Gil's Arena - Shakur Stevenson Pulls NO PUNCHES With Gil's Arena!!

Episode Date: September 17, 2025

Shakur Stevenson Pulls NO PUNCHES With Gil's Arena as the world champion boxer joins Gilbert Arenas & The Gil's Arena Crew for a legendary interview on his iconic career. He breaks down how his defense wins championships mentality has guided him through the ring and teases an upcoming bout with Teofimo Lopez. They then react to the Bud Crawford vs Canelo fight where Shakur praises Crawford as the Michael Jordan of boxing and explains what his win means to his legacy & the sport of boxing. Shakur then takes the Gil's Arena Crew through his career, explaining the importance of starting early and tells the story of when he knew he was him before breaking down the intricacies of boxing like weight classes, different styles of boxing and how to cut weight. Finally, he gives his take on the current era of boxing which he calls the lamest generation and gets real on the impact Jake Paul & exhibition fighters are having on the sport. The Arena premieres every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 11:30am PT / 2:30pm ET. Sign up for Underdog HERE with promo code GIL and play $5 to get $50 Bonus Cash: https://play.underdogfantasy.com/p-gi... SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAvj... Join the Underdog discord for access to exclusive giveaways and promos! https://discord.gg/underdog Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ & MA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org; NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369) 00:00 Welcome To The Arena Shakur Stevenson 01:32 How Many Rounds Could Gil Last In The Ring? 03:11 Could Shakur Beat Gil & Kenyon in 1v1 06:12 Defense Wins Championships in Boxing 09:27 Shakur vs Teofimo Lopez 15:45 The Importance of Starting Young 19:25 When Shakur Knew He Was Him 28:38 Crawford vs Canelo Reaction 39:26 Is Jake Paul Bad For Boxing 51:29 Will We Ever Get Shakur vs Tank? 54:37 This Is The Lamest Era Of Boxing 1:03:48 Is Shakur Changing His Style? 1:07:40 Shakur On Boxing In The Olympics 01:09:42 What Is It Like To Cut Weight 1:17:34 Shakur Will Become The Pound For Pound King Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Visit rbc.com slash avion. Welcome back to Gil's Arena presented by Underdog Woof Woo! Got your whoop back. Got my woof. I've heard the Woof Woof is changed in these streets a little bit. The woof will belong to the streets now, Gil. Trying to reclaim my Woof. Try to reclaim it.

But this is Gil's Arena presented by Underdog Woofoo. Full over. As always, we've got the legend Gilbert Arena is here with us. We're going to go. And back on the couch, we got the distinguished gentleman from Oak former number one pick Kenyon Martin back here. And we got a special guest making his first appearance in the arena, one of the best fighters in the game,

looking to become the pound for pound king. He's among a handful of boxers to hold world titles in three different divisions, along with an Olympic medal. In the near future, he's going to try to make it four different divisions if a certain fighter stops ducking him, gets the contract sign. Helling from Newark, New Jersey, also known as Brick City. Shakur Stevenson, welcome to Gil's Arena. Give them some smoke, Gil, for you get your asswood.

Give them some smoke. All right. We've got new smoke. We got everything up here. If you want to get your bread up, go ahead. You want to get your bread up, go ahead. Download the Underdog App News promo code. Gil, get up $1,000 of bonus cash plus a special pick him. And if you can't watch the show with us on YouTube, we have audio versions available Apple, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast. So we got a lot to get into. So you sitting next to Gil, a little bit of a size difference here,

but how many rounds do you think Gil could last against you in the ring? I mean, he's an athlete, so you got to respect him as an athlete. I would say about round three is when he had started breaking down. Okay. You get him three rounds? Wow. Nah, I mean, he's an athlete. You know, he got to be in some type of physical shape or some type of physical condition.

So, yeah. Is that true? Now, are you still an athlete? Three minutes? Three minutes for round. So you got to pick one. I'm trying to figure how I'm a run or run. So you got to pick one.

You can't punch and run, so you got to pick one. You got to play defense offense for the first run. Your best chance would be to just go out there and just swing your best shot and pray you land. No, no, no. I've watched World Star, right? I've seen it with just wild swinging. Yeah, yeah. Get your up and cut it, man.

It's just until I get tired. Like the first round, you got to play office or defense. Like, you got to pick one. Because you got to get them first three minutes out the way. Once you get them first, because in first three, your adrenaline go be stupid. You go, you go night and night early. I suggest defense first. Yeah, that's, yeah.

No, not that move. No, not that move. Are you, have you ever got hit with a body shot? No. Because you're tall, so I'm. I'm going straight to you. Oh, no, no, no. See, I respect you being real.

You mean real. I never got him with a bite of shot. No one. Yeah, I got you. So, now let's flip it. So, Shakur, you also like the hoop. You've compared yourself to Steph Curry in previous interviews that you done. But this question is for Gil.

So Prime Shakur Stevenson versus Wash Gilbert Arenas, Game of 1 is 211. Watch the number nine, Gil with the beard. I'm not giving, he don't get Hibachi. He gets to watch Gil. See, I know he got that old wife. Where did you get the old Ivers of him? He got the old Iverson left the right crossy. I saw, I know.

Who shows you my tape? I know I watched everything. I know you got the old Iversis. I'll give him about six or seven. All right. So 11 to 7. It depends on how many dribbles. If he gets the dribbles all day, then I'm good.

We'll go five dribbles. We'll make it reasonable. I like three dribbles. Oh, you want three dribbles? Three or less. Oh, no, I get five, he gets three. I can probably a little bit. Once he gets fast, the four, five he got me.

Especially if you're going for layups. He's going to go right by. Yeah, no, true. So Kenya, same question for you. But it has to be a watch version of Kenyon Martin. What? No, he wouldn't score. I wouldn't score?

I just asked him just now. I said, yo, it's a basketball court here, right? Yeah, he did ask that. He got a nice left or right. I would let it see that. He got to prove to me he can shoot. So you can back up. I would let it see that.

You got step range, though. Getting it over me is an issue still. Yeah. But can you run right now? Run? I can go this way. My lot of me, you're still together. My court's still together.

Man, I'm down to try it, man. We do have the court. That you can make 11 jump shots. I can't go that way. You can't stop me. You said I won't score at all, though. No, I said, no, you have to prove. No, I said, you know, you probably would, but you wouldn't beat me.

You got to prove to me that you can shoot. So I'm going to let you shoot and see if you, I'm going to see, then if you make three, four in a row. You're going to have to guard me. You got to prove to me. more than one two in a row you got the flame you got the step flame throw though so I mean I'm ready whenever he is we do have a court right now how old you 28 so I got a 24 year old that you can play he here I call you right

down the street I'm down how tall is he six seven yeah you should have know I want to play you There's 27, 45-inch vertebrose. He's a little bit of the red looking over here. I'm going to get the young boy. I call a, hold on, I got nothing that's a little right around the corner. I call Cameron. Call somebody in my height.

He said, my head. Well, shit, that's the 10-year-old. He got a 40-inch verdict. I got the 10-year-old, man. On the tippy toes? I'm old. My kid is huge, bro. Yeah, my daughter, 5'9, I got 5'10.

I said, they're 5'10, so, you know, I got... Already? I got huge kids, bro. Oh, yeah, your oldest, 5. Yes, yes, yeah, yes. Let's keep this thing moving. So, in basketball, they say defense wins championships. You're known for your elite defense in the ring.

Praise for being one of the hardest guys to hit. Does it say defense wins championship hold true in boxing as well? For sure. For sure. At the highest level, I think that defense can take a fight so far. You've got to have some offense too, but if you have a real defensive fighter that

know what they're doing, they're going to be hard to beat. It's always like there's nothing more intimidating in sports than defense. When you can't score, you can't hit somebody, there's nothing more intimidating. Just thinking about baseball, when you can't get on base or you can't cross that end zone with

football, you can't basketball, you know how it goes, damn, get the ball, man. Right, it's that, but there's nothing more intimidating than defense, right? But that's the reason. It takes your will. It takes, like, your will, it frustrates people. It does something to people, so, yeah, I agree. But that's the reason why fighters don't want to fight me.

Because they know, like, you get in there, you can't touch somebody. Like you said, it's very intimidated. It's like you're going to look silly, and you don't want to look silly, and you don't want to look silly work in front of a certain fighter or in front of the world. So, yeah. The choice is you're not getting hit, but you hitting it. So that's the, that's the, that's, The difference.

Yeah. It takes a lot of discipline, though, right? To be, like, to literally just, I'm going to defend myself and wait for you to mess up. So is that, like, kind of like the style, like, you're playing against their aggression? I mean, yeah. It also takes a lot of discipline, but I think I was born with something called instincts. And I think, like, my instincts kind of carry me through the years, because there's a lot of fighters who hit me up nowadays. Like, yo, how you get your defense so good?

How did you get good at this? I think my instincts is the main thing that's kind of like I know when and win not to move if that makes sense. How much like preparation goes into that now? You watch a fighter seeing what their style looks like or are you just in the ring kind of feeling out? As a young man, I didn't even use to watch tape.

It wasn't until I got to the highest level to where I'm like, okay, I need to start watching tape and see what fighters are weak at or where I'm going to take advantage of their weak points. So I think a lot of it comes with like watching tape and understanding what's in front of you. Is it, is it like I guess just watching it from, you know, from TV is very different from when you're in the ring. Are you looking for like combo styles like when you say like their weakness is just something that they do naturally that you pick up on? I try to attack what bothers you.

So like if I see something that. a fighter and I see that you fought another fighter and they did something that bothered you that night and then I watch it against another fighter and the same thing bothers you again that's something that you didn't correct or

you didn't fix so nine times out of 10 come fight night I'm looking for it to be there yeah they don't know it until somebody explored it yeah and if they win doing it wrong and nobody explored what they're doing wrong and you know what you're looking for yeah no that's smart like that's

I'm all for that. So I see you rocking the Canelo v. Crawford hat. Obviously, you were in Vegas for the fight. But the day before the main event, you and Tio Lopez did an interview together for Ring Magazine, exchanged some words, along with him and Max Kellerman providing some pauseable moments. Watch the whole interview.

Yeah, yeah. It was a few AOs in there. But after his winning the post-fight press conference, Bud caught out T. T.O.2 said him to go ahead get the contract sign, get the fight down. You were on stage when it happened. How close is that T.O. Lopez fight,

getting done. I think it's very close. I think we like right there like um Tio agrees with the fight I agree with the fight we both want to make boxing great again and um honestly I'll be real with you I think Tio is somebody who kind of remind me of myself um we both want this shit so bad that it's going to make for a tremendous fight in his own way um I'm not losing to him and I know he feel the same way about me so come fight night um I'm gonna show the world I'm going to show the word. I've been waiting for this opportunity my whole life. So there's been a lot of talk about, you know, T.O. saying he want to do some shit.

He want to fight people and then kind of running from it. Do you feel like it's real or do you feel like he's going to duck you in the end? Nah, T.O. a fight. Tio will fight. That's the thing. I think it would be something deeper than what we see with our eyes rather than him just being scared. I don't think he's scared. He went for a Lomachenko when nobody else wanted to fight Lomachenko. He was the main name calling, I want to fight Lomachev. Lemachenko, I'm going to beat him. And then that day came and he did beat him.

So you got to be real and not question T. O'Hart. I don't think he's a bitch. Yeah, because it's the business of boxing, man, they're getting away a lot. Like, they could agree to want to fight each other, but if one side won't, just like negotiations, but we go to the table, like, no, shit, I want 49, now.

I want 41, no, I want 51. I want it, and it's just like, well, fuck it. Ain't nobody. We ain't doing shit. And it's like, nah, I thought he said We agreed on it, but it's Bad business, man I think me and Tio kind of like

We both got big personalities And I think with the right back And the right promotion I think the fight is going to sell tremendously I think the world going to see two personalities clash And I think the promotion I hope they're listening right now

They got to make that shit fun They got to make it fun Yeah, because y'all, yeah, y'all are entertaining and y'all in a way so so with the new hold on so with the new the way the bud and canello thing went them putting up as much

money as they did do you think that's that would help the sport moving forward and getting like the governing bodies out of the way sort of speaking when somebody else is putting up the money to have these mega fights I think that that's why people got to respect Turkey

because I feel as though Turkey is changing the sport of boxing he's bringing the big fights that people One, boxing ain't used to be like this. People used to use the other side of the streets, or they used to use business as a reason for not to fight the big fights. But now that Turkey's in boxing, he's making the fights happen with the money that he's presenting. So people could talk shit about him, but you got to respect him.

We're getting the fights that we have never thought we would get. Who would have thought we'd have had Terrence Crawford versus Canelo Alvarez? Nobody pictured that, but Turkey was the one that brung it together, so you got to respect him, and I appreciate him too. Yeah, no, yeah, I'm sorry. I can see that being very beneficial for, I'm saying, for you still young, still some big names out there for you to fight, and just taking the other people out of it so y'all can make history because they, in my opinion, they're, the other, like, in the past you had, the guys, they fought each other, right? The guys with the day they fought, yeah, the 80s and they fought each other. because the money wasn't as ginormous as it is now. So they are allowing you guys' legacy to live on

because you're having the big fights, right? Yeah. So I think that's helpful in the sport. I think with him involved, nowadays if a fight doesn't get done or a fighter don't want to fight, I think it's truthfully that they're scared. If he's going to present the money that he's presented to the sport of boxing,

to the A side, B side fighter, and guys say no, they're scared. Yeah, I do. I mean, with the Crawford fight, you guys would need more promotion for your personalities, right? I think, truthfully, yes. With our personalities, I feel as though,

our promotion and with the right people and the press conference, it's going to be a lot of fun today. I'm not going to say it's going to be. be more fun because I um but my big brother I think blood personality is crazy like people don't get to see the great personality he has so I would never shit on him but I think that with me and Tio clashing together it's going to make for amazing um like if it was up to you how long would that promotion like be to get this this fight to top tier month two months of just y'all just once it's

signed I think we get active I think we got to have some type of press conference and put us in front of each other. I think that I'm telling them to trust us. Trust us. We, we different. So I would just ask you, how important is Shakur, Stephen Tio Lopez, fight to help usher in a new era of elite boxers going head-to-head in elite fights? I think it becomes who's the leader of the new school.

So the winner of that fight becomes the leader of the next generation. Everybody know me and Tio, hell of a fighter. Everybody know we bad motherfuckers when they come to that boxing. But the winner, whoever comes out on top, becomes the leader, becomes the face of, I ain't going to say the sport of boxing yet because that's Terrence Crawford. But behind him, who's next? And I think that fight going to tell the difference.

Who was you talking to when you said, you was challenging about, like, when you start boxing? He was like, like, 17. It was like, oh, you can't be. Kind of been. You know, it's crazy. A lot of people kind of gave me hell for saying that. But because they also say that Ussick started boxing at 15 years old. But I want to explain the difference between a Kahnabin and an Ussik.

Ussik had a lot of amateur experience that allowed him to rise his game to the highest level. Connor Ben said he had 17 amateur fights. And the man got how many pro fights, he can't compete with me in a boxing ring. So it was no shot at his inexperience as a whole, but it's the fact that, bro, I've just been here since I was five years old. Yeah, I understand, especially from like just a basketball side, right? When you're talking about inexperienced, you just can't, even if you're the most athletic and gift facts, you're going to be missing so much data inside of your body itself, it will be hard for you to compete.

So I understood me. He was like, if you just started boxing at 17, you can't win because there's techniques that he does that he hasn't learned. It's muscle. That muscle memory from when he five is, them seven-year gap, when he's 14 from 5. Boy, you are so far behind that muscle memory?

Man, that's what I do if you want to pick up box and go get in the ring now. You're going to get beat the fuck up. Yeah. Like off top, you're going to get beat the fuck up. Yeah. Because he's going to flinch the wrong and you're going to react to it. Listen, because you don't have that not to react to that. He don't mean that punch.

You don't know not to react to that. Yeah. It's basically, it's so much shit that you don't know. Yeah. It's mad shit that I know that I've been doing for a long time that I've been watching, picking up on that you have never even saw in front of you, bro. Like, it's just a difference in levels. You've had your bad habits corrected and, like, when you were young,

when you started out bad, but when you've had them. corrected over years, man. It's just like, same shit. Like, you're younger. Like, you need to learn how to drill with your left hand. Like, shit like that. You know what you're young. Yeah, yeah.

