The Ring Presents The Boxing Esq. Podcast Kurt Emhoff

My guest on this podcast is boxing writer and attorney Scott Shaffer. We analyzed last weekend’s busy schedule of fights including Usyk-Chisora, Inoue-Moloney and Davis-Santa Cruz. We also discussed recent comments by Deontay Wilder breaking his silence after Fury-Wilder III fell through, the proposed "Junior Heavyweight" division the WBC is implementing and the continuing saga of the Canelo lawsuit.

This will be my last show as host of the Boxing Esq. Podcast but I am passing it on to Scott to host.

It was a really fun conversation - hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is former two-time Heavyweight Champion of the World - Chris Byrd.

We talk about Chris’s miraculous recovery from years of debilitating pain from nerve damage in his foot, hip replacement surgery, and numerous shoulder problems.

We discussed Chris's new diet and alternative therapies that aided his recovery.

We also spoke about Chris’s great career from his days in the amateurs and sparring in an 8 by 10 ring in his parents' basement; his trip to the Olympic trials in 1988; his Olympic Silver Medal in 1992; not getting signed by a major promoter coming off of that medal and his roundabout journey as an avoided fighter to a shot at the Heavyweight title and eventually becoming a two-time champ.

We also go into his battles in the ring with Ike Ibeabuchi, Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, Maurice Harris, David Tua, Evander Holyfield, Jameel McCline and many more and how he found out that many of his contemporaries were using PEDs.

It was a great conversation - hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode is author and boxing historian Mike Silver. We talk about Mike’s new book, "The Night The Referee Hit Back - Memorable Moments from the World of Boxing". It’s a compilation of articles and interviews that Mike’s done over the years that is really captivating and provocative.

We discuss Mike’s background and how he had the chance to train alongside Emile Griffith and Ingemar Johansson at the iconic Stillman’s Gym in mid-town Manhattan in the late-50’s early 60’s. Mike gives a great account of the history of that gym and its significance.

We also spoke about the history of the governance of the sport. How there was generally only one world champion per division for decades. And how tournaments of contenders fighting to determine a new champion in divisions where the title was vacant were a common occurrence throughout the 1920s through the late 1960s.

Finally, Mike gives boxing fans a great list of fights from boxing’s Golden Age that demonstrate the skills and technique that may be missing from today's fighters.

It was a great conversation - Hope you enjoy it.

My guests on this episode are the undisputed Women’s World Welterweight Champion and unified WBC/WBA Junior Welterweight Champion Jessica McCaskill and her manager and trainer Rick Ramos.

We talked about their backgrounds growing up in Illinois and how both of them came to the sport of boxing. I spoke to Jessica about her time at Pagedale Boxing in St. Louis with my late friend and mentor Marvin “Coots” Millett. I talked with Rick about his opening of the Body Shot Boxing Club and how he competes with the fitness gyms and stays afloat during the pandemic.

We got into how Jessica’s big fights with Katie Taylor and Cecilia Braekhus got made and how Rick thought he might have burned a bridge with Eddie Hearn. We spoke about how difficult it is to fight in your hometown and the challenges of maintaining focus while being pulled in a million directions marketing the fight.

And we also discussed what’s next for Jessica and how big fight rematches with Katie Taylor and Cecilia Braekhus are possible and how a superfight with Claressa Shields is also in play.

It was a great conversation - Hope you enjoy.

My first guest on this is episode one of the heroes of our sport - Dr. Margaret Goodman.

We talked about her views on COVID protocols and which states are doing it right. We discussed how VADA’s testing protocols have been affected by COVID and how they have used the downtime in the sport to make informational videos available on the VADA website. We also got into the debate about the proper use of MRIs.

My second guest on this podcast was boxing writer and attorney extraordinaire Scott Shaffer. We analyzed last weekend’s busy schedule of fights including Whyte-Povetkin. Taylor-Persoon, Smith-Alvarez, and Porter-Formella. And how it finally seemed like boxing was back after the long hiatus due to the pandemic.

Two really fun conversations - hope you enjoy it.

My guest on this episode the VP of Communications at Haymon Sports - Mr. Tim Smith.

We spoke about the PBC’s game plan in not rushing to be first to come back to the airways Post-COVID. And how their schedule of fights came together over the months that they were off-air.

We got into the difficulties of putting on shows with the various medical and logistical problems associated with COVID and how PBC prepared for the inevitability of a fighter testing positive - as it happened on their very first show with Stephon Fulton.

We then spoke about the excellent schedule of fights that PBC rolled out on Showtime including the Charlos shared PPV, Tank vs Santa Cruz, and Ouballi-Donaire. We also got into what to expect for the upcoming schedule for PBC on FOX.

It was a really fun conversation. Hope you enjoy it.