Ring Champs with Ak & Barak

Ring Champs takes over Las Vegas for Garcia–Benn fight week, and two welterweight legends stop by the MGM Grand. Terence Crawford pulls up first, happily retired and still watching everything, to explain the Boots Ennis post everyone misread, why “belt hunting” doesn’t add up when Canelo’s on the table, the holes he sees, the PBC wall that kept him from Spence for years, and the Eminem walkout that felt like a movie. Brooklyn’s own Zab Judah, the newest member of the All The Smoke family, settles the Floyd-vs-Crawford-at-38 debate his way, talks Shakur vs. Pacquiao, and finally tells the whole Floyd Mayweather story: the knockdown that wasn’t, the $350,000 fine and one-year suspension, years of not speaking, the bottles he sent back with “send me a contract,” and the Pro Bowl meeting that ended it. Then Richardson Hitchins is fresh off the plane with news: the Keyshawn Davis fight is close, and he explains the money that finally made sense, why he’s “definitely bigger than him,” what Shakur has to do when it’s signed, and why he believes this fight belongs on American soil. 0:00 - Terence Crawford Intro & reacting to Ryan Garcia’s “Avengers” jab 2:07 - Explaining the “check the temperature” retirement tease 3:20 - Boots Ennis 6:34 - Never ducking a fight: the PBC vs. Top Rank history 10:09 - Passing the undisputed torch & best Vegas fight nights 13:06 - Retirement, the Eminem walkout, and the Ukraine trip 16:25 - AD BREAK 17:00 - Zab Judah & the state of the welterweight division 18:53 - Shakur Stevenson’s next move & rumored Pacquiao fight 20:55 - Mayweather’s “phantom knockdown” vs. Judah & his defense 23:52 - Mayweather vs. Crawford: comparing résumés and biggest wins 29:03 - The Mayweather-Judah brawl and their years-long feud 37:39 - Judah brothers’ gym wars, Teofimo Lopez, and AJ-Fury talk 42:47 - First big payday, jewelry, and money regrets 46:11 - AD BREAK 47:33 - Richardson Hitchins joins the show & Keyshawn Davis talks 51:39 - Why AJ-Fury might land in Cardiff instead of the U.S. 53:31 - Zab breaks down the Hitchins-Davis styles matchup 55:19 - Hitchins on staying disciplined and avoiding vices 58:05 - Shakur-Devin Haney fight falling apart, and Devin’s size 1:00:32 - Fighting your boxing “brothers” for the big money 1:03:15 - Fight timeline and location debate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most influential promoters in combat sports history sits down with Ak and Barak. Scott Coker built Strikeforce from scratch, developed Ronda Rousey, Daniel Cormier, Fedor and a heavyweight division he says was better than the UFC’s — and then sold it in a deal he calls one of the worst days of his life. He opens up about the pressure campaign that came before the sale (“they couldn’t destroy us, so they had to negotiate”), the seven-year non-compete the lawyers demanded, and why his fighters never wanted to leave. Then it turns to the money: the $500 million in purses he’s paid, the 58% of revenue Strikeforce shared with fighters, and the question about pay he says belongs to Dana White. Plus Cyborg calling out Claressa Shields and why he’d pay to see it, the truth about Conor McGregor’s injury and why he believes Conor can’t go out like that, the Crawford–McGregor $200M two-fight idea, remembering Kimbo Slice, and what’s next: $60 million raised for a new MMA venture that includes a one-year invite-only tournament at 126 pounds launching in 2027, built on the Super Six blueprint that made Andre Ward a star. 00:00 Intro: Welcoming Scott Coker 00:28 The Bellator–Showtime Years & COVID Fallout 02:12 Selling Strikeforce to the UFC 09:38 Building Bellator From the Ground Up 14:16 What Makes a Fighter a Star? 18:36 MMA Money vs. Boxing Money 22:06 Fighter Pay & the Strikeforce Model 33:05 Launching a New Tournament Promotion 34:01 Inspired by Pride & K1's Tournament Format 38:19 The $60M Funding Round 40:54 Weight Class Strategy & Q1 2027 Launch 