On this special edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Gary Shaw, who serves as a boxing promoter with his Gary Shaw Productions and as a mixed martial arts promoter as president of EliteXC.

We spoke Friday afternoon, Feb. 29, just before the weigh-ins for the highly anticipated rubber match between WBC super bantamweight champion Israel Vazquez (42-4, 31 KOs) and former world champion Rafael Marquez (37-4, 33 KOs), who, in classic battles last year, split their first two fights. The third fight takes place Saturday, March 1, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Showtime will televise it in the U.S.

In a short but explosive interview, we discussed the significance of the deal announced Thursday, Feb. 28, that CBS will televise four live Elite XC shows a year in prime time; that the second Vazquez-Marquez fight narrowly lost in the voting by the Boxing Writers Association of America for 2007 fight of the year; why boxing could not get a network TV deal like Elite XC did; when and where the first CBS-televised Elite XC show might take place; an evaluation of Elite XC star Kimbo Slice as a fighter; and where Elite XC stands in relation to UFC.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called “The Heist”, by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it’s against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.

IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world’s first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.

Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).

FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman

No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/

No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/

The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/

No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman starts a mostly mixed martial arts show by reporting the news announced Tuesday about the fight card for the debut show for the new YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts organization (http://yammapitfighting.com). That event takes place Friday, April 11, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and will be shown live on pay-per-view television.

The Boris Talis Cup Jiu Jitsu Team Competition was held February 21 at the historic Atlantic Oceana in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York. In that grappling event, the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team Garcia, coached by Justin Garcia of the Jungle Gym in the Bronx, New York (http://www.junglegymbronx.com/), defeated the Russian Sambo Team Taktarov, coached by former UFC champion Oleg Taktarov.

We spoke about the event right after it with both Justin Garcia and Oleg Taktarov. Besides discussing this event, we also spoke with Oleg about his movie career and his upcoming fight with Don Frye at the April 11 debut show of YAMMA Pit Fighting.

We spoke with IFL middleweight champion Matt Horwich, who defends his title this coming Friday, February 29, at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. His opponent will be former Iowa Hawkeye wrestler Ryan McGivern, who defeated Horwich when they first met in December 2006 by unanimous decision. This event will be telecast on HDNet.

Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, was in New York last week to announce the April 19 fight between two champions, light heavyweight king Bernard Hopkins and super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe. We spoke with him about this fight, and also about the plans of Golden Boy Promotions to enter the worlds of soccer (football) and mixed martial arts.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called “The Heist”, by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it’s against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.

IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world’s first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).

FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman

No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/

No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/

The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/

No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews one of the worst heavyweight fights in years, the title unification bout between Wladimir Klitschko (50-3, 44 KOs) and Sultan Ibragimov (22-1-1, 17 KOs), held February 23 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The IBF champion Klitschko won by unanimous decision also to capture the WBO title.

We provide a scathing review of it and analyze the significance of this enormously dull affair, which was roundly booed by the fans.

After the fight, we conducted interviews with Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, the Klitschkos’ promotional company; Leon Margules of Seminole Warriors Boxing, which promotes Ibragimov; former world champion Vitali Klitschko about his plans to return to the ring; and promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank about whom middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik will next face. We also have the audio from entire postfight news conference with Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov.

While these heavyweights sent them home booing or snoring, this coming Saturday, March 1, the final contest in one of boxing’s most compelling recent trilogies will take place when WBC super bantamweight champion Israel Vazquez (42-4, 31 KOs) faces former world champion Rafael Marquez (37-4, 33 KOs).

When these two first fought last March, that fight, won by Marquez by a seventh-round TKO, was an instant frontrunner for fight of the year – until their second fight last August. Vazquez gained revenge by winning with a sixth-round TKO in a fight so filled with action that it eclipsed even their first battle.

Now this Saturday these two will meet again, this time, like their first fight, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Showtime will televise it in the U.S.

We spoke with Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez on a recent media teleconference call. We also spoke with promoter Gary Shaw about the importance of this fight.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called “The Heist”, by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Art of War (http://www.artofwarlive.com), the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com (http://www.artofwarlive.com).

IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world’s first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.

Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).

FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman

No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/

No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/

The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/

No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews

March 8 in Livermore, CA

Click HERE for details.

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman previews the most important heavyweight fight in years, the title unification bout between IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (49-3, 44 KOs), generally regarded as the best in that weight class today, and WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov (22-0-1, 17 KOs). This takes place Saturday, February 23, at Madison Square Garden in New York, and will be televised on HBO in the U.S., RTL in Germany, and in about 100 countries.

We spoke with Wladimir Klitschko, his trainer Emanuel Steward, Sultan Ibragimov, and his trainer Jeff Mayweather, at prefight media events this week.

We also spoke with middleweight prospect John Duddy (23-0, 17 KOs), his trainer Don Turner, and super middleweight prospect Pete “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (16-0, 13 KOs). Duddy and Quillin fight on the undercard in separate bouts.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called “The Heist”, by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Art of War (http://www.artofwarlive.com), the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com (http://www.artofwarlive.com).

IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world’s first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.

Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).

FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman

No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/

No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/

The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/

No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews

Dr. Smoothie had a new product called Amino Recovery! Check out Dr. Smoothie’s website.

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman is joined by our correspondent Charles Farrell to introduce the new online journal of boxing, The Boxing Standard (http://boxingstandard.com/). Eddie and Charles are also the editors of The Boxing Standard.

In a lengthy discussion, we explain why we aim to stir up the highly mediocre world of boxing journalism.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called “The Heist”, by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Art of War (http://www.artofwarlive.com), the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com (http://www.artofwarlive.com).

IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world’s first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.

Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).

FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman

No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/

No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/

No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews

It seems that BJJ has totally taken over my life. I eat, speak and breathe Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) all the time. I wouldn’t have noticed it, until I went out with a Portuguese guy last weekend and he became my victim for incessant talk about jiu-jitsu. I guess I cannot help talking [...]

Eddie Goldman of No Holds Barred (http://nhbnews.blogspot.com) and SecondsOut Radio (http://secondsout.com/radio) was on the nationally-syndicated “Joey Reynolds Show” early Thursday morning, Feb. 14. Eddie is the boxing correspondent for this show.

Along with guest John “Cha Cha” Ciarcia (http://www.chachajohn.com/), the noted radio host, restaurateur, actor, producer, and former boxing promoter, Joey and Eddie had a spirited and humorous discussion about the woes of boxing, Wladimir Klitschko, and the continuing mess regarding the distribution of media credentials for boxing events. Also announced was the relaunch of The Boxing Standard (http://boxingstandard.blogspot.com/).

The “Joey Reynolds Show” is a national radio broadcast in New York on WOR 710 AM and on 100 other stations via the WOR Network. The show airs live beginning at midnight EST and runs to 5 AM EST.

For more information on the “Joey Reynolds Show,” go to http://wor710.com/pages/46370.php?contentType=4&contentId=157588.

For more information on show producer Myra Chanin, go to http://motherwonderful.com/.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman

No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/

No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/

No Holds Barred on MySpace.com
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman offers a timely and essential commentary on a number of major controversies in the combat sports.

The topics include a review of last Saturday’s upset of Paul Williams by Carlos Quintana, the need for a Mayweather-Cotto fight, and this coming Saturday’s rematch between Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor; the disastrous debut of Brock Lesnar in UFC, and how that company more and more positions itself similarly to the staged pro “wrestling”; the necessity of understanding real wrestling for understanding mixed martial arts; the purchase by the UFC owners of the assets of Pride even though that organization was well-known as being a front for the Yakuza, the Japanese mob, and the subsequent lawsuit by the main figures in Zuffa, UFC’s parent company, against the former owners of Pride; the possibility that the growing number of controversies, lawsuits, and outrages committed by the UFC management could jeopardize their getting sanctioned in New York; why other mixed martial arts promoters should disassociate themselves from the UFC management and the direction they have taken; how most of what claims to be the mixed martial arts media miserably fails to cover these issues; and more.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called “The Heist”, by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Art of War (http://www.artofwarlive.com), the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com (http://www.artofwarlive.com).

IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world’s first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.

Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).

FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman

No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/

No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/

No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews