The Public Nuisance Podcast

The Public Nuisance Podcast #050 Calling It Straight with Carl Frampton

• Sean McComb • Season 1 • Episode 50

Share episode

Send us a text

Welcome to a new episode of The Public Nuisance Podcast with me, Sean McComb.


This week we welcome formerWorld Champion, Carl Frampton to the podcast.


We cover life after boxing, punditry at TNT and DAZN, missed milestones, quitting drink, health scares, family balance, legal battles, leaving the McGuigans, performance fuelling, footwork over firepower, sparring lessons, honesty in punditry, matchmaking madness, Crawford and Canelo takes, Inoue breakdowns, parenting perspective, and much more.


New episodes every Tuesday.


NEW MERCH

10% off with Code - BANGBANGGRAVEYCHIP

Website: https://visualanticsapparel.com/collections/public-nuisance-podcast


Sean McComb

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmccomb/ 


Killen Studios

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/killenstudio/ 

Website: https://killenstudios.com/


That Prize Guy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatprizeguy/ 

Website: https://thatprizeguy.co.uk/

SPEAKER_00:

Welcome to this episode of the Public Nations podcast brought to you by Killing Studios right here where you can get all your content done. Photo shoots podcasts, you name it, it's all here. What is the day, Mr. Frampton? Episode 50. Number 50? Nearly a year. Two weeks and it'll be a year on the podcast. We're doing well. I've done well to stick it out. I remember uh I remember starting and it was a wee bit like not knowing though like what I want to do. It was almost too too far in because it like bought bought these chores and all the lights and I was like, fuck maybe I won't have a tentative day, you know what I mean? I was like, fuck it, I've made a commitment now. And then in furnace, I ran and Julie, they've kept me consistent every week. So it's been an episode every week.

SPEAKER_01:

So this is week for a player, mate. It's good I've watched a few as well. Good crack.

SPEAKER_00:

No, it's good, it's good. And listen, it's always been a dream to get you on, obviously, it's some days. So it's no it is. I'd say you're probably my biggest guess, to be fairly.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Oh happy yeah, take it out.

SPEAKER_00:

Shane Tory yourself or talking bigger than Shane Torah. Oh no, but in the podcast scene.

SPEAKER_01:

You've done Shane's as well, done his a couple of times or once. I can't remember. I've definitely done I've done it once, I think, but we were talking about maybe doing it again with another point soon. It was a while ago.

SPEAKER_00:

He's always on the ball, Shane, but I mean it's his main thing he does, isn't it? Flan's brilliant though.

SPEAKER_01:

He's some big names on it now. Oh yeah, Darrell Bryan or O'Brien.

SPEAKER_00:

O'Bran if you're from Tiger's nothing. So listen, how's life been anyway? And and and obviously in retirement, firstly, uh how you find it?

SPEAKER_01:

It's well retirement's been alright. I I mean I w I wanted to retire at the end of my career anyway. Like I probably stayed in a couple of years longer than I should have. So I it's been good. It's been busier than I thought, Sean, to be honest. I mean, I've been very lucky. I walked into that job, it it was at BT, which turned to TNT now with the zone, obviously. But I was only about two or three months after I retired. Yeah. Um so I've been lucky in that sense. I think I'm in a in a position where I feel like lucky, you know what I mean? A lot of boxers would like to be doing what I'm doing. Um but it's been good that um got a whiskey on the go now. Um doing an Lore. I mean I'm in the middle of a documentary at the minute about on the probation board. It's gonna be on the BBC. It's gonna be a good one. I'm enjoying doing it, but just a lot of time, mate. Don't have a lot of time to chill out.

SPEAKER_00:

Probably more time now, like probably busier now than you ever were, but when people think about it, like obviously I was away or on camp myself, and when I'm away, it's you're just you have nothing else to think about.

SPEAKER_01:

I know.

SPEAKER_00:

And it's weird because it's like it's unintentional. Like I I go to camp, I've got a gym. Yeah, and Marty's like, Oh, can you check on this? Can you do this? Can you and I it's not even on my mind. Yeah, yeah. But should be. No, I know it's not because it's like Well the boxing's a priority, isn't it? So it's like it's unintentional, but you it's do you know.

SPEAKER_01:

It was intentional for me. I went away to like to get away from distractions and like let the young sort sort of.

SPEAKER_00:

It's like that thing where people say it's like you have to be selfish. Yeah. Um you go away, it's like a selfish move, but you have to be because it's so it's it's like it's so such a dangerous sport. I know. And there's no mistakes that like can be taken. I mean, it's no line.

SPEAKER_01:

I was I mean, sports people are selfish, aren't they? I think individual sports are even more selfish, but there's a line too. There's a few things that I done in camp. I didn't come home before when I could have been home and I regret it now to be honest, but it's just the way it is.

SPEAKER_00:

I know, because we're we're actually there was on me now, but I get us two Halloween questions. I think I'm going back to now. I said, Well, you say you want to come home for the gym if there's no staff. I said, If I have no staff, I have to come home.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

That's out of my control. Yeah. Why would you do that for the gym and you can you can definitely get some of the covered?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

But you won't come home for your son on Halloween, they're made.

unknown:

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00:

Something Halloween year.

SPEAKER_01:

There's a few things you can do. I missed a ten-year wedding anniversary. I missed my wedding anniversary.

SPEAKER_00:

And here, do you know what happened in that one? At least you made a f you missed yours for a good fucking a good thing. Me and T were in Hull at my fight, and T got arrested. And I went blocked on the flight, and I went with him. And we had a dinner book in James Street safe enough for our first year wedding anniversary, and I missed it.

SPEAKER_01:

D's fault, but not yours.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I wouldn't have left him anyway, regardless. No, you're right. You know what I mean? Nay, and fairness, the mort let me on the flight as well, because I had an empty bottle in my hand.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And your mum was like, Where are you going, man? I was like, it's empty, mate. He was like, Where are you going, man? I was like, Well, give me a bin. And he went, Step out, where's your brother? And I said, He's on the flight. He was black, but he wasn't getting none of the beginning with. Do you know what I mean? And the poll deater, and then the cops came to he was going up the rest of the day. I heard the story. All the story, but I see a video, was there a video? It was a video. Right. It was my first fight for Antho, right? Yeah. And he just sent me a message saying, What the fuck are you doing? And he sent me the video, and I was like, Fuck's sake, like people just sitting on the fight recording and sending it everywhere. Now it just happened as D was getting arrested. The video came through. I was like, no, no, no, I was going, Is that one of my mates saying this? Like, how's going on? How would he get this? So I f I found out how he got it. I went into a group chat in Belfast and then another group chat, and then it miraculously ended up in the hands of Lee, who's in a group chat with like Jamie Connell and all that carry on. Then he forwarded straight to the other one and said, Hey, look at your boxer. But even though Liam looked after me for years, like, and uh I missed my wedding anniversary, my first wedding anniversary, so I've had to make it up to her, like, but she she just says I think she was more pissed off that she had her makeup and all done than Red White, you know what I mean? And her hair and all done than I was fucking letting weaver land on Wakefield Parks.

SPEAKER_01:

Jesus did he get scooped, locked up and all like in the cell truck.

SPEAKER_00:

Didn't charge him or anything, they just they just let him basically sober up and just let those out. Yeah. Then get and they give us a lift back to leads and brought us to the hotel. Jesus. It was just it was a weird one. I was like, that was just stupid. And then we just put the own flights and went home the next day.

SPEAKER_01:

Back on the drinking leads.

SPEAKER_00:

Don't drink. I was like, I'm not drinking, fuck it. And third of us on the phone. So then after my last fight, I just I didn't drink. Good man.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm trying to stay off it as well, you know. I haven't touched it um since we had a holiday about three months ago. I haven't had a drink. I stopped actually on the second night. There was a big night where I was too drunk. Yeah. Rough, and then the kids and all seen it and me just acting a maggot, so I've kind of I haven't had a drink since I came back.