58:49 Naming the New Company See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RING CHAMPS hits the road. Ak and Barak are live from the Stadium Club at Caribe Royale Orlando for the launch of the Project Series — Matchroom and Boxlab Promotions’ new proving ground on DAZN, where undefeated fighters actually fight each other. They break down what Teofimo Lopez just did to Rolly Romero in Vegas and why the casuals scoring it close need a lesson in how rounds actually work, then get into Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn and the keys for both men on September 12. Then it gets loud: AJ vs. Fury is signed for Netflix, but the venue war is real — Wembley or Madison Square Garden? Ak makes his call on both the venue and the fight, and the argument that follows gets personal. Plus the prospect graveyard (the Felix Verdejo story Top Rank saw coming), the debut of a new segment, Who the Heck Is That?, and a sit-down with undefeated Christian “El Capitán” Barreto before he faces Corey Marksman in Friday’s main event of the inaugural Project Series broadcast. Don’t miss Project Series, live from the Caribe Royale Orlando, Friday August 28th and streaming on DAZN. 00:00:00 – Cold Open: On the Road at the Stadium Club 00:02:38 – Teofimo Handles Rolly: The Recap 00:04:18 – Scoring 101: Body Shots Count & the 10-8 Debate 00:07:19 – What’s Next for Teofimo & Rolly 00:09:37 – What the Project Series Is: Projects vs. Prospects 00:14:23 – The Prospect Graveyard: Brandon Lee, Joey Spencer & Felix Verdejo 00:19:30 – The Ones They Got Right: Shakur at 17 00:22:59 – Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn: The Breakdown 00:27:02 – Ryan’s Jab, Conor’s Pressure & the Dogfight Question 00:32:24 – AJ vs. Fury: The Netflix Venue War 00:36:18 – The 4 A.M. Problem & the Falling-Asleep Argument 00:42:14 – Ak’s Call: “AJ Knocks Fury Out” 00:46:21 – New Segment Debut: Who the Heck Is That? 00:52:02 – Christian Barreto Joins the Show 00:56:22 – Cotto, Money & the Question He Wouldn’t Answer 01:03:19 – See You Friday/Wrap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ak and Barak break down Rolly Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez before Saturday’s title fight in Vegas: the smarter Rolly that showed up against Ryan Garcia, why Teofimo comes back different after a loss, and the style question that decides it. Then they get into Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn on September 12, why Conor has the most to gain, and the business story behind it all — the DAZN and PBC deal they never thought they’d see, and what it felt like betting their careers on “the app” back in 2018 when everyone called it suicide. Plus: the report that AJ vs. Fury is headed to Madison Square Garden on Netflix — and why Barak thought it was fake news before making the case that New York wins. Canelo’s dangerous fight with Christian Mbilli that casuals are sleeping on. A heated argument about Micky Ward, belts, and what actually makes a legacy. And finally a farewell to Errol Spence: the career, the what-ifs, and the Hall of Fame verdict. 0:00 – Intro 0:43 – DAZN’s rise and the PBC/DAZN partnership 3:59 – Can boxing’s rival networks coexist? 5:09 – Promoters, networks & fighter loyalty debate 7:17 – Rolly Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez preview 10:39 – Styles breakdown: Romero vs. Lopez 14:18 – Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn intro 15:17 – DAZN vs. Zuffa: the promotional landscape 16:51 – Garcia’s recent form & Benn’s résumé 18:20 – Conor Benn interview callback & legacy debate 22:11 – Garcia vs. Benn matchup & odds 24:32 – Who benefits more from a win? 27:24 – AD BREAK 30:12 – Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury reportedly heading to MSG 36:10 – Canelo’s next fight and the danger of overlooking Mbili 38:33 – Errol Spence Jr.’s career tribute & Hall of Fame case See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Edgar Berlanga sits down with Ak & Barak to finally clear the air — addressing the on-camera tension with Ak head-on before diving into everything else. From there, “The Chosen One” opens up about the toughest stretch of his career, the massive payday from signing with Zuffa Boxing, and why he says it’s already outpacing what he made fighting Canelo. The conversation covers his fallout with Top Rank and Bob Arum vs. Todd DuBoef, the real story behind his beef with Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn (including getting shut out of ringside tickets), the rise of his viral song “Baby Mama” and plans for a full EP, and a no-holds-barred Untold Stories segment. He closes it out naming his next three dream opponents — and the one rematch he’d want above all else. 0:00 Intro 0:46 Addressing the tension with Ak 6:23 The Sheeraz loss, the dark place 11:55 - AD BREAK 14:29 Fat Joe loyalty — origin story 20:37 MSG pressure, the knockdown & comeback KO 28:20 The Angulo fight — dirty tactics 29:28 Leaving Top Rank 31:19 The Canelo fight, mindset, biggest purse 43:43 Signing with Zuffa Boxing 46:30 “Baby Mama” origin story 53:19 Oscar De La Hoya & Eddie Hearn tension 1:05:31 Untold Stories 1:09:19 Is the persona a show? 1:11:11 Haney/Keyshawn Davis, Hitchins talk 1:20:45 Next 3 opponents, Canelo rematch dream See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first football guest in RING CHAMPS history is a Hall of Famer who’s been ringside for boxing’s biggest nights. Michael Irvin sits down with Ak and Barak and starts at the beginning: the 15th of 17 kids, bused 25 miles out of the ghetto at five years old & feeling inferior in an all-white school post-integration, until a tutor threw him a football and said the words that changed his life. He opens up about the father who never saw him play, driving him to cancer treatments at 15, the promise he made the night before he died, and why he wore 88 for his dad’s favorite Cowboy. Then the boxing stories come out. Dinner with Mike Tyson fresh out of prison (and the moment with the waiter Irvin will never forget), why the Buster Douglas loss hurt him like nothing else in sports, the Chávez–Taylor war that made him ask for the only autograph of his life, his breakdown of how Ali vs. Tyson actually goes, his love for Terence Crawford, and his shock at what Floyd Mayweather is going through. Plus the truth about Deion Sanders, the physics of why cornerbacks couldn’t press him, and the prison-mentality workouts that built a Hall of Fame career. 00:00 – Intro & Welcoming Michael Irvin 00:52 – Growing Up in Segregation-Era Florida 02:06 – Feeling Inferior & Discovering He Could Be Special 04:37 – St. Thomas Aquinas, Miss Jones & Fighting to Play 07:50 – Moving from Defense to Wide Receiver 10:05 – Freshman Year at Miami Under Jimmy Johnson 12:21 – His Father: The Pastor Who Never Saw Him Play 15:16 – Losing His Father & the Promise He Made 18:02 – Giving Back to St. Thomas Aquinas 20:35 – Ad Break 21:45 – Realizing He Was a Special Wide Receiver 22:59 – Miami Hurricanes Legends & Cowboys Brotherhood 25:13 – Buying Family Homes & Helping Without Hurting 27:21 – Chasing Jerry Rice & Darrell Green 28:23 – Fear, Courage & the Mental Game of Football 31:26 – The Legendary Super Bowl Catch 32:22 – Becoming a Mike Tyson Superfan 35:51 – Deion Sanders & Paying It Forward 39:46 – Boxing’s Meaning & Today’s Top Fighters 44:34 – Greatest Fights, Dream Matchups & the Tyson Dinner Story See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Espinoza returns for a wide-ranging conversation covering some of boxing’s biggest storylines, and has some updates. He addresses Floyd Mayweather’s $340M lawsuit against him and Showtime personally — where pay-per-view money actually goes, and why he insists not a penny went missing — plus whether he’d still help Floyd, what their conversations have been like since, and the six-month window on a possible Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch. The conversation turns to a dream matchup: Mayweather vs. Terence Crawford. Espinoza, who has priced fights like this his entire career, gives his verdict and sparks a debate about what it would take to make it real. Finally, Espinoza responds to Dana White’s claim that Zuffa Boxing will eventually sign every fighter, breaking down what that would actually require — undoing 100 years of boxing’s structure — and pointing to a business model that keeps contradicting itself, down to Devin Haney’s rumored $60M deal. 0:00 – Intro 0:44 – Floyd’s lawsuit: does Espinoza/Showtime owe him money? 2:20 – His reaction to the suit, and where things stand with Al Haymon 4:32 – How PPV money actually flows 9:00 – Streaming vs. old-school PPV payouts 10:16 – The leaked Al Haymon audio and the AI theory 14:19 – Al Haymon taking PBC stars to Fox — and why exclusive network deals hurt boxing 20:49 – Signing Boots Ennis and Anthony Joshua outside of PBC 25:30 – Creating boxing’s first real annual fight schedule 30:38 – Espinoza’s green-light power at Showtime, and why it ended 36:07 – Why Tank vs. Shakur died, and the real story on Crawford vs. Ennis 40:23 – Mayweather vs. Crawford — what it’d take, and would fans buy it? 44:04 – Boxing’s shrinking media landscape, Saudi money, and PIF 50:32 – Could Zuffa really sign every fighter? Devin Haney’s rumored $60M deal 54:23 – Al Haymon’s future, Turki’s “boxing summit,” and fighters pricing themselves out 1:02:20 – Would Espinoza still help Floyd? His finances since the lawsuit 1:05:32 – Addressing Part 1 comments 1:09:36 – Joshua vs. Fury, Wilder’s legacy, and Tank Davis’ future 1:15:49 – Outro See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Terence Crawford is back on RING CHAMPS for his first sit-down since walking away from boxing, and this time Ak and Barak came with a retirement gift: an original portrait from Tony Nasa. Bud opens up about the decision nobody leaked: he knew before the Canelo fight that it was his last, Bomac couldn't wait for him to be done, and the tears after Spence were him realizing he'd already proved everything. He shuts down the Turki rumors (nobody has offered him a fight since Canelo), explains why "who am I gonna fight?" ends every comeback conversation, and teases the injuries from his worst camp that he's saving for the documentary. Then he answers what everyone's been waiting on: Spence's camp excuses, and explains why he can't grasp taking the biggest fight of your life unprepared. Crawford reveals there was no rematch clause with Canelo but he'd have honored one anyway, plus the truth about the $200M McGregor offer and what he'd have done in the cage, his take on Shakur signing with Zuffa and the UFC camera "mixup," and advice for Boots Ennis and why Vergil Ortiz is the harder fight over Fundora. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richardson Hitchins is back on RING CHAMPS for the first time since the fight that never happened, and he takes us inside every hour of that week: his body shutting down in the cold of Vegas, being held up by his team in the MGM lobby so nobody could see him on his knees, 6 AM ice baths, throwing up on fight night, and the moment he told his manager he couldn’t walk to the ring. Then the part that still eats at him every day — the biggest check of his career, over $1 million, gone with the pullout. He also gets into everything that came after: vacating the IBF belt, the Zuffa deal and why the money stayed the same without the strap, Eddie Hearn going missing, and sitting down with Dana White and Nick Khan. Plus Tank Davis texting him from fake numbers, his real issue with Keyshawn Davis and the missed-weight double standard, why he’s picking Teofimo over Rolly, breaking down Boots Ennis vs. Xander Zayas, whether Boots beats Bud, and the fight he wants most: Devin Haney. 00:00 – Intro & Welcome Back Richardson Hitchins 00:47 – What Really Happened During Oscar Duarte Fight Week 07:12 – Is Hitchins Done at 140? 08:50 – Making Weight, Nutrition & Growing Out of the Division 10:59 – Ad Break 12:10 – Zuffa’s Plans for Him at 147 14:04 – How the Zuffa Boxing Deal Came Together 16:25 – Why the Eddie Hearn Deal Fell Apart 21:02 – Breaking Down Teofimo Lopez vs. Rolly Romero 25:53 – Beef with Devin Haney & Tank Davis 30:55 – Should Shakur Stevenson Move Up to 147? 33:53 – Sparring Stories with Shakur Stevenson 35:05 – Keyshawn Davis’ Win Over Jamaine Ortiz 38:34 – Shakur Stevenson Beats Raymond Ford 42:17 – Boots Ennis vs. Xander Zayas 47:35 – Fundora & Vergil in the 154 Division 49:35 – Fantasy Fight: Boots Ennis vs. Bud Crawford 53:45 – Fallout, Critics & the Real Reason He Pulled Out 1:03:34 – Meeting Dana White & Nick Khan 1:06:11 – Talking His Next Opponent 1:11:25 – Wrap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emiliano Vargas pulls up on RING CHAMPS just days after his statement win at a sold-out Barclays Center, and the fastest-rising name in the Vargas dynasty holds nothing back. The undefeated 22-year-old gets real about answering Ryan Garcia’s verbal jab, why he believes Vargas vs. Garcia sells out a stadium. Plus, sparring Shakur Stevenson as a 17-year-old, and the only fighter who ever hurt him in the ring. He also takes us inside the most surreal stretch of his young career: the locker room during Xander Zayas’ loss to Boots Ennis, the phone call telling him Bad Bunny personally picked him for the Super Bowl halftime show, and the casino run that cost him $16,000 in an hour. Plus his brothers’ bare-knuckle debut in London, the lessons pulled from his father, Fernando’s, career, and the untold story of the pro fight he took with no team and his barber working the mitts. 0:00 Intro 0:47 Vargas Brothers in boxing & family competition 3:18 Staying focused despite money & fame 7:22 Learning from his brothers’ mistakes 11:08 AD BREAK 13:28 Falling in love with boxing as a kid 15:13 Amateur career & traveling the world 17:52 Sparring wars with his brothers growing up 21:33 Ryan Garcia 23:24 His father’s legacy: Tito Trinidad and beyond 27:28 Breaking down the Xander Zayas vs. Boots Ennis fight 32:58 Super Bowl halftime show & meeting Bad Bunny 36:41 Sparring Shakur Stevenson & Jorge Linares 43:17 Dream fight: Ryan Garcia & next opponents 47:42 Untold Stories 58:19 Rapid-fire Qs, dad’s best advice & money stories See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ak and Barak don’t agree on much, and they really don’t agree on this one. In a real-time, unscripted debate, the self-proclaimed biggest Floyd Mayweather fan alive gets pushed to answer the question boxing won’t stop arguing about: is Terence “Bud” Crawford actually better than Floyd Mayweather? They break down the resume case for Floyd (the $300M Showtime run, the Pacquiao win, the undefeated record) against the eye-test case for Bud (the Canelo demolition three weight classes up, the switch-hitting power, the dominance at 38 that mirrors his prime). They run the fantasy fight at 38, at 29, and dig into who Floyd really beat versus who Bud was blacklisted from fighting. By the end, even Floyd’s #1 fan lands somewhere he’s never said on camera before. 0:00 Intro 0:48 Setting the Stage 1:53 Framing the GOAT Debate 2:51 Floyd’s Close Fights 4:50 Ad Break 5:45 The Age Argument 7:55 Floyd’s Resume Case 9:24 38-Year-Old Floyd vs. Pacquiao 11:48 38-Year-Old Bud vs. Canelo 13:34 Resume vs. Dominance 15:07 Bud’s Blacklisted Prime Years 15:50 Does Resume Trump Everything? 16:54 The Fantasy Fight at 38 18:03 Can Floyd’s Defense Stop Bud? 21:24 What About 29-Year-Old Floyd? 28:47 Could Bud Have Done More? 30:50 The Perfect Retirement 32:07 Names vs. Accolades 34:17 Outro See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ak & Barak are back to break down the most stacked stretch of the boxing calendar, and they are not holding back. This is a full state-of-the-sport conversation built around one argument: boxing is thriving louder than ever, and the next two weeks prove it. The guys preview Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez vs Antonio Vargas as Bam moves up to chase Naoya Inoue, Boots Ennis vs Zander Zayas at 154, Abdullah Mason’s hometown title shot against Joe Cordina, and Errol Spence Jr’s comeback against Tim Tszyu. Then it gets spicy: Barak predicts Anthony Joshua knocks out Tyson Fury to become a three-time heavyweight champion, they crown Shakur Stevenson the best fighter in the world, and they debate Canelo Alvarez’s next move with Benavidez, Jermall Charlo, and even Errol Spence on the table. 00:00:00 – Intro 00:01:45 – Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez Moving Up & The Inoue Dream Match 00:12:21 – Boots Ennis vs. Zander Zayas: Coming Out Party or Bust? 00:17:36 – Breaking Down Boots vs. Zayas Further 00:21:46 – Abdullah Mason Defending His Title in Cleveland 00:23:52 – Mason’s Personality & What He Needs to Prove 00:31:28 – Anthony Joshua vs. Prenga: Tune-Up for Fury 00:31:42 – The Biggest Fight in British History: AJ vs. Tyson Fury 00:38:00 – Errol Spence Jr. Returns vs. Tim Tszyu 00:42:53 – Canelo’s Future: Benavidez, Jermall Charlo & What’s Left to Prove 00:46:17 – Dream Matchup: Errol Spence vs. Canelo Alvarez in 2027? 00:49:06 – Boxing’s Biggest Remaining Fights & The State of the Sport 00:51:30 – Outro: Boxing Is Thriving See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ak & Barak settle it once and for all: the 10 greatest knockouts in boxing history. From Juan Manuel Marquez’s ice-cold finish of Manny Pacquiao to George Foreman reclaiming the title at 45, Canelo’s highlight-reel destruction of Amir Khan, Tommy Hearns vs Roberto Duran, Julian Jackson’s one-punch power, Tank Davis, Michael Carbajal, and yes, Jake Paul’s knockout of Tyron Woodley making the cut. The guys rank their personal top 5 each, argue over who got robbed of Knockout of the Year, and debate which finish is truly the scariest of all time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philly’s own Stephen “Cool Boy” Fulton sits down with Ak & Barak on RING CHAMPS and finally tells the full story of what really happened before his loss to O’Shaquie Foster. The two-time world champion walks through the weight cut from hell — running for hours without sweating, an hour in the sauna tent, passing out in the hotel room with his body locked up, and showing up to the weigh-in with one shoe on and one shoe off. He admits he was “killing himself” on the scale, ran out of legs before the bell, and says if Foster had actually engaged in a rumble, the result would have been completely different. The Foster rematch is officially on his radar. Fulton also opens up about the personal storm he was in heading into that fight: a year-plus breakup he was still working through in the ring, a house break-in where someone walked off with a $20K Chanel bag, and therapy work that finally helped him forgive his mom for the trauma she carried. He talks fashion ($35-40K Margiela fight kits, $1.5M total spent on clothes), his $17M retirement quota, his goal to become the first three-division world champion from Philadelphia, and a mystery summertime comeback fight at 130 pounds. This is one of the rawest, most honest sit-downs Fulton has done since the loss. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:19 - Best Dressed Boxers: Tank, Devin, Caleb Plant & More 00:02:35 - Raising His Sons & Teaching Style 00:04:32 - Would Steph Start His Own Clothing Brand? 00:05:13 - Most Expensive Fight Outfit: Head-to-Toe Margiela ($35-40K) 00:05:53 - How Much Has He Spent on Clothes His Whole Career? 00:09:42 - Going to Therapy & What He Learned 00:10:51 - Understanding His Mom’s Trauma & Forgiving Her 00:12:32 - His Parenting Philosophy: Don’t Force Your Kids 00:20:12 - His Financial Goal: $17 Million Before He Hangs It Up 00:22:04 - The House Break-In Before His Last Fight 00:28:41 - Acting, Podcasting & Life After Boxing 00:29:20 - Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez: Who Wins? 00:33:38 - Breaking Down Shakur Stevenson 00:34:13 - What Was Really Going on Before the Foster Fight (Breakup) 00:35:37 - Boxing Is the Loneliest Sport 00:36:09 - Being a Lover Boy, Therapy & Learning to Be Alone 00:40:47 - Motivation Now: Becoming a 3-Division World Champion 00:42:41 - What Really Went Wrong in the Foster Fight 00:43:14 - The Weight Cut Nightmare 00:47:34 - Does He Want the Rematch with Forster? 00:50:12 - Next Fight Coming This Year 00:54:20 - What’s Changed in Camp: Back to the Footwork 00:59:19 - Outro See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ak & Barak are back on RING CHAMPS with their boldest take yet: Canelo Alvarez is the greatest Mexican fighter of all time, and they’re settling it with facts over feelings. In one of the most controversial debates in boxing, Ak & Barak break down why Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has surpassed Julio Cesar Chavez Sr to claim the Mexican GOAT crown, and they bring the receipts. They walk through Chavez Sr’s record with a microscope: the 77-0 fight against a 7-2 opponent, the 65-0 fight against a 0-1 fighter, the 51+ journeymen on the resume, and the Meldrick Taylor fight Chavez was losing until the final seconds. Then he stacks Canelo’s accomplishments: 18 world titles across four divisions, becoming the first Mexican fighter to go undisputed at 168 pounds, 20 champions beaten, 9 undefeated fighters defeated, and moving up to 175 pounds to fight bigger men. The conversation also tackles Salvador Sanchez (potential vs accomplishments), Ricardo “Finito” Lopez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez (and his Pacquiao-four-times resume), and the strongest contrarian argument on the board: Oscar De La Hoya’s 11 world titles across six divisions, and the fact that he beat Chavez Sr head-to-head. 00:00 - The Ring Champs: Settling the Mexican GOAT Debate 01:25 - Facts Over Feelings: Canelo vs. Chavez Sr. 02:50 - Salvador Sanchez: Eye Test vs. Longevity 04:44 - Finito Lopez: Undefeated & More Skilled Than Chavez? 05:33 - Marco Antonio Barrera & Juan Manuel Marquez Resumes 11:16 - Lineal Champions vs. Vacant Titles 12:46 - Putting Chavez Sr.’s 77-0 Record Under the Microscope 17:32 - The Superstar Cultural Impact of Chavez Sr. 18:58 - Peak Comparisons: 21-Year-Old Canelo vs. Chavez Sr. 22:14 - The Strongest Case: Oscar De La Hoya’s Six-Division Legacy 25:36 - Why Canelo Alvarez is the Greatest Mexican Fighter of All Time 28:36 - Ticket Gates, Pay-Per-View, & Putting “Asses in Seats” 29:42 - Breaking Down Chavez Sr.’s Biggest Career Wins 33:59 - Final Verdict: Canelo Stands Alone at the Top See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gillie Da King sits down with Ak & Barak on Ring Champs for a no-holds-barred conversation about boxing, music, family, and the journey from being blackballed in the rap game to building a million-dollar empire. The Million Dollaz Worth of Game co-host opens up about Lil Wayne’s “Problem Solver” diss, why Jay-Z and 50 Cent both tried to sign him, the moment Wallo sent him the Spotify article that birthed the podcast, and why he cried signing the first deal after his cousin came home from doing 7,300 days. On the boxing side, Gillie goes deep on his Top 5 pound-for-pound list, why Tank Davis is the biggest star in American boxing, why Bam Rodriguez beats Naoya Inoue if they meet, and why Sebastian Fundora is the toughest fight on Boots Ennis’ horizon. He also crowns Joe Frazier King of Philly over Bernard Hopkins, breaks down Bozy’s Dungeon and the Philly fight scene, and explains the Cam Newton tight-pants beef that wasn’t actually beef. This is one of the most personal Ring Champs episodes yet: Gillie talks about losing his son, the philosophy he lives by as a grandfather, and why he’s putting his daughter N3WYRKLA’s debut album with 21 Savage, Trippie Redd, Rob 49, and G Herbo above his own rap career. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former IBF, WBA, and lineal welterweight champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis sits down with Ak & Barak ahead of his June 27 Barclays Center showdown with undefeated Xander Zayas. Boots breaks down why Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. never came his way, the real story behind the Vergil Ortiz negotiations falling apart, and the alleged Devin Haney 152 fight offer that was floated his way. He also opens up about sparring Canelo Alvarez during Bud Crawford's Canelo camp, his honest reaction to Conor Benn leaving Eddie Hearn and Matchroom for Zuffa Boxing, and why he thinks Keith Thurman is a different fighter today. Plus: growing up in Philly with his brothers protecting him from the streets, why Pernell Whitaker is his favorite fighter of all time, and his bold knockout prediction for Xander Zayas at 154. Ring Champs with Ak & Barak: where the boxing conversations land. New episodes weekly. Subscribe for more boxing interviews, fight breakdowns, and combat sports debate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ak & Barak break down the biggest weekend in boxing. David Benavidez vs. Gerardo “Zurdo” Ramirez headlines Cinco de Mayo weekend on May 2nd in Las Vegas, and the guys make their predictions on whether Benavidez can stop the bigger, more experienced cruiserweight champion to keep his pound-for-pound run alive. Plus a deep dive on the co-main between Munguia and Resendiz, and why Resendiz might need a knockout to stay in the title picture. In the back half: the Errol Spence Jr. comeback rumors are heating up, and Spence vs. Tim Tszyu is seemingly getting closer. Ak & Barak debate whether the layoff helps or hurts Spence, the awkward Charlo Twins training camp situation, and what a Spence return means for the welterweight and 154-pound divisions. They close with a hot take on whether David Benavidez is positioned to take over the Cinco de Mayo and September Mexican fight weekend dates from Canelo Alvarez See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán joins Ak & Barak to address the Terence Crawford sanctioning fee controversy head-on, Zuffa Boxing's arrival in the sport, and reveal where every dollar of WBC fees actually goes. Plus: the untold Mike Tyson taxi-driver knockout story from 1988, Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington's emotional title win, Ryan Garcia's WBC reinstatement, Shakur Stevenson's all-time great case, Mauricio's real relationship with Turki Alalshikh, and the Avni Yildirim mandatory saga that rewrote WBC rules forever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooklyn legend and hip hop icon Big Daddy Kane joins Ak & Barak on RING CHAMPS for one of the most legendary conversations yet. Kane opens up about helping put on a young Jay-Z, taking him on tour as his opening act, and why he believes we never would have gotten Reasonable Doubt if Jay had blown up with his original fast-rap style. He shares the story of touring with Tupac back when Pac was still a dancer for Digital Underground, the night Mister Cee kept telling him Biggie sounded just like him, and the moment he heard Grandmaster Caz and threw his entire rap book in the trash. But this isn't just a hip hop history lesson. Kane goes deep on boxing, breaking down Crawford vs Floyd Mayweather (and why Crawford fights like a skilled version of Roberto Duran), naming Muhammad Ali as the greatest fighter of all time, and revealing how he learned battle rap trash talk from watching Ali's press conferences. Plus, a hilarious Mike Tyson club story you have to hear to believe, his dream fight of Mayweather vs Sugar Ray Leonard, and why he wants to see Shakur vs Tank next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.