Boxing with Chris Mannix - Teofimo’s Takeback

Chris talks with the great DAZN broadcaster, Sergio Mora as they react to Vergil Ortiz's win and dive into if he's ready for a title shot. They also discuss Teofimo Lopez's returns and what we can expect from Teo at 140. Finally, they talk about who Tyson Fury wants to fight and if anyone actually cares. Later, Teofimo Lopez stops by to talk about his upcoming fight, fighting at 140, and what might be next for him. #Herd

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume Boxing with Chris Mannox is presented by Fan
Duel sports Book. The football season is coming, and there's
no better place to start making every moment more than
with Fan Duel. I just downloaded the fan Duel app
a couple of months ago when it became legal in
New York, and I have been having a blast with

(00:22):
you. You You guys know I'm a big boxing guy. I've
been trying to make you all rich with some of
these picks, but I've been betting on them. I've been hitting,
and I've been enjoying my time with the FanDuel sports
Book app. They have great odds and markets for the
NFL and college football futures, the MLB, PGA Tour, tennis, boxing,
and so much more. Awesome new and existing user promotions.

(00:43):
It is America's number one sports book. It's easy to use,
safe and secure. You get your winnings fast, which matters
to everybody. It's fun to come buy multiple bets from
the same game into a same game parlay, and you
can discover the most popular s gps each day right
when you log in. If you new, just download the
Fan Duel sports Book app to get started. Now sign

(01:04):
up with the promo code boxing, so they know I
sent you promo code boxing, so they know I sent you.
This is boxing with Chris Manning. Somebody punched him in
the face empty Joshua is a composed and ferocious finisher.
What's this is a heavy way? Posted by s I
s Chris Mannix. That was my moments now with interviews,

(01:27):
analysis and everything going on in the world of boxing.
When you have talent, you are given another chance. Here's
Chris Mannix. I'm so glad you could squeeze me into
this podcast. And between you and a pedicure, so I
decided you how many times a week to get a pedicure?
I'm to get a pediccure? Not often, not not as

(01:48):
much as I should. I say this all the time.
Sergio Mora back again, his own broadcaster, formedt un the
Midway Champion. But for someone that grew up with nothing,
you like the finer things more than anyone I know.
Mexicans started from the bottom. Now I'm here, yeah for
context here. Uh I asked Sergio to do this podcast
in person. I'm in southern California this week, and uh

(02:10):
I get a response for him that sounded a little
something like this all right, man, I'm squeezing your podcast.
But I got a busy day, bro, busy day day
trading right now, markets doing well, so now I can
actually allow hottle bike ride right now on the neighborhood.
But I gotta watch my jeep um. You know, I
gotta hit some golf balls because I'm like eating games

(02:31):
and suffering. But yeah, I'm squeezing your podcast three pm.
I will be there prepared. But yeah, you're just throwing
something else on my already full list. You know, I
got a laundry list of a lot of hobbies I
gotta take care of. Good luckier, good lucky. Your payment
for this. Your idea of a busy day is bike riding,

(02:56):
car washing and golf ball golf ball hitting and a trading.
We gotta make money, and today was a good day
in the market. Baby, your day in the moment, shouldn't.
You don't check the market every day? I check it
every day because I'm a I'm a part time day trader.
Mannix Okay, hashtag Apple, hashtag Marriott, hashtag Costco. He's on
all my stocks and doing well. I'm glad you're doing well.

(03:18):
All right. A lot to get into on this podcast.
A lot of news this week to touch on, but first, Sergio,
I want to look back to last week when we
were both ringside in Fort Worth, Texas. Virgin Lortise picks
up his nineteenth win, collects his nineteenth knockout, sees the
ninth round for the first time in his career, albeit
only for a couple of seconds against uh Michael Mackinson. Uh.

(03:42):
He now wins and moves on. What did you think
of Virgil Ortiz's performance, coming after a one year layoff
with a new voice in his corner in many robelis, First,
we gotta give m Mackinson some credit because, look, we
knew that he he didn't have enough to win, but
he showed hard, he showed grit, He was trying to
find a way to to uh to make it difficult
and ugly for Virginie. He kind of did, but he

(04:04):
wasn't winning rounds. And and that's what we talked about
in our in our last podcast, is how is he
gonna win rounds? Or is he going to be able
to win rounds? And obviously the question was no, he
would just able to you know, really show courage, heart
and you know, go more rounds than anyone else did.
But I just think Virgil Ortiz with his new team,
he's he's molding nicely, manic, He's molding nicely into the

(04:27):
same killer he was. I would like to see more jabs.
I would like to see less voices in the corner.
You know, there was his father as many robeless Uh,
there was like three three voices in his corner. But
that's all the things that you need to work on
with chemistry and the will. But whether he looked impressive
or not, absolutely, But that's what happens when you transition

(04:47):
from your day one to someone new. You have to
build that chemistry. And that's what they're doing with Manny
robles And it shouldn't take you more than two or
three fights, just like with Ryan Garcia. You know, with
with Goosen, it only took two fights to see Ryan
Garcia and and it's back to his old ways. Yeah.
One thing I learned in that fight is that Virgil
Ortiz Senior is the head trainer of that operation. Um,

(05:12):
even though you're right there were a lot of voices
talking in that corner, it was pretty clear that Virgil
Senior was the head guy. You're bringing Manny Roblez he's
there to help um. You have a couple of other
voices there, but Virgil Senior is the head trainer, probably
will be the head trainer moving forward, which is fine.
He trained his son all the way up until the

(05:34):
union with Robert Garcia. Now that Robert Garcia is out,
Virgil Senior is going to be taking the lead role
with Virgil Jr. And I don't I thought he had
a good game plan going in. Even Virgil in the
ring was telling me like my father had the right
game plan. I was just not listening to it. He
was out there trying to head hunt Michael Mackinson, and
Mackinson is very difficult to beat that way because he's slippery.

(05:57):
He's got a decent chin uh. He knows how to
avoid and how to tie up. The body was where
Virgil needed to go. And then towards the end of
that eighth round he just hits Mackinson with a picture
perfect shot right on the hip. It's not legal, by
the way, is the hip considered legal if the referees
on the right hand side and you do it on
the left hand side, it's totally legal. He didn't see it.
Bernard Hopkins used to do that all the time. Uh,

(06:19):
but technically no, it's not leasal there's but there's a
lot of things you can do when when the referees
on the other side, and we get away with it
all the time. If he doesn't see it, we got
away with it. I mean that was clearly it was
considered a body shot, but it was a hip shot
because you didn't see it. And I agree, Look, you
you do whatever you can do within the bounds of
of the game. Um. But I thought it was crazy

(06:40):
that Virgil hit Mackinson with a shot in the end
of the eighth round and then at the start of
the ninth hits him literally in the exact same spot
that just crumbles him down to the canvas once again.
I think it Virgil had not hit him in that spot,
Mackinson might have been able to survive, maybe the distance
of that. Finally, four rounds to go, he looked like
he was in good condition. I just think Virgil, to
his credit, went out there look for that exact same

(07:02):
shot and landed it. So good for him. That showed
growth and um, I think ability to follow the game
plan that his father and his team set out and
he still got the knockouts, So you know, he's still
you know, a one knockout ratio is still intact. And
even though he says and acts like it doesn't matter
to him, it doesn't matter because it looks great on
a on his resume, and it looks great promoting the

(07:25):
next fight. Uh, only him and better. We have two
boxers in the whole world are the only ones with
a hundred percent knockout ratio. Well, two boxers that actually
are you know, contenders and champions. Uh, that's impressive. So
to keep that, that's how you market your next fight.
And by marketing and keeping the hundred percent knockout ratio,
you know, you get more money, you can demand more
and on the negotiating table. So that's a great, great

(07:48):
thing to have on on your on your belt, a
notch on your belt. Uh. As far as Virgil Senior goes,
I'm a big fan of his because you know, mostly
you know how I feel about father's training their sons.
I don't like it. I do not like it for
many many reasons. I've seen so many relationships spoiled over boxing,
and I don't like it. But you know, Virgil does

(08:09):
a great job of being the alpha being the man,
being the father, but then allowing someone else to get
involved and and and do the training as well, kind
of like Devon Hamy his father does you know, I
think you know Devon Hany's father does the exact same thing.
He goes to whatever boxing training is gonna bring out
the best to a son, and it's everywhere around the country.