SPEAKER_00:

You went off it for a while before, but then you've got to be four years, there was a period I went on. Everyone else was fucking bluttered like, but um yeah, it was a good stent. You went off it's right. I was assumed that that was you done with it.

SPEAKER_01:

No, I do I I have a drink. I used uh I went off it. I tell you why I went off it. I I fucking I fell down the stairs, blocked. It was a bad one, like it was a neck brace, back brace, ambulance job, blood everywhere, me unconscious on the floor. Don't even know how long I was there for. Um Christine's sister found me. It's it is scary, it is scary. And a year, exactly a year before that, my grandda fell down the stairs and died. And I was a year to a day after I done that. Didn't die, obviously, but it put me off a drink for.

SPEAKER_00:

Would you say after or before he before?

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, it was he died a year before.

SPEAKER_00:

Ah, he's probably watching over like but it's crazy that like you never think something like that would happen to you yourself until it does happen, and you're like, what the fuck?

SPEAKER_01:

That's crazy. Like nothing good ever happens when I'm on the beer.

SPEAKER_00:

You done a head stamp in the eurobook, can you remember it?

SPEAKER_01:

No, I probably did.

SPEAKER_00:

It was the was it the guitar guitarist?

SPEAKER_01:

Oh I was blocked that night. That was a night that was I was full back by out of order school.

SPEAKER_00:

And they was doing head stance and you try to copy him. Yeah, broke my act. And you fucking knocked the radiator off of all. Did it? Hey, look at D man, fucking cut up. Because Demon, he's round the lounge, and then we just were in the bathroom and then we came out and then we're doing a head, D you started doing heads dance, everyone was clapping, then you were fucking you you turned a full pent of rocksware.

SPEAKER_01:

Alright.

SPEAKER_00:

And one goal lick, and I was like, fuck sake, what's the kind drink either? Literally about two or three minutes later, you were like, I can do it, and you just as soon as you went up, you just went slow motion. It was I was like, fuck here, go bang, you're like a radio radar. The radiator just dropped, and I was like, fuck, he's gonna get a bill. You probably never did get built. No, but um I don't think I did.

SPEAKER_01:

Um we borrow's taking us from somewhere.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh fuck, he he's talking more enough. Uh obviously I read the book. I actually downloaded the audible as well. I've big shout out to that prize guy, my sponsor, helping hundreds of people daily when big prizes, charity work, you name it, they're doing it. Bang, bang reach. Terrible. I I I bought I I got a land of the book, right? Yeah, off someone, and then I says, I'm gonna buy the audible. I bought the audible, it was like 18 quid. What's it? Ah and I was like, I'll buy the audible, and then I thought you were not like gonna be talking about it. I done the first bit I wanted. I was like, fuck shake, but I listened to another one. You know what happened?

SPEAKER_01:

They done they asked me to do it. Do you want to would you do the audible? And they were saying it's you know it's hard, a lot of reading and all, and it's a bit harder, like takes longer than you think. I went, I'll I'll try it anyway. It says just send us a voice note through of you reading like a couple of pages, so I've done that. Um and they said, now we'll get someone else. Like I can read, like, yeah, no way, because and you want to hear it in my voice, but it was see the guy done it. I've never met him, don't know who he was, but he was getting names of places. Remember the stuff he said wrong. Laminchanko he was calling Lomachanko.

SPEAKER_00:

The WA WA regular champion.

SPEAKER_01:

It was doing my head and listening to it, mate.

SPEAKER_00:

Like it was a few things I was listening to, I can't have no clue what he's talking about.

SPEAKER_01:

I couldn't have been any worse than him.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh Ortiz for Victor Ortiz. Loads mate, loads. But uh I know what's crazy.

SPEAKER_01:

Wonder I wonder if it's because of the accent so strong, but then he was trying to do um it was funny because he used to try and put when it when there was quote he used to try and do accents on Oh, he was brilliant.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh fuck nah, but um did you get much like did much people see when that book was released? Did you get like lo I'm sure you got loads of people like Masses and you personally did it?

SPEAKER_01:

Oh loads, loads of even in the street people people would come up and say to you about it, read your book, brilliant. Um I knew I was there a bit about Jim McGwig and I didn't know didn't know half the extent.

SPEAKER_00:

And I I didn't know the extent. That's why I wanted to do do the book really to just uh it was like I remember going I I remember listening to it when I read it, it was sort of 'cause see when I read I sort of tend to drift sometimes like and and put myself I go like no like and think about my own thing while I'm still reading and not really taking it in, but when I listened to it in the audible, I can like zone in a bit and I remember going like fuck me, he was in a horrible place, like psychologically, whenever you know it. Yeah, and it's like see it like Terva goes to me, see women always know. Like women always know, and I go, Well no fucking do you know? Like they know like they put you in a bad place, yeah, or they're like they're trying to say something to you about like say someone you're close to, but you can't say it because you're so close to them and you're protecting them almost no way exactly weighs up and you're near enough fight with the closest people you're trying to protect them.

SPEAKER_01:

It's exactly the same thing.

SPEAKER_00:

And that's it. I've been like that with Dr. And uh she was like, I told you girls, no one Christine was saying.

SPEAKER_01:

No, she was like there was people even before Christine like saying, Be careful, and I'm going, it'd be alright, Barry's dead on, he's looking after me, and loads of people, but I maybe I just didn't want to believe I had my head in the sand, like I didn't want to believe it. And even when I thought, Fuck, this is shouldn't be happening. I'm hoping it all works out. I couldn't speak to anybody because the the Barry was the manager, then the sons were involved in management, the wife was involved in promoting, the other son is coaching me. Who was who could I speak to about anything? It was a horrible time.

SPEAKER_00:

Like me and Pete Taylor were talking about it. I was going like, why the why are the people like people know the story now? It's out it's it's in some black and white in your book, yeah, and people still go and it's I repeat that like I I can't even get my head around it one bit. Yeah, it baffles me. It's insane. It's baffled. Yeah, it's just like I was like, it's not this isn't a one-off thing, it's not one thing they've done on one person. This is like a continuous thing they've done with other people, and it just uh it's beyond me how they still go on.

SPEAKER_01:

It's like me too, mate.

SPEAKER_00:

I I I wonder what they say to people, know what I mean. Yeah. How do people not question it when they say like especially the likes like like Bill Smith, World Champion, all these shit.

SPEAKER_01:

I listen to Bill Smith. Anytime I listen to Bill Smith talking on Talksboard or Scar, whatever it may be, he sounds exactly like I used to sound. You know, like these guys are the best, they're brilliant for me. Sounds exactly like I sounded.

SPEAKER_00:

It's mad, it's almost like they make you do that. Like they make because they're not trying to paint a picture of themselves, because that's not who they are, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01:

I know, but I don't know. Boxers aren't the smartest people in the world.

SPEAKER_00:

I know, fucking getting fun every day. I know 100%, but uh I fucking remember I just remember mainly like look like thinking about it going, Jesus, that was a bad place for them to be like and to be still going on to win.

SPEAKER_01:

That good TRS fight. My dad, and my dad never ever gets involved in anything like, but even he says, I'm glad you didn't have that fight. Um because my head was all over the place. I was going into that fight, wanting to fight and win. Yeah. And because the fight before was the loss to Leo Santa Cruz, yeah. So I didn't want people to think I'm leaving these because of loss. So I wanted to go in, beat your man, and then I was dumping Emmons and moving on. But the fight never happened. My my dad's probably right, like my head was out of mentally.

SPEAKER_00:

I wasn't like, probably when I seen Yakuza in the open when you were hammered. That's probably why you were blocked, you're probably having five. And I remember I remember I remember being around her at night and you saying, like, I remember someone was saying front or bar was ringing you flat out and you were like, fuck, I'm not answering the phone.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, I know.

