The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Boxing with Chris Mannix - Let's Talk Heavyweights

Episode Date: September 2, 2022

Mannix and Sergio Mora talk Deontay Wilder's return, a crossroads clash between Andy Ruiz and Luis Ortiz, Anthony Joshua's road back and more; Ruiz joins the show to talk his decision to take time off..., his split with Eddy Reynoso, a future fight with Deontay Wilder, more; former NBA guard Nick Young talks his decision to get into boxing, his fight with rapper Blue Face, and the NBA player he wants to get into the ring. #herdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:02:24 This is boxing with Chris Manning. Or somebody punch him in the face. Anthony Joshua is a completely. posed and ferocious finisher. Watch this. Hosted by S.I's Chris Mannix. That was my moment. Now with interviews, analysis,
Starting point is 00:02:41 and everything going on in the world of boxing. When you have talent, you are given another chance. Here's Chris Mannix. So I've seen some bad takes in my lifetime. This one might be the worst.
Starting point is 00:02:58 Boxing scene.com headline. Sergio Mora backs Canello to win, but doesn't rule out upset by Kolofkin. No, it sounded worse. What the fuck is that? But if you read it, it was actually a great article written. It's just a terrible title. Terrible title.
Starting point is 00:03:16 Great article, though. Could you straddle the fence anymore? No, that's what I, look, I mean what I said. They just wrote it wrong. The title was totally wrong, but the article is great. All right. Sergio Amora is here, former junior middleweight champion, Desone Broadcaster, contender winner.
Starting point is 00:03:30 about 100 years ago. We're going to get into the heavyweight division today from Deonté Wilder's formerly announced return to Andy Ruiz's fight to the rebuilding of Anthony Joshua. I'll also take some of your questions you submitted on social media. Later in the show, Andy Ruiz will be here. He's back in action against Luis Ortiz this weekend.
Starting point is 00:03:50 And Nick Young, remember him? The former NBA guard is joining the boxing ranks, taking on rapper Blueface on the social gloves card in L.A. on September 10th. Sergio Amora, I know you are excited about that. Look, unless I'm going to face one of these guys, I'll get excited. Other than that, clown show continues going from town to town. You just walked in and said you worked 10 rounds today.
Starting point is 00:04:13 I did. I hit the back 10 rounds. I felt great. But of course, the back doesn't punch back. Correct. All right, let's start with Deonté Wilder. I was at the press conference in New York to announce Deonté Wilder against Robert Hellenius. Deonti Wilder and Robert Hellenius weren't there because Heleneas,
Starting point is 00:04:30 is still having visa issues and Wilder missed his flight. But both of them spoke. Wilder's interesting, Sergio. It was going to be 37 years old in October. And during his press conference, he made it pretty clear that for a long time after the loss to Tyson Fury last year, he wasn't really into coming back to boxing. He had to kind of be pushed into it in a way. You know, when Tuscaloosa gave him a statue, he said that appealed to.
Starting point is 00:05:00 him, but he's coming back and he's facing Robert Hellenia. So what are your expectations? What should be expectations for Deonti Wilder in this second tour of duty in boxing? You know, there's a saying, you talk about Alabama. There's a saying down south. He thinks who he is, you know, and that's Wilder right there. He thinks who he is. He believes he's the hardest puncher, baddest man on the planet. And he came a long way, Mannix, for starting boxing late. bronze medalist at the Olympics. He was the heavyweight champion, one of the hardest punchers in the history of boxing.
Starting point is 00:05:35 He came a long way with limited ability. The only thing he really has is a big right hand. Other than that, he doesn't have much. He's not a smart jabber. He doesn't have any upper body movement or defense. He doesn't have any footwork. But you can out box him for 11.5 rounds. He catches one right hand.
Starting point is 00:05:53 It's over. So he came a long way with his ability. but even a long way from Alabama from where he came from you know i mean he made millions of dollars life-changing money generations from now to come he has a statue in his hometown dude that's a long way with limited ability this is a success story so whatever this man says whatever he says he's going to do guess what you got to believe him because he's the type of fighter he's a type of man that he thinks who he is i don't disagree with you he thinks who he is well okay i would have been believe that before the Fury trilogy. Because before that, Sergio, he was hungry. And you know that
Starting point is 00:06:35 as well as anyone, what it means to be hungry. Like, you were hungry coming up the ranks. You had to fight for little money. You had to get on the contender, get the exposure, get the forest fight, do all the things that you have to do when you're a young fighter and you have something to prove. As you said, he has nothing to prove anymore. He's already won in boxing and in life. He's financially set for life. He still lives in Alabama. Like, you get a lot of money. You for your buck in Alabama. So he doesn't have anything left really to gain in the sport. And that's my question, Sergio.
Starting point is 00:07:04 What happens when a fighter doesn't have the same hunger they did in the past? It's not the same situation. But you remember Tyson towards the end? When Tyson would do these post-fight interviews after getting starched by somebody, and he'd be like, you know what, I'm only doing this for the money now. I don't really have the same passion anymore. That's what worries me about wild that. He's not coming into these fights with the same level of intensity,
Starting point is 00:07:25 the same preparation, the same desire he once did. he's also not going to be coming with an opponent like Tyson Fury. He fought the best heavyweight in the world that's very difficult to look good against. Other than that, he starts everyone in front of him. So I think he goes back to his knockout ways, get his confidence back, build him back up. He'll get another title shot because he's popular enough. He's a former champion. He knocks everyone out.
Starting point is 00:07:48 So he's still an attraction. And that's the reason is coming back because he accomplished so much. And he started late in his career. So it's not like his body is damaged. He started boxing at what, 18 years old? you know so he's his body is actually even later i think his body is fresh man so i'm with him i think he can go a long way not only because he started late but because he has that magic eraser he can knock anyone out in front of him he doesn't use his legs he doesn't need his legs he just he can plow
Starting point is 00:08:13 plow his way through well you say he's fresh and i don't disagree with you there but he also just went 30 rounds with tyston fury the last 18 of which were absolutely brutal for him in the last two fights I mean, that takes something out of you too, right? It does, but, you know, those are two beatings by one man. Well, actually, one and a half, one and a half of a beating, because that first fight was actually, well, actually, what, two and a half? Well, the first fight was good, competitive. It's three fights.
Starting point is 00:08:40 That's what I'm getting at. The second fight was a beating, and then the third fight was worse. And the third fight. So two and a half fights of a beating. Good beatings there. Yeah, but that's by one man. So I think he should just move on from those beatings. And he goes back to knocking guys out,
Starting point is 00:08:52 get that confidence back. Every fighter from Rocky Marciano to Rocky Balboa, well, not Rocky Marciano, but Rocky Balboa. He'll come back with the Ayala Tiger, get some knockouts in, get the popularity back, and he's back. Well, I think he's got the right opponent in front of him on October 15th.
Starting point is 00:09:09 I mean, Robert Hellenius is the perfect comeback opponent. He's credible because he's got the back-to-back wins over Adam Kibnotsky, but he's also vulnerable. He's 38 years old, and in the last few years, he's been knocked out by Gerald Washington. He was knocked out by Johann Duopas. Deonté Wilder should knock him out if he's anything close to that. If he's not, we'll learn in that fight.
Starting point is 00:09:31 Look, the pathway for Wilde to have this second reign that he keeps talking about is there. Like, he beats Hellenius. There's a chance that a fight against Andy Ruiz, if Ruiz beats Ortiz, is for a vacant title. Like, it's certainly possible if after Fury and Usik do what they do, that those two guys could fight for a title. So there's a world championship potentially on the table. And on paper, I favor Deonti Wilder
Starting point is 00:09:58 against Robert Hellenius. On paper, I favor Deonti Wilder against Danny Ruiz. Like, I think he's still very much able to be a top guy in the division. He's just got to want it, though. I mean, you got to be able to relate to that.
