea originally was taking a queue from WWE 841 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:02,040 Speaker 4: and what they did with WrestleMania and having two nights, 842 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 4: and that's where we additionally wanted to do is have 843 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:08,560 Speaker 4: one one Charlot on Friday night, one Charlote Saturday night, 844 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:11,600 Speaker 4: one pay per view price for two evenings of entertainment. 845 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:14,919 Speaker 4: We ran into the same problem that WWE did, which 846 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:17,839 Speaker 4: is that there are technical challenges to doing that with 847 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:21,040 Speaker 4: cable and satellite companies that I won't bore you with 848 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:23,839 Speaker 4: the reasons. You know, it has to do with, you know, 849 00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:26,480 Speaker 4: keeping the pay per view window open for more than 850 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:30,399 Speaker 4: twenty four hours. So once we figured out that that 851 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:32,839 Speaker 4: couldn't happen, the next best thing, let's turn it into 852 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:37,440 Speaker 4: a doubleheader. We see doubleheader, you know, NFL games, double header, 853 00:40:37,640 --> 00:40:41,920 Speaker 4: NBA games, baseball games. We've remember seeing really a doubleheader 854 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:47,600 Speaker 4: boxing event. So you know, here we just knowing the 855 00:40:48,040 --> 00:40:50,080 Speaker 4: financial challenges a lot of people are under, we want 856 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:53,200 Speaker 4: to make sure that this one over delivered in terms 857 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:56,800 Speaker 4: of value during this particular time. 858 00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:00,600 Speaker 1: And then the other one, of course, is the Gravante 859 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:03,720 Speaker 1: Davis and Leo Santa Cruz fight. I believe that scheduled 860 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:06,480 Speaker 1: for October twenty fourth, also a pay per view. I mean, 861 00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:09,279 Speaker 1: so there's there's sort of like a big story about Jervonte. Right. 862 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:11,279 Speaker 1: The good side, obviously is I'll never forget when he 863 00:41:11,280 --> 00:41:13,560 Speaker 1: fought Gamboa in Atlanta at the end of the year. 864 00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:15,600 Speaker 1: I was actually out with some friends, Steven and I 865 00:41:15,640 --> 00:41:18,680 Speaker 1: was going down Eighth Street Northeast in DC, and every 866 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:21,040 Speaker 1: single sports bar had on the fight. I was. I 867 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:23,200 Speaker 1: was kind of amazed. I was like, Wow, this guy's 868 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:25,040 Speaker 1: about to break through, and this is the fight that 869 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:28,040 Speaker 1: could help him really enter that next level. Still, he 870 00:41:28,120 --> 00:41:29,879 Speaker 1: has been getting into a bit of trouble. I think 871 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:31,879 Speaker 1: it's a nother thing we can ignore. We talked about 872 00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:34,040 Speaker 1: it a little bit on Morning Combat. Now he's been 873 00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:36,560 Speaker 1: I guess out of the headlines more recently, which is great. 874 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:40,719 Speaker 1: But still some of the video was a little bit upsetting. 875 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: I wonder what your response is to what all has 876 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:43,680 Speaker 1: been happening around him. 877 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:49,000 Speaker 4: Look, it was certainly upsetting to us as well, and 878 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:52,920 Speaker 4: we you know, Jervonte is somebody I have a personal 879 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:57,600 Speaker 4: relationship with, you know, and we've we've talked about that 880 00:41:57,680 --> 00:41:58,279 Speaker 4: incident and. 881 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:05,160 Speaker 3: Some more issues, you know, extensively, and you know. 882 00:42:05,200 --> 00:42:09,919 Speaker 4: I am I'm confident that he is remorseful and he's 883 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:13,719 Speaker 4: committed to do better now he knows he's not going 884 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:17,879 Speaker 4: to get you know, many more chances, you know at 885 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:22,680 Speaker 4: this point. And you know, only time will tell in 886 00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:26,960 Speaker 4: terms of whether he's able to avoid those sorts of 887 00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:32,200 Speaker 4: situations and temptations and you know, and those kinds of conflicts. 888 00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:37,040 Speaker 4: But you know, if he is, the sky's the limit 889 00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:39,600 Speaker 4: for him. I mean, you know, look, boxing is is 890 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:45,359 Speaker 4: filled with stories about unfulfilled potential and and distractions and 891 00:42:45,520 --> 00:42:50,040 Speaker 4: other problems which sort of take promising young fighters on 892 00:42:50,080 --> 00:42:53,399 Speaker 4: a path that they didn't expect. If if he can, 893 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:56,200 Speaker 4: you know, stay on the straight and narrow, he has 894 00:42:56,280 --> 00:43:00,319 Speaker 4: proven that he can resonate with casual fans, you know, 895 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:03,799 Speaker 4: and it's he's got that that it factor that just 896 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:06,640 Speaker 4: can't quantify that draws people to him. 897 00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:08,800 Speaker 3: He is a charismatic young fighter. 898 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:13,440 Speaker 4: I think he's he's got, you know, you know, the 899 00:43:13,480 --> 00:43:15,640 Speaker 4: world ahead of him if he can, if he can 900 00:43:15,719 --> 00:43:17,160 Speaker 4: sort of stay on the right path. 901 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:20,719 Speaker 1: The other thing that I found about the fight that's 902 00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:23,919 Speaker 1: really interesting, Steven, if I may, it's I don't quite 903 00:43:23,920 --> 00:43:25,440 Speaker 1: know how this works. It's going to be for the 904 00:43:25,520 --> 00:43:30,160 Speaker 1: super featherweight title and the lightweight title, so two different 905 00:43:30,200 --> 00:43:32,560 Speaker 1: weight classes at once. How does that. 906 00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:37,520 Speaker 4: Work pound title, and Leo's got the one hundred and 907 00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:41,600 Speaker 4: thirty pound title. So in order to defend your one 908 00:43:41,680 --> 00:43:43,960 Speaker 4: hundred and thirty five pound title, all you have to 909 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:48,200 Speaker 4: do is weigh in under one thirty five. So if 910 00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:50,320 Speaker 4: you're fighting actually for the one hundred and thirty pound 911 00:43:50,320 --> 00:43:53,279 Speaker 4: title as well, you know, weighing under one thirty will 912 00:43:53,320 --> 00:43:55,560 Speaker 4: satisfy the weight limits for both titles. 913 00:43:55,880 --> 00:43:59,080 Speaker 3: So the fight will be contested, you know, really at a. 914 00:43:59,040 --> 00:44:01,839 Speaker 4: One hundred and thirty pound but one hundred and thirty 915 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:05,000 Speaker 4: five pound title will also be at stake. I think 916 00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:07,840 Speaker 4: the last time it's been done with Sugar Ray Leonards, 917 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:10,160 Speaker 4: so it's been a while, but it's a you know, 918 00:44:10,200 --> 00:44:12,719 Speaker 4: it's interesting twist on the fight. It brings it to 919 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:17,040 Speaker 4: much higher stakes. Not just two titles, but two titles 920 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:19,520 Speaker 4: in different divisions are at stake in that fighting. 921 00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:23,279 Speaker 2: Steve, I don't want to jump in a nerdy out 922 00:44:23,280 --> 00:44:26,560 Speaker 2: on Showtime Trivia, but let's not forget the Floyd Mayweather 923 00:44:26,640 --> 00:44:29,799 Speaker 2: Marcos Madonna pay per view rematch in twenty fourteen. They 924 00:44:29,840 --> 00:44:32,200 Speaker 2: did the same thing, putting Floyd's fifty four title on. 925 00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:35,319 Speaker 2: Nice little trick there certainly adds to the stakes. I 926 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:38,000 Speaker 2: want to double back quickly on the Charlos though they 927 00:44:38,520 --> 00:44:40,879 Speaker 2: did a double bill main event with Fox in twenty 928 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:42,759 Speaker 2: eighteen and flipped a coin to see who would go 929 00:44:42,840 --> 00:44:44,960 Speaker 2: on last. The reason why I bring this up is 930 00:44:45,160 --> 00:44:47,640 Speaker 2: what I love about these guys. They are so insanely 931 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:51,040 Speaker 2: competitive that any interview with them at any time can 932 00:44:51,080 --> 00:44:53,080 Speaker 2: go off the damn rails. They've sent me to hell 933 00:44:53,120 --> 00:44:55,440 Speaker 2: on my own podcast. It is what it is. In 934 00:44:55,480 --> 00:44:58,200 Speaker 2: the end, how the hell are you going to take 935 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,399 Speaker 2: these two brothers who are competitive against each other and 936 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:03,680 Speaker 2: just say, you two figure it out who's going on last? 937 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:06,400 Speaker 4: That's exactly what we're gonna have to do. You probably 938 00:45:06,400 --> 00:45:10,200 Speaker 4: saw it on the on the zoom. You could already 939 00:45:10,239 --> 00:45:14,160 Speaker 4: see them angling, you know, staking out their their their 940 00:45:14,239 --> 00:45:17,560 Speaker 4: territories in terms of of who goes who goes. 941 00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:18,920 Speaker 3: Into late slot. 942 00:45:19,080 --> 00:45:22,040 Speaker 4: You know, Toru Metal clearly hasn't forgotten that he lost 943 00:45:22,080 --> 00:45:26,120 Speaker 4: the coin toss uh last time around. Look, I'm not 944 00:45:26,120 --> 00:45:28,560 Speaker 4: gonna get in the middle of it. They are insanely competitive. 