SPEAKER_00:

And next day it does see, I get like I didn't know what was going on behind closed doors. No one really knew, probably only you and your team and your like close family, but I don't know what fuck.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, next day I I blocked all our numbers and went and seen John Fanuken and said, get me out of this, and that was it. Fuck.

SPEAKER_00:

Big escape. Big escape. Was it a relief?

SPEAKER_01:

It was a relief, to be honest. I just felt I don't know, I just felt very pressurized in that whole situation with them and surrounded by them all the time and um things were getting on top of me. But even I mean, I was still in a contract with Barry, so when I left they tried to sue me for breach of contract, but when you're waiting a year on your appearance, and all there's already a breach of early. And then I didn't even so I had enough to get out, but I didn't even realise the extent of it until the court process started. Yeah. And it just got worse and worse and yeah, it was just not a great time, mate.

SPEAKER_00:

Nah, 100%. And then if like even I remember you were saying about like chain touching on the like your like the came on that night. I remember at one stage you went in and I was going, Fuck me, he is in serious shape. But like that's so taxing on the body. But it was just veins and oh everywhere. And I was like, Wow. It was hard. I was like, how is he making this weight?

SPEAKER_01:

It was very hard to get down, but I was I was a monk like in terms of what I ate and stuff during camp, and I was very strict with that. And and that I think that works for some people, that kind of caveman um that you know, high fats and and protein, very low carbs. But I could I was always tired, like I was I was always exhausted, but I always got through it, like you know what I mean. Like guys like Conrad used to try and do it and he was just fucked all the time. Yeah. Um but yeah, just it worked for me. But then when I moved the the Jamie Moore and stuff and I I got my own nutritionist, he was kind of laughing at me, saying, What are you doing? And I remember just introducing carbs into my dad and feeling like full of energy.

SPEAKER_00:

Like I never enjoying camp.

SPEAKER_01:

Enjoying it, enjoying it. I never every every day while I was with um the McWiggins, I would have had to be I had to have a nap in between sessions, like go to sleep like fuck fucked. But I just different, different.

SPEAKER_00:

But it worked for me like it worked for me, obviously you were successful, and everyone had you done and you and you still performed 12 round fights and at a high tempo or a high skill level and and obviously m mentally random fights like where it was like technical, you know what I mean? Yeah. Because a lot of people don't like I would always get like even Mickey Hawkins would always like quote on your technical side of things where it's like you know, I don't think you get enough credit for how technically no Mickey, Mickey would always be like get like how technical you are in your feet work and stuff. I don't think people give enough credit. No, I don't think so.

SPEAKER_01:

People think I'm a I think I was a wee like come forward aggressive player stronger a heavy hitter, like a small heavy hitter.

SPEAKER_00:

I was a better boxer, I think, than fighter. Very technical. I remember seeing a thing where Kakachi Kakachi's very technical as well. Like people are he's always known as a big puncher, yeah. And then he he wasn't knocking the one out, but I think it's just turned to like laziness. That's all it is.

SPEAKER_01:

He's just Kikachi hit you once, and if he goes through the gears and get ready, he'd just go out.

SPEAKER_00:

But you've seen it at a higher level now, where he done with Joker Dina and Lee Wood, and then people thought, oh fuck, maybe his appearance.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, he could wallop and tell me. I've never been hit that hard in my life.

SPEAKER_00:

I was 17 I spotted him and he fucking hit me an uppercut, and it was embarrassing because Mickey was like, like when you're going long, you're out boxing long and just trying to get in close, just break a ri break that distance by just coming close, even though I was a tall, skinny faced southball, and he just bumped caught me an uppercut and it was just boom and my eyes were like it looked like I was crying my eyes. It probably was But it was like he was like, Oh, I was like, I'm alright, I'm alright. But no, like I was like, I wasn't alright, but it was more bars and Mickey was like stopped at me. He was like, You alright? I was like, I'm alright, fucking move. And Mickey was like, Oh, just relax me, no, and then the rest of the spark I was trying because he was just taking it easy in. Alright, because he knew he'd hurt me. Oh, he wouldn't take liberties on though. But it was frustrating me even more because I was like, I'm fucking no, like, I'm alright, then I'm fucking kicking my gum. See long as like this fucking club shit. Where's my medical corner?

SPEAKER_01:

It happened to me with uh John Simpson. Remember John Simpson? Scottish, British fellow with British in Commonwealth, I think he won. Um but I had only about four fights and I was up sparring him. And Billy, I like Billy Nelson's my mate, and I like but Billy was his coach, and um John's I've jumped in this shot and he's hit me and I went down. Yeah, but I was alright, like my glove touched the ground, and I got back up. I was like, Whoa, geez, that's never happened before. And I remember continuing on with a spar. It was only about round three, and then Billy at the end of it says, That's enough for you today, son. So kind of looking after me a bit, but also saying, like it's almost like we've got we've got you here, you know what I mean? And I remember being aging, like, I'm fucking sound, let me continue on with a spar. And then that turned into when I was fighting Quig, you know how stories get passed around. I mean, I think Quig thought that I was stretchered out of the John Simpson spa. I know about you getting chinned in Scotland on going, Well, never got chinned, never happened, but you know, but but stuff like that are are good because that's good, like you let let them look at the fake confidence, you do you do then?

SPEAKER_00:

Because like there's nothing better than people thinking like you're you're you're chinny when you're not. You know what I mean? And then like even like me getting put down my last fight there, I was straight back up, I was laughing, and it was almost like in disbelief.

SPEAKER_01:

It looked heavy enough, but I it was a good shot, but I think it looked worse because you were leaning back trying to get out of the shit, and your head went like that. So it looked worse but it didn't well look up.

SPEAKER_00:

But I got straight up and I was laughing and then I was and then I was like laughing right and I stopped laughing because it was like just in case it was a delayed reaction here. Because I remember the week before was at the at the Crocker and Donovan fight, and then I remember Danovan walking back to the corner. Yeah, I was like, fuck, just in case I I remember laughing around free, and then I thought when they made it, yeah, I was like, just in case it's a delayed reaction, and I ended up like that, so but it didn't, it just completely went away, and it was just flash. But um I remember going back to the corner and being like it was obviously a new experience for me, and I was like looking at Peter, I was like, I'm right. I was like, I'm not getting caught rat again. You'd be embarrassed, don't you? I was laughing, I was like, I'll not get rat again. Yeah, and it was like sort of made me. It's fucking it's it's just that's the name of the game, isn't it? You get in the water, you're gonna get wet.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Did you ever was there anyone who ever took you by surprise in terms of like even sparring? Like st say you've brought someone in and you've oh fuck.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, um couple. Um Akeep Fias, kid he's in like a super father weight. Um maybe gone up to lightweight now, actually. But he came into the gym to spar me when I was a Jimmy Jamie Moore and I was you know an established world champion, like uh had well had been. Um I remember he was only he was a wee chubby, fat lad. Yeah, probably eighteen.

SPEAKER_00:

I know who he is, I know him. I've been over a few times, he's a good lad.

SPEAKER_01:

Probably about eighteen fucking based me the first day and remember thinking, what the fuck's happening here? Who's this lad? And I always had to like make sure I think I might have been a bit uh maybe just looking at him going, I'll be handy enough today. And then I had to think like the next spars had the up a lick. I just had to like really be switched on, they're all really competitive. And Norwin ran corner, sparred him when he was a kid. Um and again we baby face thinking uh it'll be alright here, and I bashed me for a spar, remember. I think I like him as well, I think he's very good.

