Eddie Goldman is host and producer of the No Holds Barred podcast, and publisher of the No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman page on Patreon and the No Holds Barred blog. He is known as the Conscience of Combat Sports.
Monday, October 11, 2021
No Holds Barred: One-Night Stand in Vegas, on the WAAR Room with Chris Baldwin and Malissa Smith
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, October 10.
We discussed Saturday's third fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, held in Las Vegas. Fury retained his WBC heavyweight belt with an 11th-round KO.
While the fight was certainly entertaining with many dramatic twists and turns, we explained why this was not the "instant classic" some have labeled it, and was instead plagued by numerous technical and tactical blunders by both fighters. Our reactions to it are similar to that of discussing a one-night stand the day right after it happened, when sober thinking has finally returned. We also began a discussion of the ties between Fury and alleged organized crime kingpin Daniel Kinahan.
Malissa Smith also discussed Saturday's victory by Jamie Mitchell over Shannon Courtenay to capture the WBA women's bantamweight belt, and more of the latest women's boxing news.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
You can play or download No Holds Barred on Anchor, Podomatic, and the Internet Archive. If one link does not work, please try another.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
No Holds Barred: The Fight Against Fixed Fights In Olympic Boxing, Women's Boxing News, on the WAAR Room with Chris Baldwin and Malissa Smith
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, October 3.
We finally have proof of what many already knew or suspected: Much of Olympic boxing has been fixed.
On September 30, an independent report, mainly focusing on boxing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was released by an investigative team led by Professor Richard McLaren. His team also had helped document the Russian state-sponsored doping program in the Olympics.
This report documented how officials in AIBA, the Olympic boxing federation, fixed the selection of referees and judges at the fights in the 2016 Olympics, how they manipulated results, the culture of corruption and bribery in Olympic boxing, and how these corrupt practices were carried out and enabled by the top leadership in AIBA at the time.
As the report stated, in AIBA,"The people are the problem." It should also be added that what corrupt governments have done in the Olympic movement has been a key reason why Olympic boxing has been so corrupt.
While this investigation was undertaken at the behest of the current, new leadership of AIBA, many questions remain as to whether or not corruption has been sufficiently rooted out in this organization. The International Olympic Committee suspended AIBA as boxing's Olympic governing body in June 2019, and thus far has not indicated if or when it will be reinstated. The IOC organized the boxing competition at the recently completed Tokyo Olympics without AIBA.
We discussed what we know about how the Olympic boxing bouts were manipulated, some of the fights that may have been fixed, the obvious and not-so-obvious motives for this rampant corruption, the implications of this crisis in amateur and Olympic boxing for professional boxing, how this type of corruption in the overall Olympic movement is far from unique, and much more.
Malissa Smith also brought us the latest news from women's boxing, including multi-divisional champ Amanda Serrano signing with Jake Paul's newly-formed promotional company. We discussed what this might mean for a potential showdown between Serrano and undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor, what is next for unbeaten middleweight and super welterweight champion Claressa Shields who has been fighting in MMA as of late, and much more.
Plus, we discussed the postponement of the 2022 Gay Games in Hong Kong to 2023, the latest Triller Trash news and why they are the frontrunner for the 2021 Roger Mayweather "You Don't Know Shit About Boxing" Award, and more.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
You can play or download No Holds Barred on Anchor, Podomatic, and the Internet Archive. If one link does not work, please try another.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
No Holds Barred: Why Usyk Beat Joshua, on the WAAR Room with Chris Baldwin and Malissa Smith
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, September 26.
This past Saturday, former cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk upset unified heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua by a clearcut unanimous decision to capture all of his heavyweight belts. We discussed why and how this upset happened, if the gun-shy Joshua needs a new trainer, if Joshua was just burnt out, how Usyk has been underappreciated, how Joshua has regressed as a fighter, what's next for both fighters and the heavyweight division, and much more. And we also discussed some of the latest news in women's boxing.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
You can play or download No Holds Barred on Anchor, Podomatic, and the Internet Archive. If one link does not work, please try another.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
No Holds Barred: Triller Trash and Boxing's Devolution to Sadistic Spectacle, on the WAAR Room with Chris Baldwin and Malissa Smith
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, September 12.
Our main topic was the Triller trash boxing show of September 11, and particularly the utter disgrace of putting 58-year-old Evander Holyfield in the main event fight. Holyfield was quickly TKO'd in the first round. We discussed boxing's devolution from the sweet science into being a sadistic spectacle like this, how these circus fights have become the dominant trend in boxing, how this is related to boxing's purposely corrupt and fragmented governance, why there must be new legislation to regulate boxing, and much more.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
You can play or download No Holds Barred on Podomatic and the Internet Archive. If one link does not work, please try another.
No Holds Barred is also available on these sites and apps:
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
No Holds Barred: Death of Jeanette Zacarias Zapata, Oscar Valdez PED Positive, Serrano Sisters Controversy, on the WAAR Room with Chris Baldwin and Malissa Smith
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, September 5.
