THE SPAR-INN BOXING PODCAST
All things boxing and then some — from breaking news and fight analysis to bold predictions, hot takes, and exclusive interviews. No scripts, no filters — just real talk, real opinions, and real banter. Rated R for raw boxing energy
THE SPAR-INN BOXING PODCAST
From Honduras Honors to Boxing’s Business: Teofimo Lopez stops in on legacy, promoters, and the next super-fight
We dive into a conversation w/ the man who beat the man (twice) Teofimo Lopez’s Honduras honor, his push to fund youth sports across Central America, and his evolving freedom in the promoter game while eyeing a legacy fight with Shakur Stevenson. Along the way, we unpack Crawford–Canelo, belt politics, and why venue energy matters & much more.
I've been good, man.
SPEAKER_00:How you how you fellas doing? Good, man. I've seen you uh you just got back, right, Honduras?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, that was a nice trip, man. Uh received a medal, actually, from uh from the Congress and from the president, just uh awarding my due diligence and whatnot for being a hero to the country. So it was cool.
SPEAKER_01:You didn't get pulled over after that, did you?
SPEAKER_02:Yo, how you guys feel about that, man?
SPEAKER_00:So, yeah, we'll just get right into it, man. You know, I was gonna you know, it's gonna warm up and stay organized. Congratulations, though.
SPEAKER_03:Congratulations, though. That's what's up.
SPEAKER_00:Let's let's we will we will get into that again. I don't want to take up too much of your time. Thank you for coming on the show. Uh, you know, I've been harassing you always in person everywhere, but take over you got me in a takeover show.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, man.
SPEAKER_00:Again, like I've told you in the past, we've converted Willie. Uh just kidding.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that shit was funny with a little bow out.
SPEAKER_00:But uh, let's talk about Honduras real quick. I was just curious about the boxing scene over there. Is there gyms there? Is it is it is it really yeah?
SPEAKER_02:So that was like another thing, reason why I was there for that that time being was truly just to um speak about the uh awareness, you know, that they need to really focus on, and that's for all sports, not just football. They call it there, yeah, which is soccer. Yep, you know, um, that's like their main thing over there. And you know, boxing, I've been bringing it to that to that platform into the country. Obviously, you see it in all different parts of Central America. Um, but yeah, they do have boxing gyms more now, ever since me becoming the world champion, kind of inspiring the youth and the next uh rising stars that want to become, you know, world champions in boxing now. Dumb seeing that I could do it, they feel like they have a better chance at it. And um, but I think uh really my whole thing there was like, hey, listen, I'm I'm here. I think you guys want me in the 2028 Olympic Games. Maybe that'd be something I could do and entertain. But I need you guys to like start, you know, you know, God willingly, just start funding and start helping these other talents out there from all different parts of not just boxing, but from all different sites of Olympic sports. Yeah. I really I think that's gonna be the most important part of it all. And I think that's gonna really bring that um bring more people away from the streets and coming into, you know, you know, just really a better future for them, brighter future.
SPEAKER_00:That's awesome that you're streamlining that because there's got I always wondered, obviously I've been a big fan of you forever, but I'm always like there's gotta be like other great fighters in Honduras, like athletes in general in Honduras, and and you could be the you could be the uh just the streamliner for for that because there has to be, there just has to be. And I could see a takeover gym in there. Oh yeah, yeah, takeover gym.
SPEAKER_02:Um little by little, these things uh they do take time, they do have to uh go by it's bypassing, right? It's just like uh presidency, right? They have to go through so many um paperworks and litigations, so to speak, on trying to make sure everyone signs it off and keeps it going. So I think that's the only thing. I'm not really deep into the politics part of it. Yeah, you know, I try to stay away from that. I'm just trying to do something to you know keep kids out of the gutter, you know, as best as possible and trying to inspire them to, you know, um focus on dreams that they would like to, you know, pursue. And that's really that's really what I'm really focused on when I go there. It was beautiful, it was great. I mean, it was a lot of work, don't get me wrong, but it's definitely worth it. You know, and it's uh it's something that I'm definitely looking forward to returning back to um after my fight, this coming, this coming early next year.
SPEAKER_00:You're like it it seemed like from what we saw, and I know Top Rank just posted like a video of you and kind of like a uh video log of you over there. It they treat you like a king, man. It's straight up king, king like looked like to me anyway. It was amazing to see. No, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I I think that it's really just um knowing that what I what I do and what I bring to the table for Honduras, I think that that's really a lot of it that has to do with that. You know, uh top rank could do that, but they only got like um they could do that for a little bit longer.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, I was gonna I was gonna get into that too.
SPEAKER_02:Uh uh other than that, I think that it's um I definitely want to aim for not just the partial of one part of the country, little by little we'll love to uh entertain all different parts of Central America and really inspire all those out there as well.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, man, and and again, that the the Hispanic lineage in boxing is is set in stone, it's not going anywhere. And I again I always wondered like Honduras, where there needs to be more, there needs to be more. It can't just be you, you know what I mean? It can't just be you. Although we're I'm sure you're okay with that, and I am too. But speaking on the top rank thing, uh how much longer on your contract is that? I I know big news today that broke out. I think you had a little insight to it anyway with the Zufa boxing and uh that's going on with that. Um is your contract with top rank almost up? Don't get in trouble. I don't want to I don't want to burn any bridges.
SPEAKER_02:Uh I'm just wondering how long is do you have left to so really when it gets to that, I mean my team is really the ones that handle it all, but I've I'm no longer technically with top rank for the say. I could go to any platform anywhere, any anyhow.
SPEAKER_00:Really? Uh okay.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. However, there is a part that kind of can um contradicts that, and that's just that I have two more fights to just pay the promoter fee, and then that's pretty, so to speak. Okay. Um, not something that I wanted, but that's something that you know they wasn't gonna, they need they need other licensings and stuff like that. And with me and the preacher, they get a bit more out of it.
SPEAKER_01:So what which um promotion um you think that you looking forward to, like think that's doing a great job in boxing right now?
SPEAKER_02:I like um listen, I'm not picky with it. I actually like every type, it depends on the fan base, right? It depends on where you want to go to. You know, all promoters have a different type of um idea of where they could bring their star power, you know. Um, it almost feels like Shark Tank in some way, right? Business, man. Yeah, definitely.
SPEAKER_00:The business side of boxing.
SPEAKER_02:However, you know, eventually I would love to uh be the on the opposite side of that table, you know, and sitting with them. And that's that's something that I know that will take some time, but a lot of more work. And um it is possible, you know. Mayweather was one that was able to do something like that, Oscar Delahoya was another, you know, and I feel like I do have some sort of idea to aim for that angle. However, just need to um just in the meantime enjoy what I have and do what I can do best, and that's take over.
SPEAKER_00:And that and then take over promotions, yeah. That's that's kind of what you're alluding to. It sounds like which which is good, but I'm glad you do have two fights left because we love seeing you fight. Um, and I know Oscar De La Hoya has been and he's not one to be outspoken like that. He loves you, man. He he he he wants you, man. He he he wants he's do he's very outspoken about you. He even goes against guys he already has signed to to get you over there.
SPEAKER_02:Um have you been in talks with them or um obviously I think everyone, even Mayweather himself, you know, everyone's interested. I think that it's just the the the whole contradiction part of it is like you know, why not just buy out? Why not get bought out? You know what I'm saying? And this is a one form of way of doing it. Now it's just two fights on that on that side. Um, but I could go anywhere, but it doesn't make everybody feel happy with that because they just want full rights of everything 100%, you know, even though it's coming out of me. Um, but like I said, man, I'm 28 now, so I think that when it comes to it all, it's all gonna come. It's all gonna come. You know.
SPEAKER_00:So right before you got on, we we were talking about uh what what we brought up when Willie asked if you got pulled over over there, and we we can just get into that and how uh we were saying what we thought about it. Uh you know, I think they do have a this again. We're talking about Terrence Crawford, and recently he had his parade and everything, and which was a big showing in Omaha, and then he got pulled over and held at gunpoint by the cops. Um and without going too in-depth, because you know what this conversation brings, it gets a lot of people canceled and stuff. But uh, and we're too fresh to be canceled yet, Tio. So please, please help hold out. Uh, but I think it was handled the the right way. Um, apparently, the the if it's true, the cops put out a statement that said um they saw a gun on the floor or whatever, and they were all licensed to have guns, and the cops just ordered everyone out of the car. Uh and but they do have a history with with like the gun stuff. Like Bomack, who I love is a great guy. Remember, he got locked up in England or whatever for the gun stuff. He had a gun in his luggage, which everyone knows is that's insane. Like, it's how do you forget that? But and he he did like some time there. They had to like talk to get him out. I I think they had to like go to the US government.
SPEAKER_01:That was some that's some rapper shit. I left my gun in the lock and my luggage, and so I didn't know it was in there.
SPEAKER_00:I think it was handled well. The the only thing like I told Willie, which I didn't I didn't understand, was kind of like um you in Honduras, like what what Terrence Crawford just did was was amazing, uh, was was a great feat. He he beat Canelo. And how in Omaha these cops don't know who that is, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_02:It's well, big difference. His is a state, mine's a country.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah. Okay, okay, okay. I'm not I'm not I'm not I'm not I'm not uh denying that that is true.
SPEAKER_02:But I think when it comes to the whole part of it, um I don't think it I think sometimes it might just be uh protocols, right? Yeah, exactly. You know what I'm saying? And it's just off of of them just doing their part. I think that maybe I think part of it too really is just the um it could have been all for a for an assessment that they have in mind, right?
SPEAKER_00:And apparently what I read it said the gun was like on the front and they saw all the gun or whatever, and oh, there's a little tear. What's going on, man? What up, man? What's going on? It's the future right there. What's up? What's up, buddy? Uh but yeah, I mean, and and I think Terrence Crawford and his team and whoever was in the car, they handled it well too. There was nothing, nothing happened, they got ordered out or whatever, and and you know what the media does. Hi, what's up?
SPEAKER_02:They're talking about your dad and and some fighters.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, the takeover.
SPEAKER_00:That's awesome, man. You see your female as well. Yep.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, right now he just got he got from he got back from school. Okay. So yeah, he's he's excited a little bit. Where are you?
SPEAKER_00:Where are you now?
SPEAKER_02:In Vegas or yeah, right now I'm in Vegas at the moment. Okay, yeah. And then I'll be heading to three hours back.
SPEAKER_00:So it's right now it's 5 30 over there. Oh, he just got back at 5. Yeah. I gotta I I gotta ask you with the with the way you travel, man. You get jet lagged. Like, when do you sleep? I see you work out late, you go live late working out. When when what's your do you have a routine of sleep? Like do you sleep in?
SPEAKER_02:Uh yeah, it varies. It varies. Sometimes I'll pick I'll pick one day out of the weekend to like just sleep it through my sleep.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's literally like it's a mini you. It's a it's like a it looked like like a little AI version of TFIMO. I love this right there. Uh yeah, new fans right here for sure. Like, like you know what I mean? Like it's a little TO.
SPEAKER_02:Uh but uh no, overall, man, I think that it's um yeah, I don't know, whenever I get the chance, you know. But obviously, being a father at the same time and doing those things, it's uh yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I was gonna say too, like with the kid and with with your schedule and stuff, sleep uh sleep has to be hard to come by.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it can be. It can't be. It can be, it can be. Um but like I said, I mean, I'll pick one day, one day out of the out of the week just uh just yeah, for sure. Yeah, yeah. So did did you speak about uh how do you guys feel about the whole situation with Crawford not happening itself?
SPEAKER_00:So I mean I don't uh I think it went smooth, honestly.
SPEAKER_01:Willie over here is uh being black in America. I don't know how I don't know how they didn't know him, though. Like that's we didn't know who Bud Groffit was. Um, I don't know. It is it is what it is, as long as you follow, you know, roller on all the windows, yeah. You gotta do, and you get up out of there.
SPEAKER_00:You know what I'm saying? Honestly, I think I think you could take as almost if if the the story the cops are saying is true, you could you could take it. Hold on one second. Yeah, all good, all good.
SPEAKER_02:Let me take him back over there. All right, man.
SPEAKER_03:Um I was happening on that though.
SPEAKER_02:I felt like uh part of it was like um kind of the whole um the whole kind of lookout of what you've received, right? Being black and then having the cops and that kind of portray on that, right? I felt like that was something maybe they just wanted to um maybe they're using someone like Crawford, but it's just my opinion. Maybe they they needed to use that to now follow through with the next procedures that they want to do, meaning like maybe exit that road and no longer have to happen anymore. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, especially for a guy that received the key to the city, a guy that's doing so much for Omaha, Nebraska, guy that has really put them on the map, um, guy that has done so much for the sport of boxing. Maybe, maybe that was something that maybe had to be done, but I don't I don't agree on it. I'll be real with you. I don't agree on it, but sometimes we just we just never know how these people do these things, right?
SPEAKER_00:Again, like I we'll never know the all the facts or whatever, but like it how do you not know that's like like in Omaha, you know what I mean? It's not like New York.
SPEAKER_01:So what you're saying, though, so what you saying that you you saying that um they using um Crawford to make sure like that don't happen again, like this whole parade shit or something like that don't happen, like they don't give nobody a key or no no no no no.
SPEAKER_02:What I mean to say it is like more so of like you see how people will take like oh now you just you're stopping you're stopping another black man not knowing what he has done for the place, right? Or for the city.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, okay. I see, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, so it's like instead, like let's remove that from the occasion now. Let's let's take it away from that. Like, stop just pulling over black people just because you think they're in some doing some crime, you know. Obviously, uh a black fighter like Crawford, he's doing not crime, he's doing things of the total opposite.
SPEAKER_00:No, yeah, everything you could like look at it the opposite side too, and say that like the way Crawford and his team, whether they were pulled over rightfully or or wrongfully, I don't know. But the way they handled that situation and that that no one got hurt, they they did everything correct. You know what I mean? Like, nobody got hurt. Not that anybody again, we don't know the facts, but anyone deserves a gun to be pointed at them. But the way they they did that and and were like, okay, okay, and got ordered out.
SPEAKER_01:It was the same day, though, right?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's what's weird to me.
SPEAKER_01:Like, how do you not know it's this guy been the same day to he've been walking around Nebraska team, all types of shit. That's what I that's my thing, though.
SPEAKER_00:There's a lot of like on it. Like, how do you not like there's no way put all that aside, in my opinion, that cop should be in trouble for not knowing who the hell Crawford was, considering what just happened. That was a mainstream fight.
SPEAKER_02:So I I I think of it differently. I think of it as um as uh as but this is why I get in trouble. Um, I think of it as like plots, like items. They use Crawford for I don't know why, but why would they use someone like Crawford to dim his light on that type of day is crazy? Yeah, again, obviously there's there's there's good and bad, but that wasn't for bad, though. That was for something else, man. I just don't quite understand it.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, if if they if they did see like a gun though, right? They said the gun was on the floor.
SPEAKER_02:Uh why why would um why would Crawford and I don't mean to tap too much longer on this subject, why but why would they have that, right? I mean, he's already got all his security team and everything as you see when he was in his parade, they were getting escorted, everything was uh in line and order. All these people are getting escorted, yeah, they got licenses and all that. I I think people are trying to cover tracks for something they did faultly, but this is just my opinion, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Again, again, we don't know this is why I like you. You think on our side, you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_02:You think and you you think it all saying you know, but you know what I mean? It's like it is no point, you know. Um, on that's on that level, but it it's and then I think to myself, I do. I I've seen how certain things can happen in in America and in that way, and I felt like they just not to rain on his parade, but use it for something else that I don't know that they're working on on that side. I don't live in Omaha, right? We don't live in Omaha.
SPEAKER_00:Someone Mansa Musa just wrote Omaha is racist. They did that to show him that he don't run the city. I mean, it could could be. We again we don't know.
SPEAKER_01:That's how I that's how I feel.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's crazy work though.
SPEAKER_02:Well, why? That that's crazy.
SPEAKER_00:The only thing, the only thing I can say is like, but but they do have a the have a history of gun stuff, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:But the officers should get suspended, the officers should uh get re um turning their badge, something of that nature. The guy is doing something for the betterment of the city and soon to be all around the world. That's his goal, right? Yeah, he's got multiple children, so you know. Um but again, I'm I'm not defending either side.
SPEAKER_01:If they have a history, what yeah, if they have a history of guns, I'm saying that we don't know the fact. Cops wouldn't know that. Yeah, we don't barely know that. You just you just told me that.
