THE 3 KNOCKDOWN RULE EPISODE 29 | DAY OF RECKONING | NAOYA INOUE | LAST EPISODE OF THE YEAR!

The Bout sheet for today…! We review Day of Reckoning card from Saudi Arabia and Naoya Inoue “The Monster” Vs Marlon Tapales Fight, also we discuss 2023 highlights and more.

Don’t call it a comeback! We are back to with our weekly programming; the three knockdown rule is now in effect! Join hosts Mario Lopez & Steve Kim for this action packed boxing show available on all major platforms. We are proud to be working with UFC Fight Pass. You can catch the show on UFC fight pass every Tuesday Night 5pm.

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Welcome to the three knockdown rule starring Mario Lopez and Steve Kim presented by Hustler Casino and UFC Fight Pass ladies and gentlemen the three knockdown rule on UFC fight passes in effect I’m Steve Kim joined by Mario cisc and eert Lopez more on that later camster good to see you quick

Shout out to to people who give us gifts on this holiday season my guy Charles right here from uh listens to us down in uh the valley in Mallen Texas got our first brass knuckles you know why we pack a punch we pack a punch buddy shout

Out to smok and Tim Frasier and of course on the edits right the bout sheet for this week’s program it was the Day of Reckoning in Saudi Arabia and unified once again is the monster the year-end review and ask Mario and final flurries but before we get started we want you to

Know this podcast is sponsored by Hustler Casino located just 15 minutes from downtown LA if you love poker now is the time to play in their high limit Crystal room for a $50,000 total giveaway this holiday season come check them out round one and we get started from

Riad Saudi Arabia it was a Day of Reckoning a lot of stuff happening your main event of the night Anthony Joshua with an impressive fifth round knockout over utto Vin while it’s upset City in the co-feature the best laid plans of mice and men Joseph Parker basically whitewashes the bronze bomber

Deontay Wilder putting their fight in March in Jeopardy more on that later Mario Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker between them had seven fights and I thought they were two of the sharpest fighters on this card can we say it again activity matters I think that’s the theme of

2023 and we saw that play out with most of the PBC fighters who unfortunately for them didn’t have such a stellar showing the last um few fights that especially that were very eventful the fighters that were busier look sharper therefore they were Victoria speaking of sharp that’s the sharpest I think

Anthony Josh would look uh in a while he was putting up some uh clips of him where he there was some thunderous punches in those pads and we know guys look can look great in the pads when they’re not hitting back but he was able

To um utilize that in the ring when it actually mattered and put that combo together when he hit OT wall in with that clean right hand and foll it up with that left hook oh and he didn’t go down which was very impressive but they did a good job of going upstairs

Downstairs Upstairs Downstairs he looked a little bit of old like the old Joshua that was was making a scene when he was making a run uh to his initial Heavyweight Championship it was the sharpest I’ve seen him looked and that was against a quality opponent he was an

Active guy in a tip of the hat to him I don’t want to transition too much over to the other fight yet with Deontay Wilder but you saw such a stark contrast of a guy who was active to your point and was able to really um put it

Together and and make it work for him to where Not only was he Victorious but he’s really kind of on the top of the mountain again got a lot of bu to another guy that looks like he’s just not there with his legs anymore he

Looked off was a beat off and I know we’re going to get into that later but Joshua looks like he’s got his mojo back and he looks like he’s the guy who he thought he was back in the day Anthony Joshua fought with command and presence and confidence controlled things from

The outside was too strong from the mid-range right hands to the body and Otto Wallin his arms were simply too short so he was always in a catch 22 that he had either dive all the way in or he’s going to get picked apart from the outside now let’s talk about Deontay

Wilder here’s the thing that got me from the very beginning he was circling that ring he was floating like a butterfly which did not allow him to sting like a bee and after the fight a noted trainer and I got to keep his name out of this because there’s a lot of politics

Involved told me a great point he said Steve when you are training Deontay Wilder and you’re going to set a game plan you have to understand he is a linear fighter in other words he’s got to be a railroad track straight line A to B control distance he’s not really

Good at setting his feet in a circular pattern and dancing and then pulling the trigger you’re much better off just understanding what he is he’s not going to dance he’s not going to box he’s not going to move he’s a puncher that has to come down hill point A to point B and

What’s interesting Mario the first round I said okay that’s a feel out round I get it he hasn’t fought in a while three minutes in about 24 months here’s the problem that became a feel out fight he looked like a guy he didn’t didn’t want

To get too close to that fire again to your point about activity whereas the flip side of that coin Joseph Parker look sharp another guy who looked better than ever very he was busy he had a few fights under his belt he’s a big guy I

Forget he’s a big big guy that’s some mowing in him you know I mean he he can really crack and he was not intimidated Kim and I think the fact that he was so active gave him a lot of confidence he went in there himself looking sharp

Really let his hands go mind you he was swinging for the fences for a couple of those what was it the fourth or sixth round where I thought Oh I thought he was going to take out but it was an exciting fight and what uh an upset and

Man will we ever see Wilder in Joshua well it took a little of the luster off a little a lot of the luster off I mean I mean the way Wilder fought it was more than just a loss wellon well here’s the thing here’s the thing aside from he

Didn’t look aside from not looking sharp he looked unsure of himself in there he looked I’m sure of himself he looked like the same guy going back to those videos that uh you’re able to to uh uh put together punches on the pads you don’t always transfer uh into the ring

And it it’s disappointing because I think he is good for the sport having such heavy hands he goes in there and sometimes he’ll he’ll knock out or sometimes he’ll he’ll be in good Wars with like Tyson so he is I think good for the sport but when he starts talking

About well you know I’ve made enough money and yeah and you’ve got you’ve got one foot out the door already and you’re already kind of leaning towards retirement I don’t think it bodess well for the future of him whether he decides to stay I think he’s already kind of

Mentally kind of checked out so tip of the hat to Joseph Parker did what he had to do and he looked really good um doing it I ask you a question had Andy Ruiz accepted the offer or they made a deal to fight that version of Wilder now there’s another guy that obviously

Hasn’t been in the ring that often but I think it would have been a competitive fight that I don’t know after seeing that maybe he had a a shot what do you think it would have been a 5050 fight I think so too but to take a quote and to

Paraphrase Michael Jordan you win none of the fights you don’t take you got to be in it to win it and here’s the thing I want to give a tip of the cat to Andy Lee the trainer for Joseph Parker they had a great game plan and there were

Still a few right hands that Wilder through that looked like a heat seeking missile and every single time Parker either slipped it rolled it ducked under it or just got out of the way but again that’s timing and precision people say boxing is a game of inches no it’s not

It’s a game of fraction of inches and you saw what timing and Rhythm and being in sync does and you get that from being busy and from staying sharp and for being active and I said this to Malik Scott back in March when I saw him and

It was at the brick house I said Malik you’re doing a lot of great work in the gym here’s the thing you guys need fights you could do all the drills all the practicing and even all the sparring but you get in there with real fights with 10o gloves no headgear live bullets

Think about a basketball player if all they ever did was shoot and do drills against the cone and do all these fancy slam dunks but if you don’t play basketball you can’t get better well even to to use along the lines of that analogy to your fraction of an inch

Think about it a guy that just hits in the batting cage until you see a live Arm coming at you real in a real game situation you’re not going to get used to that timing so it’s exactly it in a real fight situation you’re not going to

Get used to that timing and and uh the jittery movements and maybe the faints and stuff all that matters so I don’t care how much experience you have you still have to be in there playing your trade and and staying sharp so as far as the future for Deontay Wilder it’s a

Major monkey wrench uh for him in his future but like I said it sounds to me like he’s already got one foot out the door and you know what I’m not mad at it Deontay is who he is people were trying to say the best this and that generation

No he was a guy who was exciting who hit hard who made for fun fights he made managed to make a lot of money made a lot of money gave us three memorable fights with Fury and if that’s all it is then hey then I I I respect him for that

You know it’s that old line from Mickey after the statue ceremony in Rocky 3 when Mickey said I’m out of here and Mickey’s packing his bags and Rocky says where you going Mick the worst thing happened to you that can happen to a fighter yeah what that you got civilized

Exact civilized hey it’s hard I don’t know who was it was it Tyson or was it in a movie who said it’s hard to get up in the morning run at 5: when you’re sleeping in silk sheet I think Marvin Haggler made that famous I don’t know if

He came up with it also on this loaded card WBA light heavyweight champion Dimitri bival with a 12 round decision over Lyon Arthur and the Ring magazine Cruiserweight Champion jaai opaya zaps eloro in one then also another heavyweight action Daniel dubo with a 12 round knockout over jel big baby Miller

And aat cabel undressed as arsal be mmud off in four Mario Dimitri bival I think we’re big fans of his I think he’s unbelievably skilled he’s one of the greatest fencers that I’ve ever seen but this is what he is he’s that sports car that looks unbelievable that can do

Everything that modern technology will allow it’s fancy it does all the things but it just drives in the Middle Lane at 55 miles hour and it does not shift gears and it frustrates the heck out of you that’s what he is when you said fencing that’s exactly what he is he

I’ve never seen someone use the onew so effective he literally just throws onws but he throws him so damn well and he darts in and out so beautifully on his feet and he times you so well but he W twos you to death I don’t think I can

Count the number of hooks that he follows it up with um much less going to the body if he ever fought a little bit inside or added a couple of assets I mean added a couple of of wrinkles to his game but but it works for him and

He’s effective and he did beat him convincingly and he is one of the best boxers in the sport but you’re right it’s like almost he underachieves with his ability and it’s frustrating Mar you know it’s funny you say that about four or five years ago when there was the

Legends Boxing Gym near Downey California Rudy Hernandez who was there and a lot of Manny robless Fighters were there and for about a couple of months Demetri bival was there right as he became world champion and Rudy Hernandez has what Discerning IE go Steve I know

You like bival let me tell you something that’s maybe the best boxer in the world however he goes Steve he doesn’t even understand how good he is right and he said if he would add an uppercut to everything that he does and that’s what the announcement right and I listened to

A show called BDA boxing good friends of they’ve had me on the show and the guy by name of Jimmy call him Jimmy’s Corner used to call him to my old show that relation to Jimmy’s Corner no no but that’s what we named him after okay

Jimmy really knows his boxing he made a great point this weekend on one of their live streams he said he’s so good at the one two he’s never developed the three and the four and if you would just mix it up a little bit in terms of the

Cadence Rhythm and the variety that’s where people start to like be able to crowd and they are able to kind of cower but if they had a little bit more of a variety to his punches that’s where his fights get really really monotonous that lack of variety correct but it it’s one

Of those things that when you have success and it’s working for you right then why change it up right but it is frustrating because I’ve never seen someone be so effective with the same combination and you know it’s coming and you can’t stop it and you can’t stop it

He still he still does it so yeah I mean he like I said he’s one of the most talented fighters in the game but you feel underwhelmed yes so it’s a little frustrating on the table jaopaya had The Knockout of the weekend and I’m going to say this right

Now he’s the best Cruiserweight in the world not Jake Paul oh oh God he wouldn’t be Jake Paul’s sparring partner sparring partner here’s the thing about Jaya that concerns me the ibf tried to coers him into not taking this fight to take on a mandatory that was not ready

To fight so he said you know what I’m going to dump the belt I’m going to make money in Saudi Arabia here’s the problem he is so good and dangerous the other world champions could also now say well you’re not an official world champion so

This is going to be a test case for how important is the Ring magazine belt and if Saudi Arabia is willing to fund these events would these other Champions say you know what if you’re going to pay me three times more to face that guy who’s number one in the division by Ring

Magazine I’ll even dump my belt cuz when I look at opaya I I don’t know if he’s going to be avandel Holyfield or Alexander usyk cruiserweights that had great success at the next level but in my view he’s the best 200 pounder on the planet no I agree and I don’t think

Anybody’s rushing to beat him whether he can make that jump um remains to be seen but damn he looked impressive that night that was a hell of a knockout I mean just Just Bounce the guy and so we’ll see what happens to J opaya and and hopefully there’s an economic stimulus

Where Fighters say you know what damn your sanctioning bodies we don’t care about your mandates again again this is price fighting last I checked and if the money is good enough um let’s hope guys throw their hat into the ring against opaya also Daniel duah came into this

Fight with the reputation branded as a quitter I think psychologically this was a big win he had to overcome some early pressure from Big Baby Miller and he outlasted him was better than him sharper than him and he stopped him and Daniel duah is still in his early to mid

20s I would not count him out and arsam back MC mud off he’s a guy that looks like a Bond villain by the way before you move on that was very impressive especially considering the weight difference yes 100 lb basically dude 100 lb is leg that’s a whole person yeah for

Jel Miller and I like jel I used to call this fights on CBS Sports Jerel I still like you I have nothing against you but less is more you had the piano on your back after about the fourth round drop about 35 to 40 lbs if it’s not too late

It will actually help you yeah just because you can weigh whatever you want as a doesn’t mean you shouldn’t right also uh arsam back mmud off is one of these guys that looks like a character from The Game of Thrones he looks like a bond villain he looks like a monster

Here’s the thing about monsters they don’t like to get hit back and once cabael didn’t go anywhere and he started hitting him to the body the air got out of the balloon and you could literally see Mak muda’s body shape and his body language shrink so a big win for aat

Cabael all right when we come back on the three knockdown rule on UFC Fight Pass we talk about the monster in new way and everything else in the game of boxing welcome to the big leaks kid $1.2 million and I’m losing in this [ __ ] game what the [ __ ] this is a 400k flip

If by by you get 10 grand my [ __ ] Str for my fans i r it twice wow all in a call I’m [ __ ] leaving it up and we’re back on the three knockdown rule on UFC Fight Pass Steve Kim Mario Lopez hey ladies and gentlemen if you would like to get

Involved with the three knockdown Rule and sponsor our fine program we still have some slots available please reach out to us by emailing info@ box.io once again that’s info at boox bid. box.io is an online platform that is launching soon that helps public figures and Professionals in the world

Of boxing get sponsorships we are proudly working with Box bid. review preview all right Tuesday Morning from the aaki arena Japan bonai on ESPN plus your new Undisputed Junior featherweight champion of the world the monster Nao in a way with a 10 round knockout over the game tough rugged Marlin topalis Mario

There’s only two fighters in the world that can say they’re two Undisputed champions in separate divisions in the four belt era that’s Terence Crawford and the monster and those two fighters I think stand Head and Shoulders above everyone else right now when you’re when you start talking about pound-for-pound

Great in the sport I think there’s Inu and Crawford in that order by the way oh gap between everybody else and I say that not to take anything not to take anything away from Crawford because you know I love me Crawford and he made it and he ironically he probably had the

Event of the year or performance performance of the year but not fighter of the year if that makes any sense I agree with you that because I think ironically the activity mattered matters in that what he have a fought about three more times didn’t he uh in this

Last uh well he fought twice this year three in a 12 month period I’m saying in a 12 Monon period is what I’m talking about but but then also Crawford did fight avanessian in December so it’s only one fight but in the calendar year I mean by mathematical uh metrics he

Fought twice as much and caliber fighter when what he did with fton which we saw recently again was so impressive and fton was a guy who was undefeated a lot of people thought he was going to be too much for him and for anyway to go up yet

Another weight class and have a stoppage in the 10th round in impressive fashion now listen he got touched a little bit but it’s boxing it’s going to happen and I don’t think people understand is when you’re that much smaller um in these lower weight classes they’re generally a

Lot younger guys there’s a lot higher output those fists are flying a lot more frequently and you’re going to get touched a little bit more and tip of the hat to toal is my guy came very well prepared showed a lot of heart really tough started digging those hard shots

To the body caught inway with some solid shots in the chin and another thing about inway my iy could take a shot which we knew he could because he T he caught some with Donaire in their first fight but in this one he took some shots

And at and a heavier weight class and he still seem very sturdy he is so disciplined in the way that in his attacked we talked about how he’s so compact with his punches there’s no waste of energy or movement his feet are always in perfect position and he’s

Um always has such great balance he measures his distance so well and topalis changed his defense a little bit he started He adjusted to the shoulder roll but ended up with that high guard and he’s so powerful in your way with those big looping overhand rights it

Didn’t seem to matter with the guard CU he was busting right through him and slowly and methodically start started to break him down it was a really impressive performance and I thought the fact that he went up yet another weight class and had yet another stoppage okay

Again put the exclamation point for me that I think there should be no doubt about it that he is by far the fighter of the year year and right now pound-for-pound the best the best fighter we’ll get into that later I will give Tois credit cuz I thought he would

Be your generally very tough stereotypical hard-nosed Filipino fighter there’s no doubt about it left no stone John turn went after a pretty rough beginning in round four when a blistering combination from inway sent him down I’m thinking oh this ain’t going to this ain’t going to look good

But then the next three rounds I thought Talus made a very interesting adjustment he didn’t necessarily go into the Philly shell but the Filipino shell and the up jab started to give inway credit and inway again you have to make the adjustment off the adjustment I love the

Fact he started shooting the lead right and he’s looping it and he would double and triple it and then by the end of the eighth he started to rurn the tide and you could see he was starting to buzz him and you’re right those last two right hands he hit through the guard

Those things were partially blocked but the guy just crumbled it was like a wrecking ball just finally taking down the foundation of a building that’s the power and and and and any such a gentleman gave props to to palus for his Valiant effort and it was a good great

Showing I think his stock didn’t drop at all um after that and it’s funny because you start judging people by a curve right kind of like when Tyson was on that Terror and if you’re able to kind of Go the Distance then you start kind of gring a little bit judging a little

But that’s a sign of greatness of course will judge you that harshly absolutely but I think even inway said you know what I’m going to chill at 122 for a while I’m with that and I am notos to that and I think there’s some great

Fights to be made I’d love to see him and ner that’s a great that’s a fun little fight oh and the notorious Lou ner who was banned in Japan for some of his Antics and you got MJ we saw ner a havian yes T Armen kid we saw him

Here in La he’s good K he’s good now I think obviously anyway might be a little bit too much for him but that’s a great little fight and there’s some my point is there’s some good fights to be made still at 122 also one of his mandatories

Is a young man of Australia that’s kind of burst onto the season sudden Sam Goodman is another really good fighter here’s the thing that people I disagree with people when they say well he’s Undisputed he’s got nothing to prove he should move up immediately couple things number one come on he’s a 30-year-old

Guy who began his career at 108 so he’s a really small guy this is his fourth division that he’s won a World title I don’t know if you agree or disagree with you Mario but just because you collect all the belts in two fights if you don’t

Fight a few more solid contenders I think there’s a difference and again I know I’m cutting splitting hairs there’s a difference between being Undisputed and actually cleaning out a division cuz if you leave a division and there’s a couple of more really good former world champions or young hungry contenders

That you don’t fight I’m not so sure you really CL I’d actually like to see inaway bring out the broom clean it out there’s fights to be made at 22 has anyone ever discredited Marvin Haggler who stayed in middleweight his whole career whole career whole career no one

Was ever pressuring him or he didn’t succumb to any sort of pressure to move up to Super middle or light heavyweight if you’re the man then people should come to you and inway is by far um the man and like you said he’s genuine a little guy it not everyone is Manny

Pacquiao where you can jump up eight weight classes and still have he’s about the closest thing as a physical specimen with hand speed and power how about the legs and the legs the Trunks and the legs too that what I was telling you just last night to Pacquiao just with

The speed on his feet and his hands and he was able to carry that power all those weight classes any way is about the about the closest thing I’ve seen um since him but even that I think that’s still a lot of weight classes I look M I

Think 126 is probably the the ceiling eventually especially him being um 30 and there’s some great fights to be made there too but knock off the talk about the 135 and tank and this and that that knock that off that’s I just find it amazing there’s more pressure from

Certain fan bases for in a way to fight tank at 35 than there is for tank to fight guys like kin Haney and TFO Lopez and he’s fought it that way and by the way here’s the thing that’s interesting about inui this and we were watching highlights yesterday at your house on

Christmas day going through different highlights preparing for the show this is the first guy in Talis who’s actually the shorter guy uh in comparison to inaway I think that kind of actually played a role in some of the difficulty when you’re looking up at guys the other

Guy generally if they’re taller is an easier Target one thing Tolus did pretty well middle of the fight he started to get his head all the way back and he got into that slant stance and made it a little bit more difficult and but you

Look at in a way when people say he’s small I like to think it’s like when they said EMT Smith or Barry Sanders were small I said no they were short because if you look at their bottom half of their body the torque and the acceleration that they bring to the

Table is unreal right but I also said to you when we were watching that tape any anyway looks small compared to all his opponents and the ones before I was like wow he’s SM which makes it all that much more impressive that he’s able to have

Some so much power and take these guys out cuz all the fighters we saw him up against he looked like the smaller man uh in there yeah this was the one time ironically that he was a little bit taller but still he you could tell the the difference a little bit even in

Power toala again he’s tough man he showed a lot of grit and he really came to fight which made it uh which made it a lot of fun not to venture off too much but uh day after Christmas was it Rocky for Rocky had a fight on Christmas yes

Christmas day right yeah even though even though Paulie kept saying I’m going to miss the Rose Bowl I’m like Paulie Rose Bow’s New Year’s day bro big college football fan yeah but you know what Paulie it goes a little bit too much I kind of like those I wouldn’t

Mind if it was on Christ’s day I would go it’d be kind of fun well remember in um Japan they always have like a New Year’s Eve Show Champion I remember that but I’m talking Christmas day I just thought of Rocky for cuz I remember when

He fought him on Christmas Day how not post to that I think the first Rocky Apollo Creed fight was on Thanksgiving weekend was it on Thanksgiving weekend it was around that time you’re right it was it was around Christmas break though right because I was like yeah it could

Be considered a Christmas movie right paie threw the bird the bird bird out of here yeah it was yeah I think it was in December you’re exactly rightly was an angry drunk you know anyway that was the last really big major fight of 2023 as we wrap up the schedule Mario looking at

The year in review these are some of the things that kind of come to mind immediately are some of the big fights and the unification bouts that came to fruition Tia fima Lopez against Josh Taylor finally the long awaited battle between Errol Spence and Terence Crawford and then the the battle between

Tank uh Davis and Ryan Garcia that kind of stands out to me um when you think of 2023 what comes to mind those fights I was trying to think of the heavyweight Division and I think usyk still beating Joshua was a huge but I think that was last year was it bro

Because I have that’s I’m I’m racking my brain because everything’s fought once the Daniel duwa fight which may or may not was it last year K damn it’s like everything like blurs now as you get older well hit 50 dude and then fre your memory goes damn I couldn’t remember

Okay so the last one yeah those are the most the most notable I would also add uh Ben aidas uh who had a hell of a year I think his um his body of work in general he belongs on the very short list of fighters of the year not in the top but

He’s on he’s in the Mount Rushmore I think and I would even give him the nod over Devon Haney only because I still think it was a controversial victory over Loma and a lot of people thought he won and you can’t be in Fighter the year conversations with a controversial

Victory that’s just my opinion do you agree I don’t disagree look I thought at least half the people that saw that fight uh in late May believe that vasil lomachenko should have had his hand raised in Victory when you look at Terrence Crawford and in in a way their

Three fights combined it was absolutely conclusive and clear who the best guy was in that ring one last things we talk about this year though go back I forgot so you pound-for-pound you have in way over Crawford I do only because of the only because of the activity and again

Not to take anything away from Crawford cuz that’s my guy and um he I I just and I don’t know if it’s because he was maybe trying to position him himself for the Canelo sweep Stakes um I love that he wants that smoke obviously he wants that great

Payday that comes along with it but I just think he was inactive enough and one fight as great as it was you can’t compare that to a guy that just became Undisputed in two8 divisions but that’s just me I don’t disagree but keep this in mind and again I do believe that

Errol Spence may have not been the Errol Spence of 2018 again things happen uh but Errol Spence I believe if I am not mistaken coming into that b out was a top three or four pound-for-pound guy so when you say to yourself Steve uh who had the best Victory on paper in

20123 I would have said H the guy from Omaha no I no that’s what I said earlier I said individual performance one fight then yeah I would give it to Terence Crawford but fighter of the year is just that of the year so because of the

Activity fighter of the year I agree I I think it is of the year does that make fight of the Year Crawford over Spence or performance of the year you think performance okay fine oh yeah correct as a fight performance of the Year Crawford over Spence fighter of the Year meaning

His body work then I would go pound for pound I I still think it might be slightly Crawford 1A in a Way 1B and I’ll tell you why even now I believe bud is just a tad bit more slippery that’s just myew I think as opposed to in a way oh well

Look the only thing I would say is I feel the caliber of opponent that in a way fought and going up in weight classes cuz not to get meticulous you take full over Spence well not to get meticulous but this isn’t the Spence this is the same Spence that just got

Buzzed over ugas remember right there and it didn’t look like The Spence pre crash not I’m not trying to diminish Crawford at all but if we’re splitting hairs in comparisons the he fought a sharp fton that looked that a lot of people were starting to favor he shot fought a well

Prepared Tois all his guys were on point yeah it wasn’t a guy that had a devastating car wreck and that was touched up earlier in his fight we didn’t know if he was the same does that make sense I’m with you but I I still think again pound-for-pound is about on

This particular day time we’re talk one onea it’s not like there’s no incremental difference it’s incremental yeah minuscule and and and I get like I said they’re on their own tier than everybody else yeah there’s two classes those two and everybody else also I know people going to be giving out basic

Awards and you know I want to get too much into it cuz it gets monotonous but Mario when I think of best fight of the year I think we watched it yesterday at your house Rafa espanosa against rozu Ramirez had everything you wanted it had momentum shifts drama it had knockdowns

Guys getting off the canvas it had a dramatic ending and and I think just as importantly the judges got it right and it was an upset yes a big upset I agree as far as fight of the year the storyline was great you had a two-time Olympic gold medalist essentially in his

Hometown in the east coast you had this tough Mexican guy who is boxing well gets hurt like boom gets dropped really almost dropped twice in that same round comes back asserts himself it was back and forth action essentially even and creal had it even going into the 12 and

Then he drops um RIS it was it was for me the the fight of the year with the uh um the drama of the es in flow of the fight by the way I sent you a thing I’m really becoming a fan of Rafa because my

Guy can sing he’s a kuner he’s a he’s a renaissance man plays a guitar sings that was an original song I sent you that he wrote for his mom about winning the Championships and I was like all right I like this guy prey I mean he’s like a full well-rounded individual so

Tip of the hat to him and you know people going talk about the prospect of the year I know there’s going to be a lot of heat for ailano Vargas but you know what I think ailano Vargas can win that reward for the next two years I

Think you got to give that award to a guy that’s ready to graduate from the 8 to 10 round level to being in 12 round fights a young man that I like and he’s got sharp skills and he’s got a very good head on his shoulders I enjoy dealing with them Bruce shushu

Carrington featherweight out of Brooklyn now based out of new uh new Las Vegas he’s got all the tools and his last fight against Jason Sanchez was a bit of a step up and the way he looked I said to myself that guy’s ready to contend as

A featherweight I really like him a lot I have no problem with that he he’s a talented kid and there’s a lot of fun fights to be made for him right there not to take anything away from Milano too but it is you’re right you got to

Have some sort of criteria and I think he’s got a high ceiling and I really do like a on him uh Mario other story we’ve talked about this the last couple of weeks one of the big stories of 2023 is that um there will be no Showtime boxing and last week Showtime

Put out this the end of an era video about 38 minutes I watched it and it was a great run and but now um HBO and show time are no longer in the sport of boxing our youth has just died yeah our youth has just died there’s no doubt

About that and so salute to them and Mario one last thing and this something that I focus in on every year now and again I’m not making any judgments but I’m going to let the numbers speak for themselves as you go to the Ring magazine top 10 it’s Crawford inway usyk

Canelo ball Haney Spence tank Tia Fimo and Bam uh Rodriguez Mario do you know out of those 10 guys guess how many times you think they fought this year total eight not that bad how many guys how many guys did you list 10 guys oh 12 14 wow so they didn’t

Even average two fights they Aver 1.4 that’s that’s embarrassing so so I’m letting people know like if you’re going to have a sport or an industry where your leading stars and your biggest names have to be out there the most and I don’t even count Canelo now cuz when you’re 60 fights in

I get it you’re going to fight once or twice a year he fought twice at least no I think about this there’s 1 two three four five oh my God that I six guys in the Ring magazine top 10 fought one time here’s my adjustment to that to that

List I have Ina one I have Bud two okay I’ve got Canelo three okay I’ve got usyk four I’ve got tiimo five then I’ve got Devin Haney and then after that I think by the way you can have make an argument for maybe a BBF Shakur or ball

Yeah better BF I think fought one time cuz he got injured he got injured though it wasn’t well he’s always injured know death taxes and a better BF injury which is so ironic because he’s such a big rugged guy that hits so hard it’s not like he’s a fragile individual say about

Sports cars though one spark plugs out of place you can’t put it on the road Tia Fimo is disappointing he fought in June so disappointing and you’re thinking wow he’s back and you know what did the next week chilled no he announced his retirement that’s right well chilled you’re right like EPMD so

My my my view is and I I will give no matter what you think of the lomachenko decision okay the decision is the decision you know what Haney did he said okay Regis you’re up you want to get to some place in this game you’ve got to be

Active I agree and this whole notion that so look even Ryan Garcia the only reason I’m a harsh critic he fought twice I no I agree you know what I like about Ryan too real quick with Tio the only reason I gave Tio a little bit more

Of a nod is because he beat the man in Taylor who beat reges who Devon beat right he still beat the man in that division that was you went Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon there yeah now I’ll tell you what I do like about Ryan he did

Fight twice too and I like that he wants the smoke he wanted a fight tank got that fight he’s asking to fight Haney you reported that that was legit and he’s not just having Twitter fingers out there he wants to fight him I like these all these guys being Twitter gangsters

Say what you want about Garcia but my guy wants to fight the best I I think that’s respectable and I heard his family and his team are big fans of this show and and one last thing about Crawford he was actually held back by the contractual situation with the

Rematch with Spence I want to be a little bit fair about that cuz that fight was supposed to happen before the end of 2023 but again 14 fights from theoretically your best 10 fighters in the sport not good cuz not good for the sport did you know in 1993 cuz I did a

Story on this for Ring magazine last year the the top 10 pound-for-pound in 1993 you know they fought a total of about 37 times that was the last great era cuz you know why who was number one and two James Tony who was the last American bigname champion to do

Non-title and tuneup fights and Chavez who would fight on Showtime in one month three weeks later kakan didn’t care he just said you know what I’d rather get paid to fight than to train and bar exactly you’re going to get hit anyway might as well get paid for it but

Unfortunately we’ll never go back to that [Applause] era moving on to the ask Mario segment of this fine program here’s one from eletto Reay ask Mario hey Lopez UFC question for you to close the year I know you’re tight with Dana White what’s the rationale behind the UFC to keep

Having events at the Apex and passing up on other venues if you haven’t been to the Apex cost it’s an awesome venue yeah you’ve been there a few times it’s awesome youu have SE land like what I call it it’s it’s incredible what uh Dana has been able to build the the most

Incredible gym facilities you’ve ever seen in your life with the most modern technology and equ it’s like a dream it’s like a heaven you could be there for like a week and not use everything it’s so much it’s it’s incredible the event it’s or the Event Center I should

Say the Apex is so much fun they utilize it a lot during the bubble and now they have events there uh are constant fights there and it’s so cool to see and if you’re ever there in person you have to come it’s it’s it’s fantastic so he goes

Um there and just a couple blocks over to T-Mobile and is able to utilize them up both but as we discussed he’s going to be the first to utilize the sphere so that’s going to be I can’t wait to see that on Mexican Independence Day it’s

Very simple it’s a way to keep Fighters busy and if these fights are not going to do big box office own the place rent the place use the place there have been boxing promoters that told me Steve I wish had an apex that if we have eight

Or nine Fighters that need wins and instead of dispersing them throughout the country just have a portal where you can have a building and sayy guys get to work develop yourself build a record we can put you on a bigger show down the line but I I actually think to me that I

Love it because not every fight is going to be a Pay-Per-View event not every fight’s going to sell a lot of tickets but the fighters and boxers need to work and some of those fights end up being fantastic fights too and they build us again here’s one from Carl brand whom

Does Mario think Anthony Joshua should fight next and where does Jal Jen fit into the heavyweight mix now that it was shaken up last Saturday duaba versus Jiang Jiang is the wild card I you know I’m mad that we have not brought him up cuz he was one of my favorite

Performances of years dude I like that dude and I’m surprised that his name is not mentioned that much more CU he seems to be incredibly marketable but obviously dangerous for the other heavyweight opponents out there I would love to see that fight with Joshua and I think it does Big Business he’s

Dangerous he’s Southpaw big and he can bang and I don’t know if anyone Bang Yes I don’t know if anybody would is going to really get in there willingly unless it’s mandated I don’t believe for one second Daniel du was people will put him in there there was actually talk earlier

This year of jien getting in there with Tyson Fury and I said yeah over Tyson Fury’s dead body it was way too dangerous I just hope that the lane Mills Lane sons who managed that career just keep him busy because he’s got an Olympic pedigree and but he makes for

Great TV and you’re right he he wrecked Joe Joyce this year ceiling yes uh or a tall one here’s one from David Jim Lampley was recently on the boxing circuit at a couple of fights on the podcast including yours yet it seems no one is inclined to offer him a role what

Can we do to get Jim back in the sport it’s like Martin Scorsese not being able to make films experts should be appreciated David I agree with you and I think he’s the best in the sport and best there ever was to be honest with you when him and Lampley

Um were calling the plays I was my favorite tandem of all time Merchant yeah I’m sorry that’s what I meant lample and Merchant I me that’s my f that was my favorite of all time and he’s missed he’s we had him on the show for a while we look forward to having

Him back again he’s happy North Carolina teaching he was he’s left a little bit of a better taste in his mouth with HBO but that’s that’s the business and some guys like to just hey that was my run and who knows if I can go back look in a

Perfect world maybe the Saudis get involved and throw a ton of money and lure him back um because I think he deserves it he is the best speaking of Larry Merchant I know last week everyone was concerned because it was reported that he was hospitalized uh we’re we’re

Taping this particular show on Tuesday afternoon December 26 I spoke to Larry he’s back he called it a false alarm great to and so he’s up and running I hope to see him later this week for lunch so everyone out there with your well wishes that is greatly appreciated

AES here’s a question from ignasio Ortiz if everything goes right can Virgil Ortiz make noise at 154 and who do you guys want to see Joseph Parker fight next well first I want to see just Ortiz to be able to get in there you know poor guys had uh

Health issues and concerns and battles and he was really like on the the right trajectory before he had to deal with all that we have to see before we can make a prediction if he’s going to make noise or not so hopefully he’ll get in there um and we’ll see him in action

Soon Joseph Parker with all his momentum I know there was whispers about him maybe rematching uh Joshua I think they both have to fight someone else to let that fight build a little bit I don’t necessarily want to see that uh right away how about Parker and Jen oh

Yeah now that I’d like to see that right there you say the winner that gets to go something even bigger um as for Virgil Ortiz I’m being told and again he’s back with Robert Garcia in the rgba um Victor kante in the the snack system is assisting making sure he gets to the

Dance help and my understanding is that they’ve kind of adjusted the way they train wise old proverb less is more don’t leave it in the gym you don’t have to grind yourself all the way to the Bone make it to the dance and also that

Extra 7 lbs to 154 is going to make a difference so I’m looking forward to how he fights against Fredick Lawson that’ll be the first show of the year we’ll talk about that card Golden Boy initial promotion of 2020 before but again uh I am interested to see number one like you

Said can he get to the dance got to get to the dance number two how does he perform and how does he carry the junior middleweight level here’s run from not Prince Hamed um if Wilder carries on fighting do you guys still want to see the Joshua fight against Wilder assuming

Wilder gets more active and wins a comeback fight against Wallin or Miller Etc while Fury and usyk fight two times next year Joshua has to look to other opponents fighting two three times time since Fury is tied up Mario my understanding is the Wilder Joshua fight is not completely dead regardless of

What happened this past weekend is that a good or bad thing shouldn’t results matter they should and I’m surprised to hear that to be honest with you but I’ll tell you what a lot of the predictions are probably changed now that um Wilder went out how he did and based on

Joshua’s performance those odds dramatically changed and I think a lot of people thought that Wilder go out there and Spark Joshua I don’t think that’s the case so much uh anymore it’s funny how things change Mario can I give you something that there is a precedence

For this I remember it was at the Staple Center Manny Pacquiao was fighting uh Hector Velasquez and then Eric Morales was fighting Zahir Rahim I remember that and it was supposed to be a Prelude to their rematch well okay Velasquez read the script you know who didn’t Zahir Rahe

Who boxed his years off and all of us were thinking oh my God so what do they do now and Bob Mar said what do you mean we’re doing the re he got pissed off at Larry Merchant when he asked that question guess what it didn’t really dissipate the interest level of the

Rematch you there is a precedent for that there is and it’s it’s weird Kim because like I said had he been Victorious I think a lot of people would have went into the fight thinking that Wilder was going to spark Joshua now it kind of makes it interesting no no

Here’s the funny thing about that rivalry I mean so and I call it a rivalry knowing that they’ve never fought in 2018 I think a lot of people said 50/50 fight by 2020 they’re think oh Wilder’s going to bomb him MH I mean and then now it’s like oh AJ’s going to

Kill him so like hey here’s the funny thing they’ve never fought so maybe maybe we actually just need to do this fight regardless oh I wouldn’t be opposed to it I wouldn’t be opposed to it I think it look I think Joshua chomping at the bit and I think it does

Probably bigger business than any other heavyweight fight out there outside of Fury usk right and by the way I’m not so sure that again those right hands that Parker was able to get underneath right I’m not completely convinced as good as he looked that applies to a more you

Know statuesque stiffer I’m not mad at what happens we’ll see oh here’s our guy the only San ask that BFF of the weasel Mario Lopez what fight will he go to Saudi Arabia for he needs to make that trip with his boys McGregor and Ronaldo yo m mcregor McGregor talking someone’s

Ears off L had a couple cocktails Ronaldo looked like he was about that was the best me move yeah all this weekend um I would love to go to Saudi Arabia I would love to plan a trip I think I got invited there Dubai a couple

Times but it didn’t work out with work but I want to plan it with time I’m down to go I’ll wear whatever and do you know I think I’m down to go out there you make fights like better BF ball I’m in yeah um there’s a lot of fights that

That they can make that no one else can put together in terms of of because of the economic impetus um the other bucket list item because I don’t know if he’s ever going to fight in the US I got to watch inway one more time it’s really a

Shame with inway why do you say he would never fight in the US um he makes a lot of Yen I’ve heard economically it makes almost no sense for him to come back out here and keep this in mind he fought on one of Tom laugher super go to Japan

Bonai yeah um look he fought in the US at the so one word he knows he’s what I got anyway um he fought at the kich so he fought at the warrs in Carson underneath the chatio uh rematch right with secret set so rang vasai on one of Tom laugher um

Superfly shows and it was kind of a curiosity hardcore Harry loved them during the bubble keep this in mind they were going to do a major show against johon Ral casamero another Filipino who was going to be unification about I was told by ticket brokers namely Jim Boon

My guy KO tickets he said it was the greatest ticket in 10 years the whales were coming out and that thing was going to be big and it was going to be an explosion but you know what happened in April of 2020 the pandemic so then even when he

Came back to the US and top rank had him against the D marinus and Maloney they had to go to smaller rooms at the Virgin got it so if there was ever a fighter that was really affected by the pandemic and covid it is him and now with that

Amazon Prime deal in Japan he makes close to eight figures well all I know and I respect him for wanting to get more Yen more power too don’t we all all I know is that Japan is having itself a moment with in way right now this being this huge International Star sh Otani

Yeah being this huge International St speaking of thatal final flurries final flurries the neone Dodgers they’ve signed everyone short of giant robot Godzilla and in way Godzilla would cost l than sh I’ll tell you that but just in general Japan’s really having a moment right now with these

Athletes and this uh worldwide claim that they’re getting deservedly so too I like all those guys they’re all gentlemen too yeah and I heard their closer was going to be Hello Kitty their negotiations with that God but but all is it World Series orust I yes come on I

Think I think you got to at least make it I think you got at least you got at least you got to at least make it there and look it pitching was our uh Achilles heel last year ironically we can’t have show pitch because the shoulders injured

So hopefully we get gonin May bu all those guys back I don’t know who is coming back but we need we still need to shore up that pitching and then we should be able God willing to make a nice um little run we’ll see but like I

Said before I think Dodger Dogs will probably be about $25 I’m I’m hoping they they start adding Sushi to the list now at Dodger Stadium that’d be that’d be bomb they don’t have those already not for the not for the general en I think it’s some of the sweets like like

He sits in the general Mario like he said yeah knock it off I’m talking I’m I’m for the people talking about for the people right there the people okay uh Mario yesterday great time at your house spending Christmas got to watch some football ate some Italian but we ended

The night watching an American cinematic classic I’m not going to lie to you we got a little critical at the end um couple plot twists that were whole in heat the movie Heat classic Michael man 19 by the way prior to that it was like an unintentional Robert derero

Weekend too we watched um killers of the flower Moon he’s great in that is this old good you you’re good you yeah yeah him and decab we starts in that we watch well we watched Oppenheimer he wasn’t in that uh great movie though and then we watch the deer hunter probably one of

The best Vietnam vet movies what a dark movie all these movies are like three and a half hours too great in that he was great in that then we watch Heat and damn he was good in that and that was such a such a classic great movie

Everyone was great now what problem did you have in it I cleared it up for you already why his stepdaughter ended up in his hotel room they had been separated for a while so the stepdaughter already had a key there you don’t think Michael man thought of that they they didn’t

Really space it out very well shut H yes they did they don’t need to break it down Elementary School you know who’s underrated in that movie by the way uh single mom great job yeah no exactly she deserves a blame you know who’s underrated in that movie John Voit yeah

John Voit was really he good that last time we really played kind of a younger guy cuz at that point he just became the old guy he was great that became Bud Kilmer football coach here everybody was solid and then and then that’s when Pacino started doing all of his yelling

It’s he went from s of a woman to that and he did all this she’s got a great ass get shot walking your doggy he the football coach good football coach any given but everything was yelling don’t waste my [ __ ] time everything was starring alucino as alucino um all

Right the other the other thing that I found very interesting okay um and again I like the movie I love the movie The Cafe scene where they buy a cup of coffee Kate man and Ellie yeah I love that La okay here’s the thing so what all right so the Nero’s character says

Okay he tells that girl 30 seconds I’m out so he starts running at at the hotel after he has to get revenge he never told the girl first of all you’re wrong he told Pino if you can’t walk away from something 30 seconds or late when you

Feel the heat coming get that’s the discip he made that he made made that decision they were Boxed In by the way they wer going anywhere going anywhere so he starts running away so here’s the thing so Pino gets he get the ambulance gets in his way the bus gets in the way

There’s 800 people he has like a 45 second Head Start by the way how in the world does he tail him I got hold on that’s more believable than this and my buddy is a cop in here at the moment good tell me that’s more of a b he just

Grabbed that 12 gauge shotgun from that cop like nothing right give me that just give me that and just I would be like who’s going to just hand over a guy I don’t think you do that right you just don’t that was more unbelievable than him finding those didn’t show the badge

Didn’t show the badge no just grabbed it just grabbed it like nothing right and so so then there a couple tough bit just we’re being meticulous yeah that’s what I am and so then he W he goes on to like the runway of the airplanes I’m like

Okay how’d you get on that so easily it can’t be that easy and then all of a sudden I mean right and then and then Pino and then Pacino must have been like Italian you saying Bolt the guy had to be 500 yards behind then all of a sudden

He’s the catchup speeds like Dion Sanders in 1993 closer like Ty Gill and I’m think okay now wait wait a minut first of all um you’re telling me that Pacino doesn’t call in help like hey let’s get to the airport this this guy’s like kind of roaming around the uh the

Runway come on really I don’t have a problem with that I no no no no because it was open space and he was hiding so it gave him chance to catch up when the lights came on and be his his like six cents kicked in when he saw the shadow

Remember and that’s how we turned around those that Indian six sense that he had was a little bit of a tough by that and grabbing the 12 gauge but damn it was a good and I like that they paid homage to La yeah and I also I also love the fact

They had a part of Korea Town um I think one of my aunts or Uncle’s businesses were probably shown in there and also Dennis hayberg from all state was in the movie man he was a cook he was getting a raw deal man he hey he knew the risks

Like the he knew the RIS he knew he didn’t make it long he was one of the first guys killed that’s he knew the risks killed but I I thought it was a really what a great cast though it’s great cast Tom seore was good in that

Yes rest in peace Tom needed the ACO was good too yes Danny Danny didn’t make it either he didn’t make it well they tortured his always that weak link Wing was the weak L that’s the weirdest name ever wro wiro you don’t hear Too Many he was good he messed up everything been

Perfect without W without wi girl everything would have been fine but you know what the one thing that bothered me DeNiro he had it home free when John voy told him that info you asked so I got to tell you why would he tell him that no

He asked so he’s got to tell not mad at that he should have let that Fester he should have got on that plane went to New Zealand either waited about a year to come back and get wi or he could have had one of his homies paid

Him handsomely to take care of wing Caro’s way you’re almost out of it exactly and you’re not exactly Mario NFL season story yes the NFL season’s about to wind down here oh we saw yeah hell of the game oh here’s the issue I’m going tell you right now my MVP I don’t know

Who yours is I kind of like Lamar Jack yes here’s the here’s I I don’t have a problem with that but can I why does it always have to be a quarterback that’s the way it is I agree I don’t think it has to be why can’t it

Be Christian mcaffrey okay or Tyreek Hill yes why can’t it be disagree so I like all three of those as far as offensive player of the year I think you got to go mcaffry defensive player miles Garrett we said we like miles Garett mil or TJ watt but again winning matter TJ

Wat or TJ wat and I think coach of the year you got to go Dan Campbell with the Detroit Lions Dan such a football you got to go with him with the way he’s turned that if you’re the Chargers I’m just telling you and I know you speak to

The Spanos I know you hang out with them you go under their sweets in their box eating their sushi on Sundays I get it they Sushi’s Bomb by the way oh see again again regular guy here Joe fan what do you want me to do I hang out

With you what do you want me to do you know what that’s a good point I can’t even got balance out I got a balance from exactly um I would tell the Spanos say hey hey guys get the polar OPP I’m being dead serious you got to get the polar

Opposite of Staley get a true football like like the Raiders I kind of like Antonio Pierce he’s bringing that rugged hard-nosed football mentality and they are playing for that guy I I am not a fan of coaches that are too analytics based because you know why this game is

Played by men with conditions that are not always perfect football’s not played on a spreadsheet and they need to respect their coach and and and want to win from SRA post to Harbaugh and bichu now no no Harbaugh to me is a real football coach now he might drive

Everyone Crazy by the fourth year but you might be in a couple Super Bowls or at least a championship game but in my view there has to be a swinging of the pendulum instead of getting like these analytics guys get football guys get a Dan Campbell get an Antonio Pierce get

Guys like that or men will actually say you know what lead us I like that so MVP I’m telling you Lamar Jackson those those Ravens look good both sides in line of scrimmage and Lamar Jackson you say well how come a quarterback or running back he could be a running back

He’s a running back SL receiver but I’ll tell you what looks even more impressive is that damn defense pry threw what four interceptions could have been five that defense looked impress that looked like the Ravens defense of Le days Ed re so that’s going to be really really

Interesting and Mario it’s our last show of the year we’ll be back in two weeks what a year it’s been we’re we’re back hopefully yeah hopefully this time we won’t take let me help you out a little bit more as I drank a little too much I

You weren’t even drinking as much as you nor Dr I had to drive I’m already an Asian driver good true all right here we go so so on behalf we want to thank all the fans we do we’ve been gone for a while but now back right and giving us brass knuckles

Um here we go salute bonai really and one last thing again if you want to sponsor our fine program in 2024 and Beyond email us at info@ boox bid. and Mario will we will be back in two weeks second week of January talking about in the world of boxing and Beyond

So on behalf of Mario Lopez smoking Tim Frasier and Tino on the edits this has been the three knockdown rule on UFC Fight Pass For