5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - In Conversation with Ben Shalom

Episode Date: April 27, 2026

When’s Adam Azim getting his world title shot? And is Lauren Price really set to take on Claressa Shields? Buncey puts it all to Boxxer CEO Ben Shalom in a wide-ranging chat. They also talk Frazer Clarke, Martin Bakole and Richard Riakporhe. Plus, find out why Belfast was chosen to host his stag do!

This is Five Live Boxing. So in a week when three enormous fights are taking place in all sorts of places, well, Wolverhampton, Tokyo and Las Vegas, I decided to sit down with Ben Shalom, the boss at Boxer, the man with the deal with the BBC, the man who seems to be well always getting stick from just about everybody. I'm Steve Bunce and this is Five Live Boxing. So I'm inside one of those fancy workspaces that you get all over the country.

country there's palm trees double espresso machines a table tennis table in fact if anyone fancies this game with table tennis uh ben shalom and i are going to have to move because we're right we're right in the way of the forearm the forearm return first of all ben um how are you doing how are you very well i had we're not doing very well are you tell the truth yeah i just said to steve i had my stag do this weekend in balfast which was a which was an interesting one particularly with the boxing fans out in the pumps oh yes um but it was a three-day weekend That was, yeah, very, very good. My mum's from Belfast, so all my uncles and everything were there,

and it was a big weekend. It is a massive fight city. I mean, it's a fight city that I've been going to for about 30 years, and I can remember going there for fights in the sort of early 90s and being recognised. As far as I know, I'd never been on TV, but you're recognised? So this was here. It's ridiculous.

So we were saying, right, where are we going to go for a stag to you? And I said, look, I can't be getting. I know what my mates are like so they're going to me are they going to have me drinking they're going to have me out to lay I was like well we're not doing Manchester we're not doing anywhere up here

my weddings abroad so we're going to do somewhere in the UK and we thought one of them thought I wasn't involved in the choice oh let's do Belfast with Ben's family are there and no one will recognise him

not recognise not realising it was probably the one of the worst places you could have chose because everyone's boxing mad I mean it's the one city where 13 and 14 year old boys and girls that have won the youth championships

are fated and stopped in the street. Correct. It's mental. I mean, you get stopped there, and I kid you not, I get stopped there at customs going through by the policemen, asking about a fire.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they're all so friendly. Look, I love it. I think it's an amazing city. Don't want me to make this advert for Belfast, but it's a beautiful city, and it's changed a lot in the years I've been going, and it was a great weekend.

Just to say, as Ben said, got to be careful of making sure we're not selling Belfast. Our other cities available inside the United Kingdom and Ireland that you can go to for a stagoo. but between that's Belfast as an absolute corker excuse the expression

Ben I've sort of drawn up a shopping list of things to go through and walk through but I want to start with if I can on a day that Dalton Smith's pulled out of his World Title Defence I want to start with Adam Azim Where are we with Adam Azim fights and whoever it's going to be and when might it be

and who's going to be screening it? Obviously he was due to fighting on January the 31st against Gustavo Lemossum had to pull out with an injury so it was horrible night for us because it was his first night on the BBC, obviously fought on Kurt Scobie, against Kurt Scobie on the U-Benton,

had a great performance there. It was good that night, wasn't it? Yeah, he was really good, yeah. And unfortunately he had to pull out with a hand injury week before, which was horrible for us. I mean, we went on with the show, but it was a big fight to lose

for the number two position in the IBA. Obviously, Richardson Hitchens, the champion has now vacated, which makes it even more important of a fight, because it's for him, one fight away. from a world title. And yeah, unfortunately,

Gustavo Lemos, who is contracted to fight and rescheduled the fight for May the 30th, as it appears to have pulled out and his manager and promoter are claiming innocence and they're going to drop him

and this and that, and no one can get hold of him. And so it's been very, very frustrating, but we will be replacing Gustave Lamos. We're about to announce the show. I don't want to affect the podcast

because I know the BBC want to announce it this week, the replacement opponent. And so Adam will be fighting on the BBC 2 at Wembley Arena in a big fight, but it won't be Gustavo Lemos unless something changes today.

And will it be May 30th or is that part of what the... May 30th, look, we're tight now, but the plan is it will be May 30th and it will be announced this week. Because it's odd with Adam as in. Back in 2022, and I'm really good on dates for a variety of reasons. The main one of the thing you and I were talking

about early on so I can remember certain things. There was a point in about, I don't know, October November, 2022, when it looked like Adam Azine was going to get a world title fight really quickly. That's now over three years ago. I know time flies, but that's ridiculous. He got to European titles, I think, the fastest in the UK.

I remember saying like that, yeah. It was phenomenal. It was absolutely phenomenal. I think people do forget. He's still only 23 years old. He has a training team and a management team who like to... How is he still only 23? Who likes to be very heavily involved in the fights that are chosen. And in fairness to them, they know what they're doing in terms of the right fights of the right times.

And every time that he's set up, they've been stepping up from Sergei Lippnets to obviously Kurt Skobie last time, who had caused fighters problems in the past. And was a hard man. Yeah, he's come through in flying colours. And so, look, the next step is the world title. it's a full world title. We wanted Gustavo Lemos to be the fight before the world title. Injuries happen.

Things slow him down, you know, outside of the ring. But as I say, he's still 23 years old. And I think hopefully this will be the fight before he does fight for a world title. And on a day when it was officially announced that Anthony Joshua will be returning to the ring after the hellacious crash he was involved in back in December, his fights on July 25th. But also on this day, it was officially announced him. in theory that it will fight Tyson Fury later this year or early next year, according to various Saudi Arabian sources,

and they tend to be correct on big fights like that. We have a version of that in some ways with Adam Azim and Doughton Smith, a fight where when was the first time it was discussed? It was at least four years ago. Now, Doughton's obviously gone on to Winterwell. Which he pulled out of us. Busy day a day, which he also pulled out. Yeah, yeah, Puello's pulled out.

And look, Dolan Smith against Adam Azim, it's the fight to make in the division. I think never mind just in Britain. I think in the division itself. I think it's a fight that's very close to happening. I think Dalton Smith, shame for him to pull out of his, I think, his first headline. First offence.

But it was a big show for him. Oh, big homecoming. It's perfect. Obviously, I had him fighting the week before and it could set up for a fight later in the year. So, look, I know it's a fight Eddie wants to make. I know it's a fight we want to make. I think it is the two best fighters in Britain. It's probably the two best in the world.

but as you said, it is sort of that AJ Fury, but it will happen at the right time in terms of both fighters will be at their peak. I think it's going to happen definitely within the next 12 months. So Adam is being 23 years old, Donn being current world champion. Hopefully it can be for a unification.

But yeah, it's always been the fight that we want to make and every fight in these a dance partner, particularly to become a pay-per-view star. And I think Adam and Dalton both dream of becoming a pay-per-view star, well, they need each other to do that, in my opinion. And also it would be one of those rarest of things.

We often get fights that we've waited for a long time if they come together. The key one, of course, is Floyd and Way River Manipakia. I came together far too late. And this one, it would be great if we did get it inside two years. Well, listen, I think it would be really, really, I'm talking near near future. I think in the next two or three fights,

I expect that to happen for Adam's Amezim. And yeah, I think it's a massive fight, and it's a fight that we've won it for a long time, but hopefully it can be for a unification, let's see. Yeah, and that would be even bigger for us. Let's drop down my shopping list in no particular order. Lauren Price, one of my favourite fighters. I did a lovely half an hour with her before her last fight down in Sheffield,

where she opened up, really opened up, and you got the sort of real sense of who Lauren is, and what's more, a real sense of Lauren's drive. I missed that show down there because I was working, pre-working for five live on a different show on the same night, and that was where Cloresa Shields showed up. And they got in the ring, and they had a bit of a chat, lots of respect being thrown from both of them.

