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Jeff Perlman
This is an iHeart podcast. When your car is making a strange noise, no matter what it is, you can't just pretend it's not happening.
Rick Jervis
That's an interesting sound.
Jeff Perlman
It's like your mental health. If you're struggling and feeling overwhelmed, it's important to do something about it. It can be as simple as talking to someone or just taking a deep, calming breath to ground yourself. Because once you start to address the problem, you can go so much further. The Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council have resources available for you at loveyourmindtoday.org I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season one, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1 Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Jeff Perlman.
Rick Jervis
And I'm Rick Jervis.
Jeff Perlman
We're journalists and hosts of the podcast Finding Sexy Sweat. At an internship in 1993, we roomed with Reggie Payne, aspiring reporter and rapper who went by Sexy Sweat a couple years ago. We set out to find him, but in 2020, Reggie fell into a coma after police pinned him down and he never woke up. But then I see my son's not moving.
Rick Jervis
So we started digging and uncovered city officials bent on protecting their own.
Jeff Perlman
Listen to Finding Sexy Sweat on the iHeartRadio app, podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're looking for another heavy podcast about trauma, the saying it this is for the ones who had to survive and still show up as brilliant, loud, soft and whole. The Unwanted Sorority is where black women, femmes and gender expansive survivors of sexual violence rewrite the rules on healing, support and what happens after. And I'm your host and co president of this organization, Dr. Lea Tritate. Listen to the Unwanted Sorority. New episodes every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Folks, we are back on the way concept presented by the Ring magazine and I am sitting next to the showstopper, the King of New York 1/2 year Main Event July 12 the Louis Armstrong Stadium. It's Edgar Berlonga. What's up, my man?
Rick Jervis
What's up, baby?
Jeff Perlman
Good chilling, bro. Hey, first off, you didn't have to wear more. You didn't have to have so much ice. I didn't know if it was Edgar Berlonger or a freezer. I was talking to this man. Got ice. Dude, you're wearing your. My condo on your neck. What are we doing here? He just had to stun on me, like, what are we doing?
Rick Jervis
You know, this is my image. You know, I grew up, you know, loving, you know, looking good. You know what I'm saying? I always. I always felt if I look good, I feel good, you know, I could do the things I want. Good.
Jeff Perlman
So do you think I could pull it off or. No, I don't. You know, I could pull the chain off.
Rick Jervis
Maybe one. Maybe one tennis.
Jeff Perlman
Just one little bitty one.
Rick Jervis
You can now. You could pull it off.
Jeff Perlman
Okay.
Rick Jervis
But then you're gonna go from being like. Like, you look like you probably, like, could do movies and shit, okay, to, like, a guy that.
Jeff Perlman
I'm gonna get a square. I'm gonna get a square off here, you know, saying, have it nice.
Rick Jervis
And you put the part, you know, put the chains on that. You gonna really like a New Yorker.
Jeff Perlman
I got a bunch of friends that are. That live up in this area. Puerto Rican for you. How important is it to put her on for not just the city of New York, but for Puerto Rican heritage, For everything that matters most to you.
Rick Jervis
Is everything that's was, you know, I'm not going in there by myself, you know, I'm going in there with my team, with my family for Puerto Rico. There's a lot of Puerto Ricans on the island that's with me, you know, And I'm going in there with them, my ancestors, you know, from the 1800s, you know what I'm saying? Those people are going in that ring with me, you know, I think that now I keep saying, I know that I'm destined for something great. And Hamza is just, in a way, you know what I'm saying? So we can't overlook him. I can't look what's behind him. And, you know, that's the Canelo rematch and this and that. There's a lot of things that's lined up for us that could happen, you know, but right now we got to focus on him, you know, because if we don't get through him, everything goes out the window.
Jeff Perlman
Facts. Lot of you said a lot of people in your corner, and before we got on camera, you said, I gotta perform.
Rick Jervis
Yeah, I got to. I'm home and my home. One thing about New Yorkers, bro, they love a fight and they love grit, and they love when you put your balls on the table and get it? You know what I'm saying? And they're. Listen, New York is a place where if they love you. Yeah, they love you. But if they don't like you, they'll on you. You see, with the Knicks now, they start doing parades and everything before.
Jeff Perlman
Yeah, y' all a little premature.
Rick Jervis
Yeah, yeah, they go crazy, bro.
Jeff Perlman
Can't be doing that. You got the. The Celtics winning last night. Y'.
Rick Jervis
All.
Jeff Perlman
Y' all thought the series was over. It ain't over yet, but they feel like it's.
Rick Jervis
It's a victory because, you know, the Knicks always been in the dump. So it's like, when they get this far, it's like.
Jeff Perlman
It's like, so are we back, by the way? Are the Knicks back?
Rick Jervis
I hope they are. You know, I'm saying I want them to win. They from New York. You know, I'm not a. Like a big, big, big basketball fan, but, you know, I've repped New York.
Jeff Perlman
You know, Are you big? Like baseball, Football now?
Rick Jervis
Everything, you know, Jets, Giants. I love Jets. You know what I'm saying? But Giants is my team.
Jeff Perlman
Right, okay.
Rick Jervis
Yankees, you know, I love the Yankees. I love the Mets. You know what I'm saying? There's a lot of.
Jeff Perlman
How you gonna love the Yankees and the Mets, though?
Rick Jervis
You gotta love, bro. I'm from New York.
Jeff Perlman
I didn't know if that's a.
Rick Jervis
One thing about me is that if I get love from. If you get love from both places, you gotta.
Jeff Perlman
You gotta reciprocate. Yeah. You gotta reciprocate. Yeah.
Rick Jervis
So I gotta be equal, you know? I'm saying I gotta be in the middle and just, you know, love both.
Jeff Perlman
So the Nets, too, obviously. Brooklyn. Come on. Well, the Brooklyn Nets, Basketball.
Rick Jervis
Yeah, but they're not.
Jeff Perlman
Oh, yeah, that's gotta be your squad.
Rick Jervis
Yeah, but they just. I don't know. I feel like with me, they. They like new stuff.
Jeff Perlman
Expansion team. Yeah, they gotta get it. They used to be Jersey bound. They moved up here. Now you claim in Brooklyn. And they like that, right?
Rick Jervis
Yeah, it's crazy.
Jeff Perlman
So I can't. I can't come up here and claim Brooklyn if I just move up here.
Shakur Stevenson
Right.
Jeff Perlman
I'm from the South. I'm from Tennessee, so we can't just.
Rick Jervis
You got to go through me if you want.
Jeff Perlman
I gotta check in. Okay, I'll check in. I didn't know I had to check in. That's cool. So, yeah, talk to me about Hamza, man. We just did the Face Off. Yeah, we did the press conference. You've been in front of him all day. What's the energy, man? What are you feeling from him?
Rick Jervis
Fight, fight. You know what I'm saying? I was trying to go. Go away for nine weeks, go into hibernation mode.
Jeff Perlman
Because he thinks you're crazy, by the way. You can tell.
Rick Jervis
I don't give a what he thinks. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? I am crazy a little bit.
Jeff Perlman
You gotta be crazy in this game. You gotta be.
Rick Jervis
Look at the legends, every legend. Look at Floyd Mayweather, look at Conor McGregor, look at Michael Jordan, look at.
Jeff Perlman
Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson.
Rick Jervis
Look at Mike Tyson. Look at Muhammad Ali. These guys are crazy. People thought they were psycho. But you can't be a normal guy and try to be. You can't be normal and then think you're going to be a legend. Ain't no way, bro. Being like that quiet. You ain't gonna be. You ain't. You got to be a little crazy. Roberto Duran, you got to be crazy, bro. You know what I'm saying? Julio says a Chavez got to be crazy. These guys is crazy, you know? So you got to be a little crazy to get to that level. I don't think if you're normal, you won't get there. You got to be a little bit crazy to get up there, because when you crazy, you want to do you. You want to, you know, try new things. And in the ring. Yeah. I'm saying if you're a certain way, you're not. You're going to be scared to take that. To take that, that leap of faith and say, you know what? Let me try this. Let me try this. I'm gonna be in the gym. Yo, Mark, I want to go 25 rounds and spawn today. You know what I'm saying?
Jeff Perlman
Like.
Rick Jervis
Like that. Like, that's crazy.
Jeff Perlman
You just told me, too, before we got on camera, you're like, bro, I'm about to go train right now. Yeah, today got you. Today got you hyped up or you just.
Rick Jervis
Nah, yesterday. As soon as I got here, I landed. My flight got delayed.
Jeff Perlman
Me, too, by the way. What's going on? Laguardia get it together, you know what I mean?
Rick Jervis
They tripping. And I came from Tampa, so when I got here, we. I landed, like, at 10. I called my strength conditioning coach. I'm like, yo, I'm here. Like, I'm getting to the hotel, I'm dropping my off, I'm grabbing my bag, and we're going straight to the gym. We was in the gym till, like, almost.
Jeff Perlman
I can tell, man, the guns Popping out. I didn't know those was registered. State of New York, you know what I mean? You got to get those things checked out, you know.
Rick Jervis
But I came back two in the morning, eight. I got up at nine in the morning here with y' all doing all of this. After I'm done, I'm going right back.
Jeff Perlman
To train, just locked in different.
Rick Jervis
That's it, bro. At the end of the day, man, like, you know, all the talk and everything we doing is, you know, it's cool. But, you know, when it's all said and done, July 12, when me and him is in that ring, it's only me and him.
Jeff Perlman
Yeah, I like that, though. I like the talk because one, to me, it shows you're confident. And two, I kind of talked to you about this earlier. You put pressure on yourself. Can't really anybody else say shit to you, you know what I'm saying? Like, if you put. Like I'm. This, this is what I'm going to go do. That pressure has already been put on you by you. So whatever they say, they say it don't matter, cuz you already got. Put it on me. Go ahead, say whatever it is. There's nobody. That's. That's. Yeah, exactly.
Rick Jervis
Is everything is mental. Is. As long as you go here, this controls your body, your mind controls your body. Whatever you tell yourself you want to do, you're going to do it. You know what I'm saying? If I want to run through this wall. Right. No, I'm serious.
Jeff Perlman
Right?
Rick Jervis
No, I'm serious. If I want to run through that wall right there.
Jeff Perlman
Don't, by the way. We can't have.
Rick Jervis
As Mark always told me, if you want to go through some, you put your mantra. You're gonna do it, bro. Like the, like you see, like the rats, right? Or right, you see the rats when they start digging holes.
Jeff Perlman
Okay.