Starting point is 00:10:13 Like, at some point, you stopped wanting it as much as you did early in your career, right? Um, that... You got, I mean, not you... fat but you got like satisfied it was never it was never an issue about complacency or or not being hungry it was an issue of distractions and that hasn't to do with hunger it just has to do with with you know life you know you got to juggle life outside of boxing and then you know distractions get in the way and and this is where mental issues uh come around and is that we're calling
Starting point is 00:10:41 caesar's palace right now a distraction you know what Caesar's palace was a good time and uh what good is uh getting to the top of the mountain if you can't enjoy the fruits of your labor. I would have loved to have known you back then to see what you were doing at that point. No, but listen, I think you're right on point with the Hellenius fight and the Andy Ruiz fight, but I'm going to tell you one thing, Mannix. Both those fights are going to be difficult, especially the Ruiz fight if ever happens, but Heleneas is going to give Wilder some issues. I'm telling you right now.
Starting point is 00:11:10 He's coming off a really successful one versus a tall fighter. Tall fighters that are, you know, freak of she tall, six foot six plus, they're not accustomed to fighting another fighter that's 6 foot 6 plus they're accustomed to having the size advantage so whenever you get a big man fading a big man they're not accustomed to it kind of like a south paw is unfamiliar with fighting another south paw it's awkward i think helenius is going to have some moments he might even shake up while there that's going to be a better fight than expected i don't disagree um i just can't get past how helenius was stopped by gerald washington like i know jerrys washington big man six six plus big right hand
Starting point is 00:11:48 I'm just saying. If Deante is Deonte, he lands that big right hand and puts Heleneas out. So I think we'll learn a lot about Deonté while they're in that fight. But look, boxing is better with Deonté while they're in it. I'm rooting for him to get back into the mix. All right, we mentioned Ruiz a couple of times. He's back this weekend facing Luis Ortiz, Fox Sports Paperview, our good pal, Brian Kenny, back in the boxing mix.
Starting point is 00:12:11 Shout out, BK. You're still scared of BK. I miss him. You're terrified of him. This feels very winner-go-homeish to me, Sergio. Ortiz, it definitely is because, I mean, he's officially in his early 40s. God knows how old he actually is. And Andy Ruiz, while younger and having the ability to come back,
Starting point is 00:12:33 if he drops a fight to Luis Ortiz after having not fought since May of 2021 when he beat Chris Ariola, and before that, having not fought since December of 2019, it feels like he's done, at least as a top fighter. Is this feel like a winner-go-home fight to you? Every fight is a winner-go-home. So that's just the wrong way to phrase it. No, it's not.
Starting point is 00:12:57 No, it's not because every fight is make or break. Every fight, you're one-punch away from retiring, from getting hurt from a lot of bad things happen. So you're one fight away from retiring, going home, or getting being up. So every fight is important. But for Andy Ruiz, I don't think it's winner-go-home. I think it's win or go home.
Starting point is 00:13:15 and go back to undercards and build your way back up and see if you have the hunger to get back to the main event and get back to the heavyweight championship. So I don't think it's go home. I just think it's getting relegated. So there, that's all it is. Now when it comes to Luis Ortiz, it's winner retire. How old is Luis Ortiz?
Starting point is 00:13:31 I have no idea. You know what Luis Ortiz reminds me of? That barbershot scene in coming to America when they're talking about Joe Lewis. Joe Lewis was 75 years old, 76 years old. That's Ortiz right there. No one knows who he is in these fighters. from from Cuba you know they can't provide their real birth certificate he's officially listed as
Starting point is 00:13:50 43 years old there you go 43 I'm skeptical of that I'm very skeptical as well so look I don't believe have you seen some of the memes of uh Ortiz out there like next to jack johnson like there you know stuff like that he's next to methuselah somewhere he's out there it's definitely winter go home for for Ortiz's winter retire forget home yeah that's what I'm saying but like Andy Ruiz is 32 years old it's just going to be you're right he would have to go back to under cards It's going to be real tough for him to climb back up the ranks, though. I mean, he's, it's just tough to do that. I don't think it's going to be tough for him to climb the ranks.
Starting point is 00:14:23 It's whether he wants to climb up the ranks. I mean, he's already made tens of millions of dollars. Yeah. You know, so it's all good. He's going to be just fine. If he wants to make more money, that's all it's going to be about. If the opportunities to make money are there, the hunger is going to be there whether he's making money or not because he's a fighter.
Starting point is 00:14:44 He doesn't want to get beat up or lose bad. But if the money's there, I think he's going to be just fine. I still want to see Andy Ruiz against Deontio Wilder. That's a great fight. Man, that would be a huge fight. Paperview will do great numbers. You could put that fight in L.A., in Las Vegas. You could put that fight in Madison Square Garden.
Starting point is 00:15:05 No matter where you put that fight in the United States, it's going to be a marketable, profitable, profitable fight between two polar opposites and two different backings, two different. genres of fans. Great fight. I would love to see that fight. Are you kidding me? Mexican Rocky versus a bronze bomber? The promotion alone in that fight will be great. Amazing. I hope it happens.
Starting point is 00:15:26 So he's got to get past Ortiz first. Who do you favor in that fight? No, I like Andy Ruiz. The fast hands. I'm always going to favor speed over power or size. Andy Ruiz has some of the fastest hands at heavyweight. He has a chin. So even if Ortiz lands that big right hand,
Starting point is 00:15:44 like he lands on many of his opponents. Did you have quite, you saw against Chris Ariola. He got knocked down in the second round. Yeah, it was kind of a flash. I took a shot. It was a flash knockout. He wasn't hurt. I mean, you could see that his eyes were there.
Starting point is 00:15:55 He got back right. He was more embarrassed and sheepish from getting up. And now, he wasn't hurt. He takes a big punch, man. I mean, look at the punches at Joshua landed on him. I agree with you there. Those are huge shots. It landed flush.
Starting point is 00:16:07 This guy got up like Superman. I think, I think Andrew Reeves going to be careful in this fight. I don't think he's going to come in there and try to brawl with Luis Ortiz. I think he's going to try to box him, use his hand speed. It is interesting, though. He's now on his third trainer. He had, obviously, Mani Robles for a long time. Then he went to Eddie Renoso. Now he's left Eddie Renoso. His reasoning is very similar to what Ryan Garcia said. Eddie Renoso doesn't really have time or didn't have time to train him in the way he needed to be trained for this fight. Is that a concern for you, being in your third trainer in three fights?
Starting point is 00:16:38 Who's he with now? He is with, what is it, Osuna, I want to say? I can look it up. There you go. If you don't remember his name, yes, I'm concerned. Well, it's not a big name. I'll tell you what it comes down to it. Alfredo Osuna. Never heard of him. Who has he trained?
Starting point is 00:16:52 I don't know. Yeah. You're Mr. Never Leave your trainer. I worship at the altar of Dean Campos. I'll go back to him when it's time for Jake Paul to kick my ass. Listen, if you ever interview and have the great Sanisa Estrada on your show, she'll tell you the exact same thing. Dean Campos is the most underrated great trainer in boxing. But look, I don't know, man, it's a tricky, tricky slope.
Starting point is 00:17:20 Yeah, well, we'll see what happens. Good fight this weekend on Fox Sports Paperview. Let's talk about Anthony Joshua. Eddie Hearn's been talking about Joshua entering the rebuilding phase of his career, which is supposedly going to begin in late December or early January. What's the rebuilding phase look like for Anthony Joshua? What should it look like? Eddie Hearns talking about like a world tour now, you know, going from the UK to China, back to the U.S.
Starting point is 00:17:47 He's mentioned names like Jean-Gillet. He's mentioned Dillion White as potential future opponents. What do you think the rebuilding path is for Anthony Johnson? Easy. Win, baby. Get back to winning. This is a man that was knocking out everyone they put in front of him. Gold medal.
Starting point is 00:18:02 He was a stud. He was in commercials, making millions of dollars filling out stadiums. then he gets upset by Andy Ruiz's fat chubby Mexican unknown but see Andy Ruiz by the way calls himself a fat chubby Mexican all the time hey listen he did it on my interview with him today listen when I was in boxing I was a fat chubby Mexican so you've weighed the same thing for like 25 years but I've gained 30 plus pounds when when I lost my title against forest yeah but that was alcohol and you took it off within six weeks it was fine food and fine wine it was alcohol okay I don't drink beer
Starting point is 00:18:36 It's alcohol. I didn't say it was beer. I'm bougie, bro. You're not. What are we talking about? We're talking about Anthony Joshua rebuilding. Yeah, so get back to knocking people out, man. Get back to feeling good in front of people again, the bright lights, the stadiums.
Starting point is 00:18:52 You know, no matter where he goes, he's still going to be popular. He's still going to be that pretty boy that can knock people out. All they need to do is put the right opponent in front of him. The last thing you want to do, look, I understand the Andrew Ruiz fight because he got upset by a unknown two weeks before the fighter how many weeks before the fight you're two three weeks now it was six weeks it was when when miller got tested positive five six weeks it was still short period time short period of time last minute replacements i've been there before they throw you off psychologically okay that one we could sweep under the rug he got his title back usick wasn't not a mistake he will never beat usick 10 out of 10 times
Starting point is 00:19:26 that was just bad matchmaking they should have never put him up against usick uh Joshua should have avoided usick like canello avoided erzlandi lara for so long he's he's You didn't have to fight him. A lot of people who didn't avoid Lara. He was the only guy to fight him. Avoids maybe the wrong word, but he didn't want to fight him. He fought him right after Mayweather or two fights after Mayweather. But Laura was calling him out way before that.
Starting point is 00:19:50 He still thought Laura didn't have to. Yeah, and look what happened. He almost lost. And it was for a good reason, you know. So I just think that's what that's exactly what should happen with Usik. Joshua should not have fought Usik. Usik would make anybody look bad. I don't care who they put in front of him.
Starting point is 00:20:05 It could be King Kong. and he'll find a way to make him look bad. That's just how brilliant of a boxer he is, especially at heavyweight where heavyweights don't have that footwork. They don't know how to cut off the ring. They don't know how to fight like smaller men. So Ussick's going to be a headache for any fighter because it's just that damn good.
Starting point is 00:20:21 And the fact that he has that Olympic gold medal passed and the fact that he's a South Paul, the fact that he comes from that Ukrainian school of mentally strong and physically in shape and they're scientific, way too much of a headache. just wrong matchmaking. They should have just avoided him like the plague or after that one loss, cut their losses.
Starting point is 00:20:42 Why isn't you want everybody to avoid everybody? Because that's how you maintain a career, man. That's how you, it's longevity over fighting everyone they put in front of you. This is a career. This is a man that became a heavyweight champion, made millions of dollars. Ussick, they gave him a chance.
Starting point is 00:20:59 He cleaned out the cruiserweight division, and he still wasn't making the money he's making now because Joshua gave him that opportunity. Now Ussk's the man, you know, the heavyweight champion. He's the man now, but it was because Joshua gave him the opportunity. I just think looking back in retrospect, you know, they should have just avoided him. All right, back to the path, though, back, because that's said and done. I think in December or January, you fight whatever stumble bum you can put in front of him.
Starting point is 00:21:24 I mean, like, let's dust off Dave Allen for a fight like that. What's junior Fah doing right now? Let's get him in the ring with Anthony Joshua. Like anybody that he can go step in front of and blast out of there. I like the idea of a Dillian White fight next year. I mean, Dillian White is kind of on that, why, he's on that same level of kind of being not washed, but like he's... That's kind of why I wouldn't because of the...
Starting point is 00:21:47 Yeah, but it's still a sellable fight in the UK. That's a huge stadium fight. Make a lot of money off that. Why wouldn't you want that? You know, Dillion White's always fun to watch. Yeah, I'm on board of that. And they hate each other, or at least they say they hate you. He's always fun to watch.
Starting point is 00:21:57 He could be marketable. He has the name recognition. The only thing he doesn't bring to the table is they, he's never won a world championship. So he'll be beating a contender. So it just doesn't have that. But you're not at the championship level with Joshua at this point. I mean, the titles won't be resolved until the middle of next year. I get it, but you still want to be facing another former champion.
Starting point is 00:22:17 I mean, you want to call, he had the interim title for a man-and-a-half, WBC interim title. Hup cap. Well, whatever. I mean, but you're not looking for a title right now for you Joshua. No, the white fight is a massive. Here's the power of what I would do. If I was Eddie Huron, I'd pick Dave Allen type in December. I'd do Dillion White in the first quarter of 2023.
Starting point is 00:22:34 I would then hope that Jean-Gaulet beats Derek Chesore, which he would, in a fight, and I would do Jean-Gillet versus Anthony Joshua in Beijing or in Macau, whatever the most money. I usually despise the thing that spews out of your mouth when it comes to matchmaking and promotions. Well, that's hurt. That's hurtful. Dude, you hit three for three right there. I love all three of those. And in that step, that's a progression.
Starting point is 00:22:58 They're popular. They're marketable. I love all three. Yeah. And then you get into the title picture once again. Maybe Wilder still out there. I'm telling you, Wilder versus Joshua. is still incredibly marketable.
Starting point is 00:23:06 Man, they can continue losing. They're always going to be marketable. They're going to be the version of Ricardo Miorga and Fernando Vargas. I hope they're better than that. No. Myorga, at least. They sold their first fight pay-per-view. They sold their rematching pay-per-view.
Starting point is 00:23:19 They were both washed, and they still filled out of the stadium. How come you never fought, Ricardo, Majorga? They were a little bit out of my age group. But Vargas, Mayorgia. I think my Argo would fight you right now. Deloio. They were just a little out of my age group. But, yeah, I would love to have bought them.
Starting point is 00:23:34 Still be a good fight. This past weekend we saw two young heavyweights in action on the top rank card. Jared Anderson first fight, and I believe eight months, 10 months, something like that. He had been dealing with an injury issue. And Richard Torres, Richard Torres Jr., should say the ex-US Olympian fighting in, I believe his third professional fight. Top ranks high on both these guys. They're both getting a lot of work, got a lot of TV exposure.
Starting point is 00:23:58 Of those two, in terms of bigger upside, brighter future, who do you like? Well, am I speaking like a promoter and a manager? I'm speaking like a fighter. Speaking like Sergio Amora. No, because you said who's more marketable, right? Who do, like if you could. You said marketable. You didn't ask me who's a better fighter.
Starting point is 00:24:18 Okay, hold on. All right, so let's do it this way. Latin snake promotions, that now defunct company that you still have a check in your wallet carrying around from. It's my corporation. No. I'm incorporated, man. It's Latin snake promotions.
Starting point is 00:24:29 If you were running Latin snake promotions and you were picking a fighter of those two, and you could choose. between either one of them. Who would you take? It's an S-Corp. All right. Okay. That's how I write off a lot of my drinking and dinners. So it is money laundering. I'm going to go to Richard Torres Jr., Maddox. Really?
Starting point is 00:24:46 Yeah, you know why? Because, one, he's an Olympian. So Olympians always have an easier way to the top. Two, he's Latino in a heavyweight division. That's unheard of. Look, if I'm going to go just on ABC, who I think has the better talent, I think it's Anderson. I watch him fight, 12-0, 12 knockouts, who doesn't like, who doesn't like ability.
Starting point is 00:25:06 Yeah, he's from Ohio, I believe. So you know that he grew up boxing some of the best fighters and amateurs. But Torres won, what, a silver medal? Yeah, in the Olympics. Olympian, but he's short. He's not going to make it as a heavyweight. Well, see, that's the thing. He's not going to make it as a heavyweight, but he's going to sell.
Starting point is 00:25:22 Well, there's really no option. He's 220-ish pounds. So he's a heavyweight. Unless you want to go on the Bridgerweight division, try to win a title there. I think that's the best bet for him. I actually tweeted that. I think it might be. No, instead of him, instead of him getting knocked out by a big heavyweight
Starting point is 00:25:34 six foot six plus. How about just win that Bridgerweight Championship? Consider yourself a legitimate champion. Markets yourself out. You consider yourself a legitimate champion in a made-up weight class and only one sanctioned body, you know, considers wheel. It's a legitimate championship with sanction and the right belts out there. So, yeah, I don't care.