945 00:45:29,280 --> 00:45:33,319 Speaker 4: I don't think it matters all that much. You know, 946 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:36,880 Speaker 4: if if you know, the second game of an NFL 947 00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:41,200 Speaker 4: doubleheader isn't necessarily any lower and stature than the first game. 948 00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:45,560 Speaker 3: I think, here, you've got you know, two really great events. 949 00:45:45,600 --> 00:45:49,960 Speaker 4: You've got four world titles on one on one pay 950 00:45:49,960 --> 00:45:50,600 Speaker 4: per view card. 951 00:45:51,640 --> 00:45:53,920 Speaker 3: So I think, you know, I'll let them. 952 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:56,759 Speaker 4: I'm sure they've you know, whether it's rock, paper scissors 953 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,000 Speaker 4: or you know, arm wrestling or whatever they do in 954 00:45:59,040 --> 00:46:02,680 Speaker 4: the Charlow House to settle this disputes. This certainly won't 955 00:46:02,719 --> 00:46:06,120 Speaker 4: be the first one or the last between those two guys. 956 00:46:07,160 --> 00:46:10,840 Speaker 2: I love those guys. Indeed, I mentioned Floyd in passing before. 957 00:46:11,960 --> 00:46:14,080 Speaker 2: He's still, you know, the biggest brand in the sport 958 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:16,000 Speaker 2: whenever he wants to be. And he's got a great 959 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:18,200 Speaker 2: relationship with you guys at Showtime, and we know that 960 00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:20,640 Speaker 2: if I'm looking at you know, if I'm playing Showtime 961 00:46:20,680 --> 00:46:23,480 Speaker 2: matchmaker and then their future. I still feel like Floyd 962 00:46:23,520 --> 00:46:26,439 Speaker 2: Connor two is the biggest fight you could possibly make. 963 00:46:27,320 --> 00:46:30,080 Speaker 2: In general, What are your conversations with Floyd? Do you 964 00:46:30,080 --> 00:46:32,600 Speaker 2: believe he'll fight again and fight, you know, on Showtime 965 00:46:32,600 --> 00:46:33,799 Speaker 2: pay per view and a blockbuster? 966 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:37,040 Speaker 4: I would, I would love love for him to do it, 967 00:46:38,120 --> 00:46:41,240 Speaker 4: you know, and trust me, we've been pressuring him. 968 00:46:41,160 --> 00:46:43,400 Speaker 3: Cajoling him. 969 00:46:43,600 --> 00:46:46,040 Speaker 4: Uh, you know, every every verb you can think of 970 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:49,680 Speaker 4: in terms of, you know, getting him back, whether it's 971 00:46:50,440 --> 00:46:55,040 Speaker 4: against you know, another Pachio fighter, McGregor fighter or something else. 972 00:46:56,320 --> 00:46:59,359 Speaker 4: You know, I think the sport is is better off, 973 00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:03,120 Speaker 4: wouldn't He's around. He brings a level of visibility and 974 00:47:03,200 --> 00:47:06,040 Speaker 4: awareness that really, I think rises. 975 00:47:06,400 --> 00:47:08,320 Speaker 3: It's the tide that lifts all boats. 976 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:11,759 Speaker 4: So I think it would be great, not just for 977 00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:17,040 Speaker 4: our business and for Floyd's pocketbook, but I think the 978 00:47:17,040 --> 00:47:22,240 Speaker 4: sports benefits from, you know, from that mainstream visibility. Having 979 00:47:22,280 --> 00:47:25,960 Speaker 4: said that, you know, other than the last the first 980 00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:28,400 Speaker 4: six months, I don't get the sense that he's actually 981 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:32,920 Speaker 4: been that close to coming back. Sure, he's flirted with 982 00:47:33,000 --> 00:47:34,880 Speaker 4: it and you know, things like that, but at the 983 00:47:34,960 --> 00:47:38,320 Speaker 4: end of the day, you know, what more can he achieve? 984 00:47:38,440 --> 00:47:41,200 Speaker 4: I mean, yes, he loves to do big events and 985 00:47:41,239 --> 00:47:44,160 Speaker 4: there are big opportunities there. But you know, when you've 986 00:47:44,280 --> 00:47:49,160 Speaker 4: devoted your entire life to something, you know, including you know, 987 00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:53,880 Speaker 4: twenty years of being a professional boxer, look, at a 988 00:47:53,880 --> 00:47:58,080 Speaker 4: certain point you probably deserve to be left alone. So yeah, 989 00:47:58,120 --> 00:48:02,680 Speaker 4: so I've backed off in terms of that. I'm hoping 990 00:48:02,840 --> 00:48:05,960 Speaker 4: that he still comes back, but there's part of me 991 00:48:06,040 --> 00:48:09,760 Speaker 4: that's that's also hoping you know, let him be happy 992 00:48:10,719 --> 00:48:12,920 Speaker 4: on his own. He's doing a lot of training, he's 993 00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:17,000 Speaker 4: still in the gym, he's raising his kids. You know, 994 00:48:17,440 --> 00:48:19,080 Speaker 4: let him have a life outside the sport. 995 00:48:20,600 --> 00:48:22,479 Speaker 2: And he's at an age in his early forties where 996 00:48:22,520 --> 00:48:25,200 Speaker 2: you know, he's done enough, we've seen enough, yet still 997 00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:28,200 Speaker 2: close enough to greatness that he could pull it off. 998 00:48:28,680 --> 00:48:32,000 Speaker 2: Other guys, though, Steven, have people worried like fifty four 999 00:48:32,080 --> 00:48:34,920 Speaker 2: year old Mike Tyson and fifty one year old Roy 1000 00:48:35,080 --> 00:48:38,600 Speaker 2: Jones Junior? Did did show time pass on this fight? 1001 00:48:39,000 --> 00:48:41,439 Speaker 2: If not, it's going to appear on some app here. 1002 00:48:41,840 --> 00:48:44,600 Speaker 2: You got any thoughts on this, Steven, this eight round exhibition. 1003 00:48:45,160 --> 00:48:49,680 Speaker 4: We typed to Mike and Kiki and his and their 1004 00:48:49,719 --> 00:48:54,160 Speaker 4: representatives early on, and we you know, give him the 1005 00:48:54,200 --> 00:48:58,240 Speaker 4: relationship with Mike in his appeal. You know, we certainly 1006 00:48:58,280 --> 00:49:00,919 Speaker 4: were interested in the event. You know, I think they 1007 00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:04,880 Speaker 4: felt like, you know, the financial opportunities might be better 1008 00:49:04,920 --> 00:49:10,080 Speaker 4: somewhere somewhere else. You know, I don't think it's it's 1009 00:49:10,080 --> 00:49:12,799 Speaker 4: fully established yet, but you know the reality they had, 1010 00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:17,280 Speaker 4: you know, people offering them, you know, tens of millions 1011 00:49:17,320 --> 00:49:20,600 Speaker 4: of dollars to get this done. And you know, I 1012 00:49:20,640 --> 00:49:23,640 Speaker 4: think if there's that global of interest on the guaranteed 1013 00:49:23,760 --> 00:49:28,000 Speaker 4: some then' you know, more power to them. You know, yes, 1014 00:49:28,080 --> 00:49:31,319 Speaker 4: it is a bit of a freak show, but it 1015 00:49:31,400 --> 00:49:35,160 Speaker 4: is Mike Tyson. He's a phenomenon unlike any other. I 1016 00:49:35,160 --> 00:49:38,640 Speaker 4: don't think anyone's going into this, you know, expecting this 1017 00:49:38,760 --> 00:49:44,280 Speaker 4: to be, you know, the biggest and most skilled boxing 1018 00:49:44,320 --> 00:49:47,360 Speaker 4: event they've ever seen. You know, it's a it's a 1019 00:49:47,400 --> 00:49:50,920 Speaker 4: way to enjoy some of the greats again, you know, 1020 00:49:51,000 --> 00:49:54,120 Speaker 4: it's very clearly an exhibition. I don't I don't put 1021 00:49:54,120 --> 00:49:56,759 Speaker 4: it in the same category as as sort of you know, 1022 00:49:56,920 --> 00:50:00,880 Speaker 4: the elite fights of today in the sport. But I'm 1023 00:50:00,920 --> 00:50:03,640 Speaker 4: also not going to say that they're not entitled to 1024 00:50:03,640 --> 00:50:05,160 Speaker 4: do it. If they want to come out and entertain 1025 00:50:05,239 --> 00:50:07,399 Speaker 4: and it's done in a safe way, they're more power 1026 00:50:07,440 --> 00:50:11,160 Speaker 4: to them. 1027 00:50:11,520 --> 00:50:14,360 Speaker 1: Steven, there is a you mentioned something I thought was 1028 00:50:14,440 --> 00:50:17,400 Speaker 1: kind of interesting, which was, you know that the audience 1029 00:50:17,440 --> 00:50:19,680 Speaker 1: had to be just kind of been managing without boxing 1030 00:50:19,719 --> 00:50:21,160 Speaker 1: for a time and you want to kind of like, 1031 00:50:21,320 --> 00:50:23,360 Speaker 1: you know, snap them out of it. And intuitively that 1032 00:50:23,440 --> 00:50:25,239 Speaker 1: sounds quite right, but the UFC seems to have a 1033 00:50:25,320 --> 00:50:28,440 Speaker 1: bit of the opposite belief that they have really benefited 1034 00:50:28,480 --> 00:50:32,239 Speaker 1: from the absence essentially of alternatives. So which is it. 1035 00:50:32,320 --> 00:50:35,640 Speaker 1: Are they coasting to a higher sort of tide as 1036 00:50:35,640 --> 00:50:37,960 Speaker 1: it were because they don't have to worry about football 1037 00:50:38,080 --> 00:50:43,120 Speaker 1: or boxing or anything else, or how do you reconcile 1038 00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:44,840 Speaker 1: those two different competing visions. 1039 00:50:45,680 --> 00:50:49,759 Speaker 4: Look, there's certainly a general benefit from not having to 1040 00:50:49,880 --> 00:50:54,200 Speaker 4: compete for attention in a very busy sports calendar. 1041 00:50:54,239 --> 00:50:55,920 Speaker 3: I think there is some benefit to that. 1042 00:50:57,719 --> 00:51:00,480 Speaker 4: And I think they were able to come back relatively early, 1043 00:51:00,719 --> 00:51:02,480 Speaker 4: you know, And and I'm sure the fan. 1044 00:51:02,320 --> 00:51:03,759 Speaker 3: Base appreciates that. 1045 00:51:04,960 --> 00:51:09,120 Speaker 4: But I think, you know, it comes down to quality fights, 1046 00:51:10,320 --> 00:51:12,680 Speaker 4: and I don't think that. I think there are some 1047 00:51:12,760 --> 00:51:14,880 Speaker 4: that think that, look, just come back with anything, and 1048 00:51:14,920 --> 00:51:18,360 Speaker 4: people will be so thankful to have it, so desperate 1049 00:51:18,719 --> 00:51:21,279 Speaker 4: that you'll get a pass that you'll get get by. 1050 00:51:22,040 --> 00:51:26,320 Speaker 4: And I guess what I'm what I'm really ranting against 1051 00:51:26,440 --> 00:51:31,400 Speaker 4: more than anything else, is that. 1052 00:51:29,600 --> 00:51:31,920 Speaker 3: That that sort of expectation. I think as. 1053 00:51:31,760 --> 00:51:35,200 Speaker 4: Combat sports fans, we should have better expectations for our sport. 1054 00:51:35,239 --> 00:51:38,160 Speaker 4: We shouldn't just be thankful that it's there and say, well, 1055 00:51:38,280 --> 00:51:41,439 Speaker 4: I give them credit for doing something. No, it's it's 1056 00:51:41,480 --> 00:51:46,480 Speaker 4: fair to request, meaningful, to expect meaningful competitive fights, high 1057 00:51:46,560 --> 00:51:49,439 Speaker 4: quality fights, and and to not. 1058 00:51:49,360 --> 00:51:50,600 Speaker 3: Watch it if you're not getting that. 1059 00:51:51,120 --> 00:51:54,480 Speaker 4: And I think you know, there have been some UFC 1060 00:51:54,560 --> 00:51:57,239 Speaker 4: events that did great there there have been some that 1061 00:51:57,360 --> 00:52:00,759 Speaker 4: did you know below what they've been doing pre pandemic, 1062 00:52:01,239 --> 00:52:04,040 Speaker 4: So I think, you know, it really goes to the 1063 00:52:04,120 --> 00:52:07,640 Speaker 4: quality of the events. If you're doing quality events, people 1064 00:52:07,680 --> 00:52:10,640 Speaker 4: will come. I don't think that even in this time, 1065 00:52:10,719 --> 00:52:13,640 Speaker 4: you're going to get a pass for doing events that 1066 00:52:13,760 --> 00:52:17,120 Speaker 4: no one really cares about, even if they're desperate. 1067 00:52:17,160 --> 00:52:18,720 Speaker 3: I think at a certain point you're. 1068 00:52:18,640 --> 00:52:22,200 Speaker 4: Just it's not going to resonate no matter how desperate 1069 00:52:22,200 --> 00:52:23,000 Speaker 4: the fan base is. 1070 00:52:25,080 --> 00:52:26,879 Speaker 1: I do want to talk very quickly we can about 1071 00:52:26,880 --> 00:52:29,000 Speaker 1: the COVID safety protocol that you guys are going to 1072 00:52:29,040 --> 00:52:31,440 Speaker 1: have at the Mohegan Sun By the way, Belt will 1073 00:52:31,440 --> 00:52:33,960 Speaker 1: be there tonight, and of course I guess their August 1074 00:52:33,960 --> 00:52:36,239 Speaker 1: seventh show will be there as well. Can you give 1075 00:52:36,280 --> 00:52:37,760 Speaker 1: us a bit of a detail about that. I recall 1076 00:52:38,520 --> 00:52:40,640 Speaker 1: early in the UFC's run. I think this was during 1077 00:52:40,680 --> 00:52:44,680 Speaker 1: the Jacksonville shows in May where it became news that 1078 00:52:44,719 --> 00:52:47,880 Speaker 1: they had to sign this waiver. I guess the UFC 1079 00:52:47,920 --> 00:52:50,720 Speaker 1: has really walked that back, but there's no waivers. Anybody 1080 00:52:50,719 --> 00:52:53,040 Speaker 1: has to sign to get into the Mohigan Sun, right, Like, 1081 00:52:53,040 --> 00:52:54,759 Speaker 1: what are you guys doing to keep people safe? And 1082 00:52:54,800 --> 00:52:57,400 Speaker 1: what are the How did you come up with those protocols. 1083 00:52:58,560 --> 00:52:59,160 Speaker 3: It's one of the. 1084 00:52:59,080 --> 00:53:02,239 Speaker 4: Reasons why we we waited a little bit longer so 1085 00:53:02,320 --> 00:53:04,960 Speaker 4: we could see what UFC did, what Top Rank did, 1086 00:53:05,040 --> 00:53:09,000 Speaker 4: what the NBA was doing. That's really been in a 1087 00:53:09,080 --> 00:53:12,279 Speaker 4: leadership position on all this, you know, and see all 1088 00:53:12,320 --> 00:53:14,560 Speaker 4: these other plans. You know, I've probably got a dozen 1089 00:53:14,640 --> 00:53:17,839 Speaker 4: different leagues plans here and want to see how they 1090 00:53:18,640 --> 00:53:22,600 Speaker 4: played out. So look, I'm not saying our plan is better, 1091 00:53:22,640 --> 00:53:26,400 Speaker 4: our structure is better. I do think that we've learned 1092 00:53:26,520 --> 00:53:29,000 Speaker 4: and made adjustments based on what we've seen in other 1093 00:53:29,080 --> 00:53:34,160 Speaker 4: plans and in other events. One thing I think that 1094 00:53:34,160 --> 00:53:39,839 Speaker 4: that we're prioritizing, the promoters are prioritizing, is more pre 1095 00:53:40,000 --> 00:53:44,160 Speaker 4: fight testing among fires, because the worst thing in all 1096 00:53:44,200 --> 00:53:48,680 Speaker 4: of this is to get those last minute cancelations, So 1097 00:53:49,280 --> 00:53:50,880 Speaker 4: you know, whether it's the day before, a couple of 1098 00:53:50,920 --> 00:53:54,520 Speaker 4: days before, you know, it's terrible for the fighter to 1099 00:53:54,560 --> 00:53:57,520 Speaker 4: do all that work. It's bad for the audience, you know, 1100 00:53:57,680 --> 00:53:59,239 Speaker 4: and then it's bad for the network as well. 1101 00:53:59,280 --> 00:54:02,319 Speaker 3: Because we can't. We don't have time for to find 1102 00:54:02,320 --> 00:54:03,000 Speaker 3: a replacement. 1103 00:54:03,520 --> 00:54:05,920 Speaker 4: So when I look at the guys of the main event, 1104 00:54:06,000 --> 00:54:09,160 Speaker 4: the guys from our August one card, they've the fighters 1105 00:54:09,160 --> 00:54:12,760 Speaker 4: themselves and their camps have been already tested at least 1106 00:54:13,000 --> 00:54:16,160 Speaker 4: five times. I think, you know, the main event has 1107 00:54:16,160 --> 00:54:18,919 Speaker 4: been tested six, you know, and we tested at least 1108 00:54:18,920 --> 00:54:22,680 Speaker 4: two more times during fight week. So you know, as 1109 00:54:22,760 --> 00:54:24,880 Speaker 4: as long as as we're able to do that with 1110 00:54:25,360 --> 00:54:27,880 Speaker 4: you know, and and it holds with the testing demand, 1111 00:54:28,160 --> 00:54:32,360 Speaker 4: I think that's the biggest difference is you know, testing 1112 00:54:32,400 --> 00:54:35,520 Speaker 4: on a weekly basis, starting four or five weeks before 1113 00:54:35,560 --> 00:54:38,800 Speaker 4: the fight, so that you know, we can catch hopefully 1114 00:54:38,800 --> 00:54:42,320 Speaker 4: a positive before fight week and and have the greatest 1115 00:54:42,360 --> 00:54:45,560 Speaker 4: chance to get the best quality fights on during during 1116 00:54:46,280 --> 00:54:47,160 Speaker 4: this whole pandemic. 1117 00:54:48,960 --> 00:54:51,880 Speaker 2: Stephen, quickly before we go, you know, the Viacom CBS 1118 00:54:51,920 --> 00:54:54,960 Speaker 2: merger has made a lot of us closer. Belatur's under 1119 00:54:55,000 --> 00:54:58,080 Speaker 2: the hood now this show, of course is as well, 1120 00:54:58,160 --> 00:55:01,120 Speaker 2: we're all related now in some form, you know, sort 1121 00:55:01,120 --> 00:55:03,600 Speaker 2: of sort of sort of all right from the way 1122 00:55:03,600 --> 00:55:06,680 Speaker 2: stuff at least, uh Stephen, fans have seen you know, 1123 00:55:07,200 --> 00:55:09,560 Speaker 2: beltour back tonight will not be on design will be 1124 00:55:09,560 --> 00:55:11,720 Speaker 2: on the Paramount Network, which is also in the family. 1125 00:55:11,960 --> 00:55:15,040 Speaker 2: We know that you oversee Belatore. What can you tell 1126 00:55:15,120 --> 00:55:19,080 Speaker 2: us about any future potential. We've seen Strikeforce have a 1127 00:55:19,080 --> 00:55:21,080 Speaker 2: great run on Showtime in the past. To see m 1128 00:55:21,239 --> 00:55:23,720 Speaker 2: m A back on Showtime, I think. 1129 00:55:23,560 --> 00:55:25,880 Speaker 3: That is the goal long term. 1130 00:55:26,000 --> 00:55:28,239 Speaker 4: You know, we we we're certainly not going to put 1131 00:55:29,360 --> 00:55:33,920 Speaker 4: beltor position of of you know, breaching their contractual agreement. 1132 00:55:34,040 --> 00:55:37,160 Speaker 4: So when the opportunity rises, you know, I'd love to 1133 00:55:37,160 --> 00:55:42,640 Speaker 4: see the event, the events back on on Showtime, you know, 1134 00:55:42,719 --> 00:55:45,680 Speaker 4: as well as across the Bacon company. And I think 1135 00:55:45,840 --> 00:55:49,840 Speaker 4: what's interesting, at least from the combat sports nerd element 1136 00:55:49,920 --> 00:55:54,640 Speaker 4: of this is we've set a pattern here of how 1137 00:55:54,640 --> 00:55:58,080 Speaker 4: we can collaborate with with sort of our affiliated company. 1138 00:55:59,160 --> 00:55:59,359 Speaker 3: You know. 1139 00:55:59,480 --> 00:56:03,040 Speaker 4: We are setting up you know, one time and staying 1140 00:56:03,040 --> 00:56:06,840 Speaker 4: there for a couple of months. We may extend, we 1141 00:56:06,920 --> 00:56:10,040 Speaker 4: may not, depends on what the situation is. But there's 1142 00:56:10,040 --> 00:56:15,440 Speaker 4: no one else in there. It's same protocols, same lighting grid, 1143 00:56:15,600 --> 00:56:19,399 Speaker 4: same set, same everything. We're just switching out a ring 1144 00:56:19,680 --> 00:56:24,239 Speaker 4: for cage every you know, basically every other week. But 1145 00:56:24,320 --> 00:56:27,879 Speaker 4: I think this this will lead to I think more 1146 00:56:27,920 --> 00:56:30,440 Speaker 4: synergies be toward the two we've talked about, you know, 1147 00:56:30,520 --> 00:56:35,120 Speaker 4: events on the same night and maybe you know, intermingled events. 1148 00:56:35,840 --> 00:56:38,520 Speaker 4: I think it's all possible once you're you're dealing with 1149 00:56:38,560 --> 00:56:41,400 Speaker 4: an affiliated company, and I think there's a lot that 1150 00:56:41,440 --> 00:56:45,160 Speaker 4: we can do to further expand and elevate the ballotore 1151 00:56:45,280 --> 00:56:45,719 Speaker 4: fan base. 1152 00:56:47,440 --> 00:56:49,719 Speaker 1: Steven, last question before I'm sorry, sorry to see you. 1153 00:56:49,719 --> 00:56:50,320 Speaker 1: Go ahead, buddy. 1154 00:56:50,840 --> 00:56:53,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, and closing here, and you're We've been great chat 1155 00:56:53,640 --> 00:56:56,279 Speaker 2: with you. Appreciate your time for sure. I got to 1156 00:56:56,280 --> 00:56:58,960 Speaker 2: ask for the boxing hardcore here. This quarantine has has 1157 00:56:59,000 --> 00:57:01,600 Speaker 2: been hard on a lot of us. It's opened up opportunities. 1158 00:57:01,680 --> 00:57:04,279 Speaker 2: My wife has had me cleaning out the garage, all right. 1159 00:57:05,080 --> 00:57:08,320 Speaker 2: You know, you find some old things, you rekindle old relationships. 1160 00:57:08,560 --> 00:57:10,880 Speaker 2: You look like you're in your office right now at 1161 00:57:10,920 --> 00:57:15,080 Speaker 2: Showtime headquarters in NYC. It's seven years later. You know, 1162 00:57:15,120 --> 00:57:18,360 Speaker 2: the people need to know, Steven, Floyd Mayweather, Robert Guerrero, 1163 00:57:18,600 --> 00:57:20,600 Speaker 2: did you find the pay per view numbers? Did we 1164 00:57:20,680 --> 00:57:23,720 Speaker 2: break a million or not? I think the statue of 1165 00:57:23,800 --> 00:57:26,440 Speaker 2: limitations is passed. We can be honest. Now, Okay, this 1166 00:57:26,600 --> 00:57:27,320 Speaker 2: is you. 1167 00:57:27,280 --> 00:57:29,720 Speaker 4: Know, as we get back to the office and I 1168 00:57:29,720 --> 00:57:34,040 Speaker 4: haven't been in the office since March twelfth, thirteenth, whatever 1169 00:57:34,080 --> 00:57:39,240 Speaker 4: that was. You basically have to go through an NSA 1170 00:57:39,360 --> 00:57:44,080 Speaker 4: security check in a review in order to be let 1171 00:57:44,160 --> 00:57:46,760 Speaker 4: back in the office. Not to mention, you know, any 1172 00:57:46,880 --> 00:57:50,080 Speaker 4: number of tests. So you know, I will as we 1173 00:57:50,160 --> 00:57:53,760 Speaker 4: get back in sort of into the work environment, I 1174 00:57:53,800 --> 00:57:56,880 Speaker 4: will make sure everybody looks in all the crooks and 1175 00:57:57,400 --> 00:58:00,840 Speaker 4: the crevices, and maybe we'll turn up on counting report 1176 00:58:00,880 --> 00:58:02,680 Speaker 4: and we'll let you guys break it. 1177 00:58:03,480 --> 00:58:06,720 Speaker 2: Thank you. Can we get Heraldo Rivera involved in this? Please? 1178 00:58:06,760 --> 00:58:07,080 Speaker 2: Thank you? 1179 00:58:07,200 --> 00:58:10,240 Speaker 1: Yes? Yes. Got to open up all the tombs very 1180 00:58:10,320 --> 00:58:12,800 Speaker 1: quickly before you go, Steve, and I wouldn't want to 1181 00:58:12,840 --> 00:58:14,120 Speaker 1: end on a sour note, but I wouldn't want to 1182 00:58:14,120 --> 00:58:17,200 Speaker 1: forget it either. It was reported just before the show 1183 00:58:17,240 --> 00:58:21,280 Speaker 1: that Nazeene Richardson, the legendary boxing trainer, had passed away 1184 00:58:21,800 --> 00:58:24,800 Speaker 1: trainer to Moseley even in the kickboxing world better Harry 1185 00:58:24,800 --> 00:58:27,480 Speaker 1: and some other folks with Bernard Hopkins. I wonder what 1186 00:58:27,520 --> 00:58:30,040 Speaker 1: you made of that in any comments about the life 1187 00:58:30,080 --> 00:58:31,280 Speaker 1: and the career of Nazine Richards. 1188 00:58:31,680 --> 00:58:36,680 Speaker 4: You know, I knew Nassim a really good guy, very 1189 00:58:36,760 --> 00:58:40,680 Speaker 4: thoughtful guy, as a as a trainer and as a 1190 00:58:40,680 --> 00:58:44,480 Speaker 4: as a man. You know, he suffered a stroke a 1191 00:58:44,480 --> 00:58:46,720 Speaker 4: while back, and a lot of people thought that that 1192 00:58:46,840 --> 00:58:48,840 Speaker 4: might be the end of him training, and it turned 1193 00:58:48,840 --> 00:58:52,040 Speaker 4: out that he uh, he continued on, he fought through 1194 00:58:52,080 --> 00:58:55,880 Speaker 4: it and and continued to have a lot more successful years. 1195 00:58:56,080 --> 00:58:58,479 Speaker 4: Like I uh, I think he's one of the most 1196 00:58:58,640 --> 00:59:03,720 Speaker 4: you know, thoughtful, under appreciated and undervalued guys in the sport. 1197 00:59:04,880 --> 00:59:08,920 Speaker 4: Just a really well rounded guy and you know, who 1198 00:59:09,000 --> 00:59:12,320 Speaker 4: cared about his fighters in and out of the ring, 1199 00:59:13,320 --> 00:59:16,760 Speaker 4: and so I you know, his loss will will definitely 1200 00:59:16,760 --> 00:59:21,000 Speaker 4: be felt. You know, I'll probably always associate him most 1201 00:59:21,120 --> 00:59:26,200 Speaker 4: with with Bernard Hopkins, and the part I remember about 1202 00:59:26,200 --> 00:59:30,240 Speaker 4: in the zem is you know, he had a you know, 1203 00:59:30,280 --> 00:59:33,160 Speaker 4: a set of code words. There's a lot of trainers do, 1204 00:59:34,360 --> 00:59:37,040 Speaker 4: but his were always really colorful. 1205 00:59:37,280 --> 00:59:37,480 Speaker 1: You know. 1206 00:59:37,840 --> 00:59:40,800 Speaker 4: He when he's yelling out to Bernard Hopkins, he's saying, 1207 00:59:40,920 --> 00:59:43,600 Speaker 4: you know, you know, he's yelling at it. He's like, 1208 00:59:43,640 --> 00:59:46,439 Speaker 4: pop that chain, pop that chain, you know, swim without 1209 00:59:46,480 --> 00:59:49,200 Speaker 4: getting wet, you know, and you know all of that 1210 00:59:49,280 --> 00:59:51,680 Speaker 4: meant something to Bernard and I could you can try 1211 00:59:51,720 --> 00:59:54,240 Speaker 4: and guess it, but it was just his manner of 1212 00:59:54,280 --> 00:59:55,760 Speaker 4: speaking and expressing himself. 1213 00:59:56,120 --> 00:59:56,520 Speaker 3: It was. 1214 00:59:56,800 --> 00:59:59,840 Speaker 4: It was always colorful, it was entertaining and and it 1215 01:00:00,080 --> 01:00:02,600 Speaker 4: and something to the fighter. So that's that's probably what 1216 01:00:02,640 --> 01:00:05,200 Speaker 4: I'll remember about him most in Connect with the Box. 1217 01:00:07,000 --> 01:00:09,080 Speaker 1: Well, Steven, it's the first time we've had you on 1218 01:00:09,120 --> 01:00:10,480 Speaker 1: the show, first time that Brian and I have had 1219 01:00:10,480 --> 01:00:13,520 Speaker 1: a live guest, you know, maybe the last time, depending 1220 01:00:13,480 --> 01:00:16,800 Speaker 1: on how things go. But we appreciate your candor congratulations 1221 01:00:16,840 --> 01:00:19,880 Speaker 1: on the debut of the boxing schedule. Can't wait to 1222 01:00:19,880 --> 01:00:21,880 Speaker 1: see it, quite honestly, I mean that genuinely. It's been 1223 01:00:22,240 --> 01:00:25,560 Speaker 1: it's been a long winter, so to speak, and it 1224 01:00:25,560 --> 01:00:27,200 Speaker 1: seems like it's gonna fall out a little bit. So 1225 01:00:27,440 --> 01:00:29,320 Speaker 1: thank you so much, and hopefully we'll talk soon. 1226 01:00:29,360 --> 01:00:31,000 Speaker 4: We're gonna have to start to do maybe we'll do 1227 01:00:31,040 --> 01:00:33,760 Speaker 4: a reveal show on Morning Combat. We can do it 1228 01:00:33,800 --> 01:00:36,920 Speaker 4: like the NCAA tournament where we're we're taking names off 1229 01:00:36,960 --> 01:00:39,400 Speaker 4: the board and you know, and and revealing things. 1230 01:00:39,640 --> 01:00:41,440 Speaker 3: Let's make this like a six hour announcement. 1231 01:00:42,840 --> 01:00:45,280 Speaker 1: I love this. I love it, Steven. We are pathetic 1232 01:00:46,120 --> 01:00:50,480 Speaker 1: careerist social climbers. If ever there were some anything you 1233 01:00:50,480 --> 01:00:52,360 Speaker 1: want to debut on the show, it's a yes. 1234 01:00:52,240 --> 01:00:54,440 Speaker 3: Okay, good to know, guys. 1235 01:00:54,280 --> 01:00:58,760 Speaker 1: There, Steven Espinosa, thank you so much. All Right, very good, 1236 01:00:59,080 --> 01:01:01,880 Speaker 1: h b C. Let's get to this here just a 1237 01:01:01,880 --> 01:01:05,200 Speaker 1: little bit forir so appreciate Steven coming on. You think 1238 01:01:05,200 --> 01:01:06,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna get fired for some of those questions, I'm 1239 01:01:06,920 --> 01:01:08,240 Speaker 1: just wondering, probably not right. 1240 01:01:08,920 --> 01:01:11,200 Speaker 2: No, No, it was great. It was great. Stephen always 1241 01:01:11,200 --> 01:01:13,360 Speaker 2: always deals with the fastballs very well. 1242 01:01:13,400 --> 01:01:16,400 Speaker 1: And uh, here's the thing that like, here's the thing 1243 01:01:16,440 --> 01:01:18,760 Speaker 1: that like fans don't appreciate who just come from MMA 1244 01:01:20,800 --> 01:01:24,800 Speaker 1: boxing promoters slash like high level folks in boxing. They're 1245 01:01:24,920 --> 01:01:28,000 Speaker 1: much more willing to spar over topics than like in MMA, 1246 01:01:28,200 --> 01:01:32,640 Speaker 1: right in MMA, they don't want to do that at all. 1247 01:01:32,880 --> 01:01:35,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, indeed, indeed, you know. But no, Steven's got a 1248 01:01:35,760 --> 01:01:39,120 Speaker 2: great personality. People get on them sometimes because McGregor got 1249 01:01:39,120 --> 01:01:42,160 Speaker 2: off ball in that ass, but but a great leader 1250 01:01:42,200 --> 01:01:44,160 Speaker 2: as well as good to chat with. Look, let's hit it. 1251 01:01:44,240 --> 01:01:48,160 Speaker 2: Let's hit this showtime schedule. It's strong, it's really strong. Okay, 1252 01:01:48,440 --> 01:01:50,320 Speaker 2: you mentioned those two big pay per views, but there 1253 01:01:50,320 --> 01:01:54,040 Speaker 2: are some really sneaky great matchups across the board, Luke 1254 01:01:54,440 --> 01:01:57,600 Speaker 2: and I really think showtime as potential here PBC in general, 1255 01:01:57,640 --> 01:02:01,520 Speaker 2: that one fifty four division is so oh frickin' jacked up. 1256 01:02:01,800 --> 01:02:04,800 Speaker 2: You really could do a you know, eight twelve sixteen 1257 01:02:04,880 --> 01:02:07,360 Speaker 2: man tournament right now. And you just look at that 1258 01:02:07,400 --> 01:02:11,080 Speaker 2: September nineteenth on Showtime fight ericson Lubin and Terrell Goshe 1259 01:02:11,520 --> 01:02:14,560 Speaker 2: winner no doubt gonna get elevated to the title level. 1260 01:02:14,760 --> 01:02:17,000 Speaker 2: And then, as we mentioned, one half of that September 1261 01:02:17,040 --> 01:02:20,560 Speaker 2: twenty sixth Charlo on Charlo pay per View when Jamel 1262 01:02:20,720 --> 01:02:25,040 Speaker 2: Charlo brings his one of four junior middleweight titles in 1263 01:02:25,120 --> 01:02:28,640 Speaker 2: against Jason Bananas Rosario, who has two of the four 1264 01:02:28,920 --> 01:02:33,400 Speaker 2: after his upset knockout of Jay Rock Williams earlier this year. Luke, 1265 01:02:33,480 --> 01:02:36,680 Speaker 2: that's going to be a huge fight for power and 1266 01:02:36,760 --> 01:02:39,000 Speaker 2: control in this division. When you consider the winner, we'll 1267 01:02:39,000 --> 01:02:41,880 Speaker 2: have three of the four major belts, and you consider 1268 01:02:42,440 --> 01:02:46,000 Speaker 2: that everyone else in the division of note is PBC friendly. 1269 01:02:46,200 --> 01:02:48,880 Speaker 2: You can see Julian Williams back in the mix, Jarrett Hurd, 1270 01:02:49,160 --> 01:02:52,560 Speaker 2: you can see Arislandi, Lara, Tony Harrison. There are so 1271 01:02:52,680 --> 01:02:56,640 Speaker 2: many great names right now, Brian Costano where I can't 1272 01:02:56,640 --> 01:02:58,480 Speaker 2: wait to see where this plays out. And you know, 1273 01:02:58,640 --> 01:03:01,280 Speaker 2: if Steven and company play their cards right, this could 1274 01:03:01,320 --> 01:03:03,880 Speaker 2: be a nice there could be some synergy here in 1275 01:03:03,920 --> 01:03:05,440 Speaker 2: storyline to get behind on showtime. 1276 01:03:05,760 --> 01:03:07,960 Speaker 1: So let's play a little bit of a game. I'm 1277 01:03:08,040 --> 01:03:11,800 Speaker 1: going to play curious but clueless, MMA fan, I'm being 1278 01:03:11,840 --> 01:03:16,480 Speaker 1: type cast. You play boxing insider. I'm gonna ask you 1279 01:03:16,480 --> 01:03:18,720 Speaker 1: about some of the sort of the top line things 1280 01:03:18,720 --> 01:03:21,120 Speaker 1: that they might be interested in. Tell me what to 1281 01:03:21,160 --> 01:03:24,080 Speaker 1: look forward to. So, first of all, you mentioned the 1282 01:03:24,240 --> 01:03:26,360 Speaker 1: twenty six, which is the pay per view. You've got 1283 01:03:26,440 --> 01:03:30,240 Speaker 1: Charlo against dere Yanchenko and darrevian Chenko. He gave Triple 1284 01:03:30,280 --> 01:03:33,680 Speaker 1: G basically everything he could handle. How competitive is that 1285 01:03:33,720 --> 01:03:35,480 Speaker 1: fight for the WBC Middleway crown. 1286 01:03:35,960 --> 01:03:39,080 Speaker 2: He gave him hell, look cigrette. Derevinchenko is thirteen and 1287 01:03:39,120 --> 01:03:41,880 Speaker 2: two with ten KOs. He's gone after it in his 1288 01:03:41,920 --> 01:03:44,400 Speaker 2: pro career, and both of those losses were at the 1289 01:03:44,440 --> 01:03:47,880 Speaker 2: title level, to the elite, to Daniel Jacobs, to Kenadi Glufkin, 1290 01:03:47,960 --> 01:03:50,520 Speaker 2: and he had an outside claim of winning both. He 1291 01:03:50,560 --> 01:03:53,520 Speaker 2: had a much stronger claim against Glofkin last year for 1292 01:03:53,520 --> 01:03:55,960 Speaker 2: that vacant midway title. To many people, it was the 1293 01:03:55,960 --> 01:03:58,320 Speaker 2: fight of the year, all action, all the time. He 1294 01:03:58,400 --> 01:04:00,520 Speaker 2: gets in you. He's a southpaw they call him the 1295 01:04:00,520 --> 01:04:03,720 Speaker 2: technician because he's got craft, but he is tough as balls. 