Boxing Life Stories

Ahead of topping the Sky Sports show in Barnsley on Saturday at the home of his favourite football club, Callum Simpson discusses his love of food and fighting, talks about the top names he is targeting – including Diego Pacheco – and what it has felt like to have the Sky and Boxxer machine behind him. The instantly likeable contender also talks about a possible move to 175 and how he goes  ab...

Josh Kelly talks to Tris Dixon about life in and out of the ring, and how he has changed his mindset from someone who had suffered with anxiety to someone who desperately wants to fight the best at 154lbs. Kelly talks about the best fighters in his division, his relationship with trainer Adam Booth, his relationship with golf, and how he has matured in recent years. Please give this podcast a...

Tris Dixon speaks to Lucas Roehrig, the undefeated cruiserweight prospect and recent Wasserman signing who is managed and trained by George Groves. Roehrig discusses his early development, learning the ropes in and out of the ring, sparring top 200-pounders like Chris Billam-Smith and Jai Opetaia, his hopes for the future, and whether he will ever fall out with his mentor, Groves, the way Rock...

Kyrone Davis is a dangerous middleweight contender who is not high on the list for any of the champions to face. Having defeated unbeaten prospect Elijah Garcia last year, he takes on an unbeaten Cuban – Yoenlis Hernandez – this weekend. It is another tough fight, for a man who has done much of his work in Philadelphia. Davis, who has also fought the likes of David Benavidez, moving up in wei...

Paddy Donovan suffered the first defeat of his career when he was disqualified in Belfast against Lewis Crocker in March. Donovan was heartbroken and distraught at the time. His team immediately filed for a rematch and the IBF granted it, meaning he will likely face Crocker again – probably back in Belfast in September – with the winner due to challenge Jaron Ennis. Donovan also talks to Tris...

Caleb Plant boxes Jose Armando Resendiz this weekend in Las Vegas, with Jermall Charlo in a separate bout in the hope that they meet later this year. Plant is one of the most interesting characters in boxing today, principled, tough, he does not know how to take a backward step. The former super-middleweight champion talks to Tris Dixon about the rough upbringing that has made him, the losses ...

Light-heavyweight contender Matt Floyd is desperate for a big fight. The 15-1 (10 KOs) Australian has even chased down bouts with the likes of Tommy Fury and other influencers, having found his options restricted in Australia. That is, in part, because he has served prison time. As a child who was abused by pedophiles, Floyd made it his mission to hunt pedophiles and torture them. It resulted i...

Former light heavyweight contender Mark Prince talks about his battles inside and out of the ring. As one of Britain's top fighters in the 1990s, he was involved in several wars on Sky Sports before getting his big chance in Germany against Dariusz Michalczewski. He then had an unlikely comeback, that was inspired by the tragic murder of his son, Kiyan, a budding footballer with Queens Park Ran...

Former light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion Michael Moorer talks to Tris Dixon about his huge nights in the ring, against the likes of Evander Holyfield and George Foreman, but is also open about his struggles away from the ring. He talks about how tough life can be for a fighter away when he is not fighting, whether he is an active boxer suffering from the sport's politics or life after ...

Boxing historian George Zeleny has spent a lifetime in the sport. George has been on hand to see many of the greats travel to the UK, including Ali, Tyson and Liston, and he has seen the great and the good of British boxing in more than 50 years. Many leading British fight figures have confided in him over the years but, at heart, he remains a fan and his passion for the sport and the is clear...

Australian star Jason Moloney is a former world bantamweight champion who has become a darling in Japan and is one of the most-liked guys in the sport. You can see why, as he reflects on his decorated amateur and professional careers, his incredible relationship with his twin Andrew, making it big from Australia and the huge nights he's boxed on, from taking on Naoya Inoue in Las Vegas, to box...

This week, Boxing Life Stories hosts Kurt Emhoff, the first fight attorney that we've had on the show and Kurt is also a boxing manager. Kurt has been involved in the sport for more than two decades, and talks about some of his clients, some of his biggest cases, and some of the most significant talking points in the sport today, including lawsuits, the need for central governance in boxing an...

In a hugely emotional podcast, light-heavyweight contender Jesse Hart talks about growing up in Philadelphia, as the son of local heavy-hitting legend Eugene "Cyclone" Hart, his road to becoming a top-ranked fighter, the current light-heavyweight landscape and his role in it – including the likes of Artur Beterbiev, Dmitry Bivol, David Benavidez – and others, and his hopes for the future. But ...