Rick Jervis
Like, I'm from the project.
Jeff Perlman
Big problem out here in New York, right?
Rick Jervis
Yeah, from the projects is I used to have a lot of rats, but.
Jeff Perlman
We shoot them where I come from. We take the gun out and just line them up.
Rick Jervis
You know, we chased them with bats and, and, and teeing off on the rats, trying to get them out. But like when we was younger, but you know, a rat, what it does, it keeps scratching. It keeps scratching until it's. Until it gets that hole. Then it now is inside the house, right? So it's the same way with us. Whatever we put them onto, we gonna do it.
Jeff Perlman
Thanks. So when it comes to this fight, you know, like I said, I saw this energy between you and Shiraz, something you pointed out, and I thought was interesting. You were like, to me, you're Canelo. Like, you're the best person. Even if you already went to 12 with Canelo, you're the best person I've ever faced because you're the next guy I faced. And you felt like he didn't have that same energy for you.
Rick Jervis
That's how I knew I beat him already. I already beat him. I already beat him.
Jeff Perlman
Mentally.
Rick Jervis
You just mentally already beat him.
Jeff Perlman
He's checked. Like he's trying to overlook. You already think the next thing right.
Rick Jervis
There, I beat him. I started telling him, I just beat you. You don't even know I just beat you, bro. Because I'm looking at you like, canelo, I'm going away for camp, nigga. Like, I'm not part of my work. I'm not going back home. I'm going away like he's my Canelo. You know what I'm saying? He's. Once I get him out the way, it's like, all right, all right, now. Yo, Turkey, let's sit down, baby.
Jeff Perlman
You know what I'm saying?
Rick Jervis
Let's talk, man.
Jeff Perlman
What you said. What'd you say to him? You said Turkey was what you said.
Rick Jervis
Turkey's his poppy. You know that's his poppy right there. He got Chucky, got him like this, walking like, hey, hey. Don't talk when I talk. Don't say nothing. When I tell you to move, you move. So he's doing that. That's what I'm saying. He don't want to be in New York. Like, he want to be fighting in New York. Come on. He's just doing this because they putting the pressure. I'm like, yo, you got to take this fight, because if not, you're not going to get the Canelo fight. You know what I'm saying? So he's like, oh, fuck, I'm going to take the fight. But.
Jeff Perlman
But you think about it, like, the way you. You talk about how Turkey looks at him. That says a lot for how Turkey looks at you, that he wants Shiraz to come over here in your backyard, take this kind of challenge of this first fight at 168. That's a big deal, man.
Rick Jervis
Yeah, maybe. Maybe Turkey's underestimated me. I think Turkey, I think you're underestimated just a little bit.
Jeff Perlman
Okay.
Rick Jervis
And it's maybe, you know, is boxing, so I don't take nothing personal.
Jeff Perlman
She light a fire, too.
Rick Jervis
It lights a fire. Because then after that we're gonna sit down with you. We sit down like this. Me and you, we have some dinner.
Jeff Perlman
Just kick me out, turkey.
Rick Jervis
You can sit here and we, you know, we talk real money. We talk real money. Yeah. They.
Jeff Perlman
They, you know, I ain't pocket watching you. You look like you got it right now.
Rick Jervis
No, no, no. They could buy this right here. A million of these a minute of these, they could buy a million times, you know, so you got to respect, you know, 100. The money's different facts, you know.
Jeff Perlman
Now, speaking of the money being different, 100k bed, huh? I watched it go down. The handshake, made it official. Well, I don't know if it's official official, but we gonna honor it. You think they're gonna honor it?
Rick Jervis
Oh, yeah, Yeah. I already spoke to this guy. Okay. He said, yeah.
Jeff Perlman
So 100k on the line. Does that make it a little more sweet for you?
Rick Jervis
Yeah. Hell yeah. Now it gets me going. He never did no shit like that.
Jeff Perlman
I was gonna say, you kind of stuck it on him, and it was like, had. Do we have to look around and.
Rick Jervis
Say, yeah, I do like that.
Jeff Perlman
Okay.
Rick Jervis
You don't even know. I do.
Jeff Perlman
Like, I don't do it myself. I don't do, like my whole life.
Rick Jervis
That's why I'm comfortable. He ain't tell me, let's bet on the K. I was the one that told him that.
Jeff Perlman
Yeah. You know the type of. I do. I lose like 500 at the casino. That's the. I'm on and I don't go back. That's fine.
Rick Jervis
Let's go.
Jeff Perlman
When you're doing 100k, I know, but now is.
Rick Jervis
I did more than that on myself. Like, my whole. Basically my whole life, I've been on myself, you know, I'm saying. But, like.
Jeff Perlman
But that's. That's why you are in the position you're in, I think. And that's why you're going to the place you're going. You talked about risk, you talked about being a little crazy. It's honestly just you saying yes to every challenge in front of you, man. I respect the hell out of it.
Rick Jervis
Yeah. And I want to fight the best. I'm not over here trying to pick nobody. I want to fight the best.
Jeff Perlman
That's.
Shakur Stevenson
That's.
Rick Jervis
And I want to make the biggest fights happen.
Jeff Perlman
Yes.
Rick Jervis
Where there's a lot of fans and, you know, people can enjoy. That's the part of boxing, you know what I'm saying? People worry about they owe. People worry about a lot of different things, man. It's about giving the fans a great fight, bro. Look at me and Canelo. Nobody don't talk about. They talk about. What they talk about is, yo, you and Canelo, man, y' all need to do a rematch, bro. Why, bro? In that arena, everybody was on they feet. When I tell you, you know, I.
Jeff Perlman
Was in Vegas that night.
Rick Jervis
I remember, you know, everybody in that arena was on their feet. That's why it went from booze to. After the 12th round, I was leaving. I felt like a superstar.
Jeff Perlman
Respect. You earned so much.
Rick Jervis
While I was walking, I was walking through the. Through the. Through the MGM to go. Have to go have dinner at a, like, a little diner that was in the mgm, bro. I had a mob of Mexicans, bro, mobbing me, bro. Pictures, telling me I'm a legend, telling. Thank you. Like, the bro. They don't remember. They're not remembering. Oh, you lost. Ignore. They remember. Yo, you and Canada fought a amazing fight, bro. Just like the guardian Ward. No, I don't. I never spoke about, yo, who won that fight. I just look at the fight, and I'm like, yo, that was a fucking war. Those three fights. That's what they talk about. They don't talk about, oh, but, but, but Ward One. No, they talk about, yo, they went at it, and that's what boxing is about.
Jeff Perlman
What's your relationship now like with Canelo? I'm interested because it felt like there was a lot of respect between you two after the fight, and then I saw you kind of gone off on him on Twitter. What. What's it like right now? How do you look?
Rick Jervis
Nice. Hot.
Jeff Perlman
It's back up.
Rick Jervis
No respect. Yeah.
Jeff Perlman
Why?
Rick Jervis
Is it because I gave you too much? I gave you so much respect after the fight, you know, I'm saying, I told you, you changed my life. Thank you. Yeah, you know, thank you for the opportunity. Like, I. And then you went on. On and you did an interview, and you. You. You said, I ran you crazy. I'm trying to survive. And it's so funny that he's saying that the whole fight week, and then he fights against. He fights a guy that's really trying to survive. And it's like. Then you see him complaining, like, to score, like, yo, bro, yeah, come on, man. Fight, man. So it's like, who was really trying to survive? You know, I'm saying. And you know me, I'm a guy that. You try to troll me. You try to, you know, make fun of me. I'm gonna throw you right back. So.
Jeff Perlman
So that one's now it's back up now.
Rick Jervis
Yeah, now it's personal. Him, me and him, it's personal, but I gotta get. Of course, I gotta get my back.
Jeff Perlman
Of course. Now when it comes to fighting in general, I've always had this question ready for you because I feel like you're a guy that gets down outside of the ring too. You've been in any street fights?
Rick Jervis
Man, when I was younger, yeah.
Jeff Perlman
Any like crazy one that you care to not maybe, you know, I'm saying we ain't trying to.
Rick Jervis
Nah, nah, no, not crazy because I'm not gonna lie, man, like a lot of people love me, you know, and I knew how to fight my mom. I was boxing since I was six years old. So, you know, when I was younger, my dad went away for prison, you know, in a project and stuff. I had a. I was. Imagine me light skinned, like you, no facial hair, pretty boy, you know, these guys was bad little kids, you know, I'm saying they was breaking car windows.
Jeff Perlman
Yeah.
Rick Jervis
Robbing cars, you know, I'm saying, Walking with bats and stuff, you know. And it was getting, it used to get crazy, you know. And I used to want to be outside. I'm a kid, I want to hang out outside, you know, And I used to go outside and I had to prove myself, you know what I'm saying? I had to get my respect. So I used to have to beat people up, you know what I'm saying? He's like, yo. And I used to like, yo, let's get it. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Jeff Perlman
Knock him out straight like that.
Rick Jervis
And then after that, it's just in my project there was he like, yo, Egg, I used to call me, you know what I'm saying? Out of school. Coming out of school was like a fight. Boom. And then I got my respect.
Jeff Perlman
I was gonna say it got to a point where no, everybody learned not to mess with you.
Rick Jervis
Yeah. And then also too, you know, me going to the gym. So I stood, I stood. It happened a lot when my father went to prison because like I used to skip school. I just try to skip school and also skip the gym, you know, I'm saying they're like, you know, be outside.
Jeff Perlman
Yeah. You know, so everybody else is.
Rick Jervis
And you know, that's what like drew me into like wanting to be in the streets and fight, you know, I'm saying. And I one time my dad, like, my sister, like was fighting with this, this young kid, like grabbed my sister by the hair. And like my dad was like, yo, my dad told Me like, yo, look what you did to your sister. I look went up to him, Boom. Knocked him out. One shot, knocked him out. Boom.
Jeff Perlman
Cold.
Rick Jervis
Yeah. He, like, grabbed my sister by the head. They were so playing again. It was over. You know, my. My stepbrother was way older than me, was in the school together. I used to be like. They used to be like, yo, like, one time, it was in, like, I was in a class, but my stepbrother was. He was older than me. This is my ex step brother. He's older than me. And I was like. I used to protect him. So, like, they came to my class that, yo, these two kids are being. Was being the shit out of your mother. Yeah, I was like, where they at? There was like. It was in the bathroom. Ask the teacher, can I go to the bathroom? Yeah, you go. All right. You know. You got a reason?