SPEAKER_00:

He can very it's very easy to find out trap. What I mean of like can in and fighting school you see when you're younger and you're sparring. Can you ever remember sparring someone good? You you turned it on. Oh I done it I remember like when I sparked a catchy, I remember being like young spawn catchy after like after he hurt me that time. Yeah. I spotted him whenever he was not the faith for European title against a tall South Paul from France, an ABU title or something or an EU title years ago. So Pop McGee fatched me on the sparm and I bothered him. I just been on him and bothered him. He was like, I got a long ground of him, I'm not fighting, fuck that. He had a grand and all notes in his bag. He was like, I ain't not fighting, fuck that, I not fit. And he just withdraw withdrew from the fate, never fought. Oh done it. Oh, I just he never fought. Um he said only three weeks, no, just fuck that. And I was like, no, but they're not gonna be as fucking good as me. Like your man, he's not as good as me. I was like, ah fuck that, I'm not fighting. And he just didn't fit. I was mad that way, Catsy, like he's he'd be fair, he's got a unique way of it. He does what he wants. He does what he wants. But uh, but you you up it, I upped it because he was like I knew how good he was.

SPEAKER_01:

And I used to do a bit of sparm with I was maybe a teen and I was only an amateur, but Damien Kelly used to help me out up in up in Mickey's place. Um and he was he was taking me around, like really, Damien. I was a flyweight at the time and he was a he was a flyweight too, but a man. Yeah. Um and he would he would never take liberties or anything, but you'd always make sure you were switched on when you're up for it. It felt like a fight getting into the spar, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, because it's like as you say, you're gonna prove a point you want to be up at that level, like you know what I mean, and and when you're doing then when you do that and kids in return, they're they're doing it enough. So you go fuck shake them when you're getting beat up or because I remember Rory Dalton or an umpernard done before.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Burned Cordova, I think, and he got Rory on the spar. Six rounds, Rory Batter. Yeah. Battered ahead of him. I was like, fuck me, I was. He won that fight, I was a great fight in the Cordova. He's the back card. Nah, I was cute, but then it just shows you like you have to be on your level. You know what I mean? It's very it's very hard for any fitter to be on your level all the time. You know what I mean? It's fucking very like mentally dreaming.

SPEAKER_01:

I I mean I I used to spar I wasn't a brilliant spar either. I used to spar I was alright, but I'd always turn as a closer like the last couple of spars, the last week of sparring, like I'd always made sure I'd turned it on, no as the fights approaching. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's always done it at the right time.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it's a bit periodization, I suppose, isn't it? And then the punditry uh that you were talking obviously at the start about fun and the was that something that you had in your mind that you wanted to do?

SPEAKER_01:

Because I was doing wee bits towards the end of my while I was still boxing every now and again. Um and I was hopeful that maybe I'll I'll get a job doing this. And um I've a fella Ben, like an agent who looks after me, he just he got me he gets me all the the stuff like all the deals with contracts and gets me all the gigs and yeah, went in with uh BT at the time, absolutely loved it. Um and they've kind of fallen away from boxing and I'm with the zone loving it as well. Just all I haven't met anybody in that while I've been working as a pundit that's been a decade that I don't like. They're all just nice people, and the guys at the zone are are good people as well, just do anything to try and help you. Um But I I remember switching from TNT to the zone and feeling I felt out of place for a weeway, yeah, like a new boy.

SPEAKER_00:

Because it was but it was almost like everything was separated, like like separate companies, almost like you know, it was obviously you had the like you had match room, yeah. All the match room ones are like clicky. And you've got the the the coins boy ones were all clicky, yeah. And they're all best. Even yeah, neither are all one, you know what I mean? It's it's good, but it I I I feel like you're probably I wouldn't even I wouldn't even say belly, I would say you you're probably the most like straight like in what you see, you know what I mean? Try to be like I think Belly is a bit bass towards certain people, but I just think you call it how you see it. And I think that's a Belfast thing. I try I would say that's probably more like that's just Belfast.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I never want to fall out with anybody either, but sometimes you do. But I I try to be honest. I think I think like I'm not trying to be like Roy Keane or anything, I think Roy Keane just hummers people because he likes to do it. I think that's just his that's just who he is, isn't it? But I uh it's actually Brennan. That's brilliant, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00:

Like, have you ever thought ten let's say twenty years ago you thought Roy Keane's gonna be a goo comic or goo pundit? You would go fuck off who you want to watch him.

SPEAKER_01:

I know, I guess.

SPEAKER_00:

But he actually is Brennan.

SPEAKER_01:

I know what I mean. But I just try to I try to be straight. Um you do fall out with people. Boxers are very touchy, I'm sure you know it, Sean, but it's like it's mad considering what they do, but you say something about them and it it really hurts their feelings. He approached you and fucking give you a bit of a bit of a grabbed me by the arm, he was walking past and going, I have a bone to pick with you, and he fucking squeezed my arm. You handled it well, like do you know what it looks like I did, but I shit myself.

SPEAKER_00:

I know obviously, but like I instead, I I can only imagine what they were gonna find as consequences. I came out of that was an amazing because it's off like no dramatically sporadic, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I wish it I wish it had said more, been able to like speak a bit more or give them like talk. I was but I was just patrified. So I actually came out of the video looking well, but deep down I was shaking. Like I was straight when John says, I'll turn my back on you, and I just walked away down the corridor and I was fucking again by but it was Christine fucking Tom Purchase Robin.

SPEAKER_00:

Have you ever spoken to John again from that?

SPEAKER_01:

Oh big Bunsey tried to um he's just a big header, John, isn't he? But Bunsey tried to like make amends and say, God, alright, you know, and he didn't actually say anything about bad about Tommy and about Tommy for it. Live time for Jake Paul. That was stupid, really.

SPEAKER_00:

And then I w at that time I was like, um well.

SPEAKER_01:

I I fancy Jake Paul, but just I wasn't sure. Uh huh. It was a fucking split decision.

SPEAKER_00:

So it wasn't it? You were f no, it'd be good to like if you if you've seen him again, be like and now I probably you you wouldn't approach him or something, but it'd be good to just be like, Well, you know, I wasn't a bit of me as well. So you're you're calling me a wanker, basically for I should be back and back. But like you your son should have done better. Simple as that.

SPEAKER_02:

True.

SPEAKER_00:

You know what I mean? If you're gonna say it's a fucking night and day fight, one's a YouTuber, one's a boxer, you fuck you wouldn't have known on the night.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Do you know what I mean? But um I know I thought you handled it very well. Like and uh obviously from what uh from a fear's perspective, like from us sitting watching it, it was like fucky Tommy because you were the same.

SPEAKER_01:

But everyone got their phones out. No, I remember there was a few boys I take a pizza guy called um uh Charlie for TNT. He was did he get his phone out? I think he did, but he was standing right beside and Charlie's good ladies might mean but as soon as it happened he just went to the phone. I went fucking you were something that's what happens.

SPEAKER_00:

No one happens pull their phone out. You'd be drowned and people pull their phone out and uh but I just always wondered. I mean, I wonder if Carl ever actually made amends.

SPEAKER_01:

I wouldn't like I wouldn't mind to because I don't John's just a big header, you know what I mean. I wouldn't mind to, but I I don't think he I don't think he's interested in it.

SPEAKER_00:

But you wonder, like it's like as you say, boxers are so touchy and you need to take away better criticism now and again like uh like or like Barry Jones is just constantly cr criticizing me, like oh does he? I don't mind like he says some we decent things, but then he just goes back to criticise me and it's he always reverts back to that game of women fight. Always have it like he turned his back, he turned his back, and I always go Oh, he's a tough one. I know, yeah, no, I go, I know it then it was her. But like he says it every fit. I'm like, fuck this was like four years ago and it's still gone on and and I don't mind like you know what if he understood my circumstances.

SPEAKER_01:

But you could that's the thing, you could get touchy about it. But I don't I don't care.

SPEAKER_00:

I'm like for fuck's sake, leave it like it was that's old news. Like it's it's I think I've answered all them questions now. Yeah what I mean? But um but boxers are so touchy or it's almost like I think from a like from your like from where you are as a pundit, people would be afraid to to say what they want because of boxers being so touchy and afraid of wee better comfort like that.

SPEAKER_01:

Well it's yeah, I know it's uncomfortable. You see all these guys in the hotels, you walk past them every now and again and um Yeah, you just have to I just try to be honest, that's all. I'm not trying to dig anyone out. If but if you've been if you've been shit, I'll say that. Yeah, but if you've been good, I'll say that as well.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, no, that's it. 100% I just have to take it like me personally, like it's water off ducks back. I think people take but I know it's a very serious game, but I remember my last fight, I was just like relax, fuck me. Like the fella who I was fighting, I was just talking to him all fight. We was in the lift with him, just me and him. We walked there left and everyone was like, What the fuck? Relax. Yeah, fuck me, it's a fight. Who cares? Like, do you gonna like do you gonna like his response partner? No, do you gonna like I know you're right.

SPEAKER_01:

You're right.

SPEAKER_00:

Like, I think people take it too serious, but some people need to do it.

SPEAKER_01:

Like that's the way they approach a fight, you know.

SPEAKER_00:

Rambernat was in, I had him in last week, and he was saying like I used to go to dark places. I mean, but that couldn't be enjoyable.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

No, I enjoy boxing.

SPEAKER_01:

I remember when I fought Doner, because he was Doner's sound as a pound by the way, just a lovely fella. And I remember fighting um we're getting ready in fight week and thinking he's gotta be fucking fake. And I see no way he can be at nice, you know what I mean? And then he was dancing with kids and all in the ring at the public workout, and I'm starting to think there's fucking people want to be supporting him here tomorrow now. Want me to get filled in. But I thought it was all a bit fake, but it's not. He's just that's the way it's just dead on.

SPEAKER_00:

I know I I just have I I sort of have the approach where I just whatever I don't want to walk around awkward, fit weak and 'cause I always think of like I know he always has a big team. I'm like Connor Bay and walking around fucking slowing him, shooting people, but he always has a big team in him, so he's protected anyway. But imagine he wanted to just go and take a down there and he bumps into the person who he's fucking giving this to. Like what are they gonna say or they're gonna do?

SPEAKER_01:

I know.

SPEAKER_00:

Do you know what I mean? They give heads off to push with the Do you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01:

Just people are different, aren't they? I'm not I'm not a bottom about that at all. I'd I'd I could be your mate and still try and fill you in. Like you know, because it's a fake stuff.

SPEAKER_00:

I think it's just the way it's the way boxers are anyway. Yeah. It's just you get as usual as well just say is there in a spar and you know behind you.

SPEAKER_01:

I know. I remember like we mean we potty. Like I was potty was best man at my wedding, and I was fucking demoted the groom's man for his. But there's nothing better than dropping potty with a body shot in the spar, you know what I mean? Forever, forever. Loved it.

SPEAKER_00:

He used to have he broke his nose at the Europeans and he used to wear this big massive head gear.

SPEAKER_01:

Remember it.

SPEAKER_00:

And I was sparring him, and I went like that, boom, and he just like stop, man. Stop! What are you doing? But we were like just tack like mass. See on the ice thing, see at the end of every spa like we used to do like all like spawn drills, say like task spawn all on all the rings, and then see at the end, Zar used to go right everybody into one ring, yeah, everybody's 30 seconds sparrow. Then you change, I call change, you find the pony. I don't care if it's gunchy and the buddy bar, you get fucking uh and I used to.

SPEAKER_01:

That's a fucking great approach for the way.

SPEAKER_00:

You know, he's like, you fucking so I used to love us. Yeah, he thought it was the best thing ever, and that's why I've done it every fucking day. So we used to get in there and pip up with a fucking hammer, but then you used to get bullies, do you know what I mean? Like you'd had certain faders on the team who were bullies and they're a fucking ladder in there, no matter what size they were. And I remember Sparmick O'Reilly before and he was whacking me like fucking he's a middleweight and he he he's very heavy-handed. And I was going fuck and next thing like if SAR says change, I ain't gonna avoid him.

SPEAKER_01:

We done we done that in a training camp in France or Germany, I can't remember what it was, but there was three well it was it was similar enough. It was three school spars, like peers in the in one ring, so it was pretty packed of rings, and I was sparring whoever it was, and there was a the Russians were, and Big Cajal McMonagle was in sparring the Russian super heavyweight, right? Yeah, and I didn't realise this until the other day, but them two, whatever happened in the school spar, them two had a disagreement and they ended up on the ground rolling about with each other, right? And the big Russian was on top of Big Cajol, and I goes over him in the same spa, and I sh I shouted like we party will tell you about this. I went, Yo! I fucking grabbed the big Russian Bannock like that, like fucking get off him, and then he just looked at me and I shit myself because he'd killed me like I was a flywheel. Know who it was? Big MacMudov who fought the ball last week.

SPEAKER_02:

That's when you're talking about I shit myself.

SPEAKER_01:

But at least I tried that.

SPEAKER_00:

Fuck me. That must have been he must have been that must have been some he must have been known on that national team for a long time.

SPEAKER_01:

Uh a long time, I think he was. Fuck me.

SPEAKER_00:

He was because like you forget the heavyweights are so old, like even Joe Joyce. Uh Joe Joyce on a team of me till he turned thirteen, he was a big novice.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And then you go, he's he's he's near 40.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. No, they go on longer. People say, uh, like the later you are, because it's it's uh reactions and stuff like that, this the they leave you first, so later weights normally retire a bit earlier, but the heavyweights go on. Look at what Crawford's doing at the moment. He's Crawford's the best he's ever been, he's 38, I think.

SPEAKER_00:

I know I think it's just like you can't say Crawford's ever been ever took much punishment, would you like? But then even in sparring, I kinda wasn't gonna be taking much punishment, like he's so good, mate. He's I've always been a he's all he's been I would say he's been my best my favourite fighter for the last ten years, like easy for me fought definitely for me fought Ricky Burns anyway. Yeah and my rocksn't because he was in south power docs and he was just so fluid.

SPEAKER_01:

Ricky gave him one of the harder fights as well, and that was such a long time ago. I remember I watched some actually. I remember he's he's a nice guy, Crawford. Yeah, I remember him saying daddy hearn like you don't give Ricky Burns enough credit, yeah. And I kind of pull him up on it a bit and saying that he was a good fighter, three-way world champion, and give me a tough fight, but you forgot about him a wee bit. Yeah, and I remember thinking fair play deater.

SPEAKER_00:

Because I remember he fought Alfhanasian as well. He knocked him out, but I fought Avanassian and gave him a good fight.

SPEAKER_01:

Aye for a while, for a while, but just how he deals with it. So I remember Sean Porter, that he went into a corner and it says, You're behind, he's going what? And then he just goes and just knocks him out. Knocks him out the next round.

SPEAKER_00:

He can do what he wants, and then I think approved against Canelo, he's that he's just that good. Like, 'cause the obviously the weight, isn't it? Like you look at the weight and you go, Is he capable of going up? But he actually looked fucking bigger than Canal.

SPEAKER_01:

See what I I picked him when he beat Earl Spence, so he was only a welterweight then, but I said, This guy's that good, I think he can move up and and beat Canelo. And it was like two years before the fight actually happened. Everyone says, You're a fucking idiot, you don't know about boxing, you haven't got a clue, and weight divisions for a reason and all this shit. And my my thought process was Canelo's amazing, love Canelo as well, but his feet have slowed down as he's gone up the weights and he's got older. Just thought Crawford would be able to outbox him and that's what happened. But everybody, when I said that, thought I was a clown.

SPEAKER_00:

I probably uh I knew the feet I probably would have been bad, man, for Crawford as well, to be fair, like even at that stage because of the thought when he obviously especially when you've seen Beaver beaten.

SPEAKER_02:

Right.

SPEAKER_00:

Beaten um kind of on Beaver being the heavier fitter. But that's stale as fast, that's still just seems to see what I just watched it.

SPEAKER_01:

I watched it again the other day, like highlights I would see he's so good. There was stuff he was he was hitting them like south pole, but but going bam, boom, boom, boom, boom. No, like shit like that, like you'd never seen before. It's not even taught.

SPEAKER_00:

I know stuff like that's not taught. Uh you wonder, like, do you just pick that up yourself? Obviously, it's because you can't you you can't teach that to someone because it's you're not even like just a poke and then like boom, but it brings a hands down and you finish here. It's it's unreal. Is there any like any fantasy face that you would love to see like that haven't been made?

SPEAKER_01:

Like um that haven't been made. Um well I tell you what, I'd like to see Canalo won the big lad, Benavidez, all Mexican one. Yeah, I think I fancy Benavidez now because Canal and he's big, he's a big monster. Considering like he doesn't he looks a bit fat now, like he's soft or something, you know what I mean? But unreal. I think I'd I mean there's probably a few, but I'd love to see Nick Ball in a new. I think Nick Ball has a chance. People laugh at me again for saying that, but I think his style, because he's so strong and a wee bull and fit, I think he has a chance against a new.

SPEAKER_00:

I know he's tough in a way, he just puts his hands together so well, doesn't he? Like it's like boom boom boom boom boom.

SPEAKER_01:

It's like when he goes, he goes. I watched him in I was there when he fought in Glasgow in that super series. I was like, was a decent fighter, I can't remember. Josh Taylor fought Branchek might have been Branchek, yeah. Something like that. No, I've got some. Or Pro Grey was it? I can't remember. But he blitzed this kid. What the fuck was your man's name? I think he was p from Puerto Rico or somewhere like that anyway. And he hit him over my I was working on the radio and he like literally you want to hear the sound of it, then shot it was like right beside where my side of the ring and the guy just got out.

SPEAKER_00:

He doesn't have a build like you would look at and go, he like I suppose like a cat, he's warry, isn't he? But he's like you wouldn't look at him and go like he like if he walked by in the street, you wouldn't go he him.

SPEAKER_01:

Do you never see a picture of him outside he was shopping on like Rodeo Drive and he just he looks like a big fruit? That's okay, it's like Kalafgan.

SPEAKER_00:

It's like he's wearing a wee shirt and he's all happy. He's like we family man. Yeah he looks like an accountant. Oh fucking frennant, but um nah, it's like I think it's just mm like when when he puts his hands again, it's like I think that's the difference between like just him and Nick Ball. I think Nick Ball will still come and try and maybe give him a hard zone.

SPEAKER_01:

I think he's a favourite against ball, but I just think it's just because it was still he might he has a chance.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. I think because he Nick Ball goes in like phases, no like and then he cause it's like probably anaerobic, like we go and he's taking like 30 seconds off, he'll probably just go boom boom boom. Yeah, 100%. But um you but you you're going to Monte Carlo, will you be?

SPEAKER_01:

I don't think so. I haven't been asked um yet. I don't do that many match room shows. I do the odd I do all the Queensbury ones and then the odd match room. So I don't I don't think so. It's getting a bit close now, and no one's asked me yet, but I'd love to have been out there. I've never been to Monte Carlo. I haven't. Um it's a good good fight for you, mate. That's a good fight. Good bill as well, decent bill in.

SPEAKER_00:

I think Pat McCormick will probably win that one. He's a classic, but great fight, though. Great fight. Lewis, like the the one of them's probably had their eye on Lewis or someone like that. Um and then you've for for what is it, wasn't he?

SPEAKER_01:

Before um I know when you're talking about fighting Peter McGrey. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Big fighting fashion back, you know. It's it's a cute build, like it's exciting for me. Like obviously I never really got a chance to I don't really have a a certain hour fight because of no I've never had a promoter, you know what I mean? So I just fetch you over. I'm just one I'm ones. I'll take it. I'll take it and I have two. Oh yeah, but uh when they asked me, and it was like before my last fight, Aunt I was like, look, they've sent me a contract to fight, and I was like fucking right, because that kid's top rank. Yeah, he's look all these monogold and I was like, Aye, I'll fucking take it no sweat.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, no, it's a good fight for you. And no the the best thing that's happening for you at the minute is momentum because obviously after that Barbosa I think no one wanted to touch you. And I understand that as well because you're you're awkward, uh you'd be a nightmare to think.

SPEAKER_00:

If people thought they'll beat me, they'll never look good, beat me.

SPEAKER_01:

No, no.

SPEAKER_00:

Like if someone's coming on that beat him, yeah. But even if you do beat me, you'll be messing with it.

SPEAKER_01:

But it's good, I think you momentum now, and then you keep pushing up the rankings and then you get you just have to get yourself into a position position where they have to fight you.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I know that's exactly it. So I'll just say if I just just keep fucking, just keep getting me fights. Yeah. And I'm I'm happy enough to fit here, like I still have to. It's obviously do you f like boxing's not about who you fight, isn't it? It's like they want a world title, it's about who you don't fight. Like if you look at let's say Lewis and Patty Donovan, for example, they could have fought your own Ennis for a world title or fight each other. I know, I know.

SPEAKER_01:

I know. Like that's a I know there's wee bits of you. You have to be lucky at times as well, don't you? And the rubber rubber green too.

SPEAKER_00:

World matching is very good at like navigating where you go in your career.

SPEAKER_01:

In fairness, I've always given them praise for this, but Barry McGwigan was very good at matching you at the like getting you the right face at the right time. Like I remember going back, I fought Steve Mallator, who was a former world champion, but and I was just green enough and I bashed him. Um but a lot of going into that fight, a lot of people thought it was gonna be too early for me.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I remember going, This is gonna be a fucking good fight, a tough fight. I was at it where it was actually trouble that night as well in the fucking place. I think but it was uh I remember Watson going, this will be a fucking close fight. Yeah. Because loads of people were asking me in boxing. No, like as a boxer, you always know, but I wasn't like I was only a kid as well. Like people it was only like probably 17 or something. People were like, Who who wins this one? I was like, fuck I don't know, it's tough on the city.

SPEAKER_01:

We party had that as one of my best performances. He thinks it's like upper.

SPEAKER_00:

I remember people forget about it, like, but it was that's probably my one of my that's probably my best memory of a pro show, like, to be fair, because D Walsh fought on that, I think. Did he?

SPEAKER_02:

I'm not sure. He did, right? D.

SPEAKER_00:

Walsh went fought on it on the undercourt, so we it was a squatty I swent in the atmosphere. Like I was I went to King's Hall and stuff and I I went and watched Brian McGee and Damon Kelly obviously being Holy Trend and all, but the atmosphere for you and Frat night was like Do you know like when you're a kid, I I didn't have any like ambition of being a pro boxer. I just thought boxing's just a sport. Yeah, it doesn't it's not meant to be a job, it's not meant to be your your life, you know what I mean. But I remember going like fuck me, this would be unbelievable. And then being close to D in the gym as an amateur and then him fighting on it.

SPEAKER_01:

I was like, No, I did. I I always wanted to be a pro. Um just me, I didn't have much as a kid, and my fat my man and dad, you know, grafted and worked away, but we weren't flesh or anything like that. Um and I always had this I always in my head I always had this I wanna I want a nice house and I wanted to live up around Nicky of Hill somewhere. Um I want a nice car. And that's that's literally all I thought about when I was a kid to want to have a few quids, you know what I mean, to be able to do things I don't want to do. So it's worked out like I've been I've been very, very lucky. Very lucky.

SPEAKER_00:

Well suppose luck, you make your own luck, don't you like when it comes to stuff like that? Yeah. Is there ever do you ever look at something and go, When I was a kid, that was like a luxury to me, but nah, kids was a luxury.

SPEAKER_01:

Everything was. See, going to McDonald's was a luxury to me. I used to go once a year for my birthday. We used to go to Junk, my dad used to bring us to Jungle Gym and then we go to McDonald's. That's the truth, like kids get McDonald's breakfast five days a week now for fuck's sake.

SPEAKER_00:

My son always goes, We want to go to McDonald's, they go not going to McDonald's. Every ornight, like that I want to McDonald's, and I go get the fuck off. Brutality It's my way, it's just I I suppose that the tent the way the tens have changed when troubles now deny how accessible it is to just go and get a job anywhere. Like like my man, we haven't like we've never done a holiday ever. Like my man like we've never done a family holiday ever. Have you not? You know what I mean? And it's probably fucking I don't know if it's we didn't have the money for starters, but then you probably couldn't bring fucking holidays.

SPEAKER_01:

We were the same. We I never had a family holiday. Actually, we went to me and my brother and my ma and dad went to Butlands one summer. I was on first holiday, and then a couple of years later, my ma was going to uh saloo with a family down the street. My dad wasn't going because he had work, but I just don't think he didn't want to go. And I says, Fuck that, I'm staying with my dad. Uh huh. And I stayed like the first opportunity to go on a foreign holiday, and I didn't take it, but can't be harsh listening to my ma for two weeks and her mates talking shit anyway. Backstab people.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh fuck I know, but that's what I'm saying. Like now my son's just like, well, can we go on holiday?

SPEAKER_01:

Alright. I'm like, what? Alright, I know.

SPEAKER_00:

And he says, What do you want for Christmas? Holiday. Alright. Like, I mean, holiday? Only back from holiday. We were on holiday last week. And he's like, I want to go on holiday. I'm like, fuck shit.

SPEAKER_01:

It's too easy now for kids, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00:

That's what it is. Like, but yeah, yeah, it's it's it's a hard I I find it very hard trying to balance like from them being like not spoiled, but like it I it's almost like you want your kid to be like you and appreciate stuff the way we do because we never got it. But how do you do it?

SPEAKER_01:

You want to give them it too, because you've done well, like that's what you want to do. But you wanna you wanna make them appreciate it. But I think it's like that I don't know if they do. Maybe they do a bit, but not like us, you know what I mean. I I got a what what was the best? I got a present one year for Christmas, uh uh pedrol scooter. Remember the petrol ones you had? Fuck me, loved it. Best that's what it was uh like evil can evil loved it, like flying about Christmas Day, had it for ages, absolutely loved it, and then I got my wheel out like this crazy cart thing. Yeah. Brilliant, good crack uh two days, all right back on the PlayStation.

SPEAKER_00:

You know what I mean? I got him a pick and one of them we bounced back, you know, like when he was like three or something. He's four and I like, but he won't drive it, he won't go out, go out and fucking play.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

He won't well not go out, get him football, nets football, just trying to get him and keep him outdoors.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And he just won't do it.

SPEAKER_01:

I know he's only four leg, but no, you're right though, it's a fucking it's a battle I have all the time with kids. My weigher, like she's she's because of where we live, it's like you can't just go out in the street and play, there's no one to mess about with. But um she's always carried off, knocking about. She's wee squatting mates and she's always looking dropped up. The wee boy's still a bit young yeah. But I think when he goes to he'll be in secondary school next year, so I think he'll maybe start wanting to do that too. But I I just I like a s like that, like get them out.

SPEAKER_00:

It's sort of like I think it's generational. We're like probably our parents wanted us to well probably don't want us to do what they were doing, fuck sick, but I mean because fucking they were probably drinking and fucking robbing trucks and whatever else they were doing, fuck sick. Uh but um it's sort of like it you sort of wanna I just think because we're we're probably the last generation that's gonna be like away from technology. Do you know what I mean? Grew up without technology. Yeah. I would say we were the last. And then like the mountains, see the mountains, the black mountain. Like we live in third floods. We we look like we walk across the mountain bypass, we're on the mountain. Yeah, we're literally up mountains and we spent every day of the summer up there. See that in the summer there. I looked up and never seen one person up there. It was flowers every day, and I was like, there's not even one person up there. Like I wouldn't even know, like our days we later's 18 now. I was like, I don't know, he's probably ever been up there. He's 18. I know he's never been up there. Uh different stuff. And they're just they're all under clothes now. I remember it.

SPEAKER_01:

See, they all have their fucking hairbrush now, all these kids, and they'll bring their hairbrush.

SPEAKER_00:

Did I brush my hand if we fucking blow up? I'm hanging off after it. I know it's crazy for an appearance.

SPEAKER_01:

Imagine it done that when I was a kid. My dad used to have one of our weep brushes. I think he started this fucking crazy kids, you know, M we peep up so we peep.

SPEAKER_00:

We have a hang you hold it right in your forehands and just.

SPEAKER_01:

What was coat every nanny and go like that? We just all three.

SPEAKER_00:

Daphne changed times now, like and it's hard to be perfectly. But there's so much opportunities as well, innit?

SPEAKER_01:

I know there's more opportunities for kids.

SPEAKER_00:

TikTok where people like making force.

SPEAKER_01:

Making money, uh being a YouTuber. My We Log keeps you know that's the old you go into primary school and you ask kids what they want to be, and I'd say half a class would say I want to be a YouTuber. Yeah. And you're going, My We Lad says stuff like that, and then going, I can wise up. First of all, I mean there's money to be made in that sort of world, but also they're all clowns too, aren't they? You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00:

You don't honestly look at it's uh it's it's it's very hard because you're trying to protect your kids from social media and what the the the dangers of it.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

But there's massive opportunities as well, aren't they? 'Cause you're not one of them people and it's like it's Imagine.

SPEAKER_01:

How would you feel if your wee lad when he's twenty, twenty-two or something, would like that was what's your job? And he said, I'm a YouTuber. I'd be scoundered. I know. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00:

But they'd be all best, they'd be like I know you'd be fucking I know something like that. But like I think a lot of people put pressure. Probably do you ever get like do probably not nah. Well nah, I would say so. Well, like you're reliable, they'd be like, is he gonna box?

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, you get asked all the time, but if they're playing football above them, um and they're enjoying it. And they they even ask every nanogin themselves, but just I have no time to bring him to the club, you know what I mean? And I wouldn't like to bring him anywhere apart from my old amateur club. And there's a wee canal club in Lisburnall, which is a bit closer, but I would feel like I'm doing the dirt on my own club, and they get across the town at that time of night and then they've got football. It's just it's just too much, and the fact that I feel like and it'll be the same as your lad, like it'll be a big target on his back. Yeah, that's exactly it. You know what I mean? That's Sean McCone's son, and the everyone wants to fill him in. You know what I mean? Every every gym they go to when they're sparring or whatever, everyone will want to fill him in.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Cause I I remember fighting Amir Khan's younger brother, Haran Khan.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And they're like around Rabin tournament. And people like that's Amir Khan's bar, it's Amir Khan's bar. And I was like, oh wait, he's my weight, 54 kilos. I was like, you know, knock his body. And that was the first thing I thought I'd have a win over Amir Khan's brother. And it did, it battered him.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

But then I was like, that's gonna be like it's gonna be the same thing, you know what I mean? And then there's a big expectation on him. You know, I sort of half thing. I would love to get him in there for disciplinary reasons. And I will do like because I see outside of boxing, I feel like like actually boxing and being disciplined in terms of like your eating and your habits. I feel like I've learned so much good manners and stuff that like that people don't see.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Because Mickey Hawkins brought me everywhere and he's like, stop beating a guy or stop fucking doing that. Do you know they teach him manners and how you sit to you and it's my own.

SPEAKER_01:

Billy's an old gentleman, you know, like old-fashioned, and that's what I I like that. Yeah, I love it. Just being polite and respectful.

SPEAKER_00:

It's you you only give respect. Like you'll give all the respect to your boxing coach for some reason. I don't like if someone's dad was turning and go, Yo fuck his dad doing, I go, fuck off. As a cheeky bee kid, you go, fuck off, you fucking blunt. But if Mickey Hawkins said it to me or Billy said it to you, you go fucking up.