SPEAKER_00:But that's what I'm saying. They they may have seen a gun on the floor. That's all. Like I oh, they that's what they claimed. Like we started the cover with why would you bring a gun in your suitcase to England? You know what I mean? So so maybe they're just and again, it turned out that they legally had the firearms, apparently. Like, so which is great, that's fine.
SPEAKER_02:But they the the cop allegedly they didn't lock him up or anything, right?
SPEAKER_00:No, no, no. I think he got again. I don't know the total thing. I just read read what I saw what I saw and read the statement that the police made. But um, again, there's a lot of unanswered stuff. Um, it it could be looked at in many different ways. The good thing is that nobody got hurt, uh from from whatever transpired, especially Crawford, because uh let's let's talk about the performance. I know people have been asking you recently about it though. Um, what what'd you think of his performance versus Canelo? Did you did you see that coming? Or yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I think I called it. I even betted my um I bet in my trainer who's my father, I bet it on him. I said, uh Crawford's gonna win. He's like, nah, man, Canelo, Canelo's gonna win. I said, nah, bro, he's gonna win. I just I I had a feeling um just from seeing the uh being in the camp of Canelo, you know, had the opportunity for that. But I think that everything that they've been doing was working, but for a different weight class for slower guys, yeah. Um, you need to go back to that that loose, you know, head movement type of fighter that he did when he was facing Danny Jacobs and the likes of those fighters, you know. Um, but now I just saw he was too heavy planted. And if they told Crawford when he fought Spence to just box him and do that and look how he turned out, I felt like they were gonna give him the same game plan coming into the Canelo fight.
SPEAKER_00:It I I so I said in the lead up, I was like, if Canelo fights the way he's been fighting versus Crawford, he he's gonna lose. But I did I did bet Canelo and Willie over here.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, Willie. Lorenzo Medino, oh yeah. Oh yeah, I was telling me I was dumb, I should dump garbage.
SPEAKER_00:Lorenzo, Lorenzo and Willie were going at it.
SPEAKER_01:I'm like, yo, y'all don't y'all don't think he can outbox him. Willie, shut up. I'm the hell. I'm like, yo, are you serious? We talking about skill right there.
SPEAKER_00:That was too much skill that night. Yeah, um, yeah, it was it was crazy. Uh, you know what that reminded me of now, and this just came out today as well. I guess Canelo's getting elbow surgery. This kind of reminded me of uh someone that that we might be talking to right now who faced Lomachenko who took an L and then all of a sudden needed a surgery.
SPEAKER_02:Uh I'm yo, to be real with you, man, it it everybody doesn't go into a fight 100%.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, 100% and I agree with that, but it's just funny how all of a sudden, all of a sudden, now uh but I don't think that should justify look, Crawford, even with the elbow or not, Crawford did what he had to do.
SPEAKER_02:Of course, of course. He boxed the the the the shoes off that man. I mean, he was doing things in there that you know you could see the frustration coming out of Canelo. Um, one, two, three big shots ain't gonna do it, man. You gotta put it in combination. Absolutely not, yeah. I don't know.
SPEAKER_00:When you when you were training with that camp for for I know it was like a short brief time, but when you were training with that camp, would would they harp on that? Like, because I feel like Canelo changed at some point. Say again when when you were training with that camp. I don't know, it's giggling at something, but when you were training at that camp, I'm reading from the comments from here. Yeah, uh when when you were training with that camp, did did you um did they like harp on that one punch plotting kind of style that the this newer version of Canelo that we see now?
SPEAKER_02:I say yeah, a lot of it was which I was surprised on, I'll be honest, because from the Canelo I know he's more he's a bit lighter on his feet, and ever since the floor main weather fight, you see a big change in his uh style, right? Yeah, but I think it kind of slowly became into more a uh a muscle fighter rather than an elusive fighter. Yeah, so when I was in that camp for just a short period of time, I got to witness certain things I did like, and certain things I I had to keep on my own and and stay on my route that's been working. Yeah, and what I noticed, what I did like was that they did use consistent um combinations, so there will be repetitions of that, right? Yeah, and be consecutively on that. But the problem that I didn't didn't like was that everything was based off of one side, one position, flat feet. You gotta if you can do that, that's fine, but then use a different angle and see how that feels on that side, on that side, and keep that going. But it was just you know stationary, uh, you can't be stationed in boxing too long. No. Um it used to work back then and probably the 60s and the 40s and 30s, but it doesn't really work in today's style of fighting. A lot of people are trying to become more boxers and trying to stay light on their feet.
SPEAKER_00:There was definitely like a change in Canelo at some point, maybe like four or five fights ago, where like when he moved up in weight and then moved down, there was like a change and in his style. Um, and yeah, I I all hats off to Crawford though. Again, I I didn't think he could do it. I was rooting for him. I always root for the American, and uh he did it, man. He he he did his thing.
SPEAKER_02:Uh most definitely most definitely, man. Uh, he doesn't have to do much anymore, just stay out of I don't know, out of trouble, uh trouble that he's already staying out of, honestly. But he's he don't have to do much. He could he could sit out another year, he could weigh it out, he could look, he could see he can see me beat up on his little bro.
SPEAKER_00:I was going there next. So speaking on that, Shakur, um, it's it's rumored, or you know, next year. It looks like that's gonna be January beginning of next year. A little uh rumor, that shit happening. Let's go. So so the last time we spoke to you, I was gonna lose a lot of friends because we were talking about tank, maybe you versus tank or whatever, and it still remains the same. I'm gonna lose a lot of friends.
SPEAKER_01:I ain't gonna lie, Tio, you've been saying some real shit lately about tank and shit, and um, like you empathetic about what he be going through and stuff. Like that shit is so real. That's why I'm such a fan of you now, because you just keep it real. I don't I don't understand.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, you wait, wait, so like you're not a fan of tank anymore? You're a fan of the thing. No, I am a fan of tank still. I don't thought we had him, but we had him, man.
SPEAKER_01:Nah, I'm still a fan, but I got I gotta take the I gotta take the L's right now. Yeah, yeah. I have to take the L's right now for the boxing, so but he's definitely about to make some money, so he ain't taking no L's.
SPEAKER_00:Did you see you saw you saw the back and forth with Shakur and Tank, right?
SPEAKER_02:With you thought that was a little petty by Tank, or I think that um I I what I what I could take from that whole um back and forth, you know, conversation. I just think that yeah, it it may seem sound like pettiness. I mean, he did uh deactivate his yeah, I was like, what the hell? Why'd he go? I think he knows what he's doing is not what he was what he's used to doing. You know, I think he's not used to doing a lot of um, you know, now he's fighting a guy like Jake Paul, which is it's not a real fight, it's an exhibition, right? But he's gonna make a lot of money more than he's probably ever made throughout his whole career. Um but I think that the part of it is that change, right? And knowing that, you know, he's going back on his word that what he wanted to do, saying that he's gonna walk out the sport. And I think that he's pretty much on that at the moment on that mindset of like, I'm gonna leave, and you know, fuck I gotta do this anymore. Excuse my language.
SPEAKER_00:But you know, you could curse here, it's all good.
SPEAKER_02:But uh um But I think that you know, I think that with the whole tank situation, uh, I'm looking at it like this man's probably like going through a little mental breakdown, slightly, slightly. It's not it's not like a mentor of like illness, but a mental of like his love for the sport of boxing, which is tough, right?
SPEAKER_00:It's tough to keep that drive. And I was gonna ask you that. Like with the mugmaiden stuff, it it does it does mess with you, correct?
SPEAKER_02:All of it, all of it. I mean, like what we do sometimes we train and fight so hard so that we can have a moment to feel as crazy as it sounds, but like have like an average normal life. But some that don't have that, you end up you know losing yourself along that journey, yeah. You know, and sometimes it could be hard on you because you're only looked at as an item more than a person.
SPEAKER_00:For me, as for me, and I think I could speak on how most fans feel, because I I do I am a fan of tank fighting. You can't you can't not be a fan of tank fighting, you know. He he he's he's electric. And um, I just think the timing of the Jake Paul fight, you know, because that fight will always be there. He had a rematch scheduled. Uh, there's still better fights to be made. Your near name's in the mix, Shakur's name was in the mix. There's the Haney guy, his name's in the mix. If he could, if he's staying, we don't know what weight he's at, but it's his I guess 147 now. But that there's so much better fights out there as a pure boxing fan. Where and I get the money, money talks, that's a lot of money. You can't say no to that. Just the timing. I feel like that Jake Paul fight and that money will always be there no matter what.