Like, you have to do it. And it's like, you learn how to do that shit. Like, I need to do this right now in order to, that shit is way more intricate. I'd be why that shit like, nah, that shit is impressive, you know? So what, is there, is there any way less, is there anywhere like a heavyweight? Like a heavyweight can pick it up at 1920 and then get to that top tier level? You can with hard work and dedication.

You can get to the top tier level. not saying that you can't. I'm just saying that you get in front of guys who's been doing this forever and they are at the same level as you, they're going to be better. So just take like, so you say heavyweights, right? Yeah. You take Usset, right? Muffin hand speed, like just, it's amazing. Then you got like Deonté Wilder, it's a difference, but you put him in a hip, make Deion like, it's just he going to come down the middle with him and it's why you're throwing these motherfuckers, you didn't got hit four or five times yeah it's a difference like yeah he got a while they got that equalizer but you get it

know somebody that's been doing it for a very very long time yeah kid gonna make you look crazy yeah but there's some situations though like it's not just always that way yeah oh because it's some situations that got could come in on the back end and then if they outworked that guy that had the talent had the experience but he didn't work hard enough they probably going to catch up to them and surpass them. So it's still like a thing which is very rare in the sport of boxing that it can't happen. So you said you've been boxing since age five. When did you know you were like that?

When I was like, I want to say 14 years old, I had went to a tournament overseas. This was my very first tournament overseas and I'm fighting in a 15 and 16 division. And I was a number two guy Everybody that was on my team was all number one guys I lost in the nationals They won the nationals But the guy that beat me didn't have his passport So he couldn't go overseas

So when I got overseas I smoked Everybody down there And everybody that was on my team They lost and when they lost I say oh nah I'm the truth like If I'm the truth and these number one niggas lost

And I just was the number two guy. When I go back to nationals, I should never lose again. And from that day on, I never lost. Like, I won mostly every tournament there was. So you didn't change nothing. It was just the idea that those guys in front of me lost. I won. I'm better.

And then the confidence. It gave me confidence. It turned my confidence to a whole other level. And once I realized that, it's like, okay, these guys is in and around my weight class. I'm fighting some of these guys. Why should they beat me? How are they going to beat me if I'm better than them? Like, I know I'm better.

Also, you know, another thing that helped me with that tournament, I got to see other people work at it. So when I seen they work at it, it was like I kind of worked harder and I wanted to outwork them. And my talent wasn't just getting me by no more. It was more so, okay, my work ethic caught up with my talent too. So you remember I was saying that in basketball. I said, like with the, we was talking about the Lucas situation.

And I said, we all work hard until we see somebody else doing something that we've never seen before. So we supposed to have the idea like, yeah, this is what I supposed to do, run a little two miles, do this. Because that's the, until you see somebody else and you're like, yo, what is this? And then once you see it, it's like, all right, this is how I get to the next level because he's, he's here. I get there. And then hopefully somebody else above me opens the door for me to see they work. ethic yeah yeah like it's like I guess it was was it was the agent Brunner agent Brunner yeah and I remember him watching he was hanging around Floyd a lot

right and I was like man I wish because people always said he was just naturally gifted just his attributes was just he was just he was sure to gift it he was and I was like man I wish you to watch Floyd before became Money Floyd because money Floyd is a machine at this point and you're watching the fun part of floor. You're not watching the 2 a.m. You're not watching what he's doing to be this billionaire. And I said sometimes, man,

you got to go straight to the dude. And like, hey, man, forget the club part. Let me see what you do. Let me see what you do under the stuff people don't see. Like, I want to see do your drink. How much do you train? What do you do? And sometimes you look at the part that

that gets you excited and not the part that made him. He had access to all that. He had access to all that. He did. He did. He No, Adrian Brown had access to every part of Florida. He just, he went back, listen, he went back to fucking Cincinnati, and that's the issue. Oh, he's Cincinnati. I'm a fucking nigga from Cincinnati, though.

I think that with AB, AB was a hell of a fighter like you're saying. I feel like the only thing is, like, if he was a disciplined athlete, he will be the biggest star in the world right now. He had speed, he had power. It's just the discipline part. He was charisma. He's actually a funny guy without, like, no, no cameras, no nothing around. He's regular funny.

So I think if discipline was added to his game, A.B. would be the biggest star, the best boxer. Nobody could even say nothing to A.B., but y'all write about everything that Chos said. I think it takes everything. Like, it's not just one thing that makes you great. It's like it takes everything. And it takes hard work, dedication, discipline.

To be the best, it's like you've got to go through so much and do so many things. And a lot of athletes and people in your sport, they're not willing to do that. You know, what if he dedicated, this list of say he dedicated the next two years, just, you know what? Damn, stop.

Dedicated. Hardworking dedicated. No, I'm just saying, these next two years, he just dedicated just like, I'm just going to go in here. and I'm just going to give it my own for the first time. And do what? You don't think he can get back? Who?

Whoever? No. Go start from the beginning again. It don't work that way, Gia. I'm going to start for the beginning to win. We didn't see him on, listen. We see him on that canvas. It don't work that.

But that's the undisciplined one. I'm talking about it. It can be a little bit of, you know what? I'm going to take it serious for the first time. Listen, hand speed, slow, your feet floor, that chin being tested. All that shit matter, kid. But that was the undisciplined me. Now I'm disciplined between

Listen, they're being attached to the same person But it was an undisciplined chin Now I'm doing chin workouts Nah, it is No, it is kind of like I feel like it's late It's late in the game to where it's like Throughout the years

You missed out on so much Where it's kind of hard to get back Now I'm not saying it's impossible But it's very hard to get back To the top level When you missed out on everything You probably don't even know. So you're in the sport.

You ain't going to say it. I said, fuck. He ain't getting back to the top, though. Fuck on. Mike Tyson was done for two years. Came back, boom. And what's the same? Mike came by a still bike.

You know what? One thing that I will say about A, B, though, a lot of people got to give him respect because of the fact that he put a lot of people on in the sport of box. He put a lot of people on his back during his come up. Okay. And I think people got to give him that respect

because one thing about, about Adrian Brunner, I would say, I think he's a real nigga. Like, he's really a real nigga, outside of the undisciplined part. So much respect to him. Give him fly out with all that shit. Listen, all, what you said is, yes.

Can't man. Absolutely. Everybody can't. I'm with him, nigga. That was the most thing that's this thing that's ever. I got ties to Cincinnati, so, you know, I'm in a bit, so, but

I'm a realist, you know, I'm going to keep it a bean with it. Like, he was, he had the opportunity. to be that absolutely. For sure. 135, 140, he could have been

everything that he's just absolutely. But that train has left the station. But we always know sometimes people who are just

more gifted than everybody, they got a little bit more wiggle room. And when hard work beats that, you know what it's saying, Gil.

Facts. When hard work, come on, man. Oh, yeah. I ain't gonna lie. I ain't with you right now. This is the work for you. It's true.

This is, man. This is my discipline. It's a very hard thing. Very hard. No, it doesn't. And I just like, I'd be loving the entertainment, man, just that part of it. It is, but no, the thing, if it wasn't, if it wasn't entertainment, I hear you, yes. But that shit ain't for play, dog.

No, I know. Like, you getting that motherfucking, listen, that shit ain't for play. You got all that entertainment You saw what happened on Rock And the motherfucker got his ass after all that part And Apollo All that men were living in America Got it that putting him up in casket

Like that There was a different turn up back in those times It was a different turn up back in those times The Russians were sneaky back there Life of Death though for real Like he's not telling you no bullshit You get in the wrong person It's life of death

Rest a piece of Apollo crew And you know he even got a slick mouth So he doesn't tell him what he might say leading up to the fight and he got to say in no business say something crazy before the fight and really pissed this motherfucker off and your skills

saying ain't here no more I don't think it's the skills though the skills always going to be kind of here it's just the fact that you don't have done so much damage to your body to where it's like it's hard to catch up but I pray you do it

you're awesome you're a good man Now you gotta realize I got a relationship with this week No I like it Stick up for your man I'm we're talking sports in here He's a great human being

I've been all at that I respect any man that Brutches his hair I'm just like that big shit That's the shit I like about boxing Just that that that shit like Were you brush the head? Look at him

Talking his shit He was winning He was winning He was winning kicking ass taking names Yes Well speaking of kicking ass Like I said You were in Vegas, watch Bud Crawford win by unanimous decision over Canello to improve the 42 and 0, a new undisputed super middleweight champion of the world.

So Bud have been asking for that fight for about two years. They went up two weight classes to make it happen and dethrone the former undisputed champ. So what does Bud Crawford win over Canello mean for his legacy? I think Bud Crawford is the Michael Jordan of boxing. Like being realistic with y'all, we have never really seen this ever. A guy goes up three weight divisions and beat the guy that's been the guy for years. I got nothing but respectful, but I'm actually grateful that I've been a part of his process to see, share the ring with him, be around him and see how he train.

Outside the camp, I'm seeing how he live. It's times where bud may just come to Houston, pull up on me. Nobody knows this, but he don't got no. fights coming up, nothing in here talking about let's spark. And we're getting there, we'll spark 12 rounds and straight. And

just for a guy to just be that disciplined and that active throughout life. I don't think Bud, human. Like, people want to say I'm blazing all that bullshit. I tell the truth, like, I've been around a lot of boxers in the sport of boxing. I have never seen

nobody like Bud. You said, but like Michael Jordan. He is. 12 round sparring sessions. How are you performing in those 12 round sparring sessions? I mean, I perform good. I've been sparring this dude since I was like 17 years old, so we get to knowing each other. And truthfully, Bud just kind of used me to help his brain think at the highest level.

He know I'm a good thinker. So he used me at times where he, like, want to think and have a chess match. So like I said, buddy, he's different, dog. He different. I think everybody got to see that. come on Saturday but I've been telling people I've been telling people for years

Bud was going to cook Canella I've been saying this I don't know why people acting like this is a big surprise it is a big surprise because you done it and it's good to get a credit but for me I've been to what he was about so what would that like for you to be in the building to see that prediction actually come true

how turned up was 70,000 people Allegiance Stadium home of the Raiders I felt like I want to cry that bitch No, no bullshit Because it's like It's like You Get to see somebody's come up

From fucking the start And there's somebody that really Like supported me from day one Like I want him to win more than I'll be One of myself to win sometime Like I'm sitting there Like I'm just filled with joy The whole time

Like it just felt like a surreal moment for me Like it felt like I just wasn't undisputed But my brother just did it And then, like, it's just a whole different, like, I got a different type of love for bro, because bro really a real nigger. Like, he ain't just no celebrity. He ain't just, he's really a real nigger. Like, outside of this box and shit, nigger, that nigger's a real nigger.

So as you sitting there watching the fight, knowing what you know, right? I mean, you know what you're looking at, right? Yeah. As it's going on, as he's, like, as Bud is doing what he's doing each round, like, what is your thought? process as like each round is like going by. My thoughts was coming out. Ask anybody who was sitting next to me. I'm sitting there screaming the whole fight.

Kill him with the jab. Kill him with the jab. He can't stop the jab. I swear to God he can't stop it. Bud, you ain't got to bang with him right now. You bang when you want to bang. Like the whole fight, I'm kind of, I'm into it. Like the whole crowd looking at me like I'm crazy.

But nah, I want my brother to hear me. Even with his corner, like I'm talking to his corner. I wanted them to know that. That Connella was trying to hit him on top of the head. So one of his coaches, Coach Red, my family, I'm telling him like, yo, Red, Red, Red, Red. He's trying to hit Bud on top of the head. So you'll see, Red Golda Telf, like, yo, he's trying to hit you on top of the head.

So there's little things. Like, I was locked in. Like, for me, it's like, shit. I'm fighting in that bitch. Like, my brother's going to war. We're going to war together. So another thing, do you think, well, I kind of predict the way Bull was going to fight? Because he's one of few people that can.

go both South Paul and Orthodox, right? And that's really elite at it. Yeah. You think he learned something like watching the Laura fight, like Laura, how much of the problem Laura presented to Canelo? I think Bud just got full belief in himself. So like the belief that he got in himself, he may have picked up some things watching other guys,

but he know that when he get in there, Canelo ain't fight nobody like Bud in his brain. And his brain is like you ain't never been in none that this good in front of you I'm going to show you why I'm the best person you ever been in the ring with it I think that mentality showed up come Saturday night.

Yeah, I just think like the fact that some people get hit right during the fight like he can go both like him going like South Park most people like if he get hit with a clean like oh shit let me switch back up let me go back with I know no but for him to stay South Park a whole fight and to dominate him South Park was

was telling you know he might not like me saying this he might not like me saying this because bud is a switch hitter he's probably one of the best switch hitters there is but like whom when he kind of in no moments his crutch at southpaw okay like when he go to that he knows going to show up that night at his best that power out front right he's a softball a power out front to me i think he the best south paul in boxing um i but that power of front i was going to be aside myself i was going to I'm saying, but you pay homage to, no, I digna, you know, but yeah, so now you put the power out front killing this. What makes you look at a style, even though, like, it's dominating and say, yeah, bud can beat that?

Is it like, like, are you evaluating how they fight and you can, you know, this style can neutralize that style? Hell yeah, hell yeah, that's why it's a video from me in 2021 right after the Sean Porter fight. it's a video of me saying I think Bud Crawford could beat Canelo Averra's and when they ask why do you think Canelo can't beat Bud I said the styles I think styles make fights

and I think Canello's style is telomade for Bud Crawford And there's no disrespect to Canello He's one of the best to ever do it too But his style is like a come forward, aggressive Throw big shots Try to hurt you with big shots and Bud is a boxer.

He's a boxer puncher, actually, not just a boxer. Because if y'all pay attention in that fight, if Connello defense wasn't good, his ass would have got knocked out too. I agree. I agree. And that's the underrated part of by Canello's game as well. People don't really, no, it's just the big punch,

it's the knockouts, it's this. He got a chin and he got defense. And for him to, for Bud to go in there to do what he did, that just speaks volumes to Bud's IQ. his savvy his willingness to going there even when times with people like he wasn't going to trade with him he stood in the pocket with him

and got the best of those exchanges so no what's okay because he had to move up three weight classes like that's such a big difference because of just weight itself right so 160 so he's what was his natural weight his natural way he started

at was I think 135 but he'd been at 147 campaigning for a long time. Then he fought one fight at 154. That's why I call it three weights. But they're going to tell you it's two weights, which it really is, technically two weights. But for me, it's three weights because he only fought one fight at 154.

So to me, it's like you came from 147 to 154 to 160 to 168. And I think only the elites could really do shit like that. And then they ask, so people are like, is he going to ask for a rehydration clause? So he didn't have to cut like that, though, at $6.47, he's going to have to kill himself, like, deplete himself in order to get down to 47. That's why I think him fighting at 60 is ideal. Yeah, 60 years, too. I think he dominates 60. I think, I think at, I ain't going to lie, they're going to say I'm, see, that's why I got to let you, I know, because they're going to say I'm glazing, but I'm telling the truth.

Oh, I dig it. This dual power for me, and I've been saying this for years, it carries through the weight class. So I can see him in the ring with a 175 or a cruiserweight. And if he touched him, I don't care who you are. You're going to feel that shit, bro. I don't care who the fuck it is. I don't see him in the ring with a heavyweight. Then you fight Benavides?

I like Benavidez, so I ain't going to disrespect him. I don't know what I said. I don't want to say him fight. I'm going to say my opinion. I don't want to say him fight. My opinion. My opinion. Absolutely.

At 168, if Benavides comes down, down there, I don't think he beats Bud. Okay, I dig. That's my opinion. People want to say, I'm crazy, but. The skill is, I mean, the skill is stupid. No, the skill is that. It's usually because someone's a little bit bigger, right?

Yes, and they think, like, okay, you got to be able to take certain punishment that the other guy's putting on you, but I watched Bud when he fought Canelo, and then I watched Benavides when he fought Caleb Plant. And when I seen it was like Caleb Plant was outboxing him. So if Caleb Plant didn't gas out Caleb Plant might have beat him that night But Bud, he don't tire He's not going to gas that. He come in tremendous condition

And for me, I just think Bud is a legend So they might say I'm crazy, but people might say They're not going to make that fight happen, but I don't think it's far-fetched. Like, that's the big... How much does he's got to lose? He's fighting that one. He's fighting him at 68, I think. He can get the 16. 68 would be ideal because he came from 68.

He's a big dude. Oh, he came from, so he went up. Now he has to come back down. Yeah, he would have to come back down. That would be a difference, too. That's a fight. Because Benavita is the truth, too. He's the truth.

Punches and bunches with bad intentions. Yes, he the truth. Hey, remember, hey, go watch. Go look, hey, dog. He's a truth. He a killer. He is our resident fight. A whole killer.

Yeah, he's watching. He's the man we go to. But let's shift this a little bit. So recent years we've seen a rise in celebrity exhibition fights. Jake Paul and Tank Davis scheduled to have one in November on the heels of Paul fighting Mike Tyson last year. Floyd Mayweather and Tyson have one scheduled for next spring. So are these gimmick exhibition matches like Jake Ball versus Tank Davis or Floyd versus Tyson good or bad for the sport of boxing? I mean, I feel like in Floyd and Tyson's situation is different.

than Jake Paul and Buddy. I feel like with Floyd and Tyson, it's like, okay, y'all deserve it. Y'all legends, y'all paid homage. Y'all did the most for the sport of boxing already. So you deserve a big payday and be cool. I'm cool with it. I like it.

But with Jake and Buddy, I feel like Buddy is a, participate in a sport of boxing right now and he just came off a draw his last fight so if you're a real champion and top level guy that you say you are which I think you are too I think you're the truth

but if you're that guy and you just came off a draw I think rematching will be the most competitive thing to do as an athlete with the Jake Paul's situation is like it's a money grab fight so to me it's like some

WWE shit do you think it's the heck out like I mean okay so he gets this fight with Jake his value goes up no it doesn't you don't not the sport of boxing

I mean it may you don't think the demand more because he's you know because when we looked at the was a Floyd and just hypotheticals at time right you go in there and that big big-ass-nigger, knock him to fuck out. I'm just saying hypothetical.

Going there and knock tank the fuck out. That big-ass-nigger being Jake Paul. Yes. Okay. Just make... Knock him to fuck out. Because he's bigger than him. Yeah.

For one. By chance, it is a fight. I think the thing is with buddy and Jake fight, I feel like it's two sides of me with it. Because from a competitive aspect and me being the mentality, that I got, I feel as though I probably would have done a rematch. But then

from a business aspect if I would have done the rematch and I did not win the fight the Jake Paul fight will be a lot less money and a lot less lucrative. So from a business aspect I understand

anybody that with a business mind probably would have took that fight for as much money as it was. So I'm a realist. Like, I ain't going to just bash, bro, for what it is. I'm going to tell the truth. Yeah, no, I dig it. So, yeah, most people who are watching him, like, yeah, okay, he definitely need to fight dude again.

Right, he needs to fight roach again, right? As a competitor. As a competitor. Everybody, like, yeah, we need to fight him. We understand the money thing. We get it. But the people that are the fan or your sport or your craft that y'all, we want to see you fight him. We want to see y'all all fight one another.

Like, that's what we want to see. And we feel that him doing this. He's going to cheat us as fans out of that. Because I don't think you can, personally, I don't think you can come back. And unless you're getting top paid day, you're not going to take a back seat now. Yeah.

Right? Before, just because height, he might have, well, he might have a bigger name than you at the time if that was to make the fight right now. He do. There's no question. After this, I don't think that. That's a, you're going to fight him.

nobody's taking that serious. You come back over here it's like who let the clown back in? Okay, okay, okay, okay. I'm gonna say it, nigga. Hold on, let me, let me think about let's let's let's go,

let me go down the middle here, right? Yeah. You have one who just had a draw, right? Meaning he don't have his name the way he needs his name to be, right? Now you have Jake who's trying to get into

I'm a real boxer take me serious because most of his fights has been some bullshit right so the fact that he got him to say yes now let's just say

hypothetically it's a draw that's what works both it works best for both of them that no one actually wins right

if it's a draw they both get the stand on oh man that I could have won when he when he goes back to real boxing. That payday wouldn't be better for the rematch?

Because you couldn't wash the fake boxer. No, but he's bigger than me. People don't take him as a real box. You can't wash this. He's a heavyweight. Yeah, but at the end of the day, you're not fighting somebody who's been in it as long as you are. The fans kind of respect you as a fighter

that's one of the elite fighters, one of the next up-and-coming best fighter to take over the sport of boxing. That's how they look at you. So for you to be fighting against Jake Paul, who has not been doing it. And I don't think Jake Paul is doing nothing wrong. Jake Paul is in the right with everything that he's doing. He's fucking the best businessman of my damn near ever that I've been seeing.

So I just feel as though he's right. Like people are going to look at you a lot different than how they used to look at you. Yeah, bro. So if he knocks him out, which I don't. Okay, you're supposed to. So he's knocking him out. supposed to. I don't know if he's supposed to. But that's what I don't know because he's not big. Yeah, because of the weight. And that's what I'm saying because of the weight. But skills and

all of us, we're looking at it as he's a much more, he's a, he's an elite fighter. I know, but it's like a less a fighter for money. But it's still a weight thing that he still has to get through this big difference. That's just making, that just make it entertaining for the captain. But if you're, but if you're, if you're, if you're, if you're, if you're, if you're, real boxing fan just like somebody being a real basketball fan how you feel me as a real boxing fan you're like nonsense out of 10 you ain't you don't want to watch that shit you're like man i'm not watching this shit i want to see tank and fights where i think that he can lose or something somebody around his weight that i've been waiting for years to watch so um i think from that aspect it just make certain

fans probably look at him a lot different i don't see i just thought a business while where he gets I'm going to use this, the piggy, to piggy back, back up. Like, as you use this, jump up just like McGregor. At the end of the day, you got to realize, bro, he's the truth when it comes to boxing. He got all this talent with that much talent. Fans just want to see you in there with the guys. Dogs, bro. They want to see you.

Like McGregor, like. They don't want to see that. That's what at the boxing, bro. But I think about the McGregor, right? He gets this big ticket when he goes back to his sport. And guess what happened? His ticket changed. He didn't win a...

I know, but his ticket changed. What he was getting paid before? As far as a business, you're right. I get you. When he came back, his dollar was very different. That was outside of the ring. No, when he came back to the sport and he had to go back to Dana.

His bag is different. Like, no, this is what I got here. I'm not taking this bullshit before. I don't know about the U.S.C., so I can't really see how much on it. This is... I watched that as well. And I hear you get it.

So I hear you give But his price changed He was getting pennies on a dollar It kind of fucked the sport up And that's what made Dana say Yeah no, no, we can't do this no more Because he went here Took this big payday

And when he came back down He was like, nah, I need more money Or I'm going to keep fucking over here now This sport is like fuck The sport is different My thing is too Because we don't know At the end of the day

It's all Because this is the first time It's going to happen Yeah But my thing is too What if this is a retirement plan Like what if you He already been telling us

like he don't like the sport no more he's kind of standing away from the sport he don't like guys in the sport he don't like the report of him like all this stuff so if this is a retirement plan and i'm going to go fight jake paul and this is my last fight as a fan if i'm a fan of tank davis yeah buddy but buddy is i'm going to keep i'm going to feel some type of way i feel some type of way about you yeah no it's that right you looking at it and you're like oh yeah he he next like I've been I watched this and I've been for years and you watch dude oh he man

a motherfucker bad like you want to see him fight other people and if this if the pay there's what you're looking for we get it cool but when you start well I got four more fight like now it's all it take is the one right for it not to go the way you expected it to go, and I think the draw was that. He was

lining it enough, like, I got five more fights, I got this many more fights. It was a six fight deal with me and it. And one of them don't go the way that you, the first one don't go the way that you expected to go. You're like, shit, what the next one?

I can't get past him. You damn show can't get past him. I'm just saying, like, that's the way that's the way I would think about it. So, Chikor's, in my opinion, Shikor's a better fight than Roach. There's other people at 1.35,

that he could go fight that I let it, 1.30, 1.35. It'll be a decent fight, but those guys, in my opinion, not on a tank's level. Certain guys, yeah, he was lining it up, like, you don't want to fight

the best guy first, so he's going, he's trying to stack it, right? And you can't get past the first guy on that building block. Yeah, you know, your mentality, like... You know what I thought that was,

though, like, with that situation, I felt as though, Lamont Roach he did not know how good Lamont Roach is no matter how much history they got Lamont Roach and the amateurs you can't use that to gauge

how good he is in the professionals because you have not been around him to know how well better he got so I think in that situation he felt like it was a lick like it was an easy fight in his brain

until he actually got in there and was like oh this guy is a lot better better than what I expected. So I think I do think he got to like try to at least get something back on that. I get that run, got to get back.

Like this basically you got like... I'd be thinking the business side of it. Like that pat, like watching Bud, right, at this, Jordan, and he paid $10 million. Yeah. Like, nah. Bud different though. You can't compare these guys in the Bud.

But I'm like, not that like your payday shouldn't be right. Like, you should have, you should have already been here, but I don't think he's, like, went against that other, that other superstar to get that, now his dollar going to be big. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I get what you're saying as far as a business. Like, if you're just putting on your business hat

and just speaking specifically business, then that is the right because Bud didn't have opportunity to be able to become the biggest star until he finally got opportunity and then now the world is like damn like this dude been this good all along but y'all just didn't recognize it y'all didn't respect

it when it's not commercial guys when it's got guys that's not big names in the sport of boxing but they're good fighters so we just talked about the man you referred to as buddy Tang Davis but are we ever going to get the Shakur Stevenson tank Davis fight yeah we should get the Shakur

versus buddy fight I think Chacore versus buddy Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I think that's a hell of a fight in the sport of box And I think that we both Guys who's been doing this since forever And truthfully, I feel like We've been special fighters our whole life

Like in the amateurs, all people used to talk about was buddy In the amateurs, all people used to talk about was Shakur So it's like as we turn professional Nothing changed He became a big star I became a star in my own right and getting bigger as I go but to me

I've been saying I thought it was one of the best fights in the sport of boxing but right now I'm kind of questionable if it's really going to happen I'll be surprised okay now that's a big fight between you two right yeah huge do you want that fight now do you want that fight

like three years from now when y'all like I'll be looking at you business money You're very business money. I'm thinking about just, I just want to fight this nigga. I'm thinking about when I bite you, I'm going to hit the lick too. Like, I was going to fight a nigga for a million dollars.

I'm going to be honest with you, though. I'm itching, though. Like, I'm itching just because of the fact that it's been so much built up through the years to where you don't told me what you was going to do to me. You don't threaten me in certain type of way. So it's like, nigga, come see you about me. Nigel, I'm right. I'm not running from you.

I'm not going nowhere. They say, oh. You all you do is talk about him all you do is talk about that's why I'm referring to him as buddy Yeah, but truthfully is like if somebody asks me about him I'm going to say what I got to say I'm not going to stand down from shit. I'm ready soon as they make the call and say yo let's Nika yeah let's get active nigger I'm with all that shit facts and for the record you did not bring him up I brought it back and you answered the question so I appreciate you like even with bud like if they were to fought this two years ago would he would have got 10 million and the other one got 95 or would

have been a little bit lower? I don't know. It probably would have been some type of lower. Maybe, I don't know. You just never know. It probably would have been lower because I don't know

if Turkey was involved. But now that turkey is involved. Hey, man, let's all fight, bro. It's time to see who the best. Bro, I'm tired of talking about shit on social media. They're like, oh, Twitter sin and blah, blah,

man, shut the fuck up. I'm willing to fight all these niggas. That's one thing I respect about them, though. Those niggis, listen, somebody mentioned one of them niggas on Twitter. something, they right back at them, right? They'd be going

back and forth. Obviously, it's hilarious to see the niggas talking shit. Yeah, but that's just a promotion at the end of the day. I'm with the real shit. Like, I'm with the, as soon as they call about the contracts, yeah, nigger, let's I bet, let's negotiate, let's see what this is, blah, blah, blah, blah. Set the fight up.

I'm ready. That's what I'm into. I dig it. So you said you want to be great. To be great, you have to fight the best in their primes. Do you feel like modern-day boxers are more concerned with staying undefeated

versus becoming great? Yeah, because of the generation we live in. It's a lame-ass generation to where it's like a guy loses, you clown that guy. A guy fights the best.

If I go fight the best fighter and somehow this nigga find a way to beat me, why should I be clown? Why should I beat Mee-Me's all over? Why is it this big digital attack? on who I am

and that's why I feel like guys in this generation is scared to put it all on the line because it's so much that come with this shit now like it's just a different era like these new generation

of people is different do you think the fact that Floyd made his oh such a big thing over time that that became the thing

in the sport I mean everybody know that Floyd change the way boxers looked at boxing. Everybody wants to be undefeated. People are scared to take chances. They would rather go

to fight a bigger notoriety fight than fight a god as the best guy. Guys don't want to compete and be the best guy. They'd rather just be the most known and most guy with the best following

and all that kind of stuff. So Floyd definitely changed that when he went undefeated and talked the way he talked and did everything that he did. He changed the sport of boxing, so, yeah. So do you see both sides of the look? It seems like from business standpoint, obviously you want to get the bag,

but what you're saying is from a boxing standpoint, you want to face guys that you actually think have an opportunity to be able to beat you, right? I think it's 50-50. Like, it depends on how much you talk, and I like making money, too. Everybody on this couch is done. But also, I feel like guys don't also realize

that when you fight the, best guy, you're still going to get paid a big ass bag. It's guys I felt like ducked me over the years to where they fought certain guys and they lost and they didn't get a chance to make a bag with me. Like you, like

Pick Bull, for example. You could have fought me, bro, and made way more losing rather than fucking to fight Rio and lose for the money that you took for that fight when you could have made way more fighting against me. You could have whipped his ass for it. He would

made way more bread on it. Yeah, like, you, you, you could have been made more money, but you duck on some whole ass shit to where it's like, now you lost the Ryo, so now fight with me and you ain't even as big as it would have been. And Pitbull obviously, he's facing Lamont Roach, I think, in December. Yeah. How do you feel about that fight? I got Lamont.

I think Lamont is the better boxer, the better fighter. I'm one of the few people that put money on Lamont when he fought Tank, and I didn't put money on the win. I just put money on a fight going 12 rounds. I knew that they wasn't going to give Lamont a decision versus Tank. Like, I knew exactly how the fight played out of my head is exactly what happened on Fight Night. So for me, Lamont Roach is a hell of a fighter.

Yeah, I'm picking anybody against pit bull crews. Yeah, because he's so basic. He's basic. I hate it. He's basic. I fucking, listen, you get the right nigga that hit. You think it's ever going to be a boxer that goes, like, doing four, four, six fights a year? You think it's ever going to go back to that?

I think it's hard. I think it's hard because boxing is really a hard sport. I do see, like, the point to where the fighters back in the day used to fight a lot more than the fighters now. but um you also got to take in that the fact that a lot of them fighters back in the day no disrespect to them but they're punching now they're talking like you can't understand these guys like so when you just get your brains punch four or five times a year and then you got to live a life after boxing this shit ain't just about boxing like I want to be here for my kids I want my daughter to understand me and I want to be able to articulate well to my daughter

So, yeah, like, I hear, oh, fight four times a year and fight five. That shit sound good. At the end of the day, dog. You don't sound good. At the end of the day, every three months. It sounds good. Every three, four months. Come on, man.

Training camp at the training camp. Mind you, in training camp, you're sparring. So now you're going rounds and rounds of getting punched over and over. No head gear. Man, I'm trying to talk to my kids the right way, dog. Like, my grandchildren when they come down, so I want to be able to talk to them, like tell them things and get them experienced in my life

to where they can sit down and really talk to me and understand me. No, I understand that. That is, bro. No, that is your fact. I'd be looking at some of them, break, and they're like, God damn. Two fights at one night.

What? Wait to my next fight. Yeah, that's... I'm saying, Canelo, fucking 69 fights, bro. Yeah. That's a lot, right? You think?

No, I'm just saying, like, Moirma. It's guys back in the day that had 100 and something fights, though. Yeah. Yeah, but I think with Conno, the thing that helped him a lot is where fans don't see, he has great defense.

It's not just easy to hit Canelo. So I don't think he's going to be talking crazy. He knocked a lot of Mexicans out. Mexico before he came over. Yeah, exactly. They was in Guarra down and let lying in the niggas. He was having three in one night. Lining the motherfuckers up, three in one night.

Bigs time. Hey, putting the sleep for the 250. 250 pesos. Hey, come in there and take this, hey. What? You'll take this ass whoop. We got these young guys. Should have walked in that motherfucker.

Saw that red head to be like, he ain't ever seen no red head mask in before. I'm not going to fight him. Yeah, I just think that nowadays. like where they see us fight twice a year they got to appreciate us for that time being like appreciate us bro like some nights ain't going to be the greatest nights but if a guy still getting it done support that guy be a fan of that guy and don't just change up on i think i went through a process where i felt like people who kind of changed up on me and turned on me for me going

through the fight knowing i was injured and when i got in there all i knew was was make sure I come out victorious. But people don't respect the mental part about that. Like, people don't respect it. All they want to say is, oh, you were scared or you ran. But I don't understand the mental power it took to make sure I held on to my undefeated record that night. And you got one hand in the ring, bro.

You're a handicapped in there. Like, you're a handicapped fighter, and you being a good fighter that got two hands and sharp on point and trying to make sure he'd make a living for his family too. Yeah, he's trying to hurt you. Facts. It's like that old idea of calling something boring. Yeah. Winning's boring.

Like, especially if- Exactly, bro. It's like basketball, bro. If you sit there and you watch a game, I watch basketball too. You watch a game and guys up 20, 25 points. You turn it on the TV off. This shit over.

I'm about to go do something. That's not entertaining. That's my boxing. You're watching my fight. I'm up. Five, six, seven rounds. Guys are like, all right, man. This is, all right, we ain't getting a knockout cool, but you feel me?

So it's the same kind of similarity in the sport, but people don't respect it the same way. Yeah, I was a, what was the Eagles yesterday, where Jalen Hurst was like, it was like, you didn't even got 100 yards. We won the game. Kicking your eye in. We won. That's it. Like, two and oh, this is it. Like, there's some fights, I get to go in there, right?

In some fights, it's like, I'm, I just, I just need to win. That's the most important part He needs to do whatever he got to do to win Like sometimes I'm gonna play just defense And sometimes I gotta play a little bit offense And that tape don't always do it listen That tape don't always do it bro You can watch as much tape as you want to

That don't determine the determination That's in the motherfucker who you And who he isn't in front of Yeah, like he got old man they're trying to be Everybody he's a hit he's a target though Yeah, you're a target for people And when they fight me shot You get everybody's best shot

Yeah, when they fight me, they come in the near way better than you ever seen them before. I always know that like, yo, when I fight against a fighter, they're going to come 10 times better than whatever I've seen them before. So I've got to prepare for a guy that's coming 10 times and be on point. Yeah, you better. So you're coming off of one of your most dominant wins of your career against the Peter, but you talked about kind of the criticisms you get for the fight's not being sexy enough. But are you constantly looking to evolve your style to dispel some of those criticisms? I mean, that's what I did for the fans that night.

That night, I wanted to show them that I'm a dog, too. I'm not just what y'all say, because a lot of people try to act like I don't got dog in me. Oh, I run every fight, so if y'all pay attention to the Zepeda fight, I came out there, I stood right there in front of him. I let him know, let's get it banging. And that night was basically, I wanted to show the fans, like, shut y'all up. Like, I'm competitive, too, so, like, at the end of the day, I'm not just, doing dumb things, but I'm also competitive to what I want to show people wrong, and I want to do what you least expect. Competitive, not reckless.

Yeah, I mean, if I was a fighter, man, I just want to win. I don't get fuck what you're talking about. Yeah, because I ain't allowed to. I took more punishment in that fight than I ever did in my career. Like, I get it, you want me to go out there, just, nah. Yeah. But it's not a part of my win. Isn't that part of the process?

You make the fights more, quote, unquote, entertaining, right? You can get bigger bread, bigger bag, bigger purse down the road. Does that go into it? So do you sacrifice your body to be able to do? Big reward. Sometimes I will. Some nights we're going to get out there. We're going to get in that paint and see what it's about.

I can't say that for every night. At the end of the day, I'm going to make sure I come out victorious every time, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to win. That's my competitive nature. But some nights we might get in that paint, some nights we might outbox a guy, make it easy. it just depends on how I'm feeling that night so it depends on whatever I want to do

I remember like you know when somebody would be like yo you driving the whole time like man shoot the ball no I'm trying to win no I'm just gonna keep making these layups you stop me from making the layups then I was just but you're just doing this

come on shoot nah so a couple more questions for you but you talk about your competitive nature one to win I want to go back to the 2016 Olympics obviously you're emotional I'm taking the last L of your boxing career getting that silver medal your post-fight interview you said

I don't like to lose you've gone 24 and 0 cents so how to win in the silver medal at the Olympics impact your mentality when turning pro yo that's so crazy I feel like in that situation everybody

turned that to a meme but now that I'm old enough to like understand and know exactly what that was that was just my passion my passion was boxing My passion, I dreamt of being the Olympic gold medalist. That's all I knew during that time.

I worked super hard to get there. I got there. I felt the goal. Yeah, I cried. Yeah, I was hurt. That's part of the process. But I think nowadays, it made me into who I became today. Like, if I won that gold medal, I don't know if I would be the same person that I am today.

I'm not sure if I would have been big-headed. I would have felt like I'm better. than everybody. I don't know what would have happened. I probably would have a loss on my record if I hadn't had that experience. So I just feel like also, like, they don't understand, like, I ain't the only one that done that. Floyd Midwether done it in the Olympics and look at him today. He's a goal. He's the greatest. So I just, I enjoy it. I love that that's part of my story. So I'm heavy in meme culture. I did not make a meme. I have a ton of respect for it. I didn't want to get my ass with what I want you to do. Yeah, I was going to say, the people that laugh at them can't beat you. I have a heavy respect for people who go with my ass, so that's how I live in life. So you were 19 years old at that Olympics.

We always hear the stories about how cracking the Olympic village is. That Olympics in Rio, which obviously has another layer of crackingness to it. But how cracking was the Olympic Village at the Rio Olympics in 2016? I feel like it was cracking for everybody else. No cap. Like, I feel like a lot of people had fun during the Olympics, but for me. me, I was kind of in the tournament the entire time. So I had to, like, stay focused.

I didn't really get no time to, like, party and have fun and actually enjoy the environment around me. So, I mean, I heard and heard from people, but truthfully, from my point of view, it was go to my room, go to the cafeteria to eat, go box, go train, and then go fight. Other than that, I really didn't get the fun experience. to enjoy it. Is that what hurts the most? As discipline as you was there.

Like, I'm sacrificing for this gold and you give me silver. I could have partied and got the silver. Yeah, you know, it's crazy. I just feel like in my fight, I'm not going to say that I got robbed because I don't believe in that. Like, if you left the fight in the judge's hands, that's what happened that night.

But I do feel as though, if you pay attention to actually watch my fight and judge it from round one to three it could have went either way like it could have went my way so I was right there that's what really hurt the most I'm like you're right there

but also I knew it was some things that I didn't do on the discipline side and I also felt as though I could have trained harder leading up to that Olympics so it was a learning experience so this is something I've always been fascinated with So boxing, we always hear about boxers cutting weight,

obviously to make the weight for the weigh in, then rehydrating immediately after the bulk up and they get to the ring. As we talk about Bud versus Canelo, no rehydration claws in there. Obviously, Canelo looked very thick and beastly in there, still got his asswood. But what's the process for cutting weight

and what are you doing to rehydrate after the weight in? Honestly, the process for cutting weight for me, when I was at 1.30, it was a lot harder. But as I got to 135, I feel as though, it's been easy. Like, it's been very easy. But for some fighters, there's some fighters that's really weight bullies. And people say, like, I just had a debate with Andre Ward and Roy Jones to where they're like, oh, well, Dre said he don't believe in weight bullies. Like, he thinks it makes it worse on the fighter.

I heard you say that. But for me, it's like I do, because I don't been in there in some nights where it's like I don't got in there in the run. and I feel like guys had to been 20 pounds, 25 pounds bigger than me that night. But I do also agree with skills when the fights. Because if you pay attention to Bud and Connollo, Bud looked like the smaller men. If you really watch and pay attention to it, Conno look bulky or thicker.

Pause. But Bud was skillful enough to where it's like skills matter the most. Even when Floyd for Canella, skills matter the most. So skills were always overwhelmed, size. But sometimes you just got to be reasonable in some situations. Like, when you losing, you're trying to, wait, how many pounds you got to lose sometimes? That's what I'm, like, D.D.