WE ARE BACK!!! This week, I'm delighted to have the colourful and controversial Victor Conte on the podcast. Conte works with many of the leading fighters in the world, including Terence Crawford, Bam Rodriguez, Devin Haney, Joshua Buatsi and he's recently linked up with Chris Eubank Jnr. Conte is very much an anti-doping advocate today, but he shot to infamy as the mastermind of the BALCO sc...

The Welsh Dragon, Joe Calzaghe, one of the great fighters of the modern era and one of the finest ever fighters from Britain, reflects on his incredible Hall of Fame career, and Calzaghe brings the curtain down on Boxing Life Stories. For now. Joe talks about his dad's tea – with lumpy milk – that raised the eyebrows of the travelling HBO crew, why Joe 'The Cat' Calzaghe never happened, how ne...

Irish amateur standout Eric Donovan was close to boxing at the London Olympics in 2012 but instead was headed to rehab. Now, following a long journey into recovery, Donovan is a retired professional with an incredible story to tell. Donovan is a father, counsellor, trainer and husband, and he is the voice of wisdom and an engaging talker, whose incredible story – which, in professional boxing...

Former European champion and world title contender Jim McDonnell talks about the big fights, against the likes of Azumah Nelson, Barry McGuigan and Brian Mitchell, the devastating knockout loss to Kenny Vice, being part of the famous Royal Oak stable and becoming a top trainer, working with the likes of James DeGale and Danny Williams. Jimmy Mac, as he known in boxing, was a ferocious trainer,...

'Sweet D' Derek Williams reflects on an incredible career that saw him win Commonwealth and European titles, while fighting the likes of Lennox Lewis, Bert Cooper, Jose Ribalta, David Bey, Hughroy Currie and Jimmy Thunder. Williams also travelled the US, taking dangerous fights and sparring some of the biggest names, including Gerry Cooney and Mike Tyson. Now a columnist for Boxing News, Will...

The former heavyweight champion boxed a who's who of stars, from Mike Tyson to Vitali Klitschko and John Ruiz to Zejko Mavrovic, London's Francis was either linked to fighting them (George Foreman in Vegas, Herbie Hide and David Tua), sparred them or he boxed them. His colourful life saw him grow up in foster care before serving several spells in prison and living life on the wrong side of the...

One of the leading promoters of all-time, Top Rank boss Bob Arum talks about the big fights, the big names and much more as he reflects on his incredible career in boxing. Arum recalls the big nights of Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, the Four Kings era of Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Tommy Hearns, his time with Manny Pacquiao and much more. Arum discusses meeting his ...

The Hall of Famer from the Virgin Islands, Julian Jackson is undoubtedly one of the biggest punchers the sport has seen. Jackson knocked out 49 of 55 opponents, creating one of the sport's great highlight reels along the way. He was a Don King stalwart, but some of the big fights Jackson wanted, against the likes of Roy Jones and James Toney, failed to materialise, but Jackson had two violent...

Scott Cardle was a mainstay of the Team GB amateur programme who fought some of the best amateurs in the world and trained alongside two crops of Olympians. He turned pro with high hopes, trained with Joe Gallagher but admits things changed for him after being pushed in British title fights by Sean Dodd. Here, in a frank, candid and at times funny interview, Scott recalls stories from the ama...

'Champagne' Charlie Magri was one of the most decorated amateurs produced in the UK, and he went on to win the WBC flyweight title as a professional. The East End hero, who was born in Tunisia, was a four-time ABA champion who boxed at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, travelling there as favourite to claim gold. Here, Magri talks about life in the East End, from the Krays to the hardmen of the ...

The former welterweight world champion talks about not retiring, his aid work in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquakes and why he put his career on hold to help, fighting Floyd Mayweather and how he coped with his first loss (not very well). Andre Berto was Al Haymon's first fighter that the future Hall of Fame promoter brought through, though Haymon had already worked with Vernon Forrest and...

Hasim 'The Rock' Rahman shocked the world when he knocked out Lennox Lewis to become the lineal world heavyweight champion. His name was etched in the history books alongside the likes of Johnson, Luis, Marciano, Ali and Holmes as The Man who beat The Man, before he lost the crown back to Lewis in a rematch. Rahman had a long, decorated career with plenty of incident packed in. Having survive...