Jeff Perlman
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Rick Jervis
I go to the bathroom. They stood there, demolish them in the bathroom. Bing, bang, bang. I swear to God, both of them got suspended trying to expel me out to school, you know.
Jeff Perlman
So you've been. You've been in them streets?
Rick Jervis
Yeah, yeah.
Jeff Perlman
Listen, I grew up very sheltered. Thank you to my mom and dad.
Rick Jervis
Shelter homes.
Jeff Perlman
Shelter country boys. Shelter.
Rick Jervis
I've seen, like six years old, bro, seeing shootouts.
Jeff Perlman
Oh, Shelter homes. Different. I was like, sorry. Completely different. My shelter. Your shelter different.
Rick Jervis
You know, what's that, bro? I wake up and you hit. You hit car windows in the Bronx. Hit car window, splashing.
Jeff Perlman
Bob.
Rick Jervis
And I get up. It's in the shelter. And I was in Hunts Point. Or get up. I climb on top of the. Where the sink is at. It was a window, and I just. I was just standing at the whole shootout. They were just shooting back and forth. My mom grabbed me, crying, get down. Get on the floor. You know, it was, like, level. It was like almost on the floor. You know what I'm saying?
Jeff Perlman
Yeah.
Rick Jervis
On the street floor.
Jeff Perlman
By the way, the way you're talking about this is like. It's just nothing, which is crazy to me, because I would be petrified for the rest of my life.
Rick Jervis
Yeah, it's, like, shaped you, though.
Jeff Perlman
This is what shaped you.
Rick Jervis
It made me humble, too. Yeah, it made me humble because it made me, you know, respect, you know, a lot of things, because, you know, that life is not cool. You know, I don't condone it. So me seeing that, like, and then, you know, my dad going to prison and leaving and coming back and then leaving again, going to prison, I just. I just had a different type of Respect, you know, I'm saying, for. For people that, you know, that's in their life. And then I try to, like, you know, talk to these young guys now, you know what I'm saying? And telling them, listen, bro, you can't be doing that. You know what I'm saying? You got to do this the right way, you know? And a lot of people, like, drawn to me because they see me, and I'm. I'm a positive guy, you know, I'm not a sucker. But I'm also. Because for you to do good in life, you don't got to be a sucker, you know what I'm saying? A lot. I feel like a lot of people feel like that, like, for you to be a good person and do good in life, whether you got a career or whether you're working on Friday, feel like that's a sucker. No, it's not a sucker. As a real man, you know what I'm saying? I said a real man is a guy to take care of his family, take care of his moms, take care of his father, you know what I'm saying? Take care his kids, you know, that's a real man.
Jeff Perlman
Love that.
Rick Jervis
You know, being in the streets and acting like a bad boy now, it's not cool, you know?
Jeff Perlman
Well, now you're doing this to take care of your family. Give me one last down the lens prediction. July 12, you step in that ring, across from you is Hamza Shiraz. The bell rings. What happens? Tell the people.
Rick Jervis
Sh.
Jeff Perlman
There he is, man. Edgar Verlonga. Once again, he's one half your main event. Stay tuned July 12th from the Louis Armstrong Stadium. Thanks to the Ring it's the Way concept. What happens then? I don't have those answers, but I guess we'll find out. Folks, welcome back to the way concept presented by the ring. And today I am sitting with the WBC lightweight world champion. He is set to defend his belts in Louis Armstrong Stadium on July 12. And one of two big main events against William Zepeda. It is none other than Shakur Stevenson. Shakur. What's up, baby? How you doing, my man?
Shakur Stevenson
I'm good. Just got out the gym working.
Jeff Perlman
I heard. I heard today was another day of training. How is. I mean, everybody asked this question. It's the typical, you know, media member to fighter question. But how's training camp going?
Shakur Stevenson
It's been good, you know, I think it's one of the best camps that I had. I think we ready. We ready.
Jeff Perlman
So it feels like. It feels like you got a Different mindset for this fight. And, you know, definitely a chip on your shoulder in this one. And you've almost answered every question that I've heard you talk about this fight with. You know, not that you have anything to prove, but something you want to prove in this one. What, what does this fight mean for your career, for your legacy, and for potentially being a breakout superstar here?
Shakur Stevenson
I think this fight mean everything. I think that the is a hell of a fighter. He's going to bring the best out of me. So you up the competition with somebody like me, and I'm going to up the level also. So I think the fans and everybody gonna see the greatest version of me. I can't wait to show it.
Jeff Perlman
Yeah. You know, everybody's talked about Zepeda and, you know, his volume punching, his forward pressure, and they, they've spoken about it almost like it's, it's, you know, potentially going to be more of a problem for you. I look at it as more of an opportunity for you, as more of a reason for you to be able to showcase your skills. Go ahead.
Shakur Stevenson
I think so, too. I think that a lot of people gonna think I'm crazy when I say this, but, you know, a guy like, he has 27 knockouts, right? I have 11 knockouts, right?
Jeff Perlman
Yep, 23 0, 11 knockouts.
Shakur Stevenson
I punch harder than him. I punch harder than him. And I think that on fight night, that's what was going to be the biggest difference between me and him like that.
Jeff Perlman
Now, when it comes to this fight, you know, there's been a lot of talk recently about big stars in boxing and how you perform on the biggest stages. We've seen some fighters recently not perform right in front of the biggest eyes. This is. I wouldn't say. Yeah, you know what it is? It's in your backyard. It's. It's right there. Obviously, you got a lot of people coming. Is there any more pressure on you in this fight? Or do you just, again, just feel like it's more of an opportunity to let your star shine?
Shakur Stevenson
Pressure. Pressure don't exist. Pressure only exists if you make it. Pressure comes from the mental and the, the imaging of what you see. So if you believe that there's pressure and all of that kind of stuff, then you gonna feel it and you won't act like it. But me, I don't feel no pressure. I'm fully prepared. I trust in my training. I know that on fight night, I'm the better fighter and it will show.
Jeff Perlman
You're talking a lot about the mental side of this. Speak more to that. It feels like obviously you're locked in for every fight, but I don't know, this one just feels like to me, it's the first time we're speaking one on one, but in all your interviews, you just feel locked into a different level this time around.
Shakur Stevenson
Yeah, it's a chip on my shoulder. You know, a lot of people have been saying that I'm not the guy, I'm not as good as everybody say I'm overrated. I heard a whole bunch of stuff and now everybody got to stand on what they said. They got to see come July 12th that I am the best fighter in the sport of boxing and I will show.
Jeff Perlman
Yeah, I don't know, I don't know how anybody could call you overrated. We're talking about a three way world Champ Olympia. That's insane. But you know, with that, you know, I guess in your mind, something to prove, chip on your shoulder, you are sharing this card with it with a, a ton of big name fighters all looking to, to, you know, put their name out there and get their opportunity to step up. What's, what's what about your performance is going to stand out from everybody else on fight night.
Shakur Stevenson
I think that I'm the Show. I think I'm the guy that everybody want to see. I think that the fans been waiting for me to get into a fight with somebody that's on a high skill level and somebody that's a high level opponent. So that's the one that.
Jeff Perlman
Someone that brings it to you as well, right? Someone that brings it to you because he's not scared.
Shakur Stevenson
He's gonna come in there and give it his all. And that's just gonna create more opportunities for Bell to ask. So.
Jeff Perlman
So what are we saying straight up? We're just gonna say it's a knockout.
Shakur Stevenson
It can be. It can be. That's the thing that nobody will bet. That nobody will bet no money on that. Nobody.
Jeff Perlman
Me. You're telling me now to bet my money on it, Is that what you're saying?
Shakur Stevenson
But I am telling you, don't be surprised.
Jeff Perlman
Okay, I like it and I like it. There's been a lot of talk recently and I wanted your thoughts on this mainly because it's just, it's a big point of contention right now in boxing. There's no running rule. Have you seen some of the stuff going around about this?
Shakur Stevenson
Yeah, I see. Some of it is disappointing to see.
Jeff Perlman
Tell me, tell me why. Talk to me.
Shakur Stevenson
I mean, I just know guys like Muhammad Ali that, you know, that live through their entire careers and they believe they float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
Jeff Perlman
Right.
Shakur Stevenson
I know that they looking down on stuff like that and they're probably very disappointed on who's coming up with that kind of stuff. But movement is a part of boxing. Go back like through the history books on the guys that use movement when it comes down to boxing, Floyd Mayweather, sometimes me. So I think it's just disappointing to see. I, I can't, I can, I can't commit.
Jeff Perlman
That I understand. And I think too, there's a difference between the. And. And, you know, everybody's out talking about who they want to point the finger at, is who's the reason for stuff like that. I don't see the way you fight as being that kind of style at all. I think I see you as moving, but I see you setting traps. I see you being able to create offense off defense and vice versa. That is the sport, right? That's the sweet science.
Shakur Stevenson
Yes. I don't think I'm a mover.
Jeff Perlman
You can move. I can move, Exactly. I don't think you're a consistent. Just circle or anything like that, but I think you have the ability to set things up and then drop the hammer. I think that you can stand in front of. I mean, I just watch you stand right in front of Josh badly and beat him up, you know, like it's not. I don't think that anybody is looking at you when they, when they talk about that. I just always asked, because I've asked a couple of guys so far what they thought about it. People have different opinions on it, but it'll be interesting to see how that whole thing goes down. But Speaking of this July 12th card, you're one half of the, of the main event. What do you see on the other side from Williams? A payday. Is there anything. Obviously you don't want to give away game plan stuff on your side, but what do you see out of him when you see him at the press conference, when you see him at the face off, is there anything you can read off of him?
Shakur Stevenson
So far, he's exactly what I think he is. He's coming in shape, he's coming to give it his all. You know that he's going to bring everything he got. And he been kind of waiting for this opportunity for his entire lifetime. But sometimes when you kind of anxious and you ready to jump in, you're gonna run into something that you don't like. And I think that's what sometimes, I mean, I don't think he's very prepared for what's gonna come back. That I'm gonna just move around the ring and. No, like the fans kind of hype it up and say that I'm a runner, so they kind of think that. But I'm, I'm just as much as a fighter as he is, so I love it, man.
Jeff Perlman
So you think he, he thinks you're going to be super defensive, not really engage with him, try to hit and move, and you're, you're potentially depending on. Again, it's a fight. You never know what happens, but you're prepared for whatever. Essentially.
Shakur Stevenson
You can't fight a guy like that moving all around the ring the entire time because if you, you will end up losing. So I, I know that. So he know that too.
