Boxing Life Stories

Peter Fury talks about his life and times, from a legitimate business buying and selling vehicles to being called "one of Europe's most powerful crime lords". He also talks about his work with heavyweight son Hughie Fury, Savannah Marshall and the positive impact boxing has had on his life, along with tales from prison and his time on the wrong side of the tracks. Learn more about your ad choices....

Matthew Hatton was a European champion who challenged for world titles and who fought the likes of Gianluca Branco, Saul Canelo Alvarez, Kell Brook, Ben Tackie and Michael Lomax. Of course, being Ricky Hatton’s brother had advantages but there were plenty of disadvantages, too. Here, he reflects on his stellar career, working with the likes fo Billy Graham, Lee Beard and Bob Shannon, and his new l...

Perhaps best-known for his multi-knockdown thriller with Prince Naseem Hamed as the Prince made his lively US debut in Madison Square Garden, Kelley had a long and illustrious career that resulted in him winning 60 fights, losing 10 and drawing twice. He fought the likes of Erik Morales, Bones Adams, Marco Antonio Barrera, Derrick Gainer, Troy Dorsey, Humberto Soto, Manuel Medina and many other to...

If it's happened in boxing in the last 60-plus years, there's a fair chance Jerry Izenberg either covered it or saw it. The award-winning writer was a staple for the Newark Star-Ledger and is a Hall of Fame. He's has known them all, from Frazier and Foreman to Hagler and Hearns, from Ali and Tyson to the promoters and gangsters who have run the sport. He's been behind the scenes with champions, at...

Former world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik hit the heights after back-to-back wins over Jermain Taylor. He was red hot, then, and he had a superb career with 40 wins against just 2 defeats. He was a big puncher who was involved in a number of fun fights. There was a damaging loss up in weight against Bernard Hopkins before Pavlik dropped back down to 160lbs to defend his titles and after losi...

Leeds warrior Josh Warrington is aiming for revenge with the only man to defeat him as a professional, Mauricio Lara, firmly in his sights. Here, Josh looks back over his career, his journey to a world title and his bog wins over the likes of Kiko Martinez, Lee Selby, Carl Frampton and Kid Galahad. He also talks about the devastation of the Lara loss, his need for revenge, his future and his relat...

Sheffield star Ryan Rhodes talks about his time at the top, from a talented and confident amateur under Brendan Ingle and who raced to the Lonsdale Belt in record time as a young pro. He fought Otis Grant in an early attempt for a world title and here he discusses his relationships with stablemates including Naseem Hamed, Johnny Nelson, Herol Graham and Junior Witter while talking about the fights...

Promoter and manager Dennis Hobson has worked at all levels of the sport, from his time at the top with Clinton Woods – who would meet the likes of Roy Jones, Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver – to his successful spell with Ricky Hatton.   He’s also been involved at the small hall level and has recently launched FightZone, an app for that perhaps should be but are not on TV.    He’s seen the sport f...

IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards discusses his rise to the top, including his world title win over South African legend Moruti Mthlane. The outspoken Edwards also talks about his controversial social media presence, his mum's health battle, growing up in the shadow of a bigger brother – decorated amateur and world champion Charlie – and his own amateur career as well as his ambitions and hopes...

In one of the most moving Boxing Life Stories I've done, Sheffield ex-fighter and now trainer, manager and promoter Glyn Rhodes MBE recalls the highs and lows of his time in the sport. Trained by Brendan Ingle, he talks of life as 'Showboat' Rhodes, a frustrating journeyman who should have done more in his career but also his time outside the ropes, with particular attention on the traumatic night...

Veteran Philadelphia boxing writer Bernard Fernandez is an International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee who has covered the sport for several decades. He cut his journalistic teeth back home in New Orleans. The son of a prizefighter, he loved boxing from the start and looked up to the likes of Carmen Basilio rather than basketball or baseball stars and when his career took him to Philly there was on...

Curtis Woodhouse is a former British light-welterweight champion who won 24 of 31 professional bouts. For many, he is known as the former Premiership footballer who played for Sheffield United and Birmingham City – against some of the finest players of his generation. But his humble start in boxing is where his story really began which resulted in a roller coaster career and him fulfilling a promi...

