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  • Ninety minutes' lateness that turned Wembley into a waiting crowd

    Ninety minutes' lateness that turned Wembley into a waiting crowd
    2026/10/30
    A world champion walks into Wembley late, minutes before his fight, and a crowd waits in the rain-how did everything unravel before the bell?

    Ninety minutes' lateness that turned Wembley into a waiting crowd

    In this episode, we trace the moments and decisions that led a prodigious heavyweight to turn up almost two hours late for his biggest night, and we follow the pattern of timing, pressure, and environment that shaped his career. What happens when the one thing a fighter needs most-stillness-keeps slipping away?

    Person: Daniel Dubois
    Location: Wembley Stadium
    Date: July 19, 2025
    Event: Late arrival ninety minutes before opening bell
    Training base: Peacock Gym, Canning Town

    - Brought to the Peacock Gym at age nine by his father, Daniel Dubois trained through a disciplined household and a working-class East London gym.
    - As a pro he amassed a record of early knockouts, winning British and WBC Youth titles and rising on a rapid, knockout-heavy trajectory.
    - He spent time in the GB Elite amateur programme but turned down Olympic selection in 2020 to sign with promoter Frank Warren and go pro.
    - The move to professional ranks centralized talent, family, and entourage into one space, removing the external structure Sheffield had provided.
    - In November 2020, after dominating nine rounds against Joe Joyce, Dubois was knocked down and counted out in round ten amid debate over injury versus quitting-an early sign of pressure-point collapse.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    20 分
  • The broken front wing that sent him off Montjuïc and cost him the championship

    The broken front wing that sent him off Montjuïc and cost him the championship
    2026/10/29
    Jochen Rindt loses a front wing at Montjuïc, his Lotus flies off the track - will a championship be decided?

    The broken front wing that sent him off Montjuïc and cost him the championship

    In this episode, we follow the arc of Jochen Rindt’s rise from wartime orphan to a driver who raced on the razor’s edge and chose a team he said could make him champion or kill him. The episode traces his early life, key races, and the decisions and mechanical failures that led to the Montjuïc incident-how does a man drive that brilliantly while seeing catastrophe coming?

    Person: Jochen Rindt
    Date: 18 April 1942 (birth); 18 May 1964 (London Trophy); 18 November 1970 (trophy presentation)
    Location: Montjuïc Circuit, Spain; Place de la Concorde, Paris; Hamburg; Graz; Crystal Palace
    Event: Broken front suspension wing at Montjuïc; Lotus 72 chassis number 4 found in scrapyard near Milan in 1985

    - Born an orphan after a 1942 bombing raid in Hamburg and raised in Graz, Rindt carried a childhood injury that left one leg four centimetres shorter and a lifelong limp.
    - Early career highlights: disqualified for dangerous driving in his first race (1961), rapid progression through Alfa Romeo GT wins, Formula Junior, and a debut in F1 at the 1964 Austrian Grand Prix.
    - Notable performances included beating Graham Hill for the 1964 London Trophy and sharing a Le Mans-winning Ferrari in which his co-driver questioned his restraint on the final laps.
    - In 1969 Bernie Ecclestone negotiated Rindt’s contract with Colin Chapman’s Lotus-the team Rindt said would either make him World Champion or kill him, a choice he signed despite knowing the risk.
    - At Montjuïc in 1969 both Rindt and teammate Graham Hill suffered front wing failures at high speed; Rindt’s car left the circuit and he walked away with a broken nose, while his Lotus 72 (chassis 4) later languished in a scrapyard until rediscovered.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    20 分
  • The $65,000 Ledger That Made a Champion Pay for His Fall

    The $65,000 Ledger That Made a Champion Pay for His Fall
    2026/10/28
    A champion stands in a stadium with owed boxing earnings on paper while the ledgers that taxed him hide the $65,000 he never touched.

    The $65,000 Ledger That Made a Champion Pay for His Fall

    In this episode, we follow the rise of Ike Williams from street-corner fighter in Trenton to undisputed lightweight champion, and the ledger entries that turned his legitimate pay into a lifelong fight. What happens when the sport that built you, its managers, and the tax system all claim your earnings?

