Boxing Life Stories

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 the podcast gets heavy as Jesse breaks down over the senseless murder of his brother in 2010, something he he still trying and struggling to comes to terms with, proving he is every inch as much a fighter out of the ring as he is inside it.

I also talked to Jesse for this recent piece on grief in boxing https://www.boxingscene.com/boxing-grief-how-sport-saves-lost-souls--186853

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 scandal in 2002, which saw him jailed for four months.

Subsequently, much has been said and written about Conte, including the Netflix Untold special, Hall of Shame, but here he has his say on what he has done, what he is doing, his portrayal in the media, his detractors, his regrets, and PEDs in the sport of boxing.

This is unmissable. 

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 nervous he was for Strictly Come Dancing, life as an introvert, the loss of his parents and his legacy. He talks about the challenges that sportsmen face in retirement and becoming a father again, to another son, called Enzo.

Intro – 0.00-4.08 

Calzaghe interview – 4.08-1.39.02

Closing thoughts – 1.39.02-1.45.41

Reflections on Boxing Life Stories with Lee Blasdale (Hanson Lee Resourcing) and Derek Andrews (Delco Safety Compliance) 1.45.42-2.49.10 

Sign off – 2.49.10

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 terms went against the grain and ended on a high – is about a man who is likely going to inspire future generations of Irish fighters.

The 10th round Eric refers to in this podcast against El Hadri – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMoRVMQg4vE

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, and he talks about his drive, wanting to be like Alan Ball on the football pitch, running sub-three hour marathons, his rise up through the ranks and why the final loss of his career, which came in Slovakia and against the advice of the British Boxing Board of Control, was one of the best things he has ever done.

'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, Williams also looks after the youth in London, helping them by allowing them to benefit from his amazing experiences.  

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 tracks. But boxing steered him away from that, and this story charts his incredible journey, his life in and out of the ring, boxing in a Russian circus, the current heavyweight scene and that infamous Boxpark knockout.

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 wife, Lovee, their first date, losing his son, John, in a tragic accident, how he feels promoting a sport that takes so much physically from the athletes and how he feels about his arch-rival Don King today.

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 battles with Gerald McClellan, a shootout with Mike McCallum, annihilated Buster Drayton, Dennis Milton, Terry Norris and infamously blew Herol Graham away with a shocking knockout when behind on the cards and blinded in one eye.

Jackson talks about his journey, which was shaped by an alcoholic mother, to being a father, growing up rough, missing out on the boycotted Olympics of 1980 and his sensational ride through the sport and into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. 

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 amateurs, the Gallagher training camps at the Wild Card, how and when things went wrong, his pride in his successes and his perspective on his life and career now.