1296 01:04:04,000 --> 01:04:08,200 Speaker 2: Jamal Charlo needs this type of challenge. He had been 1297 01:04:08,240 --> 01:04:10,360 Speaker 2: on a bit of a middle way island when you 1298 01:04:10,400 --> 01:04:12,280 Speaker 2: got to look at the politics in boxing, Luke, when 1299 01:04:12,320 --> 01:04:15,320 Speaker 2: if you're a casual fan and understand it, the Glovekins, 1300 01:04:15,320 --> 01:04:18,320 Speaker 2: the Canelos, all those other guys were not PBC friendly. 1301 01:04:18,520 --> 01:04:20,920 Speaker 2: Jamal finally has a big name. He can fight now 1302 01:04:20,920 --> 01:04:23,560 Speaker 2: and dere Vinchenko if he wins this, and by the way, 1303 01:04:23,560 --> 01:04:26,040 Speaker 2: this is the toughest matchup to date in his career. 1304 01:04:26,120 --> 01:04:29,240 Speaker 2: By far, he's legit. I liked what the two Charlo 1305 01:04:29,320 --> 01:04:31,760 Speaker 2: brothers said when they were asked on that Zoom call 1306 01:04:31,800 --> 01:04:34,320 Speaker 2: on Wednesday with Steven Espinoza about you know what are 1307 01:04:34,320 --> 01:04:36,680 Speaker 2: people going to be saying after this pay per view. 1308 01:04:37,120 --> 01:04:40,560 Speaker 2: Both of those guys want critical pound for pound recognition 1309 01:04:40,880 --> 01:04:43,440 Speaker 2: and think they can get it in either of these matchups, 1310 01:04:43,440 --> 01:04:45,680 Speaker 2: and to a degree, I think they're right on. They've 1311 01:04:45,680 --> 01:04:49,360 Speaker 2: got extreme talent and this is a look look of 1312 01:04:49,440 --> 01:04:51,960 Speaker 2: the fights in boxing that I've been announced. I think 1313 01:04:52,040 --> 01:04:55,560 Speaker 2: Jamal Charlo Serge Derevinchenko is the best fight on paper 1314 01:04:55,920 --> 01:05:00,320 Speaker 2: right now. Yes, we think we're getting Lomachenko Tayo Femalpez, 1315 01:05:00,320 --> 01:05:02,240 Speaker 2: which would probably be a little bit better or on 1316 01:05:02,320 --> 01:05:05,400 Speaker 2: par And then look, Wilder Fury three excites us in 1317 01:05:05,400 --> 01:05:08,520 Speaker 2: a lot of different ways. But this Charlo Derevinchenko fight 1318 01:05:08,680 --> 01:05:13,240 Speaker 2: is is absolutely fantastic. And then Jimmel Charlo against. 1319 01:05:13,240 --> 01:05:16,240 Speaker 1: A big contrast Rosario, Wow, let me do it, Let 1320 01:05:16,280 --> 01:05:19,840 Speaker 1: me do it. Jason Rosario. By the way, he's he's 1321 01:05:19,920 --> 01:05:22,040 Speaker 1: Latin because it's spelled j E I s O N 1322 01:05:22,960 --> 01:05:25,800 Speaker 1: Officer Rosario two. But the whole point is he kind 1323 01:05:25,800 --> 01:05:27,880 Speaker 1: of came out of nowhere, right, He was not supposed 1324 01:05:27,920 --> 01:05:30,240 Speaker 1: to beat Jay Rock, who was not supposed to beat 1325 01:05:30,320 --> 01:05:32,800 Speaker 1: jareded Heard and here he is twenty one and one, 1326 01:05:33,520 --> 01:05:36,080 Speaker 1: Like what kind of fighter is Rosario? That no one 1327 01:05:36,120 --> 01:05:38,720 Speaker 1: seemed to see him coming, and that now he's in 1328 01:05:38,760 --> 01:05:40,480 Speaker 1: a very good fight with Dremal Charlo. 1329 01:05:41,080 --> 01:05:43,720 Speaker 2: He's an opportunist because he got an opportunity, leaped through 1330 01:05:43,720 --> 01:05:46,400 Speaker 2: the screen with his power and his aggressiveness and ended 1331 01:05:46,480 --> 01:05:49,320 Speaker 2: up backing up everything he had said ahead of that fight. 1332 01:05:49,400 --> 01:05:51,520 Speaker 2: And it's like weird because you know we've seen Jay 1333 01:05:51,600 --> 01:05:53,560 Speaker 2: Rock lose and then come back in a big way 1334 01:05:53,600 --> 01:05:55,920 Speaker 2: and beat Jared Herd for two of the four belts 1335 01:05:55,920 --> 01:05:58,360 Speaker 2: and remind us by the way in boxing that you 1336 01:05:58,360 --> 01:06:00,640 Speaker 2: can take a loss and you can come back be better. 1337 01:06:01,320 --> 01:06:03,200 Speaker 2: And then out of know where, Rosario comes in and 1338 01:06:03,240 --> 01:06:06,800 Speaker 2: blasts him through the ring. So this is a big puncher. 1339 01:06:07,000 --> 01:06:09,680 Speaker 2: This is a huge test for Jamal Charlo who's coming 1340 01:06:09,680 --> 01:06:14,000 Speaker 2: off Luke a fantastic win to regain his title over 1341 01:06:14,040 --> 01:06:16,600 Speaker 2: Tony Harrison. It was an absolute brawl in December. It 1342 01:06:16,640 --> 01:06:19,479 Speaker 2: was in the argument for Fight of the Year. He's 1343 01:06:19,520 --> 01:06:21,760 Speaker 2: on the verge of stardom. Both Charlos are we got 1344 01:06:21,760 --> 01:06:24,080 Speaker 2: to be honest, thirty years old. They can box, they 1345 01:06:24,080 --> 01:06:26,920 Speaker 2: can punch, They're quick, they're strong, They're all that. And 1346 01:06:26,960 --> 01:06:28,520 Speaker 2: I think even more important Luke, they know how to 1347 01:06:28,560 --> 01:06:31,400 Speaker 2: market themselves. They do the lines only bit. They're edgy 1348 01:06:31,440 --> 01:06:33,960 Speaker 2: and angry on the mic at times. They go after people. 1349 01:06:34,360 --> 01:06:37,040 Speaker 2: They just need the big competition and this pay per 1350 01:06:37,120 --> 01:06:39,400 Speaker 2: view card is giving them that. So again, you know, 1351 01:06:40,040 --> 01:06:42,240 Speaker 2: I can waive the showtime flag because they pay me. 1352 01:06:42,440 --> 01:06:44,720 Speaker 2: I can also tell you as a boxing hardcore that 1353 01:06:44,760 --> 01:06:46,080 Speaker 2: these fights really matter. 1354 01:06:46,760 --> 01:06:49,080 Speaker 1: So then you have the October twenty fourth card. Dravonte 1355 01:06:49,200 --> 01:06:52,080 Speaker 1: Davis and Leo Santa Cruz Leo Santa Cruz known as 1356 01:06:52,360 --> 01:06:55,880 Speaker 1: El Terremoto, which means earthquake, doesn't quite look like that thing. 1357 01:06:55,920 --> 01:06:59,400 Speaker 1: He's very thin. The thirty seven and one and one 1358 01:06:59,520 --> 01:07:03,200 Speaker 1: nineteen Dravanta Davis we kind of know, right, big power, 1359 01:07:03,280 --> 01:07:05,360 Speaker 1: they call him tank, kind of takes his time a 1360 01:07:05,400 --> 01:07:08,680 Speaker 1: little bit early, has a huge punch. What about Leos 1361 01:07:08,680 --> 01:07:10,360 Speaker 1: Ante Cruz? What kind of fighter is he? 1362 01:07:11,640 --> 01:07:14,280 Speaker 2: Full on excitement all the time. May not have let's say, 1363 01:07:14,280 --> 01:07:16,960 Speaker 2: one punch knockout power on the elite level, but he 1364 01:07:17,040 --> 01:07:19,440 Speaker 2: makes up for that with almost an old school Chavez 1365 01:07:19,480 --> 01:07:22,880 Speaker 2: senior likability to effing get inside on you, to get 1366 01:07:22,920 --> 01:07:26,280 Speaker 2: in your kitchen and just throw punches all night long. 1367 01:07:26,360 --> 01:07:29,200 Speaker 2: The thing is, though, he's not just an aggressive, come 1368 01:07:29,280 --> 01:07:31,720 Speaker 2: forward fighter. We saw that in his two fights against 1369 01:07:31,760 --> 01:07:34,680 Speaker 2: Carl Frampton at the featherweight title level, both Fight of 1370 01:07:34,760 --> 01:07:38,400 Speaker 2: the Year candidates themselves that this guy has absolutely great craft. 1371 01:07:38,400 --> 01:07:40,360 Speaker 2: He can adjust on the fly. His two fights with 1372 01:07:40,400 --> 01:07:43,600 Speaker 2: Abnamara show this that as well. The key to this fight, Luke, 1373 01:07:44,280 --> 01:07:46,520 Speaker 2: whether you believe Dravonte Davis is ready for the pay 1374 01:07:46,520 --> 01:07:48,680 Speaker 2: per view level or not from a you know, pay 1375 01:07:48,720 --> 01:07:50,840 Speaker 2: per view by standpoint, and again you're never gonna know 1376 01:07:50,920 --> 01:07:53,240 Speaker 2: until you are flot Mayweather didn't know until he fought 1377 01:07:53,240 --> 01:07:55,880 Speaker 2: out Turrogatti that he can move the product. It's a 1378 01:07:55,920 --> 01:07:59,040 Speaker 2: similar launch in that situation, but you want him in 1379 01:07:59,080 --> 01:08:01,760 Speaker 2: there against a guy can lose against. And the fact 1380 01:08:01,800 --> 01:08:03,840 Speaker 2: that this fight is going to be at one thirty 1381 01:08:04,280 --> 01:08:06,880 Speaker 2: really evens the stakes. If it was at one thirty five, 1382 01:08:07,080 --> 01:08:09,360 Speaker 2: you'd start to say to yourself, Leo's gonna be over 1383 01:08:09,400 --> 01:08:12,160 Speaker 2: his head potentially in terms of power and taking a punch. 1384 01:08:12,400 --> 01:08:15,360 Speaker 2: Leo has won titles in four divisions Luke, including just 1385 01:08:15,480 --> 01:08:18,200 Speaker 2: recently that vacant title at one thirty over Moysi's floors, 1386 01:08:18,200 --> 01:08:20,439 Speaker 2: which will be on the line in this one. And 1387 01:08:20,640 --> 01:08:22,760 Speaker 2: the fact that it's at one thirty and Dravonte's got 1388 01:08:22,760 --> 01:08:25,160 Speaker 2: to come back down should even the stakes a bit. 1389 01:08:25,200 --> 01:08:28,200 Speaker 2: Look what Dravante does not do well right the flaws 1390 01:08:28,240 --> 01:08:30,080 Speaker 2: we can say against him. He's got all the talent 1391 01:08:30,080 --> 01:08:33,519 Speaker 2: in the world. There's been times where there's been a 1392 01:08:33,600 --> 01:08:36,320 Speaker 2: gap in showing that maybe he doesn't throw enough punches, 1393 01:08:36,360 --> 01:08:38,120 Speaker 2: maybe he headhunts too much at times. 1394 01:08:38,160 --> 01:08:40,000 Speaker 1: Also, thet the weight cut. 1395 01:08:41,560 --> 01:08:44,400 Speaker 2: The professionalism in the way cut, all those areas come 1396 01:08:44,439 --> 01:08:47,080 Speaker 2: into play. He's a great boxer, he just never really 1397 01:08:47,080 --> 01:08:50,000 Speaker 2: gets the chance to show that he is. Well, he's 1398 01:08:50,000 --> 01:08:51,840 Speaker 2: gonna have to show a lot against the guy who 1399 01:08:52,280 --> 01:08:56,839 Speaker 2: if Dravonte doesn't get a knockout, or if Dravante doesn't 1400 01:08:57,040 --> 01:08:59,960 Speaker 2: come ready to box, you know, Leo is going to 1401 01:09:00,120 --> 01:09:02,080 Speaker 2: out work him. It's a fact, and the judges may 1402 01:09:02,160 --> 01:09:05,160 Speaker 2: end up favoring that. That's what makes this fight great. Obviously, 1403 01:09:05,160 --> 01:09:08,879 Speaker 2: there's bigger storylines from the star standpoint. They called Jervonte 1404 01:09:09,080 --> 01:09:11,800 Speaker 2: tank the Mike Tyson of the lower weight classes. You know, 1405 01:09:12,240 --> 01:09:14,519 Speaker 2: it's a it's a big statement, but it's not that big. 1406 01:09:14,560 --> 01:09:17,559 Speaker 2: When you watch his highlights, he absolutely pun can punch 1407 01:09:17,600 --> 01:09:20,519 Speaker 2: through people. So this is really a great fight to 1408 01:09:20,520 --> 01:09:23,599 Speaker 2: see where he's at brandwise, to also finally give him 1409 01:09:23,640 --> 01:09:26,639 Speaker 2: a big name. Look, I mean, he's had some great wins, right, 1410 01:09:26,800 --> 01:09:30,000 Speaker 2: but sometimes he's had trouble luring those big names. This 1411 01:09:30,080 --> 01:09:31,559 Speaker 2: is a big name. This's a big fish we're gonna 1412 01:09:31,560 --> 01:09:32,479 Speaker 2: see all right. 