    Person: Ike Williams
    Event: Yankee Stadium defense vs Jesse Flores; Shibe Park fight vs Beau Jack
    Date: September 1948 (Flores), (undated) later fight vs Beau Jack
    Location: Trenton, New Jersey; Yankee Stadium; Shibe Park; Philadelphia
    Topic: $65,000 in earned boxing purses withheld and taxed

    - Williams rose from selling newspapers in Trenton to become undisputed lightweight champion by 1947.
    - Promoter Frank "Blinky" Palermo stepped in after Williams said managers had effectively blacklisted him.
    - Two documented purses-$32,500 (Flores) and $32,400 (Beau Jack)-totaled $65,000 that Williams never received.
    - Williams asked the boxing association to hold the money for tax reasons; the funds were later reported spent by Palermo.
    - Despite never receiving the payouts, Williams was taxed on the recorded income and later testified before the United States Congress.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    19 分
  • The hand injury that benched Rosario and began his fall

    The hand injury that benched Rosario and began his fall
    2026/10/27
    A Puerto Rican world lightweight champion injures his hand and watches everything slip away-how do you fall from that high?

    The hand injury that benched Rosario and began his fall

    In this episode, we follow Edwin Rosario from Barrio Candelaria to the world lightweight title and the moment his career pivots with a hand injury. The episode traces his rise, the decisions and events that shaped him, and asks what a champion does when his body starts asking for repayment.

    Person: Edwin Rosario
    Location: Barrio Candelaria, Toa Baja, Puerto Rican
    Date: May 1, 1983
    Event: WBC lightweight title win and subsequent hand injury
    Trainer: Manny Siaca Sr.

    - Raised in extreme poverty, Edwin was driven by his brother Papo’s death and a promise to win a world title.
    - Scouted at eight by Manny Siaca Sr., he built a reputation as a devastating puncher in the amateurs and early pros.
    - He turned pro and amassed 21 wins before his first title fight, 20 by knockout, signaling overwhelming power.
    - On May 1, 1983, at age 20, he won the WBC lightweight title by unanimous decision and injured his hand during that fight.
    - Surgery and months of inactivity followed the title win, introducing the first major physical setback of his championship career.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    18 分
  • The tolerance for pain that pushed him from champion to shelter

    The tolerance for pain that pushed him from champion to shelter
    2026/10/26
    A five-year-old left on a Philadelphia church step becomes a boxer who reaches the world title-how do you fall from that high?

    The tolerance for pain that pushed him from champion to shelter

    In this episode, we trace the life of a man who carried three names through abandonment, foster care, a rise to world champion, and a later life in a shelter. We follow the choices, fights, and costs along the way and ask what that tolerance for pain really required of him.

    Person: Maxwell Antonio Loach / Matthew Franklin / Matthew Saad Muhammad
    Event: Knockout win for WBC light heavyweight title on April 22, 1979
    Location: Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia; Indianapolis, Indiana
    Period: 1959 (abandonment) - 2010 (found in shelter)
    Honor: Induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1998

    - A five-year-old was left asleep on the steps of a church on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and renamed by nuns who could not learn his birth name.
    - Raised through foster care and adoption in Philadelphia, he developed an enduring capacity to absorb pain and expect no rescue.
    - He turned professional in 1974, fought future champions early, and won the Trenton Golden Gloves as an amateur.
    - Nicknamed "Miracle Matthew," he repeatedly staged late comebacks, including an eleventh-round turnaround defending his national title against Yaqui López.
    - On April 22, 1979, in Indianapolis, he knocked out Marvin Johnson to claim the WBC light heavyweight championship.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    20 分
  • A rabbit rifle shot the champion in the back and ended him

    A rabbit rifle shot the champion in the back and ended him
    2026/10/25
    A celebrated middleweight champion sits at a rural breakfast table when a rabbit rifle ends his life - how do you fall from that high?