We discussed the death of 18-year-old Jeanette Zacarias Zapata, who passed this week from injuries sustained in a bout in Montreal. We also discussed how WBC super featherweight champ Oscar Valdez, who failed a doping test for the WBC's Clean Boxing Program conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, will still be allowed to fight and defend his WBC belt on September 10. And we addressed the startling controversy involving Amanda and Cindy Serrano and their trainer/manager Jordan Maldonado.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
You can play or download No Holds Barred on Podomatic and the Internet Archive. If one link does not work, please try another.
No Holds Barred is also available on these sites and apps:
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
WAAR Room w/Chris, Eddie & Malissa: Serrano vs. Mercado Showtime PPV Edition
Chris Baldwin, Malissa Smith, and I recorded this edition of the WAAR Room the afternoon of August 29, before the Showtime pay-per-view began later that night. Our main topic was the featherweight title fight between unified champion Amanda Serrano and Yamileth Mercado, along with the rest of this show.
No Holds Barred: Superspreader Olympics End, Karate KO Controversy, Franco-Moloney 3 Preview, on the WAAR Room with Chris Baldwin
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin on the WAAR Room on Angry Afro Radio. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
We spoke with her Tuesday, August 10.
The Tokyo Superspreader Olympics ended Sunday, August 8, but the surge in cases of Covid-19 in Japan is continuing. We discussed how the Olympics were a key factor is worsening this pandemic, where now only patients with severe symptoms can be hospitalized to prevent a hospital bed shortage.
The competition in Tokyo also saw the disgraceful action of a coach punching a horse who refused to perform in a modern pentathlon event when ordered by the rider. In wrestling, while accolades poured in for American heavyweight wrestler Gable Steveson's last second takedown to win his men's freestyle wrestling gold medal match, it appears that real wrestling will benefit little from the notoriety. Media reports indicate that he is likely soon headed to the fake wrestling world of the WWE. The much-touted 97 kg men's freestyle wrestling gold medal showdown between Russian Abdulrashid Sadulaev and American Kyle Snyder was won by Sadulaev, who scored no takedowns, 6-3, and showcased the absurd rules of the Olympic wrestling federation, UWW. In boxing, Cuba dominated the men's division with four gold medals. But we will only see these talented Cuban fighters as pros if they take the dangerous step of defecting from Cuba, since their government prohibits it.
Karate made its debut at the Tokyo Olympics, and instead of the sport building its worldwide reputation, the ludicrous rules of the Olympic karate federation, WKF, drew the most attention. The men's 75 kg gold medal kumite match was won by Sajad Ganjzadeh of Iran. But in that final, he was knocked out by a head kick from Tareg Hamedi of Saudi Arabia. Hamedi was disqualified and had to settle for a silver medal because he followed through on his kick, rather than stopping or pulling it back before it landed at full force.
This issue in karate had been examined on No Holds Barred back in 2018 with karateka and coach Elhadji Gaye Ndour, who also had been disqualified in amateur karate events because, he said, he hit or kicked his opponents "too hard" or even scored knockouts. He had gone on to fight in the professional Karate Combat organization. You can play or download that show here.
We thus discussed a recent episode of the Karate Combat TV show, this group's rules, how it is being presented and positioned on TV, and more.
In pro boxing, of course, controversy and corruption are unending. We discussed the dreadful August 7 PBC on Fox show, which saw a robbery even more egregious that is usual for boxing. In a fight for one of the WBA's billions and billions of belts, Mychal Fox completely dominated Gabriel Maestre, but it was Maestre who got a unanimous decision win.
We also previewed this coming Saturday's trilogy fight between WBA super flyweight champ Joshua Franco of Texas and former champ Andrew Moloney of Australia. In a thrilling upset, Franco won their first fight in June 2020 by unanimous decision. Their November 2020 rematch, however, ended in chaos and controversy. Moloney had appeared to get a second-round TKO win because of major swelling under Franco's right eye, but controversial referee Russell Mora ruled that the damage was caused by an accidental headbutt. A befuddled Nevada commission then had a video review lasting almost a half hour, and also seemed to botch the verdict by upholding Mora's ruling. It was thus declared a no decision since the fight was halted by an accidental foul and had lasted fewer than four rounds.
Now their third fight takes place Saturday, August 14, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Catoosa, Oklahoma, near Tulsa. It will be shown live in the U.S. on both ESPN and ESPN+.
We got comments from Andrew Moloney from a recent Zoom call where he explained how he has improved since his previous fights with Franco.
And we discussed more about the corrupt Olympic movement, Errol Spence Jr. pulling out of his fight with Manny Pacquiao because of a torn retina, and much more.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
You can play or download No Holds Barred on Podomatic and the Internet Archive. If one link does not work, please try another.
No Holds Barred is also available on these sites and apps:
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
No Holds Barred: Charlo-Castaño, Bad Governance, and the Decline of Boxing, on the WAAR Room with Chris Baldwin
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin on the WAAR Room on Angry Afro Radio. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
We spoke with her Sunday, July 18.
There was an attempt on Saturday, July 17, to unify the four major belts in boxing's 154-pound division, as unbeaten fighters and belt holders Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño fought in the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, headlining a card shown on Showtime in the U.S.