1413 01:09:32,520 --> 01:09:34,360 Speaker 1: So then last but not least, And it doesn't have 1414 01:09:34,439 --> 01:09:36,600 Speaker 1: to be a headlining fight BC. It doesn't have to 1415 01:09:36,680 --> 01:09:39,840 Speaker 1: be that. But if you're a fan, you're gonna give 1416 01:09:39,960 --> 01:09:41,800 Speaker 1: Showtime a try. You're gona go to Showtime dot com. 1417 01:09:41,800 --> 01:09:44,160 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give it a thirty day free trial. What 1418 01:09:44,479 --> 01:09:47,439 Speaker 1: would be the one fight that's gonna air on Showtime 1419 01:09:47,479 --> 01:09:50,320 Speaker 1: and again main event, comein event whatever that You've really 1420 01:09:50,360 --> 01:09:52,519 Speaker 1: got your eye on that. And I'm not even telling 1421 01:09:52,960 --> 01:09:55,759 Speaker 1: you it's the best one. I'm saying it's the BC special. 1422 01:09:55,800 --> 01:09:57,960 Speaker 1: It's the one where you go to the gas station, 1423 01:09:58,160 --> 01:09:59,439 Speaker 1: like I don't want this hot dog in the front, 1424 01:09:59,479 --> 01:10:01,400 Speaker 1: I want that one in the back. That's the one 1425 01:10:01,400 --> 01:10:02,720 Speaker 1: that I want. Which one is it? 1426 01:10:02,720 --> 01:10:05,040 Speaker 2: Can you just serve that in my hand with a 1427 01:10:05,120 --> 01:10:08,840 Speaker 2: with a with a palm ful of catchup? Please? Yeah, Look, 1428 01:10:08,880 --> 01:10:10,160 Speaker 2: there's a few. I talk to you how I like 1429 01:10:10,160 --> 01:10:11,960 Speaker 2: the Lubin Gochet fight in terms of I don't know 1430 01:10:11,960 --> 01:10:14,840 Speaker 2: who's gonna win, styles, but you want to see people bang. 1431 01:10:15,080 --> 01:10:18,680 Speaker 2: Sergate Lippinets is an underrated name at welterweight. Remember you 1432 01:10:18,720 --> 01:10:20,360 Speaker 2: know he moved up from one forty. Remember he lost 1433 01:10:20,400 --> 01:10:22,800 Speaker 2: his title to Mikey Garcia. But he knocked Mikey down. 1434 01:10:22,840 --> 01:10:26,320 Speaker 2: He pushed him late in that fight. Sergeate Lippinets gets 1435 01:10:26,400 --> 01:10:28,960 Speaker 2: up in that ass. If we can say that out loud, Luke, Okay, 1436 01:10:29,200 --> 01:10:31,479 Speaker 2: he's got a fight October tenth on Showtime against an 1437 01:10:31,520 --> 01:10:37,639 Speaker 2: unbeaten guy fifteen to zero, Kudratilio abdu Hakarovu. He comes 1438 01:10:37,640 --> 01:10:41,040 Speaker 2: from one of those countries, Luke, where they bang, Okay, 1439 01:10:41,240 --> 01:10:46,000 Speaker 2: they bang, there's an interim, there's an interim title at stake, 1440 01:10:46,360 --> 01:10:49,680 Speaker 2: and you know the business at welterweight, Luke, we're overflowing 1441 01:10:49,720 --> 01:10:52,240 Speaker 2: with big names. Ninety five percent of them are under 1442 01:10:52,240 --> 01:10:54,439 Speaker 2: the PBC banner. I think this is gonna be a 1443 01:10:54,439 --> 01:10:56,040 Speaker 2: Fight of the Year contender, and I think Lippinets has 1444 01:10:56,040 --> 01:10:58,760 Speaker 2: a chance to really break into that overall category. And 1445 01:10:58,880 --> 01:11:01,120 Speaker 2: just one more thing, how about that last one in December? 1446 01:11:02,240 --> 01:11:06,040 Speaker 2: December twelfth, no Nito Donare the legend. Don Air won 1447 01:11:06,080 --> 01:11:09,120 Speaker 2: titles in so many divisions. Former pound for pound number two. 1448 01:11:09,439 --> 01:11:11,920 Speaker 2: He's coming off the fight of the year last year 1449 01:11:12,080 --> 01:11:14,559 Speaker 2: against Neyowa and Newe in the finals of that bantamweight 1450 01:11:14,560 --> 01:11:17,840 Speaker 2: tournament the World Boxing Super Series. The old guy pushed 1451 01:11:17,880 --> 01:11:20,000 Speaker 2: the young guy to the limit and broke his jaw 1452 01:11:20,040 --> 01:11:22,600 Speaker 2: and all that good stuff. He's back to going for 1453 01:11:22,680 --> 01:11:25,400 Speaker 2: another title at one eighteen here against noordin U Bali, 1454 01:11:25,479 --> 01:11:28,080 Speaker 2: who's unbeaten himself. That's a sneaky great fight. 1455 01:11:28,560 --> 01:11:32,240 Speaker 1: Also kind of interesting that stablemate of Javonte, Malik Hawkins 1456 01:11:32,240 --> 01:11:35,880 Speaker 1: fighting on that Lipponitz card as well. The one thing 1457 01:11:35,920 --> 01:11:38,400 Speaker 1: that I'm looking at that I've circled BC that we 1458 01:11:38,439 --> 01:11:41,160 Speaker 1: actually don't have an opponent for yet is going to 1459 01:11:41,240 --> 01:11:44,240 Speaker 1: be the return of Jeron or Jared I don't remember 1460 01:11:44,280 --> 01:11:48,679 Speaker 1: to pronounce his first name, Ennis, who's tennis. Yeah, King 1461 01:11:48,760 --> 01:11:51,040 Speaker 1: Tug is on that card and then it's Lubin and 1462 01:11:51,040 --> 01:11:55,439 Speaker 1: Gausha on the the is September nineteenth as the maid. 1463 01:11:55,800 --> 01:11:59,000 Speaker 2: Let's not confuse though, King Tug with you freshman year 1464 01:11:59,040 --> 01:12:02,680 Speaker 2: and the dorms William and Mary, because that's very applicable. 1465 01:12:02,960 --> 01:12:06,920 Speaker 2: But luke uh, it's time. Anybody who's been following Showbox, 1466 01:12:07,000 --> 01:12:09,479 Speaker 2: anybody who's been following the undercards that we've been a 1467 01:12:09,520 --> 01:12:11,920 Speaker 2: part of doing the kickoff show, there are there are 1468 01:12:11,960 --> 01:12:14,960 Speaker 2: some good young prospects and names, a lot of them 1469 01:12:15,040 --> 01:12:17,760 Speaker 2: you know, affiliated with Dravante, same camp that's come up 1470 01:12:17,800 --> 01:12:19,920 Speaker 2: with him, that are ready to leap off and they're 1471 01:12:19,960 --> 01:12:22,120 Speaker 2: getting you know, key Cole Maine events spots and on 1472 01:12:22,160 --> 01:12:23,880 Speaker 2: a lot of these cards. So look out for those names. 1473 01:12:23,920 --> 01:12:26,720 Speaker 2: The Richardson Hitchens, the Malie Hawkins, as you mentioned. 1474 01:12:26,920 --> 01:12:29,559 Speaker 1: And then obviously as each of these fights get closer, 1475 01:12:29,600 --> 01:12:32,320 Speaker 1: we'll preview all of them and all the cards as well. 1476 01:12:32,360 --> 01:12:35,800 Speaker 1: We'll go into great detail. And uh, I wouldn't mind 1477 01:12:35,800 --> 01:12:37,680 Speaker 1: working some of those events BC, but we'll see how 1478 01:12:37,720 --> 01:12:38,120 Speaker 1: things go. 1479 01:12:38,200 --> 01:12:39,920 Speaker 2: All right, before we get out of here, you got 1480 01:12:39,920 --> 01:12:42,640 Speaker 2: a good chance there to to puff up Espinoza, and 1481 01:12:42,680 --> 01:12:44,040 Speaker 2: you you know you didn't do it, right. 1482 01:12:44,200 --> 01:12:45,560 Speaker 1: I know, I asked him about Dravonte, what are you 1483 01:12:45,600 --> 01:12:49,000 Speaker 1: gonna do? That's just who I am, endlessly's self sabotaging. 1484 01:12:49,000 --> 01:12:52,000 Speaker 1: All right, So we do have Bellotzwortz to night again 1485 01:12:52,040 --> 01:12:54,240 Speaker 1: at the Mohegan Sun. By the way, I've never been 1486 01:12:54,280 --> 01:12:55,840 Speaker 1: to the Mohegan Son. Is it nice? 1487 01:12:56,479 --> 01:12:58,800 Speaker 2: Oh? Yeah? I love the Molligan so so so there 1488 01:12:59,040 --> 01:13:02,439 Speaker 2: there's the Fox Would Resort down the road about twenty minutes. 1489 01:13:02,520 --> 01:13:04,519 Speaker 2: That's the bigger one. That's the one that many times 1490 01:13:04,560 --> 01:13:06,720 Speaker 2: has had the largest casino in the world. But I've 1491 01:13:06,720 --> 01:13:08,680 Speaker 2: always been more of a Mohegan Sun fan. You know. 1492 01:13:09,160 --> 01:13:10,519 Speaker 2: It's yeah, it's very very welcome. 1493 01:13:10,600 --> 01:13:13,720 Speaker 1: What's the what's the Vegas equivalent? If like, if I 1494 01:13:13,720 --> 01:13:19,280 Speaker 1: don't know if Foxwoods is the what's the luxury tower 1495 01:13:19,320 --> 01:13:20,719 Speaker 1: at the Venetian I forget. 1496 01:13:22,000 --> 01:13:25,400 Speaker 2: Well, Foxwood is nice. They're not super elite Vegas nice. 1497 01:13:25,439 --> 01:13:29,479 Speaker 2: They're they're they're East Coast. No, like it's like maybe 1498 01:13:29,520 --> 01:13:32,759 Speaker 2: they're like a uh a less glitzy Aria. 1499 01:13:33,800 --> 01:13:36,360 Speaker 1: Oh, it's okay. As long as it's not ex caliber 1500 01:13:36,560 --> 01:13:37,360 Speaker 1: then I'm fine. 1501 01:13:37,640 --> 01:13:39,599 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know they're not they're not CD. You want 1502 01:13:39,600 --> 01:13:41,920 Speaker 2: to go CD, go cover a boxing fight at a 1503 01:13:41,920 --> 01:13:44,559 Speaker 2: casino in like the middle of upstate New York or something, 1504 01:13:44,600 --> 01:13:45,439 Speaker 2: you'll find CD. 1505 01:13:45,640 --> 01:13:48,439 Speaker 1: Okay, Yeah, Well, have you been to the MGM and 1506 01:13:48,720 --> 01:13:51,280 Speaker 1: here outside of DC and in Oxen Hill? 1507 01:13:51,880 --> 01:13:52,240 Speaker 2: I have not. 1508 01:13:52,640 --> 01:13:55,439 Speaker 1: The National Heart is really nice. Actually, the National har Re. 1509 01:13:55,600 --> 01:13:57,240 Speaker 1: I know it's Oxen Hill, Maryland. I used to live there. 1510 01:13:57,240 --> 01:14:00,920 Speaker 1: Fucking j J correcting me on my neighborhood. Fuck you, Jay, 1511 01:14:01,320 --> 01:14:03,040 Speaker 1: all right, why don't you get Why don't you get 1512 01:14:03,080 --> 01:14:05,400 Speaker 1: a louder air conditioner? Jay? Is that a jet engine 1513 01:14:05,439 --> 01:14:09,000 Speaker 1: behind you or a fucking nineteen forties refrigerant? All right? 1514 01:14:09,840 --> 01:14:12,760 Speaker 1: Main event for Bellatore tonight. Ricky Bendeja has taken on 1515 01:14:12,800 --> 01:14:15,599 Speaker 1: Sergio Pettis. Bendejas is the guy that gave the come 1516 01:14:15,680 --> 01:14:19,720 Speaker 1: up and to the SBG sort of. People call him 1517 01:14:19,720 --> 01:14:22,559 Speaker 1: the Connor clone. But anyway, did it here north there? 1518 01:14:23,040 --> 01:14:25,280 Speaker 1: Pettis has had an interesting run. He actually has a 1519 01:14:25,280 --> 01:14:30,400 Speaker 1: win over Joeb Yeah, yes, I like JAMESO. But he 1520 01:14:30,479 --> 01:14:35,960 Speaker 1: had one fight in Belatore against Alfred Kashkai in just 1521 01:14:35,960 --> 01:14:38,559 Speaker 1: a guy with that a Wikipedia entry. His last win 1522 01:14:38,640 --> 01:14:40,360 Speaker 1: in the UFC was against Tyson Nam. He kind of 1523 01:14:40,360 --> 01:14:42,720 Speaker 1: fell short against the better ones in that division, the 1524 01:14:42,760 --> 01:14:47,080 Speaker 1: guys like Henry Shudo and Formiga and font Bendejas is 1525 01:14:47,200 --> 01:14:51,080 Speaker 1: good and talented, and Pettis has as a tendency to 1526 01:14:51,120 --> 01:14:54,520 Speaker 1: let fights go longer than they should. But I suspect 1527 01:14:54,600 --> 01:14:57,040 Speaker 1: he'll win here, and I did like the move for 1528 01:14:57,120 --> 01:14:59,800 Speaker 1: Pettis still only sitting at twenty six years old to 1529 01:14:59,800 --> 01:15:00,479 Speaker 1: go to Bellator. 1530 01:15:00,960 --> 01:15:02,960 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I mean he could become a star there. 