    A rabbit rifle shot the champion in the back and ended him

    In this episode, we follow Stanley Ketchel’s rise from a runaway twelve-year-old to the world’s greatest middleweight and trace the last days before his death at age twenty-four. We outline his fighting style, key rivalries, and the strangers who lived on his friend’s property the month he was shot - what choices led him to that breakfast table?

    Person: Stanley Ketchel
    Date: October 15, 1910
    Location: Springfield, Missouri
    Event: Shot in the back at a breakfast table
    Age: 24

    - Born Stanisław Kiecal in Grand Rapids on September 14, 1886, son of Tomasz and Julia from Sulmierzyce, Poland
    - Left home at twelve, worked on ranches and rail yards, and adopted the name Stanley Ketchel while drifting west
    - Built a ruthless forward-pressing fighting style, fighting in saloons and mining camps before turning professional in Butte, Montana
    - Between 1908 and 1909, fought Maurice Thompson early, then battled Billy Papke four times, regaining the middleweight title in November 1908
    - Less than a month before the shooting, two people using false names - a ranch hand and a cook - moved onto a friend’s property where Ketchel would be shot

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    20 分
  • The bolo punch he perfected that lured him into middleweight contention

    The bolo punch he perfected that lured him into middleweight contention
    2026/10/24
    A Cuban street vendor selling sausages in Chicago - how did the boxer who perfected the bolo punch climb toward middleweight contention?

    The bolo punch he perfected that lured him into middleweight contention

    In this episode, we trace Gerardo González’s rise from Havana to undisputed welterweight champion and the choices that pushed him beyond that title. We follow his signature bolo punch, his rematches, and the decisions that kept him fighting the next fight - but could those same impulses cost him more than a belt?

    Person: Gerardo González (Kid Gavilán)
    Date of birth: January 6, 1926
    Career record: 107 wins, 30 losses, 6 draws, 27 KOs in 143 fights
    Undisputed welterweight champion (won May 18, 1951)
    Event: 1952 Miami defense against Bobby Dykes, first integrated boxing match in the city

    - Began pro career June 5, 1943, stopped Antonio Diaz in Havana and quickly moved to Mexico to pursue tougher competition
    - Suffered early losses (Carlos Macalara) then demanded immediate rematches and corrected the defeats
    - Introduced a blindingly fast looping uppercut - the bolo punch - that became his signature weapon in the U.S.
    - Rebounded from back-to-back decisions to Ike Williams and Sugar Ray Robinson by studying opponents and winning key rematches
    - Won three sanctioning belts in one night (NYSAC, WBA, The Ring) against Johnny Bratton and defended the title multiple times, often going the distance

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    21 分
  • The scar tissue around his eyes destroyed his championship

    The scar tissue around his eyes destroyed his championship
    2026/10/23
    A world champion from Mitchell County enters a New York hospital for scar tissue - how does a life built to avoid punishment end like this?

    The scar tissue around his eyes destroyed his championship

    In this episode, we trace Theodore "Tiger" Flowers' rise from stevedore to world middleweight champion and the nine-year career that quietly accumulated damage. We follow the choices, routines, and limits that led him to a routine surgery four days after his last fight and the question of how everything unraveled so fast.

    Person: Theodore Flowers
    Date of birth: February 14, 1895
    Location: Mitchell County, Georgia; New York City hospital
    Career start: 1918 in Philadelphia
    Manager: Walk Miller

    - Born in Mitchell County, Georgia, Flowers worked as a stevedore before turning professional at age 23.
    - He brought a Bible into the ring and recited Psalm 144 before every fight as a practicing deacon.
    - Flowers fought mostly on the Black circuit in the 1920s, repeatedly facing skilled opponents within exclusionary systems.
    - He built a defensive, southpaw style centered on evasion, compiling 24 straight wins before his first loss.
    - After nine years of accumulated facial damage, he underwent a seemingly minor surgery to remove scar tissue around his eyes four days after his final fight.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    20 分