Ring Champs with Ak & Barak

Hall of Fame trainer & commentator, Teddy Atlas, sits down with Ak and Barak and opens up on everything. He talks about the father he calls the only real tough man he ever knew, the night at 17 a knife nearly ended his life, and the day Cus D’Amato walked into court and told the judge that locking him up would cost the world someone who could help a lot of people.Then it’s boxing: how Timothy Bradley talked him out of retirement, the psychology behind his famous Michael Moorer corner speech, why he says calling the Pacquiao fight a robbery got him pushed out of boxing, calling Claressa Shields’ first gold when she was 16, and why he’s back calling fights for Salita Promotions on DAZN on November 7.Plus why AJ vs. Fury is five years too late, and why that could make it even more brutal. 0:00:00 Intro: Teddy Atlas joins Ring Champs0:00:44 How a doctor’s son ends up in the streets0:01:59 Growing up with Dr. Atlas: the hospital for the poor0:05:45 “My father was my only hero”0:07:14 The Christmas Eve bus story0:10:49 Why his father never showed emotion0:14:28 The nursing home story: “You’re not so crazy”0:19:17 Going down the hill: looking for family on the corner0:22:40 Atlas Foundation: house calls and Title I schools0:25:11 AD BREAK0:26:35 Did his father ever say he was proud?0:29:20 How Teddy Atlas came to train Timothy Bradley Jr.0:34:18 “The best punch is the one you don’t throw”0:37:08 Cus D’Amato as a father figure0:38:16 The night he was stabbed0:44:32 “We might lose him”: his father arrives at the hospital0:47:44 Catskill, the court case and the judge0:51:17 What a real friend is0:52:20 Preparing like a pro: what fight night demands0:54:45 The fighters who quit before they lose0:56:08 How Teddy reached Michael Moorer1:02:08 Back to boxing: Salita Promotions and the podcast with his son1:03:49 What’s wrong with American boxing: no apprenticeship, no teachers1:06:59 Speaking out and living with the consequences1:08:42 Why the jab is the most dangerous punch1:10:10 Biting his tongue until the call came1:11:20 Nerves, trust and returning to the broadcast1:12:31 “Your parents did a good job”1:14:00 What it really means to be a fighter1:15:29 Joshua vs. Fury: why Teddy likes AJ1:19:18 Daniel Dubois and why boxing is 75% mental1:20:20 Rivera vs. Perez: Puerto Rico vs. Mexico on Nov. 7 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fresh off becoming WBC featherweight champion, Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington returns to Ring Champs and opens up about the decision ahead of him. He tells Ak and Barak that his Top Rank deal is “up soon,” explains what the promotion would have to do to keep him and how happy he’s been with them.Bruce also names Naoya Inoue as the rival who can prove his greatness, explains why he believes 126 pounds is not Inoue’s natural division, and maps out a future that could take him as high as 147. Plus, he says Devin Haney peaked first, breaks down Keyshawn Davis–Richardson Hitchins, relives Mike Tyson’s surprise appearance at his Brownsville championship parade, and gets honest about the body shots that tested him in his latest title defense.0:00 How “Shu Shu” got his name1:47 Tiger Johnson: from amateur rival to best friend3:08 The Brownsville parade: how it came together5:24 Mike Tyson’s surprise appearance8:13 Parade nerves, the key to Brownsville & uniting rival neighborhoods12:40 Last fight: a unanimous decision after the January knockout14:21 The behind-the-head shot: knockdown or not?15:36 Open scoring: good or bad for boxing?19:10 Taking body shots and the mental toughness it required21:11 The scorecards: which judge got it right?24:20 Disappointment, and how he coped25:56 What’s next: unification talk and the 126lb contenders27:06 Fighting in New York and going abroad28:55 Figueroa, Espinosa and Leo: strengths of each30:20: Carrington wants to fight Inoue34:40 Fury vs. AJ prediction36:09 Keyshawn Davis vs. Richardson Hitchins37:42 Who peaked first: Devin, Shakur, Hitchins or Shu Shu?40:39 The new “Four Kings” and why boxing needs rivalries43:43 How high will he go in weight? Power and punching46:03 Reaction to his untold story from Part 149:15 Brock opens up about a panic attack on live TV56:03 Closing thoughts: the Bam fight he wants Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everybody has a Mike Tyson story—but few have heard them like this. As Netflix’s ‘TYSON’ arrives, Michael Irvin, Zab Judah, Jake Paul, Christy Martin, Big Daddy Kane, Stephen Espinoza and Mauricio Sulaimán look back at the fear, generosity and unforgettable chaos surrounding the youngest heavyweight champion ever.Zab tells the full story of crashing Tyson’s custom $100,000 Ducati and expecting the worst. Jake Paul explains why he held back after seeing Tyson stumble, Christy Martin remembers how Tyson supported her rise, Stephen Espinoza recalls the Aston Martin left in valet for nine months, and Mauricio Sulaimán shares what Tyson was like away from the spotlight in Mexico. 