SPEAKER_01:So there's difference. That's what I'm trying to say. Like Teo and Shakur, them these motherfuckers love legacy. That's that's what they're about. Yeah, it looks sound like tank do not care about the belts, none of that. Not a belt. He didn't give a fuck about getting belts before, he didn't give a fuck about none of that. So it's like different people fight for different reasons.
SPEAKER_02:And but we don't it reminds me of the time when we were at the national subway clubs one year, and we were coming out of region three, and region three was DC and other other states, and one of that being that I was part of region three, so I got to meet with the Russells since an early age, like yeah, nine, 10 or 10, 10 years old. Nine is when we did the ringside, but other than that, going back to tank, I remember that he could have made the wake in Kansas, and he just was like, I'm not gonna do it this year. Fuck y'all, like forget y'all, like forget y'all, the whole team, because it was always like region eight, region three. There was a big battle. Region eight with California, Vegas, Arizona type vibes. So it was basically like west and east going at it east to west. And um, I remember that year, man. Just tank is like that. Sometimes when he's not in it, he's just not in it. You know, it kind of gives me that kind of um remembrance of it, how I'm seeing it now. He just don't care. He's gonna get him. He got family he gotta take care of. Maybe it's something that he has to do. Maybe that's what it is, you know. Um and then with that whole thing where they had to lock him up just for that moment, even though it was from a you know an earlier uh incident, yeah. And you know, so I think the guy's just right now just trying to cash out, probably take a moment to sit out, see how it feels afterwards.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, again, I can I can't hate him for that much money, but I just for me as just a pure boxing fan, it's just the timing.
SPEAKER_02:That's all I feel like you can't get attached to to fighters, you can't fans to all those out there, you just can't get attached to us, yeah. Because one moment we feel it, the next moment we don't. One moment we say we retire like Tyson Fury, next moment we're back in like Tyson Fury.
SPEAKER_00:And yeah, I'm happy that you said that because like that that's been going around the social media angles now, all the podcasts and stuff are talking like these fighters don't care about their fans. Do you agree with that or no? It's just you can't get attached to you guys because you guys are humans too.
SPEAKER_02:I think it goes both ways because there's uh there's a moment where you want your people as well that support you to understand where you're coming from, right? And sometimes they won't. Maybe they just want as as um supporters, they just want to see you rise to the best occasion in every time and every time and be that that David against those Goliaths, right? And which is great and all, but then there's a moment in time where it's like, all right, whoa, no matter where I go in this, there's always gonna be more and more and more, and then you just gotta find a when is the right time. I don't think Tank has found that right time just yet, but um you know he is gonna be the mostly talked about like he is right now, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And I mean, hey, but props to him uh again.
SPEAKER_01:Uh that's the real dude right there.
SPEAKER_00:I've been trying to tell you, oh man, I've been getting beat up in gyms and shit for supporting TO man. I used to come to the gym with a TO shirt on different TO shirt on every day. Coming at me, man.
SPEAKER_02:No, no, honestly, like I really appreciate it no matter what it is, man. I I just want to be honest with everybody, even with the whole case with Keyshawn Davis. You know, everybody was passionate, you know, and I just decided to uh take a different route.
SPEAKER_01:And that's in that one too, yep.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and we got to see each other during five week of um Canelo and Crawford. You know, we got to see each other, we got to see each other the night before where they had the uh the underdogs that they were showcasing at the fucking blue in Las Vegas. So we were talking for a moment. Uh come to find out, I guess the uh WBO has um ranked them to number one spot in my decision.
SPEAKER_01:That's crazy.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, the WBO. But but and then apparently it was unanimous, you know.
SPEAKER_00:They just want the money, it's obvious, in my opinion. I mean, uh they need that fight for the money. But that's what's funny about it because like there was there was big fights out there for Canelo, right? There was huge fights out there for Canelo. The Benavidez is the name they threw around. Nobody ever nobody ever elevated him, nobody ever to fight Canelo. And that's the problem, I think, with the belts. I love the four belts, I love undisputed. I I love I love fighting other champions and stuff, but it's just uh City by the Bay says Tio needs to do something with WWE. He might be doing I think he's doing something with their friends, possibly.
SPEAKER_01:Uh no, I've been seeing you a lot with Aiden Ross and shit. I see you on a brand risk uh commentating and shit. How's those vibes? Good. It's been great.
SPEAKER_02:Uh they called me back again. Last week they spoke to me. This week I'll be heading over there. They got another one, brand risk number 10, going out in Tennessee. So yeah, I'll be out there commentating, talking, laughing.
SPEAKER_01:And you're pulling that audience too. That's fire. Yeah, smart, man. Very, very smart. I've been telling him so. I'm like, yo, he's with Aiden. Yeah, he's definitely about to come out crazy. Yep.
SPEAKER_02:Well, a lot of good things, you know, as I see it. You know, I think that with all these things turning around, I've been loyal to the sport as best as I can. I love it as I really do. I've been through the the ups and downs of it, and on top of that, I've gone through that little small little cycle that I think even uh Tank is going through. I went through that. I say after Josh Taylor, I went through that little cycle of do I still want to fight? Do I have that fire? Do I have that and stuff? And I I suppressed it, man. So that's why people saw a different outcome when I faced Arnold Barboza.
SPEAKER_01:You know, oh my god, I called that one too. Yeah, really. I was on that. Um, real quick, real quick. I knew that was gonna be an easy fight for you, though. I knew that shit was gonna be too easy. I was like, yo, this guy throws one two punches, he threw a one-two all day. There's no way Tio is gonna lose to that. I thought you were gonna get the knockout though. I bet at that, but you disappointed me with that one. But you good, you did your thing. You sue you, you wiped it.
SPEAKER_02:Me and me and so, I was like, you know what? Let me just show him a little bit more. Prep this whole fight going on because I'm thinking these other two guys are gonna come up after me and gonna do something better.
SPEAKER_01:And uh, oh yeah, that was you took over, you definitely took over that that whole show.
SPEAKER_00:Real real quick, I just I have a few more uh questions with regards to Shakur. Then again, I don't want to take up too much of your time. Again, you you alluded to you don't sleep, but I'm gonna read some of the the the comments real quick. Um, Shane MCM, he's a friend of the show. Uh very outspoken guy, says S or titties. We don't gotta answer that, but uh that's just him being him. And then um he said something about a thanks for playing collab. That's a shirt company. Thanks for playing. What was that?
SPEAKER_02:My legs, they got legs, all right.
SPEAKER_00:Kevin PG, all about the legs. Uh he said something about thanks for playing collab. That's a shirt company. If you're interested, peep them, they make good shirts and stuff. And then um, another friend of ours said he fought with you in the tournament in 2009.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, um, that's for me and um Georgia, Georgia. That's where uh the Russell's were they were wearing like the cheetah-like um uniforms all the time. That was their thing. Antonio as well, and then um Antoine Kong Tweezy. Yeah, Antoine, me and him won that year as well. We were uh there's a photo of us carrying our belts, taking pictures and stuff.
SPEAKER_00:Russell, Antoine, well, Gary Antoine. I always mess up the names again, but he he had he had some good things to say about you fairly recently as well, where he said I I don't know if you saw it, but he said that you you're the you're the dog in the division, you're the best, you're the you're the guy that they all want to fight, and you're the most talented. So that was that was high praise from him. And I think I think under you, he's he's I'm a I'm a fan of Hitchens. I like Hitchens as well, but I think Gary Antoine Russell, he might be the one of the toughest to grab a belt from right now, the way he looked in his past few fights.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, yeah, he's been doing great overall, man. Um, he's always been that tough guy. We always thought that one day we may lace it up, but but it never happened in the amateurs. It could possibly possibly happen here in the pros, you know. Right now he's got a tough fight, and a good I mean, it's a good outcome. Look at that undercar that they have, right? Yeah, um uh Bum Gardner, they have Gary Antoine Russell. That's two world titles already. I think one being undisputed, right?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I think um that I mean those there's so many good fights at this weight class of 140. And another fight that was rumored. Well, there was two, and that's kind of what I wanted to pick your brain on. Was um first, first it was gonna be sorry, I don't mean to cut you.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, I asked to be on that damn card of Jake Paul and Tank, right? Yeah, apparently the promoter of MVP, Nick, or whatever his name is, I don't mean to be rude. Um he was like, nah, I don't want to do nothing with Teal Fimo unless we do like a multi-fight deal type shit. So a lot of these people are interested in Tio, but they want to keep me in.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, they want to lock you in, they want to trap you with the pen.