(08:29):
I don't care who the voice is, but I'm the man.
I'm the voice. You're gonna give the game plan, you're
gonna train my son, but come fight nite, it's my
voice for the highway. And I think that's where I
think Virgil Senor should have, you know, planned with Manny.
But these are all things are gonna work on the
next time around, and you can bet they're gonna iron
those out and they're gonna come stronger than next time.
I agree with you there, So let's talk about the

(08:50):
next time right now, Virgil Lortiz is the number one
contender for the belt held by Terence Crawford. UM. As
we record this, there are report works that the Crawford
Spence fight is getting close. UM it's not there yet,
but let's just say hypothetically that Crawford Spence falls apart
over money at the eleventh hour and the w b

(09:12):
O orders Virgil Orties against Terence Crawford. What would you
do if you're Virgil Lortiz, Well, I would Virginities is
so ambitious. He wants to fight Bud Crawford. I mean,
he's stubborn about that, and I'm sure he'll fight Errol Spence,
you know, and that that fight would be a huge
fight in Texas, in Dallas. It's just I would advise

(09:34):
him not to. I would, you know, I wouldn't need
to talk to his manager, Rick Mridge, and he'll he'll
tell you. He'll tell exactly what I'm telling you. No,
not ready. Unless it's a scene amount of money where
we can't turn down, then of course we're gonna take
the fight, because this is prize fighting after all. But
if it's just gonna be you know, one point two
million dollar fight, you know, one point something, I don't
think it's worth it because you know you're gonna be

(09:55):
able to make that really fast, and it's gonna grow
expan actually without Crawford, without Spence, without a blemish on
your record. So I say steer clear of those names,
even though you are chasing greatness. You're not ready for
those names. It'll look exactly like when Connello stepped up
to fighting may Weather. He got his first blemish, but
he got a ten million dollar pay day out of it,

(10:16):
so it was worth it. Now, if Virgil Ortie is
gonna get a ten million dollar pay day, I'll sign
the contract right now. But you're not gonna be But
we know it's not even gonna be five. But doesn't
like you know, you mentioned Canelo and Mayweather. One thing
Eddie Renoso has said and Canello has said after that
is that they're better off as a fighter from taking
that fight. They learned something from that fight. They were

(10:38):
humbled by that fight. Same thing can happen Virgil Ortiz
and Sergio. You and I both know if the w
b O orders it and it goes to purse bid,
like Virgil's taking that fight, how about if he gets
knocked out, how about it he gets that's the way.
That's not how you. You don't learn through a beating.
You learned through a twelve decision to round decision loss.
Canello go back and look at like man, look at

(11:00):
the beat down can change the trajectory of your career.
You don't want that beat down to be gambling for
what if. Now, if you can guarantee me that Virgil
Ortiz goes a distance with Crawford and narrow, Spence has
it take the fight. But this is boxing where you're
one fight, one loss away, one punch away from your
career going the wrong limit of virgins is not ready

(11:20):
for Terence Crawford. Now when is he going to be?
He faced all the gatekeeper Sergio, he faced, he faced
uh Vegas Kablaskis, he faced Michael Mackinson. He has faced
every B level fighter potential for him. But it's not
his job to be facing Crawford. It's spends his job
to be facing Crawford. That's what the public demands. That's

(11:43):
the number one fight to be made in boxing. Virgil Ortiz.
If he's able to do this and bite more than
he can chew, that just shows how much balls he has.
It's not his job to be calling our Crawford and Spence.
That just shows you the audacity and the ambition at
this young man. This is why we did this on
job over into the zone and I'll do it again.
I'm not talking about you just don't understand I do understand.

(12:05):
You know why, I understand because after you beat vern Forest,
what was your message to the crowd? Right then? Who
did you call Ostar de la Hoya, who at that
point was still one of the best in boxing was
at all time. And I didn't get it, and you
didn't get it, but you called him out. So you
called him out. Why is it different? Why why is
it okay for you to call it Oscar de la
Hoya and Virgil Lortiz not to call it Terence Crawford.

(12:25):
Terence Crawford thirty four. He's not twenty eight, he's not
in the middle of the prime of his careers. Thirty
four years old, and he got touched in his last
fight against Kavloskis got touched in that fight. I was
twenty eight years old, and I was in a different position,
all right. Uh And he just turned twenty four at
that but he has power and he has his star potential.

(12:45):
My star was already kind of like running out of
shine stock with your star was burned out? Well, I was.
I was about the supernova next. You know what that means? Yes,
all right? So yeah, you know I was a big
red giant at that time, and I was about to explode.
But anyway, he's a young star. He has a future
ahead of him, and and and and a lot of
a lot of you know, money to be made. And

(13:06):
I just think he's gonna take a step backwards fighting
one of these guys and then forget about losing. How
about it he loses badly or a beat down, you
don't come back from those. You know. There's so many
fighters that I left so much money on the table,
but with one bad loss, even though they got back
to the top, won a championship, made some good money,
they still weren't the same if they would actually made

(13:26):
the right decision early in their career. Kel Brooke is
a great example. Kyl Brook is a great example. He
he bit up more than he can choose to step
up to fight alofkin, something he didn't have to do.
But where did his career go from there? He went
from undefeated knocking people out. He left so much on
the table, striving for greatness. I just don't think it's
a good idea of virgins. Shouldn't do it um In

(13:50):
Tommy Hearns, I think it was in his early twenties,
took a pretty good beat down for Sugar in Leonard.
He bounced back. That was the welter white title. He
would on to win titles. Fight that he was winning.
If I that he was okay, but he took a
beat down at the one round. He was winning that
fight end fourteenth round. Okay, all right, how about he
was winning before that, so that wasn't a beat down.
How about this night and eighty five, the same Tommy

(14:11):
Hearns fights Marvin Hagley. You want to call that not
a beat down? It was out of his range, out
of this wig class and uh Haggler, for good's sake,
with the greatest. But he went on to win a
light heavyweight title after that. His career, please Dennis Anddre
exactly forget it. Then he fought ft Aran Bardwey lost
that fight, fought Ray Leonard again. Look, they were saying

(14:31):
the careers don't end after one out of the four kings.
Why is Hearn's always the one that that people mentioned less,
It's always not it's always Haggler, it's always Duran, It's Hearn,
It's not it's Ray up here that it's phrase above
everybody else, and that the other three are kind of
blowed Duran Duran and Leonard and then after that Duran,

(14:51):
you know he came back after Ray beat his you know,
no Moss. Yeah, but Duran was just special, you know.
Say so you're saying his verge not special yet? Not yet? Okay, alright, alright, well, look,
if there's any luck, we'll get Virgil versus, say David Avedisian.
I think that's a good fight for him next, because
that would mean spencing Crawford fight. For the fans, that

