THE BOXING SHOW

THOUGH it appeared that Francis Ngannou had thrown a spanner the size of Saudi Arabia into the works on Saturday night, we've been reliably informed that Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will fight early next year. We delve deeper into the aftershock of Fury-Ngannou, the performances of both fighters, the reasons behind those performances, what they mean for Usyk's chances and speculate on the Africa...

IN a special reaction podcast, Alex Steedman and Matt Christie share their genuine astonishment after Francis Ngannou almost beat Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia. How on earth did that happen? Strap yourselves in for 40 minutes of chat between two boxing experts who clearly know nothing whatsoever about boxing. Please rate, review and subscribe. We appreciate your time, attention and support! Happy Sun...

FEAR not, we’re not about to insult your intelligence and make a case for Francis Ngannou to do the literal impossible when he takes on Tyson Fury. But this whole affair does raise some very interesting questions that we attempt to answer. Those questions begin with the British Boxing Board of Control’s involvement with the show - particularly with the ongoing Conor Benn saga taking a new twist in...

WHAT happens on a press day when the cover story - Buatsi v Azeez - is cancelled mere hours before deadline? Does Showtime’s exit from boxing speak of a wider problem? And how are we supposed to react to news that Conor Benn v Chris Eubank Jr is all but a done deal? Alongside attempting to answer those questions we examine the middleweight landscape following Qazak Style’s latest destruction job a...

LEIGH WOOD produced another sensational finish to break the heart of Josh Warrington after a stirring battle that exceeded our high expectations. The sudden finish and its implications are discussed alongside the performance of the referee and the potential futures of both fighters. So too the beauty of the 50/50 domestic showdown. We look ahead to the weekend’s action and go back to 1967 as we te...

JUST when we least expected it and long after we’d grown weary from even hoping for it, it was confirmed last week that Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will at last do battle. There’s one or two things to resolve, however. Canelo Alvarez made easy work of Jermell Charlo. What comes next for the Mexican superstar as he plots the final stages of his career? We also look ahead to a terrific British sho...

WE start this week with a Big Bang and a review of Joe Joyce being knocked out by Zhilei Zhang. Then it’s onto the events in Florida, which hosted Sandy Ryan-Jessica McCaskill and Conor Benn’s comeback, a preview of Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo before we close with a step back in time to Kelly Pavlik’s thrilling victory over Jermain Taylor. Through all of that we attempt to answer the following q...

THE comeback of Conor Benn was a possibility when the recording of this podcast began and became a reality midway through. Thomas Hauser’s latest study into performance-enhancing drugs is also discussed, alongside Joe Joyce’s impending - and fascinating - rematch with Zhihei Zhang. We look back on the latest performance of Luis Alberto Lopez, too. And there’s the classic that never was in This Wee...

CANELO ALVAREZ doesn’t seem keen on a clash with Terence Crawford and who can blame him. Though this would be a ginormous event, it might also be the worst idea in the world for the Mexican superstar. This was supposed to be the year of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder. But instead it’s the year of Fury vs Francis Ngannou. We examine the reasons why the heavyweight...

CHRIS EUBANK JR breathed new life into his eventful career when he stopped Liam Smith in their rematch in Manchester, in the same arena where Smith stopped Eubank just eight months ago. The performance from Eubank was hard to fault, there was new patience and intelligence mixed with spite. But the below-par showing of Smith is also worthy of investigation. We look at the position of VADA in Britis...

IN a special episode of The Opening Bell, Victor Conte discusses the issue of performance-enhancing drugs in detail. Once notorious for his part in the BALCO scandal which involved several high-profile athletes, Conte is now campaigning for a clean sport and is arguably the most knowledgable figure in boxing on the subject of PEDs. Conte highlights the extent of PED use in boxing today, explains h...

OLEKSANDR USYK defeated Daniel Dubois in nine rounds, a result that most expected. But there was a moment in the fifth round that has stolen all the headlines. In this special reaction podcast, we ask the question: Was the punch that felled Usyk a legal one. Better still, we attempt to answer it…Please rate, review and tell the world about our little podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

TRAINER extraordinaire Joe Gallagher is on hand to cast his eye over the world of boxing. Alongside Alex Steedman, Joe discusses the issue of drugs in boxing, examines the progress of Anthony Joshua and predicts the outcome of Oleksandr Usyk-Daniel Dubois. There’s also an update on Gallagher’s own stable of fighters, the highs and lows of being a trainer and a trip back in time to when Mark Brelan...

ELEVEN years ago, Anthony Joshua won gold at the London Olympics. Since then, he’s won multiple world belts and sold out several stadium events. And on Saturday night, he scored one of the most spectacular KOs of his career. Yet he faces criticism again. Why? We examine that latest performance, his status and the expectations, in an effort to predict what might follow, particularly with Deontay Wi...

ONE week on from the euphoric exploits of Inoue and Crawford, a high profile failed test threatens to plunge boxing back into dark waters. But should it? We examine the implications of Dillian Whyte’s latest ‘adverse finding’ and the credentials of Robert Helenius as a late notice opponent for Anthony Joshua. And in a lighter section of the show, we venture back to a time when Acelino Freitas was...

LAST Saturday, Terence Crawford capped a sublime week for boxing when he trounced Errol Spence with such aplomb it was impossible not to be wowed. Is he now on course to be regarded alongside the Robinsons, Leonards and Mayweathers? And is there anyone out there today who can beat him? We also examine the news, including the latest Conor Benn headlines and the potential implications his case may h...

Boxing's finest feature this week as we preview the long awaited Terence Crawford against Errol Spence fight, including Declan Warrington's interview with Spence and Elliot Worsell with the latest from Las Vegas. And we revel in and reflect upon another destructive performance by Naoya Inoue who stopped previously unbeaten Stephen Fulton to become a four-weight belt-holder. Is The Monster already...

A TRULY sumptuous contest is only days away, one that has all the ingredients to be a classic and a spectacle not to be missed. But who wins when Stephen Fulton and Naoya Inoue go to battle? Alongside a deep dive into that contest we examine the performances of Josh Kelly and Andy Cruz, and round up the latest news, including the latest developments with Conor Benn. This Week In History is a good...

ANTHONY JOSHUA is the guest on this week’s Opening Bell. He discusses his upcoming rematch with Dillian Whyte, his evolving approach to boxing alongside new coach Derrick James and pinpoints what went wrong under Robert McCracken. Alex Steedman and Matt Christie further examine that Whyte sequel, discuss Oleksandr Usyk’s August 26 date with Daniel Dubois and react to the news that Tyson Fury will...

FOLLOWING a weekend when Savannah Marshall and Natasha Jonas added new belts to their collections, and Jared Anderson overcame a test of sorts to move forward, we take a journey back in time. Alongside the usual action analysis (like Dalton Smith’s return to explosive form) and previews, we attempt to imagine what life was like in 1919 when Jack Dempsey ravaged Jess Willard in a contest that’s bar...

CONOR BENN has got some new evidence, Canelo Alvarez has got a new promoter and Tyson Fury is preparing to make a new announcement. Elsewhere, Savannah Marshall is preparing to take on an old opponent and Dalton Smith is hoping to reclaim his old form. And, in This Week, we go back to the night when Roberto Duran damn near thumped Ken Buchanan’s right ball into orbit. Please rate, review and follo...

IT’S the fight that just won’t go away despite it generating an awful stink whenever it’s mentioned. So why are Matchroom, one of the world’s leading promotional groups, still so keen to make Conor Benn vs Chris Eubank Jnr? We also look at the place of sanctioning bodies in the current landscape, a hot and sweaty night for Frazer Clarke and a barely lukewarm effort from Regis Prograis. And in This...

THIS week’s episode in the proverbial nutshell: The brilliance of Teofimo Lopez; the future of Josh Taylor; an unexpected contender for Fight of the Year; why it’s important to get the full story; a world without sanctioning bodies and one of the most chilling KOs in history. Please rate, review and follow! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

THERE’S another terrific scrap on the horizon as Josh Taylor defends his world super-lightweight title against Teofimo Lopez at the Mecca of boxing, Madison Square Garden in New York. Both have a lot to prove. We ask the key questions, attempt to answer them, and reveal our picks for the fight. Daniel Kinahan won’t go away it seems. Or will he? We update on the current situation. Finally, two of m...

THIS week we go behind the scenes of Chris Billam-Smith’s victory over Lawrence Okolie, reflect on Leigh Wood levelling the score with Mauricio Lara and wonder if Michael Conlan will ever be the same again. We reveal the Board’s reasoning for allowing the Wood fight to go ahead even though Lara missed weight, and ask questions along the way that some may prefer to ignore. This Week In History focu...