NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with welterweight contenders Shawn Porter and Andre Berto, and WBC 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo and challenger Charles Hatley, who fight Saturday, April 22, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, on Showtime Championship Boxing, presented by Premier Boxing Champions. We spoke with these fighters on recent media conference calls.

We also discuss the plague of fake boxing news, especially in America, which seeks to favor the dying HBO boxing shows, disparage the growing Premier Boxing Champions series, and also spread propaganda aimed at promoting some fighters, explicitly or implicitly, as "great white hopes".

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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:

Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.

USA Combat Wrestling, the official U.S. governing body for combat wrestling and U.S. delegate of the International Combat Wrestling Federation (FICW), which was founded by the legendary wrestler Noriaki Kiguchi of Japan. For more information, go to CombatWrestling.us.

Labels: Andre Berto, boxing, Charles Hatley, Eddie Goldman, fake news, Jermell Charlo, No Holds Barred, PBC, Shawn Porter

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Chris Crossan of Legit Pro Wrestling.

Besides his involvement with wrestling and martial arts, Chris is a former boxer and closely follows the world of boxing. This week, he covered the press conference held Wednesday, April 27, in the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, for the July 9 rematch between world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and former champion Wladimir Klitschko, which will be held at the Manchester Arena as well. Fury won the heavyweight belts with an upset unanimous and lopsided decision over Klitschko on November 28, 2015, in Düsseldorf, Germany.

We spoke with Chris Crossan by Skype Thursday.

Fury defeated Klitschko and ended his 11-plus year unbeaten streak with an unconventional and sporadic attack. This seemed to confuse and even freeze Klitschko at times. In addition, in the buildup to that fight, Fury spewed a stream of bold, outrageous, and insulting barbs at Klitschko. Fury's buildup to the rematch seems to signal a continuation of that approach.

"The atmosphere was electric, and Tyson was on form. Yeah, he was out getting to Klitschko's head again, and I really think that he did, judging by Klitschko," he said.

"He even got Klitschko to swear, and he just seemed to be way ahead when it came to the psychological games, as always, just like I believe he was last time leading up to the bout."

We discussed some of the reasons why Klitschko seemed unable or unwilling to throw many right hands in his first fight with Fury; Fury's continuing antics, theatrics, and controversial comments; accusations by reporters at this press conference that the officials in Fury-Klitschko 1 in Germany tried to "cheat" in Klitschko's favor by padding the ring and other measures; the potential for unbeaten IBF champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua to dominate the heavyweight division; and much more.

We also will be posting a follow-up interview with Chris Crossan previewing the upcoming Legit Pro Wrestling 3 card on June 12 in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, in the U.K.

Plus, we open with commentary on Saturday's fights between Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz, James DeGale and Rogelio Medina, and Badou Jack and Lucian Bute.

(Photo of Fury-Klitschko 2 press conference by Chris Crossan.)

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

You can also listen to No Holds Barred via Stitcher through iOS or Android devices or on the web here.

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 free to listen to and is sponsored by:

The Frank Gotch World Catch Wrestling Tournament. On Sunday, July 3, 2016, catch wrestlers from all around the world will compete in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of the legendary world champion wrestler Frank Gotch. Organized by the Catch Wrestling Alliance and co-sponsored by IAWrestle, the Frank Gotch Statue Committee, and the Frank Gotch Kids Wrestling Club, the event will take place at Humboldt High School. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.

The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.

BJJ Eastern Europe, for the latest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu news, articles, interviews, competition calendar, European belt rankings, academy directory, and more. For more information, go to BJJEE.com.

The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.

Labels: Andre Berto, Badou Jack, boxing, Chris Crossan, Eddie Goldman, James DeGale, Lucian Bute, No Holds Barred, Rogelio Medina, Tyson Fury, Victor Ortiz, Wladimir Klitschko

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the April 30 fights between welterweights Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto, and light heavyweights Edwin Rodriguez and Thomas Williams Jr.

These fights take place this Saturday at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, and will be shown live in primetime in the U.S. in English on Fox and in Spanish on Fox Deportes.

