Boxing News Podcast - The Opening Bell Matt Christie

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

Through all of that we attempt to answer the following questions:

- Is there a route back for Joyce?
- Can Zhang go one step further and topple one of the leaders?
- Was Sandy Ryan robbed of victory?
- What to make of Conor Benn’s return?
- Is Canelo ripe for an upset loss?
- Is Charlo the man to inflict it?
- How did Pavlik survive that second round?

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THE comeback of Conor Benn was a possibility when the recording of this podcast began and became a reality midway through. 

Thomas Hauser’s latest study into performance-enhancing drugs is also discussed, alongside Joe Joyce’s impending - and fascinating - rematch with Zhihei Zhang.

We look back on the latest performance of Luis Alberto Lopez, too. 

And there’s the classic that never was in This Week - Felix Trinidad v Oscar De La Hoya.

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CANELO ALVAREZ doesn’t seem keen on a clash with Terence Crawford and who can blame him. Though this would be a ginormous event, it might also be the worst idea in the world for the Mexican superstar.

This was supposed to be the year of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder. But instead it’s the year of Fury vs Francis Ngannou. We examine the reasons why the heavyweight division is eating itself and consider the chances of a brighter 2024. 

Women’s boxing is also discussed, or rather the changing face of it, as several leading stars signal their intention to join MMA league and a world title fight is set for 12-three-minute rounds.

And, in This Week, we go back to 1975 and a bruising humdinger between Ron Lyle and Earnie Shavers.

CHRIS EUBANK JR breathed new life into his eventful career when he stopped Liam Smith in their rematch in Manchester, in the same arena where Smith stopped Eubank just eight months ago.

The performance from Eubank was hard to fault, there was new patience and intelligence mixed with spite. But the below-par showing of Smith is also worthy of investigation.

We look at the position of VADA in British boxing and, again, the unrelenting problem of drugs in the sport.

And we take a trip back in time to focus on the career of Kirkland Laing and specifically the astonishing victory over Roberto Duran which took place this week in 1982.

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IN a special episode of The Opening Bell, Victor Conte discusses the issue of performance-enhancing drugs in detail.

Once notorious for his part in the BALCO scandal which involved several high-profile athletes, Conte is now campaigning for a clean sport and is arguably the most knowledgable figure in boxing on the subject of PEDs.

Conte highlights the extent of PED use in boxing today, explains how and why fighters can get away with taking them, while identifying what must happen to eradicate the problem. There are important lessons to learn in a fascinating, enlightening and at times sobering interview.

There is also time to preview Liam Smith-Chris Eubank II and reflect a bit more on Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois, and that punch.

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OLEKSANDR USYK defeated Daniel Dubois in nine rounds, a result that most expected. But there was a moment in the fifth round that has stolen all the headlines. In this special reaction podcast, we ask the question: Was the punch that felled Usyk a legal one. Better still, we attempt to answer it…

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