(15:13):
would be that would be a physical, physical fight rockham Sock.
That's the type of fight where that puts you on
the next level where you might be ready for the
bigger names, but dangerous. All right, let's look ahead to
this weekend. On Saturday, Tafi Molpez makes his return to
the ring. He will be moving up to a hundred

(15:34):
forty pounds to fight Pedro a Kappa. Lopez was last
seen in the ring against George Campbos's last November lost, lost,
the decision Was it unanimous? I think it was unanimous,
lost the unanimous decision. Um. In the aftermath of that,
he dealt with some medical issues. He dealt with a
broken hand. UM. Now he's back in the ring at
one forty The takeover. Sergio has become the take back. Uh,

(15:59):
what are your expectations for Lopez at pounds? I want
to say it was a spit decision, but either way, yes,
it was a clear loss. And I love this move
because we know that he was a big one thirty
five pounder, but the biggest one thirty five pounder I've
ever seen, by the way in Tiofimo Lopez. And uh,
you know, he knows, he knows what it's like to
have overnight success. Your life changes. Everyone wants your picture

(16:20):
and knows your name. You get the big money, and
then you have a just another loss, and he gets
everything taken away from you. He's popular enough, he's he's
still great enough to do something big at at one forty,
and he has a size to do it at one forty,
and he has monsters at the one forty division. You
got you know, got Taylor, you got Program, you got Tank,

(16:41):
you got Garcia. I mean that's gonna be the next
popular decision, you know from the lightweights. Now it's gonna
be one forty, So he's gonna be fitting nicely at
one forty, where you know there's gonna be a lot
of money on the table and he's and he's gonna
be He's gonna be happy that he hasn't doesn't have
to shed down that weight. His size is still gonna
be uh, you know, he's still gonna be big enough,
but he's not gonna be shedding those extra pounds. A

(17:03):
lot of money be made, man, And if he has
his head right, like he says, his head is right,
he's gonna be probably the name I would favor over
all of him. But his head has to be right,
his camp has to be right, um, and his training
of course, because you know, you don't want these injuries,
you don't want these sicknesses that he went into the
ring with that he that he said he had issues with,

(17:23):
and of course his father, you know, as a wild card.
So maybe if they can bring someone else in that
can that can even that out. I think he has
a bright future at him now. I think the mental
part of it is the most important part of Tafia
lopez career to this point. Sergio, you were around him
like I was during the campus this week. That was

(17:43):
not the Tafia Lopez. We have become used to the
confidence and it was still kind of there, but you
knew he was having problems getting down two hundred thirty
five pounds. He was very open about the issues with
his former wife. He had just had a baby who
he hadn't seen, Like there was so much going on
that I can't imagine being mentally prepared to go to

(18:06):
war against the guy like Cambosas who looked at that
fight as winner go home. It was do or die
for George Campbosas. So I'm of the belief that if
Tafiama Lopez is right mentally, if he's right physically, he
can very quickly become the best guy at one forty,
like the talents still there, like even in the ring, Sergio,

(18:26):
Like I've I've covered almost every ta Femo Lopez fight
of his young career, most of it live and in person.
I covered him at the Olympics in Rio. That was
not the same fighter. He was trying to one punch
cambos into the mat. Like the Ta Femo I know
is a boxer puncher, somebody that you know hits you,
moves you, and then when he gets the opportunity, just
clobbers you with that big right hand. Someone would happened

(18:47):
Richard Comey and their fight a few years ago. That
was not the Ta Femo I was used to seeing.
So everything I'm hearing is that Ta Femo has got
his mind right, his body's gonna be better at a
hundred and forty pounds. Um. I think he's in a
good place right now. I have lofty expectations for Ta
Femo Lopez. I think within the next year he's gonna

(19:07):
be a world champion again. And I think there's a
pretty good chance if his body allows him to stay
at one forty that before he leaves that weight class,
he'll be the undisputed champion because to your point, top
rank is loaded in that weight class. Like they've got
Josh Taylor, who has two of the belts and will
probably vacate sometime next year. They've got Jose Ramirez who's

(19:27):
gonna fight for a belt sometime next year. They have
a lot of guys that they work with. So Ta
Femo is gonna get a million opportunities at one forty.
A lot of money changes you overnight. Success changes you have,
you know, on a smaller or on a different level.
I went through that when I won the Contender. You know,
from nobody to somebody, from insufficient funds to a million
dollars two. FEMA went through that, and whenever you're a

(19:48):
kid from the game to insufficient funds, no way, come on.
Thanks to American Express. We had a good day today
at the market. Baby. Anyway, Um til FEMA went through that.
A lot of boxes go through that. A lot of
athletes go through that. Mans you cover. A lot of
basketball players aren't want that go broke before anyone else.
Football players too, because they get a lot of money.
That life changes overnight. They don't know how to manage it,
and then they start splurging till female. You know, he

(20:12):
went through a little bit of everything, not only personal problems,
but the financial problems too. He couldn't even hire the
strength trainer that got them into that great shape because
he couldn't afford it. You know, so all these things
come and it's a perfect storm. But you know what,
that's part of boxing. That's part of being a fighter.
The people. The reason people indirectly or vicariously lived through
us or admire us, whether you know you're a lawyer

(20:35):
or a doctor or whatever you are, it's because you
fight your own way. You fight, you get about a bed,
you fight your you know, for your family, you fight
you know, to get ahead in your job somehow somewhere
you're fighting. Any fighter could tell you that boxing is
easy and seeing training is one of the hardest things.
But juggling your personal life, your family life, doing all

(20:55):
the promotions and marketing for the fight, and then having
to you know, show off for to off runs against
like another guy that's equally as hungry, if not more hungrier.
I mean, it's a lot of things to juggle. It
is um and so, and it's character that that that
that makes it all the way through the end. Look
at all the fighters that have had longevity to the end.
Not only are they naturally talented, but they had character,

(21:16):
you know. And if some guys didn't have character, they're
just super talented or it was a little bit of both.
But yeah, I think Teo Femore, like you said, very smart.
Young men love talking to him, love hearing his interviews,
and I think he has the character get it back.
I think he's gonna be great at one um. Not
to look past Pedro Campa, but this is a comeback
fight for Tiffimo. He's probably if he's right, he's gonna

(21:37):
finish Campa in the first half of the fight. But
in the last couple of days there's been an interesting
matchup floated for Tiffy without being Ryan Garcia. Um, you
saw Oscar Delahoya tweet over the weekend that he was
gonna be in Vegas for the female fight up. I know,
Sergio that representatives of Top Rank and Golden Boy have

(21:59):
spoken about a potential Ta Femo against Ryan Garcia fight,
very preliminary talks right now, because a lot of the
same obstacles that exist between Garcia and Tank Davis in
terms of networks are the same ones. Though I would
argue that you know, Top Rank has done pay per

(22:20):
views with Fox before like that, I think Top Rank
and ESPN might be more amenable to doing kind of
a co promotion, a co pay per view with Golden
Boy and to Zone than Showtime and PBC is with
Tank David. That's why I read of it right now,
because the Tank Davis talks have really gone nowhere at

(22:43):
this point. I mean Oscar, all due respect Oscar, but
he's the head of Golden Boy. These discussions are being
had well below him. If a deal with Tank Davis
gets done, it's because the Zone. Al Hayman, uh Lupe
Valencia the manager for Ryan Garcia and showtime at Steven

(23:04):
Espinoza decided to get a deal done oscars. He's out
there and he's very important in these but he's not
really involved in the day to day of of these talks. Um,
But what do you think that, like, hypothetically, let's say
a deal can be done for Taffima against Ryan Garcia
early next year. Is that a fight you like for
Ryan Garcia? Is that a fight you like? For Tafia Melopez?
That a fight you like? Period? I would rather see