Victor Ortiz (31-5-2, 24 KOs) and Andre Berto (30-4, 23 KOs) first met five years ago, on April 16, 2011, in a wild fight of the year that saw both met him the canvas twice over the 12 rounds of the bout. Although Ortiz was the underdog going into this fight, he won a unanimous decision victory as well as capturing Berto's WBC title and handing him his first pro loss.

Since then, both fighters have had their ups and downs, with Ortiz going 2-3 and Berto 3-3, with each man losing to Floyd Mayweather along the way. So this rematch, a 12-round welterweight bout, besides likely guaranteeing fireworks in the ring, is crucial for both fighters at this stage of their careers.

Light heavyweights Edwin Rodriguez (28-1, 19 KOs) and Thomas Williams Jr. (19-1, 13 KOs) are still both contenders and have each yet to win a world title belt. This fight, a ten-round affair, also promises to feature their knockout power and put them closer to that title shot, perhaps against WBC champ Adonis Stevenson.

We spoke with Victor Ortiz, Andre Berto, Edwin Rodriguez, and Thomas Williams Jr. on a media conference call Monday.

(Photos of Ortiz-Berto 1 by Cathlin Daley.)

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

You can also listen to No Holds Barred via Stitcher through iOS or Android devices or on the web here.

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 free to listen to and is sponsored by:

The Frank Gotch World Catch Wrestling Tournament. On Sunday, July 3, 2016, catch wrestlers from all around the world will compete in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of the legendary world champion wrestler Frank Gotch. Organized by the Catch Wrestling Alliance and co-sponsored by IAWrestle, the Frank Gotch Statue Committee, and the Frank Gotch Kids Wrestling Club, the event will take place at Humboldt High School. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.

The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.

BJJ Eastern Europe, for the latest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu news, articles, interviews, competition calendar, European belt rankings, academy directory, and more. For more information, go to BJJEE.com.

The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.

Labels: Andre Berto, boxing, Eddie Goldman, Edwin Rodriguez, No Holds Barred, Thomas Williams, Victor Ortiz

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Bellator MMA and American Top Team fighter King Mo Lawal.

He will be returning to action on Bellator MMA's Dynamite 1 card Saturday, September 19, in a four-man, one-night light heavyweight tournament to determine Bellator's number one contender in this division. His first-round opponent will be Linton Vassell. The other first-round fight has former Bellator champion Emanuel Newton taking on 2008 NCAA Div. I wrestling champion Phil Davis, who will be making his Bellator debut. This card, which is headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between unbeaten champion Liam McGeary and MMA legend Tito Ortiz, takes place at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, and will be telecast live in the U.S. on Spike and ESPN Deportes.

There will also be three Glory kickboxing fights on the main card, held in a ring near the Bellator cage. Saulo Cavalari will fight Zack Mwekassa for the vacant Glory light heavyweight belt. Also, Paul Daley will face Fernando Gonzalez, and Keri Anne Taylor-Melendez will fight Hadley Griffith.

We spoke with King Mo Lawal by phone Monday.

"I know it's going to be tough," he said, noting that there will be at least 30 minutes in-between the first-round fights and the tournament finals. The first fight is scheduled for just two rounds, so he said it will be more or less "a sprint." As for the second fight, it could be more like "a quick 200-meter dash" or "a 400-meter run." In either case, he expects to be "taxing."

As for his first-round opponent, he said, "Linton Vassell is a big guy, long. He's a solid grappler. He's pretty well-rounded. His standup is unorthodox," which he said is effective.

Besides Vassell's standup, he said, "He's a submission guy. So my thing is, just go out there and fight him and keep him guessing."

We also discussed this past Saturday's Floyd Mayweather-Andre Berto fight, billed as the final one of Mayweather's career, in which he easily outpointed Berto. We analyzed what Berto did wrong in this fight, and how it once again displayed Mayweather's defensive and offensive talents.

Plus, we discussed how unlike most pay-per-views the Mayweather-Berto undercard had three memorable fights, the future of boxing's welterweight division with Mayweather's sooner or later retirement, the PBC boxing series on "free TV," and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

You can also listen to No Holds Barred via Stitcher through iOS or Android devices or on the web, at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/no-holds-barred-with-eddie-goldman.

The PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free 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 free to listen to and is sponsored by:

MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City December 12 and 13, 2015, for the sixth annual MMA World Expo, featuring two days of the Renzo Gracie Open 2015 no-gi and gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13, 2015, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Gracie Tournaments, featuring regional, national, and world competitions in submission-only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For more information, go to GracieWorlds.com.

Labels: Andre Berto, Bellator MMA Dynamite, boxing, Eddie Goldman, Floyd Mayweather, King Mo Lawal, No Holds Barred, PBC

(Photo of Mayweather and Berto, Esther Lin/Showtime. Photo of Zerafa on stretcher, Suzanne Teresa/Premier Boxing Champions.)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses Floyd Mayweather's unanimous decision victory over Andre Berto on September 12, which upped his record to 49-0 with 26 knockouts, and which Mayweather said is the final fight of his career. Among the topics are the brilliance of Mayweather's defense while still landing a significant amount of punches, the controversy over his stylish technique which some fans brand as "boring", how different cultures view aesthetics and technique in boxing, American culture and vulgarity, what constitutes an exciting fight, how Mayweather has been an artist in the ring, why many people dislike him, why he wants to retire for good from boxing without suffering permanent brain damage, and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

You can also listen to No Holds Barred via Stitcher through iOS or Android devices or on the web, at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/no-holds-barred-with-eddie-goldman.

The PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free 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 free to listen to and is sponsored by:

MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City December 12 and 13, 2015, for the sixth annual MMA World Expo, featuring two days of the Renzo Gracie Open 2015 no-gi and gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13, 2015, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Gracie Tournaments, featuring regional, national, and world competitions in submission-only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For more information, go to GracieWorlds.com.

Labels: 49-0, Andre Berto, boxing, Eddie Goldman, Floyd Mayweather, No Holds Barred

(McDonnell-Kameda photo from Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions, Mayweather-Berto photo from Esther Lin/Showtime)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with boxers Badou Jack, George Groves, Peter Quillin, and Michael Zerafa, discusses this past Sunday's PBC on CBS show, and explains why the haters of the upcoming September 12 Mayweather-Berto card are wrong, wrong, wrong.

On that September 12 card, a co-feature will have WBC super middleweight champ Badou Jack (19-1-1, 12 KOs), originally from Sweden, in the first defense of his belt against British challenger George Groves (21-2, 16 KOs). This will be shown in the U.S. on Showtime pay-per-view and in the U.K. on BoxNation, as well in many other countries and in some movie theaters, and take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

On a PBC on NBC free-to-air show on the afternoon of September 12, Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin (31-0-1, 22 KOs), now based in Brooklyn, takes on Michael Zerafa (17-1, 9 KOs) of Australia in a ten-round middleweight fight. This fight is basically a stay-busy bout for Quillin, as a fight with WBA middleweight champ Danny Jacobs, also of Brooklyn, is tentatively planned for later this year. Also on that card, IBF super welterweight champion Cornelius "K-9" Bundrage (34-5, 19 KOs) of Detroit will defend his title against the undefeated Jermall Charlo (21-0, 16 KOs) of Houston. This card takes place at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, in the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

We spoke with Badou Jack, George Groves, Peter Quillin, and Michael Zerafa on recent media conference calls.

This past Sunday, September 6, the PBC on CBS show featured a main event where Anthony Dirrell (28-1-1, 22 KOs) of Flint, Michigan, shut out veteran Marco Antonio Rubio (59-8-1, 51 KOs) of Mexico over ten rounds. The co-feature, which was actually a better and more important fight, had WBA bantamweight champ Jamie McDonnell (27-2, 12 KOs) of the U.K. win a clear but somewhat controversial unanimous decision over Tomoki Kameda (31-2, 19 KOs), originally from Japan and now based in Mexico. This card took place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

We discuss this PBC on CBS card, analyze the rankings of the fighters on the September 12 Mayweather-Berto pay-per-view undercard, reiterate why the Mayweather-Berto fight and the accompanying fights should be interesting and worthwhile to watch, analyze the culture of negativity in boxing, and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

You can also listen to No Holds Barred via Stitcher through iOS or Android devices or on the web, at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/no-holds-barred-with-eddie-goldman.

The PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free 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 free to listen to and is sponsored by:

American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Gracie Tournaments, featuring regional, national, and world competitions in submission-only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For more information, go to GracieWorlds.com.

Labels: Andre Berto, Badou Jack, boxing, Eddie Goldman, Floyd Mayweather, George Groves, Michael Zerafa, No Holds Barred, Peter Quillin

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents a commentary on why the September 12 fight between Floyd Mayweather and Andre Berto, contrary to the prevailing opinions of many who scribble about boxing, should be splendid.

This fight is being described as the final one in the career of the 38-year-old unbeaten Mayweather, who holds WBA and WBC welterweight belts. With a record of 48-0 and 26 KOs, Mayweather will be trying to tie the historic 49-0 record of heavyweight icon Rocky Marciano.

Mayweather's opponent, the 31-year-old Andre Berto (30-3, 23 KOs), is a former WBC and IBF welterweight champ, and now holds what is called the WBA interim welterweight title, for what that is worth. He has won his last two fights, although he is just 3-3 in his last six, including losses to Victor Ortiz and Robert Guerrero, both of whom Mayweaher has defeated.

This fight will take place Saturday, September 12, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will be shown live in the U.S. on a Showtime pay-per-view, and also around the world on various networks.

In analyzing this fight and why it will exceed the expectations of many, a key factor is the likelihood of an exciting matchup of styles between Mayweather and the usually aggressive Berto, who will no doubt be highly motivated to display his best skills.

Also considered is why choosing other possible opponents for Mayweather does not make sense given the prevailing business structure in place in boxing. Some potential opponents like Keith Thurman, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, and Danny Garcia also have Al Haymon as their manager/advisor as does Mayweather, but are all apparently in future plans when Mayweather retires and relinquishes his belts. Others, like Tim Bradley or Canelo Alvarez, whom Mayweather has already defeated, are under exclusive contracts to promoters who are suing Haymon in regards to his Premier Boxing Champions venture, which is not exactly a good way to get into his good graces to be part of what should be another lucrative Mayweather fight. They also have exclusive contracts with HBO, which of course is the premium network rival of Showtime, which has an exclusive contract with Mayweather. These networks have only worked together on mega-fights like Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson in 2002, and Mayweather-Pacquiao earlier this year.

In addition, also discussed are the relative popularity and drawing power of Berto compared to other possible opponents for Mayweather, the possibility of a crowd-pleasing knockout to cap off Mayweather's career, the relative lack of Black fighters who have been opponents of Mayweather over his career, and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

You can also listen to No Holds Barred via Stitcher through iOS or Android devices or on the web, at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/no-holds-barred-with-eddie-goldman.

The PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free 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 free to listen to and is sponsored by:

American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Labels: Andre Berto, boxing, Eddie Goldman, Floyd Mayweather, No Holds Barred

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the Andre Berto-Josesito Lopez welterweight fight and speaks with both fighters about what to expect in their March 13 showdown.

In what is considered a crucial fight in the careers of both men, Andre Berto (29-3, 22 KOs) will face Josesito Lopez (33-6, 19 KOs) on the debut Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) show on Spike TV. This takes place Friday, March 13, at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California. The co-feature will have Shawn Porter (24-1-1, 15 KOs) facing Roberto Garcia (36-3, 23 KOs).

We spoke with both Andre Berto and Josesito Lopez on Monday's media conference call. We also comment on the reception of the PBC's telecasts, how it may plan to recoup the investments made through the various time buys on several TV networks, why PBC is attempting to reduce the usual sleaziness associated with boxing in order to succeed on free TV, and more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Al Haymon, Andre Berto, Eddie Goldman, Josesito Lopez, No Holds Barred, PBC, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman comments on the WWE-like "bad blood" angle used to promote the Jon Jones-Daniel Cormier fight; contrasts it with how Floyd Mayweather deconstructed the attempt to promote his 2006 fight with Zab Judah under the name "Sworn Enemies"; compares it to the actions of boxers including Andre Berto and Pete Quillin with their December 12 "Black Out Boxing - A Rally for Justice" in Las Vegas; discusses the need for the fighters involved in the class-action lawsuit against Zuffa/UFC to enlist support from athletes in other sports as well as workers, unions, and the public; and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Andre Berto, bad blood, Black Out Boxing, Daniel Cormier, Eddie Goldman, Floyd Mayweather, Jon Jones, MMA, No Holds Barred, UFC, Zab Judah

Labels: Andre Berto, boxing, Eddie Goldman, No Holds Barred, Victor Ortiz

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by outlining the history leading up to the present logjam in boxing's storied light heavyweight division. While IBF light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson remained unbeaten this past Saturday night, May 9, by winning a unanimous decision in his rematch with Antonio Tarver, his performance failed to win many accolades or lay the groundwork for a fight with other top light heavyweights such as Bernard Hopkins or Glen Johnson. Once again, boxing's politics have driven this division into the quicksand.

On May 30, one of the rising stars of the welterweight division, 25-year-old WBC champion Andre Berto (24-0, 19 KOs), will defend his belt against the 28-year-old reigning IBF junior welterweight champion, Juan Urango (21-1-1, 16 KOs). This fight will take place in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and be shown live in the U.S. on HBO.

At a recent prefight news conference at the new Yankee Stadium, we had a chance to discuss this fight with Andre Berto, Juan Urango, and Urango's trainer, Evangelista Cotto. You can hear that all right here on No Holds Barred.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by Ian Carpenter.

Make sure to visit the official boxing forum for No Holds Barred, the MySpace Boxing Forum.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Wrestling 411, providing coverage of the sport of wrestling on TV, the Internet, and radio. Wrestling 411 is produced by Media Sports Productions, whose sole mission is the marketing and promotion of the sport of wrestling.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Fair Deal for Atlantic City Dealers, a campaign organized by an alliance of casino workers and unions in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to fight for justice in the gaming industry and achieve a fair deal for all casino workers.

Labels: Andre Berto, Antonio Tarver, Bernard Hopkins, boxing, Chad Dawson, Eddie Goldman, Evangelista Cotto, Glen Johnson, HBO, Joe Calzaghe, Juan Urango, light heavyweight, No Holds Barred, Tavoris Cloud

SecondsOut Radio with Eddie Goldman

On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the WBC welterweight champion, Andre Berto (23-0, 19 KOs). He will be facing what could be the toughest test of his young career, as he fights the former WBA welterweight champion, Luis Collazo (29-3, 14 KOs), Saturday, January 17, at the Beau Rivage Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. This fight will be televised in the U.S. on HBO.

In a lengthy interview, we discussed what to expect in this fight, how Andre plans to deal with his more experienced southpaw foe, how it was growing up in a family where participation in the combat sports was the norm, what his plans for the future are, his response to some criticisms directed his way, and more.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

Labels: Al Haymon, Andre Berto, Biloxi, boxing, Eddie Goldman, HBO, Lou DiBella, Luis Collazo, Mississippi, SecondsOut Radio

SecondsOut Radio with Eddie Goldman

On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on the many challenges and problems faced by Olympic boxing. The boxing competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games started August 9, and runs to August 20, and then resumes August 22-24, with the finals on August 23 and 24.

This past Wednesday, August 6, Broadway Boxing, the local New York fight series put on by promoter Lou DiBella, returned with a card at the B.B. King Blues Club in Times Square in Manhattan. A mix of veterans and newcomers fought on this show.

The main event saw former junior welterweight champion Randall Bailey (37-6, 34 KOs) stop journeyman Dairo Esalas (31-14, 25 KOs) in just 46 seconds of the first round.

We spoke with Randall Bailey after this fight to discuss it and what his plans are.

We also spoke with WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (22-0, 19 KOs), who was attending this card. He won his title June 21, 2008, by dominating Miki Rodriguez (29-3, 23 KOs) and scoring a seventh-round TKO. His first defense will be against veteran Steve Forbes (33-6, 9 KOs) September 27, in Los Angeles, California.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

Labels: 2008 Summer Olympics, Andre Berto, Beijing, boxing, Broadway Boxing, Eddie Goldman, Lou DiBella, No Holds Barred, Olympic Games, Olympics, Randall Bailey

SecondsOut Radio with Eddie Goldman

On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman reviews some of the major fights held this past weekend, and previews this coming Saturday's fight between Manny Pacquiao and David Diaz.

We begin by particularly focusing upon the long-awaited rematch between IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (27-0, 22 KOs) and Edison Miranda (30-3, 26 KOs), held at a catch-weight of 166 pounds Saturday, June 21, in Hollywood, Florida, and shown in the U.S. on Showtime. While Abraham won their first bout, held in September 2006 in Germany, by unanimous decision amidst great controversy, this time he left no doubt as to the verdict by knocking down Miranda three times in the fourth round and stopping him for a TKO victory.

We also discuss the bout featured on HBO this same night, where 24-year-old Andre Berto (22-0, 19 KOs) picked up the vacant WBC welterweight title, last held by the now-retired Floyd Mayweather Jr., by stopping an overmatched Miguel "Miki" Rodriguez (29-3, 23 KOs) in the seventh round.

This coming Saturday, June 28, one of boxing's international icons, Manny Pacquiao (46-3-2, 35 KOs), moves up in weight to lightweight to challenge the WBC titleholder, David Diaz (34-1-1, 178 KOs). This fight will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, and shown in the U.S. on HBO pay-per-view.

After reviewing the records of both fighters, we hear the responses of both Manny Pacquiao and David Diaz to questions we asked of them on their media conference calls this past week.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

Labels: Andre Berto, Arthur Abraham, boxing, David Diaz, Eddie Goldman, Edison Miranda, Floyd Mayweather, HBO Showtime, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Miki Rodriguez, pay-per-view, SecondsOut Radio

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, the second this week, host Eddie Goldman speaks with some of the most important people in mixed martial arts and boxing.

We begin by previewing the middleweight world championship fight between the undefeated, legitimate champion, Jermain Taylor (27-0-1, 17 KOs), and the undefeated top challenger, Kelly Pavlik (31-0, 28 KOs). They will fight this Saturday, September 29, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and live in the US on HBO.

We spoke with both Jermain Taylor and Kelly Pavlik at the final prefight news conference Wednesday in New York. We also spoke with the undefeated 24-year-old rising star Andre Berto (19-0, 16 KOs), who faces veteran David Estrada (21-3, 12 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight fight in the co-feature.

We next go to a lengthy discussion with mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Renzo Gracie. The team in the International Fight League (IFL) he coaches, the New York Pitbulls, just completed an undefeated season and captured the 2007 world team championships September 20. We discuss this event with Renzo as well as his plans for the Pitbulls, how he sees the IFL developing, and whether he wants to fight in mixed martial arts again.

We also had a chance to speak with Kurt Otto, the co-founder and commissioner of the IFL. This week it was announced that MyNetworkTV will present a live broadcast of the IFL World Grand Prix semi-finals from the Sears Centre, near Chicago, on Saturday, November 3, at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT. This is the first time a mixed martial arts fight will be carried live in prime time on American broadcast television. We spoke with Kurt Otto about this new development and about what else we can expect from the IFL in the coming months and in the 2008 season.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here or here and just press the play button on the player.

You can also listen to it through this blog and my MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

If you want to leave a comment on the show, you can do so at on this blog.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. You can also catch IFL Battleground on MyNetworkTV. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: Andre Berto, boxing, Eddie Goldman, IFL, International Fight League, Jermain Taylor, jiu-jitsu, Kelly Pavlik, Kurt Otto, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Renzo Gracie, UFC, ultimate fighting