At one point, the heavyweight championship was the most-coveted title in mainstream sports. Management teams and promoters are often inspired to take shortcuts, or at least unconventional paths, to lead a fighter to something nearing the heavyweight title. On this episode, we briefly talk about Anthony Joshua's clash with Francis Ngannou, but spend the bulk of the episode recalling other heavyweights from history who were fast-tracked. SUBSCRIBE! Follow us on social media! Twitter/X:  Patrick Connor - @BoxingHistory Aris Pina: @PunchZoneAris Facebook:   FB/kgbradio   Instagram ..read more

A pugilistic tale as old as time: how do today's best fighters measure up to history's best fighters? Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, Tyson Fury, Terence Crawford, Naoya Inoue, Oleksandr Usyk and company... How would they do against the leaders of yesteryear? On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, the fight historian 1-2 of Patrick Connor and Aris Pina tackle the issue and offer (ahem) the absolutely most definitive answers possible. SUBSCRIBE! Follow us on social media! Twitter/X:  Patrick Connor - @BoxingHistory Aris Pina: @PunchZoneAris Facebook:   FB/kgbradio   Instagram ..read more

Few fights define almost everything great about boxing the way Diego Corrales wild victory over José Luis Castillo did. When it comes to fights reaching peak insanity, Corrales-Castillo is basically still the standard 20 years later. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and author/filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler remember both fights between Diego Corrales and José Luis Castillo, and even the canceled third bout, but mostly the ridiculous first fight. SUBSCRIBE! Follow us on social media! Twitter: Patrick Connor - @PatrickMConnor Brin-Jonathan Butle ..read more

Believe it or not, 2023 was a fantastic year for boxing. Even if we're saying goodbye to at least one major fight institution in Showtime Boxing, fans were treated to several very big fights, a few matchups that satisfied the hardcore contingent, and no shortage of star power. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historians Patrick Connor and Aris Pina recall some of their favorite 2023 moments, and many of their favorite Showtime Boxing memories. SUBSCRIBE! Store: https://bit.ly/KNGMerch Follow us on social media! Twitter: Patrick Connor - @BoxingHistory Aris Pina: @Punc ..read more

Floyd Mayweather is one of the biggest boxing stars of all time, so naturally there will be more scrutiny of his career than others. It may be somewhat unfair, but it also makes sense. His two fights with Marcos Maidana are often cited as two of the most difficult of his entire career, and on this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and author/filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler re-watch and re-score the two Mayweather-Maidana bouts. SUBSCRIBE! Store: https://bit.ly/KNGMerch Follow us on social media! Twitter: Patrick Connor - @PatrickMConnor Brin-Jonathan Bu ..read more

How could a heavyweight champion and Olympic medalist be all but forgotten? "Big" John Tate was a member of a the legendary 1976 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, and later won a version of the heavyweight championship, yet few remember the man or the fighter. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, Patrick Connor and Aris Pina remember John Tate. SUBSCRIBE! Store: https://bit.ly/KNGMerch Follow us on social media! Twitter/X:  Patrick Connor - @BoxingHistory Aris Pina: @PunchZoneAris Facebook:   FB/kgbradio   Instagram: @knucklesandgloves Find us on the usual podcast apps an ..read more

Some sets of fighters, like Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Márquez for instance, match up like puzzle pieces. Just when one pulls away and seems to be greater, the other roars back and again proved to be their equal. Pacquiao and Márquez did this four times. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and author/filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler remember the classic four bouts between Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao and Juan Manuel "Dinamita" Márquez. SUBSCRIBE! Store: https://bit.ly/KNGMerch Follow us on social media! Twitter: Patrick Connor - @PatrickMConnor Bri ..read more

We all thought Tyson Fury would probably outbox Francis Ngannou with ease. It was only logical. But then Tyson Fury had to go ahead an underestimate the UFC's lineal (but deposed) heavyweight champion. It doesn't even matter that Tyson Fury won. Francis Ngannou's moment was huge enough and unexpected enough that it basically counted as win. And on this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, we couldn't help but talk about Fury-Ngannou. SUBSCRIBE! Store: https://bit.ly/KNGMerch Follow us on social media! Twitter/X:  Patrick Connor - @BoxingHistory Aris Pina: @PunchZoneAris Facebook ..read more

We already discussed some high-profile fighters who fought for extended periods of time in Part 1 of the Longest Fighting Careers series. But in a sport full of fighters who fought for a long time, we may have left a few out. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, Patrick Connor and Aris Pina recall several other fighters with particularly long careers. SUBSCRIBE! Store: https://bit.ly/KNGMerch Follow us on social media! Twitter/X:   Patrick Connor - @BoxingHistory Aris Pina: @PunchZoneAris Facebook:   / kgbradio Instagram: @knucklesandgloves Find us on the usual podcast ..read more

Boxing was wild in the 1970s. And before that too, for that matter, but the sports opened new doors during the 70s, and one of those doors led to Rahway State Prison in New Jersey, where James Scott lived. And fought professionally. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, the boxing historian combo of Patrick Connor and Aris Pina discuss the life, crimes and career of James Scott. SUBSCRIBE! Follow us on social media! Twitter: Patrick Connor - @BoxingHistory Aris Pina: @PunchZoneAris Facebook: / kgbradio Instagram: @knucklesandgloves Find us on the usual podcast apps and SUBSCRIBE ..read more