How fast and they're, like, not eating fast and what are you doing? It's guys that lose 25 pounds, so it's guys that lose. How, walking around, like, some of them dudes that are fighting, just say, just take like 147, right? Just take 147. some of them do is walking around 175 180 pounds facts like you got to lose

yeah get the 147 facts how are they losing that weight I'm trying to like my own person you're getting lightbo you got to eat right you got to drink a lot of water it's a technique that people don't really know about it's

you getting a bathtub and you sit in there for like 35 minutes to an hour. Sometimes if you got a lot of fat on you, you'll cut like five pounds from that. Especially if you got a lot of water. So just sitting in the bathroom? You're just sitting in a hot bath.

It's hot. You're just sitting on the hot bath. Hot. Just hot. Very hot. Gotta be hot. 45. You're going to sweat.

I'm about to get some ass. Like, jacuzzi hot? Or hotter? Hot. Probably sometimes hotter than the jacuzzi. I don't like that shit, though. I ain't going to lie. That shit be feeling like.

So you just sit in there and just You lose the weight Mm-hmms be just spitting Spitting also you chew gung Spitting the cup But that's like when you got to lose 0.5 or 0.6 pounds You're trying to lose that little

0.6 you're spitting in the cup But then you get the gaining back Right after the way, right? Then what's the point? You made the weight Because you ain't trying to go fight a nigga at 160 You want to go fight that nigga at 147 No, but what I'm saying?

Okay, what I'm not. I'm saying is I got to be at 147 and then go to whatever you want. And then I can go back to the weight I want to fight the same dude. Like what is the point of the going down to 147 then? It's good to have gold. You made the weight.

So since you made that specific weight, y'all are equal in size supposedly that day. At that moment, but then the fight's not to the next there 36 hours later and now coming back but how are you rehired and putting that 15 pounds on? So is that a

disadvantage drink a lot of water you eat a lot of food you eat whatever you want all you can eat but you're not getting the idus like I'm just like when do you nap like sometimes some fighters do some fighters fucking they overdo it yeah you overdue I don't done it a couple of times in a couple of fights where I started eating a lot I'm like damn and if I like I got to throw up but yeah you're not allowed so you're not allowed to use IVs right no so yeah so to get it back you're not you're not allowed to use IVs the certain things you even He couldn't weight. Somebody got, was in, somebody recently got in trouble. They was in the little sweat suit thing. They was, like, so somebody got in trouble for being in the sweatshirt. So some, it was some type of controversy that somebody's weight cut recently. And I was like, yeah, like, in the phenomenon and him to get there, he got to do certain things in order to get there. You got to drink a lot of water to get it back, though. You got to get it back there. You got to, probably like two gallons to get it down? Yeah. Oh, to flush all that out. Yeah.

So that's, that has to be, is that a big? disadvantage for that person who's trying to drop weight that's you got to drop weight so and then that was the argument me and dray war had well not argument but debate because he felt as though it's a disadvantage but warre kind of said shit i was doing the same thing i was 20 pounds bigger than my opponent so it's like a it can be a different disadvantage but sometimes i think if guys got the right team with them they'll be kind of so the good thing about sir The one thing you can do to help yourself in this is staying active, right?

It's not sparring, but just make sure you ride, you're going for your runs, you're on the bike, you're doing all those things, so you're not ballooning up 25 pounds from when you were, right? That's the difference between Bud 38 and normal fighters 38. Bud is a guy who's always active. He's always doing something. And it is naturally he just that way.

It's not like he's purposely doing it. He's just naturally, oh, I've got to get up and do this. Oh, I'm going to play basketball. I'm going to do ping pong. I'm going to just doing stuff. So I think that's something that really made him who he is. I said one final question. I can't be giving you all the secrets, though.

Everybody's going to learn. I'm in the hot tub. I'm in the hot tub of 45. I just want to be one and oh. Undefeated. Put me in with the greats. And they're retired. Undefeated.

So what happened to your home? boy. Yeah. But I, no, no, no. So that's there when he got his assing up. My Nate? To my Nate? Yeah. But I all knew Nick was going to do that. He gets tired, and then from there he's going to quit. Everybody, do, your discipline goes out the window, Nick. Now, that's just Nick.

No, that's everybody. Nick can't finish nothing. He can't know that's, I want to challenge him. All you do, just got to last long enough for him to make. You know, Mary Ball, I'm out. I have a minute time. I'm thinking y'all is talking about Nate Robinson. Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, him too. Oh, yeah.

Oh, him too. Yeah. Hey, don't get fuck around and found out. That's one thing. Yeah. Hey, that's a, hey. Big Joe loose. Hey, because most of the time, you get knocked out, you don't know into after.

Don't ever play. You don't know what to. Like, after you fight, just booty in the air and everything. I ain't a lot. That's a feeling that I always prayed that never was going to happen to me. That's why I take my defense so serious, though. Sure. Hell not.

You just don't know, bitch. Just get me up. I'm sitting there, next thing you know, you go back. Like, oh, our booty was in the air. That's crazy. Yeah, but it's the risk that comes with being an athlete and doing our sport. So before you get the boot,

you get hit, you go face forward? That's what I'm saying. That's the one, dog. And listen, hit you and you go that way? Yeah. Oh, yeah, it's like, hey. That's why I always say. Family client.

They're going to have to roll you over and try to get your mouthpiece out. Doctor, right in front of you. Are you okay? We got swell people, bud. You're like, did I die? I'm a man, a peace and tranquility. Did I?

No faith being ransed. But I got one final question for you. So you want to be known as the pound for pound king, right? I think that's the goal. That's what it says. And I think your Instagram future pound for pound king. What is it going to take for you to get that recognition? Just beating names and just conquering, bro.

Conquering every challenge that they put in front of me. I think that's my main goal. And being, not being scared. Like, I'm not with that scary shit. Like, scared money don't make no money. When you believe in yourself, you truly will bet on yourself. And I feel like, just give me opportunity. Once I get the opportunity, like the TOs and all the other guys that's coming up behind me

and showing these guys that I'm the best and still being on top. I haven't been on top for the last 19. I said, since I was 19 years old, I'd have been at the highest level of boxing. So I just want to keep showing everybody how great I am. Well, we appreciate you pulling up. We got your tour Stevenson coming through the Gills Arena

presented by $100, whoa, whoop, whoa. So what I'm saying is like, if I become a celebrity boxer, right, and I challenge you, you're going to take the challenge? Nah. Oh, then I ain't, I ain't. Then I want, he's scared. We're going to do it on Tooby.

I got a lot more competition. I'm worried about it. No, you see these and you ducked. We'll do it on TV. Go fight Ocho, go fight one of them. No, no, no, no. I want him because he's going to say no. So I get to see y'all.

You said you ducking. So technically you are ducking you. I'm ducking you. He could call it ducking him. He's in a contract. I'm mad. I'm saving him from himself. I'm like, yo, you said he was calling him.

I'm saving you from yourself. I'm saving you from yourself. I appreciate it. That's all I'm doing. You sign your contract. You sign that bitch and send it back. You're going to get scared in the world. Hamstring.

I'm an internet though. I'm an internet all day, babe. Meet me in the ring in two minutes. He's climbing through the rope. Hamstring. Shit. Y'all actually for the fighter like that, the guy, what's his name? Kitty Austin.

Kitty Austin. I didn't fight him I was supposed to fight him and then he pulled the hamstring or bicep injury or flu I think he got the flu

Yeah that's me One of those shit One of those shit Nicky the I-Itis Nick of Shakora That's what we were just saying in the lead No that's what we were just saying to lead Yeah

motherfucker nigga that you normally start right Yeah He ain't playing tonight Like who the fuck is this matcher Oh you got the Iitis tonight Huh Nick Yeah Oh you're up yeah

Shack coming to town. What? Yeah. It's going to hurt. Diggum we had to practice yesterday. You were just running around this motherfucker with a 360 windmill with this bitch. All of a sudden you hurt. We can see that.

He had 55 last night. Yeah. Not on my watch. Next night for itself. Shack left. Yeah, I ain't never seen that before in boxing, but that was one of my first time seeing that, dog. Shakur, we appreciate you pulling up. This has been another episode of Gills Rainer presented by Underdog.

Whoa! We'll be back with more very soon. I hope. Stop ducking.