SPEAKER_02:And right now, I'm that type of bad bitch that I don't really want to be locked in.
SPEAKER_01:Uh he's I want the bad bitches in here for the streets, you for the streets, he's always playing for the streets. Yo, I'm crying, he's for the streets. All right, let's go back to the world. That would be that would have been crazy if you was on that card, though.
SPEAKER_02:I was aiming for it, you know what I mean. I shot my shot, but they you know, I get it, I get it for other reasons, you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_01:But hey, so if you would have been on that card, you would have turned around and fought Shakur right after.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I wanted to do since the exhibition, might as well. I was like, let me do an exhibition.
SPEAKER_01:Your fight wouldn't have been exhibition, though. It would have they would have had a real fight, they have real fights on that car, too.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, listen, Jake Paul and Tank, all right. I get it, the weight difference and all that stuff, but I don't know. Even then, I don't have to defend my world titles. I'll just do something like a 10-rounder or keep it light, slight, eight rounders. You know, all when they do shit like when they do stuff like that, right? Shouldn't things anything go? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:But I gotta say something, man. And again, I don't know if there's truth to it, but you remember uh who is Thorb Johnson or whatever when he gave you that punch for the the marketing thing when he punched you in the stomach? Oh, yeah, yeah. Thor, thor, yeah, Thor, Thor. Did that I gotta I gotta know, did did that really mess you up? Did that hurt?
SPEAKER_02:Like, no, no, that was yeah, it hurt, but it didn't internally do damage. No, no, no, no, no. That was just from me staying too long in the weight division. I I uh I had already outgrown, yeah, I already had grown, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So and again, I don't want to go back to that. I just speaking of the exhibit, I don't want you to I need the Shakur fight to happen. We got a lot of I got a lot of things to settle with some friends and stuff. So would you guys like it? Where where would I want to know? Like, where would New York City, New York City, New York City? It's gotta be in New York, and and this is kind of what I wanted to ask you. It was rumored before that, uh, maybe a year ago, it was gonna be Devin Haney, right? In Saudi. What was part of the reason you didn't want that because you didn't want to do that fight in Saudi? Is that correct, or no?
SPEAKER_02:Uh, partially, but it was really because of um, I just felt like with Haney's performance of it happening the way it did, I didn't really want to entertain that. I want those guys to also get theirs before they even like come with a good win option before you come out. You know what I'm saying? I don't want people to say that I fought, you know, he was already out, washed out after the Ryan fight. Look how he fought with uh Jose McPharis. I want these guys to come on the top of the top so that way when they when I beat them, it even makes it sweeter. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:You you you carried that card from promotional standpoint to the fight itself, and I saw what Turk was trying to do. He he wanted all these personalities to come together and clash, but uh they all matured overnight or something. I don't know what the hell happened here.
SPEAKER_01:Ryan, Ryan guy, Jesus, yeah. Like what the hell they sit right there with Ryan, right next to him.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, uh I was I'm just like you guys. I was confused.
SPEAKER_00:I was like, what like it actually helped. Like, I thought it was gonna hurt you at first. Like, they were like, Oh, like they're just making Tio look like like just really immature, but then it actually helped you because that's what Turk wanted.
SPEAKER_02:He wanted all that, and I was like, bro, like we all know each other from the amateurs, we all don't came out from those classes. I'm like, bro, we all know one another, we could roast on each other from the past times, and then just yeah, it was it was like a little more insight on things like and you know, I was just like, damn, and I love and I love Roley too.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, Roley's our guy. We love it funny as hell, man. He is a funny dude. He yo, he's and he didn't he didn't say nothing funny. I gotta say, I'm not young.
SPEAKER_00:I met Roley recently, and he's doing well mentally, so he he's doing what he has to do mentally, and he's doing good.
SPEAKER_01:He's not gonna say none of the wild shit that got him all them fights. Yeah, he's not gonna say none of that no more. He's still Roley, though, man.
SPEAKER_00:Deep down, he's still roly. I think that, yeah, nah, Roley. He may he may have a big announcement coming soon, man. Oh, yeah? I know I saw him in Florida recently. As you know, I'm friends with Lorenzo Medina, so I go to all his fights and stuff. Um you'll be there October 12th. Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. That's what's up, man. Um, yeah, that's that's my guy. Love that guy. Uh, real quick for a heavyweight, dude. Very fast for a heavyweight, man. Fast hands, fast feet, everything. Um, but yeah, that that's that's really it. But so, so yeah, that's kind of what I wanted to know. Was like, so the Haney thing, let's let's backtrack a little bit. The Haney thing doesn't go through, right? For whatever reason, I guess you said you didn't really want to entertain that right now because he he put on a boring performance, we could say. So then next was Richardson Hitchens, right? There was you guys have the same manager uh out here on Long Island, Keith Conley, and you have that fight lined up. And we met Richard at the the tennis court matchup, good guy, fun, fun guy, real fun guy.
SPEAKER_01:Him and Haney was going at it.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, him and Haney were going back and forth. There's that that fight, right? What happened with that one? How'd that one fall through? Was it just timing or no? No.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, we both want to fight. It's a great fight, great matchup. Um, definitely something to to have and showcase in New York, but the promoters and the people putting up the money just don't see it as exciting. They feel like Hitchens needs to still build up. Really?
SPEAKER_00:Oh, that's and at Hitchens last fight.
SPEAKER_02:I agree with that. Man, boxing is boxing's at a point where it's good, but at the same time, it's at also another point where um it has to make sense for the business people that are putting the money up.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:So that's where people feel like boxing ain't where it was. It's just uh, you know, the money, that's what it is. Money from ever since COVID hitting really took a toll on a lot of everything that of where they're gonna put their assets, how much they're gonna put in, and what they're gonna get back from it, and that's why we're getting shows like that.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so uh then then going from that fight, so at that fight, I know you we were there actually, and and team Haney was there. And then I I kind of and I like Bill a lot. Bill always chops it up with the fans, talks about boxing. The and I'm a heckler myself. I I've been pretty much jumped at your fights for for rooting for you, but it's all right. I take it, I take it. I feel like I'm part of the team. Um, but he was going off right in front of us, remember? Which one?
SPEAKER_01:Uh the Hitchens fight? Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:He was going him and his fam were going off on Hitchens while he was fighting, and it was just almost like for me, I'm just a fan. I'm a nobody. You know what I mean? Like to see Bill do that, I was kind of like man. Anybody that's a fan of sporting so I just mean like it considering like I'm a I'm a I'm a hooligan fan, and I'm I I'm proud of that.
SPEAKER_02:I would love to be in your shoes.
SPEAKER_01:I'd be saying all bad you want them trolls, you're gonna be trolling like him. He was trolling, yo, he was trolling Bill that day. He had he got Bill to sit down.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, but no, he was in front of me.
SPEAKER_01:Sit down, we can't sing.
SPEAKER_00:But like I almost I almost felt for Hitchens in a sense, and I was like, Bill, like, come on, cut he's fighting, you know what I mean? Like, he knows Hitchens, you know what I mean. He grew up with the team, and again, he's promoting as well, but it was yo, it was the all rounds until till the KO would have.
SPEAKER_01:But I did like I like the fact that we seen Haney by himself the next time, yeah. So it's like because I was saying I was just him, him, Hitchens, and Haney talking shit together, sort of by himself, yeah. Sort of by himself. Debo, I call him Debo, his security guard where he did the Brian Norman. Did you see?
SPEAKER_00:No, who is that? That who is that guy, man? Like, I Haney was cool too. We met Haney, he was doing it.
SPEAKER_01:I was like, yo, can I take a picture with Debo? He's like, he's like, Axe Maxim, man. He's like, he's not gonna do it. Yo, he had the Debo with the flannel on and everything. I was like, yo, he yo, I was like, that was crazy. Brian Norman was there too. They was just talking crazy. That was a good time.
SPEAKER_00:You guys, you guys all know each other, you came up together. It's hard not to like one another in in a sense, right? Like, I'm not saying you guys gotta be best buds, but you all have like you all you all are friendly in a sense. Who is one fighter that you just uh no matter like like somebody that whatever they do just annoys you? Do you have one, or is it just something they do just always pisses you off? Like none, not none, unbothered, unbothered. Because I got guys I work with, dude. I was that's it. Uh good, good, good. I care less for how they do it and what they do. See, I need I need some of that because there's dudes I work with, man. They breathe, and I'm like, yo, please just just stop, hold your breath, just get out of here. Uh but anyway, I got I I gotta work on that. Shakur though. So so now all roads lead to Shakur, right? Every everything we talked about. Now here comes Shakur. How did this matriculate? Um, we we like again, Haney was about to happen, uh, then Hitchens. Um, and and now it looks like like you said, it's happening Shakur. How did that transpire? Who who called who? Did you guys talk to each other? What went on behind the scenes?
SPEAKER_02:I remember it was just building up little by little, and then um, like I said, I go off with guys how how they look on their performance, and people really you know spoke highly on Shakur's last performance. So I was like, you know what? I think this is now the time. This is the time that we can start making things happen. I think it just happened uh organically, though.
SPEAKER_01:That's why I was about to say this it felt natural, like it just felt natural.
SPEAKER_00:If you were if the jar Jeron Ennis thing did transpire, right? Like you were calling him out too, and there's some some rumors, like I said, just rumors of you maybe possibly that that may have happened. Um, would you come would would you have come back down to fight Shakur or once you move up, you're done?
SPEAKER_02:No, once I move up, I'm up.
SPEAKER_00:Okay. And and after the Shakur fight, is is 147 in the picture? We see what what happens January.
SPEAKER_02:You know what I'm saying? We see where where life takes it afterwards. Um, you know what I'm saying? Like if let's say, you know, let's say after that fight they have a title shot at 47. If I can still hold my 40, maybe I'll do two as simultaneously. You know what I'm saying? Okay. Things that that could actually happen, I think. So you know what I'm saying? Like, why can't we carry multiple belts in multiple divisions?
SPEAKER_01:One 147 is is an open division right now.
SPEAKER_00:Well, hey, we gotta see what Haney and Norman Jr.
SPEAKER_01:You gotta uh man.
SPEAKER_02:I feel like I've been I me personally, I feel like I'm undisputed at 40. I've done taking over every I feel like that just by my say, because we've been seeing recycled, nonstop, um, different champions carrying belts in my way of vision. But I'm the only one that's been successful in defending them.
SPEAKER_00:And and the the whole belt thing confuses like out of even me and and regular people just watching the sport. Like when you beat Loma, the the email champion that you went viral for for the email champion thing. But like that's there's truth to that because now it's like they're saying, like, no, that wasn't a real belt, so they just pick and choose who gets belts and stuff.
SPEAKER_02:And I think that's one thing I dislike about it all because I I really did climb up the ranks when it came to it. I had to go through those NA those regional titles and then work my way up to like eliminators and then get to that point of you know, world titles. I think that it does upset me a bit as um just someone part of the the sport, you know, that yeah a lot of these guys just get emailed to be elevated.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's it's it's and it's like pathetic.
SPEAKER_02:You know, um, for instance, I'm not knocking down on Roley, but I think that they knew going into the 47. I think now he's the WBA official world champion, right? Yeah, but yeah, they elevated him, and then they elevated him. So this is my biggest, that's why I like it's crazy. I remember I was watching some films and stuff. Muhammad Ali always wanted to fight in Times Square, right? I was the only world champion fighting in Times Square and was the only world champion that performed out that night, right? Like there's things that I I also have to I keep in mind. That's why I'm not I'm not really um I don't get annoyed by any of them anymore longer than I ever did because I guess where I'm going in my journey is far different from all of these fighters, and I think it's gonna start showing especially early next year. Um, but I do get upset that these guys, you know, depending on the relationship they have with certain people, that they get elevated, you know. Um, and there's other freaking fighters that are probably more talented and work much harder than most of us, and have the opportunity to at least uh from regional title already get to that eliminated, you know, elimination spot. You know, there's there's that I think needs to stay in course and they need to fix it up a bit. It's it's no like eventually there, you just never know. There might be that guy that's better than all of the guys that we talk about today, you know. And it may not be me or any of these other young guys that are still in the map. It might be someone that's hungrier than all of us.
SPEAKER_00:So I'm saying so, like, and and speaking on that, the when when you beat Loma, right? That's when like I had a huge party here, I've told you a million times, and there was probably like in my this is like my basement, actually, there was like maybe 30 people in here. And when you beat Loma, do you do you think, and this is going to pertain to the Shakur fight and where it should be, in our opinion. Do you think that the COVID rules and stuff kind of took away from the feat that you just you just did? Because nobody everyone Loma was unstoppable at that time, and like the crowd noise and stuff. Do you think that kind of took away from it?
SPEAKER_02:Um from my assessment on it, seeing how it was afterwards, yeah, it was very quiet, man. Like, literally, you drop a a pen here, you know, like it was that quiet, especially after the decision and them raising my hand. Um, Tom Ring was not happy.
SPEAKER_00:I yeah, we I we we talked about that. They they they just left.
SPEAKER_02:They you know, some people from certain people you know places were not happy, and it was like, but you know, I with the old, him with the new. You know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_00:This is this is what you guys, it's a win-win win case scenario. And and when, in my opinion, and people are gonna disagree with me and get mad at me, but I don't give a shit. What when you beat Shakur, right? And again, I like Shakur, but when you beat Shakur, that's why that because because the Saudi fans are great, and what they're doing over there is great, the production is great, but we need crowd noise, we need hooligans. It's it's two two of the biggest stars in boxing going at it.
SPEAKER_02:You need ganja in a stadium somewhere, yeah, yeah. Yeah, you need you need I don't smoke, but yeah, you need all of that.
SPEAKER_00:No, for real though. You need all that it's part of it. You need shit talk, and you need me running around, you need rappers getting kicked out from villages, yeah, yeah. We need all that, so it has to be Vegas and New York. It's gotta be New York or Vegas. Um, it has to be, and and it's nothing against Saudi again, just the crowd noise there and and what what we are as fans, or or even if you were to fight an English guy, the English fans do it well too over there in the UK, but obviously that this fight wouldn't it would do numbers there because they're real boxing fans, but it definitely needs to be in New York.
SPEAKER_02:Um we'll see in the next come coming weeks, man. We got we're closing in on this, you know. Little by little, my team is taking care of all that, and um oh god willingly, in the next coming weeks, you know, before Halloween, we could really put everybody on a fright scare and give somebody give people a treat.
SPEAKER_00:You know, we are there again. Thank thank you. We'll uh I'm gonna ask you some rapid fire questions, just just uh nothing crazy, and we'll let you go, man. We appreciate the time. I you know, um, I'm uh appreciate you, my everyone. Everyone who does listen to my podcast knows uh I've been the TO guy from day one. Uh, especially this look what he's can we just look what we're learning right now. This to me is like my championship right here. Willie got the takeover New York City Superman. This this sweat is really nice.
SPEAKER_02:So I got some hats right here. I'm gonna I'm gonna send them to you. I think you said that.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, yeah. I did. I DM'd you the the make box ingrading. No, those are fire, dude.
SPEAKER_01:I need that hat. I need those mistaking it for a Trump hat. So I'm no, you know, I kid you not.
SPEAKER_02:Like I when I was doing my box fan X, bro, and I kid you not. I have some hazardous, like they look like the F1 type vibe look, yeah, yeah. But a lot of people were into it. A lot of not a lot of uh Latinos were into it. Oh, because the the Trump stuff, yeah, yeah. I could see that. I was like, all right, bet, bet, bet. I get it now. So it also gives me a little hindsight on what's up, what's not good, what's you know what I mean? But like when it's just a new tone or a different type of set of hats, people love it. So maybe it's just a color.
SPEAKER_01:Just send me send me all of them. I'll wear it. I really don't care, bro.
SPEAKER_03:I don't give a fuck, Keisha.
SPEAKER_00:Um, who who, in your opinion, uh is the most underrated fighter any weight class right now? Underrated or overrated? Uh underrated. Both. I'm gonna go.
SPEAKER_02:I was gonna ask you overrated next, but in your opinion, in any weight class, underrated. Um it's either Jai or uh Bam Rodriguez. Bam Rodriguez, really underrated. You think? And I feel like underrated in the sense of like his uh fan base should be louder.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, Texas, where you at? Tio said it. Where you at, Texas?
SPEAKER_01:Bam is nice.
SPEAKER_02:I think no, I think they need to uh branch him on a different different platform. Maybe he doesn't want it, maybe that's why he's just one of those guys that are just head on on the sport. But I think they need uh his marketing team, everybody needs to start branding them as the next uh Mexican, um, hopeful, you know, alongside David Benavides.
SPEAKER_01:That boy, he got angles, he got everything, man.
SPEAKER_00:He's his footwork is insane, dude. Insane is insane. Um, definitely one of my favorites to watch. And and without being like in an undisrespectful way, we we mean this. Who's the most overrated, in your opinion?
SPEAKER_02:Oh man, it's so many. Shakur definitely an overrated. I will say Shakur's overrated, Rahaney's overrated. Um, let me go up the weight classes. Yeah, let me go to a different not not in like your realm, someone, yeah, yeah, not around mine. Um yeah, there's too many though. There's um how you guys feel about that kid Moses? I think he's nice, but uh I think they're watching heavyweight, Moses Atama, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I think he's light heavy or he's heavyweight, he's heavyweight. Yeah, I think I think he I think he's got the he's got the it factor and stuff, just he needs to be overrated. Boots, yeah. What about the Stanionis fight, man? Ah, Stan Yonis doesn't move, he's just there.
SPEAKER_02:It's a punchy man. I've been saying that same thing.
SPEAKER_01:I said the same thing. Bro, that's easy work right there. That's the best, that's the best fight that he ever fought, though. Yeah, that's it.
SPEAKER_02:That's a lot, that's the craziest part, right? And like I said to many people before, 30 about 30 of his professional fights were at the 2300 arena in Philly, man.
SPEAKER_01:Like, yeah, 1220. He gotta fight somebody.
SPEAKER_00:What do you think about him moving up then? Uh, you you think he could get a belt at 154?
SPEAKER_02:It doesn't matter, it's boots, they're gonna make sure you get a belt.
SPEAKER_01:Oh damn, all right.
SPEAKER_02:We're not like everyone's a favorite now, okay. I I think I think that definitely I don't like how they're planning for him to do like if you believe you're the best, and you know, I've had people tell me, Hey, I don't think you should take that fight right now, yeah. And and you know, you shouldn't face Loma now. And I was like, What? No, no, no, we're gonna do this now. Like, that's the mentality you just eventually you're gonna find out regardless. So, why not find out early? Yeah, you know, um, the whole thing with uh Virgil Ortiz and Boots, you know?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so but you know, I hopefully they they they do a full 360 and we see a different demeanor in them. Someone someone wrote, Ask Teo if he fought boots in the Amies. Did you fight boots in the Amies?
SPEAKER_02:No, no, I never fight him. Uh we've been around a few tournaments, especially in 2015. We won the national golden gloves together. Uh, we were one weight class apart. I was at 32 and he was at 41.
SPEAKER_00:So that's rumorville. Rumor. Have you ever sparred boots or or no? Nothing like that. Because boots I know spars everyone.
SPEAKER_02:Boots, um, Antoine Russell, Gary, uh, Ryan Garcia. Um yeah, that's about it. All right.
SPEAKER_00:And again, if we are betting, which I obviously am, this will be the last question for you. Uh, Shakur, what round should I bet the knockout, and how do you plan on doing it? Obviously, the fight dictates what happens, it's not definite, but what what what without giving away too much? What's your plan? I know you've said in the past you just got to get around that jab.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I think honestly it's uh could be mid to late rounds, knockout. I've been training, I'm training really hard on every arsenal of my body, too. So you you're already training, you're already getting ready. Yeah, no, but I've been I've been like now I just turned this into that's where I got my drive back.
SPEAKER_00:It's just finding that which is TO TO shows up for the best fights. Uh you got me. I'm amped up, man. I'm gonna be going crazy. I haven't felt like this. Uh the Josh Taylor fight, I I knew you could do it. The Loma fight, I was like very nervous. I'm here again. I'm uh I got Loma vibes again, man. Well, how do you think Chico looked like um against Cepeda?
SPEAKER_02:Um, see, that's the thing that if you guys tell him something, he's gonna end up doing it. So he's easily convinced, uh, or I could say influenced by the people or the crowd. Okay, so um he fought a style that he normally doesn't fight. Um, I didn't see the fight. I'm sorry. I didn't see the fight. But um really you didn't see you saw clips though, right? You saw highlights or anything? Yeah, I saw highlights and stuff, but if you're gonna do that with me, you just stop. I mean, you're fighting somebody that that doesn't really have a pop. You know, people say that I that my my my power rate and everything has shifted, but no, it's just the 140 division. These guys tend to know how to move a bit better, right? Yeah, but these are the things that we're working on more so than ever, man.
SPEAKER_00:What what is the reasoning for the beginning of next year and not sooner? Um, his hand, that's what they said. So so he said that's what I was gonna allude to. He said recently something about his hand that to me, that's kind of a red flag, right? Like his hand been gone for like the last couple of yeah, I didn't get hurt last fight though, and Zapeta, you know, Zapeta got a hard ass head, so I don't know.
SPEAKER_02:Um I I can't I can't force I can't really say uh I think that's just the only thing was the and apparently they got all these fights already from like Turkey and stuff already lined up for the rest of the year, and they feel like a fight like me and Shakur should be headlining, not co-feature. So start off to start off 2026.
SPEAKER_00:Oh my goodness, Teo. Thank you for the time, man. We'll we'll let you go again. Uh, I appreciate it greatly. This is like uh you you are my not only my favorite boxer, my favorite athlete. As as and we Willie, Willie's like right now 80-20. Tio.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I'm gonna have to I have to pick, I gotta pick a new fighter soon because my guy might be out of here.
SPEAKER_02:Maybe not for long though. Keep the spirits high, you know.
SPEAKER_01:Nah, nah, I think he he'll be all right, bro.
SPEAKER_02:I don't think he's coming back, man. He's gonna see he's gonna see one of us really getting up there, and he's probably gonna be like, you know what, man, let me get back in, let me show him what's up, right? So you never know, right? That's the thing. You never know, but I I do want to say I do believe me and Shakur, the winner of that, starts the starts leading being the front runner for some shit.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I I think yeah, well, y'all both deserve it, honestly, to finally get that credit, you know, saying y'all been y'all that to me y'all with legacy, y'all want y'all legacy. This is a legacy fight for y'all.
SPEAKER_00:So this is like something that we need to see because that's definitely the man who beats the man. That to me, a hundred percent. Right now, Tio's the man, he's got the ring belt.
SPEAKER_01:Because everybody's like a lot of people want to see Shakur lose, but a lot of people don't want to see Shakur lose. So it's like they a lot of people want to see him. That his style is born to a lot of people, and they they want to see somebody like you explosive, could be him, right? So, we want to see if this is this is right now is gonna be the toughest test. They knew that he ever took.
SPEAKER_00:They knew uh what's his name? Uh, the guy he just fought Zapedo was one dimensional, crazy output, decent chin, very one-dimensional. He's just coming. You you're like a five-tool talent man. You you check off a lot of different boxes, and we're gonna see what Shakur could do. I'm betting my guy Teo to take over KO.
SPEAKER_02:I kid you not, guys. Um, as I was getting my hair cut the day of the fight when we were fighting in Times Square, I was watching film and I was watching all these other you know, you study, right? Study film and stuff, but I kid you not, man. I was I I was like, I'm gonna take that tonight and put that in the ring. The Ollie's oh, I'm gonna take that, put that in the ring. I seen something with Sugar Ray Len, I was like, Oh, I'm gonna take that. I saw Aaron Bryar, I was watching, I was like, I'm gonna take some of that too. And kid you not, I like executed on most of them that I said I was gonna bring out at night. So when it comes to this fight, I I do I believe that it's gonna be something a lot different and that people have yet to see. Yeah, I'm not really I'm not just gonna show a little bit of movement and stuff and give people a little hype.
SPEAKER_00:Nah, we're ready for it. One thing, one thing you have that goes very underrated and you showcased at 140 is your output. Uh, what who who's the the what's the guy's name you fought that just throws kind of like as a pay to style?
SPEAKER_02:Oh uh Steve Claggett.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, Claggett, dude. You broke records throwing punches that fight in in a pretty tough I'll tell you something.
SPEAKER_02:Like a lot of people don't may not know this guy, and that's cool, but that was that was a full set, a setup for a lot of things. So obviously, I was having a rocky relationship with top rank, no longer in that situation, but uh I remember Bruce Trampler, and I knew I love Bruce, man. I I do think Bruce Trampler is like a good guy. Bruce Trampler has the highest, um he has like possibly one of the guys that have high expectations of me.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, right.