Starting point is 00:25:51 You just love the WB. It's watered down, but it's an official weight. It was literally made up last year. It's an official division now, right? Bridgerweight? Yeah, because the WBC created it. And they made a belt. Like Oscar Rivas, I think is the time.
Starting point is 00:26:04 25 years from now, no one's going to care about Bridge or Weight being a fake debunk waste station between heavyweight and Cruiserweight. No one doesn't care. Cruise would be a waste station. So Richard Torres could be a pioneer. Why do you like him, though? Like, I mean, I've watched his fights, and he's got some power. He fought a complete stiff in his last time.
Starting point is 00:26:22 I like him because he was all over the place in his last fight. He made it everywhere. I don't care who he fought. It's the fact that he planted this guy on his face. It was everywhere. Everyone was talking about it. that's how you make yourself popular. The fact that you can build your your success of being an Olympian, a U.S. Olympian,
Starting point is 00:26:40 the fact that you're Latino in a division where Latinos aren't really... That's true. Like Andy were really around. Made a name for himself. Mexican Rocky, as you love to dumb him. Hey, I'm the one that gave him. I gave him the moniker. I forever want credit for that.
Starting point is 00:26:53 Mexican Rocky. And Richard Torres Jr. And Richard Torres Jr., I'm going to make one up for him if he ever gets to that point, too, because he'll be popular. I like Jared Anderson, though, more skilled. He's more skilled. I think he's got a bigger upside than Torres. For the same reason you just said.
Starting point is 00:27:09 Like Torres, I think is a little bit too small. He's like, what, 6-3, 220-ish pounds, you know, 30 years? And somebody said to me, replied to me on Twitter, like, well, Ussick's only that big. Ousick's special. Like, you can be 6-3-220 if you're Alexander Usoc and you have the talent level. I just don't think Torres has that. He's good, but he's not great. Anderson's a huge puncher.
Starting point is 00:27:29 A big guy, what's he, 6-6, big guy, big puncher. charismatic too so i think he's going to have a lot of success his top rank builds his profile i think i mean they'll never fight each other because why would you put prospects like that against each other but i think anderson anderson too is going to be on that teufima lopez show in december so he's going to get a big pop fighting after the heisman ceremony if anderson continues knocking out everyone they put in front of him he's going to make a name for himself really quick the reason torres is already making a name for himself is because that knockout and the fact that he's an olympian and the fact that you know he's he's a Latino in a division where there's no Latinos.
Starting point is 00:28:04 So that's always going to be a marketing push there. But overall, yes, I agree with you. Anderson has the better tools. He has the size of a heavyweight, and he has more longevity and more money to make in the heavyweight division because he'll last longer. He's going to be able to fight with the big boys. You know his Torres looks like Miles Teller and Top Gun 2?
Starting point is 00:28:24 Who? Didn't you watch Top Gun 2? No. Why? Because I don't like remakes that are... It's not a remake. It's a sequel. Top Gun.
Starting point is 00:28:33 Sequel. Part one with Tom Cruise. Yes. Part two has Tom Cruise. Iceman. Ice Men's also in part two. I like the originals, man. Okay.
Starting point is 00:28:40 This is not a remake. It's not, you know, point break. How old is Tom Cruise? He's probably older than Louise Ortiz. He might be the same age. Last thing for you before we get to some questions. Devin Haney is having himself a day or a week on social media. He's been pushing back or clapping back and everyone's saying he's not, doesn't belong
Starting point is 00:29:00 on the pound for pound list. he even went at our pal Dougie Fisher over at Ring Magazine. I love that. He's like, send it back, man. Dougie said if you don't like the Ring Magazine belt, for context here, this all kick started when Devin Haney read the ring pound for pound rankings and he wasn't in it. And he said, I'm not going to fight with the ring belt.
Starting point is 00:29:18 Dougie Fisher said, send it back and then it became a back and forth between those two. I mean, I like Devin Haney a lot. I know you do too. I think he's got pound for pound talent, but you don't get on a pound for pound list by beating one guy. and you can't claim you've cleaned out the division when you beat one guy to get all those belts. I mean, look, he did the right thing fighting Cambosis.
Starting point is 00:29:39 He got a paycheck. He'll get another one in October when he goes back to Australia. But to me, to get on a pound for pound list, you've got to beat Facilio-Mocenco. You've got to beat Tank Davis. You've got to beat Ryan Garcia. You need two or three quality wins to get on that list.
Starting point is 00:29:54 And people have said, well, Lomachenko lost the Teofimo. Lomacheco's got a whole bunch of good wins. The resumes just don't compare. Wilmachenko's resume is just a lot better right now than Devin Haney. He's got a talent for it in my mind, but I don't think he's quite there yet. So basically you're asking me a question when you already answered yourself. I answered, I went first this time. Man, that is, who does that?
Starting point is 00:30:15 Who asks a question and you answer it? And what am I here for? What's that rhetorical? You're being rhetorical? No, it's not a rhetorical. That's not. You've said soliloquy. Would you stop saying soliloquy on DeZone?
Starting point is 00:30:27 You say that all the time. This is soliloquy. You're getting it wrong every time. You love the sound of your voice. Yes, I do. What am I here for? If you're asking me a question and you answer it. All right, here's the question, Sergio, you dumbass.
Starting point is 00:30:39 Is, does Devin Haney belong on the pound for pound list? I'm with you, no. What hell? No, I agree. And here's the reason why. I'm going to give you some facts, though. Just the reason the fact that I don't think Shakur Stevenson is top 10 either. I disagree with that.
Starting point is 00:30:56 I think they're 11 and 12. And here, I'm going to make my point, man. NICs, seniority, hear me out. Seniority, man. You know that everyone in the top 10 is over 30 years old, except in the way, it was 29. All every other nine, I already looked it up. So they're all over 30. You know why?
Starting point is 00:31:13 Seniority, because that matters. The fact that how, not only your accomplishments, but who knows you, how long did it take you to get there? That seniority, man. It exists in jobs and careers and it exists in boxing. Devin Haney's not top 10. Shakur's not top 10 in my book because of that. Not because they didn't accomplish anything.
Starting point is 00:31:31 I mean, who do you take off? Josh Taylor, look at who he fought in his last five fights, undefeated fighters. Josh Taylor belongs on that list. I agree. Absolutely. I don't take him out. I don't take out. I took Bevo off.
Starting point is 00:31:42 If anyone's going to come off is Bevo. But Bevo just beat the number one fighter in the world. So no, I'm not going to take him off. So they're number 11, number 12, and they have to understand that they got a lifetime to catch up. They're 23 years old. Let these big dogs that are 30 plus finish their career at the proper pound. The questions are more of the back end of the pound. for pound, right? So, like, looking at the ring list right now, uh, they've got Bevo at seven,
Starting point is 00:32:03 Josh Taylor at eight, Jermel Charlo at nine, better BF at 10. I think Charlo belongs. I think Josh Taylor belongs. I don't put Beev on there yet and I don't put Better Beav on there yet. I think both those guys need one better be a hundred percent knockout ratio. Okay, but Devin, so Virgil Ortiz has a hundred percent knockout ratio. Devin Haney's pound for pound or is the undisput champion. Ortiz is not a champion yet. Better BF is unified champion. What's the other one? I'm saying Devin Haney is 135 pounds. on disputed. So are you saying he should be on a list or no?
Starting point is 00:32:32 No, he shouldn't. He's right outside of it, 11 or 12. Like I said, because I'm not going to take out Josh Taylor. I'm not going to take out a bevo, and I'm not going to take off, who was the other one that you said? Josh, Better Beav was on. And certainly is not, I'm not going to take out Better Beavre. That'll probably be my number 10.
Starting point is 00:32:49 Better Beav. Yeah. And guess what? He's what, 37 years old. Seniority Manix. It matters. Yes, it does matter because you're old. All right, let's jump into some of these Instagram questions that we got for this.
Starting point is 00:33:05 Let's start with Mike. Will Tank Davis fight a top 15 guy in December? Am I getting paid overtime for this? Yes, you are. What was the question? Will Tank Davis fight a top 15 guy in December? That's what he's scheduled to return. Of course, not.
Starting point is 00:33:22 Come on, man. Tank Davis is already who he is. They're promoting them to make money, not promoting. promoting them to be great. And you got to appreciate that as a businessman. You got to appreciate the fact that this kid doesn't mind making millions of dollars fighting, you know, people that aren't in the championship level. He's knocking them out.
Starting point is 00:33:42 He's popular. He's a millionaire. And Mayweather promotion is, you know, they're going in the right direction. Okay. So you don't want to. As a fan. I hate when you do this. I hate when you divide yourself into three parts, like fan, boxer, promoter.
Starting point is 00:33:55 Like just be yourself. Answer the question. I am. Be myself. said no he's not gonna fight it well i don't i think look esau cruz fights this weekend certainly possibly fights esau cruz in a rematch that nobody really wants to see um i don't know who else is out there between 130 140 pounds for him like it's not a big section of weight classes for pbc and it's just a bad look like the ryan garsia negotiates they're dead they've moved on ryan's moved on everybody's
Starting point is 00:34:22 moved on i don't i don't believe that fight and that's the reason people get upset with garcia because they think that he cries wolf a lot you know the fact i'll do this i'll do that he cried wolf What would he call that? You hear Tank Davis, like, he's not calling anybody out. No, the fact that that Garcia is willing to fight Tank Davis and saying, I'll do this, I'll do that, I'll do that, but then it never happens. It's not his fault. No, it's not his fault. It's not his fault.
Starting point is 00:34:42 It's just the politics and the business of the game. But I love the fact that he's doing that. Tank Davis is not doing it. Tank Davis is not calling anyone out. He never, he never says, I want this, man. I want that one. Devin Haney does. Ryan Garcia does.
Starting point is 00:34:56 Should you? Should Tank Davis be calling guys out? Yeah, because you know what, at this point of his career, even though everything's going good for him, people want more than that. They want a hero. You know, they want someone to, you know, they get inspired by. And then he's not inspiring anyone at this point. He's making a lot of money. And selfishly, he's doing the right thing.
Starting point is 00:35:19 But if you're in it to be great, then you've got to satisfy the fans as well. Yeah, I'm with you there. Um, Julio asked what percentage you put on Crawford Spence being made by the end of the year and why. I'm getting more and more skeptical, Sergio, as time goes on. We're recording this on September 1st. I checked in with somebody involved in those talks who said,
Starting point is 00:35:41 look, they're getting close, but the stuff that they are stuck on, they're really stuck on. Um, and now we're into September. The target date is November 19. So what do you think?
Starting point is 00:35:53 Like it's got to be, at least by mid-September, you have a deal, right? Like, you've got to, if you're looking at two months, you need a full two-month training camp for a fight like that to build up a fight like that. Like, you probably got a couple weeks for this fight to get made. And I don't think it does at this point. Unless something changes, I think Spence moves on and fights Keith Thurman and Terrence Crawford. I don't know where he goes.
Starting point is 00:36:14 So I hope I'm wrong because that's one of the biggest fights you can make in boxing. But, you know, here we are in September, after all the reporting if they were getting close, and we're still not ready to say that fight's going to happen. I gave up on that fight. I don't think it happens this year. I just don't think it happens. I think it never happens then.
Starting point is 00:36:34 I don't know about never. It just doesn't happen this year. Spence moves up, probably. And it's a shame because we're not going to get two of the best fighters in the world, you know, fight for all the marbles in their prime. You know, one of them is going to go off, maybe, you know, start getting touched up, lose a fight. Then they're going to come back and fight.
Starting point is 00:36:52 it's not going to be the same. It's not going to be, you know, like a Sugar Relander Tommy Hernes, you know, both undefeated Walterweight Beasts, you know, knocking out, you know, everybody they put in front of you as far as the, the, it's not going to be that. It's not going to be a, it's not going to be a Shane Mosy versus Oscar of La Jolla, you know, great fighters and their prime. It's not going to be that. So they're already in the 30s, you're in their 30s.
Starting point is 00:37:16 And the fact that, you know, it's taking this long. People, people get tired of it. Yeah, I agree. I'm tired of it. I don't want to hear about it. If that fight doesn't get made in two months, I give up. I don't care about that fight anymore. I still care, but I'm skeptical that ever would happen.
Starting point is 00:37:29 Zeke asks, and I'll put this to you because I'm tired of talking about it, what's next for Demetrius Andrade, and do you agree with his decision to vacate the WBO middleweight strap? Andrade needs to fight somebody. He needs to actually, if he really, really wants to be relevant against the big dogs, he needs to take little money for a big risk, which is a total opposite of what I've been preaching for 20 years. You want the minimum risk to make the most amount of money. But not with Andrade.
Starting point is 00:38:01 If he really wants to be great, he has to flip that. You know, he needs to take one of these big fights, a dangerous fight for a little money, for less money. Just not even knock on. Just wipe the flow with him. Embarrass a guy like that. Move on to the next one. If you can do something like that,
Starting point is 00:38:17 then I think they're going to be forced to look his way. The champions in his weight division. I think the Zach Parker fight, which is what they're talking about. Does nothing for him. No, but it's the right thing to do because it's for that interim WBO title 168. No, it's not. Manix, that's just another,
Starting point is 00:38:31 that's just another, uh, what do you want to make? Another Walter Cata d'Aquila. Name who he should fight then. Benevitas. At what, and take like 100 grand to take 100 grand to fight. You wouldn't do that. That's what he needs to do.
Starting point is 00:38:43 What did I just say? Okay, but you wouldn't do that? You wouldn't do that? That's how, that's, if he wants to become great, if he wants a Canelo fight, if he wants, wants a Golovkin fight. That's what he needs to do.
Starting point is 00:38:53 He needs to take a big risk for a little bit of a chance. If you had a chance to fight for the undisputed middleweight championship and you left some money on the table to do it. Lou DeBella, if he would have given me $200,000 more, I would have fought Germain Taylor. You would have won. Shout out, Lou. He would have won. Last question for you, and I'm trying to find I just lost it right here.
Starting point is 00:39:14 Is Sergio mad that Anderson? Yes. I'm always mad. Is Sergio mad? A best, man. Would you, can I get this out, please? Is Sergio mad that Anderson Silva got the Jake Paul fight and he did not? No, I'm not because Anderson Silva is a legend.
Starting point is 00:39:29 And I'm not, you know, I'm nowhere near. You are not. I'm a legend in my own mind. Silver, you know, Spider, Anderson Silva, I don't follow the MMA, but I follow him. He's a beast. He's a legend. Him and GSP could have taken the Jake Paul fight and I wouldn't hate. But I can't hate on Jake Paul.
Starting point is 00:39:46 You, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's mastermind on his part. He's going to fight another 40-year-old someone, but this time he's going to get his ass whoop. You think Anderson Silva whoops his ass? I think Anderson Silva embarrasses him. Andrew Silva's claim to legitimacy as a boxer. He went the distance with Chavez. He did, but Chavez Chavez who...
Starting point is 00:40:04 You're telling me that Jake Paul is better than Chavez? Chavez was in his mess. On his worst day, Chavez Jr. is better than Jake Paul. Okay, but Chavez sets a tough go of it lately. Like, he's had some... I think he had a draw in one, or he had a loss against some stumble bum that he likes. lost to Anderson Silva.
Starting point is 00:40:20 But he's a fighter with over 45 professional fights and a former champion. How old was Anderson Silva? Like 40 something now? Like I think Jake Paul beats him. I do. He's just younger, fresher, more polished as a boxer, if you can believe that. I think he beats him. Anderson Silva and Luis Ortiz, they're age.