(23:25):
Garcia ver. She's tank. I think two will be too
physically strong and big from Tafi Will making his debut
one forty two. I get it, but I have seen them.
I mean, mind you, Ryan Garcia did fill out nicey
one forty. His shoulders look big. He looked really he
looked like a like a solid one forty. But tel
Female is a huge. It was a huge, one thirty

(23:46):
five pounder. He's still big one forty pound. He has
his shoulders, man, I mean, he looks like he's wearing
shoulder pads. Have you seen him do pull ups? And
he does them like the hard way? Where they where
is the backup? His palm is facing you, and he
goes all the way to the top two like waist level.
This this guy doesn't do push up. He looks like
a gymnast. He's that strong on his upper body and
we know that he can punch. It's his mind that

(24:07):
that that is going to be the issue. But on
the other on the flip side of that, Ryan Garcia
has been on record saying that he has issues with
mental issues as well. So I mean, it's it's it's
a problem, and it's it's an epidemic a lot of
people struggling with and we're gonna see more and more
of that in fighting. But as far as what they
do inside the ring when they're ready, I think till

(24:27):
female is just a wrong style matchup for Ryan Garcia.
He throws more people. Do you want to see Ryan
Garcia tank? All right? But if tank can't happen, do
you want to see if he goes to one forty,
what's he gonna do? Like? Do you want see in
fight Maxie Hughes. That's what I was talking and that's
that's the fight that's gonna happen anyway, So what does
it matter? But it does matter. You can push back
and say it's not a good fight. Okay, it's either

(24:47):
that are staying active and I don't think in that
time can make if it's doing. I'm only for Maxi Hughes.
If you're Ryan Garcia star, get another knockout and look,
Ryan Garcia can fight Maxie Hughes if you want to
in September October potentially, um, but if you can make
in the first quarter next year fight between Ta Femo
and garcias do it right. Like I would love to
hear Tank mentioned Garcia's name. I don't say just just

(25:11):
just to call him up. I would like to hear
Tillo Femo mentioned Garcia's name that way, you know, people
can start believing more than just with Ryan Garcia and
Asia del Hoyer saying because they're just doing their part
to promote they can call out Keen and Kong, but
doesn't mean King Kong is looking their way. But if
these guys actually mentioned their name, then it's kind of
like whoa, It's real now. I would love for TiO
female Lopez and be like, hey, all right, look I

(25:32):
have to take care of this. I'm gonna I'm gonna
look at your way. I'm gonna make you and he
does okay, and if he does it, we'll see what
happens with Oscia Deloya and Ryan Garcia, whether they were
just press conference after the last fight, said I want
to fight. If I can't get to Tank, I want
to fight Femo. I would love to see that fight
before Tank. I mean TiO Femo and Garcia would be
a massive I want to see that instead of Tank.
What do you know, I would love to see Tank.

(25:53):
But Tanks not happening. You just said why the Hayman,
the show time and everything else, but TiO female is possible?
Maybe because Bob down will work with Oscar Delonia how
he has before. Again, it's not I mean again, all
due respect to Bob. It happens at like the karlm
already level these This is where these deals get done.
Not to take two people too far behind here he's here,
but these you know, there are dealmakers and there are

(26:14):
figureheads within your company. And not to say Bob and
Oscar aren't involved. Bob is clearly involved in everything that
happens within top rank. But the nitty gritty gets done
at the management. If that fight can happen, that to
me is equally as good as Ryan and Tak not
as popular because you know the fan bases of are
big between Ryan and Tank. But that's a massive fight
in the first quarter of three. I should say, I'm

(26:36):
going to the Tifia fight on Saturday. You want to go?
Where is it? Vegas? Who? Maybe maybe Saturday sit ringside?
Wait a minute on me, I had a good dame
in the market today. I'll go blow it on Roulette.
All right, Let's move on to a fight that is
happening announced this week. Connor Ben and Chris you Bank
are going to square off in the UK. It's going

(26:57):
to be a fight that's at a catchweight of a
hundred fifty seven pounds. These two, obviously are the sons
of Nigel Ben and Chris you Bank Senior, who had
two famous fights in the early nineteen nineties. Now you
get Ben, who is a welterweight jumping up a couple
of weight classes, and you have you Bank, who has
been a middleweight of late, previously a super middleweight, dropping

(27:18):
down a few pounds to one fifty seven. Uh. Let
me get your thoughts on this first. I've got a few.
But Connor Ben you Bank being official, what do you
make of that fight? Revenge for his father. It's marketable,
it's sellable. You can put that in a in a
in a stadium and it's gonna be popular. Retribution, manics, redemption.
I mean, it's it's revenge. Yeah, it's it's blood, it's legacy.

(27:42):
It wasn't the second fight of draw between the Yeah, yeah,
but uh I shouldn't have been okay, But um, I
love the fact that that Ben is. It's so confident.
I love I love um you know how he's knocking
out people in former champions. Chris you Banks is really good,
very very good to be I mean the Harts to beat.

(28:02):
But I think at the point of where they're at Connor,
Ben is striving a lot, a lot farther, a lot faster,
and I think him taking this big chances just he's
following what what kel Brook did with Gillofkin, bit off
more than he can chew with a mere Khan did
with Canello, bit off more than he get you in
those fights. How the end not well brutal. I don't

(28:23):
see this fight ending brutal. I cauld see it being
a close loss for for Bennon wouldn't be that bad.
But I just think Chris you Banks I will have
the upper edge, and not only in wait. Even if
they are fighting at one fifty seven or whatever it is. Stylistically,
it's a bad matchup for ben Um, but I love
the fact that they're doing. It's gonna be a massive
fight and and and marketable because it's gonna have the

(28:44):
the young fans that are following this this young star now,
and it's gonna be the old school fans from the
ninete nineties. I've seen their father's fight. It's gonna be
a big fight. So I love the fight. I love
this fight for Chris you Bank because I think he'll
make one fifty seven comfortably and this is the biggest
money fight he's probably ever going to be in. Like

(29:04):
this is a massive pay day for Kriss Chris you
Bank unlike anything he's seen. I don't like anything he
will see. He'll rehydrate probably ten twelve pounds whatever the
limit is going to be, and he'll be a big
man in the ring against Connor Ben. I don't really
get this fight for Connor Ben. Connor Ben is still
a young guy mid twenties at this point who's on

(29:25):
the prospect path like he has been fighting the former champions,
the washed up veterans, the guys that you expect a
young prospect to fight, notably Sergio. He has not faced
anyone that resembles a puncher. What can Chris Eubank do?
He can punch right, but he can punch. Connor Ben

(29:45):
can punch at welterweight. But he's going up against the
guy that anyone in boxing will tell you has an
iron chin, like fighters George, you know, George Groves, a
James the Gil. He's lost twice but never been stopped.
But naturally big superman waits. It's gonna be a problem. Way,
It's gonna be an issue even even if you Banks
go to town and wait, he's lean, he's really down

(30:06):
three pounds, Yeah, somebody really big. I know, somebody told me,
somebody close to you Bank told me, like, look, he
easily makes that way. And he's a natural athlete, like
he's always in shape. Yeah, but it's like kind of
like natural. I don't want to compare it to Lebron,
but like he is like a physical specimen, like he
just he could do whatever he wants that his body
is going to do operate accordingly. So I'm I think