0:00 Michael Irvin on Tyson’s rise, intimidation and the Ali dream fight4:14 Zab Judah’s $100K Ducati crash and Tyson’s response18:22 AD BREAK19:19 Jake Paul on holding back against Tyson21:17 Christy Martin on Tyson’s support22:50 Big Daddy Kane’s club story24:53 AD BREAK26:14 Stephen Espinoza’s nine-month Aston Martin story30:46 Mauricio Sulaimán’s Tyson memories in Mexico Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Max Kellerman sits down with Ak and Barak in Las Vegas during Garcia–Benn fight week, and nobody leaves without an argument. He explains why he thinks the odds are close to zero that Terence Crawford never fights again, the Janibek plan that could make Bud boxing's first six-division champion, and why Boots Ennis is the dangerous fight. Then it gets heated: Max calls Canelo's run at 168 a cherry pick, the guys push back, and he lands on the one fighter he says Canelo did duck. He also goes all in on the sanctioning bodies ("I spit on all of them"), traces it back to Holyfield–Lewis, and explains why he's at Zuffa: boxing needs an institution the way football has the NFL. Plus why AJ has long odds against Fury, why he suspects Shakur is the best fighter in the world even if the proof says Inoue, and how a kid doing a public access show called Max on Boxing landed at ESPN. Plus why Canelo vs. Mbilli is no soft touch, and a heated argument over whether Shakur is the best fighter in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ring Champs is back on the road at Caribe Royale Orlando for Project Series 2, Matchroom and Boxlab Promotions’ proving ground live on DAZN. First up, AJ vs. Fury is official for December 11 in Cardiff on Netflix, but was it ever really in jeopardy? Barak calls it fake news, Ak pushes back with what Turki says the move cost, they argue whether this fight is bigger than Fury vs. Wilder, and Ak puts his prediction on record: AJ goes down, gets up, and knocks Tyson Fury out. Get ready to pull the receipts.Then Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. drops in fresh off his win over Ammo Williams: the maturity shift that turned his career around, the 100-plus rounds with Jermall Charlo, sparring Boots, growing up in the gym with Shakur’s family and riding a 16-passenger van to tournaments with Tank, and why he thinks he could get a Canelo fight. Friday’s main event star Omari Jones talks headlining at home, and the Eddie Hearn meeting in Paris right after his Olympic bout.Plus why Canelo vs. Mbilli is no soft touch, and a heated argument over whether Shakur is the best fighter in the world.Project Series 2 will be LIVE on DAZN Friday, October 2nd.--00:00:00 – Back on the Road at Caribe Royale for Project Series 200:01:01 – AJ vs. Fury: Fake News or Real Jeopardy?00:03:45 – Too Late? The Presser & Bigger Than Fury vs. Wilder00:08:41 – Fury Says He’s Going Straight at AJ00:10:03 – Best British Heavyweight Ever on the Line00:11:17 – Ak’s Prediction: Pull the Receipts00:12:49 – AD BREAK00:13:30 – Vito Mielnicki Jr. Joins: Beating Ammo Williams00:15:04 – Turning Pro at 17 & Mistakes on Live TV00:20:06 – Talking His Way Into Big Fights00:22:58 – Sending Canelo Into Retirement?00:23:52 – Sparring Boots & 100 Rounds With Charlo00:28:06 – Growing Up With Shakur’s Family & Tank00:32:54 – “I’m the Best Middleweight”00:35:13 – AD BREAK00:36:17 – Omari Jones: Headlining at Home00:39:24 – Skipping the Four-Rounders & Building at 14700:44:02 – Eddie Hearn’s Train to Paris00:48:53 – A Word From Our Partners00:49:45 – Canelo vs. Mbilli Is No Soft Touch00:52:54 – Is Shakur the Best Fighter in the World? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ring Champs takes over Las Vegas for Garcia–Benn fight week, and two welterweight legends stop by the MGM Grand. Terence Crawford pulls up first, happily retired and still watching everything, to explain the Boots Ennis post everyone misread, why “belt hunting” doesn’t add up when Canelo’s on the table, the holes he sees, the PBC wall that kept him from Spence for years, and the Eminem walkout that felt like a movie.Brooklyn’s own Zab Judah, the newest member of the All The Smoke family, settles the Floyd-vs-Crawford-at-38 debate his way, talks Shakur vs. Pacquiao, and finally tells the whole Floyd Mayweather story: the knockdown that wasn’t, the $350,000 fine and one-year suspension, years of not speaking, the bottles he sent back with “send me a contract,” and the Pro Bowl meeting that ended it.Then Richardson Hitchins is fresh off the plane with news: the Keyshawn Davis fight is close, and he explains the money that finally made sense, why he’s “definitely bigger than him,” what Shakur has to do when it’s signed, and why he believes this fight belongs on American soil. 0:00 - Terence Crawford Intro & reacting to Ryan Garcia’s “Avengers” jab2:07 - Explaining the “check the temperature” retirement tease3:20 - Boots Ennis6:34 - Never ducking a fight: the PBC vs. Top Rank history10:09 - Passing the undisputed torch & best Vegas fight nights13:06 - Retirement, the Eminem walkout, and the Ukraine trip16:25 - AD BREAK17:00 - Zab Judah & the state of the welterweight division18:53 - Shakur Stevenson’s next move & rumored Pacquiao fight20:55 - Mayweather’s “phantom knockdown” vs. Judah & his defense23:52 - Mayweather vs. Crawford: comparing résumés and biggest wins29:03 - The Mayweather-Judah brawl and their years-long feud37:39 - Judah brothers’ gym wars, Teofimo Lopez, and AJ-Fury talk42:47 - First big payday, jewelry, and money regrets46:11 - AD BREAK47:33 - Richardson Hitchins joins the show & Keyshawn Davis talks51:39 - Why AJ-Fury might land in Cardiff instead of the U.S.53:31 - Zab breaks down the Hitchins-Davis styles matchup55:19 - Hitchins on staying disciplined and avoiding vices58:05 - Shakur-Devin Haney fight falling apart, and Devin’s size1:00:32 - Fighting your boxing “brothers” for the big money1:03:15 - Fight timeline and location debate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the most influential promoters in combat sports history sits down with Ak and Barak. Scott Coker built Strikeforce from scratch, developed Ronda Rousey, Daniel Cormier, Fedor and a heavyweight division he says was better than the UFC’s — and then sold it in a deal he calls one of the worst days of his life. He opens up about the pressure campaign that came before the sale (“they couldn’t destroy us, so they had to negotiate”), the seven-year non-compete the lawyers demanded, and why his fighters never wanted to leave.Then it turns to the money: the $500 million in purses he’s paid, the 58% of revenue Strikeforce shared with fighters, and the question about pay he says belongs to Dana White. Plus Cyborg calling out Claressa Shields and why he’d pay to see it, the truth about Conor McGregor’s injury and why he believes Conor can’t go out like that, the Crawford–McGregor $200M two-fight idea, remembering Kimbo Slice, and what’s next: $60 million raised for a new MMA venture that includes a one-year invite-only tournament at 126 pounds launching in 2027, built on the Super Six blueprint that made Andre Ward a star. 00:00 Intro: Welcoming Scott Coker00:28 The Bellator–Showtime Years & COVID Fallout02:12 Selling Strikeforce to the UFC09:38 Building Bellator From the Ground Up14:16 What Makes a Fighter a Star?18:36 MMA Money vs. Boxing Money22:06 Fighter Pay & the Strikeforce Model33:05 Launching a New Tournament Promotion34:01 Inspired by Pride & K1's Tournament Format38:19 The $60M Funding Round40:54 Weight Class Strategy & Q1 2027 Launch58:49 Naming the New Company See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RING CHAMPS hits the road. Ak and Barak are live from the Stadium Club at Caribe Royale Orlando for the launch of the Project Series — Matchroom and Boxlab Promotions’ new proving ground on DAZN, where undefeated fighters actually fight each other. They break down what Teofimo Lopez just did to Rolly Romero in Vegas and why the casuals scoring it close need a lesson in how rounds actually work, then get into Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn and the keys for both men on September 12.Then it gets loud: AJ vs. Fury is signed for Netflix, but the venue war is real — Wembley or Madison Square Garden? Ak makes his call on both the venue and the fight, and the argument that follows gets personal. Plus the prospect graveyard (the Felix Verdejo story Top Rank saw coming), the debut of a new segment, Who the Heck Is That?, and a sit-down with undefeated Christian “El Capitán” Barreto before he faces Corey Marksman in Friday’s main event of the inaugural Project Series broadcast.Don’t miss Project Series, live from the Caribe Royale Orlando, Friday August 28th and streaming on DAZN. 00:00:00 – Cold Open: On the Road at the Stadium Club00:02:38 – Teofimo Handles Rolly: The Recap00:04:18 – Scoring 101: Body Shots Count & the 10-8 Debate00:07:19 – What’s Next for Teofimo & Rolly00:09:37 – What the Project Series Is: Projects vs. Prospects00:14:23 – The Prospect Graveyard: Brandon Lee, Joey Spencer & Felix Verdejo00:19:30 – The Ones They Got Right: Shakur at 1700:22:59 – Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn: The Breakdown00:27:02 – Ryan’s Jab, Conor’s Pressure & the Dogfight Question00:32:24 – AJ vs. Fury: The Netflix Venue War00:36:18 – The 4 A.M. Problem & the Falling-Asleep Argument00:42:14 – Ak’s Call: “AJ Knocks Fury Out”00:46:21 – New Segment Debut: Who the Heck Is That?00:52:02 – Christian Barreto Joins the Show00:56:22 – Cotto, Money & the Question He Wouldn’t Answer01:03:19 – See You Friday/Wrap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ak and Barak break down Rolly Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez before Saturday’s title fight in Vegas: the smarter Rolly that showed up against Ryan Garcia, why Teofimo comes back different after a loss, and the style question that decides it. Then they get into Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn on September 12, why Conor has the most to gain, and the business story behind it all — the DAZN and PBC deal they never thought they’d see, and what it felt like betting their careers on “the app” back in 2018 when everyone called it suicide.Plus: the report that AJ vs. Fury is headed to Madison Square Garden on Netflix — and why Barak thought it was fake news before making the case that New York wins. Canelo’s dangerous fight with Christian Mbilli that casuals are sleeping on. A heated argument about Micky Ward, belts, and what actually makes a legacy. And finally a farewell to Errol Spence: the career, the what-ifs, and the Hall of Fame verdict. 0:00 – Intro0:43 – DAZN’s rise and the PBC/DAZN partnership3:59 – Can boxing’s rival networks coexist?5:09 – Promoters, networks & fighter loyalty debate7:17 – Rolly Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez preview10:39 – Styles breakdown: Romero vs. Lopez14:18 – Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn intro15:17 – DAZN vs. Zuffa: the promotional landscape16:51 – Garcia’s recent form & Benn’s résumé18:20 – Conor Benn interview callback & legacy debate22:11 – Garcia vs. Benn matchup & odds24:32 – Who benefits more from a win?27:24 – AD BREAK30:12 – Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury reportedly heading to MSG36:10 – Canelo’s next fight and the danger of overlooking Mbili38:33 – Errol Spence Jr.’s career tribute & Hall of Fame case See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Edgar Berlanga sits down with Ak & Barak to finally clear the air — addressing the on-camera tension with Ak head-on before diving into everything else. From there, “The Chosen One” opens up about the toughest stretch of his career, the massive payday from signing with Zuffa Boxing, and why he says it’s already outpacing what he made fighting Canelo.The conversation covers his fallout with Top Rank and Bob Arum vs. Todd DuBoef, the real story behind his beef with Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn (including getting shut out of ringside tickets), the rise of his viral song “Baby Mama” and plans for a full EP, and a no-holds-barred Untold Stories segment. He closes it out naming his next three dream opponents — and the one rematch he’d want above all else. 0:00 Intro0:46 Addressing the tension with Ak6:23 The Sheeraz loss, the dark place11:55 - AD BREAK14:29 Fat Joe loyalty — origin story20:37 MSG pressure, the knockdown & comeback KO28:20 The Angulo fight — dirty tactics29:28 Leaving Top Rank31:19 The Canelo fight, mindset, biggest purse43:43 Signing with Zuffa Boxing46:30 “Baby Mama” origin story53:19 Oscar De La Hoya & Eddie Hearn tension1:05:31 Untold Stories1:09:19 Is the persona a show?1:11:11 Haney/Keyshawn Davis, Hitchins talk1:20:45 Next 3 opponents, Canelo rematch dream See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices