5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - Haringey Box Cup special

Episode Date: June 20, 2022

Steve is back on the road this week as he spends the day at the Haringey Box Cup - Europe's largest amateur boxing event. Joined at Alexandra Palace by Olympian and former Box Cup champion Cheavon Cla...rke, they speak to many of the fighters, trainers and organisers to get a feel for what the event is all about.

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:01:57 Welcome to an extra bit of five live boxing. Now we had finished the Haringay Box Cup special, and I had walked outside. I'd gone outside to look at the views of London from outside the Alexander Palace in North London. And I watched Chevonne Clark walk off into the distance. He'd done a great job. It'd a perfect day.
Starting point is 00:02:14 And then my phone pinged. It was news. Boxing news. It was finally a date for the rematch between Anthony Joshua and Alexander Usik. It was finally an end to the speculation. An end to Eddie Hearn telling me each week. Next week, Buncey, I will have the news for you. Next week, I'll have news for you.
Starting point is 00:02:31 It's official. Usik will defend his eye. WBA, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles against AJ on Saturday the 20th of August in Jeddah. Repeat or revenge, that will be our long debate for two months and, by the way, rightly so. Remember, in December 2019, Joshua outpointed Andy Ruiz to regain his free titles in Saudi Arabia. Now that was a hard fight on paper. It was easy on the night. Well, he's back.
Starting point is 00:03:00 This time, very few fancy him to win. truth. Let's tell the truth. More on that in the coming weeks. Make no mistake. The world tour starts this week. It will be in London next week. We'll have interviews hopefully with both of the fighters. The build-up will be emotional. AJ has to win. It's his career on the line. And Usik, well, he's left the front line in Ukraine to get ready. That's a unique situation right there. So it's all on for Saudi, August the 20th, Usik v. AJ, heavyweight championship of the world. Now enjoyed a very special show from the Haringay Box Cup, a tournament that AJ won twice, a tournament that builds champions. Five Live Boxing.
Starting point is 00:03:44 Welcome to a very special edition of the Five Live Boxing podcast with me, Steve Bunce. And I say special because anyone that knows me understands how much I love an event called the Haringay Box Cup. It started in 2008 with a few hundred boxers. about 450 boxers. It takes place every single June. It didn't obviously during COVID, but every single June, boxers from all over the world, Nepal, America, Canada,
Starting point is 00:04:19 Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and of course all of the European countries come to this outpost in North London. It's the Alexander Palace. We're inside this giant and ornate hall with unbelievable frosted glass windows at either end. And the noise you can hear in the background is the noise from the finals. There were three rings being used for the finals and there's a fourth ring on the side,
Starting point is 00:04:47 which is used for the quarterfinals and the semi-finals. It's an event that has an international reputation. So far in its history, four people have won here and then gone on to win Olympic gold medals. Half a dozen of them have gone on to win world titles. including Anthony Joshua, Katie Taylor, and of course, Nicola Adams, who boxed actually for Haringay Police and Community Club, not a mile and a half from here when she won her coveted Haringay Box Cup. It's an event full of stories.
Starting point is 00:05:23 And what I'm going to try and do during the next 45 minutes is, well, I'll do my best to convey to you what I experience every year I come here. You come here thinking, I'll speak to X, I'll speak to Y, and you just bump into stories. You bump into people. Someone gives you this story, which is connected to this story, and it just goes on and on.
Starting point is 00:05:45 I hope you enjoy it. It's a bit self-indulgent, but I don't care, because you know what? It's one of the greatest days in the British boxing calendar. So this is the Haringay Box Cup. Now, I needed somebody to hold my hand,
Starting point is 00:06:02 somebody to walk me through the fights, to somehow watch 17 finals taking place in three rings consecutively. And as there's no one that can do that in the world, it would have to be a machine, I needed someone that had boxed in this event
Starting point is 00:06:18 who knows exactly what this event's all about and holds it in high esteem. And this is not a lie, I drew a short list up of two and this guy was on the list. The other person hadn't boxed in it. That person was Ellie Scotney. Ellie, you're lost out.
Starting point is 00:06:35 And I'm delighted to say that I'm joined by Chevron Clark. Olympian from Tokyo and now an unbeaten professional. First of all, Shep, that's absolutely true. You and Ellie were on my list. I tossed a coin. I called Ellie first. She said I didn't box it, which I find hard to believe.
Starting point is 00:06:52 But you did. When did you boxing it? And what does it mean to Haringay box clubs, Jeff? First of all, that means you had me a second dibs. No, I tossed a coin. You missed the point about me tossing a coin. I'll let you run a secret. I didn't toss a coin, didn't I?
Starting point is 00:07:05 I called Ellie. I called Ellie because, you know, I just called Ellie. No, I'm joking. I love Ellie Daley. When did I box in it? I boxed in it in 2010-11 and 2011-12, and I won it both times. Because it started in 2008, so you were here at the start. So when you were in it the first year, how many bouts did you had before you went into it? I think that was my first year in the novice ABAs, which I think I won that year.
Starting point is 00:07:36 and then I think my coach said, you know what, get a bit more experience, we're going to chuck here in this cup. It must be overwhelming, you know, because you're boxing on club shows where there's 20 boxers, waiting in and seeing a doctor, and you come here and there's 350 or 420.
Starting point is 00:07:51 That must be overwhelming on that Friday morning the day of the quarterfinals. Yeah, it's really different because, as you said, you've never weighed in in front of so many people. And not only that, it's just, It's the unknown of who you're going to box. It's an international person.
Starting point is 00:08:10 Normally you're boxing somebody from your own country. So you're half knowing where they are. Suddenly you could be pulled against a guy from Sweden or Russia or somewhere. Exactly. And then, as you know, it's a different style. You know, because people think you just box, everybody boxes the same. But from different parts of the world, you box differently. And did you box on the first year you wanted?
Starting point is 00:08:28 Did you have to box the quarters, the semi and the final, the three bouts? Yes, I did. Wow. And that was obviously the first time you've done that. Exactly that. And that was great experience for me. That put me in good stead because if you're looking to go on and push on
Starting point is 00:08:40 and become an advanced amateur or get onto the GB team, etc. You have to get used to when you go to these competitions. Because you have to make weight every day as well, don't you? Make weight every day. So that was great for me. I don't think I did it the right way when I'm boxing this competition.
Starting point is 00:08:53 You just crashed the weight, didn't you? Yeah. Because I'll tell you exactly what happened, okay? And if you try and deny this, I know you're telling me, I'm going to start calling you Pinocchio. The first night, the Friday, you were really good. about your food and really good about the way you lived.
Starting point is 00:09:08 And then you won again on a Saturday and you went, forget this, and you went and got some rubbish food, and you know you did, and don't deny it, because that's what every single fighter does here. On the Saturday, and on the Sunday morning, they've got to lose a kilo. It happens all the time. It's like, okay, I was good, I was good the first day,
Starting point is 00:09:25 the second day, the third day you're like, now this is going too far now. And most of the time, it's not even food. It's drinks, the sugary drink. Well, actually, in all fairness, I haven't been at all of them. I've been at about 10 of them, maybe, or nine. Oh, yeah, probably about nine.
Starting point is 00:09:39 And I've got to tell you, it has a history in this part of North London, and in this arena in June. It's always about the same time. This one's standing place in Father's Day, and apparently four years ago it was Father's Day as well, I'm told. But it's always hot. Unbelievable. I mean, today's not that bad,
Starting point is 00:09:54 but apparently on Friday, that's why they're giving away free water when you came in at the gate. On Friday, people were keeling over. Really? Because it's been when I spoke to you, and I said, look, we're going to have to be wearing some casual clothing. Yes, yes, yes.
Starting point is 00:10:06 And I woke up this morning, and it was raining, where I lived, and cold. But he could get hot in it. It was cold. It was cold. Because I woke up, I was like, I thought they said he was going to be Jamaica weather. No, Shev, listen, we've been let down on the past with the weather. And this is not bad. I say Friday was terrible.