Irish star Ryan Burnett was a two-belt world champion whose career was cut short through injury. A decorated amateur, his career was nearly over before it began due to irregularities over a brain scan but he wound up on the world tile path after turning pro and serving an early apprenticeship under Ricky Hatton. With Adam Booth in his corner, he made rapid progress and would win 20 of his pro figh...

Big Liverpool heavyweight David Price took bronze at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and was rocketing towards the heavyweight crown in the professionals. He'd defeated John McDermott, Sam Sexton, Audley Harrison and Matt Skelton – seemed set for a huge fight with Tyson Fury in Anfield – and then the wheels came tumbling off. He lost to Tony Thompson, twice, and would in fact be defeated by three men...

Don Majeski is a boxing agent and matchmaker who has been involved in the sport for more than 60 years and is one of the best storytellers the sport has known. He was at the Fight of the Century and The Rumble in the Jungle, he's been a journalist, matchmaker and agent and he's seen and done it all. This is a fun chat about history, gangsters, corruption and Don's remarkable life in the boxing.  B...

Showtime announcer Steve Farhood is an International Boxing Hall of Fame boxing journalist. He had long spells as the editor of KO Magazine and then The Ring before a long and illustrious career working as a broadcaster. Steve is an old school New Yorker and here talks about his encounters with the likes of Cus D'Amato, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, Meldrick Taylor, Muhammad Ali – including coveri...

Leon McKenzie was a super-middleweight boxer who dreamed of winning a title belt. He turned pro late, after his career as a professional footballer, and he had a family name to live up to, son of former Olympian Clinton McKenzie and nephew to Uncle Duke, a three-weight world champion. But he was driven. Boxing was his calling and he was always going to fight. Even after a successful soccer career,...

In one of the most unbelievable episodes, International Boxing Hall of Famer Christy Martin goes back over her incredible career. "The Coal Miner's Daughter" rose from toughman contests to become a star in the 1990's, boxing on Don King bills alongside the likes of Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez. She was a pioneer. She became a Sports Illustrated cover star and wound up fighting many of the big...

Don Broadhurst didn't have it easy. The former Commonwealth champion – both amateur and professional – endured a stop-start career.  He fought Lee Haskins, competed in Prizefighter and made several defences of his Commonwealth crown but didn't reach the heights he hoped to. Now training boxers, he talks about the death of his brother, how his mother was diagnosed with cancer just after he'd moved...

Fred Sirieix always enjoyed following boxing but it was only when he met former Olympian and British and European champion Clinton McKenzie that he started to see the sport in a different light. Through a friendship that's spanned more than a decade, Fred has been taught boxing's intricacies in sparring sessions with Clinton and the pursuit of pushing himself physically has stayed with him through...

Top trainer Adam Booth, former world champion Alex Arthur and boxing journalist Tris Dixon return to pay tribute to an all-time great, Marvelous Marvin Hagler.  Booth, Arthur and Dixon reflect on the middleweight legend's storied career and reflect on the passing of the 66-year-old. The brilliant Hagler – who did everything the hard way – fought notables from Mugabi to Leonard, Duran to Finnegan,...

Former British and European champion Clinton McKenzie boxed the great Sugar Ray Leonard at the Montreal Olympics in 1976. McKenzie went on to have a superb professional career and was involved in many Fight of the Year thrillers but his path was never smooth. Here, he talks about moving to London from Jamaica as a kid, mental health, being part of the famous fighting family, the losses of his fath...

For many, Frankie Gavin is the most gifted amateur boxer the UK has seen. A World amateur champion, he routinely beat the best Americans, Eastern Europeans and Cubans on his way to an Olympic berth at the 2008 Beijing Games. However, having qualified so long before heading to China, he started a battle with the scales that took over his life for a year. He ended up missing the weight and flying ho...

James 'Buddy' McGirt is a former two-weight world champion who has gone on to achieve a decorated second career as a trainer. As a fighter, he boxed the likes of Frankie Warren, Pernell Whitaker, Simon Brown and Meldrick Taylor but he fell on hard times and found out who his friends were. He, he talks about the best and worst moments of his career, his relationship with John Gotti, training Arturo...

Michael Brodie had an incredible career.  He was desperately unlucky not to be crowned WBC super-bantamweight champion against Willie Jorrin and then came up against the likes of Injin Chi and Scott Harrison. Brodie was a Manchester favourite who packed the crowds in and was involved in several Fight of the Year contenders.  He never had it easy. Here, he talks about those big nights and an unexpe...