And I wasn't sure, obviously, it looked good, visually looked good. But that is a real fight. I mean, it's the first time I've spoken to you about. This is something that is going to happen. Or in theory, it's going to happen. It's been talked about. Let's put it that way. Look, Clarissa Shields is, for me, I've promoted her a few times.

And I really have got to know her well over the past few years. She was probably one of my first big fights, that Shields Marshall fight. And she actually came over, fought in Cardiff, in that very real. earlier on the U-Bank William's car which was a great night great night and Clarissa came over and she was fantastic

always great about you I didn't actually know I felt like at that point we'd seen what she'd done in the amateurs and she'd become a world champion she was carrying women's boxing in the US I'd never seen a fight in the UK and I think that night

was flesh is the expression never seen her in the flesh and to see her that night was an experience she's a phenomenal fighter and then that led to Shields Marshall and she was a class of I think for me, when I signed Lauren, I always felt like she could be the one.

She could be the one fighter that could really give Clarissa Shields to run for the money. She's the Olympic gold medalist. She's never put her foot wrong. She can fight her multiple weights. And she's a phenomenal athlete. And so she's got to the point now in her career where she wants the biggest fights possible.

I believe it's the biggest fight in women's boxing, I believe two huge fan bases. And it's a fight that Lauren actually wants and there's not many fighters that would want a challenge like this. And Clarissa wants it too. So it was great that she was there in Cardiff. It made for a huge sign of intention from her. And for me, the two greatest female fighters on the planet.

And I genuinely believe that Lauren can beat Clarissa Shields. And we're actually in negotiations at the moment for Lauren to fight in August. Okay. And then fight Clarissa by the end of the year in a two-fight deal. In this country first or in America first? America first. Then back here. And then back here, hopefully, in the summer in Cardiff.

And where are we with weights? I know they both won Olympic middleweight titles, but Cloresa was always top of the weight, and Lauren, as you well know, was always bottom of the weight. How, what sort of difference are we talking about? Has that been discussed? Well, I've seen a lot of discussion around this and said, how can Lauren go and fight Clarissa at middleweight?

How can Clarissa, for me, come back down to middleways? Even near to middleweight. So the fact that we've been able to. agreed the fight at the 160 limit. Oh, okay. So that's agreed. Again, negotiators still back and forth on other elements. So I know Dmitri Salita, who's been Clarissa's

promoter for a long time, will want to wait until contracts assigned. But the 160 limit is agreed, and that's a huge, huge opportunity for Lauren. Lauren's won a gold medal at Middleway. People will say, oh, she's boxing at World's Way. I believe Lauren Price is best at Middleway,

and we're going to see that. And Clarissa, who's done her best work at Middleway, has had some fantastic nights at middleweight has to come back down and that's always difficult later in your career Is there a way that Michaela Maya who of course has been shouting for Lauren for a year or so Is there a way that she muddies the water

because she's been frying out all sorts of challenges to her close friend Cloressa? Listen, whoa. I don't want to sound like a soap pop but we've got to go through their names. I've seen comments from Michaela and we had to put them right in the end because it's a fire that Lawrence wanted

and we've tried to make for the past 12 months It's a undisputed fight That always made sense for Lauren We've done Michaela with Alicia Baumgart on it We've done Michaela with Natasha Jonas And it made perfect sense for us And so the reason that fight hasn't happened

Isn't because of Lauren Price And so I'm not going to talk badly about any fighter But that's just a fact And could that fight have happened in August Could it happen before the Shields fight? 100%. Absolutely But it doesn't look like

I have to say that they necessarily want Lauren Price, but Lauren will move to the biggest fight possible, and that one is Clarissa. Does it make things more difficult going forward, the new or they're growing, expanding MVP platform? So they've signed Michaela Mayer. They've signed just about everybody. There's only about half a dozen of the top women.

You've got a couple of them that aren't under their umbrella. What I would say is you speak to a lot of fighters, and this is a thing why boxing is a fragmented. but they want to be prioritised and they want to become stars. Yeah. And when I speak to Clarissa Shields about why she wants to remain independent

because she believes she's the best. She wants a team behind her to believe she's the best. Was Chantelle Cameron happy boxing on a Caroline Dubois and a card? Maybe it's a third fight on the card. Probably not. Third fight on the guard. You know, she's beating Katie Taylor.