Starting point is 00:10:21 In fact, I've made my way over now to where they're giving out the waters. And that's because I want to speak to one of the men that set this up back in 2008. You probably took your years to set out. Ken, Ken, Ken, Ken, thanks for your time. Thanks for your time. What was the idea for setting it up all those years ago? What was the idea? Yeah, hi, Buncie.
Starting point is 00:10:41 Obviously, we put it on to begin with because there were so many young boxers, amateur boxers, who just didn't get enough boxing. Simple as that. They were carded but just weren't getting the right boxing. So, you know, Jerry and I thought, way back in the day, we need to put something on where they have an opportunity for a weekend to show their skills and to advance themselves.
Starting point is 00:11:03 So we went forward with it because of that. and it's just grown through there. And that first year, if you can remember back, roughly, you know, what was there, were 120 people from three countries or was it just 60 or 70 local? What has it grown size-wise? I mean, we started in the hall next door, if you remember.
Starting point is 00:11:18 We were like moles when we came out. It was just two rings and it was 120 boxes. So from that, you know, we've been carding pre-COVID. 560 was our last one in 2019. You know, big numbers, big numbers. And big names over the years. I mean, you don't know it at a time, But you've got a big raw novice in 2010, Anthony Joshua,
Starting point is 00:11:39 and then you get Katie Taylor, who obviously was doing a bit of damage on the national scene, Nikki Adams, and then Kelly Harrington, a couple of years. UBank's boys? The UBanks 7, Chris. I think you've had four Olympic gold medalists. Maybe you've had more. And what about some of the other names that are coming,
Starting point is 00:11:55 the overseas names? Because it's just an endless flow of boxes coming from all over the world. It's quite phenomenal now. When you talk to Brian about the people who want to apply it, come here, it was breathtaking. It was, you know, as you quite rightly say, from the four corners, it was Australia, we've got Canadians here, you know, it's just,
Starting point is 00:12:13 it's mesmerizing. And Ken, I'm going to give you an honesty test now because sometimes I've been here and then I look at my program and I realize who I missed, like Kelly Harrington. Win the gold medal in Tokyo, then I only find out when I look down through my notes, you're laughing, she if you know what the joke's going to be,
Starting point is 00:12:31 and I look down through my notes and realized I saw a box and I made notes and I can't even remember. So I'm going to ask you, Shev and Clark's here. When did Shev win his two? You're under pressure, son? Yeah, he's an Olympian. 2016? No.
Starting point is 00:12:46 No. I'm a veteran in the game. We still love you, though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was earlier than that, wasn't it? Yeah, it was earlier than that. He was earlier. He was a novice, man.
Starting point is 00:12:54 He was a raw novice. I remember. I do remember, but it was a long time ago. No, listen. The reason I say that isn't to catch you out is to tell you how, it's the self, how much talent's here.
Starting point is 00:13:05 Because do you think about, do you think about, you and I was sitting down earlier on, Shev, right? And I'm looking over. I'm looking over, and there's an Irish kid I was, isn't it? Yeah, you will indeed, yeah, safe journey's back. Safe journey's back. Part of the Irish contingent. And I miss Dean Walsh, will his fight,
Starting point is 00:13:19 and I miss another kid here. You're missing fights constantly here, that's why I did that. It's the point out just what the depth is here. What the death is here. Now, you used to do a thing where you had a job fair beforehand. Has that gone?
Starting point is 00:13:33 So the Youth Day. That was the Youth Day on Thursday. We couldn't, because of COVID, we just didn't have enough time. It takes about six months to plan that. And the schools are all over the place. So we really struggled to get them to commit in any way. So we weren't able to do that this year, unfortunately. What we did do was give away about 500 tickets to Gladesmore, Coenel, all the local schools.
Starting point is 00:13:54 So they had an opportunity for their youth to come and still engage and be part of what was happening. Now, I've heard one or two rumours. that we might be, and I'm usually in the Royal Wee, we might be in trouble next year, we might have some funding problems. What can you say? I don't want to get you in trouble. What can you say about that, King? I'll be completely honest, as I always am Buncie.
Starting point is 00:14:16 The problem is I am the main person who gets all the sponsorship for this event. This event costs about £80,000 in total to put on. We're a little high street boxing club. We're not Barry Hearn, we're not some conglomerate. And unfortunately, if I stop doing the job I do, and I can stop doing what I do any day now, then we're going to lose a lot of that.
Starting point is 00:14:37 So I've sleeped this nights because I don't want this to end. I'm working hard at finding someone. I haven't said never. I haven't said it's over and I'll keep battling on. That's my understanding that the venue itself's about 40-odd grand, and then the rest of it is just the cost that you incur, you know, keeping four rings, keeping... So you're looking for some hefty backing from somewhere.
Starting point is 00:14:59 If I could find someone to cover the cost of Adi-Palty, we'll find the rest. Simple as that. Well, listen, you know, I can see you're not in your head, I mean, I'm not being, you know,
Starting point is 00:15:09 I've always said, Shevvv, I mean, we did it, we screened it once, Box Nation, we did six hours and 14 minutes of finals.
Starting point is 00:15:16 It was, I think there might be a record for consecutive, consecutive finals, but I've always amazed and I'm going to say this. Now, obviously, I'll work for BT,
Starting point is 00:15:22 you fight on, the zone, right? And Sky's the other big channel out there. I'm always amazed that over the years that it's not got on TV, Because you could do, this should be a brilliant Sunday afternoon. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:15:35 Wouldn't it? I mean, don't you think so yet? No, 100%. And I think you said it to me before. I hope I don't get in trouble, but one of the promoters, you know, you know, why don't... You wouldn't get in trouble? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you said to me before, why don't one of the promoters, you know, come out and put it on, you know, back it?
Starting point is 00:15:53 And then they get to see what talent's out there and then, you know, maybe blossom their roster. Well, there's the thing, right? If you look at, say, the guys that Frank Warren's got from here, Anthony Yard, he was here. Nicky Adams, he, you know, he talked of the bill with her. She was here. You look at Eddie, the fighters he's had from here, and he still got from here. Ben Shalom, the new guy at Sky, he probably hasn't had any fighters from here yet. Oh, no, he has because he has, because Hugh Bank.
Starting point is 00:16:17 Chrisubank won. So, what, how about this is an idea? Hear me out, because I'm in a sort of fantasy kind of moot of day, Shoev. You understand myself. Okay, let's hear it. It's Father's Day, and I'm not with my kids, so I've got to take it out of some people. I've got to come up with some ideas. How about this?
Starting point is 00:16:29 How about if three or four for Mowers all chipped in a few quid, collectively, they've all had enough out of it if you think about it? It's not big money, is it? No, no, no, no. Let's say you'll put in 15 grand. How about that?
Starting point is 00:16:40 It'd be easy. If they did that, we'd be rocking. What we want as well, Bunchy is longevity. We want someone who are going to say three, four, five years so that I can, you know, I can sit back a bit. We can rock it on and people can be confirmed. Every single person who walks out of here on a Sunday afternoon begs me for it to carry on.
Starting point is 00:16:57 Yeah. and that breaks my heart because they're all genuine people. They all know why they're here, and we want it to carry on. We all want it to carry on. Honestly, see, every time I come here, I mean, you're going to hear in a moment as I go down the pod, I was interviewing some people and you were sitting, you know, talking to people.