Recently described at The Godfather of PED testing in boxing, Dr Flip Homansky was a physician on the Nevada State Athletic Commission for some of the biggest fights in history. Dr Homansky also served on the NSAC Medical Advisory Board Chairman having worked at the Chief Ringside Physician for almost three decades. He is the former Association of Boxing Commissions vice-president and current ...

Former world light-heavyweight contender boxed a who's who of the best of his era, whether it was in sparring or in the ring. Harmon fought a peak Roy Jones. Dariusz Michalszewski, Tim Liitles, Montell Griffin and O'Neil Bell up at cruiserweight. Derrick grew up in foster care, has suffered unimaginable loss but retains an inspiring and positive outlook. Now he works as the right hand man to ...

Jamie Speight set off on his pro journey with high hopes, but later became a proud journeyman as he navigated his way through 61 professional fights. He boxed champions and contenders including Josh Warrington, Joe Cordina, Issac Lowe, Gavin McDonnell and Jason Cunningham during a fascinating career and transition from prospect to journeyman before reading my book Damage caused him to stop fig...

Australian star Barry Michael was a world super-featherweight champion who has one of the best stories in boxing. He won the title in a war with Melbourne rival Lester Ellis, a former student of Michael's and future friend but at the time there was a real feud. The story of that fight alone is incredible. Then there were fights on the road, in Africa, Indonesia, the UK and in Hawaii, rumoured...

Usually, Evan Korn is the man teeing up the interviews. The Top Rank publicist talks here about his journey into the promotional powerhouse from fight fan, to sports journalist to finally making the move out to Las Vegas. Korn, an endurance runner in his spare time, discusses trying to break into the business, the changing face of boxing journalism, his job interview with Bob Arum, working on ...

Former heavyweight Larry Olubamiwo discusses his journey through boxing and life. A former sprinter, Larry got in to trouble, went to prison and then embarked on a career as a professional boxer. Not long into his career, he fell victim to Operation Raw Deal and was caught up in a steroid scandal, admitted 13 offences throughout his career and was banned. He came back, but settled for life as...

Former HBO broadcaster and International Boxing Hall of Famer takes a look back on his hugely successful career behind the mic. Lampley is one of the all-time great voices of boxing, someone who has fought for the fighters, told their stories and been the soundtrack to many of the greatest fights of all time. Here, he looks back on the nights he helped define, whether it was Buster Douglas st...

Augie Sanchez was the last American to beat Floyd Mayweather. In the amateurs, before losing out in the 1996 Olympic box-offs, Sanchez also defeated the late Diego Corrales and was one of the finest amateurs in the country. In the pros, and after signing for Top Rank, he and Mayweather appeared to be on a collision course but it never happened. Instead, he boxed the likes of Naseem Hamed, Jorg...

Top Rank matchmaker Brad Goodman had one of the best educations in the sport, being around Hall of Famers like Irving Rudd, Teddy Brenner and Bruce Trampler as a teenager. His life in boxing continues more than 40 years on, and he was recently inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and he proposed to his girlfriend during his induction speech. There are always interesting chats,...

Coach Kenny Adams has reportedly worked with 26 world champions, 34 Olympians and 56 fighters who went on to achieve a world crown. Adams is also a Vietnam veteran, and as part of the US Olympic set up in 1984 and 1988, he coached the likes of Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker, Virgill Hill, Roy Jones, Ray Mercer and Michael Carbajal. In the pro ranks, he declined the oppor...

Jesse Reid is one of the most successful trainers of all time and has worked with between 20 and 30 world champions. He coached the brilliant Orlando Canizales from the ground up, and he has trained the likes of Roger Mayweather, Rodolfo Gonzalez, Jesse Burnett, Hector Camacho and countless others. He's also worked with some of boxing's most troubled minds, including Bruce Curry, Johnny Tapia...

Tris and Johnny sit-down to reflect on moments of Nelson's extraordinary career as a long-reigning WBO cruiserweight champion but they also discuss the use of PEDs in the sport, similarities and differences between the Ingle way and Ukrainian methodology, when the right time to retire is, how to cope with retirement, taking flying lessons, Kell Brook, Anthony Joshua and, of course, life lessons...

Kieran Mulvaney is one of the most interesting men in boxing journalism. Born in the UK, he has worked for America's big three – ESPN, Showtime and HBO – but he's also written books about polar bears and stories about climate change, killer whales trying to sink boats, the Wild West and much more. Mulvaney has had bylines in the Washington Post and National Geographic, as well as Boxing News, ...

2023 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Timothy Bradley had an excellent career that saw him win 33 fights, lose just two and draw once in his 37 bouts. Of course, there was a trilogy with Manny Pacquiao, the Fight of the Year with Russian Provodnikov, victory over the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez, Brandon Rios, Joel Casamayor, Devon Alexander, Lamont Peterson and Kendall Holt before h...

Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom does not court attention and it is not often he talks about his background and his start in the sport. Here, the Sky Sports promoter discusses both, his aspirations and motivations, the media and social media landscape in boxing, his stable of fighters and his deal with Sky and much more. Ben talks about the struggle, how he was down to his last £17,000 in the compa...

For five decades, Lawrence Lustig has been a regular at ringside as a photographer. Initially he worked for agencies, then the Daily Star newspaper, then he became a Matchroom stalwart and now he is at Boxxer. He and Charlie Magri were one another's best men, and here Lawrence talks about the art of being a boxing photographer, the truth behind the Bentt-Hide press conference  brawl, his role...

Articulate former heavyweight contender Malik Scott now coaches former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. The two fought as pros and were sparring partners but now Scott heads the camp. Here, Malik looks back on his own life and career, growing up in Philadelphia, fighting to look after his half-brother, the tough breaks of trying to make it to the 2000 Olympics and the pro career that took...

One of the most famous boxing broadcasters of all time, the Colonel has been ringside at some of the biggest fights in history and has got to know many of the sport's biggest names. As the man tasked with providing the words to go with the international feed of Don King fights, Sheridan talks about his decades working with King, covering fights from Zaire to Tokyo, the controversies, the great...

Boxing writer Elliot Worsell is one of the best scribes in the sport. He first freelanced for websites at the age of 16, was published in Boxing News at 17 and authored his first book at 22. As well as working in PR for Hayemaker, he had a spell working with UFC fighters and his second book, Dog Rounds, became one of the most highly-acclaimed books in modern boxing. Here, Worsell discusses hi...

Journeyman Lewis van Poetsch racked up an extraordinary 170 professional fights before walking away with a win in his final contest this year. 'Poochi' spent a decade taking late calls, saving shows and working out of the away corner, fighting top prospects and stars alike, and often making sure they had their hands full. He is also an army veteran, having served in Afghanistan and Northern I...

Born in Birmingham but now living in Los Angeles, Rachel Charles has become one of boxing's most popular publicists. She started working for Dan Goossen, thanks to James Toney, and her impressive list of clients includes Buddy McGirt, Andre Ward, Paul Williams, Golden Boy Promotions, Zab Judah and many more. But Rachel has not had it easy. She was abused when she was young, but now finds comm...

Having recently moved up in weight to challenge Lyndon Arthur at barely a day's notice, Boris Crighton discusses the importance of staying in shape, waiting of rthe phone call that might change his life. A personal trainer and CrossFitter who does hot yoga and watches his nutrition, sleep and recovery, Crighton lives like a pro should. Here, 'The Blade' talks about his time moving to Aberdeen ...

Bournemouth's Lee Cutler has won a Southern Area title but he wants more. He has also sparred some of the biggest names in British boxing, has toiled in the small halls, coped with his first loss, changed his mindset towards boxing over the years and is now riding the crest of a wave as the sport goes to new heights on the South Coast. A friend of cruiserweight contender and former Boxing Life...

The head of the WBC reflects on his time in boxing, including growing up in the the WBC – which was created by his father Don Jose. As a child, Mauricio recalls the likes of Don King and Muhammad Ali visiting the house... Sulaiman talks about the controversies, the state of boxing, the WBC almost going bankrupt and much more besides, showing a side not often seen in his interviews.

Billy Dib might have been the IBF featherweight champion of the world, worked with Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, 50 Cent and Naseem Hamed, but two weeks ago he was told the biggest news of his life when doctors informed him he was cancer free. Here, Dib looks back on a journey that in recent months has united the boxing world, but one that saw him bullied as a kid, his first wife die of canc...