Jeff Perlman
When you see your fight being one of the main events, there's another one as well, right? We have Hamza, Shiraz, Edgar Berlanga. I know you and Edgar are good buddies. Obviously both of you want to represent New York, New Jersey. What does that fight do you think look like?
Shakur Stevenson
I think Edgar probably gonna knock him out.
Jeff Perlman
Yeah. Hamza is coming up to 168.
Shakur Stevenson
Yeah, I think I got the punching.
Jeff Perlman
Power, so that's why I picked Edgar by knockout. What do you think about the ring? 18 by 18 is what I heard. And then I've also just, I just. By the way, I just saw this. This happened like 20 minutes ago on Twitter. Edgar adding turkey all a shake and saying, maybe it's not 18 by 18. I don't. We'll just operate on it being an 18 by 18 because that's what everybody's been saying. What do you think about that?
Shakur Stevenson
I don't think that matters. When I came up, I kind of came up in like a little ass small ring where you barely couldn't even move. So you gotta learn how to fight right there in the little circle. So. No, I don't think that matters.
Jeff Perlman
Well, I do want to ask you one more thing, and this is on a question on one of the guys that also works at the ring. Why'd you have to do my man cop like that, bro?
Shakur Stevenson
Cause he be hating. He a big ass hater. You gotta stop being a hater. You know, it's cool to like do your job and right. No, like, I don't got no issue with that. But when you kind of like purposely go out there and try to attack somebody and assassinate people's character. But when you see you are friendly like, oh, Shakur. And I'M just not that kind of guy. I can't fake it. I can't be nobody that's, like, fake and just be cool with that. Like, you know, don't with me.
Jeff Perlman
And what is it? Just the way he's covered your career, you just not. You're not a big fan of eyes.
Shakur Stevenson
The way that he do things. Like, when I was watching. I watched him. The fans, I want to say, they posted something, right? I'll just give a little example. Sure, sure, they posted something. They. They said that egg was the main event. The fans kind of criticized them for doing that.
Jeff Perlman
Oh, you're right. I remember this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember this because you're. You're a w. Me. You're WBC lightweight champion of the world. How's it really work? I got you. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Shakur Stevenson
And when cop kind of went up there, he kind of, like, defended it, but as he's defending it, he's talking about me. Oh, Shakur got booed and blah, blah, like, and then. Then it's like when I see you and I get on a plane next to you, the whole time you up there, like. Like a fan.
Jeff Perlman
Wait, you were on the plane with him?
Shakur Stevenson
I got my last fight when I fought at Saudi. He was right next to me on the plane. He was literally like, both of us right next to each other the whole time. Like, Shakur this, and he's acting like a friend. And so it's like, which one you want to be? Like, I can't fake. I'm not. No guy that's going to play fake with nobody.
Jeff Perlman
Right? No, I hear you. I did not know that part. All right, well, listen, I know you've had a long day of training. Let's do this really quick. Let's. Let's give again without giving game plan away. You walk into Louis Armstrong, by the way, before we get there, Louis Armstrong Stadium. I don't think I've ever seen a boxing match inside a tennis stadium. I know that's not going to affect you, but how cool is that for you to be able to do kind of one of the first things, especially in New York?
Shakur Stevenson
I think that's amazing. I think making history, being the first person to fight there. And now I got to do my job, and I got to put the performance on and make sure that I leave my stand, I leave my name on top of that stadium. Shakur Stevenson was the first person to fight at that stadium, and the performance that he had was amazing. That's what I want to hear for the Next upcoming years.
Jeff Perlman
I like that. I like that. Now, I know you get this question a lot, and I'm sure you're tired of answering it, but you don't want to overlook William. I get that. But with all the things that are going on right now at 135, potentially at 140, who knows? But there's a lot of big names out there. Who does. Who does? Shakur Stevenson over the next year, year and a half. Look at down the. Down the line. If there is a way to kind of envision that. Who do you see stepping in the ring with you?
Shakur Stevenson
I ain't even going to say it, because I feel like, you know, everybody know who I wouldn't fight. I don't say that 100 times.
Jeff Perlman
I wanted to ask, but, yeah, yeah.
Shakur Stevenson
It'S the biggest fight in the sport of boxing. So right now, do you think.
Jeff Perlman
Do you think it happens?
Shakur Stevenson
It all depends on that person. That guy, he's. He's the guy who makes it happen, man.
Jeff Perlman
Why not. Why don't. Why don't. I know. You said it a bunch of times. Why don't you like saying his name?
Shakur Stevenson
Because he act like a girl. Like, if you say his name, it's like he thinks somebody's chasing after him or something. So all that girl, I try not to get into.
Jeff Perlman
So we'll leave it there. But tell me this. We get to July 12, all the media obligations are done. You don't have to look at guys like me anymore and answer our dumb questions. You get to go out there and do what you do. You step in the ring and you look across from Williams. A pay to the bell rings. What happens?
Shakur Stevenson
I pull out my belt and I beat the shit out of them. Just keep beating them all night until the referee jumps in or somebody jumps in to save me.
Jeff Perlman
All right, I volunteer as tribute. I'll jump in and save. Appreciate you, Shakur. Thanks, man. I'll see you on Fight Week. Have a good rest of your camp. I know you're. You're right here at the end of it, obviously. Big prayers to you and all the fighters. I'm. I'm big on that. So hope you guys are safe, and I'll see you on Fight Week. Thanks for doing this, man. All right, so we are back. And, folks, today I have some breaking news that I never thought I would be announcing on this channel and even making a video about, but here we are. I can't even begin to tell you how random this is, and it just popped up on my Twitter, so I'm just going to go ahead and show you guys. As of about 30 minutes ago, there is a report out from the Department of Homeland security that on July 2, ICE arrested Mexican boxer and criminal illegal alien Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. He is now being processed for expedited removal from the United States. This Sinaloa cartel affiliate has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunitions and explosives. What the hell is going on? I don't know. We're going to get into it. The breakdown. Let's go. So, like, you guys know, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Just had a boxing match this Saturday against Jake Paul in the middle of Orange County, Anaheim, California at the Honda Center. He lost that fight. He was disappointingly average in that fight. He once again showed that in big fights he tends to just kind of hang out and not really do much. I mean, again, it was a. It was a normal Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Rick Jervis
Performance.
Jeff Perlman
And Jake wins. Now, Jake's ranked in the top 15 at cruiserweight, which I think is absolutely ridiculous. Jake is not a top 15 cruiserweight by any metric of actual ranking. That's not the point of the video today. The point of the video is to figure out how in the world Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Has been linked with the Sinaloa cartel and is now being expedited from removal from the United States. This is insane. Ok, let's take a look at the actual department. I thought this was fake. I'm not going to lie to you guys. I thought this was like a fake Twitter because you never know what's real and what isn't. Here is the actual Department of Homeland Security's Twitter. And there he is. And that mugshot is insane. So we go to the website and once again we have this, this headline, DHS announces ICE arrest of Mexican Boxer Sinaloa Cartel affiliate. And the reason I keep saying Sinaloa cartel, that's a pretty big. You want to know why? Because it's El Chapo's cartel, son. Probably the most dangerous in the history of Mexico. Now, again, this man just had a boxing match on Saturday. So this is, you know, obviously crazy. We all know that Chavez Jr. Has had his history with running in with the law and drugs and other things that we're going to get into. But I did not expect this at all. Then again, I didn't really know how deep this goes. So this is from Washington. The Department of Homeland Security announced Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained prominent Mexican boxer and criminal illegal alien Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. And is processing him for expedited removal from the United States. Chavez is a Mexican citizen who has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives. That is crazy. We're talking about the son of the greatest Mexican boxer of all time, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. Being involved in organized trafficking of ammunition, firearms and explosives. What? In a country where the Chavez name is already pretty much untouchable from even the cartel, like anybody, like Chavez is such a legend, no one gets around him. Why would you involve yourself with something like this? I don't know. But hold on to that organized crime because. Well, matter of fact, we'll just look at it now. I didn't realize because I did a 17 hour live stream the other day. I didn't realize that I actually knew this information already. This is me and my girlfriend Chloe watching the walkout of Chavez Jr. On Saturday and hearing what I think it was Todd Grisham and the Zone announce team said about him as he's walking out. Listen.
Rick Jervis
Damn, Chavez.