SPEAKER_02:And I've had the opportunity to showcase other fighters so that maybe they could possibly like and sign, but some guys just don't get it through their thick scope. Um, but just having that relationship with him and Brad Goodman, both phenomenal dudes, but I know that they put me to the test. And I'm like, what's up with this? Why are they having this? And I knew it. He was like, uh, that's a raging bull type of fight, like a Jake LaMata, you know, and I was like, made very much sense with then. But my my I needed that fight to push my will to show that I still love it and I still want to see it.
SPEAKER_00:And and dude, the punch output in that fight was in for both of you, and he's known for it, but you considering you do have asthma and stuff, that was insane to me because I'm like, he's throwing still that isn't crazy. Like, uh, I think you broke your own personal record that fight as well.
SPEAKER_02:And and that's just to me, I was like, I was I was shy, probably 46 punches away from uh apparently to Concord Box. I was like shy 46 punches or so from doing a thousand.
SPEAKER_00:And and that's another wrinkle that I don't think you get enough credit for is your stamina. Uh again, Tio, uh, we appreciate it, man. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_01:You will uh thank you, thank you, appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00:I think I haven't been to Vegas yet because I love to gamble, drink, and boxing. So if the fight versus court is in Vegas, I'm making the trip. Obviously in New York, I'm there ringside. Um, Willie will be with me. We appreciate it, man. Uh, we're rooting for you. Always thank you again for taking them, my guy. Uh, and make boxing great again. Take over promotions.
SPEAKER_01:I can't wait to rock my shit. Um, yeah, please send. Please send.
SPEAKER_00:I'm gonna send that on a two-day.
SPEAKER_02:I'll get it this week.
SPEAKER_00:All right, all right, man. Appreciate it. I'll probably I'll probably keep harassing you about it, but it's all right. Thank you, sir. All right, thank you. Oh, cool. I'm ready, man. Uh, I don't even know how to exit it. Boom, and there you have it, people. Tia Fimo to take over Lopez showed up, man of his word. Again, I was getting scared. You know, these fighters don't owe us nothing. Nope. Damn, bro. I don't think you guys understand what that means.
SPEAKER_01:What does it mean to this guy?
SPEAKER_00:That just means yo, that's crazy.
SPEAKER_01:And the crazy part, this just started from a fucking uh uh boxing workout. Just like, yo, go start a box, yo, shut up and start a boxing podcast, man. Why are you taking credit? Let me take it credit. Hey, I'm not taking it. You give me credit all the time. I was like, yo, let's start the shit, motherfucker. Yeah, we just yo, this is crazy. He showed up, yeah. He showed up, yeah. He showed up and gave us a lot of information, yeah, kept it real. Man, yeah, yeah. TO FEMO man, take over, man Lopez.
SPEAKER_00:Man, I know he gets a lot of criticism, but he is City by the Bay says, I hope you guys get more guests. I hope we're we're down just so everyone knows, we're down to interview anybody. This is just a hobby, you know. Uh, yes, we talk to anybody. We we do like to try and get in more in-depth with not the regular questions. Thank you for the sub, bro. Appreciate you. Uh DM me, I'll send you a free spar in shirt as well. Again, for those that don't know, that is my biggest favorite athlete. So that's like my Michael Jordan. Judge me all you want. I don't care. I'm a TO guy. Yeah, you've been he been on that. That to me is I just hit Lotto. Still, bro. No, but I hit my man. Thank you.
SPEAKER_01:I thank all y'all for watching, man. Thank y'all. What do you think though?
SPEAKER_00:Let's let's get into it real quick and then we'll I gotta chop up video, obviously. So we'll get out of here. Well, think about what does Tio Shakur, man.
SPEAKER_01:TO Shakur, man, it's gonna be crazy. I don't know. I'm it's is I yo, I'll can't I hope we do beat him because then then Mr. B has something to say, like, but then we're gonna have but Shakur could be he's around greatness. Yeah, then he's I got the Loma live. I'm already I'm already nervous, but you know, TO shows up for these fights. And you heard him, you heard what he said. He's like he's focused, he's like he's locked in, he's already training, he's already visualizing how this is gonna go, what he's gonna bring into the fight. That's why I was trying to when he was saying that I was thinking about like who can he watch to bring what bring to this fight that's gonna push a cool on his toe. This is a different type of fighter, man. Defensively, he's amazing. So this is gonna be like it's not gonna be a fight. He's not gonna fight him like he sat there for stampada. No way you're gonna sit there in front of an explosive ass teal like that. Well, that can counter punch too. You can they both can counter punch. It's just gonna be an amazing fight if we actually get this shit that you say that we're gonna be.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, yeah. You stuttering and shit. It's all good. No, I swear, like you could you could who's like a famous uh the most president Donald Trump could come on here right now. I wouldn't give a shit. But like Dio to me is like I swear, bro.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, hell no. Yeah, but that should be crazy, bro. Oh man, that was a that was crazy.
SPEAKER_00:That's in New York, bro. We're gonna. I don't know if I should throw a fight party or we should go. Uh I'm conflicted, or maybe a fight part pre-fight party and then go. I don't know. We gotta figure that out. Hopefully, that fight's in New York again. I wasn't trying to burn bridges, I just really don't want that fight to be in Saudi. Obviously, money talks, but I really that fight cannot be in Saudi. That's an American fight. The best fight the best. Some say for the face of boxing. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, this is gonna uh if he can do two for two like that. Yo, I think he's gonna he said.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, he if he can do two for two, Loma and it seems like yo, it's that's different styles as a guy, and I don't want to fanboy too much, but as a guy that's followed Tio forever through all the ups and downs, right? He seems mentally good, bro.
SPEAKER_01:Like we this is uh this so that means Shakur moving up to 140. Yeah, is he's like guaranteed, like no, that's it's gotta be he's not moving down. So him, him and him and um what's McCall is moving up? That's crazy. No, none of them staying.
SPEAKER_00:Um who Keishon. Well, Keishon, we don't Keishon retired for now. We don't know what Keishon's doing. He's gonna be at 140, though. But that's what I'm saying. He's supposed to move up. There's so many good fights at that. 140.
SPEAKER_01:I thought one's gonna stay because you know they wasn't wasn't gonna fight each other.
SPEAKER_00:Uh left hook said fanboy. Shut up, left hook. Uh, but yeah, thanks for listening, guys. Um, again, like subscribe. We're gonna try and get more fighters on. Um, we we do we have we actually have a good array, a good resume of fighters that we get on. Uh Jasmine is supposed to be coming on soon. Yeah, uh next week we have a uh female pro champion coming on. Yeah, she's gonna pop on as well. Um, and usually we have the honestly the the female fighters that they be lit. Yeah, when we interview them, bro. Anything goes. That's that was pretty cool to see. Uh yeah, that's it. Uh, I got a lot of video to chop up again. Please like and subscribe. I also do a bunch of giveaways if you're new to the show listening. So definitely follow the Instagram account at the spar in, all things at the spar in. We here, man. Oh, I'm so excited for this fight. I'm I'm gonna lose sleep for the next six months. I can't wait till they lock it in when that is when it's yeah, it's gotta happen. Like it's it's good, it's it's happening. This fight's over where are we going to Vegas or New York, baby? That is the question. Again, it's gotta be New York, New York, New Jersey, not New Jersey, but I'm saying like New York. If it's in New York, the tri-state jerseys right there. That's yes, that sells ridiculous.
SPEAKER_01:Maybe it should be in Vegas. Yeah, I'm good. I'm definitely uh good. If it's in New York, come out if it's in New York.
SPEAKER_00:Yo, TO TO beats that ass. I'm getting jumped.
SPEAKER_01:I'm getting jumped. I don't care for the oh man, it's gonna be crazy.
SPEAKER_00:Um, yeah, that's all we got, right? We good, yeah, man.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, we out of here, man. What a interview, bro. He came out and showed out. Shout out to Tia Fima Lopez, man. Yo, I think really, I think really is like yo. I appreciate all the fucking pros that come over here, bro. This shit is crazy, bro. But uh his stature then coming over here and and that's your man's, like you know what I'm saying? So my Michael Jordan, bro. Don't judge me all you want, you idiots. That's your man's. The next thing we need is tank on here, then we said I'll cry.
SPEAKER_00:Tank can't even spell MVP though, man. All right, y'all. We out. No, I'm just kidding. I love tank. We out. Holy shit. Hold on.