Proper True Yarn

In this fiery and fun episode, world champion boxer Viviana returns with more chaos, heart, and wild yarns. From the moment her partner Ben called her “too fat” on date night to the billion-dollar dream of flying her whole family over, Viv shares the raw, honest, and hilarious side of life in and out of the ring. She talks tiger pets, Colombian stereotypes, fighting her cousin, meeting Lomachenko,...

World flyweight champion Viviana Ruiz shares her rawest yarn yet—her insane journey from total underdog to global boxing elite. In this episode, Viviana reveals how she flew solo to Colombia with no team, fought in a nightclub cornered by a random stranger, and still knocked her opponent out. From surviving pepper spray chaos ringside to rupturing her Achilles right before signing with a major pro...

World champ Viviana Ruiz returns for another high-octane yarn, diving deep into the brutal and unlikely road she took to become a professional boxer. From lying about her weight to get fights, to getting bashed by veterans, to pushing back against a boxing system that didn’t want her – this is a raw, honest look at what it takes to rise when the odds are stacked against you. Viviana shares the har...

Viviana Ruiz went from blackout nights and homesickness to becoming the WBA Women’s Flyweight World Champion—and this yarn is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Starting boxing at 32, after leaving Colombia and giving up a career in engineering, Viviana shares her wild journey from pouring wines as a waitress to pouring sweat in the ring. In this Proper True Yarn, she opens up about falling in love wi...

In this laugh-filled Proper True Yarn episode, boxing coach Ben Sava opens up about everything from billion-dollar dreams to the most famous fighters he’s met. He recalls the wildest fight of his life—including the time he accidentally knocked out two people with one punch—and reveals his dream pet (spoiler: it’s got a tail). With hilarious tangents on street brawls, pick-up line disasters, and fi...

Ben Savva is back with another ripper yarn—this time diving into the raw beginnings of his boxing journey in Australia. From sleeping in a stairwell to coaching a Colombian world champion, Ben reflects on how he rebuilt his life with nothing but a mouthguard and grit. He shares a wild story of taking a fight with four minutes' notice, flooring a 100kg local lad, and how coaching—not just boxing—be...

In this raw and wild yarn, boxing coach Ben Savva shares how he hit absolute rock bottom—dumped, broke, and living in a hostel—only to rebuild his life from scratch in Australia. After a mad breakup and losing everything, Ben finds redemption the hard way: stepping into a boxing ring for a “job interview” and landing a coaching gig on the spot. From chaos to clarity, this yarn is all about grit, g...

Boxing coach Ben Savva steps into the Proper True Yarn hot seat and delivers a wild, raw yarn about his early days owning a gym in the UK—when Saturday nights meant beers, benders, and busted glass bottles. From stripper showdowns and ego-fuelled missteps to the haunting consequences of a mate’s psychotic break, Ben unpacks the chaotic turning point that led him to sell up and move to Australia. I...

Dean MRKCFIT is back with Knuckles for another wild ride full of laughs, lessons, and lunacy. From brawling with nightclub bouncers in Mykonos to turning his life around after 11 years inside, Dean’s yarns hit harder than his right hook. The boys dive into wild parties, insane fights, hilarious questions from the audience, and the power of mindset. Dean shares how he's using his second shot at lif...

Dean MRKCFIT is back, and this time he’s bringing fists, fire, and fury to the Proper True Yarn Podcast. Knuckles and Dean dive headfirst into the brutal, no-escape world of the International Brawling Championship (IBC) — a raw, gloves-on, hands-only combat sport built for entertainment and chaos. With four-ounce gloves, a small cage, and zero running, it’s all about who can bang hardest and last...

After 11 years behind bars, Dean “MRKCFIT” Marks returns to Proper True Yarn to share the real turning point of his life — a brutal past, a moment of reckoning, and the mental transformation that sparked his fitness and mindset brand, Moxy Fit. Dino opens up about the dark realities of prison life, the power of mental strength, and the grind of rebuilding from zero. He and Knuckles also shine a li...

In this gripping follow-up yarn, Dean Marks returns with tales from the road — from sleeping on car bonnets in Bowen’s mangroves at 15 to picking fruit with wild units across rural Australia. He dives deep into the chaos of his youth, the hard lessons learned on cotton farms, and the heartbreaking prison sentence that followed a brutal act of vengeance. A raw, real and emotional ride that explores...

Dean Marks joins the pod to share an unfiltered journey from nightclub chaos in Rockhampton to 14 years inside some of Queensland’s toughest prisons. From all-in pub brawls to navigating racial tensions behind bars, Dean opens up about survival, self-discovery, and turning pain into purpose. Raw, powerful, and unexpectedly uplifting — this yarn is one you won’t forget.#propertrueyarn Hosted on Aca...

Jarrod Wallace is back with more cracking yarns from his Origin days—this time unpacking what it’s like after the final whistle. From rolling straight into Titans duty with adrenaline still pumping, to wild celebrations that saw Cam Smith still in full kit at 1am, Wallace gives us the raw insight few get to hear. He talks the pressure of representing Queensland, playing alongside legends like JT a...

From Origin heartbreak to hero status, Jarrod Wallace brings a proper yarn for the ages. He takes us behind the scenes of Queensland’s legendary 2017 State of Origin win, sharing everything—from getting the call-up and battling nerves to scoring his first and only Origin try off a Munster miracle ball. We hear about boozy camps, squirrel grips, running off the back fence, and what it's really like...

From surviving next to Ted Bundy on Death Row to six wild escape attempts—including hiding in a hole like a hunted animal—John Merritt’s story is one of the most hectic yet. In this yarn, Jack Laurence returns with some of the wildest stories from inside the U.S. prison system: corrupt convictions, inmates running phone rackets, and a man known only as Rat Snake. Buckle up for one hell of a ride t...

What starts as a man’s mission to avenge his sister’s near-death turns into one of the wildest prison yarns you’ll ever hear. Jack Laurence returns with the story of Nosakhare “Nosa” Anamanu — who intentionally got himself locked up, escaped, and chased a man across Michigan’s prison system… only to be framed for a completely unrelated murder he didn’t commit. This episode has it all: revenge, gan...

Jack Laurence is back with one of the most unbelievable true crime stories you’ll ever hear. Temüjin Kensu has been locked up for 38 years—life without parole—for a murder he couldn’t possibly have committed. With nine alibi witnesses, no evidence, and a 400-mile gap between him and the crime scene, his case is as crooked as they come. Jack walks us through the tangled web of corruption, forged th...

Podcast host Jack Laurence is back with one of the craziest stories yet—an inmate who conned the U.S. justice system, sued Sean “P. Diddy” Combs for $100 million, won, and had the paperwork to (seemingly) back it all up. But when Jack starts digging deeper, the story begins to unravel fast. From forged documents and three-way phone calls to feeding answers in real time, this yarn has it all—celebr...

From death row to international fugitives, podcaster Jack Laurence has heard it all—and on this Proper True Yarn, he shares the wildest tales behind One Minute Remaining and Wanted. Jack lifts the lid on America’s broken justice system, cartel hitmen with pet monkeys, and the underground app where fugitives and hackers talk shop. A rollercoaster yarn filled with chaos, crime, and characters you wo...

In the final yarn of the series, AFL premiership player Robbie “Bushy” Copeland opens up about the wildest player he played with, the toughest teammates, and the brutal realities of life after footy. From dreams of billion-dollar farms and moose pets to diesel in fishing boats and punch-ups with schoolyard footy critics, this one’s a proper send-off. Packed with raw laughs, old-school honesty, and...

In this yarn, Robbie Copeland strips back the glitz of AFL glory and shares the brutal reality of footy finances in the early 2000s. From earning just $150 a week while juggling footy and furniture removal, to being offered a big-money move to Richmond and turning it down for loyalty—this episode dives into the less glamorous side of professional sport. Robbie also chats about playing on legends l...

In the third instalment with AFL legend Robbie Copeland, we dive into the peak of his playing days – a standout season capped by shutting down Nathan Buckley in the 2003 Grand Final. From copping a flying elbow that shattered three front teeth (thanks, teammate) to taking on one of Collingwood’s greatest with nothing but grit and niggle, Robbie breaks down what made that Lions dynasty so dominant....

AFL great Robbie Copeland returns for another red-hot yarn, diving into the wild tales of premiership glory, Mad Monday madness, and footy folklore. From Don King helping Jason Akermanis seal a Nike deal in Vegas to nearly getting dumped in a bin truck at Carindale, this episode is packed with raw laughs and classic locker room stories. Copeland breaks down what made the Brisbane Lions dynasty so...

In this Proper True Yarn episode, former Brisbane Lions AFL star Robbie Copeland takes us back to the glory days—when footy was raw, tough, and full of character. From missing the draft twice to winning a premiership on his 20th birthday, Robbie shares what it took to go from working a day job to running out on the MCG. With wild Mad Monday stories, zinc oxide disasters, missing premiership cups,...