Jeff Perlman
Yeah, Todd. Todd just ran down. Tear out his dirty laundry, why don't you? Big time. That man said he last year got arrested on a weapons charge. I didn't even know that. So again, I knew that Chavez was having issues with the law in the past and, you know, had his drug issues. I didn't know he just got arrested on a weapons charge the year before. And I definitely didn't know that he was in some way linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. But the Zone announced it on the broadcast. I don't know if that's something like inadvertently triggered the Department of Homeland Security to be like, oh, he's in the country, we need to go get him, or just the fight itself. Being in America was like part of that. But I'm pretty sure Chavez was already living in America. I don't know, but this is just insane to think that this boxing match potentially was a massive part of the reason he has now been, you know, detained and is going to be removed from the United States on, you know, active weapons charges. So we keep reading. In August 2023, he entered the country legally with a B2 tourist visa that was valid until February 2024. Chavez is also believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated foreign terrorist organization. ICE arrested Chavez in Studio City, California on July 2nd. So, yeah, Chavez, I guess is living in LA. So they arrest him and that says on April 2nd, 2024, Chavez filed application for lawful permanent resident status. Chavez application was based on his marriage to a US Citizen who is connected to the Sinaloa cartel through a prior relationship with the now deceased son of the infamous cartel leader, Joaquin El chapo Guzman. Chavez Jr. Is married to the former wife of El Chapo's son. Oh, no, bro. Oh, God. Dude. Again, I just keep thinking maybe they made a mistake. Maybe Chavez, like, is is being mistaken for somebody else or. It's not that. I don't know how serious this is, but he has a weapons charge and he's married. Not to say this is connected, but the lady is a US citizen, so she's also the former wife of the son of the most famous cartel leader ever, potentially in the world. I did not know any of this leading into this, right now, this moment. This is crazy. On December 17, US Citizenship and Immigration Services made a referral to ICE that Chavez is an egregious public safety threat. However, in a DHS law enforcement system under Biden administration indicated Chavez was not an immigration enforcement priority. Then on January 4, 2025, the Biden administration allowed Chavez to re enter the country and paroled him into the country at the San Yestero port of entry following multiple fraudulent statements on his application to become a lawful permanent residential. He was determined to be in the country illegally and removable on June 27, 2025. This is a day before his fight. So hold on, they were tracking Chavez Jr. I guess after multiple fraudulent statements on an application for permanent lawful residentship. And then the day before he's going to fight Jake Paul. I guess they determine he's here illegally. Imagine if they found him that day or the day he was going to fight. Fight. How insane this would have been. Like he's wrapping up, getting ready, and here comes Ice. Ice. Ice baby freaking walks in and snatches Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. And dips. That would have been insane. Now again, they get to him on July 2, which was yesterday at the time of recording this, so he's now been removed. But this is all. I mean, it happened super quick. This Caloa cartel affiliate with an active arrest warrant for trafficking guns, ammunition and explosives was arrested by ice. Again, I need to know where this charge is, because this is insane. How is he. He's trafficking in the country illegal guns, ammunition and explosives. Does that mean like he brought them across the border or he has illegal weaponry that they assume is not made in the United States or they found out is not made here. Like what? How did he get charged with that? It is shocking. The previous administration flagged this criminal alien as a public safety threat, but chose not to Prioritize his removal and let him leave and come back into the country. Ok, so they're saying that the Biden administration said he was a public safety threat, then allowed him to leave and come back while having that information or having that, you know, categorization about him. Public safety threat. That's crazy. Under President Trump, no one is above the law, including world famous athletes. Our message to any cartel affiliates in the USA is clear. We will find you and you will face consequences. The days of unchecked cartel violence are over. Yeah, I wonder how much of this too is like a massive name being attached in some way to the cartel. Is this like more of the DHS sending a message? Because Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Is the son of a world famous boxer. He did just fight in front of how many thousands of people watching in the Honda center in California and you know, probably hundred, thousands, millions worldwide, who knows? But still he can be caught. Which I guess is again more of a message to say, hey, you may not be this world famous athlete, but if you have any affiliations to any cartel, we're going to catch you. Okay, so here's the rap sheet they say below. January 22, 2012, California Highway Patrol arrested Chavez and charged him with a dui, alcohol and drugs and driving without a license. He served 13 days in jail, 36 months probation. On January 14, 2023, District Judge issued an arrest warrant for Chavez for the offense of organized crime for the purpose of committing crimes of weapons trafficking and manufacturing crimes in the modality of those who participate in clandestine bringing weapons, ammunition, cartridges, explosives into the country and those who manufacture weapons, ammunition, cartridges and explosives without the corresponding permit. So if this is to believe Chavez was sneaking weapons over the border, this is what I'm trying to gather my brain around. They're saying that he was participating in bringing weapons, ammunition, cartridges and explosives into the country or manufacturing weapons, ammunition and cartridges and explosives without corresponding permits. So either he was bringing them in or manufacturing them here, or maybe both, or participating in such with the purpose of. This is nuts. Chavez Jr. Is a weapons runner for the cartel is what I'm reading. I don't know if that's true, I don't know what the extent of it is, but I am reading that he is a weapons runner for the Sinaloa cartel. I'm not laughing at him, I'm laughing at the unbelievability of what I'm reading. Not because it's, you know, it's, it's so far fetched, but just because I'm learning It all at once here. On January 7, 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Chavez and charged him with illegal possession of any assault weapon and manufacture or import short barreled rifle. The court convicted Chavez of these charges. So what? He had a sawed off shotgun? Alright folks, well more breaking news on this story. I kind of thought I'd covered everything, but we now have footage of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Being arrested or detained or whatever the verbiage is by ice. It just hit the web. So let's take a look at this again. This is in Studio City, Los Angeles, California. Oh my God, he has an MVP hat on. Oh no. Most valuable. Jeez, you do the gloves on if you want me to. He has pockets in the front of the jacket. Obviously they're searching him and remember they would, you know, they got, they have to search him if they're arresting him too. Right, but you know, he, his previous charges have been weapons charges. So you just want to be careful, obviously. But again, this whole thing is insane, man. Just days ago, fighting in the main event in the Honda center. Now being arrested by agents of ICE and soon to be deported back to Mexico. Facing weapons charges from Mexico, having a gun charge here in the United States, possessing a illegal firearm, a ghost gun I guess they're calling it. All of this happening again as I'm speaking to you guys. So the news keeps pouring in, but had to interject and show you guys. We do now have the video of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Being arrested by ICE. This is real, this is happening and it's absolutely insane. Now let's get back into the video for more detail on what's going on. All right, so this was a report on January 9, 2024, because I've seen all the reports today happening, but this one was from way back in 2024. Chavez Jr. Arrested for ghost gun in LA, illegal weapons possession. Chavez Jr. Was arrested for illegal possession of assault rifle this weekend in Los Angeles after cops were called to the scene by a concerned fan who believed the boxer may be a danger to himself or others. Okay. He was taken into custody by LAPD around 130 after Chavez Jr permitted responding officers to enter his home where they located the illegal rifle. Law enforcement sources told us the weapon was an untraceable ghost gun. Chavez was ultimately transported to the Valley Jail in Van Nuys. All right, so let's. Again, I'm not, I'm not familiar. Ghost gun. So this is what a ghost gun is. Ghost guns are unserialized, therefore untraceable. Firearms that are put together by components purchased either as a kit or separate pieces. These firearms, fully functioning guns that are as lethal as fully finished serialized firearms. These parts and kits have long been intentionally marked as unregulated and untraceable to appeal to those who seek to use them in crime. So essentially Chavez Jr. Was arrested on in January 2024 with a ghost gun, an unserialized gun that was apparently a short barrel rifle. You have to think potentially, I don't know, we talking AR15s here, we talking something even more lethal like a fully automatic. Who know? But then before that you have January 14, 2023, a district judge issued, issued an arrest warrant for Chavez for the offense of organized crime for the purpose of committing crimes of weapons trafficking, manufacturing crimes and the modality of those who participate bringing weapons, ammunition, cartridges and explosives into the country. So a year prior they issued an arrest warrant for him, I guess on suspicion of trafficking firearms. And then they find one of them a year later in his possession. This is nuts. I mean, the news is breaking as I'm recording, so I don't know how much more I'm going to get details on. This is a rough weekend for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. And then we have the Ring magazine reporting right here. Listen, this is not just, you know, Jake Paul fighting another boxer. He fought an organized crime member apparently, allegedly. I don't know again how close the affiliation is from Chavez Jr. To the actual Sinaloa cartel, which again, if you don't know, one of the most famous, if not the most famous cartel in the history of Mexico. It's like overnight. We just got a backstory of Chavez Jr. I had no idea about. How long has Chavez been again, a legend, allegedly a weapons runner for a foreign terrorist organization. And what all does this entail? How deep does this story actually go? Because even in these, this, this, this article kind of lists out everything that he's been, you know, either charged for or arrest warrants been made for or detained for, whatever. This can't tell the whole story because it's been going on apparently for the last two years, close to three. Now this, I feel like this is just scratching the surface. There's got to be more here. But regardless, it seems like Chavez Jr. Is going to be removed from the country and any chance of him becoming a lawful permanent resident probably has gone out the window. Any chance of him boxing here in America probably goes out the window from now on. And yeah, this is just, it's crazy. I don't know how serious this thing's going to be, but it sounds pretty serious. Sounds like Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Might have had the worst 10 day stretch of luck and all the consequences of his actions, I guess, coming to fruition at once, I don't really know. But that's probably one of the worst runs I've ever seen for 10 days in the high level sports world, maybe ever. That's tough. And it's kind of a sad story too because we've always looked at Chavez Jr. As a guy that, you know, maybe was a bit of a disappointment of a fighter because of the ability his dad had and because the ability Junior had and just never panned out to be what talent level he should have been in most people's eyes. But even when you have all the advantages, even when you have the upbringing, even when you have all the gifts in life to live a life that's not one of, of struggle or, you know, having to do things in the criminal world because you have an upbringing that allows you to be away from it, you still get stories like this where Chavez Jr has affiliated himself, whether loosely or very tightly, one of the most prolific cartels in the history of, of mankind in the Sinaloa Cartel. And then the weapons charges and everything else. Sad story, man. We'll see what happens with this story going forward and, and how much of it continues to unravel. But once again, apparent affiliate of the Sinaloa cartel with an active criminal arrest warrant. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Not just son of a legend and son of the greatest Mexican boxer ever, but apparently affiliate of the Sinaloa cartel and someone with an active criminal arrest warrant. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Has been removed from the country by the Department of Homeland Security. What happens next for him? I mean, I think he's probably not going to be boxing anytime soon, but I don't have those answers, so guess we'll find out. All right, so we are back on the way concept presented by the Ring. And today I have one of the weirdest yet most awesome things potentially that I could talk about on this channel. We live in such an odd timeline in 2025 where on one hand we are on the 4th of July watching Joey Chestnut stuff 70 and a half hot dogs down his gullet whilst there is chaos all across the world and politically here in America, it's turmoil. It feels like every day something that either great for your side of the political aisle comes out or terrible and you want to just pull your hair out in the same sentence where foreign affairs are all over the place and it seems like at any moment, World War Three could potentially happen. And yet today, or I guess yesterday, we got the announcement that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, would like to hold a America's 250th birthday celebration next year, 2026, on the Fourth of July, because it will be the 250th anniversary of independence Day here in America. He would like to hold a UFC event on the front lawn of the White House. And just as that was announced, two of the UFC's biggest names that have most recently either retired, in the case of Jon Jones literally two weeks ago, or been mia. And I'm not talking about Miami, at least this time, for one, Conor McGregor piped up and said, yes, please, I would love to be a part of that. While Dana White seemingly confirmed that he wants to do it as well. This really may be happening, and it may have just brought Jon Jones back to the Sport less than two weeks after he retired, and brought Conor McGregor back to the octagon for the first time in three years. What do I mean? The breakdown. Let's go. So, yeah, I'm just gonna start with the video that. That started this whole thing. Here's Donald Trump talking about celebrating the United States 250th anniversary with a UFC event. I even think we're going to have a UFC fight. We're going to have. Does anybody watch ufc? The great Dana World. We're going to have a UFC fight. We're going to have a UFC fight. Think of this.
Shakur Stevenson
On the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.
Jeff Perlman
We're going to build a little.
Shakur Stevenson
We're not. Daniel's going to do it.
Jeff Perlman
Daniel's great. One of a kind.
Shakur Stevenson
Can have a UFC fight, championship fight.
Jeff Perlman
Full fight, like 20, 25,000 people.
Shakur Stevenson
And we're going to do that as part of 250.
