February 2, 2024 • 41 mins
Joining Mannix this week is Eddie Hearn. Mannix and Hearn discuss Jaime Munguia’s win over John Ryder, if Munguia should be a serious contender for Canelo, Conor Benn’s return this weekend, DAZN’s future and more; later (6:18), Benn sits down with Mannix to talk (another) U.S. fight, his ongoing battles with the British board, who he wants to fight in ’24, more (29:01). #Volume #Herd
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume.
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(01:31):
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Speaker 1 (01:51):
Here's Chris Mannex.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
This is Boxing with Chris Mannix, part of the Volume
Sports podcast Network. Want to welcome in everybody that is
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Make sure you get this podcast in your feed every
single week. You may also get multiple podcasts if you
(02:15):
saw or listen to the pod Early this week with
Corey Erbman, where we talked about him Mugie's win over
John Ryder, the state of the super middleweight division. That's
something I'm going to try to do a lot more
of because I want to react to big events on
Saturday in a little bit more of a timely manner.
(02:37):
Whenever it's necessary. This main pod usually comes out towards
the end of the week. I'm gonna start trying to
do more pods early in the week that react to
something big that happens over the weekend. There may even
be rapid fire pods that come out right after a
big event, So make sure you subscribe. It's a long
way of saying that, so you don't miss any of
those episodes. This main pod this week is a great
(03:00):
Eddie Hearn Mattchroom Boxing mattch Room Boxing USA. He is
promoting an event in Las Vegas headlined by Connor Ben
going up against Peter Dobson. I talked to Eddie about
the Himaimungia John Ryder fight, the future of John Ryder,
why he thinks that Jimi Mungia is a great candidate
to face Canela Walvrez. We also talk about Edgar Berlanga,
(03:21):
a bunch of other topics, about the matchroom universe that
I get into with Eddie Heart. A little bit later,
Connor Ben he joins me from Vegas to talk about well,
why he's fighting in Vegas. If you remember Connor Ben
after he won that fight back in September, was pretty
adamant he won his next fight to be in the UK.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
It is not.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
It is in Las Vegas. It is against Peter Dobson.
And look, everybody wants to fight in Vegas, but I'm
sure Connor Ben wants to fight in the UK. So
we talked to Connor about why that is not happening.
We talked to him about why he thinks, sir, if
he's optimistic, I guess that a big fight in the
UK can happen later this year. And you know, look
(04:03):
at the landscape, the big names at one forty four,
Who does Connor Ben want to fight next. That's what
I want to get into with Connor Ben later in
the show. As always, subscribe, rate review this podcast on
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you download podcasts. Also fire away Questions.
Something else I've been kicking around is doing mailbag podcasts
(04:26):
right to take some of your questions that come in
on social media. You can also leave questions on the
review page on Apple Podcasts. I'll be scanning that from
time to time, so fire off those questions. We'll do
mailbag podcasts periodically over the next couple of weeks and months,
so stick around. Without further ado, here's my conversation with
Eddie Hearn. All right, Eddie Hearn is here. Mattroom Boxing
(04:51):
got to show this weekend in Las Vegas Connor Ben
against Peter Dobson. That's a fight that you can watch
in the US in the afternoon, UK in prime time
live on to own. And Eddie, I just saw you
in Arizona this past weekend. I was thinking about this.
You and I did a sit down with Oscar de
la Hoya. You and Oscar going back and forth, you know,
(05:13):
talking how much money you had and how much little
money I have, and you know, it was a pretty
civil conversation. I thought it was constructive. And then like
a day later, I'm on boxing scene and I'm reading
like a headline like De la Hoya says Hearn doesn't
have the stable to do five on five matchups, So
it feels like all the good vibes were limited just
(05:36):
for that room. I was kind of disappointed.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yeah, I think that.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
You know, it was when I was crazying Oscar and
talking about the Zone and Mattam v. Golden Boy at
the press conference. Obviously I couldn't see him behind me
when I was speaking, but when I watched it back,
he didn't really look at keen on me speaking or
actually on the concept. And he said a lot of
great things last week, but couldn't avoid a few jabs
(06:02):
and digs.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
But that's all right.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
I don't mine. It's not going to stop me trying
to make fights. But yeah, hopefully his actions are as
genuine as his words. We'll see over the next few months.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
No doubt you made an entertaining one last weekend him
and McGhee against John Ryder. Let me ask you, first
tough loss for John Ryder, how is he doing now?
And look, he was pretty public that if he couldn't
get a win in a fight like this, he was
probably gonna walk away. Have you talked to him at
all about what his future might be.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
A little bit after the fight, You know, I think
he says he's gonna ever think about it this week.
You know, he wants to operate at the top level.
And he's had a great run. You know, he beat
Daniel Jacobs, he beat Zach Parker, lost to Canelo in
front of seventy thousands, lost to mang Gear, made a
lot of money in the process. And you know, he's
I say, he's overperformed from where you know, he first started.
(06:51):
But at the same time, you know, there's arguments that
he could have won the fight with Callum Smith, become
a world champion, could have got the decision against Billy Joe,
and you know, so he's really the Ernie stripes. Mungea
was very impressive. I think he's a great asset to boxing.
I think he's very exciting, but was too good for
John on the night. You know, I think John maybe
(07:12):
his punch resistance isn't quite what it was, but still
took some great shots and take nothing away from Mungear.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I thought he was outstanding. And you know it's a
really good fight.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah. And I don't know that you were all that
impressed with Mungia coming into the fight, but I think
you left that experience more impressed. I mean, just briefly
talking to you in the ring right afterwards, I think
you were pretty pretty.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Sold on him.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
I mean, I think, you know, the reason that I
wasn't sold is because he's forty two and zero and
his best wins Liam Smith at one fifty four and
Derevnchenko at one sixty. Really, who you know is a
faded fighter, So you start to think is it all hirh?
You know, he's never really fought anyone, and then steps
up and really does a great job on John Ryder,
which shows me this guy is for real. I think
(08:00):
a lot of the stuff that I thought John would
be effected at he wasn't able to be. You know,
he wasn't as as productive on the inside because Mungea
was very strong on the inside.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
His output.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
We knew he's excellent and it was again got a
great chin, and I think he's going to be in
great fights. I mean, I think that there's no skin
in the game for me. With Canelo against Mungea. I'd
like to see it. I think it's a great fight,
two Mexicans, all action, and if I'm Canelo Alvarez, I'm
liking that fight. But at least you've got a young, ambitious,
(08:32):
all action fighter that's going to really bring the fight
to Canelo. Alvarez, and I, for one, would love to
see it, But I also want to see Mungear against
Blanga and I think that's a great interim fight if
you like to decide who's going to get that that
Canelo Aluriz fight.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
On the subject of Canlo, though, do you outside of
David Benavidez, who I think we'd all agree is the
most qualified guy to fight Canelo, did that win by
Mungea in your mind push him to the top of
the list. Like you said, you have no skin in
the game when it comes to that particular matchup, but.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Think that I look at it and say, let's be honest,
who wants to see Canelo against Charlie like theirs? The
fight with the brother was dead, you know, he hasn't
bopped for two years. But I just like, what would
you rather see that? Or a Mungia fight? Like a
(09:26):
Mungia fight is just absolute all action, you know. If
I'm promoting, I want to make the Mungia fight two
Mexicans going at it, And I think I think his
years should look like Mungia and Benavidez, you know so,
And I think it might end up looking like Charlo
against Crawford and sorry Charlie and Crawford.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
You know, so, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
I think Mungea has got to stay in those big fights, honestly,
Like if if Blanga beats McCrory, I think the Zone
and matrim and Golden Boy have got to be saying
mungear against Blanga MSG San Diego wherever you what.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
It's massive fight and it's so much fun that fight
as well.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I'm all in, do you have any insight into what's
going on with Canelo these days? Because I think a
lot of people have seen the Amazon deal and wondered
how that impacts the top guys involved with PBC. Right now,
they've just announced a fight involving Keith Thurman and Tim Zuo.
(10:27):
But Canelo's out there and you know as well as anyone,
there are big guarantees that come with a Canelo Alvarez contract.
Do you have any insight into where that relationship stands?
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Not really no, I mean, look from in the Canelo business,
you have to be willing to put a sizeable guarantee down,
of which you're always playing roulette with. Quite honestly, you
always want that guarantee to come from somebody else and
in a normal capacity it will come from the broadcaster.
(10:59):
But sometimes a broadcast deal won't include a guarantee. It
will just include a revenue share, which is what I understand.
The Amazon deal is so all of a sudden. If
you have a sizeable guarantee with Canelo Alvarez and you're
on a revenue share of a platform that's not done
pay per view boxing before, it's squeaky bum time, you know,
and you've got to have deep pockets to say, look,
(11:21):
if it doesn't work, you know, we're going to be
losing a lot of money here. So Canelo's in a
sweet spot, you know, he always is. He always makes
sure he's looked after, and he's a clever businessman with
a good team of people around him.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
He don't care.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
He don't care if it's on Amazon to Zone, Disney Channel.
He just gets you guarantee and quite right too, so
you know he'll be chilled waiting for his news and
he'll fight anybody. And obviously, as always the fighter, not
necessarily fighter, but the team and Eddie and you know
the people around him will want the easiest fight possible
for the most amount of money.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
So how the game works and.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
You know, the promoter will want the hardest fight possible,
or certainly the fight that's going to deliver the biggest
numbers to box off that guarantee, and if that's me,
I'm making him in mungeir in mate or benefitas.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Well, we've got a pretty sizable American audience, Eddi, and
I'm sure a lot of them are going to be
wondering what squeaky bum time is often used over the
case nor use the UK. The super middleweight division has
gotten pretty hot in the last couple of weeks where
it's been one good performance after another. Christian mcbiley great
(12:32):
performance a few weeks ago, himI mcgheea, great performance last weekend.
Your guy, Edgar Berlanga goes February twenty fourth on his own.
Is part of your message to him going into that
fight going to be, Hey, you can't just win like
You've got to win in an impressive manner.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Yeah, and by the way, Padrick McCrory is a good
fighter and he can really punch as well. It's going
to be a really explosive fight. But yeah, but Balanga
needs to go in there and knock him out in
star and stand on the turn Buckle and say I
want Mongia, I want Bena Bidez, I want Canelo, because
all of those fights are massive if he can get
people excited, So that's really what we're looking for from him.
(13:09):
You know, you've got Diego Pacheco coming up fast on
the ranks. You know, he's a younger fighter that those
guys aren't really going to want to fight yet because
they'll say, oh, he doesn't have the name value, et cetera,
et cetera, but it won't be long. And then Billy
as well. And by the way, Diego Pacheco said to me,
I will fight and Billy. I love that fight, you know,
I think and Billy's all action, great, great style. So
there's a lot of guys that are just, you know,
(13:30):
really rare in to go in those big fights, and
the more statements they make, the easier it will be
for us to really scream and shout.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Are these super middleweight fights you're talking about do they
feel more makeable because you're not talking about the biggest
of names yet. I mean, and Billy is excellent and
well known in Canada, but not a huge name. And
you throw Eric Brazinian in that mix. He picked up
a win in the same week as Bungia, Like, do
these fights feel makeable in twenty twenty four?
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Yeah, I just feel like they're the kind of fights
you need to mate to put yourself in that position,
like and Benavidez has done it a little bit as well.
You know, Benavidez, who hadn't really beaten anyone of noes.
You know, listen probably to the criticism of you need
to really beat someone and earn your shot at Canelo Alvarez.
Well he went and beat kayleb Plant and then beat
(14:19):
Demetrius Andre Like you can't really knock it, really, and
Pimi Mungear went and stopped John Ryder.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Okay, that's a solid statement.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
But like, if if Berlanga can make a statement against
mcury and if they can fight each other, you really
can't deny the credentials of those guys. And the same
with Pacheco. You know they'll they'll want a big fight
to make people go fair enough, he's earned it, he's ready,
and you know, you've got to keep winning. You've got
to keep winning and stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Do you think Berlanga wants those fights because the criticism
of him when he was with Top Rank was they
couldn't do a deal where he'd commit to the big fights.
He comes over to match Room in part because he
believed the Canelo fight was going to be there for him.
But with Canelo presumably off the table, do you do
you think you can make that big fight with Berlanca?
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Heyes.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
The I mean, like, you know, if he comes through McCrory,
we will be saying to him, there's only a certain
amount of fights that you can take, and it's the
ones that people want to see, and that includes him, Billy,
that includes with Checko, that includes particularly Mungia, you know,
Bena Videz plant like all of those fights. Beggar's got
to be in those fights. And listen, he's going to
be rewarded for them financially, and Keith Connley will make
(15:26):
sure of that. So, you know, I think it's a
situation where, really, if he comes through McCrory, he has
to be in a huge fight next. And I just
feel that if Mongia is not going to get Canelo next,
that fight San Diego, as I said, New York like,
that's a massive Mexican Puerto Rican fight and his fireworks
to all action guys, And I think it would be
(15:48):
a massive fight for this sport.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah, I think you do a big gate on that
as well, whether it is San Diego or New York.
All right, let's talk about Connor Ben back on Saturday
against Peter Dobson. It was back in September, Eddie that
you got Connor back into the ring against Rodolpho Rosco
got to win, you know, shook off the rust there.
How surprised are you that we're here talking about Connor
(16:10):
Ben fighting in Vegas against a lesser opponent and not
fighting in the UK against a big name opponent.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Yeah, it's been frustrating.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
I mean, you know, we all expect him to fight
Chris hu Bank Junior in February, and when that fell through,
we really had like five weeks till the date in February.
I didn't want to wait till April May. I wanted
to get him active, and you know, Pete Dobson was there.
He's been scheduled to fight a lot of our top guys.
He's one hundred and fifty four pounder, he's undefeated, he
talks a lot, but he's a level below the names
(16:42):
that Connor Ben wants to be fighting. So he's really
under pressure to make the statement. I like the activity.
I love the fact that he's getting to headline in
Las Vegas. You know, it's a dream for any UK fighter.
So he's got to look good on Saturday. Dobson's been
talking a great game, but when the lights hit, like Connor,
Ben is one of the most ferocious, entertaining fighters out
there pound for he just lets everything go. He's so
(17:05):
much like his father, and it's going to be a
really entertaining fight. And we're under pressure after this to
make those big fights. Really obviously, we hope that the
situation gets cleared up in February for him to fight
in the UK. That will make it so easy for
us to make big fights. But if not, we'll make
a big fight in America. You know, he's free to
fight over here or anywhere in the world in that fact,
so but he's got to look good on Saturday night,
(17:27):
and I think it'll be an entertaining fight.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
I've heard you use that word a lot. Hope. When
it comes to Connor fighting back in the UK, are
you optimistic? I know there's a hearing coming up in February,
but are you optimistic that it gets resolved in February.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Yeah, it has.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
I mean, if he wins the appeal, like he at
that stage, he would have won three cases back to
back without losing n But it's been nearly two years
since this happened. It's so bizarre and it's you know,
there's a lot of ego and you know, a lot
of just I think poor deceis around and like I said,
Connor can fight anywhere in the world, just not in
(18:03):
Britain under the British Boxing Border control. Having won the case,
so you know, get this win, win that appeal in February,
and then make a huge stadium fight in April may.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
La.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Connor has been clear he wants big fights sooner rather
than later. If you are fighting in the US, and look,
he wants to fight at welterweight, he can fight at
junior middleweight probably if you have to make a big
fight for Connor in the US. In your mind, as
someone that puts these fights together, what are some of
the realistic options for him in twenty twenty four.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
I mean the fight that we liked, but obviously it's
difficult to lure him away is Marios Barross. I think
that's a great fight. He's WBC number one. Connor talks
about Boots, he talks about Crawford that these are like,
these are fights that you need to aspire to. But
if you're fighting Peter Dobson, you've really got to annihilate
this guy on Saturday. And there's there's a long way
between those levels and Boots and Crawford. You know, a
(19:00):
Virgil Ortiz fight is a tremendous fight, very dangerous, but
again the kind of fight that you want to see
Connor ben in, you know Oogas perhaps well to like
any of those guys that are in the top ten.
Stanionis He's a fight that's been discussed as well, like
he's capable of fighting and beating all those guys. I
would like for him to make a huge stadium fight
(19:21):
in the UK, but if not, you'll see him in
America against one of those big names.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
You didn't put Devin Haney in that mix, and Devin.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Devin Haney, you know, even Ryan Garcia.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Yeah, you know, well let's let's let's talk about those
two then. Because you were just around Golden Boy officials
for a week, Oscar Eric Gomez, the people that make
decisions over there, is there any forward progress towards making
a fight between Devin Hanny and Rang Garcia.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Yeah, I think there's the discussions have started again. I mean,
I'm due to meet Bill this week as well to
talk through it. I think it's the fight to make.
You know, it's the fight for his own it's the
fight for Devin, it's the fight for Ryan, and that's
a very tough fight for him. But you know my
advice that Devin Haney has get that fight, mate. You know,
it's a mega fight for him. Ryan has got his
(20:11):
perceptions and ideas of his value, which is difficult to
make a fight against. But he is a big star
and that fight does big numbers. So hopefully they can
get some progression. And I don't see many other options
for Ryan Oldevid in terms of big, big fights, So
there's one that I think can get made quite comfortably
if everyone sensible.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Last couple of things for you. One of your other
fighters has been dealing with outside the ring issues is
Alicia Bombgardner. The WBC effectively cleared her of the WBO
did the same kind of piggybacking. I've been told that
the ABC is likely going to take her off the
suspension list. Sometime in the next week. Where do you
(20:52):
stand on Alicia has not fought since last summer at
in the aftermath of those positive drug tests. Are you
still looking to work with her? Are you looking to
make big fights with her? Where do you stand on her?
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Yeah? For sure.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
I mean, you know, she still has a fight with
us under a contract. And I think the most frustrating
thing about the situation has been the lack of action
or investigation from the Commission. Like, you know, Alicia has
gone out and she's proved their innocence by those governing bodies,
but until the Commission make a decision, it's very difficult.
Like normally the Commission will make the decision first and
(21:27):
then the governing bodies will act after that. So this
is kind of a reverse situation where you know, we
haven't really been able to do anything because we wait
for the guidance of the Commission. You know, she's gone out,
she's done a great job to you know, go through
the science and present that to.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
The governing bodies.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
They're happy, but the Commission have to be happy for
the career to resume. And you know, like you say,
it was like July, you know, August September since the
results come in. So we want a decision and she
now wants to resume her career having gone through that
with the other governing bodies.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Yeah, I couldn't agree more. On the Michigan Commission, it's
like they have a caller ID of whether it's someone
from Bomb Gardner's camp, Lou Devella representing the other side,
or media members. They don't want to look anybody.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
You know, sometimes these commissions are afraid to make a decision. Yeah,
you know, they really need to. That's their job, and
you know, hopefully it's in line with the other decisions
from their respective governing bodies.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Last question for you, and this may come office little
Naval gazing giving its you and I talking about it,
but you're entering the sixth full year of this Designe deal.
Do you still believe in the model? Do you still
believe this is the recipe for long term success in boxing?
Because we have seen a lot of upheaval in the
(22:47):
last couple of years, last couple of months really with
Showtimes exit, Amazon's entry. We don't know what's gonna happen
with the ESPN. The question I have is do you
still believe this is the right model for boxing.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
But honestly, if it wasn't, wouldn't have be having this
conversation six years in. You know how many times have
people said the Zone won't last, the Zone is over.
Yet still the schedule keeps improving. You know that the
fights get bigger, and for me, the Zone have established
themselves as the global homer boxing. It is such a
unique product where you can watch championship fights every single
(23:20):
week from all over the world. You're always under pressure
to keep maintaining the schedule, keep staging big fights, but
you know you're seeing those fights, whether it's Fury Sick,
whether it's Fury in Ghanu aj against and Ghanu Wilder,
the Day of Reckoning, all those fights are on the Zone,
and you know you've got Ryan Garcia potentially against Devin Hainey.
(23:42):
You're always under pressure to make the big fights. But
I think now the Zone is in the best position
it's ever been in financially in America and also from
a subscriber point of view, from a respect point of
view from customers, and you know, for me, it's the
premier outlet for boxing, unrivaled.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Well, Big One this weekend on his own Connor Bend
against Peter Dobson afternoon fight in the US, prime time
in the UK, you can roll in like right from
the breakfast BFFE to see the first fight.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Very unique, it's very unique.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
I think the fight started like nine thirty or ten am,
so you know it's going to be unique.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
But yeah, looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
All right, Eddie, I appreciate your time, man, see you
later and when we come back. My conversation with Connor
ben okay, So my most frustrating ticket buying experiences often
involved looking for tickets to see the late Tom Petty.
(24:40):
For many years, I was one of those people that
whenever Tom Petty was playing live within one hundred miles
of me, I would want to go and see him.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Plan.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
I want to hop in the car, train, plane, whatever
to go see Tom Petty play. Because I was not
alone in that. Tickets were often hard to come by,
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(26:42):
Connor Ben is here, undefeated contender welterweight junior welterweight middleweight
for the right fight. I'm sure he takes on Peter
Dobson on Saturday. That will be an afternoon fight in
the US, primetime in the UK live on Dezonne. So
what is the official weight for this fight, connecause I
know you've moved back and forth a little bit over
(27:02):
last few fights.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
Yeah, this fight is at one fifty Yeah, just one
fifty fifties one? What's it for? I'm over the one
full seven, Amitt?
Speaker 2 (27:13):
What what's your what's your plan then for yourself? Do
you are you trying to get back down to one
forty seven? Are you open to whatever the best fight
is out there? What's kind of in your mind on that?
Speaker 1 (27:25):
I think you know I want the world Tower one
four seven. I could make, could have made one four
seven firties fight, but you know, since there's nothing on
the line, why not do it? One fifty. So for me, yeah,
I've seen my career, you know, moving forward at one
four seven, unless you know, there's a big, big fight
at the public demand at one five four, one sixty.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
I've got one for you, one fire four. We'll get
to that in a couple of minutes. You're fighting in Vegas,
prime time in the UK, afternoon in the US, which
means like instead of you know, people coming from a
nice dinner, they might be rolling in for the reckless
buffe to get there for the early part of that car.
It's probably been a long time for you since you
fought this early the day, hasn't it.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
I don't think I've ever thought this earlier the day.
But it's a blessing, you know, my fans to be
able to watch it at ten thirty pm approximately UK time.
Is it's only right that we do that for the support,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (28:21):
So explain to me the last few months in your life,
because you know I stood there in the ring with
you after you beat A Roscoe in your last fight,
and you were pretty clear that while you like the
opportunity to fight in America, you wanted to get back
in the UK. What is the biggest reason why you're
not fighting in the UK for this fight?
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Uh small, you know, legal issues, I'd say with with
matrum Or, we prefer to build the name, build the
profile up in America during this period, so it makes
sense to do these fights in Vegas Orlando. We don't
know where it's next yet, but you know all the
world towers are over here and all the top one
waits over here in America. So you know, as a team,
(29:03):
we chose to sit down and we know that this
is the way forward to capture the world way titles
over here?
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Are you happy with this plan? Is this kind of
you on board with all this?
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:17):
I mean listen to bend names familiar right here in
the States. So for me, it's nothing but a blessing
to be able to headline in Vegas fighting Orlando. I
thought in the New York Colisee and when I was
maybe ten and zero, So is it a dream? It
is a blessing. I feel like I'm doing a little
American tour.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Orlando and then Vegas. That is a American tour. Are
you optimistic though that you know you're going to get
back and fighting in the UK sooner rather than later?
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Most definitely by the end of feb I reckon, we'll
this should all be concluded, and that that chapter, horrible
chapter in my book finally closed.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Yeah, you've talked at length about that chapter. You and
I have talked at length about that chapter. I've heard
you say this in previous interviews this week, like there
are some people that are just never going to believe you.
There are some people that are going to believe you
for throadedly. Have you kind of accepted that's just how
it is that you know you're never going to be
able to convince everybody.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
Yeah, definitely, it was. That was the hardest thing for
me to accept. Out of everything, not how much I've spent,
not how bad the publicity has been. Nothing has been
harder to accept than the fact that some will believe
in some will never believe, and some will find an
excuse for my success or. That was the hardest thing
(30:39):
thing to accept. I was thinking, I was driving the
other day and I was just sitting in a car
and I'm just driving. I'm just like, I wish people
could just see. I wish people could just know, like
like I don't know how I wish someone could just
see and actually know I'm innocent, but completely not even
not even like even thought about, never even heard of it,
(31:00):
never nothing. I wish people could just see and and
how how I would have been, how badly I was
treating How about how bad someone innocent was treated for nothing,
you know, for complete but not wrongdoing at all, nothing
but diligent with everything I take from my whole career,
you know nothing, you know, just been loyal to the game, dedicated,
(31:23):
married to the game. How would people responding to people
had just seen and just just know maybe some evidence
is going to come out in you know, two three
four years where this substance has proven to be contaminated
with what we're what we're consuming.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
When did you kind of come to that understanding? Was
there a moment for you where you said, you know what,
I'm just not going to convince every anybody or everybody,
no matter how hard I try.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
I mean some days, some days you don't even think
about it. In other days it's like I can't believe
this has been something I've had to accept, you know,
so you're never like really like I'm still healing, you know,
it's it's something I'm still healing about, you know. I
mean you know in September, how emotional I got in
(32:14):
the interview we've done. You're still like it takes time
to heal from something like this. I believe because it's
not like I don't care about my image and I'm not.
