Boxing media is in bad shape, and the way ballots and voting is decided with the International Boxing Hall of Fame epitomizes what current issues are. Frankly, the process seems to be at an icky nadir. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, Boxing History guy Patrick Connor and fellow historian Aris Pina don't hold much back as they di…

It's the time of year when many people are giving thanks. We're not much into holidays, but we'll take this opportunity to discuss some of the boxing things we're thankful for. On this episode, we stuff a few hours full of discussion about the things we like. SUBSCRIBE!Follow us on social media!Bluesky: Patrick Connor: @boxinghistory.bsky.social Tw…

Against all of our desires and wishes, Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul is just about here. We're sorry about that. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and author/filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler team up to... kinda preview the Tyson-Paul "fight." SUBSCRIBE! Follow us on social media! Twitter/X: Patrick Connor -…

Let's face it: things have been weird and stressful lately. So rather than focus on all of that, we're focusing on some positive things for a change. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and fellow historian Aris Pina team up to remember some of boxing history's most inspiring and motivational victorie…

It's Halloween month, and while some don't celebrate, many embrace the fun and zany culture that usually comes along with the holiday. Some fighters also partake by wearing costumes to the ring or performing fun ring walks. And on this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and Compubox operator/fellow historian…

The light heavyweight division is one of the oldest of the "original" divisions, and Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol is but an extension of the division's history. It's a necessary fight that nearly everyone wanted. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor teams up with Compubox operator and fellow history…

The International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York has been around since 1990, and there aren't too many history podcasts out there where the hosts have nearly 30 years of IBHOF voting between them. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, two IBHOF voters discuss a number of fighters on the modern ballot. Which fighters are de…

British boxing history goes back hundreds of years, and the heavyweight division is the oldest division for obvious reasons. There have been countless British heavyweights over the centuries, ranging from great all the way down the scale. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and fellow historian Aris P…

In the early 2000s, both Manny Pacquiao and Edwin Valero were new and hard-hitting lower weight sensations. Their career trajectories were clearly on different paths, but for a few years, Pacquiao-Valero was a mythical matchup most fans would have been happy to get. And we really weren't that far from getting it. On this episode of the Knuckles and…

We love huge, meaningful fights that everyone's been asking for. But let's face it: for every superfight we crave, we get umpteen fights that don't make much sense. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and fellow history expert Aris Pina discuss a number of fights from history that, for one reason or a…

With Terence Crawford taking aim at yet another division, it gives us another opportunity to talk about some history. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and fellow historian Aris Pina remember some of the best and worst multi-division champions from boxing history. SUBSCRIBE! Follow us on social medi…

Our respect and reverence for boxing's trainers hasn't changed since Part 1, but with only a finite amount of time with which to work, we had to return for more. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and Compubox operator/fellow historian Aris Pina remember more of the game's coaches and trainers. SUBSC…

Many things about boxing can't quite be duplicated. One of them is the thrill of waiting for an unknown decision to be read. Adjacent to that is the mixture of anger and embarrassment felt as a fan when a bad decision is rendered. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and Compubox operator and historian…

Deontay Wilder, aka "The Bronze Bomber," is almost certainly at the end of his career. At the very least, he appears to be approaching the end very quickly. There can be no question that he often delivered entertainment and, in terms of his career, he over-performed. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Conno…

Juan Francisco Estrada and Jesse "Bam" Rodríguez should be a high level super flyweight/junior bantamweight clash. Thankfully we've been able to follow the lower weight classes far more closely in recent years, and this fight should add to the legacy of the division. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Conno…

In boxing, trainers are essential parts of the equation. And over the decades, there have been some extremely memorable fight trainers, and for a variety of reasons. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historians Patrick Connor and Aris Pina team up to remember a handful of trainers that come to mind. SUBSCRIBE! Follow us on …

Boxing has it all: great characters, tragedy, triumph, drama. But the sport is also packed full of knuckleheads. You know them. The fighters who couldn't keep from opening their mouths, couldn't stay out of trouble and so forth. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, we focused on the recent International Boxing Hall of Fame induction …

Heavyweight slugfests. There's just something about two large fighters wrecking one another that's so difficult to turn away from. Deontay Wilder's heavyweight showdown with Zhilei Zhang features two heavy punchers among the big men, and while there are asterisks (which we discuss!), it could wind up being a heck of a fight. On this episode of the …

Oleksandr Usyk is the new undisputed heavyweight champion. That sentence alone tells you what you need to know. There were other details, sure. Like how Tyson Fury put up a scrap, and how it was a great fight. And the locale was interesting. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor is joined by fellow hist…

In today's boxing world, wins and losses mean everything. Or at least they seem to mean a lot more than they should, especially when you consider just how many great fighters lost their pro debut. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historians Patrick Connor and Aris Pina talk about great fighters who lost their first fight, …

Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk seems like it's taken forever to arrive, but we're allegedly finally here. A heavyweight clash of this magnitude deserves a preview, and we have some opinions! The Pay-Per-View situation has gotten quite interesting lately as well, and we couldn't miss the opportunity to talk about some of the best boxing PPVs, the wors…

