Minnesota Fight Night

In this episode, the Minnesota Fight Night podcast previews the February 25 USA vs CANADA show in Wadena. Special guests are coach and former boxer Jeremy Umland and his sons, Matt and Adam. The younger Umlands are accomplished amateur boxers with a combined 160-plus fights. The Umlands talk about their boxing journey, upcoming events and more. Intro music: “Ali Shuffle,” by the Toler/Townsend Ban...

In this episode, the Minnesota Fight Night podcast visits with local boxer and musical artist Slink Proper. Slink, of St. Paul, boasts a perfect 7-0 record and is the reigning Mid American Super Welterweight champion. On March 10, at The Garden in Duluth, he will face off against hard-hitting Noah Kidd, who most recently boxed former world champion Sergio Martinez. Slink has been sparring with ano...

In this episode, we catch up with Tyler Nystrom and Alex Citrowske, who will face off in a 168-pound clash on the March 10 card at The Garden in Duluth. Nystrom, a military veteran who was stationed in Afghanistan, is making his pro debut. Citrowske is back in the ring after successful knee surgery. Most recently, Citrowske took on John Gotti III at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut (yes, he’s a gran...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, we catch up with Eddy Valenzuela, an outstanding local amateur boxer and engineering student at the University of St. Thomas. Valenzuela, who has won the lion’s share of his 60-plus amateur fights, boxes out of the Minnesota Top Team gym in Eagan. In the following interview, Valenzuela talks about how he got started in boxing, his decorated ama...

In this episode, local amateur boxers Kevin Greenlee and Jeff Bassett talk about how they got into boxing and what it’s like to compete in the masters’ division, amateur boxing’s answer to the senior golf circuit. Specifically, they discuss their upcoming rematch. The friendly rivals run it back this Saturday, Feb. 4, as part of a big amateur show at the Element Gym in St. Paul. Intro music: “Ali...

The Minnesota Fight Night podcast debuted in 2020 with special guest Jamal “Shango” James. Fittingly, as we kick off our fourth season, Minneapolis boxer James (27-2, 12 KOs) is back to talk about his Feb. 25 Showtime-televised fight at The Armory in Minneapolis. James, a former WBA welterweight champion, returns to the ring after a 16-month layoff. His opponent, a 2016 Olympic boxer, is Alberto P...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, we re-live the exciting Dec. 3 IGNITE Boxing card at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. The episode features post-fight interviews with the following boxers on the card: heavyweight Colton Warner (6-1), middleweight Gavin Hendrickson (2-0-1), middleweight Brandon Jenkins (1-0-1) and light heavyweight Corey Thompson (4-2). Intro music: “Ali Shuff...

Gavin Hendrickson and Brandon Jenkins join the podcast to preview their fight on the Dec. 3 IGNITE BOXING I card at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. Fans won’t want to miss this compelling middleweight matchup. Richfield resident Hendrickson (2-0, 2 KOs) boasts a strong amateur boxing background and an unbeaten record in the pro ranks. Jenkins (1-0, 1 KO), a former Minnesotan now residing in Las...

Super Lightweights Roman Cruz and Ryan Dew join the podcast to preview their fight on the Dec. 3 IGNITE BOXING I card at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. Cruz (0-1), of Grand Forks, North Dakota, returns to the Twin Cities for his second pro fight. Most recently, in April, he went toe-to-toe with Josh Clark, dropping a four-round majority decision. Dew, a U.S. military veteran who served in Afgha...

Heavyweights Dennys Reyes and Terrence Walker join the podcast to preview their fight on the Dec. 3 IGNITE boxing card at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. Expect fireworks, as both fighters are heavy-handed and are determined to put on a good show for the local fans. Reyes, a native of Cuba now fighting out of Minneapolis, will enter the ring with a 3-3 record as a pro. Walker (1-2) returns home...

Light heavyweights Corey Thompson and Robert Calvin preview their Dec. 3 fight on the IGNITE Boxing card at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. Minnesota boxer Thompson boasts a 4-1 record with 3 KOs. He faces a tough challenge in the person of Calvin, who is 2-0 as a pro with both wins coming by knockout. A native of Chicago, Calvin now makes his home in Davenport, Iowa. Intro music: “Ali Shuffle,”...

Super middleweights Ashkan Morvari and Jeremy Castro preview their Dec. 3 fight on the IGNITE Boxing card at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. Both fighters have boxing and MMA experience. Morvari, of Eagan, will try improve to 2-0 in the pro boxing ranks. Standing in his way is Castro, who will step through the ropes with a 3-3-1 record. Castro hails from Clinton, Iowa. Intro music: “Ali Shuffle,...

In separate interviews for this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night Podcast, Minnesota heavyweights Colton Warner (5-1, 3 KOs) and Tommy Matlon (3-1, 1 KO) preview their Dec. 3 fight in Minneapolis. The big guys headline an IGNITE Boxing card at the Hyatt Regency. The conversation with Warner also touches on what fight fans want to see (Crawford vs. Spence) and what they could do without (Fury vs...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, Sean Strauss and Brian Johnson discuss the Nov. 5 Showtime-televised card at The Armory. In the main event, Minneapolis boxer David Morrell Jr. stayed unbeaten and successfully defended his WBA “regular” super middleweight title with a 12th-round knockout of Aidos Yerbossynuly of Kazakhstan. Sadly, Yerbossynuly was hospitalized and placed in a...

A virtual press event featuring David Morrell Jr. and Aidos Yerbossynuly, who square off in the main event of the Nov. 5 Showtime PBC Boxing card at The Armory in Minneapolis. Showtime’s Brian Custer moderates the discussion. More episodes to come with interviews, insights and previews of future events. Intro music: “Ali Shuffle,” by the Toler/Townsend Band. Special thanks to Deb Toler. The full i...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, we recap the exciting Top Rank/Rapacz Boxing ESPN+ card in Hinckley. We’ll hear from a few of the fighters who boxed on that big card, including Cayman Audie, Jimmy “the Bull” Barnes, Antonio Mireles and Colton Warner. Intro music: “Ali Shuffle,” by the Toler/Townsend Band. Special thanks to Deb Toler. The full instrumental is available for pur...

Minnesota boxer Dennys Reyes returns to the podcast to talk about his fight on the July 23 Top Rank/Rapacz Boxing ESPN+ show in Hinckley. A native of Cuba, Reyes (3-2) faces highly regarded Top Rank prospect Antonio Mireles. It’s a tall order, as Mireles stands 6-9 and weighs 270. But Reyes has been training hard and he’s determined to pull off the upset. James Clark joins the conversation as Reye...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, Minnesota boxer Corey Thompson stops by to talk about his fight on the July 23 Top Rank/Rapacz Boxing ESPN+ card in Hinckley. He faces a tough challenge in the person of Dante Benjamin, a decorated amateur and highly touted Top Rank prospect. But as you will hear in this interview, Corey doesn’t lack confidence and he’s determined to pull off t...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, Cory Rapacz of Rapacz Boxing stops by to discuss the July 23 Top Rank/Rapacz Boxing ESPN+ card in Hinckley. In a wide-ranging interview, Rapacz talks about how he got into the boxing business, his love of Minnesota boxing in particular, and what it’s like to work with Top Rank, among other topics. Intro music: “Ali Shuffle,” by the Toler/Townse...

In this episode, Anthony Garrett joins the Minnesota Fight Night podcast to talk about his fight on the July 23 Top Rank/Rapacz Boxing ESPN+ card in Hinckley. Garrett, who hails from Kansas, takes on hard-hitting prospect Cayman Audie of Hinckley. This promises to be a fan-friendly heavyweight encounter. Garrett is no stranger to Minnesota. In April, he faced off against Colton Warner at Canterbur...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, Minnesota heavyweight Jimmy “The Bull” Barnes stops by to preview his fight on the July 23 Top Rank/Rapacz Boxing ESPN+ card in Hinckley. Barnes, 1-2 as a pro, takes on his friend and fellow Pine City native Colton Warner, 4-1, in a compelling battle of the big guys. A father of three, Barnes talks about his upcoming fight, his hectic work and...

Minnesota heavyweight Cayman Audie joins the Minnesota Fight Night podcast to talk about his burgeoning ring career and his fight on the July 23 Top Rank/Rapacz Boxing ESPN+ show in Hinckley. A native of Hinckley, Audie (1-1) faces a tough challenge in the person of Anthony Garrett. A newcomer to the sport, Audie won his pro debut by knockout. Most recently, he went toe-to-toe with Dennys Reyes. T...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, Minnesota heavyweight Colton Warner talks about his upcoming fight on the July 23 Top Rank/Rapacz Boxing ESPN+ fight at Grand Casino Hinckley. East Central Minnesota bragging rights will be on the line as, Warner, 4-1 with three knockouts, faces fellow Pine City native Jimmy Barnes in a battle of the big guys. Warner also offers his take on som...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, we catch up once again with Minnesota boxer Tony Woods, who's preparing for his July 23 boxing match at Grand Casino Hinckley. Woods, 10-0 with eight knockouts, is expected to be on the televised portion of the Top Rank Boxing/Rapacz Boxing event, which will be streamed live on ESPN+. Woods will face Darryl "Chiseled" Jones in a middleweight sh...

In this episode of the Minnesota Fight Night podcast, hosts Sean Strauss and Brian Johnson talk a little pro boxing, look ahead to upcoming events in Minnesota, and look back at “The Rogers Rumble Fight Show,” an amateur card and fundraiser at Strike Fitness in Rogers. Strike Fitness and Valhalla Combat Sports presented the June 18 event. After the boxing action, we caught up with Strike Fitness o...