Starting point is 00:40:40 Ageless. They're ageless. No one knows. Well, now look, now you got KSI in the mix for you to potentially fight. You got lots of YouTubers out there. Listen, KSI, Jake Paul, Logan, Paul, I'll fight all three of them in one night. Just like KSI did those two bums, I'll fight three of these bums in the same night. And I'll commentate the fight before.
Starting point is 00:41:00 How much Kinesiotape would that take between fights to get you ready for that next one? I went 10 rounds today. That's great. With a punching bag. Wow. With the punching bag. Great. That's fantastic.
Starting point is 00:41:09 Good for you. All right, Sergio, we're done here. When we come back, my conversation with Andy Ruiz. Fandel wants you to be ready for game day when college football kicks off this week. Right now, new customers can get $150 in free bets guaranteed for week one. Just place a $5 bet, and you can get $150 in free bets win or lose. You can create a parlay with your favorite bets.
Starting point is 00:41:40 You can jump into the action with live betting or bet with big promotions like odds boosts. Go for it all with national championship futures as well. If you've been thinking about joining Fandu, now is the time to give it a show. You listeners out there have been doing a lot of boxing betting with me. Keep it going with college football. And Fandul is now live in Kansas. So if you're not just betting boxing, bet on college football with us as well. The app is so easy to use.
Starting point is 00:42:10 They're always hooking you up with great odds. And when you win, you'll get paid fast. So see for yourself why Fandual is America's number one sportsbook. Download the Fandul app today and sign up with promo code Box. and place a $5 bet to get $150 in free bets guaranteed to kick off the college football season. That's promo code boxing. All right, Andy Ruiz is the former unified heavyweight champion. On Saturday, he is back when he takes on Luis Ortiz.
Starting point is 00:42:50 That's a fight you can watch on Fox Sports Paperview. And Andy, first fight in close to 20 months. So I guess my question is, where are you been, man? Well, from the last fight with Chris Sariola, I had to get knee surgery, and I took some time off. And I took another little bit of time off, just to be with the family, just to relax and, you know, get where I want to be at, you know. And through all that time, I was just focusing on what I want to accomplish and what do I want to accomplish? I want to become a two-time heavyweight champion of the world. And that's exactly what we're aiming for.
Starting point is 00:43:27 We had a long training camp. We picked a hard opponent, Louise Ortiz. Like I said, I like taking chances. I like a hard fight. So that's exactly what we're going to get on September 4th. So when did that click for you? When did you decide, look, I got to get back in. I got to try to become a champ once again.
Starting point is 00:43:47 I feel every fighter needs to have a break, man. It doesn't matter who you are or how long you want to become champions. Every fighter needs a little break for themselves and for the family because now you start thinking, you start thinking differently, you know? And, um, and, uh, when was it, uh, of last year? That's when I, I said to myself, you know what? I could do it, man. I did it one time. I could do it again. I became a champion. I'm going to become a champion again. All I'm missing is that WBC bell that to add to my collection, you know? So I put myself and, and, and I said, you know what? I'm going to give it all like God. I'm still young. I'm, I'm
Starting point is 00:44:29 I'm not heard or nothing. So, and what do you know? I'm aiming for that WBC belt. I want it so bad. I want to become a two-time heavyweight champion of the world. And, you know, and I'm still mad because I gave my belts away with Anthony Joshua and the rematch because I did not do the right things that I was supposed to do. But we're focused now, man.
Starting point is 00:44:51 Yeah. You know, Anthony Joshua, we all saw back in late August. He lost Aged and Usik for the second time. as someone that started this run for Anthony Joshua, five fights earlier for him. What were you thinking when you watched Joshua lose again? I kind of knew that Ussick was in a win, man. Just because of his style, he's a counterpuncher.
Starting point is 00:45:15 He waits until they load up and then he goes in there. It was kind of devastating because I was like, man, that could have been me. That could have been me again. So it kind of gave me more motivation just. to show up and show out on September 4th here in the crypto arena because, like I said, I felt like I gave those belts away because of my non-discipline. But things change now, you know. That's why it's good to have a long layoff to reminisce and to think exactly what you want
Starting point is 00:45:47 to do in life. And I'm still young. And, you know, and that's what we're going to do. We're going to conquer and we're going to get that WBC belt. Do you think that you changed Anthony Joshua because the numbers Andy suggest, I mean, they suggest that he has become a much more cautious fighter in terms of throwing more jabs, not being as aggressive with power shots since his fight with you? I think so, man.
Starting point is 00:46:12 And a lot of people have been telling me, and even in the Usset fight, so many, had so many messages on my phone on Instagram saying like, man, Anthony Joshua's not the same ever since he fought. and yeah, he's a little bit more cautious. He hesitates too much to throw his combinations, but I think he just has trouble with counterpunchers. And, you know, things happen. But like I said, maybe he needs a break.
Starting point is 00:46:40 Maybe he needs a little layoff where he gets to relax and not be too focused on fights. You know, I think they have him as like a, like he has to fight like a slave, you know, I feel he needs to just relax and take time and just focus on what he really wants. Yeah, and maybe fight outside the UK. I think getting away from the hoopla being Anthony Joshua in Great Britain is probably would be good for him as well.
Starting point is 00:47:10 You are returning in this fight with Alfredo Asuna in your corner. Last fight you had Eddie Renoso. I've heard you talk about this, Andy, about leaving Eddie for this fight. But I'm still not entirely sure why at this point. What was the fundamental reason why you made this change from Eddie Renoso to Alfredo Asuna? I think right now he has a lot under his play. You know, I think Canelo has a really big important fight as well with Triple G. And in two weeks.
Starting point is 00:47:39 So I feel it was too close. So I feel I needed to get somebody to help me out, to give me 100% of their time. And, you know, especially making my own gym as well. I didn't make it just for me. I made it for my fighters as well because Canelo's gym is private. They don't want just anybody to go out there and train, you know, and I respect that and I respect everything that they've done for me.
Starting point is 00:48:03 But I'm not saying that I won't go back or they wouldn't help me at all. But I felt like I needed to make this change for me and for my team. You know, it's funny hearing you say that because it sounds almost exactly like what Ryan Garcia said a couple of years ago. Now, there was more negativity around. that at the time, but he also wanted more attention. He also wanted his own gym. Does it feel, is it feel like kind of the same thing? Not really because they did give me their time. They did give me, we kind of bonded more, you know, but it feels, I needed my fighters as well. You know,
Starting point is 00:48:44 they needed their time too. So that's why I got a federal sooner to help me and especially my fighters because they i'm trying to help them out man they they're trying to change their lives as well just like how they gave me the opportunity i'm trying to give them the opportunity as well and being stuck there and not having their their different rules and all that is it wasn't gonna it wasn't going to do nothing for them um but yeah they had the time for me and all that but i needed i needed to do what's best for my fighters as well and that was opening up a gym getting a different trainer and having them help them out. So your last fight against Chris Ariola, give me kind of a letter grade that you would give yourself in that fight. I think it was a C-minus. I see-minus because I've
Starting point is 00:49:34 kind of focused too much on losing weight of trying to be the part instead of trying to look the part instead of being the part. So I think that was one of my downfalls that I did in my last fight. But now, I'm at the same way that I fought Anthony Joshua. I feel good. I feel explosive. And I feel God made me a champion being husky and chubby. So why change it? You know, it's funny because your weight has been like central to any discussion about you your entire career.
Starting point is 00:50:09 I mean, I remember Bob Aram at top rank talking about weight clauses in your contracts. I mean, has your mindset about your weight? And how much you're worried. Has that changed in recent in the last year or so? Yeah, it did now, man. Ever since how I felt in my last fight, I feel I got to get back to where I made history. And that's being a chunky boy, just following his dreams
Starting point is 00:50:37 and making it come true, you know. And I feel explosive. I feel fast, especially I could take punches from bigger guys have carrying that weight. So I feel it's an advantage of me being husky and chubby for me to fight these big guys. I swear, I'll give you like a thousand bucks if you make that your Twitter bio. A chunky guy following his dreams. That's a great tag for social media.
Starting point is 00:51:05 I'm going to give you myself for those thousand dollars then right now. Maybe not. So you look into this fight with Luis Ortiz, who has been the boogeyman of the division for a while now, a little bit demystified after the wilder losses, got the win against Charles Martin. I mean, what kind of matchup is this for you? How tough a fight is this for you? It's a tough fight, you know, because that's a, he has a different awkward style, you know. He's not a, he's not an awkward style like Usik that's lefty, that moves around and all that, but he's a hard hitting guy. And a lot of people are scared him, and that's exactly why
Starting point is 00:51:43 we wanted to pick a good opponent that. It's going to be that this is what the fans want and this is exactly what I'm giving them, you know? We knew that we're going to take some risks. We know we're going to, it's going to be a challenging fight, but I'm up to the task. And the way that we've been training, I'm confident and I'm motivated and I know I'm going to get this victory. So do you look at the pathway to this WBC title? It starts with Luis Ortiz. Does it continue with Deonti Wilder if Wilder can get through his fight?
Starting point is 00:52:17 in October? It could happen, you know. First, I got to focus on Louise Ortiz, win this fight, and Deonté Wilder, that's the easiest fight that could be made right now between me and him, because me and him are both under the same organization. So I feel that if I could be easily made the end of this year or the beginning of next year. But if I get an opportunity to fight for the WBC bell or with Ussick, of course, we're going to take that, take that to become a two-time heavyweight champion. No question. Just last thing for you, are you curious to see what Wilder has left?
Starting point is 00:52:53 I mean, I was at the press conference in New York this week. Hellenius, a good opponent, but I think a really high-level Deonté Wilder should win. Are you, as someone that knocked off an undefeated fighter and changed his career, are you curious to see what Wilder has left? I do, and I feel the whole world does because coming out of his devastating loss against Tyson Fury, we want to see how he comes back or how if his legs are still there, if his state of mind is still there, you know, it's hard. It's hard losing a fight and having to get back up to have that same momentum and having that same eager to still become great.
Starting point is 00:53:40 But, you know, with God, anything is possible. And I feel like he, He's going through the right path and he found Jesus and maybe, you know, things will go good for him. Well, it's good to have you back, Andy. First up, September 4th against Luis Ortiz. Hope to see him some big fights over this next year or so, man. Good luck to you. Thank you, man. Appreciate it.
Starting point is 00:54:02 When we come back, former NBA player turned boxer Nick Young. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.
Starting point is 00:54:28 I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skis.
Starting point is 00:54:45 The reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.
Starting point is 00:55:24 So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.
Starting point is 00:55:54 I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you're just so you.
Starting point is 00:56:14 y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right. Nick Young is a 12-year NBA veteran. On September 10th, he will make his boxing debut
Starting point is 00:56:48 when he takes on rapper Blueface at the Social Gloves. No More Talk Show, that's at the Bank of California Stadium in Los Angeles. And Nick, let's start right here. What the hell are you doing? Why are you, Nick Young, doing this? Really, I just, once I start, I went in there with, you know, a good friend of my, Demetri, took me to the boxing gym, and I just fell in love with it.
Starting point is 00:57:14 And then, you know, they got the talking and said, I bet you won't get in the ring with somebody. And then that carried on and carried on. And now, you know, we look up and be here. So, and once I'm like, you know, Nate Robertson, Dan Williams, I started seeing it get kind of popular. I just wanted to try it out.
Starting point is 00:57:34 Well, I want to get to Nate, who it did not go well for, and Darren, who it did go well for, also Lamar Odom in that mix, another ex-laker like yourself. That's a work in progress, I guess, still. But when did you pick up boxing? You said you kind of got the itch after picking it up. When did the boxing start for you?
Starting point is 00:57:55 Last summer, last summer. I just went in trying to get some conditioning. Just trying to stay in shape a little bit. You know, when you're not doing nothing, I didn't want to get fat. You know, I feel like to look good at both. I wasn't in the condition and the best thing you know what thing left to another so tell me how the idea or the
Starting point is 00:58:21 this concept of fighting blueface came together was it offered to you did you pursue it how did it all come together? Well I was a little bit of both and started off where there was you know me being in the gym and they said when I fight this dude what I fight that dude you know, my trainer and Demetra's
Starting point is 00:58:43 telling me, my manager was telling me, would you fight Blueface? I was like, yeah, I fight Blueface, would he fight me? Yeah, you know, they hit up Wack. His manager, Wack 100. I didn't think he was going to happen because, you know, he weight, you know,
Starting point is 00:58:59 a lot less than me. So I, you know, I didn't think he was going to fight somebody a little heavier than him. So, but, you know, to his credit, he's something back in there. So when you talk to people you knew in basketball, ex-teamates or whatever, what's their reaction? Because Nick, I've covered the NBA for 20 years now.
Starting point is 00:59:21 And let me tell you, every time I tell people that you're doing this, they say Nick Young's doing what? They're brutal. They're brutal. All my ex-teamates, TV, you have. You better be training. You better not let us down. Watch out for this.
Starting point is 00:59:34 Why are you doing this? Come on, Nick. You can't turn into Nate Roberts. And I'm like, oh, man. They don't give me no confidence. You know, they just tell me, they put more pressure on me for sure. I can't lose. That's all here.
Starting point is 00:59:47 You better lose. You better represent for the NBA. Who's putting the most pressure on you? Once I walk out this door, you know, whoever I see really, like I run into King of Morrow than at my son's school, you know. You better throw them heads. You better be practicing. I don't want you take 100 of this school.
Starting point is 01:00:11 can't come back to the school with your kids if you lose. Like, like, it's just, it's just, whoever I see that day, really, you know. DeMarcus cousins the other day, Draymond Greenwood, was just talking and talking, you know, so it's just whoever I run into. Now, now Kenyon Martin and DeMarcus cousins, I could see them getting in a boxing ring. Maybe against each other, I could see them doing it. That would be a good matchup, man. That's funny, yeah.
Starting point is 01:00:40 So the, you mentioned, Namesk, you mentioned, And that's got to be the fear, right? Like Nate got in with Jake Paul. He got knocked out brutally and became like a meme for six months. Like how much is that in your mind as you go into this? That's the tough part because, you know, they haven't been the same since. And that's what on my mind, hey, he had to bounce back and, you know, hear from a little more. And that's something that stays in the back of your mind.
Starting point is 01:01:08 You know, you don't want to be a meme. you don't want to be known for been playing basketball all your life but now he's known for the guy that got knocked out you know so but nobody saying nothing about the basketball and whatever it's talking about how he got knocked out by Jake
Starting point is 01:01:28 so that's tough slam dunked champion played like a decade in the NBA overcame all things because of size and he's now the guy that got knocked out by Jake you're right you're 100% right so that's tough you know and you know i know people have to crack jokes on me so i know it'll be i'll be right there with them so i set myself up with these like this so uh hopefully you know
Starting point is 01:01:53 i'm just going to come out on top though you are you are a target you're right about that nick um how prepared are you for this like what what kind of box are we going to see um you know i'm a little more prepared that people think you know I like to move around in the arena. You know, I've been doing this for a while, so I'm not just going to come in here and be wild and throw wild punches, you know. So I'm a shock a couple people, basically, you know.
Starting point is 01:02:22 The people used to be just smiling on the court, having fun a lot of times, so this is different, you know. So that's why I'm doing this, the shock value is more important for me. Do you have any idea what to expect from Blueface? No, you know, I see him a fight. You know, the only thing, I say he's a little more, he had a fight already, so he knows what, the spec walking into the ring, the environment, and all that.
Starting point is 01:02:53 So I think that's probably the only thing that, you know, gets to me, but once I'm in the ring, I don't want to get hit. So, you know, all that's out of the back of my mind. Yeah, you've, I mean, as a basketball player, you've played in hostile environments, big environments, big moments. But how do you think you're going to feel making a ringwalk for your first time? You know, I go over it in my mind all the time, so I get nervous now. But just because I'm by myself, you know, on the court, you know, I got my teammates.