I don't just gone missing. I don't. I'm very vulnerable.
I'll wear my heart on my sleeve. I I am
what I am, and people know I am what I am,
which is why this has been so bad. Because should
(32:36):
I have listened to the lawyers and just gone missing
outside out of mind? Should I have just not retaliated.
Should I not have protested and thought it and you know,
you know, fight it too for now, then it probably
would have gone away sooner. But I'm just not that guy.
And you know, listening to the legal advice, I just
couldn't stay quiet while my name, my image, my character,
(32:58):
my son, you know, my son. It's gonna want they
see all this and me not fight for my innocence.
You know, it's been the hardest fight bar. You know,
I'm still undefeated. I'm wonder end of the first hearing,
you know, so where the ringmatches on, and you know,
no doubt I'm gonna win the rematch.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
So you got back in the ring in September. What
did it feel like to be back in the ring
after almost a one year layoff?
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Do you know what?
Speaker 1 (33:26):
It's mad? Because I never, I never. I'm a fighter.
So I'm going there and I do what I got
to do regardless, Like even on my sick day, even
if I'm like fifty percent or I'm ill, or I'm
I'm still very confident. Like even if I'm not one
hundred percent of my explosiveness, my power, on my agility,
my athleticism is.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Is enough.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
My boxing brain is enough to outweigh any way I
may be feeling. But on fight night, it hit me.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
The whole.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
The whole thing hit me, and the whole it just
did hit me in the changing room and I actually
had to lay down. Never I've never done that. And
my cousin, who's sitting here now, was like, that's strange
because I thought that was weird because I've never seen
you do that normally. I'm like, go, where's the wring,
bel you know? Whereas I had to lay down, I
(34:19):
was absolutely exhausted before the fight. I said, Tom, I
need to lay down, and I lay down. I fell
asleep for maybe twenty minutes while my gloves are on,
you know, ready to all taped up, ready to go,
and I just said, I'm exhausted.
Speaker 3 (34:33):
Shat.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
I think it was more mentally for me. He was
a mental thing. When I meant the fight for me
was mental and physical or that was you know, it
was a hard fight. I mean, he's a tough Mexican.
You know, he's a big guy. But the fight was
up here for me. And I feel very differently about
this fight.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
And then, in the ultimate irony, a Rosco tested positive
for a banned substance after your fight, did you have
I mean, was your reaction different given what you've gone
through to learning of his positive test, and maybe it
would have been before you've gone through what you have.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Listen, when anyone felt I mean, unless you've gone through it,
when anyone's filed a drug test and you know they've
got cleared or whever you go, yeah, yeah, all right, okay, yeah,
we know. You know, so when everyone's fouled a drug test.
I used to be the guy that used to go, well,
that's it, you know, like you've been caught. Just own it.
(35:34):
And that was what was so hard is I was
so harsh on those people in my head. You never
know what's around the corner. So I've learned something massive
out of this. I've learned a lot out of this
because you shouldn't be so quick to judge. Wait till
you find the evidence. Science doesn't lie. If someone's willing
(35:55):
to spend hundreds and thousands on proving their innocence, how
can you say they're guilty. I've not spent hundreds of
thousands of lawyers to get me off. I've spent hundreds
of thousands on scientists, flowing scientists here, flying scientists there
to find out how. You gotta remember, I never knew.
I never knew if this was going to be proven.
(36:17):
I never but all I knew I was innocent. So
there must be a mistake. There must be a reason.
There must be Well, I haven't taken it, so there
must be a reason. If they can solve murder cases
from twenty years ago because of DNA, they can definitely
tell if there's been any abnormalities in my body over
the past six months. And that was what I kept
thinking to myself. The science is going to save me here,
(36:38):
the science is going to save me, But the court
public opinion. By the time that we had the evidence,
people that already made up their mind and the decision,
people that already who cares if I'm innocent. Now you know,
the damage has been done, and that was what was hard.
So with a ross Cone, I mean, it's half of me.
(37:00):
I'm not going to be like, if he was taking it,
it would make sense as to why he stood up
to the shots.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
He did.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Took a lot of shots.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
I wouldn't even say he took a lot, but he
took heavy shot. Yeah, they only even say there was
like a lot. But when I threw them, I connected
and it's like you'd see him go and then all
of a sudden he was all right, Like he looked on.
I'd look at him, and he looked on and then
all of a sudden, it's all right and it's back together,
(37:30):
which which now doesn't come as a surprise to me
if he was taking EPO, you know, but I'm not
going to put that down to the reason because we
don't know the evidence, we don't know the facts. But
what I do know is anyone who I've hit with
them shots haven't got back up. So I mean, I
give him the benefit of the doubt, and I pray
the listener. He's got a family and the kids, so
(37:52):
I pray the if he is innocent, that this gets
cleared up and he's able to get back fighting. If
he's guilty bandoning for four years.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Do you I know, you still have to clear up
the stuff in the UK, but you fight in September,
You're back here in February. Do you feel like you're
you're in a way back on track.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
With your career. It's hard because I feel like still
a burden man, still a burden, still heavy on me,
you know, And I feel like until this case is concluded,
I can't see a future. Although I'm fighting and I
prepare for finite the same I am. Mentally, it's hard
(38:35):
to say, I'm mentally want this just done. Like that's
like I just desperately want this finished and this chapter closed.
But right now, all I can do is control. I
can control, and that's what I'm looking this. Stay in
the gym, stay working, stay grafting, say discipline, stay dedicated,
anything else. It's just going to give me a resilience
(38:56):
and show when there's all this is clear, I'll be
able to be clear, you know. Like mentally, because there's
so much just still all.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Right before I let you go. I was in Arizona
this past weekend and we filmed some stuff with The
Zone about your fight. Barry Jones was there, Sergio was there,
and we talked about your future and to me, the
best fight for Connor Ben and for boxing. And I
know you got unfinished busit with Chris Ubank. You want
to win a welterweight title, but give me Connor Ben
(39:29):
Virgil Ortiz, that's what I want to see. We had
Virgin Lort's fight just a few weeks ago. He's out
there saying, hey, man, I want a big fight. You know,
I know you badly want a big fight. If a
Virgin Lortiz fight was presented to you, and if the
money was right, because I know it has to be right,
how do you feel about that particular fight?
Speaker 1 (39:48):
No problem? You know, like when people do the mentis
if you'll keep you know, biged up Virgil or T's
and bigged up Jaron Ennis. But yeah, when I thought
Samuel Vargash just to verge Orts and beating way more convincingly,
or when I thought Van Harding just before Jaron Nnis,
you guys are tipping these guys to be pound for
(40:08):
pound grace, future pound for pound grace. But then Conor Ben,
with no amateur experience, isn't on their level. But yeah,
I've just done the same thing, if not better. So
it's like when you when people say, oh yeah, but
you're not really for them. He's a killer, resis is
he's a killer resist What about the guy who beats
some more commncingly, more ferocious, you know, more devastating with
(40:30):
the PowerShot. So any of them names I can mentioned,
they don't mention my name, you know, then they never
mentioned mine. I mentioned this. And these are the fights
that the British public one, the British the public one,
the public again, Devin Haney, Barrios. Before it was you
gas Thurman, there was Pakia, there was Brook, you Bank,
(40:52):
Liam Smith. So it's like I'm here, I'm ready. Just
let me know, let me know when and how much
of course, obviously.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
You gotta know how much how much's in that pot? Well, Connor,
good to see you man, Glad to see you back
in the ring. February third, Live on dis Own, Vegas,
Afternoon Fight in the US, Primetime in the UK. Good
luck on Saturday, Connor and I appreciate your time as always,
thank you, pleasure. That's it for this week's episode. My
thanks to Eddie Hearn and Connor Ben for joining the show.