Jeff Perlman
Also, here's the thing. I don't care what side of the political aisle you're on. To me, this is pretty awesome. Now, again, I'm not one to get super political here. And I saw people talking about, oh, this is political. And Dana White says he's not political. I don't even look at this as a political issue. I look at this as the President of the United States using a sport that he likes to showcase how great America is in 2025. Well, 2026, when it'll happen, and politically motivated or not, is something I think goes well with the idea of what America is A. Is in one hand, so beautiful and unique and in the other completely chaotic and almost cartoon like, in a way. And again, I love we can have a fight on the grounds of the White House in front of 25,000 people. This is awesome to me. And it seems like it's not just, you know, cannon fodder here from Donald Trump because Dana White is reposting it. Dana White reposted it on his Instagram. The UFC retweeting it on their Twitter. This doesn't seem like just a ha, ha, great, funny moment there, Trump. We're going to move on and act like you didn't say that. It seems like, oh, hey, well, maybe this could potentially be a real thing. And as soon as that became a real thing. And we're going to focus mainly on Jon Jones in this video. But it does need to be said that Conor McGregor has been the most vocal fighter about potentially being on this card. As he tweeted, happy fourth of July, usa. Excited President Trump announcing a UFC fight event at the White House. I would love to be honored. Count me in. I would be honored. Excuse me. Count me in. And then there's a picture of him and Donald Trump. You know, he just. He just looks like he is Dennis the Menace in real form, man. Conor just always looks like he's up to some weird, sadistic shit. And then someone asked, grok, will Conor be at the White House? Conor's expressed strong interest in fighting at the White House. And then Conor, quote, tweets it with a direct message, two of which to Dana White. And then Dana responds, I love it. So, again, you can see Conor, the only place where disputes truly get settled, the White House, where Conor is yet again goading Michael Chandler into a fight. And I feel like we should put the Titanic meme up because it's been 40 years, it feels like since Conor and Michael Chandler decided they were going to fight each other, I'm pretty sure this is supposed to be AI Trump in the background and both of them facing off on the grounds of the White House. Jesus. And then we have Connor Tweeting once again, 4th of July next year is a Saturday regarding President Trump's UFC White House of it. I will be reigning president of Ireland just under one year. When I step out on the lawns of the White House to throw down epic proportions, or as I like to call it, Tuesday at the office, vote McGregor. I highly doubt that Conor McGregor is going to be the next president of Ireland, but I have no idea about politics over there, just as much as I don't really know about politics here. Regardless, Conor is fired up. I have not seen Conor this fired up about a fight since Dustin Poirier 2 and 3. Honestly, he wasn't even this fired up about fighting Michael Chandler while he was coaching against him on the Ultimate Fighter. Like this has gotten Conor's attention and you can see clearly when he's invested versus when he isn't. Now what I like for Conor McGregor to main event a UFC White House event. Sure, why not? That's awesome. It would be historic for the ufc. It'd be awesome for the sport of mma. Again people are going to cry on Twitter about it being political. I don't really give a It's an awesome event in a wacky world that already is mma. I mean, let's be honest, this sport is not some buttoned up, bureaucratic white collar sport. And that was kind of the reason people didn't like boxing for the longest time is because it felt too rigid and the high class, kind of bourgeois nature of the sport turn people off. MMA has never done that. It's a fighters fighter sport. It's a fan favorite sport. It's a wacky world they live in. So I think this would be an awesome event and Conor clearly is fired up. But the bigger story here is Jon Jones because why we'll see Conor tweet about wanting to fight here and the pictures of Michael Chandler and all that. On the other side we have Jon Jones who piped up about this fight card and wanting to be a part of it, where he said fighting at the White House with the eyeball emojis. And then he also tweeted, this is from ESPN mma. Jon Jones posted this on his social media less than two weeks after announcing his retirement from mma. John said just re entered the testing pool that lasted for about two weeks. Figured we keep everyone's options open now. Again, it's one thing if you're Conor McGregor to tweet about wanting to fight at this as of right now, potential UFC White House event July 4, 2026. But it's another thing if you're Jon Jones to enter the testing pool two weeks or less than two weeks after you've retired and given up your heavyweight championship belt to potentially fight at this event or maybe before that. And I'm not saying that either guy is going to fight in this event or at all. This could just be, hey, I'm bored on social media on the fourth of July. And John's case, probably because no one wants to hang out with him because when they get too drunk he acts Like a complete psycho and endangers people. And for Connor's case they also. Well, yeah, that's probably for both guys to be honest. But if John really is re entering the testing pool, this opens up the idea of potential super fights for Jon Jones. Because the one thing that I think everyone had asked about Jon Jones and from Jon Jones when he was stalling the heavyweight division and holding onto the belt, was that Jon drop the belt if he wanted to do super fights and have Tom Aspinall become your undisputed heavyweight champion. And for the longest time that's what drove people away from the Jon Jones show. At least one of the things on top of the many other things we've talked about in John's past, his allegations, the things he actually did, the peds, all now you don't have that obstacle. And I wonder, and I want to ask you guys, would you be more interested in watching a Jon Jones fight now that he's not holding up the heavyweight division? Would you be more interested in a potential super fight for Jon Jones if he's not holding up the division? Could it be Tom Aspinall? Sure. Let's say Tom Aspinall goes and beats Cyril Gone, who's most likely going to be next for him and then Jon is there waiting for the actual undisputed champion in Tom Aspinall. Maybe that's the case. Or maybe John wants a super fight with an incoming heavyweight, Alex Pereira Poatan. Not saying that's even plausible right now because it seems like Pereira wants to have his rematch versus Magabet on Goliath. The point is, if that fight is there a year from now in 2026 after Poatan does his business at light heavyweight, would you be interested in that fight? Because I certainly would. I think it's an interesting fight for Jon Jones and one that if he doesn't want to fight, Tom Aspinall keeps him away from doing that whilst also allowing us to keep the heavyweight division moving. And Poatan John is a one off Superfund. Let's say a year from now, Dana White finds a way to make peace with Francis Ngannou. I think he only has one fight left on his PFL deal, maybe two, I don't really know. Regardless, let's see if that potentially could happen because Francis walking right back into the heavyweight division, sure him versus Tom Aspinall would be massive as the fight that probably most people would want. Francis never lost his belt officially. Tom, if he's still the champion at that point, which I assume he will be. That would be a fight to make, but also potentially a super fight there for Jon Jones as well. What I'm trying to say is this opens up options for Jon Jones. If he's truly not having any interest in fighting Tom Aspen, all that would be disappointing for sure. And honestly, the most interesting fight that you can make for Jon Jones right now is the one that's been avoided like the plague, but now does have a bit of a different dynamic. Should Tom Aspinall go and get two or three more wins at heavyweight the rest of this year, in the first part of next year, all of a sudden Tom Aspinall becomes not only a viable heavyweight champion, but one that is kind of the big draw for Jon Jones. The one thing that John has said, Tom isn't, he's here today, gone tomorrow. He's not a big draw. He's not going to be remembered. If Tom gets a couple of those wins, all of a sudden he has a lot of those attributes that John would be looking for in a heavyweight fight. The number goes up. It's at a historic event. Maybe that's the final straw that pulls Jon Jones into a Tom Aspinall fight. Regardless, I love that fight. I love that idea. And I think it's more, honestly, right now more of a reality for John to fight than even Conor McGregor. As much as he's saying, I want to do it, I want to do it. Conor's talking about also running for office in Ireland. Do you really think, if he's truly honest and serious about that, that Conor McGregor can both balance being a UFC fighter and trying to run for political office in Ireland? The answer is no, because right now Conor McGregor can't even balance on his yacht while the waves come in, while also being a part owner of BKFC and then seriously trying to fight. None of these things are working as it is. If Conor's actually trying to run for political office, it's going to not work even more. Like, if this is the only thing driving Conor's passion for fighting, sure, okay, like, I'm down if you want to do that as the main event, but I'm throwing more cold water on that than I have to do after a dream I've had about the Chloe concept. The point is, if I'm going to pick between John and Conor on this, I'll call it fictitious White House event that Donald Trump is potentially creating, I think John's more likely to fight. I'll be honest with you. He doesn't have the money. Conor has, doesn't have the opportunities outside of fighting that Conor has. Quite frankly, John's a better fighter even now at his age than Conor was at a division that if he comes back, there's one real threat to him in Tom Aspinall. And if he's able to do that, Jon goes down, if he isn't already the greatest ever, he will go down as the greatest fighter to have ever lived. So as much as everybody is going to say, please, Jon, stay retired, stay retired, stay retired, I'm going to go the opposite way here and say, nah, I want to see it. I can't lie. I want to see. I want to see this event, give a shit how many people cry about it being political and all this other stuff. It's cool. To me, it's a pretty sick way to celebrate America. And even if it is political, if you're telling me that that's what it takes is President Trump to say, hey, we're going to do an event on the grounds of the White House to get two of the biggest names in MMA to come back and actually fight, I'm sold. And as much as you guys are probably going to complain about me saying that, you will watch it too, and you're lying to yourself. If you're going to sit there and say you won't bullshit before you get on your high horse and talk about how this isn't needed, or we don't want John or we don't want Conor, or it's all political and it's this and that. Y' all are the same people that are complaining that the UFC is watered down, they don't do enough unique stuff, that they aren't trying to innovate and that they've lost their fastball. You cannot sit there with a straight face and tell me that if the UFC puts on an event at the White House for 25,000 on the front lawn and get either Conor McGregor or Jon Jones, potentially in some wacky world, both of them on the card, lace it up with American fighters, championship bouts throughout, and put on one of the most unique cards that's ever been made that you wouldn't watch or that it wouldn't pump you up just a little bit, because that is something the sport is lacking. Not every event needing to be at the White House, but just something unique and fresh and a little wacky. Yeah, I'll say it. I think if the right fights can be made, Connor and Michael Chandler still is a fight that, to me makes sense, John versus potentially, really any super fight, to me, Makes sense, sure, okay, Tom Aspinall should be the one. But if it isn't that we're talking about a year from now, maybe the UFC can be find a way to get Francis Ngannou back in, or let's see what happens with Poeton at light heavyweight. Either way, I think this is sick. And if this was the final straw to get John to come out of retirement or to rethink retirement and to get Conor McGregor some passion back into the sport, then you have the answer for what's lacking in MMA right now, from the fan perspective, from the company perspective, and from the fighter perspective. And no, to me, at least it's not the love for Donald Trump and the Trump Glaze Fest or whatever it is that you guys are going to complain about in the comments. It is something unique that fighters have never done, that they never have imagined that makes them go, you know what I don't want to miss being on that card. You know what I don't want to miss? Being a part of history. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what will bring your big stars back and hopefully in front of the eyes of the nation of the United States, obviously, and hopefully the rest of the world can create new stars for you. But again, everything's hypothetical. I don't know if this is even going to happen. I'm just giving you my thoughts on the news as it comes out. Is this Donald Trump UFC White House event plausible? Yeah, sure. Is it possible? Maybe. Will it happen? And is Jon Jones really unretired? Is he really coming back to the sport? And is Conor McGregor actually going to fight on this plausible possible card whilst being the president of Ireland? I know it sounds wacky and quite frankly, I'm not sure I believe anything of it, but I don't have those answers. So one year from today in the good old US of A, on the grounds of the White House, it's possible that we have an event like no other. What happens then? Who headlines who is on this card? Don't have those answers, so guess we'll find out. All right, so we are back the way concept presented by the Ring and today Tyson Fury is back in the sport of boxing and apparently he wants to fight Alexander Usyk. And he's not the only one that wants to that. In fact, the man himself, he Turkey Allah Shake is hinting that he potentially wants that. And I, I got a different idea. What do I mean? The breakdown, let's go as of this was July 2nd couple days ago. By the way, happy 4th of July to all My Americans out there. Because I do think this is the greatest country on earth. And yeah, happy birthday, America. But two days ago, this report came out from the Ring magazine says Tyson Fury is set to come out of retirement and return to boxing in 2020. 2026. Turk Elisha has confirmed. Before we go into what Turkey said, is anybody surprised by this? The answer is no. Everybody knows that Tyson Fury probably wasn't retired when he did and that he's done this before. Retired for a bit, come out of retirement, made people think he was done with the sport, then blatantly tells people that he can't beat him with the sport, that he's addicted to boxing, that he trains every day, that he's sparring three times a week without fighting. This guy loves this sport. He's still relatively young, and he's in the heavyweight division, where careers last longer than most sitcoms on American television. Yes, I'm looking at you, Grey's Anatomy. It's time to hang it the up. But the point is, Tyson Fury is back. And according to he, and as we'll see in a second, according to Tyson Fury, he wants the Usyk trilogy. And it's not just Tyson that wants the Usyk trilogy. It's Turkiella Shaykh. Like he said, quote, I talked with him and I have his word to have him in Riyadh season in 2026. We have a rabbit to hunt. And for those that know, Tyson Fury has referred to Alexander Usyk as the rabbit. And funny enough, Usyk has kind of embraced the rabbit with the rabbit's foot and the whole thing, kind of embracing Dyson Fury, trying to make fun of him, but he kind of flipped it on him and also flipped two fights on Tyson Fury going two and oh, against the Gypsy King. So I don't know if there's much of a need for a third fight other than, you know, the potential eyeballs that are going to be on it. But I will counter you with a fight that I think is even more popular. I think a fight that may even be being set up by His Excellency Turkiella Shake. But I don't know any of this. I just think instead of Tyson Fury going and getting the third fight with Oleksandr Usyk, barring a win From Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois on July 19, why not do Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua? This fight makes all the sense in the world. Both of them have losses, two losses to Alexander Usyk. Both of them have faced points in their careers now where It's a bit of a turning point, right? If Tyson goes into the Usyk fight and loses a third time, does his drawing power diminish? Anthony Joshua just lost to Daniel Dubois, took a long time off the sport. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua was the one fight that got away. It was the one fight we never got. For years and years we talked about this thing and it just makes all the sense in the world to do it right now. And again, this is just conspiracy theory. Wade here, you might as well put the tinfoil hat on me, but I feel like Turkey Ala Sheikh is being a little too on the nose with saying we have a rabbit to hunt. Because again, think about it this way. Yes, he's talking about 20, 26, and that's far and away enough time for if Usyk does beat Dubois, which, you know, we'll see Dubois on a hot streak right now, maybe he can switch things up. I don't think that was a low blow he hit him with in the first fight. Regardless, that would be far and away enough time, almost a year plus to do the fight in Riyadh season. But what if that isn't the fight they're playing? What if they actually are trying to get Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury together because it makes all the sense in the world and because neither of the guys have a fight lined up. I would argue that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua would do more in pay per view, more in revenue, more eyeballs, and in some ways be more important for both fighters right now. And even Tyson Fury challenging for the heavyweight belt for the third time. And you can give me the argument that Tyson Fury was close to winning the first fight and did well in the second fight as well. And I. I'm not going to disagree with you. It was a very close fight in the first and in the first part of the second fight, in the first half of the fight, I thought it was a close fight as well. Before Usyk in both fights put his foot on the pedal and eventually ran away with it like a rabbit. And obviously we can remember Tyson Fury did not think he lost the second fight. Do you think that's good? Truthfully, I thought it was dead title. I thought he was gonna get it.
Rick Jervis
If I'm honest. I swear to God, I thought I.
Jeff Perlman
Won it my only three rounds. Bust a fighting front foot on. And I was. That was him talking to his former trainer, Ben Davidson. I did not think Tyson Fury was as close in the second fight as he was in the first. Even after getting rocked in the first fight. I still thought he was closer in that one. So I guess in my mind, just my opinion, I don't know what would be different this time around. Tyson seems to think that he was robbed in the second fight and that if he did it in England it would be different. I don't know if that's the case and even if it is the case, Turkey Al Shaykh is saying that I have his word to have him in riyadh season in 2026. Now again, I could just be misreading that as a Riyadh season branded event taking place in England. But that seems to me like Turki Alishake wants to fight back in Saudi Arabia. So I don't know what would be different the third time around other than the fact that Tyson may train a little differently and it may be tough to beat a guy three times. Point is, I just, I don't know. Doesn't seem like the fight that makes the most sense. And Turki Alishek is known so far from making the fights we want to see within his power, right. He has made The Bivol better Bev 1 and 2 he has made Tyson Fury Usyk. He's made big fight after big fight. So I just don't know if this is a little bit of misdirection from Turkey or maybe it is just, just right on the nose. But regardless, I think the fight that I would want to see more, to be honest, is Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. But again, you also have to give Tyson a reason to come out of retirement whether people want to see the third fight or not. Tyson surely wants to have a third shot at the bel would think. I think it probably means more to him than fighting Anthony Joshua for no belt. But this is what Tyson Fury had to say regarding his comeback and why he wants to to come back to boxing.
Rick Jervis
I'm happy I've won everything I've had to do.
Jeff Perlman
Listen, my last fight was a clear victory for the Gypsy King. Incorrect. I, I, I don't know where he, he comes up with this idea. Listen, you could say this is a close fight. You can say that Tyson Fury fought well up until the fifth round, maybe into the sixth and seventh. But as we got into the seven through 12 rounds, this was completely one sided to Oleksandr Usyk. And quite frankly if you look back on the fight, and I know Compubox doesn't tell the entirety of the story, but if you just look back at punches thrown versus punches landed in this fight, Fury threw more, landed less Usyk Threw less, landed more, and he threw less while landing more round by round. And you can see his punch stats be deadly accurate from rounds pretty much 6 on 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. He's throwing 50% damn near in 8 through 12. And it's not just jabs or light punches. Over half of his punches were power punches, landed flush. So I, I just, I don't see where Fury gets this idea that he clearly won the second fight. He was clearly, in my mind, outboxed in the second fight, more so than even in the first. You could have the argument for the first fight potentially to Fury, and that would be more believable than him winning the second fight. So I don't know where he's deluded himself into thinking this was robbed from him, but point blank, period, he lost the second fight.
Rick Jervis
Anyone in boxing could see that.
Jeff Perlman
A complete load of dog. Yeah, political, whatever you want to call it. And Usyk's very experienced, by the way. We, we can't forget that in the ring. Tyson Fury said the reason, or at least paraphrased to say the reason that Usyk won the second fight was because there was a war going on in the Ukraine and they wanted to give him the win. That's the level of delusion we're talking about with Tyson Fury. Again, he's coming off for two, two.
Rick Jervis
Fights for me, which is debatable whether.
Jeff Perlman
He won them or not, which, he didn't win them, but he got the decision, which is all that matters.
Rick Jervis
If I was gonna come back, I'd come back for Usak, But I want.
Jeff Perlman
A fair result in England. Would he be the only fighter that you'd come back for? That would be the one on one immediately. That'd be the most fight that I want next. I only want a fair fight.
Rick Jervis
I don't want any favors.
Jeff Perlman
I want a fair fight, a fair us all, which I believe is. And I know I didn't. How did you score that second fight?
Rick Jervis
I thought I won it by five rounds.
Jeff Perlman
I've watched it. Tyson Fury thinks he won the second fight by five rounds. Which rounds? Genuinely like you. How you even argue that he won it by five rounds. There's no logical argument for that. I, I mean, again, it's Tyson Fury, he's talking out of his ass. But the other thing too is like Turkey, Alisha is clearly saying he wants Tyson to go rabbit hunting. He is saying we are going rabbit hunting is in Turkey. And Tyson, and let's not forget Turkey has been on the side of, of Tyson Fury when it comes to most of the fights, like he actively is, like, Tyson is going to beat Francis Ngannou. I'm sorry. Tyson gonna be Usyk. I'm sorry. And Tyson sitting here talking about political this, political that. That has no effect on him winning or losing. Clearly, if Turkey wanted him to be Usyk and Usyk beat him twice. That has nothing to do with any political anything. I don't know what he's talking about there, but, yeah, he did not win the second fight at all and let alone by five rounds, literally 250 times.
Rick Jervis
And each way, I never.
Jeff Perlman
250 times. He rewatched it 250 times forever. See, it was a way for him to win, but I know you can.
Rick Jervis
They can do what they want.
Jeff Perlman
If they say it's Tuesday, it's Tuesday.
Rick Jervis
I don't make excuses.
Jeff Perlman
On with the next thing. I don't make excuses. Except the reason that Usyk won is because there was a war going on in Ukraine. Never forget it. So anyway, here is more of Tyson talking about why he would want to fight Usyk right now.
Rick Jervis
Because I want me revenge in England.
Jeff Perlman
That's all I want. I want my fair shout.
Rick Jervis
And I don't believe in.
Jeff Perlman
I've got a fair shout the last.
Rick Jervis
Two times, so I don't know what.
Jeff Perlman
I'm gonna have to do because I.
Rick Jervis
Can'T really go to the decision or. Yeah, that's the one I want.
Jeff Perlman
But if I don't get that, then it'd be. Joshua, the biggest British fight that will ever happen.