Starting point is 01:03:25 You got, you know, you can hide out a little bit, you know. A bad play here is only going to get on a not top 10 for a day or so, you know. It ain't something that's going to be, you know, your legacy, you know, you got knocked out by this. But, you know, I think I'm just going to have fun. You know, I think you got to take chances, and that's why, you know, you never know. That you just, you know, go through the fire. So that's what I'm doing for. So do you look at this as a one-time thing for you?
Starting point is 01:04:04 Or if you're successful, would we see you back? in future fights? Yeah, for sure, for sure. That's what I'm doing for. I want to see how far I can go with it. So once I win a couple of fights and then I lose them down on the road, you know, it's not as bad as moving your first fight,
Starting point is 01:04:23 you know, because I hope a couple. So I just got to get this one out the way. You know, I might be fighting Dan Williams soon. I don't know. Wow. Have you approached Darren? I don't think Darren's all that motivated to fight again. I've talked to him about this.
Starting point is 01:04:41 I don't think he wants back in. Yeah, for sure. I mean, I saw you on social media. You're calling out KSI for Austin McBroom. Like, you're getting into this, man. Like, you're all in. Yeah, it's pretty fun. You know, once you get in the mix and, you know,
Starting point is 01:04:59 on people's side, you go to people camps. You know, you interact with, you know, these YouTube guys, you know, they really like it. They really like boxing, you know. They really take it serious. And after watch that last fight, they host KSai, it was pretty good, you know. It was pretty good.
Starting point is 01:05:16 Some people got knocked out. So, so. Yeah, I mean, KSI is not bad. Like, I don't know. I mean, Jake is kind of the top of the YouTube boxing class. But KSI is starting to show some things. You know, maybe he could be a little bit real. Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Starting point is 01:05:34 Yeah, for sure. And that's for fun of it You know She's going to be the king of the king of the crop So how much are you going to weigh on fight night Oh fight night I get between between 210 to 215 So you'll be a heavyweight basically
Starting point is 01:05:54 Yeah Yeah And how You're going to outweigh blueface pretty significantly right Yeah Yeah I think about 175 my wife was 70.
Starting point is 01:06:05 So this is, I mean, that's a pretty big size disparity. It is. That's why I was shocked with, you know. But he's been training, so he's been talking trash. You know, he's been fighting every day, really. In the ring and outside the ring, you know. So you said you want to see how far you can take this. Like, what does that mean?
Starting point is 01:06:32 Like, do you want to just keep fighting YouTube guys? Do you eventually want to try your skills against a quote-unquote real fighter? That's the goal. That's the goal. They get to that. But I don't know because I don't see myself fighting the heavyweight because they hit harder than most people. So I'm going to have to get a little more weight.
Starting point is 01:06:55 I mean, cruiser weights hit pretty hard too, Nick. I got to tell you. They can crack. So we talked We were talking about your NBA You know guys you talked to in the NBA But like Is there an NBA player
Starting point is 01:07:13 You'd like to get into the ring someday? Oh, of course, you know Delo, Diagello Yeah, that was the easy one I think that was Everyone was waiting for that one Yeah, that's the easy one But I don't know
Starting point is 01:07:33 You know A couple of my teammates probably some guys on the Warriors some guys on the Lakers a couple coaches Luke Walton I will say Luke Walton
Starting point is 01:07:50 get Luke Walton in the ring how would that go I think I got the advantage of that I think I win that one that'll be easy that'll be a first round I'll tell you what I think you could make
Starting point is 01:08:05 and I think most people would agree you could make a lot of money fighting DeAngelo Russell. I think there'd be interest in Los Angeles in that. But sure. Yeah, so that's the goal right there. I doubt he'd do it. How would have, yeah, well, I doubt it too.
Starting point is 01:08:26 But how would a fight between you and DeAngelo Russell go? That'd be, it'd be like some Mike Tyson status. How white Tyson fights with it. First round. First eight seconds. it's a lot of built-up anger, you know. Yeah, I've seen you in last couple years still throwing some social media stuff out there.
Starting point is 01:08:53 Yeah, yeah, there, you know. When you see stuff, yeah. Last thing I want to ask you is, you know, you mentioned you don't want to be a meme, but you are the king of NBA memes already. Like, you are still the king of NBA memes. What is Nick Young's favorite meme of Nick Young? Oh, I don't know. It's a toss up. My sons is when I missed the three and turned around.
Starting point is 01:09:21 That's mine. I don't know the gym with kids. I think that's the, you know, that's the kids' favorite. But a lot of people know me as the meaning or the face that do the question mark. Are you the question of my guy? I get both of them, so, yeah. What were, the Miss Three, what do you remember about that moment? And did you think that was going to become one of the most iconic memes on Twitter? Oh, I did it.
Starting point is 01:09:54 Because, well, at the time, Shack in the Food was pretty hot. He was killing everybody. So I knew it was going to be on Shack of the Food. But I already didn't think about it because I had made like, like, three, three three, he said forehand. So that's why I was in the moment. But that night,
Starting point is 01:10:15 it was just, like, dang, okay. It was fun. It was funny. I liked it. You know, they say,
Starting point is 01:10:22 all good press eight, all bad press ain't bad, you know, so. How often do you still see that meme pop up on your social media feed? Yeah, at least it once a month,
Starting point is 01:10:35 for sure. I see somebody just, said it'll be a story of doing it or they send me a picture or something. You know, so somebody posts something to tag me.
Starting point is 01:10:49 So it just, at least whistle up for sure. And it happens so long ago. That's the crazy part. Well, Nick, I hope you do not become a meme on September 10th. I hope you have success there, man. Because you know
Starting point is 01:11:05 the whole NBA is watching. Like, there's a whole league watching to see what happens to Nick Young. For sure, for sure. Thank you. Thank you. When we come back, this week's picks brought to you by Fandul. Time now for this week's picks
Starting point is 01:11:21 brought to you by our friends over at Fandul. And this week, I am locked in on the heavyweight fight between Andy Ruiz and Luis Ortiz, a true crossroads matchup in Los Angeles on Saturday night. Now, Andy Ruiz has been installed at a minus 430 phase.
Starting point is 01:11:39 favorite, according to Fanduil. And I like Ortiz to win. Yes, Ortiz has been off for a while, has not fought since May of 2021 when he beat Chris Ariola. Yes, Andy Ruiz will be working with his third trainer in as many fights now that Eddie Renoso is not working with him for this fight. And yes, Luis Ortiz, even though he didn't look great in his win over Charles Martin in January, is experienced, is powerful, still has enough pop to knock you out. But I think, Ruiz has the chin to stand up to the best punches of Ortiz. And I think his skill level at this stage of his career is just higher. So I think he is the better fighter.
Starting point is 01:12:19 I think he wins this fight. Now, the method of victory is where you have a chance to make some money here. Ruiz by knockout is minus 110. I don't really get that. Ruiz is not this big heavy puncher. Yeah, he stopped Anthony Joshua, but he hit him perfectly on the temple to change the course of that fight in the third. round. His more significant fights, I'm thinking of Joseph Parker, for example, have been decisions
Starting point is 01:12:46 and have gone the distance. And I think this one goes to distance as well. And that's why you can make some cash if you bet Ruiz by decision. Ruiz is plus 2.30, according to Fanduil, to win by decision. I think that's the way this goes. I think it goes a lot like the fight against Chris Ariola, where Ruiz won a fairly lopsided decision. I think he wins this fight, 8-4, maybe even 9-3, and comes away with a comfortable victory. So take Andy Ruiz to win, take him to win by decision, get rich, bet with me. Those are my picks this week, brought to you by Fandul. That's it for this week's episode.
Starting point is 01:13:23 My thanks to Sergio Amora, Andy Ruiz, and Nick Young for joining the show. As always, subscribe, rate, review this podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you download podcasts. And I'll see you next week. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.
Starting point is 01:13:49 This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. get your podcasts.
Starting point is 01:14:09 Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
Starting point is 01:14:32 Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits,
Starting point is 01:14:47 my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.
Starting point is 01:15:02 So let's get to it. Listen to The Cliford Show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

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