Boxing Life Stories

By Tris DixonSports

Boxing Life Stories episodes

March 15, 2023 Season 5: #14 Steve Cunningham
Former world crusierweight champion Steve Cunningham has endured many battles in the ring, but everything has been insignificant in comparison to having a daughter who needed a heart transplant.

Here, Steve tells his incredible joinery, from the streets of Philadelphia to the Navy, a pro career that started in the middle of nowhere, to some of the biggest fights in cruiserweight history against the likes of Marco Huck, Tomasz Adamek, Krystof Wlodarcyzk, Guillermo Jones and a move up in weight that would later see him fight – and drop – Tyson Fury and draw with Antonio Tarver.

Cunningham went to his opponent's backyard many times, and this is his life on the front line, and behind enemy lines.

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1 hr 53 min
March 08, 2023 Season 5: #13 Roberto Diaz
Matchmaker Roberto Diaz has recently finished 15 years as a figurehead of Golden Boy Promotions and this is his first interview since the split.

Here, Diaz talks about growing up rough in San Francisco, his traumatic battle with cancer, how Marco Antonio Barrera facilitated his start in professional boxing, his time at Golden Boy and parting company from Oscar De La Hoya and much more.

This is great stuff, a real look behind the curtain of professional boxing and Diaz is a terrific storyteller who has seen so much.

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2 hr 9 min
March 01, 2023 Season 5: #12 Danny McIntosh
Former European light-heavyweight champion Danny McIntosh won the crown on the road, in France, beating Thierry Karl, and he also fought Tony Bellew, Nathan Cleverly, Tony Oakey, Steve Spartacus and many others.

Danny also sparred with Mikkel Kessler, Herbie Hide and Robert Stieglitz, was trained by Graham Everett and also fulfilled a childhood dream working with the Ingles, including the late Brendan Ingle.

Here, he talks about the challenges he faced in his career in boxing and life after the final bell, his new gym and his hopes for the future.

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1 hr 5 min
February 22, 2023 Season 5: #11 Sam Sexton
Former British heavyweight champion Sam Sexton had a successful career that ran from 2005-2018 and saw him finish with 24 wins with four losses.

Here, Sexton talks about fighting the likes of David Price, Hughie Fury, Derek Chisora and Martin Rogan, and working in camp with Matt Skelton, Wladimir Klitschko and many more.

He talks about the grief he felt after the loss of his mother, PEDs in the heavyweight division, the damage Klitschko did to him in Austria, meeting Arnold Schwarzenegger, early sparring sessions with Herbie Hide and Jon Thaxton and coping with the loss of identity and the buzz of fighting in retirement.

This is great stuff from Sam.

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1 hr 15 min
February 15, 2023 Season 5: #10 Montell Griffin
If anyone has a hard luck story in the sport, it's two-time former world light-heavyweight champion Montell Griffin. Yes, he beat James Toney after barely a dozen pro fights, and yes, he was the first man to defeat Roy Jones.

But he never had anything easy. He had to sue to force his way onto the Barcelona 1992 Olympic team, and even then was hard done by by the judges when he exited the tournament. Things didn't get easier, with controversial points losses, losing to fighters who later tested positive for PEDs and much more besides.

But he retains his love the sport. Despite a resigned cynicism, he coaches fighters today and in his spare time works as a stand up comedian! In his words, if he didn't laugh, he'd cry.

He also has a new book out, visit www.theicelifebook.com for more details and to purchase.

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1 hr 4 min
February 08, 2023 Season 5: #9 Eric Bottjer
Matchmaker Eric Bottjer has worked for a who's who of promoters, including Dan Goosen, Lou DiBella, Don King and Matchroom, but he's not a man who has seen things just at the highest level, but at fight club level, too.

Eric is a boxing historian and was influenced by the late Johnny Bos and Bottjer's helped in the careers of the likes of Evander Holyfield, Felix Trinidad, James Toney and he also made the 2001 Fight of the Year between Micky Ward and Emanuel Burton (Augustus).

Here, Bottjer talks about the roles of being a matchmaker, and how it took him into the ring against one of his own fighters, working with some of the biggest names in boxing and the state of the game today.

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1 hr 39 min
February 01, 2023 Season 5: #8 Lee Meager
Former British lightweight champion Lee Meager is a tarmacker by trade and was involved in some great fights in his pro career, from 2000 to 2008.

He won 16 of his first 17 pro contests, trained under the watchful eye of Robert McCracken and was one of Mick Hennessy's Class of 2000, and was part of a stable that would feature Carl Froch, Darren Barker and Tyson Fury.

Meager boxed the likes of Jon Thaxton, Dave Stewart, John Murray, Charlie Shepherd and Martin Watson and fought in Las Vegas the night before Floyd Mayweather defeated Ricky Hatton.

Here, Meager reflects on his career, the sacrifices he made, the fights, the wars and personalities and life after boxing.

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1 hr 20 min
January 25, 2023 Season 5: #7 Thomas McDonagh
Thomas McDonagh was a frustratingly good prospect from the Collyhurst and Moston gym in Manchester and learned his trade under the brilliant coach Brian Hughes.

McDonagh was a one club man, amateur and pro, and he boxed the likes of Anthony Small, Sam Webb, Wayne Alexander, Bradley Pryce and Andrew Face but he admits he didn't fulfil his potential.

He was also a stablemate to the likes pop Robin Reid, Gary Lockett, Michael Jennings, Anthony Farnell and Michael Gomez and is known to be one of the funniest character in British boxing.

Here, he talks about his career, the good boxing does, his relationships with Brian Hughes and Pat Barrett and life inside one of Manchester's most famous gyms.

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2 hr 1 min
January 18, 2023 Season 5: #6 Graham Everett
Norwich trainer Graham Everett is one of the most respected and unheralded figures in British boxing.

He's trained the likes of Herbie Hide, Jon Thaxton and Sam Sexton to title glory, trained Michael, Ryan and Liam Walsh and he's been a mainstay in British rings for more than three decades.

Here, he talks about learning the ropes, the biggest nights, the best fighters and what makes a top coach in the sport.

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1 hr 37 min
January 11, 2023 Season 5: #5 Anthony Crolla Part 2
Back from only the 15th episode at the start of Boxing Life Stories, Anthony Crolla returns as a guest to talk about the tail end of his career, getting 'tasered' by Vasyl Lomachenko, his farewell fight and life after boxing.

One of British boxing's good guys looks back over his long, successful time in the ring and ahead to his new life outside it, as a coach and top pundit for radio and TV.

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1 hr 8 min