Listen below to Brian Kenny, MLB Network host and former ESPN boxing host, talk about UFC’s rise in popularity and how it has effected boxing. Kenny explains why he prefers boxing, but why he believes there is a space for both mixed martial arts and boxing in the sports landscape.

For the full interview with Brian Kenny listen to Episode 121 on 110SportsPodcast.com. He discusses why he made the move from ESPN, his new role and previews the playoffs. Plus, he offers a suggestion on how to improve baseball and predicts where Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder will land next season.

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Email: matt(at)110SportsPodcast(dot)com

110SportsPodcast.com features a weekly sports podcast and daily blogging. Episodes include interviews, entertainment, comedy, insight and analysis.

Listen below to hear Sugar Ray Leonard comment on the recent Hall of Fame boxing class the included Mike Tyson and Sylvester Stallone. He also discusses if he is unhappy with Stallone’s induction being that he has never actually competed in an actual boxing match.

For the full interview with Sugar Ray Leonard listen to Episode 110 on 110SportsPodcast.com. He comments on the future of boxing, the UFC’s rise in popularity, if he likes mixed martial arts, his new book called The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring and thoughts on his “Dancing with the Stars” experience.

Follow our show/blog on Twitter. Email Matt: matt(at)110sportspodcast(dot)com

110SportsPodcast.com features a weekly sports podcast and daily blogging. Episodes include interviews, entertainment, comedy, insight and analysis.

• Four years after being dropped by Nike for his involvement in a dog fighting ring, Philadelphia Eagle quarterback Michael Vick will once again have Nike as a sponsor. It’s believed to be the first time an athlete has been dropped by a sponsor and then signed again down the road. While I may be in the minority, I am happy that Vick is making the most of his second chance. He continues to show that he is not the same, immature man who committed those inhuman acts a few years ago. Listen, what Vick did was inexcusable and he deserved to be punished, but in fairness to him, he served his time and apologized. He cannot undo what was done and he has to accept and live with what he did. Since signing with the Eagles, Vick has been the perfect teammate and continues to speak out against animal cruelty. What more can he do? Some people will never be able to fully forgive Vick for his actions, and I get that and completely understand it. However, I don’t understand why people root for him to fail. He owned up to his mistake and as long as he stays the course, I have no choice but to support him.
• Ever heard of Dewey Bozella? I hadn’t either until I read his story on ESPN.com earlier this week. He will be the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Award next week at the ESPY’s. This story seems fitting after our interview with boxing Hall of Famer, Sugar Ray Leonard.
• For a prediction on the MLB All-Star Game head over to read the “Vic Predicts” post.

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Email Victor: victor(at)110SportsPodcast(dot)com
110SportsPodcast.com features a weekly sports podcast and daily blogging. Episodes include interviews, entertainment, comedy, insight and analysis.

Sugar Ray Leonard had a Hall of Fame boxing career. The sport is known for extreme training, dedication and perseverance. He was also a recent contestant on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and says the training for the show was pretty intense. Listen below to hear why he thinks this training was more difficult than preparing for a boxing match.
Audio Clip (1:32): Sugar Ray Leonard discusses the training involved with being on “Dancing with the Stars”

For the full interview with Sugar Ray Leonard listen to Episode 110 on 110SportsPodcast.com. He comments on the future of the sport, the UFC’s rise in popularity, if he likes mixed martial arts, his new book called The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring and thoughts on the recent Hall of Fame class that included Mike Tyson and Sylvester Stallone.

Follow our show/blog on Twitter.

110SportsPodcast.com features a weekly sports podcast and daily blogging. Episodes include interviews, entertainment, comedy, insight and analysis.

When one starts to think about the most popular sports to watch in America, boxing is not usually one of them. Outside of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, could you name another elite boxer? The popularity of the sport has been down for some time now and many factors come into play. One of the main reasons has to be the rise of both the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Boxing Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard gave his insight on why boxing has taken a hit on the 110SportsPodcast with Victor and Matt, “Back in the day, boxing was always on free television, even the Olympic coverage was shown on television. The fans were familiar and knew about these guys. They heard their stories. That’s one of the factors why boxing, I don’t want to say not as popular, but has not maintained its proper footing.”

While Leonard is correct that Americans really don’t know the stories of boxers outside of Pacquiao and Mayweather, the argument that boxing is not on free television these days really doesn’t carry much weight. Yes, if you want to watch an elite boxing match you have to pay for it. However, you would have to do the same with either UFC of MMA matches and in some cases with both being in demand you are probably paying more.

Obviously changes must be made to boxing if it ever wants to regain the fan base and popularity it once had. Leonard also told Victor and Matt what changes he would make if he was the boxing commissioner for the day, “I would simply simplify things. There are too many self-governing bodies. There are just too many organizations and it dilutes the championship. I would bring back the term “contender.” You really don’t hear that anymore, ‘No. 1 contender, No. 2 contender.’ That means a lot to boxers, especially to fans that this guy is qualified to take on a champion.”

Sports sometimes go into cycles when fans can’t get enough and then they are on to something else. Boxing will one day regain some of its popularity, but it will never be where it once was when the greats like Leonard, Ali and Frazier were dominating the sport.

– For the full interview with Sugar Ray Leonard listen to Episode 110 on 110SportsPodcast.com.

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Email Victor: victor(at)110SportsPodcast(dot)com

110SportsPodcast.com features a weekly sports podcast and daily blogging. Episodes include interviews, entertainment, comedy, insight and analysis.