April Foo— Oh, it's an actual Bobby Czyz tribune episode. Well okay then. This is for our long-time listeners and viewers. They know how we feel about Czyz. SUBSCRIBE! Follow us on social media! Twitter: Patrick Connor - @BoxingHistory Brin-Jonathan Butler: @brinicio Facebook: / kgbradio Instagram: @knucklesandgloves Find us on the usual podcast ap…

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…

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 A…

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-Jonath…

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 Pa…

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 …

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 Ta…

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 aut…

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 …

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 particul…

Even if you're not quite old enough to remember when James "Buster" Douglas upset Mike Tyson for the heavyweight championship back in 1990, you're almost certainly well aware that it was a massive upset. Just how massive? More than 30 years later, it's still held as a sports upset gold standard for many. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves p…

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 discus…

It's said fighters often feel some kind of bond after a grueling fight, and fighters who go to war together are forever linked. Some fights, like Robert Quiroga vs Akeem Anifowoshe, 1991's "Fight of the Year," epitomize the idea that once two fighters lock horns and give pieces of themselves in a fight, nothing is ever the same afterward.Robert Qui…

So why didn't Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe ever fight? And what exactly happened that one time they met in the ring?On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, Patrick Connor and Brin-Jonathan Butler break down the matchup between Lewis and Bowe in the 1988 Olympics, their career and the reasons why they never fought. Yes, including the in…

Mike Tyson and George Foreman are two of the biggest heavyweight punchers both of recent memory, and all-time. And they almost fought!On this episoe of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, Patrick Connor and Brin-Jonathan Butler talk about why Tyson-Foreman never happened, and what the result may have been if they had!SUBSCRIBE!Store: https://bit.ly/KN…

Fighters fight on too long as a general rule. Even so, some fighters notably have longer careers than others.On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historians Patrick Connor and Aris Pina team up to remember a handful of fighters whose careers spanned impressive lengths of time.SUBSCRIBE!Store: https://bit.ly/KNGMerchFollow us o…

Floyd Mayweather's victory over Oscar de la Hoya was a star-making performance, yet many seem to disagree with the final decision. That makes it a good fight to revisit and re-score.There was also a small matter of Oscar de la Hoya's recent "documentary" to discuss. "The Golden Boy" recently debuted on HBO's streaming service, and might figure into…

It makes sense that the biggest fighters are the biggest punchers. Rocky Marciano, Mike Tyson, Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey and so forth are legendary punchers, but where do they rank on the list of heavyweight champions with the most knockouts?Here's a list of the Top 15 heavyweight champions who scored the most knockouts during their careers, with box…

Terence Crawford is a magnificent fighter. No need to qualify anything or compare him historically to any fighter from the past. He may truly stand alone as the greatest fighter of his era, and his domination of Errol Spence, Jr. sure seems to back that idea up.On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, Patrick Connor and Aris Pina express…

Naoya Inoue is one scary fighter, and he proved it by going through unified junior featherweight champion Stephen Fulton with ease. How far can Inoue go? Where should he be pound-for-pound? And wait, because there's an entirely DIFFERENT top-level fight in just a few days: Errol Spence, Jr. vs Terence Crawford. It's the one we've been waiting for. …

Tommy Morrison was known as "The Duke," and the 1980s and 90s heavyweight contender was a charismatic, hard-hitting scrapper. Unfortunately he also made many questionable decisions throughout his life, and several of them led to an early demise.On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, Patrick Connor and Aris Pina take a close look at the…

We tend to focus on older history, but sometimes we'll recall fights and fighters from recent history, like the trilogy between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder that spanned three years and produced many thrills.On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and author/filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler remember and re…

Back in the 1950s, the heavyweight division was more or less held hostage by Floyd Patterson's trainer and manager Cus D'Amato after Rocky Marciano retired. A number of heavyweights during that time ripened on the vine, if not had a good portion of their careers wasted. On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, Patrick Connor and Aris Pin…

Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier created history and just seemed to do great thing in the ring together.On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and author/filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler remember the third and final chapter between two all-time greats.SUBSCRIBE!Store: https://bit.ly/KNGMerchFollow us on social…

Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier were truly great heavyweight champions and bitter rivals. Their trilogy is known by boxing fans and detractors alike.On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and author/filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler join up to remember the first two fight between these heavyweight giants.SUBSC…

It's not that often boxing gets massive fights, and even less often that they happen all the way down at lightweight. Gervonta "Tank" Davis and "King" Ryan Garcia meet in Las Vegas this weekend, and it's huge.Patrick Connor and Aris Pina teamed up to preview the fight and talk about both fighters' careers to this point, plus give their picks.Let's …

Heavyweight eras, and entire eras of boxing itself, are often defined by a single, popular champion. "As the heavyights go, so goes boxing," they say.But what happens when an entire generation is lost to oblivion because of decisions made by the champion?On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historians Patrick Connor and Aris P…

There are many memorable moments in even recent boxing history, but few, like when George Foreman regained the heavyweight championship over Michael Moorer in 1994, are the kind where you remember who you watched with, or where you were.On this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, boxing historian Patrick Connor and author/filmmaker Brin-Jon…

The year is young, but we've already had a few fights that were far better than anticipated. In fact, the words "fight of the year contender" have already been uttered.History is jammed full of fights that turned out way better than expected, and on this episode of the Knuckles and Gloves podcast, Patrick Connor and Aris Pina remember several of th…