(30:28):
this is bad news for Connor Band. I think he
might get hurt so bad. You talked with Ryan Garcia
and with other guys like or Virgil Ortiz like this
to me is almost a cash out for Connor Band. No, man,
I just why why do you think differently? Just saying
are you about Versuti is not facing Uh? Terence Crawford,

(30:48):
why is it okay for Connor Bend to face grizz
You bank the money? The money um is one of course,
because this this is a business. The styles and the
style matchup is another thing. But the maturity, that's that's
the main thing. I want to focus on. The maturity.
You listen to Connor band talk, you watch him fight,
and he's ahead of his ears. And it's not only
because of his father, and it's not only what he

(31:10):
does in the ring, but he has this this confidence
that most fighters learned on the job. Virtual Ortiz is
still learning on the job. That's why he switched trainers,
even though he's knocked out everybody. If he if he
if he was a confident. If he's not confident in
eighteen and O you know eighteen hockouts, nothing's gonna make
him confident. Uh. That just goes to show you that
he's not fully matured, you know. Connor Band, on the

(31:32):
other hand, he's a fully matured specimen of a specimen
of a boxer, of a fighter, and I love watching
him fight. He's a star, he's a future mega star,
and he can beat you Banks. Maybe that's why he's
doing it. He's he's biting off a little bit more
than he can chew. But if he can actually somehow
win this fight, we got the next you know, British
canello across the part because he's handsome, he knocks people out,

(31:56):
he's articulate, and he can he can he can model
everything from you know, laptops to underwear. So he's gonna
be he's gonna be. Uh, you're you're you're doing best
case scenario here, and I get that, But look at
the opponents. Connor Ben is faced in the last and
the worst is he loses a decision. He won't get
knocked out. He has knocked out by you bank. No,

(32:17):
you just said you bank and punch. Yeah, but he's
not gonna get knocked out. Okay, but look at the guys.
Connor Ben, his faced, Sebastian Formela can't punch Samuel Vargas
can't know it wasn't Sash lost, Sean Porter and somebody
else won last like that? Uh, Samuel Vargas not a
defeated can't punch Chris Algeria due respect to our friend
can't punch um Chris van Here did can't punch like

(32:39):
he has followed a lot of guys that can't punch.
Now he's going up to weight classes to face the
guy that can punch. I don't see the pathway to
victory here. I'm not saying it's a great idea. I'm
not all. I'm saying it's a calculated risk that I
like more than vir Yes, well, there's more money in it.
That's the That's the only thing you can say about
this matchup. There's more money. You go when you weigh

(33:00):
the pros and cons. I think this is a calculated,
smart risk by Connor benn In. Mind you there's legacy,
there's bloodline involved, there's absolutely That's why it's a story
to sell. So if I had a father, I would
like to reach I like to revenge his loss or
whatever it is. But I don't. So you know, if

(33:21):
I would have had someone like that in my life,
that he came up short with someone else. You can
bet that I would have stepped up man. I would
have taken I would have taken the name to another level.
I would have Mannix. You have a dad. If your
dad would have got beat by somebody, wouldn't you want
to face somebody that's just a little bit bigger just
to Okay? But again, they fought to a draw the

(33:43):
second time, so it's not exactly revenge. Yeah that the
second you know, it wasn't a draw, was a decision loss.
It wasn't you know? It was a drawing it Yeah,
that's that. That wasn't yet. I think you're over or
overreaching here. And look, if Connor Benn was like thirty
one years old, I might agree with you. But he's
twenty five and Sergio, is it gonna be? How do
you think he's gonna go back down to welchway after

(34:04):
gaining thirteen pounds for this Fight's gonna drop back down
to welterweight and resume his career is a top prospect there.
If he loses badly, this to me as a cash out,
simple as that he's cashing out. He's gonna make a
lot of money, But this will be the end we
see of connor Ben and oh, you're nuts. Maybe I agree.
I might give you some credit with the cash out, because,
like I said, this is a business. It's prize fighting.

(34:24):
You show me the money, I'll take the risk. But no,
he's the one. He's not gonna get knocked out. So
how's it a cash out too. He's gonna make a
boatload of money if he makes it a competitive fight
and comes up short, it's still gonna be a learning experience.
He can draw back down and wait, or he can,
you know, campaign at junior middleweight, go up and wait comfortably.
He's fine. He's he's a good looking, very hard punching

(34:45):
kid that has a big following. It all depends how
he loses that fight. If he gets knocked out, okay,
it was a mistake. If he goes the distance, loses
a close decision, it's a win win, you know, was
the best story behind Chris Eubank connor Ben. The parents
in the second fight, don King at the time had
written into their contracts that the winner of the fight

(35:07):
and the loser of the fight would both become part
of don King promotions. He didn't in a draw her
in the draw, so neither one of them had to
join Don King, which was an amazing piece of bad
lawyering or whoever wrote that contract uh for don King.
All right, let's keep it over in the UK for
a minute, and let's talk about Tyson Fury, who unsurprisingly

(35:29):
is looking to get back into the ring. Theory has
been on social media and he wants to face Dereka
talking about completing the trilogy against Derek to so mind
you Furies beaten to or twice pretty badly about ten
years ago was the last fight, but Fury wants Derek
to SOA Part three. Tosa says, he wants it. From
what I've been told, they are massively apart in terms

(35:52):
of money, to the point that representative both have told
me this fight is not going to happen. So I'll
ask you this, are you? I guess I don't think
you'll be surprised that Fury wants to get back into
the ring. But what do you make a Fury calling
out Derek to Sura, it's the Gypsy King being a
mastermind promoter, keeping his name in the mix meaning popular

(36:13):
and Cessa is always in in in really entertaining fights.
But he comes up short when it comes to fighters
like Tyson Fury. He came up short twice already. He
comes up short with every big name his look. All
respect to him for beating Kubra Poolev, but Kubra Pool
was as washed as so is. You got. You always
got to give him a chance against people to put

(36:35):
up a good fight, but not to win. He's a
heavyweight version of gabriesetto always in an entertain entertaining, very
very light, very popular soldier that loves going to war,
but he doesn't come out with the victories or the triumphs.
So when it all comes down to it and they
both have like a dozen losses, but Pet the people's champ, right,

(36:56):
but not against the real chap. You don't give him
chances against the number one guy. You can give him
chances against the number four or five guys or guys
coming up in the mix, but no, not against Tyson
Furious beastly if he's already come up short twice, like
I want to see to Soa, if he wants to
complete the trilogy against Kubra Pool, have more power to you,
like that's that's a fine fight for the second fight
was actually pretty entertaining. Let's see that fight. If he

(37:17):
wants to face Dillian White in a third fight, I'd
be okay with that. Yeah, those are okay. I don't
want to see him against the best heavyweight in the world.
It doesn't make any sense. That's the way for Tyson
Fury to cash a big check and not beat any danger.
And then it sort of fits Sergio with what Tyson
has been doing since his last fight. We're just calling out,
you know, Naganu, the m M A champion. He's calling

(37:39):
out now, Derek to Soory. He's looking to do exhibitions
more that he's looking to do actual competitive fights. But
you and I both know furies future will be determined
in less than two weeks when A J and USI
getting the ring together in Saudi Arabia. The winner of
that fight there will be a mandate to face Tyson
Fury to become the undisputed champion at heavyweight. That's the

(37:59):
fighter wants to to Supuri in and ultimately that's the
fight he's gonna take, right like, that's the one's going
to be behind and yeah, and he's waiting and doing
what a very smart heavyweight championship do instead of staying
in active, get an easy fight against the fighter you
know you'll beat easily, get a big paycheck. And that's
why he's promoting that fight, because the longer he stays
out of the ring, the more he's gonna look bad

(38:20):
against the winner of an US again AJ, especially if
it's USA, because he's a master boxer. So yeah, he
doesn't want all that that rust to start piling up.
I get why Tyson Fury is doing it. I just
don't understand why, you know, promoters are considering putting that
show or our fans will be interested in in that
type of fight because now it's it's it's a one
sided fight. And look, it all comes down to Deontay Wilder,

(38:44):
you know, not letting the heavyweight champion on dispute it
ever happened, And I still go back to this. I
have I have this, this, this this bitterness man that
that you know, we didn't get to see Anthony Joshua
and Tyson Fury for the biggest fight in box That
fight would have stopped the world for one night, and
it's not gonna happen. Instead we have we're talking about us,

(39:06):
we're talking about other fighters that are not the two
biggest names. And while there's a lot of the mix
now too, it's boxing. I get it. But no, back
to your question, We're not going to get into this,
but like, have you seen the video of Usik lately?
Like he looks like a unit huge, He looks like
a tank. He looks like a tank. I have a
lot of concerns about a J's ability to win this fight.