Yeah. You know, she's been in the headline night. She's a legitimate big star. That's going to make it very difficult. Does Lauren Price want to be prioritized like the way she is? as the biggest fighter in the UK does Fran Hennessy want those

big nights as well and her name in lights you know they all do Sky Nicholson probably does with the matrim and so I think you are going to see that fighters that want to be promoted and prioritised by the promoters there will be fragmentation

that's always been the way in boxing and I think that's going to be very difficult for you know I've worked with a lot of female fighters and they they want to be, you know, they believe in themselves and they want to be the star. And I think that's going to be very difficult

to handle Savannah Marshall, you know, another one perhaps, you know, who wants the headline shows, who wants to be the star. And deserves to be the star. Absolutely. The two fights in theory, assuming everything can be worked out,

two fights in you and Demetri can sort it out, the Lauren Price two fight deal with Cloressa. Is there any kind of option for any truth to the room about an MMA third, fight? Or is that just... Honestly, I think that fight... I'm not sure where that came from. I'm just throwing it there.

Remember, so we had Savannah Marshall and Savannah, we sort of worked with the PFL for her to go and have a couple of MMA fights. So did it, Clarissa. And I was always convinced that fight was going to happen in MMA. They both gone down that route. For some reason, it didn't happen, which is crazy

because it would have been a great rematch, I guess. Can it happen in MMA? I don't know. Look, Lauren Price... It was more something Savannah was interested in it. I think for Lauren, you know, she wants to go down as the best female boxer out of this country, if not the world. She wants to cement her status in Wales. She wants to sell out stadiums for the first time. And she wants to create a legacy in boxing.

Yeah, and agreeing to fight Cloresa Shields is a massive... In the US. In the US is a massive sign of intent. Absolutely. In all fairness, Clarissa needs dance partners as well. Let's get this absolutely right. And that's one thing that will, Clarissa and a lot of detractors will always put,

well, you've never, no one's on your level. You know, no one, she runs, she's had to go up to heavyweight, she's been at light anyway, whatever, because ultimately those dance partners of that level don't exist. Well, Lauren Price is probably for someone like Clarissa, a breath of fresh air, you need legacies, you need rivalries to grow any sport.

Clarissa will recognise that, As much as she'll recognise, it's a huge challenge. Now, obviously, as much as I recognise, that going up is a terrific fight, but before that was maybe thought about and talked about, there'd been the news that Katie Taylor was looking for a dance partner. We've gone from the ridiculous to the sublime here. Was there ever any talk about Lauren,

in a sort of catch-rate fight with Katie Price, you know, this croak-bafing? Because the shopping list for Katie Taylor is quite ridiculous. There's like 79 fighters on it. Yeah, everyone's queuing up. And it's not an already cue. Let's be honest, I think they will want a fight that doesn't present risk. And that's got, Katie deserves that. At her stage in her career, she deserves that crowd partner.

And probably it makes sense for her to go out and have a celebratory fight. That means that Lauren Price will not be getting an invite to Dublin. And who can blame them. And there's lots of other women that won't be getting an invite as well. But no, I just want to ask, because it's one of those odd, the way. listen, it's a dream fight for Katie's a legend. Lauren looks at the way Katie is revered by fans in Ireland and has built that legacy and wants to do that in Wales.

So there's a lot of respect there. But, you know, would that be, have been a super fight? Unbelievable. But is it Katie Taylor's prerogative to have a less risky fight at this stage in the career? Probably. But you never know. No, listen. I asked anyway, just because I had to.

Let's go carry on down. And it's Callum Simpson. Yeah. Where are we? with Callum Simpson. So he, obviously, he activated his rematch clause against Troy Williamson.

He has had a little injury that's kept him out a bit longer than expected. It was talking of a June fight, wasn't it? It still possibly will be June. It won't be May, which was the date. We were looking at May. It would become a little too soon for us.