Rick Jervis
And it would break.
Jeff Perlman
Yes, it would. Records and it would sell out 100,000 in an hour. Yep.
Rick Jervis
And it's a fight that I think can.
Jeff Perlman
Can happen for sure if.
Rick Jervis
If I decide to come back and.
Jeff Perlman
The deal's right, if I did come back, hypothetically speaking, that's the one, man. That is the one. And he says the reason why that's the one. Obviously, personally, to Tyson, it means more to grab the belt off Usyk. It means more to write the two losses, the only two losses of his career. It means more for that and I get it. But a hundred thousand people, the fight, the fans, and especially the UK fans, because let's be honest, right now, boxing is white hot in the uk, is more popular. It is got bigger stars right now in the UK than the US for the most part, outside of a couple names I can run through, and you guys would argue in the comments. But the point is, he's right. They would sell out Wembley. This would be one of, if not the Biggest fight in British boxing history. And it just makes all the sense in the world. Again, personally, I get it. For Tyson, it's a second option. But for the fans, for the sport, for the right matchups and where both guys are in their careers, this is the best matchup. This is the only matchup that makes sense for both guys right now. Coming off the losses they've come off of the guys that beat them fighting for the belt. And again, I know this is talking about a year from now, but still, for every reason he listed there, and he's right, this fight needs to happen. It would be more of a travesty to the sport if we don't get Tyson and aj, rather than us getting the trilogy between Tyson and Usyk by far, point blank period. And that should be the only reason, that's the only argument that I should have to make as to why that fight should happen. Because if we don't get it, it will be one of the greatest fights we never got. If we don't get Tyson Fury and Usyk for the third time, does it really matter? I think that's probably all I need to say about this. They're talking about Riyadh season 2026. It makes all the sense in the world to do it at Wembley. If they could book it, a hundred thousand people would definitely sell out whatever the number is at Wembley. 90,000 I've heard before, 100,000. But this one's a grudge but match. It doesn't even have to be for the best British boxer ever, because that's not the case. I think that title goes to Lennox Lewis. But for the modern era, this is one of those fights that if we don't get it, it, it will be a damn shame and it won't have that punctuation mark on either guy's career that it, that it really should have, right? Either guy retiring before we get that would be a disappointment, I think. And even to them to some degree, right? They've all made millions of dollars, they all have all the money in the world. But. But if they still have that fire about fighting, you know that both of them deep down inside have always looked across the aisle and said, I could beat that guy. I'm really the face of British boxing. And now both guys have an opportunity to prove. I think Anthony Joshua has done a lot more to keep his fan base strong and come back from adversity over the years. Whereas Tyson Fury has a strong fan base, don't get me wrong. But sometimes the way he acts and Kind of talks, he kind of fluctuates back and forth with him. Regardless, they both have massive fan bases, both have carried British boxing at points in their career, and both have been the face of British boxing. So I think it's just now time to settle. And then Tyson Fury also says this.
Rick Jervis
I was to return and I was to box Daniel Du Bar. You won't land the glove on me. It'd be a one sided beat down.
Jeff Perlman
But listen, I wish you luck in his fight against Usek. What styles make fights, you know what I mean? And his style and my style don't gel. I would absolutely annihilate it. I mean, that's great to say and all, but it's been a while since Tyson Fury had one of those you're not gonna lay a glove on me performance guys that were both good technically and weren't good technically. Everybody laid a glove on him since the Deontay Wilder fight. Deontay knocked him down and he rose up like the undertaker. Francis Ngannou, who had never had a boxing match before, hit him with a left hook and knocked him down. Usyk has touched him with the left hand and wobbled him, damn near sent him to the floor. I don't know if I believe anymore that Tyson Fury is as slick as potentially he was early in his career. That the guy that outboxed Vladimir Klitschko, I don't know if that guy is still in there. So I don't. I mean, again, that matchup, cool, but again, I'm just gonna put it out there. I think it would mean more if Tyson beats Anthony Joshua and then or Anthony Joshua beat Tyson. Regardless, the winner either fought Usyk, if he beats Daniel Dubois or in some fashion, there's some rematches that happen. Either way, it's a clear choice for me. Now, again, my opinion means nothing when it comes to what actually will happen. Am I glad that Tyson is talking about returning? Yeah, absolutely. Because when he's in the sport, it's better than when he's not. I mean, that's just. It's another massive heavyweight name. Yes, it comes with some. All right, we're going to have to Hear Tyson below V8 and sometimes downright lie about things that have happened to him and talk some absolute bollocks here and there. But eventually he will fight. And when he fights, he is entertaining to watch. He's one of the best fighters at heavyweight in the world. So yes, of course the sport is better with a minute. I just think the best fight, I think the most satisfying. I think the one the sport needs the most and the one that will live on through the history books regardless of who wins or loses, is Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua. That's the fight I think needs to happen. I hope that's the fight that does happen. And I'm not so sure that this tweet from Turki Alisha and the Ring magazine is not more window dressing. Maybe I'm wrong, but to be so blunt about having him just come back and fight Alexander Usyk, I think there may be a little bit more going on, especially hearing people like Eddie Hearn talking about how at all points, Turkiel Shake wants to make the biggest fights possible for the fans, for the sport. I think everybody in that circle knows, and really all over the world knows that at heavyweight there's no bigger fight even for a world title. Right now, I'm gonna put my name on that one. I'm gonna stamp that. I don't think there's a bigger fight at heavyweight, world title included or not, than Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. That's the fight that needs to be made. You disagree, let me know in the comments below or if you agree, let me know. Regardless what happens next for Tyson Fury, he's apparently out of retirement and back into boxing. I don't have those answers. I know what I want, but I don't have those answers. So guess we'll find out. When your car is making a strange noise, no matter what it is, you can't just pretend it's not happening.
Rick Jervis
That's an interesting sound.
Jeff Perlman
It's like your mental health. If you're struggling and feeling overwhelmed, it's important to do something about it. It can be as simple as talking to someone or just taking a deep call. Calming breath to ground yourself. Because once you start to address the problem, you can go so much further. The Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council have resources available for you at loveyourmindtoday.org I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season one, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Jeff Perelman.
Rick Jervis
And I'm Rick Jervis.
Jeff Perlman
We're journalists and hosts of the podcast Finding Sexy Sweat at an internship in 1993. We roomed with Reggie Payne, aspiring reporter and rapper who went by Sexy Sweat a couple years ago. We set out to find him, but in 2020 Reggie fell into a coma after police pinned him down and he never woke up. But then I see my son's not moving.
Rick Jervis
So we started digging and uncovered city.
Jeff Perlman
Officials bent on protecting their own Listen to finding Sexy Sweat on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're looking for another heavy podcast about trauma, this ain't it. This is for the ones who had to survive and still show up as brilliant, loud, soft and whole. The Unwanted Sorority is where Black women, femmes and gender expansive survivors of sexual violence rewrite the rules on healing, support and what happens after. And I'm your host and co president of this organization, Dr. Lea Tritate. Listen to the Unwanted Sorority. New episodes every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.
Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: THE W.A.D.E. Concept - WEEK IN REVIEW - Chavez Jr gets ARRESTED, Wade Interviews Berlanga & Shakur whilst Tyson Fury and Jon Jones COME OUT of Retirement?!?
Release Date: July 7, 2025
Hosts: Jeff Perlman & Rick Jervis
Produced By: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
The episode kicks off with Jeff Perlman and Rick Jervis diving into a whirlwind week in the sports world, highlighting major headlines and unexpected developments that have captured the audience's attention. The hosts set the stage for an action-packed discussion, promising in-depth analyses and exclusive interviews.
Timestamp: [35:37] – [35:55]
One of the most shocking revelations of the week is the arrest of Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by ICE on July 2, 2025. According to departmental reports, Chavez Jr., an affiliate of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, was detained in Studio City, California, for involvement in organized crime, including trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
Jeff Perlman [35:39]: "We all know that Chavez Jr. Has had his history with running in with the law and drugs and other things, but I did not expect this at all."
Timestamp: [20:05] – [34:01]
Shakur Stevenson, the WBC Lightweight World Champion, joins the hosts to discuss his upcoming fight against Hamza Shiraz. Stevenson's candid conversation reveals his mindset, preparation, and perspectives on the boxing industry.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
Shakur Stevenson [06:24]: "I want to show. I'm the best fighter in the sport of boxing and I will show."
Rick Jervis [14:46]: "He don't want to be in New York. Like, he want to be fighting in New York. Come on."
Timestamp: [29:10] – [54:25]
A groundbreaking announcement is made about a proposed UFC event to celebrate America's 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, at the White House's front lawn. The hosts explore the feasibility, potential matchups, and the involvement of high-profile fighters like Conor McGregor and Jon Jones.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
Conor McGregor [54:07]: "I would love to be honored. Count me in."
Jeff Perlman [77:08]: "I want to see this event, give a shit how many people cry about it being political... It is something unique that fighters have never done."
Timestamp: [54:25] – [80:34]
Tyson Fury announces his comeback to boxing, expressing a strong desire to engage in a trilogy fight against Alexander Usyk. The hosts analyze Fury's motivations, his relationship with the heavyweight division, and the potential implications for the sport.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
Tyson Fury [73:12]: "My last fight was a clear victory for the Gypsy King."
Jeff Perlman [75:09]: "I mean, again, it's Tyson Fury, he's talking out of his ass... I don't see where Fury gets this idea that he clearly won the second fight."
The hosts wrap up the episode by reflecting on the tumultuous events of the week, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the sports world. They reiterate the significance of the discussed topics and express anticipation for upcoming fights and events that could reshape the landscape of boxing and MMA.
Key Takeaways:
Closing Remarks: Jeff Perlman and Rick Jervis invite listeners to stay tuned for more updates and express their commitment to delivering insightful analyses on the ever-evolving world of sports.
Notable Overall Quotes:
Jeff Perlman [02:19]: "Folks, we are back on the way concept presented by the Ring magazine..."
Rick Jervis [20:05]: "A real man is a guy to take care of his family, take care of his moms, take care of his father..."
Shakur Stevenson [24:20]: "I'm the best fighter in the sport of boxing and I will show."
This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd provides a comprehensive overview of significant and sensational developments in the world of boxing and MMA, blending critical analysis with engaging interviews and discussions. Whether it's the unexpected legal troubles of a boxing star or the intriguing possibilities of unprecedented fight events, Jeff Perlman and Rick Jervis ensure listeners are well-informed and entertained.