SPEAKER_01:

I was I used to be afraid of like more when you get there about whatever, 16, 17, you're messing about and doing things you shouldn't be doing. And I used to go to the Alex every now and again, which was a pff they call it nightclub. It wasn't nightclub, it was a it was a nightclub, but it was just fucking mad. Yeah. Um and I used to go to Alex every now and again, and I would sometimes see Billy's grandson, both with two twins, um, Andy and Neil. Sometimes I'd see him in it, and I'd always say to him, Please don't tell your grandday I'm here. Like, please don't tell your granddaughter. Like afraid that he's gonna find out, more so than my granddad. Um and I think they says they never did, but I think they probably did every now and again. Billy Christmas. Billy was he was Billy was a good man, you know. I he um and he fucking he looked after me like really dirty.

SPEAKER_00:

It's mad that like old school people like that all see with when someone has it.

SPEAKER_01:

Alright.

SPEAKER_00:

I think he was like that with me.

SPEAKER_01:

Don't waste it home.

SPEAKER_00:

Where like other coaches, there was another coach on that name, him in the gym and he was like he he he he didn't let me in the gym, he hear me like and uh one time me and my mates broke in the youth club next door and we fucking played f football in the indoor hall and took up the dead before Christmas and robbed a top shop and top all the streets and took tens of clock all the streets and all and then the one someone tired and the priest came in and we all escaped and got away, I got away, someone tired on me anyway. So I was bought from only 20 premises and wasn't allowed in. And this other coach was like, he's fucking not getting through the doors again, he's out, that's it. But Mick he used to sneak me in then with the senior boxers when he wasn't there.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And uh he always kept me going like and one time I was getting the shower and this other coach got the shower and walked in and I was getting sharded and it was like he was like, What the fuck are you doing there? Get the fuck, yes. And he caught the water and leaving me. He was like, What the fuck? The water's not even in there. I was like, Oh right, go come now. And I got tried quick, he's like, Come on, what the fuck? And then Mickey always used to keep me in, and then he he he he just knew that I had it. But see, as a young as younger, like when I was young with uh during this time, I wasn't with him much. Ulsters not maybe why definitely went the atterms, maybe in the ulcers, but definitely not the old items, they got them and then they was like 16, and then from there every single year right at the scenery I won them.

SPEAKER_01:

I was exact well not the exact same, but the same as me. Lost a lot when I was a kid, but I think Billy knew there was something about me. I could do something to keep him trying, keep me on the straight and narrow.

SPEAKER_00:

Like it's mad that they can see that because I I feel like if it wasn't for like Mickey having that wee bit of hope and that wee bit of like knowing like something there, I'd have packed it in, and it probably comes from experience with dealing with uh people over the years and dealing with it.

SPEAKER_01:

Like like Mickey, you know, I have a lot of time for Mickey because I used to go and train up on a Sunday and ulcer squad training. Your D was on the squad, filled him in a few times. He fucking needed it, he needs it now. D was hard to fucking get close to. Um but yeah, I remember I I have a lot of time for Mickey, he's a good fella.

SPEAKER_00:

It's mad that you and D never fought because he was a big one. He's a bit always a bit bigger. I was a flyweight.

SPEAKER_01:

I I was like a flyweight. He was fifty four. So we're so fucking tall as well. We were close enough, but I used to sparm a lot and he was a butt Jimmy.

SPEAKER_00:

Mary f Mary fought Jamie and then you fought Jamie and and stuff like that. But he was he was even I sparred him not too long ago. We had this thing going on that I was fighting Martel Hart. And I was only like seventeen, Mark was a year or two, a little bit more mature, and not that age and I moved up to 60, I was fifty-six and moved up to sixty, I fought Martel Hart and the old box and he beat me. Our day he was going nuts. Fuck I watch you sparring and punch a fuck out of him all the time. He was going nuts. I was like, fuck up, mate, no business. He's like, fuck and he was going, Fuck's the guy's beat Martel with one hand. I mean, what do you want? You're fucking shit. And me and him were having this Tiffred hat. And he's like, I'll fucking spar you and hang. So we came down to the club and Mickey was like, it's our sparring. I was like, let's spar. So Mickey was like, Go in the spar, fucking tissue in. And then um I sparred D and punched the fucking spin. And he was going nuts. He was like, How the fuck did you let him out? How'd he beat you? And you just done that to me.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And I was like, 'cause you're shit. See.

SPEAKER_01:

I used to try I used to because me, I was dead close to D when we were kids, because we're all in the same teams and stuff together for Ulster and a few like county and drum trips, I think. But D was a good lad and went to Australia, Commonwealth Youth Games, and Demo or something. D get beat in the final. Darn Barker's Gary Barker. Gary, who and I passed. Good good fighter, like, but I got beat in a semi-final. Um, but they used to try and always get me to go to Turf Lodge, you know, in the weekends. And I always wanted to go, but I was still a bit I was a bit afraid.

SPEAKER_00:

Like I was a bit like I'd say, like I'd have been alright with D, I think. You would have unsweet with D-Dick. And growing up, for me growing up, everyone was afraid of D Dick. Yeah. Everyone, like, and he always had a reputation for like being able to fight. Yeah. And he he can't fight and furnished him in the street. Oh, here you'd love to have Day on your side.

SPEAKER_01:

He's no he's no fear, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00:

No, he think we're we're j I never had to fight because of him and lame and jarred. I feel like brothers and people were afraid of them, like you know what I mean? And uh still fought now by people of my own age, but anyone outside of that was be like, fuck that's Dungeon for no even like outside of the areas and that's D McConfree, but that's Democonde. Oh, is it? No, they left you alone and I wouldn't have gotten much bother because of it. But um even still, like he's fucking on a rampage still, like he sent me a message, fucking I love the D1 air paranoid. I says they I replied to him saying the you're an ear forty.

SPEAKER_01:

See you state of pulling up Mal Edge's face off.

SPEAKER_00:

He says the year forty.

SPEAKER_01:

Set like um There was a bird he tried to there was a bird, um I can't even remember her name of that long ago, but I know who it was. He was trying to get me to go up.

SPEAKER_00:

He says you fancied me. Yeah, I know who it was.

SPEAKER_01:

Do he? Yeah. Well I'm saying it then.

SPEAKER_00:

No, I said I don't know, but I do know, but you'll know when I say it probably.

SPEAKER_01:

Aye. I remember I remember because I was a wee fucking shurf, you know, big ears and all, and stupid haircut and all. D says she's indo, and I went, hey, she's seen a picture of you, and I was going, this is great, but still afraid to go up.

SPEAKER_00:

Ah Turf's good spot.

SPEAKER_01:

You're you you're well cut over this over the city here if you're it's uh I mean I walk about anywhere now, but when you're a kid you don't really know, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_00:

I think even more so now kids are because of the social media thing and all they're gonna be friendly with people and yeah, even me like walking into Windsor the Or Weeker, like I was like skitting photos with everybody and like, yeah, fucking Sandy Row, you're a cousin.

SPEAKER_01:

It's good. Here, is that a thing? D says, Have you he told me something about as one side of your family originally Sandy Row?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, my grandday. So it's it's felt I was like, oh, where's McCombs at? Things my Davy's my uncle.

SPEAKER_01:

So there was Macombs, the the bus people, are you related to them? No, no, no. Fuck no. Because there's Macombs in the bay that are related to him too, and I think I wonder there's a connection there.

SPEAKER_00:

No, I don't think we're related to them unless we are, and I don't know, but um because there's nothing. You're half, and I'm not saying I'm well got obviously. If I ain't doing this, we ain't gonna have a support you get. Oh fuck no, but listen, um well, I know you have to go to NSK on here, so I'll let you wrap it up here. Um Bernard having you in car, good chat as always. And I enjoyed that fell.

SPEAKER_01:

Glad it's going well. When's this out?

SPEAKER_00:

Tomorrow. That's quick. Oh, lovely. Quick turnaround. Because it was away, I had to come in and squeeze everything in. Yeah. Because I usually do it on a Thursday, put it on a Tuesday. But it was away last week, so I've had to do it today Monday, which worked well because it was a day that suited you, yeah, mate.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, well listen, mate, I hope it keeps going well.