IBF & Lineal cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia sits down with Ak & Barak to break down his face-to-face encounter with David Benavidez in Las Vegas, his plans to become undisputed before moving to heavyweight permanently, and what it’s like preparing for Zuffa Boxing’s first-ever marquee fight on Sunday, March 8th. Jai also reveals his “Frankenstein” approach to building his fighting style — studying Crawford’s pocket work, Usyk’s footwork, and Shakur’s distance control.

IBF &amp; Lineal cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia sits down with Ak &amp; Barak to break down his face-to-face encounter with David Benavidez in Las Vegas, his plans to become undisputed before moving to heavyweight permanently, and what it&rsquo;s like preparing for Zuffa Boxing&rsquo;s first-ever marquee fight on Sunday, March 8th. Jai also reveals his &ldquo;Frankenstein&rdquo; approach to building his fighting style &mdash; studying Crawford&rsquo;s pocket work, Usyk&rsquo;s footwork, and Shakur&rsquo;s distance control.

Bringing you the newest series from ATS Fight, RING CHAMPS with Ak & Barak. Weekly episodes of RING CHAMPS will feature exclusive interviews with top fighters, trainers, and luminaries in the sport of boxing, along with in-depth analysis of the most culturally relevant news in the ever-changing game.

Bringing you the newest series from ATS Fight, RING CHAMPS with Ak & Barak.

Ring Champs with Ak & Barak

Jai Opetaia on David Benavidez, Undisputed Goals & the Mom Talk That Saved His Career

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/601c9d96-2dd2-487c-8822-b40401124327/transcript

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

Stephen Espinoza returns for a wide-ranging conversation covering some of boxing&rsquo;s biggest storylines, and has some updates. He addresses Floyd Mayweather&rsquo;s $340M lawsuit against him and Showtime personally &mdash; where pay-per-view money actually goes, and why he insists not a penny went missing &mdash; plus whether he&rsquo;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&rsquo;s claim that Zuffa Boxing will eventually sign every fighter, breaking down what that would actually require &mdash; undoing 100 years of boxing&rsquo;s structure &mdash; and pointing to a business model that keeps contradicting itself, down to Devin Haney&rsquo;s rumored $60M deal.
0:00 &ndash; Intro 0:44 &ndash; Floyd&rsquo;s lawsuit: does Espinoza/Showtime owe him money? 2:20 &ndash; His reaction to the suit, and where things stand with Al Haymon 4:32 &ndash; How PPV money actually flows 9:00 &ndash; Streaming vs. old-school PPV payouts 10:16 &ndash; The leaked Al Haymon audio and the AI theory 14:19 &ndash; Al Haymon taking PBC stars to Fox &mdash; and why exclusive network deals hurt boxing 20:49 &ndash; Signing Boots Ennis and Anthony Joshua outside of PBC 25:30 &ndash; Creating boxing&rsquo;s first real annual fight schedule 30:38 &ndash; Espinoza&rsquo;s green-light power at Showtime, and why it ended 36:07 &ndash; Why Tank vs. Shakur died, and the real story on Crawford vs. Ennis 40:23 &ndash; Mayweather vs. Crawford &mdash; what it&rsquo;d take, and would fans buy it? 44:04 &ndash; Boxing&rsquo;s shrinking media landscape, Saudi money, and PIF 50:32 &ndash; Could Zuffa really sign every fighter? Devin Haney&rsquo;s rumored $60M deal 54:23 &ndash; Al Haymon&rsquo;s future, Turki&rsquo;s &ldquo;boxing summit,&rdquo; and fighters pricing themselves out 1:02:20 &ndash; Would Espinoza still help Floyd? His finances since the lawsuit 1:05:32 &ndash; Addressing Part 1 comments 1:09:36 &ndash; Joshua vs. Fury, Wilder&rsquo;s legacy, and Tank Davis&rsquo; future 1:15:49 &ndash; Outro

Stephen Espinoza Answers: Does Showtime Actually Owe Floyd Mayweather $340M? | PART 2

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/129f9c03-d6a0-4077-a1e4-b497012d9cc3/transcript

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.

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.

Terence Crawford: He Planned Retirement BEFORE Canelo, Errol Spence & Who Takes Over Boxing

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c02a75d7-b0a5-414b-9be9-b4900134c360/transcript

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

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&rsquo;t walk to the ring. Then the part that still eats at him every day &mdash; 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&rsquo;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 &ndash; Intro &amp; Welcome Back Richardson Hitchins 00:47 &ndash; What Really Happened During Oscar Duarte Fight Week 07:12 &ndash; Is Hitchins Done at 140? 08:50 &ndash; Making Weight, Nutrition &amp; Growing Out of the Division 10:59 &ndash; Ad Break 12:10 &ndash; Zuffa&rsquo;s Plans for Him at 147 14:04 &ndash; How the Zuffa Boxing Deal Came Together 16:25 &ndash; Why the Eddie Hearn Deal Fell Apart 21:02 &ndash; Breaking Down Teofimo Lopez vs. Rolly Romero 25:53 &ndash; Beef with Devin Haney &amp; Tank Davis 30:55 &ndash; Should Shakur Stevenson Move Up to 147? 33:53 &ndash; Sparring Stories with Shakur Stevenson 35:05 &ndash; Keyshawn Davis&rsquo; Win Over Jamaine Ortiz 38:34 &ndash; Shakur Stevenson Beats Raymond Ford 42:17 &ndash; Boots Ennis vs. Xander Zayas 47:35 &ndash; Fundora &amp; Vergil in the 154 Division 49:35 &ndash; Fantasy Fight: Boots Ennis vs. Bud Crawford 53:45 &ndash; Fallout, Critics &amp; the Real Reason He Pulled Out 1:03:34 &ndash; Meeting Dana White &amp; Nick Khan 1:06:11 &ndash; Talking His Next Opponent 1:11:25 &ndash; Wrap

Richardson Hitchins: TRUTH About the Duarte Pullout, Tank’s Fake Number Texts & Signing With Zuffa

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6c9602d4-0178-4c3c-ad15-b48a012366ae/transcript

Jai Opetaia on David Benavidez, Undisputed Goals & the Mom Talk That Saved His Career

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