As always, subscribe, rate, review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
(41:27):
wherever you download podcasts. I'll see you next week. Dangers
so much, I go sleep.
The volume.
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gaming resources. This is Boxing with Chris Manning How somebody
(01:31):
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and ferocious finisher. Watch this ever waises how many Way?
Posted by sis Chrismannex. That was my moments now with interviews,
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When you have talent, you are given another chance.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Here's Chris Mannex.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
This is Boxing with Chris Mannix, part of the Volume
Sports podcast Network. Want to welcome in everybody that is
listening on the podcast speed. If you are not a subscriber,
get over to Apple Podcasts to Spotify, hit that subscribe button.
Make sure you get this podcast in your feed every
single week. You may also get multiple podcasts if you
(02:15):
saw or listen to the pod Early this week with
Corey Erbman, where we talked about him Mugie's win over
John Ryder, the state of the super middleweight division. That's
something I'm going to try to do a lot more
of because I want to react to big events on
Saturday in a little bit more of a timely manner.
(02:37):
Whenever it's necessary. This main pod usually comes out towards
the end of the week. I'm gonna start trying to
do more pods early in the week that react to
something big that happens over the weekend. There may even
be rapid fire pods that come out right after a
big event, So make sure you subscribe. It's a long
way of saying that, so you don't miss any of
those episodes. This main pod this week is a great
(03:00):
Eddie Hearn Mattchroom Boxing mattch Room Boxing USA. He is
promoting an event in Las Vegas headlined by Connor Ben
going up against Peter Dobson. I talked to Eddie about
the Himaimungia John Ryder fight, the future of John Ryder,
why he thinks that Jimi Mungia is a great candidate
to face Canela Walvrez. We also talk about Edgar Berlanga,
(03:21):
a bunch of other topics, about the matchroom universe that
I get into with Eddie Heart. A little bit later,
Connor Ben he joins me from Vegas to talk about well,
why he's fighting in Vegas. If you remember Connor Ben
after he won that fight back in September, was pretty
adamant he won his next fight to be in the UK.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
It is not.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
It is in Las Vegas. It is against Peter Dobson.
And look, everybody wants to fight in Vegas, but I'm
sure Connor Ben wants to fight in the UK. So
we talked to Connor about why that is not happening.
We talked to him about why he thinks, sir, if
he's optimistic, I guess that a big fight in the
UK can happen later this year. And you know, look
(04:03):
at the landscape, the big names at one forty four,
Who does Connor Ben want to fight next. That's what
I want to get into with Connor Ben later in
the show. As always, subscribe, rate review this podcast on
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you download podcasts. Also fire away Questions.
Something else I've been kicking around is doing mailbag podcasts
(04:26):
right to take some of your questions that come in
on social media. You can also leave questions on the
review page on Apple Podcasts. I'll be scanning that from
time to time, so fire off those questions. We'll do
mailbag podcasts periodically over the next couple of weeks and months,
so stick around. Without further ado, here's my conversation with
Eddie Hearn. All right, Eddie Hearn is here. Mattroom Boxing
(04:51):
got to show this weekend in Las Vegas Connor Ben
against Peter Dobson. That's a fight that you can watch
in the US in the afternoon, UK in prime time
live on to own. And Eddie, I just saw you
in Arizona this past weekend. I was thinking about this.
You and I did a sit down with Oscar de
la Hoya. You and Oscar going back and forth, you know,
(05:13):
talking how much money you had and how much little
money I have, and you know, it was a pretty
civil conversation. I thought it was constructive. And then like
a day later, I'm on boxing scene and I'm reading
like a headline like De la Hoya says Hearn doesn't
have the stable to do five on five matchups, So
it feels like all the good vibes were limited just
(05:36):
for that room. I was kind of disappointed.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yeah, I think that.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
You know, it was when I was crazying Oscar and
talking about the Zone and Mattam v. Golden Boy at
the press conference. Obviously I couldn't see him behind me
when I was speaking, but when I watched it back,
he didn't really look at keen on me speaking or
actually on the concept. And he said a lot of
great things last week, but couldn't avoid a few jabs
(06:02):
and digs.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
But that's all right.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
I don't mine. It's not going to stop me trying
to make fights. But yeah, hopefully his actions are as
genuine as his words. We'll see over the next few months.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
No doubt you made an entertaining one last weekend him
and McGhee against John Ryder. Let me ask you, first
tough loss for John Ryder, how is he doing now?
And look, he was pretty public that if he couldn't
get a win in a fight like this, he was
probably gonna walk away. Have you talked to him at
all about what his future might be.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
A little bit after the fight, You know, I think
he says he's gonna ever think about it this week.
You know, he wants to operate at the top level.
And he's had a great run. You know, he beat
Daniel Jacobs, he beat Zach Parker, lost to Canelo in
front of seventy thousands, lost to mang Gear, made a
lot of money in the process. And you know, he's
I say, he's overperformed from where you know, he first started.
(06:51):
But at the same time, you know, there's arguments that
he could have won the fight with Callum Smith, become
a world champion, could have got the decision against Billy Joe,
and you know, so he's really the Ernie stripes. Mungea
was very impressive. I think he's a great asset to boxing.
I think he's very exciting, but was too good for
John on the night. You know, I think John maybe
(07:12):
his punch resistance isn't quite what it was, but still
took some great shots and take nothing away from Mungear.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I thought he was outstanding. And you know it's a
really good fight.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah. And I don't know that you were all that
impressed with Mungia coming into the fight, but I think
you left that experience more impressed. I mean, just briefly
talking to you in the ring right afterwards, I think
you were pretty pretty.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Sold on him.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
I mean, I think, you know, the reason that I
wasn't sold is because he's forty two and zero and
his best wins Liam Smith at one fifty four and
Derevnchenko at one sixty. Really, who you know is a
faded fighter, So you start to think is it all hirh?
You know, he's never really fought anyone, and then steps
up and really does a great job on John Ryder,
which shows me this guy is for real. I think
(08:00):
a lot of the stuff that I thought John would
be effected at he wasn't able to be. You know,
he wasn't as as productive on the inside because Mungea
was very strong on the inside.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
His output.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
We knew he's excellent and it was again got a
great chin, and I think he's going to be in
great fights. I mean, I think that there's no skin
in the game for me. With Canelo against Mungea. I'd
like to see it. I think it's a great fight,
two Mexicans, all action, and if I'm Canelo Alvarez, I'm
liking that fight. But at least you've got a young, ambitious,
(08:32):
all action fighter that's going to really bring the fight
to Canelo. Alvarez, and I, for one, would love to
see it, But I also want to see Mungear against
Blanga and I think that's a great interim fight if
you like to decide who's going to get that that
Canelo Aluriz fight.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
On the subject of Canlo, though, do you outside of
David Benavidez, who I think we'd all agree is the
most qualified guy to fight Canelo, did that win by
Mungea in your mind push him to the top of
the list. Like you said, you have no skin in
the game when it comes to that particular matchup, but.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Think that I look at it and say, let's be honest,
who wants to see Canelo against Charlie like theirs? The
fight with the brother was dead, you know, he hasn't
bopped for two years. But I just like, what would
you rather see that? Or a Mungia fight? Like a
(09:26):
Mungia fight is just absolute all action, you know. If
I'm promoting, I want to make the Mungia fight two
Mexicans going at it, And I think I think his
years should look like Mungia and Benavidez, you know so,
And I think it might end up looking like Charlo
against Crawford and sorry Charlie and Crawford.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
You know, so, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
I think Mungea has got to stay in those big fights, honestly,
Like if if Blanga beats McCrory, I think the Zone
and matrim and Golden Boy have got to be saying
mungear against Blanga MSG San Diego wherever you what.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
It's massive fight and it's so much fun that fight
as well.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I'm all in, do you have any insight into what's
going on with Canelo these days? Because I think a
lot of people have seen the Amazon deal and wondered
how that impacts the top guys involved with PBC. Right now,
they've just announced a fight involving Keith Thurman and Tim Zuo.
(10:27):
But Canelo's out there and you know as well as anyone,
there are big guarantees that come with a Canelo Alvarez contract.
Do you have any insight into where that relationship stands?
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Not really no, I mean, look from in the Canelo business,
you have to be willing to put a sizeable guarantee down,
of which you're always playing roulette with. Quite honestly, you
always want that guarantee to come from somebody else and
in a normal capacity it will come from the broadcaster.
(10:59):
But sometimes a broadcast deal won't include a guarantee. It
will just include a revenue share, which is what I understand.
The Amazon deal is so all of a sudden. If
you have a sizeable guarantee with Canelo Alvarez and you're
on a revenue share of a platform that's not done
pay per view boxing before, it's squeaky bum time, you know,
and you've got to have deep pockets to say, look,
(11:21):
if it doesn't work, you know, we're going to be
losing a lot of money here. So Canelo's in a
sweet spot, you know, he always is. He always makes
sure he's looked after, and he's a clever businessman with
a good team of people around him.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
He don't care.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
He don't care if it's on Amazon to Zone, Disney Channel.
He just gets you guarantee and quite right too, so
you know he'll be chilled waiting for his news and
he'll fight anybody. And obviously, as always the fighter, not
necessarily fighter, but the team and Eddie and you know
the people around him will want the easiest fight possible
for the most amount of money.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
So how the game works and.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
You know, the promoter will want the hardest fight possible,
or certainly the fight that's going to deliver the biggest
numbers to box off that guarantee, and if that's me,
I'm making him in mungeir in mate or benefitas.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Well, we've got a pretty sizable American audience, Eddi, and
I'm sure a lot of them are going to be
wondering what squeaky bum time is often used over the
case nor use the UK. The super middleweight division has
gotten pretty hot in the last couple of weeks where
it's been one good performance after another. Christian mcbiley great
(12:32):
performance a few weeks ago, himI mcgheea, great performance last weekend.
Your guy, Edgar Berlanga goes February twenty fourth on his own.
Is part of your message to him going into that
fight going to be, Hey, you can't just win like
You've got to win in an impressive manner.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Yeah, and by the way, Padrick McCrory is a good
fighter and he can really punch as well. It's going
to be a really explosive fight. But yeah, but Balanga
needs to go in there and knock him out in
star and stand on the turn Buckle and say I
want Mongia, I want Bena Bidez, I want Canelo, because
all of those fights are massive if he can get
people excited, So that's really what we're looking for from him.
(13:09):
You know, you've got Diego Pacheco coming up fast on
the ranks. You know, he's a younger fighter that those
guys aren't really going to want to fight yet because
they'll say, oh, he doesn't have the name value, et cetera,
et cetera, but it won't be long. And then Billy
as well. And by the way, Diego Pacheco said to me,
I will fight and Billy. I love that fight, you know,
I think and Billy's all action, great, great style. So
there's a lot of guys that are just, you know,
(13:30):
really rare in to go in those big fights, and
the more statements they make, the easier it will be
for us to really scream and shout.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Are these super middleweight fights you're talking about do they
feel more makeable because you're not talking about the biggest
of names yet. I mean, and Billy is excellent and
well known in Canada, but not a huge name. And
you throw Eric Brazinian in that mix. He picked up
a win in the same week as Bungia, Like, do
these fights feel makeable in twenty twenty four?
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Yeah, I just feel like they're the kind of fights
you need to mate to put yourself in that position,
like and Benavidez has done it a little bit as well.
You know, Benavidez, who hadn't really beaten anyone of noes.
You know, listen probably to the criticism of you need
to really beat someone and earn your shot at Canelo Alvarez.
Well he went and beat kayleb Plant and then beat
(14:19):
Demetrius Andre Like you can't really knock it, really, and
Pimi Mungear went and stopped John Ryder.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Okay, that's a solid statement.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
But like, if if Berlanga can make a statement against
mcury and if they can fight each other, you really
can't deny the credentials of those guys. And the same
with Pacheco. You know they'll they'll want a big fight
to make people go fair enough, he's earned it, he's ready,
and you know, you've got to keep winning. You've got
to keep winning and stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Do you think Berlanga wants those fights because the criticism
of him when he was with Top Rank was they
couldn't do a deal where he'd commit to the big fights.
He comes over to match Room in part because he
believed the Canelo fight was going to be there for him.
But with Canelo presumably off the table, do you do
you think you can make that big fight with Berlanca?
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Heyes.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
The I mean, like, you know, if he comes through McCrory,
we will be saying to him, there's only a certain
amount of fights that you can take, and it's the
ones that people want to see, and that includes him, Billy,
that includes with Checko, that includes particularly Mungia, you know,
Bena Videz plant like all of those fights. Beggar's got
to be in those fights. And listen, he's going to
be rewarded for them financially, and Keith Connley will make
(15:26):
sure of that. So, you know, I think it's a
situation where, really, if he comes through McCrory, he has
to be in a huge fight next. And I just
feel that if Mongia is not going to get Canelo next,
that fight San Diego, as I said, New York like,
that's a massive Mexican Puerto Rican fight and his fireworks
to all action guys, And I think it would be
(15:48):
a massive fight for this sport.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah, I think you do a big gate on that
as well, whether it is San Diego or New York.
All right, let's talk about Connor Ben back on Saturday
against Peter Dobson. It was back in September, Eddie that
you got Connor back into the ring against Rodolpho Rosco
got to win, you know, shook off the rust there.
How surprised are you that we're here talking about Connor
(16:10):
Ben fighting in Vegas against a lesser opponent and not
fighting in the UK against a big name opponent.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Yeah, it's been frustrating.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
I mean, you know, we all expect him to fight
Chris hu Bank Junior in February, and when that fell through,
we really had like five weeks till the date in February.
I didn't want to wait till April May. I wanted
to get him active, and you know, Pete Dobson was there.
He's been scheduled to fight a lot of our top guys.
He's one hundred and fifty four pounder, he's undefeated, he
talks a lot, but he's a level below the names
(16:42):
that Connor Ben wants to be fighting. So he's really
under pressure to make the statement. I like the activity.
I love the fact that he's getting to headline in
Las Vegas. You know, it's a dream for any UK fighter.
So he's got to look good on Saturday. Dobson's been
talking a great game, but when the lights hit, like Connor,
Ben is one of the most ferocious, entertaining fighters out
there pound for he just lets everything go. He's so
(17:05):
much like his father, and it's going to be a
really entertaining fight. And we're under pressure after this to
make those big fights. Really obviously, we hope that the
situation gets cleared up in February for him to fight
in the UK. That will make it so easy for
us to make big fights. But if not, we'll make
a big fight in America. You know, he's free to
fight over here or anywhere in the world in that fact,
so but he's got to look good on Saturday night,
(17:27):
and I think it'll be an entertaining fight.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
I've heard you use that word a lot. Hope. When
it comes to Connor fighting back in the UK, are
you optimistic? I know there's a hearing coming up in February,
but are you optimistic that it gets resolved in February.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Yeah, it has.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
I mean, if he wins the appeal, like he at
that stage, he would have won three cases back to
back without losing n But it's been nearly two years
since this happened. It's so bizarre and it's you know,
there's a lot of ego and you know, a lot
of just I think poor deceis around and like I said,
Connor can fight anywhere in the world, just not in
(18:03):
Britain under the British Boxing Border control. Having won the case,
so you know, get this win, win that appeal in February,
and then make a huge stadium fight in April may.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
La.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Connor has been clear he wants big fights sooner rather
than later. If you are fighting in the US, and look,
he wants to fight at welterweight, he can fight at
junior middleweight probably if you have to make a big
fight for Connor in the US. In your mind, as
someone that puts these fights together, what are some of
the realistic options for him in twenty twenty four.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
I mean the fight that we liked, but obviously it's
difficult to lure him away is Marios Barross. I think
that's a great fight. He's WBC number one. Connor talks
about Boots, he talks about Crawford that these are like,
these are fights that you need to aspire to. But
if you're fighting Peter Dobson, you've really got to annihilate
this guy on Saturday. And there's there's a long way
between those levels and Boots and Crawford. You know, a
(19:00):
Virgil Ortiz fight is a tremendous fight, very dangerous, but
again the kind of fight that you want to see
Connor ben in, you know Oogas perhaps well to like
any of those guys that are in the top ten.
Stanionis He's a fight that's been discussed as well, like
he's capable of fighting and beating all those guys. I
would like for him to make a huge stadium fight
(19:21):
in the UK, but if not, you'll see him in
America against one of those big names.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
You didn't put Devin Haney in that mix, and Devin.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Devin Haney, you know, even Ryan Garcia.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Yeah, you know, well let's let's let's talk about those
two then. Because you were just around Golden Boy officials
for a week, Oscar Eric Gomez, the people that make
decisions over there, is there any forward progress towards making
a fight between Devin Hanny and Rang Garcia.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Yeah, I think there's the discussions have started again. I mean,
I'm due to meet Bill this week as well to
talk through it. I think it's the fight to make.
You know, it's the fight for his own it's the
fight for Devin, it's the fight for Ryan, and that's
a very tough fight for him. But you know my
advice that Devin Haney has get that fight, mate. You know,
it's a mega fight for him. Ryan has got his
(20:11):
perceptions and ideas of his value, which is difficult to
make a fight against. But he is a big star
and that fight does big numbers. So hopefully they can
get some progression. And I don't see many other options
for Ryan Oldevid in terms of big, big fights, So
there's one that I think can get made quite comfortably
if everyone sensible.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Last couple of things for you. One of your other
fighters has been dealing with outside the ring issues is
Alicia Bombgardner. The WBC effectively cleared her of the WBO
did the same kind of piggybacking. I've been told that
the ABC is likely going to take her off the
suspension list. Sometime in the next week. Where do you
(20:52):
stand on Alicia has not fought since last summer at
in the aftermath of those positive drug tests. Are you
still looking to work with her? Are you looking to
make big fights with her? Where do you stand on her?
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Yeah? For sure.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
I mean, you know, she still has a fight with
us under a contract. And I think the most frustrating
thing about the situation has been the lack of action
or investigation from the Commission. Like, you know, Alicia has
gone out and she's proved their innocence by those governing bodies,
but until the Commission make a decision, it's very difficult.
Like normally the Commission will make the decision first and
(21:27):
then the governing bodies will act after that. So this
is kind of a reverse situation where you know, we
haven't really been able to do anything because we wait
for the guidance of the Commission. You know, she's gone out,
she's done a great job to you know, go through
the science and present that to.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
The governing bodies.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
They're happy, but the Commission have to be happy for
the career to resume. And you know, like you say,
it was like July, you know, August September since the
results come in. So we want a decision and she
now wants to resume her career having gone through that
with the other governing bodies.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Yeah, I couldn't agree more. On the Michigan Commission, it's
like they have a caller ID of whether it's someone
from Bomb Gardner's camp, Lou Devella representing the other side,
or media members. They don't want to look anybody.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
You know, sometimes these commissions are afraid to make a decision. Yeah,
you know, they really need to. That's their job, and
you know, hopefully it's in line with the other decisions
from their respective governing bodies.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Last question for you, and this may come office little
Naval gazing giving its you and I talking about it,
but you're entering the sixth full year of this Designe deal.
Do you still believe in the model? Do you still
believe this is the recipe for long term success in boxing?
Because we have seen a lot of upheaval in the
(22:47):
last couple of years, last couple of months really with
Showtimes exit, Amazon's entry. We don't know what's gonna happen
with the ESPN. The question I have is do you
still believe this is the right model for boxing.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
But honestly, if it wasn't, wouldn't have be having this
conversation six years in. You know how many times have
people said the Zone won't last, the Zone is over.
Yet still the schedule keeps improving. You know that the
fights get bigger, and for me, the Zone have established
themselves as the global homer boxing. It is such a
unique product where you can watch championship fights every single
(23:20):
week from all over the world. You're always under pressure
to keep maintaining the schedule, keep staging big fights, but
you know you're seeing those fights, whether it's Fury Sick,
whether it's Fury in Ghanu aj against and Ghanu Wilder,
the Day of Reckoning, all those fights are on the Zone,
and you know you've got Ryan Garcia potentially against Devin Hainey.
(23:42):
You're always under pressure to make the big fights. But
I think now the Zone is in the best position
it's ever been in financially in America and also from
a subscriber point of view, from a respect point of
view from customers, and you know, for me, it's the
premier outlet for boxing, unrivaled.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Well, Big One this weekend on his own Connor Bend
against Peter Dobson afternoon fight in the US, prime time
in the UK, you can roll in like right from
the breakfast BFFE to see the first fight.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Very unique, it's very unique.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
I think the fight started like nine thirty or ten am,
so you know it's going to be unique.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
But yeah, looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
All right, Eddie, I appreciate your time, man, see you
later and when we come back. My conversation with Connor
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Plan.
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(26:42):
Connor Ben is here, undefeated contender welterweight junior welterweight middleweight
for the right fight. I'm sure he takes on Peter
Dobson on Saturday. That will be an afternoon fight in
the US, primetime in the UK live on Dezonne. So
what is the official weight for this fight, connecause I
know you've moved back and forth a little bit over
(27:02):
last few fights.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
Yeah, this fight is at one fifty Yeah, just one
fifty fifties one? What's it for? I'm over the one
full seven, Amitt?
Speaker 2 (27:13):
What what's your what's your plan then for yourself? Do
you are you trying to get back down to one
forty seven? Are you open to whatever the best fight
is out there? What's kind of in your mind on that?
Speaker 1 (27:25):
I think you know I want the world Tower one
four seven. I could make, could have made one four
seven firties fight, but you know, since there's nothing on
the line, why not do it? One fifty. So for me, yeah,
I've seen my career, you know, moving forward at one
four seven, unless you know, there's a big, big fight
at the public demand at one five four, one sixty.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
I've got one for you, one fire four. We'll get
to that in a couple of minutes. You're fighting in Vegas,
prime time in the UK, afternoon in the US, which
means like instead of you know, people coming from a
nice dinner, they might be rolling in for the reckless
buffe to get there for the early part of that car.
It's probably been a long time for you since you
fought this early the day, hasn't it.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
I don't think I've ever thought this earlier the day.
But it's a blessing, you know, my fans to be
able to watch it at ten thirty pm approximately UK time.
Is it's only right that we do that for the support,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (28:21):
So explain to me the last few months in your life,
because you know I stood there in the ring with
you after you beat A Roscoe in your last fight,
and you were pretty clear that while you like the
opportunity to fight in America, you wanted to get back
in the UK. What is the biggest reason why you're
not fighting in the UK for this fight?
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Uh small, you know, legal issues, I'd say with with
matrum Or, we prefer to build the name, build the
profile up in America during this period, so it makes
sense to do these fights in Vegas Orlando. We don't
know where it's next yet, but you know all the
world towers are over here and all the top one
waits over here in America. So you know, as a team,
(29:03):
we chose to sit down and we know that this
is the way forward to capture the world way titles
over here?
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Are you happy with this plan? Is this kind of
you on board with all this?
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:17):
I mean listen to bend names familiar right here in
the States. So for me, it's nothing but a blessing
to be able to headline in Vegas fighting Orlando. I
thought in the New York Colisee and when I was
maybe ten and zero, So is it a dream? It
is a blessing. I feel like I'm doing a little
American tour.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Orlando and then Vegas. That is a American tour. Are
you optimistic though that you know you're going to get
back and fighting in the UK sooner rather than later?
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Most definitely by the end of feb I reckon, we'll
this should all be concluded, and that that chapter, horrible
chapter in my book finally closed.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Yeah, you've talked at length about that chapter. You and
I have talked at length about that chapter. I've heard
you say this in previous interviews this week, like there
are some people that are just never going to believe you.
There are some people that are going to believe you
for throadedly. Have you kind of accepted that's just how
it is that you know you're never going to be
able to convince everybody.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
Yeah, definitely, it was. That was the hardest thing for
me to accept. Out of everything, not how much I've spent,
not how bad the publicity has been. Nothing has been
harder to accept than the fact that some will believe
in some will never believe, and some will find an
excuse for my success or. That was the hardest thing
(30:39):
thing to accept. I was thinking, I was driving the
other day and I was just sitting in a car
and I'm just driving. I'm just like, I wish people
could just see. I wish people could just know, like
like I don't know how I wish someone could just
see and actually know I'm innocent, but completely not even
not even like even thought about, never even heard of it,
(31:00):
never nothing. I wish people could just see and and
how how I would have been, how badly I was
treating How about how bad someone innocent was treated for nothing,
you know, for complete but not wrongdoing at all, nothing
but diligent with everything I take from my whole career,
you know nothing, you know, just been loyal to the game, dedicated,
(31:23):
married to the game. How would people responding to people
had just seen and just just know maybe some evidence
is going to come out in you know, two three
four years where this substance has proven to be contaminated
with what we're what we're consuming.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
When did you kind of come to that understanding? Was
there a moment for you where you said, you know what,
I'm just not going to convince every anybody or everybody,
no matter how hard I try.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
I mean some days, some days you don't even think
about it. In other days it's like I can't believe
this has been something I've had to accept, you know,
so you're never like really like I'm still healing, you know,
it's it's something I'm still healing about, you know. I
mean you know in September, how emotional I got in
(32:14):
the interview we've done. You're still like it takes time
to heal from something like this. I believe because it's
not like I don't care about my image and I'm not.
I don't just gone missing. I don't. I'm very vulnerable.
I'll wear my heart on my sleeve. I I am
what I am, and people know I am what I am,
which is why this has been so bad. Because should
(32:36):
I have listened to the lawyers and just gone missing
outside out of mind? Should I have just not retaliated.
Should I not have protested and thought it and you know,
you know, fight it too for now, then it probably
would have gone away sooner. But I'm just not that guy.
And you know, listening to the legal advice, I just
couldn't stay quiet while my name, my image, my character,
(32:58):
my son, you know, my son. It's gonna want they
see all this and me not fight for my innocence.
You know, it's been the hardest fight bar. You know,
I'm still undefeated. I'm wonder end of the first hearing,
you know, so where the ringmatches on, and you know,
no doubt I'm gonna win the rematch.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
So you got back in the ring in September. What
did it feel like to be back in the ring
after almost a one year layoff?
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Do you know what?
Speaker 1 (33:26):
It's mad? Because I never, I never. I'm a fighter.
So I'm going there and I do what I got
to do regardless, Like even on my sick day, even
if I'm like fifty percent or I'm ill, or I'm
I'm still very confident. Like even if I'm not one
hundred percent of my explosiveness, my power, on my agility,
my athleticism is.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Is enough.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
My boxing brain is enough to outweigh any way I
may be feeling. But on fight night, it hit me.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
The whole.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
The whole thing hit me, and the whole it just
did hit me in the changing room and I actually
had to lay down. Never I've never done that. And
my cousin, who's sitting here now, was like, that's strange
because I thought that was weird because I've never seen
you do that normally. I'm like, go, where's the wring,
bel you know? Whereas I had to lay down, I
(34:19):
was absolutely exhausted before the fight. I said, Tom, I
need to lay down, and I lay down. I fell
asleep for maybe twenty minutes while my gloves are on,
you know, ready to all taped up, ready to go,
and I just said, I'm exhausted.
Speaker 3 (34:33):
Shat.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
I think it was more mentally for me. He was
a mental thing. When I meant the fight for me
was mental and physical or that was you know, it
was a hard fight. I mean, he's a tough Mexican.
You know, he's a big guy. But the fight was
up here for me. And I feel very differently about
this fight.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
And then, in the ultimate irony, a Rosco tested positive
for a banned substance after your fight, did you have
I mean, was your reaction different given what you've gone
through to learning of his positive test, and maybe it
would have been before you've gone through what you have.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Listen, when anyone felt I mean, unless you've gone through it,
when anyone's filed a drug test and you know they've
got cleared or whever you go, yeah, yeah, all right, okay, yeah,
we know. You know, so when everyone's fouled a drug test.
I used to be the guy that used to go, well,
that's it, you know, like you've been caught. Just own it.
(35:34):
And that was what was so hard is I was
so harsh on those people in my head. You never
know what's around the corner. So I've learned something massive
out of this. I've learned a lot out of this
because you shouldn't be so quick to judge. Wait till
you find the evidence. Science doesn't lie. If someone's willing
(35:55):
to spend hundreds and thousands on proving their innocence, how
can you say they're guilty. I've not spent hundreds of
thousands of lawyers to get me off. I've spent hundreds
of thousands on scientists, flowing scientists here, flying scientists there
to find out how. You gotta remember, I never knew.
I never knew if this was going to be proven.
(36:17):
I never but all I knew I was innocent. So
there must be a mistake. There must be a reason.
There must be Well, I haven't taken it, so there
must be a reason. If they can solve murder cases
from twenty years ago because of DNA, they can definitely
tell if there's been any abnormalities in my body over
the past six months. And that was what I kept
thinking to myself. The science is going to save me here,
(36:38):
the science is going to save me, But the court
public opinion. By the time that we had the evidence,
people that already made up their mind and the decision,
people that already who cares if I'm innocent. Now you know,
the damage has been done, and that was what was hard.
So with a ross Cone, I mean, it's half of me.
(37:00):
I'm not going to be like, if he was taking it,
it would make sense as to why he stood up
to the shots.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
He did.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Took a lot of shots.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
I wouldn't even say he took a lot, but he
took heavy shot. Yeah, they only even say there was
like a lot. But when I threw them, I connected
and it's like you'd see him go and then all
of a sudden he was all right, Like he looked on.
I'd look at him, and he looked on and then
all of a sudden, it's all right and it's back together,
(37:30):
which which now doesn't come as a surprise to me
if he was taking EPO, you know, but I'm not
going to put that down to the reason because we
don't know the evidence, we don't know the facts. But
what I do know is anyone who I've hit with
them shots haven't got back up. So I mean, I
give him the benefit of the doubt, and I pray
the listener. He's got a family and the kids, so
(37:52):
I pray the if he is innocent, that this gets
cleared up and he's able to get back fighting. If
he's guilty bandoning for four years.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Do you I know, you still have to clear up
the stuff in the UK, but you fight in September,
You're back here in February. Do you feel like you're
you're in a way back on track.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
With your career. It's hard because I feel like still
a burden man, still a burden, still heavy on me,
you know, And I feel like until this case is concluded,
I can't see a future. Although I'm fighting and I
prepare for finite the same I am. Mentally, it's hard
(38:35):
to say, I'm mentally want this just done. Like that's
like I just desperately want this finished and this chapter closed.
But right now, all I can do is control. I
can control, and that's what I'm looking this. Stay in
the gym, stay working, stay grafting, say discipline, stay dedicated,
anything else. It's just going to give me a resilience
(38:56):
and show when there's all this is clear, I'll be
able to be clear, you know. Like mentally, because there's
so much just still all.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Right before I let you go. I was in Arizona
this past weekend and we filmed some stuff with The
Zone about your fight. Barry Jones was there, Sergio was there,
and we talked about your future and to me, the
best fight for Connor Ben and for boxing. And I
know you got unfinished busit with Chris Ubank. You want
to win a welterweight title, but give me Connor Ben
(39:29):
Virgil Ortiz, that's what I want to see. We had
Virgin Lort's fight just a few weeks ago. He's out
there saying, hey, man, I want a big fight. You know,
I know you badly want a big fight. If a
Virgin Lortiz fight was presented to you, and if the
money was right, because I know it has to be right,
how do you feel about that particular fight?
Speaker 1 (39:48):
No problem? You know, like when people do the mentis
if you'll keep you know, biged up Virgil or T's
and bigged up Jaron Ennis. But yeah, when I thought
Samuel Vargash just to verge Orts and beating way more convincingly,
or when I thought Van Harding just before Jaron Nnis,
you guys are tipping these guys to be pound for
(40:08):
pound grace, future pound for pound grace. But then Conor Ben,
with no amateur experience, isn't on their level. But yeah,
I've just done the same thing, if not better. So
it's like when you when people say, oh yeah, but
you're not really for them. He's a killer, resis is
he's a killer resist What about the guy who beats
some more commncingly, more ferocious, you know, more devastating with
(40:30):
the PowerShot. So any of them names I can mentioned,
they don't mention my name, you know, then they never
mentioned mine. I mentioned this. And these are the fights
that the British public one, the British the public one,
the public again, Devin Haney, Barrios. Before it was you
gas Thurman, there was Pakia, there was Brook, you Bank,
(40:52):
Liam Smith. So it's like I'm here, I'm ready. Just
let me know, let me know when and how much
of course, obviously.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
You gotta know how much how much's in that pot? Well, Connor,
good to see you man, Glad to see you back
in the ring. February third, Live on dis Own, Vegas,
Afternoon Fight in the US, Primetime in the UK. Good
luck on Saturday, Connor and I appreciate your time as always,
thank you, pleasure. That's it for this week's episode. My
thanks to Eddie Hearn and Connor Ben for joining the show.
As always, subscribe, rate, review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
(41:27):
wherever you download podcasts. I'll see you next week. Dangers
so much, I go sleep.
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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