And would that in theory be on BBC? There's the option for it to go there. Obviously, the first fight was the BBC. We've got the Adamazine will be the next fight on the BBC. Which would make five shows. We'll make five shows on the BBC. But you only had a contract for four, as everyone told you. And so, yeah, look, that fight will happen.

It just won't happen in May. And we'll be announcing that date soon. And I know Troy's had a lot to say about it. But Callum will have his moment to put that right. Troy's had a lot to say about it. And you can see, you know, Troy's frustration. but then the business is a frustrating business. You know, it's a business where...

Ultimately... Things don't work. Ultimately, let's just remember. Callum gave him a huge payday, a fantastic opportunity to win all belts on a completely voluntary basis on the national broadcaster. And, of course, that came with a rematch clause.

So that's just what you sign up for. That's what you expect. And ultimately, he's going to get another massive payday, a bigger payday, and another big night, and probably the biggest fight out there, for him as well. So when it happens, great for Troy, when it happens, great for Callum.

Who knows? That fight, sort of got that trilogy feel to it. Okay, let me ask you about the Big Land. Martin Bacoli. Lots of he said, she said recently regarding Martin Bacoli. Where are we with your relationship with Big Martin at the moment? Well, listen, it's not...

The Big Ladders are calling. It's never been... These problems weren't caused necessarily by Martin. It's probably one of the first times I've been involved in a... in a situation like that. very upset, he's very sad. I remember signing Martin, and he couldn't get a fight, and he couldn't get an opportunity. No, I wanted to touch him. It was very frustrating, and people thought it was absolutely crazy for even bothering with the stress and the investment and everything with going down that route.

He was the bogey man. He was unavoided. And from then to where we got to now, and the huge opportunities that he's had and the opportunities that we've created, with Turkey Alice Shake as well for him and the big nights he's had in the big name he became in defeat but it was still big name and when he swallowed the wasp and nearly died?

Absolutely and yeah there's been a lot going on and to be honest we've always stuck by him and always supported it and always got in those opportunities and equally when he's not trained and hasn't come in the shape that we'd expect him to come in as a professional athlete and and

you know that creates criticism not just from the fans but also the organizers of the events and the co-promoters of yourself when you're pushing him and providing those fires it puts you in a very awkward position. But we continue to do it and we've had fights turned down since

and opportunities turn down since and people get involved as is the way in professional boxing that haven't been involved previously. I believe it will resolve itself because it has to. But yeah, very frustrating. You get to a point where you do favors

and you do this and you do that but ultimately when you know you've done right and you've done everything and you've changed his life, let's be honest when I met Martin he probably needed a few few quid now he doesn't, he's a multi-millionaire

living out dreams in the Congo with multiple businesses and maybe maybe those things are forgotten and so yeah I've got a lot of love for Martin Bacoli, it always will do and I'm sure we'll see him in the ring very soon and it's frustrating

that it's not on the May 23rd card because he had another great opportunity. He did. Let's stick with the big lads. I mean, Martin Bacoli is in a sort of league

of his own when it comes to the big lad. When you say the big lad, you know you talk about Martin Bacoli really, don't you? You know, even,

even, even, even if Tyson Fury and AJ's in the conversation, when you say the big lad, you know you mean Bacoli. But let's stick with a couple. Let's deal with Fraser Clark. Yeah.

Who's been with you from Olympic bronze and it's been a ridiculous roller coaster, I mean, if you just look at what's only about 12 fights now, it's quite absurd. It's crazy.

Who's had a career Listen, people talk about, you know, I was very active in the 70s watching boxing and I'm very, started working in the 80s. There's no one competes with what Fraser's had to do. A lot of pressure as an Olympian with a bronze medal. All those years as an Olympian as well, great talker. And it's been absolutely ridiculous. I know he lost last time out of Justice Houtney, but I thought, and I went and saw him in the dressing room afterwards, I thought that was his best performance in the 10-round defeat.

And it showed me a lot of hope for the future. I think the first performance against Fabio was a very good performance as well. Fabio says that's his hardest fight by the way. Hardest fight. 100% it was. And look, Fraser Clark, his talent is undeniable. His progression sometimes in his first 10th fights was a little questionable. I felt in terms of the talent that he had.

But then he had a huge, huge night against Fabio Wardley, where I believe he won. And then he had a couple of different. defeats and one was the Fabio Wardley one was a tough night for everyone involved because of the nature of the knackle and I think severity and the hospitalisation I think the one that he really was frustrated with and upset him was a Jamie TK fight fight for the live on BBC game and it was a split decision at the end of the day but he lost that fight and and and that was hard for him to stomach and so to go back to the drawing board after being written off after people saying he retire and go you know what

He had games gold medalist, all their European medals on us. He could have really said, I need a fight to get back. Absolutely. So could of Joe Gallagher, because he changed trainer, and it sort of transformed him. And Joe and him said, Justice Hooney, yeah, we'll take that fight. Bearing in mind, Justice Hooney is probably about eight years younger than him. Outboxed Fabio Wardley completely. For every second until he was knocked out.

Until he was not out. And has a phenomenal amateur record as well. and we all go on about how good a boxer Fraser is. Well, Justice Hooney is a very, very good boxer. So to accept him on three months notice, having just come off the back of the Jamie TKV fight, which is a night he'll remember forever for the wrong reasons, deserves a huge amount of credit.

And for him to come in that shape, with that mentality, with all the demons that we spoke about, that he'll have been carrying into that fight, with all the pressure that it comes with that as well, because that could have been a really, really bad night. People definitely would have been calling for the end of his career. Absolutely. Had that gone wrong.

Yeah, absolutely. But it was a phenomenal performance. I really believe that. I thought Justice was good. I thought Fraser was good. It was nipp and tug. He could have won that fight. Had he not had a few demons and a few things he was going...

Working through things. You could see his mind working as it was boxing. Exactly. I think two fights on in his progression with Joe Gallagher, he wins that fight comfortably. But I saw enough. And I think the world saw enough. I'm with you.

I think boxing fans saw enough and go, you know what? Fraser Clock is a very talented fighter. and a couple more fights he's going to be a force in the heavyweight division and credit to him because he takes every single fight

he takes losses on the chin he takes draws on the chin he's loyal to a fault which may be why it's taken him in a while to make that move to Joe Gallagher and that's no disrespect to anyone because sometimes

just change is needed in any situation he's a great guy as well and he's been through it and it's great to see that his career has been reunited with that performance I'm excited to see what he can do now which is.

might sound odd on a series of defeats and the way it's been, but he is on the cusp of a couple of fights away, but then that's a pedigree thing. We mentioned Jamie TKV then, now he lost his British daughter, the one he wants to, Richard React, Paul. Now, I think I may be fancied React Paul going in,

but boy, oh boy, that was an impressive performance at Spurs. Yeah, look... On the Tyson Fury Undercard. People said to me, that's a win-win for you, and I had to say, no, I genuinely believe it's a lose-lose, because Richard was actually the first poster I ever signed

and I was about I was about 26 and he was about 32 and I felt like what's going on me? He's been 32 for a few years now if you don't mind me saying it either and there, no it was probably yeah he was he was about 30 yeah exactly yeah but he was

he was always a phenomenal athlete but he was a cruise away and he had a long long career cruise away I did really well and we Got into that world title. Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace and he had these... Who he'd already beaten earlier? Correct.

And I think it was just too long at Career's Weight Division. And look, I knew when he came up, he was going to be a force. Jamie TKV had been with me since debut. So it was two boys that had known really for a long time. And Jamie had had a loss in his early career and he'd come back from that and he'd gone on. And he outboxed for me, David Adelaide. And they ordered a rematch after a terrible night from the judge. then beat Fraser Clark

against all lads and he was sort of the bogey man at that British level Johnny Fisher got offered to buy him Dave Alan got offered to time no one wanted to fire Jamie TKB because he's a phenomenal he really is a phenomenal fight and he can cause your problems Richard React poor I think from about the second or third round

a couple of jabs in I think I spoke to Jamie and his team he'd never felt power like that you know and he's been in with he's been in with a lot Some heavy, you know, and maybe on another night, had he had a different, who knows,

Richard Riyapol's power is, is, is quite scary. I don't think people should overlook just how impressive that win was. I thought that was a really good win. Yeah, and we'd had two fights with him at heavyweight and he plastered away his opponents. Yeah. And it was almost like, right, this is, this is your real test, Richard.

Are you a real heavyweight? And he sort of passed it with flying covers. I think he is real, yeah. I spoke to him afterwards. I got him down in the dressing of him straight after, and he seemed in a bit of shock. Not shock, but like, it was like really, you know, when fighters, you know what I mean, but sometimes they're really impressed with what they've done.

And that ball is on, I didn't think I was going to do it that good or that well. I think it's opened his eyes to saying, you know what? Bingo. I might be as good as people have said. Also, I'm going to be a serious problem in the heavyweight division. Because I can think of very few fighters that I'd be confident about being richer. He's taken pretty much no damage in his career. He eats well, he trains well, he lives well, he looks phenomenal.

He's put out on a huge amount of weight, and he's got power in both hands. And he's a very good boxer. Yeah, by the way, yeah. He's a very good boxer. And so, yeah, he's going to be a huge force. I think we have a new big addition to the world heavyweight scene. And just finally, Ben, I've gone through all the fighters that have question marks over. And this guy, there's no question mark over.

He lives well, he bangs well. Great as Krauss. You've got a real soft spot from him, haven't you? I like it. He's boxing on May the 9th. It's our first show in Holland on video land. He's selling out arenas all ready for us there. He boxed on the BBC show with Fran Hennessy

and blew away Boris Crighton, and I've had Boris on shows plenty of times. He's a tough boy. He boxed Southpour just to try out Southpour, which many fighters can't do. But, no, I just think he'll be a huge problem in the light heavyweight division. I don't think I've ever had a more talented fighter. Wow.

He's with Peter Fury. He's still extremely young. But, yeah, for me, is the next star of the light heavyweight scene. I think he will go on to be a unified world champion. And hopefully people will tune in on May the 9th. And as a preco, sir, to his stable mate, to his... Rika Vero, what? Yeah.

Who fights? May 23rd, Final had pyramids against... I guess, Oli-Zan Ousick. Exactly. So, yeah, close to that camp and Rico would be there on the night, and Peter's got a busy two weeks ahead of him from nowhere. And, yeah, it's going to be an interesting time. Listen, Ben, thank you for answering so many questions, and especially answering them when it's only been 16, 17 hours since you've finished, you stagged doing Belfast. Maybe less. Listen, Ben, listen, thanks for this weekend, by the way, is a massive weekend. And next Monday, I'm going to be going to be going. through it in detail with Barry Jones. Now, if you're wondering why we haven't dealt with any of the

fights, it's because we're not going to be at any of the fights, so we're not going to deal with them that way. But actually, I am going to be. I'm going to be in Wolverhampton at the Civic Centre for Sam McGintin against Connor Walker, made at 153 pounds. That's the type of fire I love, is the type of fire I'd go to as a fan. Where I'd really like to be is with 55,000 Japanese fans inside the Tokyo Dome for unbeaten, Juntoe. Nakatini against Nao Anui. I think they've had between them something like 37 world title fights. And I think they've stopped something like 32 of the opponents in those world title fights. They're unbelievable. That's a superbantam. That's an incredible fight. And at the same time,

T-Mobile, Cinque de Maia used to belong to Canelo, no more. Does it belong to Guilberto Ramirez or will it belong to David Benavides? That's the big fight there. What a weekend of fights. What a day of news has been. AJ's back on July the 25th. Martin Smith's not fighting on June the 6. Ben Chalams outlined everything perfectly about what's going on. I've been Steve Bunsen. This has been Five Live boxing. Five Live Sports.

So here's the first ball of this series. All the cricket you laugh. Lives on BBC sounds. Smash straight back down the ground. This girl. Here ball by ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits. It's a ball cricket and it's the huge one.

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