Starting point is 00:17:13 I've been talking to different fighters, and I always hear Mark, and sometimes as a 16-year-old in three or four years' time, he's at the Olympics. You know, kids I've seen here going to the Olympics. And I didn't see AJ, and I'm really, I'd like to fib, like people, doing my business. I remember when AJ won, no,
Starting point is 00:17:30 I remember when he was in the Haringay Box Cup and I interviewed him on my BBC London show after he'd won the Haringay Box Cup. I presented his medal. Oh, but I didn't see him win. But I've seen enough good fighters he'll win, and I saw a young kid today we're going to hear from him,
Starting point is 00:17:44 a young Irish kid called Dona Kierry. We're going to hear from him in a moment. I saw him here with winter night. I think he's only about 17. That's a name. Write it down and keep it. Because that's the way this venue works as far as I'm concerned, Ken, you come here, you're spoiled every which way,
Starting point is 00:18:02 you end up watching 7 or 8 memorable fights and you take away a few names. 100%. 100%. And listen, we want to keep doing that. And I'll keep doing it. If you find the money, I'll keep doing it. Listen, if I walk out of here and walk across a bag with 40 grand in it, trust me, I'm going to give you some of it.
Starting point is 00:18:20 Some of it. Thanks, Moncie. Ken, thanks very much for your time. That's Ken Marsh there, one of the organises and founders, the other organiser and founder is his partner, Jerry Wilmot, Jerry and Ken run around nonstop during the fights. Now, Shev, let's hope they do find the money because I'll be honest with you,
Starting point is 00:18:40 I think Ken was playing it down a little bit. I think there's a bit of a... And I agree. This is discussing for another day. I don't want us both to get in trouble with the pros, but I always feel the pros should do a bit more. I know Eddie's paid for a few things, and Frank Warren pays for a few things
Starting point is 00:18:55 in clubs. I just think that something like this, you know, anyway, and that's like I'm here, no way, I don't want to get in trouble.
Starting point is 00:19:02 So, took me through what it's like because it's a bit raw here and there's people talking and they're watching this fight and you're being pulled like non-stri, both you and I especially.
Starting point is 00:19:12 What's it like when you walk out for your first fight here when there's four rings going? I mean, from my experience, you don't, well, we never had any changing rooms. Well, I didn't find a change of room anyway. I literally just got change in the corner.
Starting point is 00:19:25 Just against the walls and then you just get your stuff going but I'm not sure if now they've put place Well they have got some rooms downstairs I think But they're sort of a long way away Because there are still loads of boxes Changing all the way around the arena So I'm sure you could get change in the toilets
Starting point is 00:19:45 But yeah it was just a rough experience Not a rough experience But you just got on with it You know because you wanted to box And everybody's here to support you So you're kind of just in the zone let's get ready, get warmed up and get going. When you're waiting in down there
Starting point is 00:20:00 and there's two or three or four hundred people floating around, obviously you're looking for guys, especially if they're overseas fires, you don't know who's your way. You're looking for guys who might be fighting. So you're having to say, you're having to wonder, is he an 81 or is he in 86? Or is he a small 90?
Starting point is 00:20:16 It's true, isn't it? No, it's true. Your brain starts playing games on you, and then the 75 guy looks like a 91 guy. And then when it comes around you, actually fighting, the guy that you've been thinking about all this time is nowhere to be seen. Now, I want to talk a little bit about the concept, because the concept of preparation and how boxing here, three days on the spin, is the greatest preparation you can have for going on to major
Starting point is 00:20:49 international amateur boxing events, isn't it? There's no better preparation. No, no, there ain't. Because, you know, before I came here, I had no experience of what that experience would be like. And not only that, it prepares you for the crowds. Because sometimes when you get onto GB and you go to these foreign countries, you've got like 500 people in the crowd, 1,000 people in the crowd in these stadiums. So it's amazing, especially when you go Eastern Europe. They love their boxing. Yeah, of course, yeah.
Starting point is 00:21:17 And I'm actually going to read you something now that I was talking to once in a sense. Mick, see you later. Yeah, thanks very much, Ben. Oh, great to see it. How you doing, boss? That's Mick Delaney from Dow Youth. You know what? When Chevron Clark says that's a legend, you know that's a legend.
Starting point is 00:21:35 That man is, that is a genuine Mick Delaney of Dow Youth. You must feel like you need to bow in his company, man. Oh, 100%. Yeah. Back every year, every year. Every fighter gets robbed. It's that devotion. There's a hell of a fight taking place in Ring B here.
Starting point is 00:21:52 Shev, I just going to read you something. I interviewed AJ in 2015. So a couple of years after the Olympics and maybe the year he won New World Championship. And I asked him about this. He said, I was lucky enough to win it twice. And it prepared me for big international tournaments. At Haringer, you have to make the weight every day,
Starting point is 00:22:11 not him, obviously, he's a heavy. You have to box up to three times in three days, often against all types from all different countries, basically saying what you said, in front of a big crowd. and you get tired, man. I remember him saying that, and he looked him in, and you get tired.
Starting point is 00:22:27 He's a big guy. And also, it's the first time he'd ever done it. And he said, he said, it's the greatest preparation. So AJ told me for the competition that you'll be fighting in later. It's the only prep. It's perfect.
Starting point is 00:22:40 And, you know, and I agree with AJ. Now, I don't know if you, I don't know if you know Sean Murphy, AJ's coach from Finchley. I've got a story about him. Hold on to that story, because earlier on, before you came,
Starting point is 00:22:51 when you were outside, sullen yourself at the farmer's market wandering around trying to tell people you knew about sort of fancy food. Yeah. No wonder you were 20 minutes late. So when you're outside, I was doing so work. And I spoke to, and I caught with Sean Murphy, who was in the corner of AJ for all of AJ's fights over the two years here.
Starting point is 00:23:11 And I started by asking Sean, just refreshing Sean's memory that when AJ was in this event, in these rings winning this title, he only had four or five. on tests. Yeah, that's right, yeah. He come in the novice section, but it was a brilliant platform for him because he got the fight with foreign opposition. He actually beat Out in Wolling in his first year.
Starting point is 00:23:34 The guy at Fort Tyson Fury come here, yeah, the one of Fort Tyson Fury. So what a platform, this is so good for the fighters coming through, they get international experience straight away in there, like his fifth bout, he's fighting internationally. So, I mean, it's a great thing, what's happening here.
Starting point is 00:23:51 and long may it continue. Well, there's some doubt. There are some doubts about that because the sponsors, William Hill, who've been sponsoring it, their sponsorship ended. And I was talking to the organisers
Starting point is 00:24:02 earlier on and they're saying they've got to find quite a considerable amount of money, 40, 50, 60,000 to get going again next year. Let's hope something can be raised. When AJ boxed here, Sean, did he boxed two or three times on each of those occasions? Because basically, if he boxed three times each time, that would have been sort of half of his balance.
Starting point is 00:24:21 almost. Yeah, yeah, no, he did. He boxed here. I think he had about six fights here. So he was like, like I say, he loved it. But he progressed on and done what he done, you know what I mean. But with this, he might not have, with the standing this give him, it put him in good stead to become the man he is and the boxer he is.
Starting point is 00:24:40 It's so true you say that because it's all the tournaments. AJ makes his name at tournaments. Let's get it right. The world championships in Baku when he gets to the final. And obviously the Olympics, where he gets to the final. and wins. And the experience of here, being in every day, being having to get in and get ready every day
Starting point is 00:24:58 and having hard fights. Because heavy weights, when they're not fully professional, they're hard boys to train, aren't they? Because they're a different beast. They're not like normal men and women. No really, no. But I was very lucky with Josh, because he did train hard.
Starting point is 00:25:15 If he hadn't trained hard and he wouldn't have done what he'd done. But it's still no preparation for free, for free fights in three days, isn't it? He's like a professional. He's done like nine rounds. Exactly. In three days. If not, sometimes it's harder because you build yourself up for that day,
Starting point is 00:25:34 then you've got to come down, then you've got to come back up. So boxing three days in concession is hard for anybody. It's hard for anyone anyway. And I've been here, not since Joshua maybe won the world title, but after the Olympics, when he would still be here, still come along and watch it. It'd still be somewhere in the crowd. Oh yeah, definitely.
Starting point is 00:25:54 I mean, because it's such a great competition and you see some really good fights over the weekends. And now you had a kid on earlier on. I'm going to go and try and track him down, Paddy Cash, and I was told when he came out of the ring, and by the way, every single member of his family was crying. I'm going to go out of the crowd. I don't know what was going on.
Starting point is 00:26:10 The mum, the aunt, the sister, the grandmother, everyone was crying. It was hilarious. Triphic, terrific, fuck, hard little fire. Now, someone told me he trains 500 horses. What's the story? his dad and the family are into horses in a big way. They've got the trotters, any sort of horse, whatever they do.
Starting point is 00:26:28 He's up every morning five o'clock, mucking out, feeding the horses, and he's there till like, and they have their last feed at five o'clock. So with his training and all the work he does with the horses, he's on the going to 24-7. Let me ask you this show. How many champions have you had, Haringay Box Cup champions have you had since it started back in 2008? Can you remember?
Starting point is 00:26:50 I must have had at least 10 or 12 and we actually won it one year. The year that it was televised. The year it was televised, that was the year we won it. We were unlucky one year because the year Josh was here, we had exactly the same points
Starting point is 00:27:04 as Haringay. Yeah. Why did they beat you? Because they were the host shows. So that's crooked. So it was fixed in their favour. That's outrageous. They looked that way a little bit.
Starting point is 00:27:14 Because it was Haringay Police and Community Club that Nicola Adams, but when you see one. Yeah, yeah, that's right. That's right. So you're back next year? Hopefully. 100%.
Starting point is 00:27:22 Now listen, this is our end of season competition. I've got a couple of weeks off now, so I'll go on holiday, hopefully, have a bit of fun. And then we're back in the gym. We've got another box cup, the Riviera box cup in August, the 12th to the... Where's that in Turkey or in France? No, chalky, chalk. It had to be one or another. Yeah, one of the other.
Starting point is 00:27:43 Unfortunately, we got the other. Sean, let me ask you this. And I know the arts bar, I need you to tell me. It is true. Josh still does come down the gym and train, and he does pay his subs. Tell me he pays his subs. Tell me he pays his subs, Sean.
Starting point is 00:27:57 I'll be honest, he pays a lot more than his subs. I've heard that, yeah. He's refurbished the gym. He's brought us a minibus, and he has subsidised some of the trips we do. So he's like, he can't do no more than what he does, really. He's not forgotten where he come from. That's the truth.
Starting point is 00:28:16 And one of those places is here in this ground old. Oh, exactly, 100%. Sean, thanks very much for your time. No problem, Steve. You take care. So, Sean Murphy, they're basically just saying what you'd said about the preparation and what AJ said about the preparation.
Starting point is 00:28:31 But what I like most about guys like Sean, and it was great that he let that out about AJ what AJ's doing for the club. And we know what I... Listen, you know AJ. You're in camps. You've been around AJ. I've been around AJ.
Starting point is 00:28:43 What we don't talk about is what AJ really does. Because that's not what AJ's like. AJ doesn't give someone a tenor then tells you he gave the guy a tenor. You know what I mean by that. He's giving away a lot of money. He does unbelievably good things all the time that you don't know about.
Starting point is 00:29:00 And that's the way it should be, because it's not my job to boast on AJ's part. So I'm glad that Sean at least acknowledge that AJ does stuff at the gym. Sean's a guy who fights his corner, a bit like Mick Delaney, the guy we saw earlier on, for every one of his fighters. Now, you said you had,
Starting point is 00:29:19 a Sean Murphy story. I don't care if it's good or clean or dirty. I need a Sean Murphy story. The man's a sainting amateur boxing. And he's going to continue being the same because it's a good story. So funny enough, the story's here at Alexandria Palace. I got to the final.
Starting point is 00:29:37 And back in the day, as now Finchley's been a legendary club. So they're like, oh, you got this guy from Finchley. I think his name was Sean Cooper or something like that. Anyway, I was at 81 kilos at this time. This guy came in and I thought, brilliant. It's going to be a good fight. It doesn't matter what I throw at this guy, he just kept coming. He just kept coming.
Starting point is 00:30:01 No matter what you're hitting with. To this day, it's the hardest fight I've ever had. To this day, it's the hardest fight I've ever had. So nothing you could do could dent him. He just would not stop coming. And every time I see Sean and anybody from Finchley, we have a laugh about that fight. Sean's got a fighter here called Paddy Cash
Starting point is 00:30:19 and unfortunately he's not one of the guys I've grabbed hold of because I could have spoken to 50 kids here today, 50 fighters here today and I didn't speak to Paddy Cash but when Paddy Cash came out of the ring he won earlier. In fact I'll give him his full title, hold on because it's only fair saying he won earlier is not enough
Starting point is 00:30:36 I want the full title, hold on in ring B, fight number four, Malew 63 and a half kilo, that's light well to wait He was boxing a guy from Box Smart League called Yusuf Hussein and Paddy Cash from Finchley managed to win 4-1, the split decision. And I thought he could have nicked it. If he hadn't had got it, it wouldn't have been a scream-up. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:30:55 But when he won, no word of a lie. His mum, his girlfriend, his aunties, his nans. I've never seen so many people crying. Everyone was crying, crying their eyes out. Anyway, so then I hear as he's walking away, I hear from someone from Sean leans over, does the way boxing people do. He leans over and he whispers him here.
Starting point is 00:31:16 He went, Bunsey, he trains 500 horses. 500 horses! Anyway, that's what is what he said there. So I spoke to Paddy briefly. I think he's gone, Paddy. I'm really sorry to say. And he said to me, I told him, I asked him about the crying. He went, yeah, he went, can you imagine if I'd have lost
Starting point is 00:31:33 how they would have been crying? And this is that type of place. It's that sort of place where you see something. And it's also, this, yeah, remember, this is a place where people, People haven't got great ambitions sometimes to go on and win Olympic gold medals and become a world champion. Sometimes the people here are just here
Starting point is 00:31:52 because they're part of a boxing club and they get entered. Not only that, if you don't have the ambitions to go on to be an Olympian or a pro and you want to do something in boxing, this is a great little stepping stone for people. So, you know, it's a good stone in the community. I know people that work for different promoters, you know, across the three or four big promoters we got in Britain. And there's someone inside all of those organisations
Starting point is 00:32:24 that say the same thing. Haringay Box Cup is something they keep their eye on. And there are at least three people here today, closely linked to different professional promoters and managers who are here spotting and looking. And you know what? I quite like that because for years, I felt like I was coming here.
Starting point is 00:32:43 and I'd have my program mark with 20 fighters and I'd be saying there's 20 fighters and no one had seen them. So I like the idea. What I want to do now, Chef, is I want to play some of the stuff I recorded earlier because you know what? It's golden stuff.
Starting point is 00:33:01 And hand on, I spoke to five people and they were random. And I really, the fact I spoke to six people and they were random. Really random. I'm going to start with, a young guy called Alfie Winter he's a professional at the moment
Starting point is 00:33:17 and he won this tournament a few years ago now he's having his third fight on July the 2nd and I caught up with Alfie because he came down to watch it his father was day came down with his young daughter and I caught up with Alfie
Starting point is 00:33:29 and just asked him for his memories of winning the Harrogay Box Cup I won this in 2017 so a fair way back now five years ago to tell he that was and before you won it had you been to it did you know much about it Alvin?
Starting point is 00:33:41 No I won it the first first time I entered it. There was always a lot of buzz around it, and I'd heard people talking Haringay Cup, like sort of you hear things floating around the gym and that. And, yeah, there is a bit of a special buzz around it, being at the Alexandra Palace as well. It's a great venue, isn't it?
Starting point is 00:33:54 I mean, it's, you know, I've already talked about this venue. We're in this Grand Hall, which is bigger than a football pitch. There were three rings set up. Then there's actually a four ring set out. One of them's vacant. Then over the back, there's a training ring. How many times did you have to box to win it, Alphy? Three times in three days, so, yeah, I was busy.
Starting point is 00:34:11 So you have to make the weight on the Friday, then again on the Saturday, then again on the Sunday for the final. I think how they'd done it in that year, I'm not sure if it's the same now, is they give you half a kilo allowance per day. That's quite a lot. So say if you're in under 69, say, like I was, then they'll give you 69.5 the next day, 70 the next. Obviously, you're boxing three times, you're going to have to be putting something back in. So when you won this, were you thinking when you're moving on? Are you thinking, you know what? I could be part of the England set
Starting point is 00:34:41 I part of the GB set but were you thinking then because I know you're a star and I know your history now were you thinking then no I'll be a pro what was in your mind at that point because how old would you have been there now
Starting point is 00:34:51 well I can't remember now yeah 20 20 I was then yeah I was young stuff you weren't even a dad then no because you're a dad today you got your little girls here floating around yeah special father's day today and I won it for my dad
Starting point is 00:35:05 when I won it back in 2017 yeah I gave him the head on the belt of the medal Yeah, yeah, so that was pretty special and now I'm back here, a dad myself so, yeah, it's strange how it works. Now, as a pro, you've got your, on July the 2nd, you've got what's that, your fourth pro fight.
Starting point is 00:35:20 That's my fourth one, yeah. But you've done a lot of work in the gym, you've been in the gym, what, you've been in, what's it, Tony Sims' gym? Yeah, we're in a matrim gym. Yeah, we're in a matrim gym. Yeah, we're based in a matrim gym, yeah, me, Kevin, and he's got his other fighters, Jordan Fleeing,
Starting point is 00:35:32 and he's doing a lot of work with Tony's boys as well now, obviously. So does that mean you're getting sparring with, Cardina and Ben? Yeah, I've done a lot of work with Joe Cordina in a run-up to his world title fight, so that's a privilege in itself, so that was a nice little thing for me to make a note of. And then, yeah, doing work with Connor Ben, even move around with John Ryder and Felix Cash, it's invaluable experience. And this event itself, on the subject of invaluable experience,
Starting point is 00:35:59 you can't buy what you get here over three days and three fights, can you? No, not at all. And chatting earlier, it's... It's like if you're on international and you're on the England squad and the GB squad, free fights in three days is quite a common occurrence. But if you don't make that squad,
Starting point is 00:36:18 free fights in three days is quite a rare thing. So it's a proper good experience and you get to feel what it's really like to be on them big cups. And I know there's not thousands of people in seats. There are thousands of people walking around. What's it like? Is it hard boxing with the three or four rings
Starting point is 00:36:32 going at the same time? And people everywhere. You look at the ring and people are not looking at you. looking over there, is it hard? Yeah, if you didn't have your head screwed on, I could see that you could easily get sidetracked. But yeah, if you focused on what you're doing,
Starting point is 00:36:44 it's not too bad. Another thing as well, you come off a win on a Friday. It's not like a normal win in the amateurs where you get a bit of time to enjoy it. You can't enjoy it at all. You've got to switch on and right, who am I fighting next? And then turn your head towards that.
Starting point is 00:36:57 So yeah, it is good. Alphi, listen, thanks very much. Good luck on the 2nd of July. Thank you very much, Steve. As I've already said on the pod, There were four rings for the quarters and the semi-finals. And on finals day, there were just three rings. Now, part of the problem with three rings is you invariably miss something.
Starting point is 00:37:16 And I managed to miss Louis O'Donautier beating Logan Cloutier from Canada. I know that I miss it, but three or four people, who I don't know, tap me on the shoulder and said, you see that bunsey, it was fired a night. That was fired a night. It was fired a night. I'm watching 16 fights here, and I'm missing the fight. fight at a night there. So what do I do? It's quite simple. I dispatched my intrepid person who happened to be Louis's brother who went and found Louis and now Louis sitting here next to me. He's brought me as an
Starting point is 00:37:47 offering and I put it on a banana. That's very nice son but I don't eat fruit on a Sunday but thanks for the offer anyway at the fruit Louis. It's lovely of that. Louis first of all I didn't see a fight or at the corner of my eye I could see it. Apparently they're talking fight at a fight the tournament. Yeah well I think it can only be fight a tournament with a say with the quality of the other opponent, making me work to my best game, which is very tough fight. And it was sort of back and forth,
Starting point is 00:38:12 and I think I just had a little bit more skill there, and I was able to outsmart him a little bit in times. So now you're a Haringay Box Cup champion, and there's a lot of fighters, good fighters, that came here and didn't win this, you know, or came back the first, second year and lost that year. It's a prestigious thing to win, Louis. Yeah, this is my third time.
Starting point is 00:38:30 I've done it as a youth. I got to the finals. I've done it as a senior three years ago. got to the finals, but since then I've done the Ironhoven, one that, ABA's won that, and then I knew I had to come back and get this. So you lost the other two? I've lost two in the final, very, very close fighters,
Starting point is 00:38:46 and this time I had to make sure I... So this is your... So it's a third attempt. I spoke to someone... I spoke to Jim Campbell from his... It was her third attempt as well, and she's won quality to Ireland. So it means something winning this.
Starting point is 00:38:58 It's proper. Yeah, it's good, it's good. I mean, you've got people from all over, people that I've never thought, you don't always think they're on the scene. Next thing, you know, they're in the fight. final and they've heard it they've got science to prove and they usually do they usually prove it
Starting point is 00:39:09 that boy proved that he was tough very tough and some of the people who louis i mean i just interviewed a fella who's 37 who didn't take up boxing until he was 35 he had a rough old life turned his life around at 35 years of age that's quite an amazing story in it so he's a he lost he lost yesterday in the semis but he was still here competing yeah no it's amazing that is what boxing does and boxing is good for so many backgrounds and it pulls you out of it it's like the way he's like he's like he's life was going was intense. He put the intensity into boxing and that's good. That he knows people don't step in the ring ever and he's going and done that as a big life achievement. So are you finished with Aaron Gave Box Cup now? You've done it?
Starting point is 00:39:47 Yeah, I mean if someone said to me, go and do it again tomorrow I'll do it. But for one year I want to move on. I want to move on. I want to try and see what else can come now. What else might come? What else might come in your life in boxing terms? Not your social life. I don't need a know about your social life. That's why I won this. what I wanted you to say. That's the correct answer. What about in your boxing life going forward? I would really like, I've had about 60 odd now.
Starting point is 00:40:12 I would like to be able to turn over if someone likes me and lets me do it with a bit easily. If not, then I'll force my way into somewhere. Someone's got to like me eventually. I know, just by the interviews I've done here today, I know you're the most popular fighter I've spoken to here today. I mean, I understand that the girl from Canada is not going to have all her family.
Starting point is 00:40:34 I understand that, but even so, you're the most popular person I've spoken to it today. There's a good cra- There's pro fighters don't sell as many tickets as this crowd you've attracted. Yeah, that's my family. I don't even tell anyone about fights. That's my family telling everyone, everyone's just messing all the time. It's just a support behind me. And I've got big seven brothers and sisters, so that's enough support, just in the house. That's good.
Starting point is 00:40:55 Yeah. Well, now, Louie, now we've got to agree a little pact. Me and you've got to do a deal. In years to come, when you crack it, when you make it, and you're a star, and you hear me on TV, saying, I remember when Louis won the Herringay Hops Cup, I was ringside, and you know I wasn't, do not correct it.
Starting point is 00:41:13 Let me tell the lie. How much are being paid? Nothing. I'll nick your apple, son. Don't worry about it. I'll send you away from you without you apple, without your banana. At least you've been fed. I'll be happy nine and I'll fed Steve Bunce.
Starting point is 00:41:23 I'll be this. Listen, you don't want to feed me son. That'll cost you a lot of money. Louis, thanks so much for your time. Thank you for your time. No, you're doing. It's my pleasure. That's amazing.
Starting point is 00:41:33 Thank you very much. Louis, thank you. Every single time I've ever been at the Haringay Box Cup, there's always been one or two fighters that have stood up. There's been great fights and big names, but sometimes the big names are not necessarily in big fights. They win. They win comfortably.
Starting point is 00:41:50 Every now and again, you get something here where something happens and a fight gets thrown your way. And that happened at about 12.30, very early in the afternoon. In fact, it wasn't even that fall in here. And there was a young kid from Sudbury called Scott Stannard. And everyone was saying to me, Bunsey, you've got to watch this kid, Scott, is unbelievable.
Starting point is 00:42:14 And then someone crept up to me from one of the Irish teams and said, Buncey, keep you high on the other kid. So I did. I sat down and it was an absolute pleasure. It was tight, it was close, it was quality. And the winner was Donna Kiri. And Donna, you join me now. You've injured your arm.
Starting point is 00:42:31 You've been waiting a couple of hours. to talk to me. I'm going to say it now, I'm going to embarrass you. You were brilliant today, son. Thank you. I just, I done that for my mate. He passed away a couple months ago
Starting point is 00:42:43 and every fight that I've had from then I just want to dedicate to him. And you injured your shoulder? When did you do it? Can you remember? I hurt my bicep yesterday in the semi-final and in the final today. I don't even know. I didn't feel it because of adrenaline, but the thought I dislocated it,
Starting point is 00:42:59 but I've just sprained it. And you're 17, Donnie, yeah? And how long have you been boxing? From us about five or six. So do you think, I don't want to, you know, I don't want to, you know, I don't want to, I don't want to get you to say too much. Do you think you might be a contender for fighter at a tournament? Yeah. You might be, eh?
Starting point is 00:43:19 I think definitely. Definitely. Give me that belt. Give me that. And what about, now, a few years ago, Irish fighter, Gabriel Dawson, he won here. Yeah. And he's recently won the European Amateur Championships. And he got the fighter of the tournament as well, you know.
Starting point is 00:43:33 Yeah, Gabriel. He's very good. I've been sparring with a boy that won silver, Del Niggison. I've been, I was sparring with him for a while. He won silver and he's only 19. Did you box three times to win this? Yeah. How hard was it? Making the weight for the three days and having the free concerts. The first day making the weight was hard. The second day was easy and the third day was, I had a lose a kilo and a half last night. Shoot, that's a lot of weight, isn't it?
Starting point is 00:43:59 Yeah. And what was that? You just got your diet wrong? Tell the truth, no, I think I drank too much. You didn't drink. Tell the truth, you went out and got some, you went out and got some rubbish food. I didn't. You did, I know you did.
Starting point is 00:44:12 I sure to go out. So you didn't? No. It was just natural, just weight. Just water weight. I nearly believe you. Where are you going to be in, let's say, three years' time when you're 20?
Starting point is 00:44:22 Where do you want to be when you're 20, Donna? Either professional or winning medals for Ireland. Yeah. That's possible, on it? Yeah. You know, I've spoken to people here who five, six, seven years later have become stars.
Starting point is 00:44:36 Kids like Anthony Joshua, women like Katie Taylor. I think you and I might be speaking in four or five years time, son. I hope so anyway. Donnell, it's been a pleasure talking to you. Thanks very much. Thank you. Thank you.
Starting point is 00:44:48 Now, I've said several times already that it takes all sorts to win the box cup and all sorts of fighters enter it. Some who go on to unbelievable greatness, some who use it as a test and then vanish. some who come back, repeat offenders, if you like. And this year, I got talking to a guy who, I don't know, I'm not even sure if there's a category for this fella.
Starting point is 00:45:14 His name's Clem Euse. He's from North Devon and he's with me now. Clem, first of all, the average age of the boxers here seems to be about 21 or 22. Most of them are 18 or 19. How old are you? 37, 38 in a couple of weeks. And when did you start boxing?
Starting point is 00:45:29 35, yeah, walks in the gym, 35. And how did you do this year? I lost in the semi-final. So did you get a buy-in-the-quarters? I got a buy-in-the-cours, yeah, yeah. And lost in the semis. Yeah. But you've boxed at a harangay box cup at 37 years of age.
Starting point is 00:45:44 You're the oldest of the person, Dave. They've told you that. I haven't been told that, no, but... You might be. I might be. Maybe next year and I come back. Are you going to come back? Oh, definitely.
Starting point is 00:45:53 So you'd be 38 next year? 100%. I'll come back. So I've got to ask you, if you only started at 35, where were you between 16 and 35? I wouldn't live in the best life, Steve, you know, partying too much, drink, you know, I'm afraid to say it, going to doing drugs and that. And yeah, you know, I just, I needed a change in my life. I was only going the wrong way, really, so.
Starting point is 00:46:14 So boxing's like an extreme version of rehab because you can't cheat a boxing, can you? You can't, man? You can't lie, can you? No, you can't. Because you get found out and it hurts. It does, yeah, you get found out quickly as well. And so you live the life, a wildlife, you know, and you've had to suffer those consequences along the way, you're a big enough boy, a grown-up man, you've come from,
Starting point is 00:46:31 through it. But what was the decision? When did it happen? Was it was it one particular person or did something happen that made you say, you know what? I'm going to stop what I've been doing and boxing's going to be my gateway out of this. When was it? I'll tell you what, my, my missus left me and the kids and my youngest son, Ozzy, he wanted to start boxing. I'm always been a big fan, always watching big fights. He started to stay up at late and watching the big fights for me. You know, the Joshua's the Furies and all that. So he said, can I go boxing dad? I said, course you can. Took down the boxing gym. Barron Boxer Gym in North Devon, where I'm boxing from. And they looked after him, lovely.
Starting point is 00:47:06 And he just said, a day to start, Dad. Sort yourself out. And I said, how old was Ozzy at the time? Ten. So Ozzy a 10-year-old was finally changing your life? Yeah, definitely, yeah, yeah. Changed my life, yeah. Without a doubt.
Starting point is 00:47:20 Rescue by my own son, to be honest. And is Ozzy still boxing? Or is he retired? He's not, unfortunately. I wish he was. He'd be very talented. Yeah. So Oz he's retired, but their dad's continuing?
Starting point is 00:47:30 Yeah, but we had a... had his debut and I had my debut on the same show, which was something special as well. Oh, that's brilliant stuff. Yeah, yeah. Oh, listen, I'm delighted. It's a great story. Yeah, I'm open he'll come back to it. I'm able to come back to it. On Father's Day as well, hey?
Starting point is 00:47:46 Ozzie and Clem, what a story. Clem, thanks for your time. It's been a privilege talking to yourself. Thank you very much, Steve. Gentlemen, thank you very much. So that's what I mean. You come up to the box car and you think, you know, I know, I know I speak to Sean Murphy and I've got shaved next to me,
Starting point is 00:48:00 so I know I'll get a few stories. I speak to Ken Marsh and I'll float around. I pick up a few stories. Then you bump into a fella like Clem Hughes. And boy, oh boy, all bets are off. Took up boxing, she ever, at 35 years of age. He's 37 now and he's coming back next year. 35?
Starting point is 00:48:19 You're joking. Seriously? You can't admit. You know, he lost his way in life. You know, he heard him, lost his way in life. And then took up boxing at 35 to space it to save his life. I mean, it's not a joke. It's the truth.
Starting point is 00:48:33 I mean, people say it all the time, but, you know, you've just heard it there. That's fact. You just spoke with somebody. Saved his life. Saved his life. And if you're back next year? No. You know what?
Starting point is 00:48:41 He wants to win it. A big congratulations to Clem because that's a massive achievement. I mean, I thought I started boxing late. I started at 18, but 35, I have to take my half of two. Yeah, man, you're a whippur snapper. What's a whipper snapper? It means you're a child. Okay.
Starting point is 00:48:55 You're a baby. It's a nice comment, don't way. It's not unpleasant. Now, we're coming quite close to you. end at the box in there we are going to hear from some of the women some of the female winners we actually there's one bout left but there's a little bit of added intrigue to this last contest okay in there they do a couple of awards here one is the boxer of the tournament and the other one is the club of the tournament i.e. the club that's had the most semi-finalist finalists and winners okay and this year it's a
Starting point is 00:49:24 split between a club from Canada in british columbia in fact we're going to hear from from from a woman from that club in a moment. I spoke to her earlier on. And then the other club is Dublin City University. So, and so those are the two clubs that have won, got the most points, and they're boxing each other in that ring. So it's drama. What a climax to the end of the evening.
Starting point is 00:49:49 So we might even do that fight live. We might even do some commentary about that. No. Paddy, Paddy the producers not having that. he was like no the finger came out I thought I'd get at least like 20 seconds of coverage he's not having it at a toll is he no but we will
Starting point is 00:50:11 we will get to that now as I said early on I did speak to some of the women that are boxing the fact because what this event's always been famous for is this event's always been famous for having seemingly as many women as it does have have men so early on I caught up with Islington's Gem Campbell and a woman called
Starting point is 00:50:33 Nausha Nakigiri who is from and she was a winner and she's from the Canadian club I caught up with these two and and I've got to tell you talking to Gem was an absolute delight and a pleasure. Thank you very much. It feels amazing. The one thing that I haven't got in my trophy cabinet, the one thing I wanted. And how many times have you tried before?
Starting point is 00:50:54 It's my third time. Third time. And how is it? I mean it's a tough event to win. Have you lost in the finals or the semis or the quarter finals both times? So the Friday? Yeah. To both the winners both times. Oh no. Two tough, very tough components. Where were they from? So Steph row in the army and then Irish girl in 2019. I think she was on the National Squad Olympic squad. Very good. Very good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So what's it? So have you box three times or twice this time? Twice. Yesterday against a Norwegian girl and then today. International event as well. Look, I tell what, I've seen
Starting point is 00:51:28 I've been at a lot of these over the years, and I've seen some be beaming smiles. Yours might be taking, yours might be taking a biscuit. And you're local as well. Islington's less than all about two miles or something from here. Yeah, I live about an hour away there. I live in Bevershire. I travel to Islington, but yeah, it's not far for me.
Starting point is 00:51:41 But I'm so happy because it's been in a phenomenal three years. Two ABA titles, Tri-Nations, three-time Swedish box cup, winter box cup. This was the last one to add. And I'm not getting any younger, so this was the last one in the trophy cabinet. That's why I'm so happy. It does mean so now in a game box cup, doesn't it? I mean, it's more than just winning twice or three times in a weekend in this grand or it's more than that.
Starting point is 00:52:06 It's special because of the names that have been here before, not just the big names, but people from your club that have won it before. It means it carries weight, doesn't it? It does, yeah. It's a massive tournament, probably one of the biggest in Europe, probably. Yeah, it's a big box cup, great venue. So, yeah, it just feels great to win. Now, I don't know for certain, but you're quite tall. And there's a fellow over there who's also quite tall.
Starting point is 00:52:30 So I'm assuming that's your dad. So it is Father's Day. Does he get the medal? Even, or do you keep the medal? It is, it is a conflict. What are you going to do, Jim? I'm going to share it as my birthday Friday, so I've not had any celebrations.
Starting point is 00:52:42 It was strict on the way, eat well, prepare. And today was a celebration for Father's Day on my birthday and winning this. Absolutely perfect. Amazing. Jim, listen, thanks so much for your time. Well done. Let me just say this. Let me just do this properly.
Starting point is 00:52:55 Female Elite, 222, Haringay Box Cup champion at 66 kilos. A little bit of a pregnant pause there because it's always good for the excitement. From New Zealand's and Boxing Club, Jim Camber. How does that sound? That sounds amazing. That would do, won't it?
Starting point is 00:53:11 It will. Thank you very much. It's up, yeah. Thanks, Jim. Cheers. Fresh out of Ring A and a winner at Female Elite 75 Kilo is part of the Olympic Boxing Club in Galway, who many, many years ago,
Starting point is 00:53:26 had the pleasure of having a boxer who carried the flag. at the Olympics, Francie Barrett. Carried the Irish flag in 1996, Francie Barrett and he boxed for Galway. Now, Ifa, you've had a win here tonight. Now, you've got a famous sister, Lisa, who's the world amateur champion. What does it mean to you?
Starting point is 00:53:45 What does it mean to you? What does it mean to Irish boxers? There's always so many Irish boxers here, Ethan. What does it mean to the Irish winning the Harrogate Box Cup? Look, and I'm delighted to come over here and win my fight today. I was at the World Championships as well
Starting point is 00:54:00 alongside my sister and I didn't finish them the way I wanted to so I'm really delighted to get back here into the ring and get off to a winning start so now going forward you're lucky for Paris you actually got a weight but your sister's got a bit of a dilemma hasn't she? Yeah at the moment her way she isn't an Olympic weight but there's no like pressure yet so we'll see what happens next year's qualifying year
Starting point is 00:54:26 so she's still on a break after the World Championship so we're back to training next week and we'll speak to the Irish coaches and take it from there and our club coach Mike Mungan and see what we'll decide to do. I have to say that I am actually interviewing you you've literally just taking your gloves off
Starting point is 00:54:45 you're still breathing heavy so I apologize. Did you have to box one or twice or three times to win this year? Oh I got a straight final I got the buy, yeah. So I would have, I like to have got the semi-final just to get more fights under my belt, but I'll take what I can and I'm delighted to get the win today.
Starting point is 00:55:03 And is it important to you and is it important to the other Irish fighters that so many big names have won this, including, of course, Katie Taylor. I mean, she won it many years ago. Yeah, this is my second year to win it. I won it back in 2019 and it's a great tournament. It's great, it's lovely to come over here to London for the weekend. The weather was lovely as well, which helps. Don't tell anybody.
Starting point is 00:55:25 It's not like that. Irish weather and it's just a great weekend. We came away as a club and we all got on so well. So, Ethan, thanks so much for your time. No, thank you. I really appreciate that. That's really good. And I'll see you going forward. Hopefully I'll see you in Paris. Yes, please God. Now, as people have been saying, people travel from all over. Nepal, Kenya, maybe 20 or 30 European countries and America. And this year, there was a contingent of fighters from Canada. And I heard about them recently because they were training in South London in one of the railway arched gyms. And fortunately, I'm not sure how many they entered with, I'll find out in a second.
Starting point is 00:56:06 I'm not sure how many winners there. But I know at a female elite, bout seven in Ringby, Nausha Nakigiri, beat Jay Dujan from Repton to become the Haringay Box Cup champion. And I'm delighted to say that Nausia joins me down. First of all, let me ask you this. How long have you been on the road? How long have you been away from Canada? We got here four days ago.
Starting point is 00:56:30 And you've been training in South London in the railway arts gym. Yes, exactly. And the Harringay Box Cup, what had you heard about the Harrowingay Box Cup before you entered? Well, I first heard about Herringay four years ago just before COVID.
Starting point is 00:56:45 And we were looking at international competitions and we heard that it was one of the biggest international tournaments in Europe. So as soon as things started to open up, we started to look into it. And you brought a good weather. Unless of course you come from somewhere in Canada where it's always snowy, in which case? Right now it's getting nicer.
Starting point is 00:57:03 Finally, it's pretty good weather. It took a long time, though. You boxed twice, didn't you, instead of three times? It's still hard. It's still a hard tool. Boxing twice is hard. Three is hard. Twice is still hard enough.
Starting point is 00:57:16 Yeah, 100%. And when you were in, have you been at an event like this before with four rings and a spark in a ring there and people just wandering around? in this unbelievable building. Have you ever been, have a boxed that they were like this before? Definitely not to this level. I just fought in Eindhoven Cup in Netherlands a couple weeks ago.
Starting point is 00:57:37 Three or sorry, two rings, but that was so far the biggest one that I fought at. This is completely next level to what I'm used to. It's the biggest tournament I've been to so far and definitely the most number of rings. And you know that some of the people, people that have won this in the past, don't you? Anthony Joshua, the heavyweight, Katie Taylor, Nicola Adams gold medalist, Kelly Harrington gold medalist. It's a great place to prepare for those
Starting point is 00:58:04 big events. Is that what's in Aeusha's life coming forward? Is it Olympics or is it winning major events? Commonwealth Games even? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. My goal right now is preparing for Olympics, Paris Olympics, 2024. Until then, next year I have Continentials and World Championships ahead of me. So I'm really excited to represent Canada and those, but Paris 2024 is the big one right now. Yeah, it's the big one. Let me ask this. What do you do for a living?
Starting point is 00:58:36 I coach boxing. I also do personal training for fitness and whatnot. It just works easier with the schedule because I used to have an office job as well. Couldn't do it. Three times a day training, it's really hard to give an office job. So I've just transitioned my whole life into boxing.
Starting point is 00:58:55 Well, Lisa Nersia, hopefully I'll see you in Paris in a couple of years' time. Thanks for your time and well done on becoming a Haringay Box Cup champion. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Lots of different voices there. Canadian, Irish and Gem from Islington. Now, the boxing's over. Patty didn't let us commentate on that last bout. I don't even know who won.
Starting point is 00:59:21 Did the Irish kid win? The Canadian one. So do we think that means that? that the Canadians have won the club of the tournament? That's right. Okay, and then there's also going to be a box for the tournament. And I see there's a kid called Dean Walsh, a really good fighter. He was talking to you earlier.
Starting point is 00:59:34 Yeah, that's right. I think he's been in squads with you. No, his dad, I think his dad's the head coach for America. Oh, Billy Walsh? Yeah. Is that Billy Walsh's son? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, I remember him now.
Starting point is 00:59:44 Yeah. My memory's going. I remember him quite, I remember having a massive conversation with him. Yeah, I remember him coming up at GB a couple times. That's unbelievable. Yeah. Oh, Billy Bulls doing great things. He's really.
Starting point is 00:59:55 Revolutionized the Americans. They've made world champions, Olympic finalists, and they had nothing for about 30 years. Take away Andre Ward in 2004. Deonti Wilder getting a bronze. Wow. Oh, shoot. I couldn't watch it because you and I were over there talking.
Starting point is 01:00:10 Listen, that's the end of the Haringay Box Cup. So what's been your impressions this year, Chef? For me, you know, just getting it back going. Getting it back going. People having something to look forward to, and giving the young boxers up and coming that experience. Yeah. So, Shev, just finishing up here, just getting the last awards out of the way.
Starting point is 01:00:33 Jim Campbell, who I spoke to, she got the elite. And you guessed, you nought it would be the Canadian Braden Harcroft in that Slugfest down there who got the best Malfighter. Yeah, he looked like Tommy Gunn. A lot of people don't know that. His name's actually Tommy Morris, and he was in the Rocky Films, right? That's Tommy Gunn. And funny enough, his name is.
Starting point is 01:00:55 Tommy Gunn. And Daniel Sullivan said the same thing, called him Tommy Gunn. And then the best club was the Canadians. And you saw what it meant to them on this tour. They're going back on Tuesday. They've come over, they've conquered.
Starting point is 01:01:06 Brilliant for them. Oh, no, well done. And it'll be a great experience. I don't know if any of them were going to push on and try and go on a Canadian team, but yeah, great experience. When I was talking to Nyusha, who was up in the ring with me,
Starting point is 01:01:17 when I was talking to her, she was saying that, you know, what her thing is pushing on, maybe not for the Commonwealth's this year, but tournaments coming back next year doing more. And she said to me, I'll see you in Paris. That would do for me.
Starting point is 01:01:28 Now, there are a little bit of news from this weekend, and there is a connection to the box cup. Anthony Yard won this tournament. And this weekend, of course, he was in, so he's a box cup winner, and this weekend he was in New York, in the basement of New York, to watch Arturbertabeev, who would have won this tournament if he had been boxing all over Kazakhstan and Uzbek, stopped Joe Smith in the second round.
Starting point is 01:01:51 Brutal finish. I thought it might go a few more rounds. He just looked untouched on top. He just looked untouchable, isn't he? No, he's a machine. That's the only way I can describe him. And yeah, him against Yard would be a great fight. And again, the tournament has produced another fight for honors.
Starting point is 01:02:10 Hey, listen, if as the plan is, I mean, you know, I don't want to take too much away from where we are here, but if the plan is for Yard to fight Berturbiev, let's say at the O2 in October, that's a massive fight. And as you say, a Harringay Box Cup in a massive fight, That would do me. That is unbelievable. That's the O2.
Starting point is 01:02:28 And at the O2. And I've got to do some, what we call housekeeping. I haven't asked you since you finally arrived after you walked through the food fair, the food market. When you're out next? We're working on that right now with Eddie and matchroom.
Starting point is 01:02:41 So keep your eyes and your ears peeled. And when I am out, it will be very exciting. I can promise you that. Are you going to be part of the, now that AJ's fighting on the zone, you fight on the zone, might you be part of it? of the Saudi fight.
Starting point is 01:02:55 I would love to be a part of the Saudi fight. That means he will be part of it. I love it. You don't have to say anymore. That's brilliant. And so you should be. You know, you're one of Eddie's elite fighters, and that's a great bit of be on.
Starting point is 01:03:10 Yeah, I know I'll entertain the people, so if I am, which I hope I am, make sure you're tuning because you will be entertained. She have, listen, I've got to tell you, it's been a delight being here, but more than that, it's been a delight being here with you. We've had a right good time yet. It's been an absolute pleasure.
Starting point is 01:03:24 Thank you very much. It's been a beautiful time here and seen some beautiful boxing. Shevon Clark, unbeaten professional, Tokyo Olympian, but more importantly, and it's all that matters here today, Haringay Box Cup winner. So Shev's walking off into the distance and it's only been about five or six minutes. The three or four hundred people have cleared. Now it's just the organiser slowing around one or two boxers who have maybe been, been in with the medics having an eye done.
Starting point is 01:03:55 Another harangay box cup has finished. Started in 2008. Olympians, world champions. Men like Clem Hughes earlier. Unbelievable stories. Unbelievable fighters. It was great. It's always a privilege to be at the Haringay Box Cup.
Starting point is 01:04:15 And I must say, before we go, we've got to thank our guest list. What an extensive guest list. I thought I did well last week with Don King, with Shannon. Briggs with Daniel Dubois, Francis Warren, Riddick Bow. That wasn't bad, that wasn't bad, but I think I've topped it. This week, Alfie Winter, IFA O'Rourke, Ken Marsh, Sean Murphy,
Starting point is 01:04:39 Jim Campbell, who won? Best Fighter in a Tournament. Naush Nogesh Noghiri from Canada. Don Aguiri, a kid you're going to be hearing about in the years to come. Klan News, he'll be back next year. He's 38 next year when he comes back. And how about Louis O'Donogarty? How entertaining was he?
Starting point is 01:05:01 Try to bribe me with a banana or an apple. I said, Louie, you don't need a banana or an apple, son to get on the Five Live Boxing podcast. We try and bring you something different every single week. We try and mix it up every single week. We've done something here today that no one else has done. We've done it. I hope you've enjoyed it.
Starting point is 01:05:18 It has been an absolute pleasure. A pleasure. Let's get ready to rumble. Five live boxing. This Pride Month, we are celebrating the B in LGBTQ Plus. I'm Dr. Julia Shaw, and along with Sophie Hagen, I host the Bad People podcast. And this June, we are taking a break from our regular criminal cases. Join us to hear seldom heard stories of remarkable characters who fought for the lives of by people.
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