1531 01:15:03,000 --> 01:15:05,040 Speaker 2: And also, by the way, you know, whether you're talking 1532 01:15:05,120 --> 01:15:08,799 Speaker 2: bandam white, featherweight beltur, you know, world class and stocked 1533 01:15:08,800 --> 01:15:10,559 Speaker 2: in terms of those. I mean we're seeing a giant 1534 01:15:10,560 --> 01:15:13,920 Speaker 2: Grand Prix breakout recently. For a reason in that I 1535 01:15:14,040 --> 01:15:16,640 Speaker 2: like this fight a lot, because if Pettis has a 1536 01:15:16,640 --> 01:15:19,360 Speaker 2: offish night or isn't as tuned in, ban Dejas can 1537 01:15:19,360 --> 01:15:21,000 Speaker 2: come in there and finish you. He's coming off of 1538 01:15:21,280 --> 01:15:24,200 Speaker 2: two early knockout wins, you know, following those two losses 1539 01:15:24,240 --> 01:15:27,000 Speaker 2: after the Gallaher When this is really good matchmaking, I 1540 01:15:27,000 --> 01:15:28,559 Speaker 2: think it's the right fight. I think you should favor 1541 01:15:28,600 --> 01:15:32,360 Speaker 2: Sergio Pettis. He's got much better experience and technique I think. 1542 01:15:32,439 --> 01:15:35,280 Speaker 2: But Bandejas is a live body. I like it. I 1543 01:15:35,320 --> 01:15:38,120 Speaker 2: talked to Big John McCarthy on the podcast this week. 1544 01:15:38,160 --> 01:15:39,720 Speaker 2: He got to be all kinds of fired up for it. 1545 01:15:39,800 --> 01:15:43,080 Speaker 1: Luke a right, very good. Jason Jackson taking on Jordan 1546 01:15:43,200 --> 01:15:45,800 Speaker 1: Me and the Canadian should be an interesting fight. He's 1547 01:15:45,920 --> 01:15:47,680 Speaker 1: fighting in a lightweight, which is because I think most 1548 01:15:47,680 --> 01:15:51,320 Speaker 1: of his career has been not mistaken, has largely been 1549 01:15:51,400 --> 01:15:54,599 Speaker 1: at welter. I want to make sure that's true. Yeah, 1550 01:15:54,680 --> 01:15:56,160 Speaker 1: mostly it's been a Walter wehight. So he's going to 1551 01:15:56,160 --> 01:15:58,599 Speaker 1: be dropping down a way class, which is kind of interesting. 1552 01:15:58,600 --> 01:16:00,519 Speaker 1: But the other one that really matters he or Taiwan 1553 01:16:00,560 --> 01:16:03,640 Speaker 1: Claxton take it on JJ Wilson. Taiwan Claxton sort of 1554 01:16:03,640 --> 01:16:06,360 Speaker 1: a standout wrestler, But the bigger one BC is the 1555 01:16:06,479 --> 01:16:09,680 Speaker 1: return of Aaron Pico. He's taken on a donk by 1556 01:16:09,720 --> 01:16:12,080 Speaker 1: the name of Solo Hatley couldn't tell you much about him. 1557 01:16:12,080 --> 01:16:13,840 Speaker 1: I don't think he has a particularly distinguished record, but 1558 01:16:13,840 --> 01:16:16,320 Speaker 1: I'm not saying he's a scrub, but he's just really. 1559 01:16:16,160 --> 01:16:17,040 Speaker 2: Not on things. 1560 01:16:17,760 --> 01:16:20,360 Speaker 1: Well, here's my view on this. I've seen a lot 1561 01:16:20,400 --> 01:16:22,479 Speaker 1: of people be like, oh, he should be fighting someone 1562 01:16:22,520 --> 01:16:24,679 Speaker 1: better at this point. No, he shouldn't. First of all, 1563 01:16:24,680 --> 01:16:27,519 Speaker 1: he's five and three. His last fight was in January, 1564 01:16:27,560 --> 01:16:30,240 Speaker 1: which wasn't forever ago. But he is still very much 1565 01:16:30,240 --> 01:16:32,240 Speaker 1: in need of experience. All of the fights that he 1566 01:16:32,280 --> 01:16:36,120 Speaker 1: has had BC, they should have been at LFA or 1567 01:16:36,600 --> 01:16:41,240 Speaker 1: you know, regional fucking drive in theater. This thing like, 1568 01:16:42,000 --> 01:16:44,720 Speaker 1: it's true that Bellatore is better than UFC in the 1569 01:16:44,800 --> 01:16:48,360 Speaker 1: sense that they can take somebody who's zero and zero 1570 01:16:48,439 --> 01:16:51,120 Speaker 1: and give them an appropriate level of experience, and they're 1571 01:16:51,120 --> 01:16:53,360 Speaker 1: doing that with Dylan Danis. Everyone wants to rush him, 1572 01:16:53,360 --> 01:16:55,240 Speaker 1: but I feel like they're doing that actually just right. 1573 01:16:56,200 --> 01:16:58,000 Speaker 1: But they went a little bit too fast with this guy, 1574 01:16:58,040 --> 01:16:59,680 Speaker 1: and he was so much hype on him, and I 1575 01:16:59,680 --> 01:17:03,120 Speaker 1: know he beat Leandre Ego and that was like, oh 1576 01:17:03,120 --> 01:17:05,800 Speaker 1: my god, it's amazing. But he clearly is just not 1577 01:17:06,000 --> 01:17:08,679 Speaker 1: quite ready for the next level, which means he won't 1578 01:17:08,720 --> 01:17:11,439 Speaker 1: be ready. Ever, it's just take your time with this guy. 1579 01:17:11,760 --> 01:17:15,080 Speaker 1: He's young, he's talented, he's with Brandon Gibson and the 1580 01:17:15,080 --> 01:17:17,840 Speaker 1: guys at Jackson Wink. He should win this. What I'm 1581 01:17:17,880 --> 01:17:23,880 Speaker 1: looking for him is patience, execution, calmness, strategy. That's I 1582 01:17:23,880 --> 01:17:25,760 Speaker 1: think the key for me tonight. PC. What about you? 1583 01:17:25,880 --> 01:17:27,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, I talked to him a couple of months ago 1584 01:17:27,400 --> 01:17:29,639 Speaker 2: in the midst of the quarantine, and I really liked 1585 01:17:29,680 --> 01:17:31,479 Speaker 2: what I heard. You know, the move to Jackson Wink 1586 01:17:31,640 --> 01:17:34,840 Speaker 2: moved everything down there, is embracing the culture. He's got 1587 01:17:34,880 --> 01:17:37,519 Speaker 2: horses on the ranch there. I mean, he's he's living 1588 01:17:37,560 --> 01:17:39,719 Speaker 2: the life, and he's saying Luke for the first time. 1589 01:17:40,040 --> 01:17:43,240 Speaker 2: He's not just reacting physically. He's not just thinking, Okay, 1590 01:17:43,439 --> 01:17:46,120 Speaker 2: you know, I'm I'm I'm a better boxer, wrestler, an 1591 01:17:46,120 --> 01:17:47,760 Speaker 2: athlete than all these people. So I'm just gonna come 1592 01:17:47,800 --> 01:17:50,439 Speaker 2: in and flash that. He's listening to his coaches and 1593 01:17:50,520 --> 01:17:53,160 Speaker 2: understanding why they're implementing a certain game plan and why 1594 01:17:53,200 --> 01:17:55,439 Speaker 2: it makes sense. So, you know, this has been the 1595 01:17:55,439 --> 01:17:58,559 Speaker 2: best thing he's needed. This humbling, it seems, obviously, wasn't 1596 01:17:58,600 --> 01:18:00,880 Speaker 2: ideal for a guy that Brett Okmodo once said on 1597 01:18:01,040 --> 01:18:04,080 Speaker 2: ESPN is the you know, most hype, the brightest prospect 1598 01:18:04,080 --> 01:18:05,639 Speaker 2: in m A history, And I think he was right 1599 01:18:05,880 --> 01:18:08,120 Speaker 2: at that point, given the uh, the you know, the 1600 01:18:08,160 --> 01:18:12,240 Speaker 2: amateur you know accreditations that uh well, how about that 1601 01:18:12,280 --> 01:18:16,080 Speaker 2: word that uh he has had. But look, he's got 1602 01:18:16,080 --> 01:18:17,960 Speaker 2: to go wrestling first, Luke, you know what I mean. 1603 01:18:18,000 --> 01:18:21,240 Speaker 2: He can finish you, especially after using the shoot as 1604 01:18:21,240 --> 01:18:23,839 Speaker 2: a as a threat, but he's got to go wrestling 1605 01:18:23,880 --> 01:18:25,760 Speaker 2: first and build off of that. He's got to play 1606 01:18:25,760 --> 01:18:27,760 Speaker 2: it safer. He's got a bet better defense. Even in 1607 01:18:27,760 --> 01:18:29,640 Speaker 2: that knockout win in January, I thought he got hit 1608 01:18:29,640 --> 01:18:31,960 Speaker 2: a little too much. Hopefully he can get there. In 1609 01:18:32,000 --> 01:18:34,320 Speaker 2: terms of his opponent, Solo Hatley, he's eight and two 1610 01:18:34,600 --> 01:18:36,880 Speaker 2: and Big John McCarthy did tell me he's going to 1611 01:18:36,880 --> 01:18:39,479 Speaker 2: have a massive speed advantage over Pico. In fact, he's 1612 01:18:39,680 --> 01:18:42,559 Speaker 2: got ward class, elite level speed, although he obviously doesn't 1613 01:18:42,560 --> 01:18:44,880 Speaker 2: have the experience, and he's certainly the right opponent at 1614 01:18:44,920 --> 01:18:47,040 Speaker 2: the right time for Pico. It's going to be an 1615 01:18:47,040 --> 01:18:49,479 Speaker 2: interesting fight to see where he's at. It's more about 1616 01:18:49,920 --> 01:18:52,760 Speaker 2: not making mistakes, I think, you know, than anything else, 1617 01:18:53,200 --> 01:18:55,759 Speaker 2: in utilizing all the strength that he brings to the table, 1618 01:18:55,800 --> 01:18:59,240 Speaker 2: but it's Reality TV every single time Aaron Pico fights 1619 01:18:59,240 --> 01:19:00,120 Speaker 2: from here on out. 1620 01:19:00,840 --> 01:19:02,720 Speaker 1: And obviously it would be at featherweight and from the 1621 01:19:02,720 --> 01:19:06,320 Speaker 1: prelim card. Nothing really of note. They did just announce 1622 01:19:06,400 --> 01:19:10,040 Speaker 1: before the show. Chandler and Benson Henderson is official for 1623 01:19:10,040 --> 01:19:13,240 Speaker 1: two forty three August seventh, also at mohegan Son Matt 1624 01:19:13,280 --> 01:19:17,320 Speaker 1: Mitrione against Timothy Johnson. For those who are interested in 1625 01:19:17,400 --> 01:19:21,559 Speaker 1: the Curtis Millandert and taken on Sabah Ho MASSI. I 1626 01:19:21,560 --> 01:19:23,400 Speaker 1: think we covered just about everything BC. What do we 1627 01:19:23,439 --> 01:19:23,960 Speaker 1: miss today? 1628 01:19:24,479 --> 01:19:27,800 Speaker 2: Well, we touched briefly on Brother Nazim's passing. You know, 1629 01:19:27,920 --> 01:19:31,160 Speaker 2: obviously that's a big hit to the boxing game in 1630 01:19:31,200 --> 01:19:34,240 Speaker 2: a legend, and I loved the run he had as 1631 01:19:34,280 --> 01:19:37,639 Speaker 2: Bernard Hopkins is almost like wise Yoda during that run, 1632 01:19:37,680 --> 01:19:40,120 Speaker 2: you know where Bernard in those late forties was winning 1633 01:19:40,120 --> 01:19:43,479 Speaker 2: the light heavyweight title. And I had so many great 1634 01:19:43,479 --> 01:19:45,360 Speaker 2: one on one talks with Brother Nazem, like in the 1635 01:19:45,400 --> 01:19:48,120 Speaker 2: gym and Philly and stuff like that. Guy just lived 1636 01:19:48,160 --> 01:19:51,080 Speaker 2: it and has such a funny way of looking at 1637 01:19:51,080 --> 01:19:51,439 Speaker 2: the sport. 1638 01:19:51,479 --> 01:19:51,640 Speaker 1: You know. 1639 01:19:51,680 --> 01:19:54,920 Speaker 2: He told me after I remever forget in Montreal, deep 1640 01:19:54,960 --> 01:19:58,200 Speaker 2: in the locker room after Bernard Hopkins had beat John 1641 01:19:58,240 --> 01:20:00,400 Speaker 2: Pascal in their rematch and set the rec is the 1642 01:20:00,400 --> 01:20:03,840 Speaker 2: oldest champion of boxing history. I'm like Nazim, like, you're 1643 01:20:03,880 --> 01:20:05,559 Speaker 2: not a guy that wants to see people get hurt. 1644 01:20:05,600 --> 01:20:07,240 Speaker 2: You know how much longer can Bernard do this? And 1645 01:20:07,280 --> 01:20:10,880 Speaker 2: he looked at me and he's like, man, until I 1646 01:20:11,000 --> 01:20:13,960 Speaker 2: can look at the top ten and and not see 1647 01:20:14,000 --> 01:20:16,880 Speaker 2: six guys Bernard can be I'm never telling him to 1648 01:20:17,320 --> 01:20:19,759 Speaker 2: leave and walk away. And he just had a quirky 1649 01:20:19,800 --> 01:20:21,960 Speaker 2: way about him. And he was a smart guy obviously 1650 01:20:22,040 --> 01:20:23,839 Speaker 2: and did a lot of things with big name fighters. 1651 01:20:23,880 --> 01:20:26,519 Speaker 2: So tough to see. Thank you, brother, Nazim make career 1652 01:20:26,720 --> 01:20:28,240 Speaker 2: in this sport of lifer. Loved it. 1653 01:20:28,720 --> 01:20:32,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, and uh, if you ever watch any for me 1654 01:20:32,320 --> 01:20:34,360 Speaker 1: as a guy who missed a lot of years in boxing, 1655 01:20:34,439 --> 01:20:38,599 Speaker 1: dude to like MMA coverage. I still recall. Like one 1656 01:20:38,640 --> 01:20:40,479 Speaker 1: thing that stands out to me about him is, yes, 1657 01:20:40,479 --> 01:20:44,080 Speaker 1: he was good in interviews, but his corner advice between 1658 01:20:44,280 --> 01:20:48,720 Speaker 1: rounds was always so clear and so obvious, and when 1659 01:20:48,760 --> 01:20:51,160 Speaker 1: his fighters were in trouble, he did not pull punches either, 1660 01:20:51,280 --> 01:20:53,360 Speaker 1: so to speak right, like you need to show me 1661 01:20:53,360 --> 01:20:55,040 Speaker 1: something or this is going to be the end of it, 1662 01:20:55,200 --> 01:20:57,360 Speaker 1: or you know, he just you just had a certain 1663 01:20:57,439 --> 01:21:01,120 Speaker 1: like at ease with boxing about when to push, when 1664 01:21:01,120 --> 01:21:03,479 Speaker 1: to pull, when to you know, break, when to gas, 1665 01:21:04,560 --> 01:21:08,160 Speaker 1: and of sort of what it all meant. Brilliant, brilliant guy, phillyone, 1666 01:21:08,240 --> 01:21:11,559 Speaker 1: you know, from the day he was born until obviously 1667 01:21:11,600 --> 01:21:14,400 Speaker 1: today and real tragedy for the game. But you know, 1668 01:21:15,120 --> 01:21:17,360 Speaker 1: a life well lived in many respects, I think is 1669 01:21:17,360 --> 01:21:18,400 Speaker 1: an important thing here. 1670 01:21:18,760 --> 01:21:22,480 Speaker 2: Remember Luke, you know, changing subjects quickly. Remember mid quarantine, 1671 01:21:22,479 --> 01:21:25,719 Speaker 2: we were like, man, there's no fights. But if everybody 1672 01:21:25,800 --> 01:21:27,720 Speaker 2: comes back at the same time in the second half 1673 01:21:27,760 --> 01:21:30,519 Speaker 2: of the year and loads up these schedules, it's gonna 1674 01:21:30,560 --> 01:21:33,559 Speaker 2: be a wild final six months to the year. We 1675 01:21:33,720 --> 01:21:37,040 Speaker 2: kind of have that potential. Between the showtime boxing announcement 1676 01:21:37,080 --> 01:21:39,160 Speaker 2: and obviously PBC is gonna come back on Fox, top 1677 01:21:39,240 --> 01:21:43,879 Speaker 2: rank reloading for some big cards, the zones back bellatour UFC. 1678 01:21:45,360 --> 01:21:47,920 Speaker 2: This could be a great time to be to be 1679 01:21:47,920 --> 01:21:50,639 Speaker 2: subscribed to the Morning Combat podcast. We're gonna have to do, 1680 01:21:50,680 --> 01:21:53,280 Speaker 2: you know, more than one episode on the regular, I 1681 01:21:53,320 --> 01:21:54,680 Speaker 2: would I would have to assume. 1682 01:21:54,640 --> 01:21:56,720 Speaker 1: Probably, Although you did get one thing wrong in the 1683 01:21:56,760 --> 01:22:00,559 Speaker 1: Espinoza interview. It was true that when the fight was 1684 01:22:00,560 --> 01:22:03,439 Speaker 1: first announced that the Zone was not covering tonight's fight. 1685 01:22:03,520 --> 01:22:08,240 Speaker 1: They are tonight, they actually are, but you know, you know, 1686 01:22:08,880 --> 01:22:10,320 Speaker 1: we'll see hell on that last Did. 1687 01:22:10,240 --> 01:22:12,599 Speaker 2: You know that interesting? I did not hear that. 1688 01:22:12,479 --> 01:22:15,720 Speaker 1: That is very interesting. Last minute, last minute changed yesterday 1689 01:22:16,000 --> 01:22:17,400 Speaker 1: the Zone sad they were going to air it. 1690 01:22:18,280 --> 01:22:20,000 Speaker 2: So shout out to days In on that one. 1691 01:22:20,080 --> 01:22:22,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, days In, old Howard Johnson. 1692 01:22:23,000 --> 01:22:24,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, look, you want to update the people at what 1693 01:22:24,960 --> 01:22:28,559 Speaker 2: they should expect in the their future, because tomorrow I'm 1694 01:22:28,640 --> 01:22:31,320 Speaker 2: forty two years old. I'm out of vacation. 1695 01:22:31,560 --> 01:22:34,479 Speaker 1: Brother, all right, that's right. Happy birthday. What are you 1696 01:22:34,520 --> 01:22:36,439 Speaker 1: doing for your birthday, you old piece of shit? 1697 01:22:39,520 --> 01:22:42,639 Speaker 2: My wife bought me a peloton. By the way, you're 1698 01:22:42,640 --> 01:22:45,879 Speaker 2: a little nervous about my lack of fitness or mental 1699 01:22:45,960 --> 01:22:48,080 Speaker 2: positive mental health, so uh. 1700 01:22:48,200 --> 01:22:51,040 Speaker 1: Get on the bike, you fat fuck. Happy birth I may. 1701 01:22:50,880 --> 01:22:53,160 Speaker 2: Have to broadcast this show from the bike a few 1702 01:22:53,240 --> 01:22:56,600 Speaker 2: days a week. Moving forward. Yeah, so I'm gonna be 1703 01:22:56,640 --> 01:22:58,880 Speaker 2: getting in shape a little. I know. I'm like, I'm 1704 01:22:58,880 --> 01:23:00,600 Speaker 2: gonna be on a lake house. We're gonna have a 1705 01:23:00,600 --> 01:23:03,400 Speaker 2: good time. You know, BC's gonna get fat, drink a 1706 01:23:03,400 --> 01:23:05,680 Speaker 2: lot of beer. Look at the sunsets. What are you 1707 01:23:05,680 --> 01:23:07,360 Speaker 2: gonna do? You're gonna put on a show next week. 1708 01:23:08,160 --> 01:23:10,519 Speaker 1: So what we'll do is there will definitely be a 1709 01:23:12,600 --> 01:23:17,120 Speaker 1: There'll definitely be a dissected from the weekend. We're toying 1710 01:23:17,160 --> 01:23:19,680 Speaker 1: with ideas if folks would like to see like a 1711 01:23:19,760 --> 01:23:23,800 Speaker 1: Monday kind of live chat show where they just get 1712 01:23:23,840 --> 01:23:25,960 Speaker 1: to ask questions in real time, and then I'll just 1713 01:23:26,000 --> 01:23:28,679 Speaker 1: go for like an hour and sort of cover all 1714 01:23:28,760 --> 01:23:31,160 Speaker 1: of the weekend stories. That way, I can do that 1715 01:23:31,880 --> 01:23:33,960 Speaker 1: if they have another idea and folks like, oh, why 1716 01:23:34,000 --> 01:23:35,920 Speaker 1: can't we just have something like Chuck on Now? We 1717 01:23:35,960 --> 01:23:38,760 Speaker 1: love Chuck, but this setup requires a certain amount of 1718 01:23:38,760 --> 01:23:40,519 Speaker 1: technology that we have to ship out to people, and 1719 01:23:40,560 --> 01:23:42,920 Speaker 1: there's just no way to do that right now with him. 1720 01:23:42,960 --> 01:23:44,559 Speaker 1: So it can only be me or BC. And if 1721 01:23:44,600 --> 01:23:46,960 Speaker 1: BC can't be here, then it can only be me 1722 01:23:47,000 --> 01:23:49,680 Speaker 1: and vice versa. So if you've got any ideas, we're 1723 01:23:49,760 --> 01:23:52,559 Speaker 1: kind of open Luke Thomas news at gmail dot com. 1724 01:23:54,160 --> 01:23:58,639 Speaker 2: About a minimum email and say, you know what about 1725 01:23:58,800 --> 01:24:01,519 Speaker 2: Jay the rector, the producer. 1726 01:24:01,880 --> 01:24:03,880 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I can't I can't hear him because of 1727 01:24:03,920 --> 01:24:07,639 Speaker 1: the stealth bomber that's fucking flying right next to his ear. 1728 01:24:08,439 --> 01:24:10,720 Speaker 2: Cherry, Jay, you were only coming through in waves. Your 1729 01:24:10,760 --> 01:24:13,800 Speaker 2: lips move, but I can't hear what you say. I know. 1730 01:24:13,800 --> 01:24:16,519 Speaker 1: It's like, Jay, why is your podcast studio at Cape 1731 01:24:16,520 --> 01:24:21,000 Speaker 1: Carnaverral where NASA is launching fucking SpaceX shit into orbit? 1732 01:24:21,360 --> 01:24:23,200 Speaker 1: Why are you doing that? I had no idea what 1733 01:24:23,240 --> 01:24:25,760 Speaker 1: you were doing that for. That makes no sense, say. 1734 01:24:25,880 --> 01:24:27,559 Speaker 2: All I know is if I come back next week 1735 01:24:27,560 --> 01:24:31,880 Speaker 2: and the damn Schmo replaced me, you know we're have problems. 1736 01:24:31,560 --> 01:24:31,800 Speaker 3: All right. 1737 01:24:31,800 --> 01:24:34,719 Speaker 1: Maybe I'll say this though. People ask me, like what 1738 01:24:34,840 --> 01:24:37,160 Speaker 1: your favorite holiday is, or you know, your favorite day 1739 01:24:37,200 --> 01:24:39,280 Speaker 1: of the year, And when you're a kid, it's usually 1740 01:24:39,320 --> 01:24:42,519 Speaker 1: either Christmas or your birthday or something. Right, But now 1741 01:24:42,560 --> 01:24:44,639 Speaker 1: that I'm a dad, I got to tell you Father's 1742 01:24:44,720 --> 01:24:49,200 Speaker 1: Day is better than my birthday because now that I'm 1743 01:24:49,280 --> 01:24:51,400 Speaker 1: over the hell and over forty like you, I'll be 1744 01:24:51,400 --> 01:24:54,000 Speaker 1: forty one in just a couple of weeks. People are 1745 01:24:54,000 --> 01:24:57,000 Speaker 1: always like, your old ass, bitch, aren't your balls dragging 1746 01:24:57,040 --> 01:25:00,160 Speaker 1: on the ground your old ass home? And then on 1747 01:25:00,240 --> 01:25:04,679 Speaker 1: Father's Day, everyone's like, wow, you know, Luke, uh, here's there, 1748 01:25:04,960 --> 01:25:07,439 Speaker 1: cheers to you for being such a great dad, Like 1749 01:25:07,479 --> 01:25:10,920 Speaker 1: everyone's all happy apparently about my contributions, whereas I get 1750 01:25:10,960 --> 01:25:14,040 Speaker 1: nothing but insulted on my birthday. I think Father's Day 1751 01:25:14,479 --> 01:25:16,479 Speaker 1: better than birthdays. BC. 1752 01:25:17,160 --> 01:25:20,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, it is pretty incredible. Mother's Day in my house 1753 01:25:20,160 --> 01:25:20,879 Speaker 2: is a monster. 1754 01:25:22,439 --> 01:25:24,519 Speaker 1: Just ris. We can't hear you. 1755 01:25:26,320 --> 01:25:28,800 Speaker 2: It becomes a month, it comes a months later, just me, 1756 01:25:28,880 --> 01:25:30,879 Speaker 2: or we can't hear It's more like, let's. 1757 01:25:30,760 --> 01:25:32,800 Speaker 1: Just all right, well I can't. 1758 01:25:32,800 --> 01:25:36,560 Speaker 2: I'm a massive I can't be c thank you, thank you. 1759 01:25:36,680 --> 01:25:38,320 Speaker 2: We frozen? What is what the hell's happening? 1760 01:25:38,360 --> 01:25:39,760 Speaker 1: I'm going to wait in side movie? BC? 1761 01:25:39,920 --> 01:25:41,960 Speaker 2: I cannot what is what is happening? 1762 01:25:42,400 --> 01:25:45,920 Speaker 1: BC? I cannot hear you. I cannot hear you. All right, 1763 01:25:46,280 --> 01:25:48,080 Speaker 1: all right, here we go. I cannot hear you. So 1764 01:25:48,080 --> 01:25:49,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get out of here. We have to go 1765 01:25:49,160 --> 01:25:50,840 Speaker 1: out here anyway, have another job. That's the sort of 1766 01:25:50,880 --> 01:25:54,040 Speaker 1: way this thing goes all right for By the way, 1767 01:25:54,080 --> 01:25:56,439 Speaker 1: of course, give us a thumbs up on the video. 1768 01:25:56,520 --> 01:25:59,840 Speaker 1: Subscribe to the channel as always. We are available and 1769 01:25:59,840 --> 01:26:03,559 Speaker 1: social media as well. Morning Combat on Insta, Morning Combat 1770 01:26:03,600 --> 01:26:06,639 Speaker 1: on YouTube. We'll be back Monday with some kind of coverage. 1771 01:26:06,760 --> 01:26:08,120 Speaker 1: Let us know what you guys want to see in 1772 01:26:08,120 --> 01:26:10,519 Speaker 1: the comment section below, or of course you can email 1773 01:26:10,560 --> 01:26:13,519 Speaker 1: me as well. For BC, I'm Luke. Thanks to Steven 1774 01:26:13,600 --> 01:26:17,000 Speaker 1: Espinosa as well. Until next time, they're all of your gains. 1775 01:26:17,160 --> 01:26:17,639 Speaker 1: Be loyal,