(39:27):
I have a lot of concerns because Usik looks like
a real heavyweight um in his most recent training pictures.
Look at Tyson Fury. Yeah, I agree with you, by
the way, I think Joshua, no matter who he has
in his corner, us is just that damn skilled to
make fighters, especially big fighters his size, to look bad.
But um yeah, it's it's it's gonna it's gonna have

(39:49):
to be a one punch that changes things and where
Us goes on the defensive, uh you know mode, and
then Joshua starts, you know, just pulling in a iron.
He can win a decision. I don't see I'm knocking
out of us. It's gonna have to be a hard
fought decision that he wins. Um yeah, yeah, last thing
you mentioned, Deontay Wilder. He is reportedly set to return

(40:10):
to the ring after a one year layoff on October.
His opponent Robert Helennius, who is coming off back to
back knock out wins. Yeah, back to back knock out
wins over Adam Kovnowski. I love that fight. That is
the perfect comeback fight for Deontay Wilder. Helennius has credentials
like he is, uh the right guy, you know, because

(40:32):
of those two wins over Kovnoski. He's not some washed
up guy at this point, even though he is thirty
eight years old and he's been knocked out before, like
Johann Duopus knocked him out, Gerald Washington knocked him out.
So if Deontay Wilder has anything left in the tank,
He's going to knock out Robert Lennius and put himself
in a position for say and Andy Ruiz fight potentially

(40:52):
in the first quarter of this is you know. I
know it came at the cost of Adam Kovnoski because
he lost those two fights, but this is absolutely the
right matchmaker for PPC to make for Wilder. I'm not
a big fan of being on pay per view, but
this is where we are be beautiful matchmaking. It's gonna sell.
It's gonna be the perfect fight for Deontay Wilder was

(41:13):
coming out back to back losses against the guy that's
coming out back to back wins. It's a marketable fight.
Two big men, but two of the best names in boxing,
the Bronze Bomber in the Nordic Nightmare. Come on, they're
just you know it's gonna be. It's gonna be the
complete opposite of of each other, and balt of them
are big guys. Is gonna look good on television. People
are gonna want to watch, and it's a perfect style

(41:35):
match up for Wilder, who fights taller fighters better. I
think Uh Helennious he struggles with taller fighters. Dwapas was
six ft five around there. He came up short with.
Uh was the other guy that he came up short with, Washington,
another huge guy. I think it was so he doesn't
do well against big fighters. I think he does better
against shorter fighters. Uh and Wilder. We know that he

(41:57):
faced the biggest heavyweight out there in Fury. He must
he's gonna he's gonna learn off that experience and it's
a great, great matchup that ends in a knockout. I
think while they knocks him out. Yeah, and look, if
he does, he's right back into that heavyweight mix into
big fights. Um. And if he doesn't, you know, we'll know.
If he doesn't dominate, Robert Lennius will know, there's probably
not a lot left wild. There will be thirty seven

(42:19):
years old a week after that fight. So so what
he cashed out and he did and he didn't trilogies
of all time, if not the greatest heavyweight trilogy of
all time, like it was a great, great uh series
of fights with Tyson Fury. So well, we'll see what
happens in that fight and maybe we'll see you in
Vegas there surgery thinking about aren't you hey, listen, I'm

(42:40):
thinking about it. Had a good day in the stock market.
If this week continues, I I just might have to
go blow it on Roulette. I can't believe you're basing
your short term future on the penny stocks that you're
trading on each trade. No, no, no, no, no, it's
not penny stocks, my friend, And yeah, American Express had
a good day. Yeah, when we come back, conversation with

(43:01):
Taya Fimo Lopez. So the NFL Week one odds are
out and now It's time to try FanDuel Sports Book.
If you haven't already, get in on the action early
this season. Right now, new Fan Duel sports Book customers

(43:21):
can get a no sweat first bet up to one
thousand dollars. What NFL futures bet would you make with
a no sweat beet pick? Local teams players were applicable?
Go to the FanDuel Sports Book app to find out
more options. For example, can the Rams repeat at plus
eleven hundred? Would you take Derrick Henry or Jonathan Taylor
to win the rushing title? Will Kyler Murray and the

(43:43):
Cardinals beat the eight and a half win total? Mem
a Patriots fans, I'm looking at everything related to Mac
Jones and the New England Patriots. Just sign up using
the promo code boxing to place your first bet, and
FanDuel will give you up to one thousand dollars back
in free bets if you don't win. There's no better
place to get ready for the football season than on FanDuel,

(44:04):
America's number one sports book, an official sports betting partner
of the NFL. Download the Fan Duel sports Book app
and sign up using the promo code boxing to get
started with a no sweat first bet up to one
thousand dollars. That's promo code boxing, all right. Taffimo Lopez

(44:28):
is the former hundred and thirty five pound champion. On Saturday,
you will take the first step towards becoming a two
division champion when he takes on Pedro Campa. That's a
fight you can watch on ESPN and Tafemo joins me
here on the show. Ta Femo. Been a little while, man,
six seven months. Good to see you back back in
the mix, my friend. It's great to be back, and

(44:49):
thank you for having me for um. Just it's great
to be back in my sport that I love and
honestly looking forward to Saturday night, August thirteenth against Pedro Campo.
So how does didn't forty pounds feel on you? Oh? Man,
it feels amazing. It's something that has been long overdue. Honestly,
I think for like two years I should have made
this weight. I should have been on this weight already

(45:10):
two years ago. But you know, God works in mysterious ways.
You know, I think I had to become world champion
at thirty five for us to to come up here.
So it's just a it's a great feeling overall. Um,
it's less stress on my body and really just now
we're on cruise control. Yeah, what what are you able
to do differently? How is training different now that you
don't have to cut those extra five pounds. Honestly, I'm

(45:34):
able to basically take more intake on protein, you know,
basically eat more, Um, those five those five pounds, four
or five pounds is a huge difference. If anyone that's
in the sport of boxing or even in combat sports,
they know. So it's UM, it's definitely all about just, um,
making sure that we don't lose the main foundation, and

(45:55):
that's staying staying conditioned, you know, and not trying to
build too much muscle mass, you know, because that can
also slow you down. You know. I'm a very elusive fighter,
very quick twitch, and UM, this whole turnaround really I
won't aford it has just been amazing. Um, this whole camp,
I feel great, I feel amazing, and I really can't
wait to showcase that on Saturday night on ESPN. So

(46:17):
along those lines, like compare how you are feeling physically
now to how you were feeling physically going into the
last fight against cambosis. Physically, um, I would say this
time around rather than from the cambos is um. I
don't feel as dry, so to speak. My body doesn't
feel as dry. I don't feel um and I don't

(46:39):
feel too uh. I'm less injuries so to speak, you know.
And I think that's a huge major factor for me
as to you know, combat sport. I mean, there's so
much contact that we do, so um. I try to
go into fight as close as possible to you know,
and sometimes it doesn't really happen. Especially at thirty five,
you know, I was breaking down my body a lot

(46:59):
of where and tear, you know. And I think the
huge factor in the difference now is that I don't
have to really worry about that. My body is starting
to realize that we're not gonna go down at thirty five,
you know, We're gonna stay at one forty and and
just work our way and build up from there. Yeah.
I was on with Max Kellerman the same day that
you were last week, and he was asking me about,

(47:21):
you know, what do you expect from ta Femo? I said, Look,
I think a femo at his best is probably the
best at one forty. Like he is really good. He's
still the top of his game. What what I'm curious
about with female going into this fight is going in healthy,
going in physically right, going in mentally right, because you know,
being around you before the Campusas fight, and I've been

(47:43):
around you for a lot of your fights earlier in
your career, going back to the Olympics, I mean, you
had a lot going on in your personal life going
into the Campusas fight. It didn't feel like you were
mentally all the way they're going into that fight. Has
that stuff been resolved in your life as you go
into this fight? Absolute? Really? Absolutely, mannic. I mean, everything
happens for a reason. You know, God works in mysterious ways.

(48:04):
And and I, like I said before, and I love it.
I'm truly I'm truly grateful for the journey that I'm
actually going through right now. You know, um, it's great too,
It's great to fail because and during those times is
when you really get to know yourself more. You know,
you get to know whether you how bad do you
really want this? You know, does it does it break you?
Or does it make you? You know? And I can't

(48:25):
really wait to honestly showcase that to you all you know,
and see the Um, not just just a different type
of where I'm at mentally. It's how it's more so
to see and let you guys see, um, how I
really am in physical form. You know. I think that's
gonna be the major key to to where I become
a two time UM two divisional, two division weight world champions.

(48:48):
So all those things really is what I'm really looking
forward to, becoming undisputed once again and just shooting for high,
high expectations for everything. You know, I'm becoming the greatest
of of of my era, you know, not just uh,
you know, I came back into this. You know, I'm
already great. I just came back to add the e
s t at the end. You and you hadn't spent

(49:09):
any time with your son before that Camboss fight. What's
it like having spent this time and being a father all.
It's amazing. Honestly, my life has definitely changed because of it.
And it's the I honestly believe to everyone out there
having a child, having a kid is honestly a blessing
from from the heavens above, you know, and I think

(49:30):
that we really got to be more considerate about that.
It's changed my perspective immensely and about how I need
to carry myself moving forward. What do I want to do?
You know, it's not about yes to take over. It's
all about we're gonna take over the sport. We're gonna
do who we do be number one. However, it's more
so now since I have my son, it's about leaving
so much behind for him that he knows how to

(49:52):
structure when he gets of age. So it's definitely changed
everything for me, and it's also influenced me more to
even and still that and other people with children. Mhm.
You know, you, as we talked about kind of you were,
weren't all the way right going into the campus's fight.
I know that fight was delayed multiple times and you
just wanted to get out there. You want to get this,
get through that fight and get past it as opposed

(50:14):
to having another delay down the line. But as you
look back, do you regret going through with that fight? No,
not at all. It's made me who I am today.
I had to go through that and and God made
sure of it. You know, I had to go through
near death experience to really understand my values as a
human being and as a person, and what I really

(50:34):
what am I here for in this sport, you know,
and what am I here for in this world? Really?
You know, Um, I'm just grateful to even have a
voice and to have people even come out to listen,
you know, and it's all about finding the right tunes
to everyone. You know. This really has definitely changed my
life and though and in a much positive way. And
I thank God every day for it, you know, I
thank him because back you remember in the Olympics, UM,

(50:58):
it was so much corruption into thousand six team. I mean,
but we don't need a touching on that. However, however,
it's uh, because of that failure, I became the second
youngest undisputed UM champion in boxing history, you know, after
that failure. So I'm just excited to see what this
failure is going to bring onto me for for more
of my successes. Really, you know, that's a great perspective

(51:21):
because yeah, you you know, you got screwed over I
think a couple of times in the Olympics cycle, UM,
and then exit in that first round, and you took
that and you were not one of the most celebrated
signings coming out of the Olympics, but you quickly became
the most successful guy coming out of the Olympics, and
so you're saying kind of you use that experience as motivation,

(51:42):
and you'll use this most recent experience of failures motivation. Absolutely,
that's the only way a true champion looks at he
should look at adversity and had life. You know, when
you go through failure, it's not saying that you suck,
but that's the first step to success, you know. And
you really got change your narrative, you know. And and
you see all the greats, I mean, they've all talked

(52:04):
about it, from the Michael Jordan's to Kobe Bryant to
uh even to Tyger Woods and all these guys from
all different sports, they really talked about their failures is
what made them great. And that's really what I'm here
to put on too. That's why we call it a
take back to take over and it's really just to um,
I want to be up there as well with them. Yeah,

(52:27):
you talk You talked about kind of what the medical
issue that was revealed after the fight. Has that been resolved?
Are you comfortable medically going into this fight? Absolutely? You know,
I'm definitely in a much better place physically now. You know, UM,
no more injuries, thankfully. You know, coming into this fight,
I believe I'm about like in healthy, So you know, um,

(52:49):
and that that is very high. It's a high ratio
for me, especially, so you're all gonna see the Magdalene
Magdaleno type of performance mixed with the Mason and our
performance mixed with so many other things that you know,
everyone is just gonna it's just an I Candy performance
that I'm really gonna put out. You know, I'm a
performer at the end of the day, and I'm here
to really show and let everyone know. You know, I

(53:11):
am the guy. You know, I'm not someone that is
just here for a moment. You know, I'm here to
stay forever. And it's really just those things, the complications
that I had. You know, it's great. It's great that
uh we were working on that now. And I know
that a lot of it had to do because of
the weight class at one thirty five. I know that
for a fact, and UM, I'm just grateful now because

(53:31):
I had to learn from that. So I stayed longer
than I need to when my body's telling me it's
time to move. So now it's just all about listening
to my body and just moving forward from there. When
you watched Devin Haney beat Cambosis, what went through your
I didn't watch the fight. I was actually in New
York City during the time, and I was riding a bike.
I was riding one of those city bikes and just

(53:53):
listening to music because, um, you know, honestly, I kind
of figured, I know that if if I'm in the
sport of boxing, then you got to know the business
of the sport of boxing. And and honestly, I already
knew that Hainy was gonna win. So there's no point
in watching something that that I'm either gonna fall asleep
watching or like um, or just know that I already

(54:14):
know the end result. So it's no point. I'd rather
go in connect more with with life. Really, if cam
Bosis one way or the other moves up to one forty,
does a rematch interest you, Yeah, for sure, definitely, that's
definitely something that that will definitely come around, you know,
And and this time around, he won't you know, I

(54:35):
won't be the one time he'll be the one feeling that.
So you know, I look forward for him moving up
to one forty. I think that's only that's the best
shot that he really has, though, to stay to stay
relevant because Devin Haney's gonna beat him again. Um And
and honestly, no one's gonna care about camp Boss, so
he's gonna have to move up at one forty and
I'll gladly take that fight. You know. However, I'm focused