After 12 rounds, the consensus seemed to be among boxing observers online that it was a good, close fight, but that Castaño had done enough to win.
The verdict, however, was a split draw. While many people accepted this decision since there were many close rounds and no fighter blew out the other, the score of one of the judges of 117-111 for Charlo was so ludicrous that Charlo himself even said it was too wide.
Both Charlo and Castaño said after the fight that they would welcome a rematch, but boxing's absurd system of multiple sanctioning bodies which each have their own mandatory challengers might prevent or delay that from happening any time soon, if ever.
The result was that there was an entertaining main event on an entertaining card, where the entertainment was ruined by the judging and overall lack of good governance in boxing.
We thus discussed this fight in this context of examining boxing's governance, how the general issue of governance is rarely discussed in boxing, how bad governance has been a major factor in boxing's decline, and what good governance constitutes. We also discussed new alternative forms of organizations for pro sports that are emerging, why sports organizations must work outside existing structures like the disgraceful International Olympic Committee, and much, much more.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
You can play or download No Holds Barred on Podomatic and the Internet Archive. If one link does not work, please try another.
No Holds Barred is also available on these sites and apps:
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
No Holds Barred: Waiting for the Heavyweights, July 2021 Edition, on the WAAR Room with Chris Baldwin
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin on the WAAR Room on Angry Afro Radio. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
We spoke with her Monday, July 12.
It was yet another fiasco for boxing and its heavyweight division last week, as the postponement of a fight few wanted to see, the third meeting between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, was announced. There were, however, few details initially released about just why this fight had to be postponed from its July 24 date, although media reports indicated that it was because Fury and several members of his camp has tested positive for Covid-19. This was later publicly confirmed by Fury's co-promoter, Bob Arum, after we recorded this show.
We discussed the incredible stupidity and short-sightedness of these fighters not getting fully vaccinated and their promoters allowing this, what this means for this fight and the ever-shrinking possibility of a heavyweight title unification fight between Fury and Anthony Joshua, the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic and the vaccine rollouts, the possible need for booster shots, and much more.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
You can play or download No Holds Barred on Podomatic and the Internet Archive. If one link does not work, please try another.
No Holds Barred is also available on these sites and apps:
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
WAAR Room with DJ Tribal and Eddie Goldman: Fury-Joshua-Wilder Heavyweight Chaos, on No Holds Barred Patreon Page
On this special edition of the WAAR Room on Angry Afro Radio, DJ Tribal AKA Chris Baldwin and Eddie Goldman discussed the chaos in the heavyweight division involving Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder.
Just a day after Fury posted a video confirming that he had agreed to fight Joshua for the undisputed world heavyweight championship on August 14 in Saudi Arabia, news broke that appeared to prevent that fight from occurring, at least for now. An arbitrator ruled that a clause in the contract for Fury's last fight against Wilder, won by Fury in February 2020, mandating yet another match between these two, was indeed still valid. Fury and Wilder had also fought to a controversial split draw in December 2018 in a fight most observers felt Fury had won. Wilder had demanded the arbitration after a deal for a third fight between Fury and him had not been reached. Fury's co-promoter, Bob Arum, had told Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, that he was certain that his side would win in the arbitration hearing since they claimed that the rematch clause had expired, but the arbitrator ruled otherwise. As this was binding arbitration agreed upon by both sides, the only choices for Fury's side were to immediately arrange a third fight with Wilder, or to try to get him to accept step-aside money to allow the Fury-Joshua fight to proceed, something both Fury's and Wilder's camps said would not happen.
We discussed what this now means for the heavyweight division, what are the likeliest next fights for each fighter, how Hearn's apparent acceptance of Arum's assurances of what the arbitrator would rule sank the plans for the Fury-Joshua fight for this summer, and much more. We spoke on Thursday afternoon, May 20, 2021.
A subscription is required to listen this show, so subscribe today to support independent journalism on the No Holds Barred Patreon page.
The video of our discussion will also be posted on Angry Afro Radio.
On May 16, Tyson Fury posted a short video confirming that he has agreed to fight Anthony Joshua for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world on August 14 in Saudi Arabia. While some details remain to be finalized, it now appears that it is very likely that this fight will proceed and be officially announced shortly.
We discussed what this means for the heavyweight division, what could possibly go wrong with this fight, why undisputed world championships usually don't last long in boxing, some of the problems that may have been holding up the completion of these negotiations, political problems that may occur including opposition to this fight taking place in a country with such an abysmal human rights record, and much more.
In addition, we discussed the major fights that took place this weekend, including the significance of Brandon Figueroa's seventh-round knockout of Luis Nery in their super bantamweight title unification fight, the bizarre circumstances around the heavyweight "title" fight between Mahmoud "Manuel" Charr and Christopher Lovejoy, and much more.
A subscription is required to listen to the complete episode of this show, so subscribe today to support independent journalism on the No Holds Barred Patreon page.
The video of our discussion will also be posted on Angry Afro Radio.
(Photo of Nery vs. Figueroa by Sean Michael Ham/TGB Promotions. Screenshot of Tyson Fury from his social media video.)