Episode 368: Teo Disappoints; Fury vs Usyk in May, Beterbiev vs Bivol in June

·45 min·4 clips

Three undisputed championship fights could happen within four weeks, a historic month for boxing fans.

In this solo episode of 'The Neutral Corner', host Michael Montero provides a rapid-fire update on boxing news without taking listener calls due to time constraints. He opens by teasing upcoming announcements about large platforms and stars that will affect the business, but declines to divulge details. Montero previews the Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney fight on April 20th, praising Garcia's brand power and Haney's willingness to fight without catchweight clauses, while rating Garcia as the fifth best among young American stars. He then addresses the rescheduling of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk to May 18th due to Fury's eye cut, expressing concerns about Fury's healing and Usyk's potential strategy. Montero highlights a packed schedule with Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol on June 1st on regular ESPN, noting that three of the four fighters in these two bouts are pound-for-pound level. He speculates on Canelo Alvarez's Cinco de Mayo fight, listing Terence Crawford, Jermall Charlo, Jaime Munguia, and David Benavidez as possible opponents, but argues that Benavidez vs. Munguia is the best super middleweight fight, blaming Benavidez's management for his career limitations. Montero reviews recent fights, criticizing Teofimo Lopez's dull win over Jamaine Ortiz and Keyshawn Davis's victory over an aging Jose Pedraza. He launches into a critique of Thursday night boxing scheduling, suggesting shows should run from 7 PM to 10 PM Eastern to accommodate viewers, and argues promoters are now fighting over diehard fans rather than casuals. The host previews upcoming cards, including Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jesus Perez and O'Shaquie Foster vs. Abraham Nova, but notes he won't stay up late for them. He concludes by discussing the appeal of Saudi cards for their time slots and hints at imminent news about Canelo Alvarez and PBC, planning to dedicate a future show to it.

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