(54:56):
on all these world titled belts um so in the meantime,
just focusing on on my main goal right now, looking
great August thirteenth, and then we go from there. I
spent some time tale around Virtue Rtiz last week, and
he had a rough year kind of as well, a
lot of critics, a lot of doubters after he pulled
out of that fight against Michael Mackinson, and he said
it was a hard year for him, and he used

(55:17):
all that going into uh, that fight he had this
past weekend. Use the criticism. Do you kind of does
that fuel you going into a fight like this? Um? No,
it used to, it used to, I will say, it
used to feel me. Now it's more so about just
it feels uh that doesn't feel me. What feels me
is knowing that I am that I am, I am

(55:39):
who I who I always said I am and honestly
is the best entertaining fighter in the game, you know.
And I think that's just really what what fuels me
more than ever, you know, just basically, UM put it
on for God, you know, representing him mainly. You know,
I'm a child of God, and I just focus on
just performing at my best, just so that he could
see that, you know. Um, you know, and when after

(56:01):
my fight, I'm just gonna I'm gonna grant him and
thank him for everything that he has done in my life.
And and hopefully, you know, it could tap into all
those kids around the world, you know, put some light
in everybody and just move forward. You and your father
have had a lot of success together as fighter and trainer.
But when things go wrong, people wonder will the fighter
make changes? And changes usually means in the corner. Um.

(56:25):
Was there any thought in your mind about either bringing
someone into work with your father, replacing your father? What
was your mindset there? No, No, Um, it's a dynamic
doo man to to the wheels fall off. You know,
me and my father, I had so many I mean, mannix,
I had so many people call me and text me afterwards.
I mean people that's mine in front of my father's face,

(56:45):
you know, and get him a pat on the back
and just say, hey, you should leave him and and
and come to come to our side, you know. And
I'm like, you know, I don't want to be rude
and say that I know everything, because I don't. You know,
I still learned. I'm still learning to this day, you know.
And that's the greatest thing that I could say about
life and what I do in my craft. You know.
My father, though, is the one that really he knows

(57:06):
me best. He's seen me at my worst, He's seen
me at my best, you know, and he's gonna be
the one that definitely is gonna tell me the things
that I really need to uh to focus on on
how can I beat this guy. I trust him, I
trust him with my life, and honestly, it's um, it's
really just uh just focusing. Honestly, I didn't even want,
I didn't need or want a assistant coach for this fight,

(57:27):
you know. Um. We had talks of other people that
wanted to come in and maybe do some some collaborations
with that would have made a probably it would have
caught more eyes, you know. However, I'm someone that is
I'm loyal to the t you know, and and and
I got it, And I just want everyone to see that.
You know, my father didn't become trainer of the Year
just by just by by luck, you know. In you know,

(57:51):
we beat the most decorated fighter pound for pound during
that time, Pacilimchenko. That was from him. You know, he
told me how the game plan had to go. So
I just really wanna give my father his flowers, especially
for this fight, and that everyone let them be known.
Let it be known to everyone out there that that
man is always gonna be in my corner. And if
anyone got something to say about it, you can meet me.

(58:12):
You can meet me in that ring. Yeah, your father,
I mean, it's what have you done for me lately,
isn't it. I mean like your father is the guy
that was guiding you through Richard, come through pas Lomachenko,
the best year of your professional career, and you know
now it's you know, one loss, and everybody's looking to
I'll say this mannis that's the problem with today's Uh.
I don't want to say with everything, but that's the

(58:32):
problem with today's world. You know, just because you have
one defeat doesn't mean that you gotta go and switch up.
You know, just because something goes wrong or whatever, it
doesn't mean that you just gotta forget where it started,
you know. I think that's what people don't really tap into.
I don't need to. And the thing is with all
these other trainers, I'm sorry, they don't know ship about boxing,
a majority of them. And if anything, they just want

(58:53):
to they want to grasp onto me and say that
they build something like that. You know, what better way,
right mannix to try to train some by to else
when they're coming back and comeback fight knowing the fighters
determined to want to win this right and needing to
win this and then take credit for it, you know,
and say that they made me and they did this.
I'm not one to have that, you know. And I

(59:13):
don't want to teach. I don't want to teach these
coaches how how I actually think and how I actually move.
You know, if you don't, if you're not on the
same pace with me, you're wasting my time. And I
see that with a lot of coaches, and what what
what what does the main ego coach do? They try
to stimulate your your style into their style, and and

(59:34):
what happens is that the whole time you're focusing on
trying to perfect their style, that you're not really thinking
in the ring. And that's the thing that a lot
of these fighters, because they're not educated enough, uh, they
don't really tap into that. They're just like, Okay, I
gotta go over here because I lost. No, you don't.
You just gotta go back to the drawing board and
stay loyal to the team that used that that started
with you, no question. And look, you're now in a

(59:57):
position with top rank, having a lot of those top
fighters at out forty pounds, like you'll get that title
shot very quickly. I'm assuming I'm assume. I'm guessing they've
that in those discussions with Top rank. There are big
opportunities immediately ahead of you. Absolutely, you know, I know
that the right now, the vacant belts. The vacant belts
right now is somewhe I guess already taken. So you know,

(01:00:17):
Josh Taylor still talking about getting married and all this
other stuff. I honestly, we can make that fight happen,
you know, I try to make the fight happen with
with Cato and stuff like that. However, you know, as
we can see you know, um, I really don't have
no say right now. You know, this was a top
rank executive move and and and it kind of makes
me feel some type of way, but I understand. You know,

(01:00:39):
I'm a fighter, so the day I die, and I'm
someone that definitely let's to take every challenge and every fight,
you know, and I don't got no fight, so you know,
but it kind of may realized. I gotta how do
I how do I come back to take over and
set the tone Saturday night, August thirteenth against Pedrol compos
when it starts. It's good to have you Backtail boxing
is better with you in it. Hope to see you

(01:01:01):
in big fights very soon. Thanks for joining me. Man,
It's hard to be humble when you as great as
I am. When we come back. This week's picks brought
to you by fan Duel. Time now for this week's picks,
brought to you by our friends over at fan Duel.
And yes, the hot streak continued last week. Not the

(01:01:24):
most difficult fight to predict, I'll grant you, but I
told you to bet Virgin Lortise. He won. I told
you to bet Virgin Lortise by knockout, and even though
it got a little bit tricky in there for him.
He wound up stopping Michael Mackinson in the ninth round
of his fights. I hope, you bet. I hope he
got rich. The big fight this weekend Tafimo Lopez against

(01:01:44):
Pedro Campa. Again. This is not a fight with great
odds because for Lopez it is a comeback fight. It
is supposed to be a fight that he wins relatively easily.
Right now, he is at minus three thousand according to
fan Duel. That's not a great number, but it's almost
immortal lock that Tafima Lopez wins this fight against Campa,

(01:02:05):
who has never really fought anyone on the level of Lopez.
The odds got a little bit better when you're looking
at method of victory. Lopez is minus four ten to
win by knockout. I think he's coming into this fight
with something to prove. He's got a chip on his
shoulder in the aftermath of the loss to Campos's Campa
he just doesn't have the firepower to keep Lopez off him.

(01:02:26):
I think Lopez had a better camp I think things
are settled down in his personal life. I think he
comes out and makes a statement in his return, knocks
out Pedro Campus. So take Tafimo Lopez to win. Take
him to win by knockout. Those are my picks, brought
to you by fan Duel. That's it for this week's episode.
My thanks to Sergio Mora and ta Femo Lopez for

(01:02:48):
joining the show. As always, subscribe, rate, review this podcast
on Spotify, Apple podcast, where have you download podcast? And
I'll see you next week.