🥊 History At The Garden

April 29, 2022

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Fight With Teddy Atlas Newsletter, your one stop shop for all things combat sports related, brought to you by Teddy and The Fight team.

Teddy Atlas and co-host Ken Rideout breakdown the Tyson Fury's 6th round KO of Dillian Whyte, and discuss Tyson Fury's legacy, the potential Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou fight, what could happen with Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua fights, and more. Teddy and Ken also discuss upcoming Shakur Stev…

Every Friday We Bring You:

  • A combat sports news digest with all the headlines you need to know from Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts.

  • Highlights from the podcast and across the fight world.

  • Fight times and information you need to know ahead of time.

  • How to’s and tips for Boxing from Teddy himself.

Fight News From Around The 🌍

Unprecedented & Undisputed

Forget women's boxing.

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are epitomising the best of boxing as a whole.

Two of the most decorated boxers of the last 10 years facing off for all the marbles at lightweight, in a huge, highly publicised fight at the historic Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Of course, it's difficult to underestimate the impact this fight has for women's boxing.

Katie Taylor comes into it with the Undisputed crown at Lightweight, having held it since her unification with Delfine Peerson in June 2019.

Before that, she was the first ever woman to represent Ireland at the Olympics, picking up a Gold Medal at London 2012, the crowing jewel of a highly decorated amateur career.

Amanda Serrano, whilst not as much of a lauded amateur, is one of the most hardened women's pros in the business. She's captured titles in 7 divisions, with her pressure fighting style travelling up with her all the way.

She's been a pro since 2009, when Katie Taylor was still playing soccer in her native Ireland.

That gives you an idea of just how seasoned Serrano is, and her comfort with the pro style as well as her massive experience could give her an edge in what could turn out to be a close fight.

Stylistically, it could prove to be a brilliant match-up. Serrano coming forward with constant pressure and a sustained body attack could see her have great success.

But Katie Taylor has figured out every single pro opponent put in front of her, and her counter-punching and educated jab have taken her to 6 defences of her Undisputed crown without getting into too much trouble along the way.

Saturday night, the world will witness the biggest women's boxing match in history.

Here's to hoping the fight itself matches the spectacle and the anticipation around it.

Mayweather - Castillo 2.0?

Another huge fight takes place this weekend in boxing, when undefeated champions collide in the 130 lbs Super-Featherweight division.

WBC champion Oscar Valdez will take on the WBO champion Shakur Stevenson in a unification fight that could be one of the best matchups in the divisions history.

Shakur Stevenson has gone from a prospect fresh off a silver medal in Rio 2016, to a genuine pound for pound level fighter in what seems like no time.

His rise has been meteoric, picking up his first world title at only 21 before going on to become a 2 division champion back in October, stopping WBO 130lbs champion Jamel Herring in 10 rounds in what was without a doubt, the statement win of his career thus far.

His talent is undeniable, and although he's brushed them off, comparisons with Mayweather have become harder to ignore.

Valdez will be looking to embody the spirit of one of Mayweather's most difficult opponents, Jose Luis Castillo, and assert himself as the number 1 in his division.

Castillo famously pushed the young Mayweather all the way in their first fight back in 2002, troubling "Pretty Boy" Floyd with his relentless pressure and textbook Mexican in-fighting.

Valdez won't be looking to come away with a controversial loss against Stevenson however.

Although he didn't look his best against Robson Conceição in his last bout, he did enough to force the pace and get the nod in the eyes of the judges.

It wasn't that far back that he pulled off a KO of the year contender against the then division bogeyman Miguel Berchelt, having picked him apart before stopping him in the 6th.

That was another fight where Valdez was written off by many, and the same goes here.

We can't forget however, that these are both undefeated, 2 weight world champions.

They've gone about it in different ways and from very different backgrounds, but Saturday night they will meet in the middle of the ring to decide who is the best Super Featherweight on the planet.

"Main Event" Chito

The UFC serves up a great Fight Night main event at the Apex on Saturday night, as Marlon "Chito" Vera takes on perennial contender Rob Font for a place in the Top 5 of the Bantamweight division.

The fan favourite Vera will be looking to build on his viral front kick KO of the future Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar back at UFC 268, and announce his arrival in the Top 5 in great style.

UFC Matchmaker Mick Maynard hasn't done him any favours here.

Rob Font, despite coming off of a unanimous decision loss to Jose Aldo, is an extremely difficult nights work for any UFC Bantamweight.

Prior to the Aldo fight, he hadn't been beaten since 2018 and was riding a 4 fight win streak that included dominant victories over Cody Garbrandt and Marlon Moraes.

Chito has amassed a big following in the sport, in part for his victory over Sean O'Malley in in 2020, but also for his entertaining personality and fight style.

He's been in the octagon with quality operators, but has struggled in the past with movers who possess high fight IQ, as shown with his recent losses to Jose Aldo and Song Yadong.

Rob Font may not have the legendary credentials of the former, or the youth of the latter, but he will represent a similar sort of problem for Chito to try and solve, with his striking being amongst some of the most accurate in the division.

A title fight for the winner may not be on the cards, but it'll be clear from Saturday night who will be ready to step into contention and mix it up with the top dogs at Bantamweight.

Fight ⏰ for this weekend

Boxing: Taylor vs Serrano (Saturday 30th/Sunday 1st)

  • 🇺🇸 Full Card: 7pm Eastern/ 4pm Pacific | Main Event: 10pm Eastern/ 7pm Pacific

  • 🇬🇧 Full Card: 12am | Main Event: 3am

  • 🇦🇺 Full Card: 9am Eastern/ 6am Western | Main Event: 12pm Eastern/ 10am Western

Boxing: Stevenson vs Valdez (Saturday 30th/Sunday 1st)

  • 🇺🇸 Full Card: 9pm Eastern/ 6pm Pacific | Main Event: 11pm Eastern/ 8pm Pacific

  • 🇬🇧 Full Card: 2am | Main Event: 4am

  • 🇦🇺 Full Card: 11am Eastern/ 9am Western | Main Event: 1pm Eastern/ 11am Western

UFC: Font vs Vera (Saturday 30th/Sunday 1st)

  • 🇺🇸 Full Card: 7pm Eastern/ 4pm Pacific | Main Event: 9pm Eastern/ 6pm Pacific

  • 🇬🇧 Full Card: 12am | Main Event: 2am 

  • 🇦🇺 Full Card: 9am Eastern/ 7am Western | Main Event: 11am Eastern/ 9am Western

Don't forget to tune in to the latest episode 🎧

Thanks for being with us and see you next week #BANG💥