5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - One of the Biggest Events in Women's Boxing

Episode Date: August 3, 2026

Is there a bigger fight in women's boxing than Mikaela Mayer v Chantelle Cameron? The pair top the MVP UK v USA card in Birmingham later this month, and former undisputed world champion Ellie Scotney joins Buncey to preview the huge night. She also reveals the rather extravagant gift Jake Paul has bought her. We also hear from Skye Nicolson after her move to the MVP stable and her addition to the Birmingham card. Caroline Dubois explains why she's swapped trainer Shane McGuigan for Manny Robles, while Mikaela Mayer, Chantelle Cameron and MVP co-founder Nikisa Bidarian all join the pod to look ahead to one of the biggest events in women's boxing this year.

This is Five Live Boxing. So last week we got news that MVP, the people that basically run women's boxing, we're having a massive press conference in the shadow of London Bridge, so we went along. And that was going to be a perfectly good conference. They got a massive show come up on August 29th with a couple of world title fights involving some of the very best British boxers. And then there was a bombshell when we got there. Then there was another bombshell when we got there.

It was a sensational day. I'm Steve Bunce and this is Five Live Boxing. boxing. So the show's on August 29th in Birmingham. It's a massive bill and the way they're going at MVP, who knows will be added to it. Now, because you might be next. No, because so many people I've used in the past were on that stage. Women I've sat with, women I've sat ringside with, women I've travelled around the world with, women who have been on the pod, been on the shows, and everywhere, there was only one person we could possibly get. So after nine and a half hours of live broadcasting on Sky, we've finally got the former, undisputed, Super Bantonweight Champion

of the World all the way from Catford, Ellie Scotland. First of all, Ellie, could I just say, you're improperly in demand today at this press conference, you know what? When you said nine hours of television, I was going to say nine hours of negotiating, because we ain't named the price yet for this. For this? Whatever Barry gets our one. Oh, easy.

There's no need to bring Barry Jones in a conversation. Just by mentioning his name he'll want 50 quid. I'm not sure where to start I tell what we do forget the fights that were definitely taking place on August 29 forget the arrival of Sky Nicholston

we'll do a bit of that in a second first of I'm going to ask you where are you going what are you doing I know but you can't tell me so I will I'm demanding to know what are you doing then? Yeah do you know currently today What do you know?

Yeah what do I know I know that my next fight is Tiar Brown and yeah it will be we're trying to get on this show but I was told it didn't, you know, great terms because it would have fitted perfectly, I believe. So she's got what, one or two times? She's got the WBC, yeah. Which, of course, she won off of Skynexamson.

Of Skynexon of they just added to the branch. Who, of course, lives and trains all within about a three-mile radius of where you live. And she's from UK now. She's never even been in Australia. It turns out, turns out she's in English. It'll be in America. Yeah, in America, wayday. You've got no problem with that, because Dior was not bringing thousands to the desks to the table, is she?

Fat and wise. You know, I just feel like one thing I have not done in my career is gone over to the backyard and beating a champion. So I thought there's one thing to do at a new weight. My biggest fight in my, I believe, my hardest opponent, I want to do that next. And happy with the extra four pounds? Oh, so happy. I never smiled so much. It is ridiculous, isn't it?

You know, that you guys can you just put on four pounds. It's just you don't have to lose another four. Some of it's in your head as well. I love that. The idea you've got this extra weight that you can play with. The haircut was the first of making 122. So at least I know I ain't going to ever matching one of you soon. Listen, if I grew my hair, I'd go out of it.

It could be worse like Barry. Oh, there's no, leave Barry out of it. Every time you mention this, it's a 15 quid. Yeah, the glare come off. He's real more than me. Right, so, there are plenty of places we can go, but there's one thing I've got to do. I'm reminded of it, because I'm just thinking about Sky Nichols

and being outside in the car, it wasn't your car, but it was a murk. Now, I'm reliably entitled that after Jake Paul and Nekisa Baderian promised you a car, because they found out you took you three hours to get to and from McGuiggins' Gym, you do now have a car. Is it mean, is it parked outside the house and what is it?

And have you even had a lesson yet? Yeah, listen, I think there's more times you're getting your licence for me at this rate. He's giving me sick way, he's not got a license. We're neck and neck. We are neck and neck. So I've got a GLC.

It's beautiful and the most elething to do is get a car before you get a license, right? Yeah, it's a very elegant. It wouldn't be a beat without doing that. So got the car. I've got the L plates on, so they're probably looking thinking, I only bought her a car, but Jake pulled in there.

Have you actually learned here? Yeah, yeah. I've got my test book. You've got your test book? Yeah, that's such a long way. Have you done your theory yet? Done my theory. I passed it first time.

Can you believe that? No, when you're, when I'm intrigued by this, obviously because I don't drive, it's like no secret because you keep telling people, you know I keep claiming mileage and places. So have you, I wish I had a freedom pass one day. He's not signed up yet. There we go. There we go. Exactly.

So, so quite, quite seriously, have you take, has it been beautiful to driving? Do you like it? Have you fallen in love with it? I don't like driving. Oh, I knew she was going to say there. Did you know that was coming? Yeah, of course I knew it was coming. I sit so quiet.

I'm the same. We're not, like, 20, 30 years ago. I hate it. The pressure, you're going for a fight. I was like, it's different. I don't like it. I'm, let everyone go past the road, so.

Okay, so Tierra Brown, September, October. She's got a brand new car. She's taking less, and she's past her theory. Let's move on. Outside in another big black Merck War, Sky Nicholson. A bit of a shock. When did you know Sky was coming over to MVP?

I knew. I knew when you knew. So it was the announcement was the announcement for everyone. And, of course, she's dropped down, and she's got one. of your belts. She got, yeah, the emailed the WBC,

so she's, I think she's fighting. Mia Yashida. Yes. On this bill? On this bill? On the 29, added to it.

There will be a fight between you and her at some stage, she said hopefully. Is that still possibly still talking about it? I feel like, you've seen the way my career's gone. I've always said integrity. You know, I've chased the big fights and becoming undisputed was part of that.

I've done that, and I've now moved up and I'm now fighting Teara Brown who beats Sky Nicholson. And that's a good storyline, isn't it? Yeah, to me it's always about, you know, fighting whoever's the number one at the way I'm in, and that's 126, and couldn't get Sorano. And Tiara Brown's a great fighter,

and I'm loving and looking forward to, you know, getting that announced fully and then going over there. Well, Serrano could be something down the line, couldn't it? She's got to be looking like Katie Taylor did recently. She's got to be looking for her dance partner for one final Madison Square Garden Joln, 21,000, 21,000, Puerto Ricans, and out walks Ellie Scotany

with a heartbeat working. 10 people from Catford and Bunce. Heartbeat barely going because that's how controlled you but you take Serrano and a heartbeat wouldn't you? Honestly, when you tell me your dream fight you know, the legacy that Serrano is built for us

and I always say like she carries it more than what she does in the ring but the person like I'd love to show the room with her and I've spoke to MVP but again all eyes are on Tierra that's a hard fight. Yeah, a really hard fight. You know, I would love the Serrano fight. I'm delighted you got that and I'm not

I've always been of the belief the better your opposition, the better your be, the scrappier and tougher the opposition. And you had a couple of those on the way through. The harder they are, as they say, in the trade. I suppose we've got to talk about the fights.

We will hear from all of the boxes. So, not all of the boxes, the boxers in the main event as we go on, as we push on. And we'll also speak to hopefully grab a word with Sky. But I spoke to Nekisha Bidarian, who's the boss at, or he's the partners with Jake Paul.

at MVP, just about the whole thing. And also, more than that, just how he managed to keep Sky Nicholson outside in the boiling heat in a car. Sky's now doing light flyweight. I put that to him. I didn't, actually, but he was in a good mood. It's been a great morning for women's boxing.

It's not really about us. It's about the fighters. I appreciate Eddie Hearn, Mattstrom, and Desone, seeing what we've built with MVPW and wanting to work with us. And for Sky Nicholson, she's built a great name, brand reputation in the sport.

We've obviously had our back and forth, not just myself, with some of our fighters. That's what the sport is about. It's about creating conversation, creating engagement, and I'm excited to have her as a part of this table. And listen, you've got plenty of fighters on this top table here and other fighters that aren't on this building that have got that star quality. But Sky, unmistakably, does have that star quality. And she's shown in the ring. She's got all other qualities as well.

I think she's a terrific signing for you. We're excited about it, and she's young enough in the sport where the, There's lots to climb together. She represents Australia, which is a great sports market. We have two other champions from there, and we have Ebony Bridges. And she's part English, part Scottish, so she fits this card perfectly. Yeah, absolutely. So let's talk a little bit about the fighters that were on the top table.

Chantel Cameron, one of the very finest boxers and women's boxing. Michaela Mayer, one of the very finest box. Chantel Cameron is one of the greatest boxers of all time. When you look at Katie Taylor and say she's one of the goats, Chantelle Cameron is one of the goats. People do not give this athlete the credit that she deserves, but we do. Yeah, I think, and she's really at peace at a moment, but one of the things throughout her career is that she maybe hasn't stepped forward to take the credit.

She's been quite happy with coming along, taking her kit out, getting changed, fighting, and leaving, getting back on a train and going home. And that was when she was defending world titles. No, but listen, this is one of the goats, one of the goats right here. This is one of the goats. So she has to take the credit because she is one of the best. And Michaela Mayer, Yeah, she's done a great job of helping, not carrying, that's too strong a word,

but maybe even carrying boxing in America. I think she's been fantastic for women's boxing in America. She's, look, Olympic pedigree, entertaining fighter, been on ESPN before we got on ESPN, and great spokesperson, exciting style, so yeah, it's great to have her. And for her to not blink at coming to the UK when we suggested it, kudos to her, shows you what kind of belief she has in herself. And of course, we've revealed here today that, as I call it, California Caroline Dubois, CCD,

which is not... Did you see the mind games there? No, did I ever? Amelia Moore was saying, I know you've been in L.A. We've been watching. It's your cap. We've known for a long while. You guys haven't known, but we have known.

Listen, I mean, I'm quite... I like the Amelia's situation with Caroline. I think it's a tough fight. It's a much tougher fight than people think. Exactly. Because that pedigree, won Olympics, nearly a second. Serious athlete too. And a serious athlete.

I get that impression. But I'm looking at Caroline, and I don't want to jump ahead of myself, but she looks like, you know, talk about star quality of sky. Oh, man. Caroline just looks ready to fight anybody over about a four-weight period.

No, I mean, she could be the female Muhammad Ali, the way that she presents, the way that she expresses her thoughts and her performances in the ring have been great, and now I want them to be spectacular. Yeah, just at one stuff. And I wouldn't be doing my job

if I didn't ask you a final question about your partner, Jake. Obviously, I'm assuming he's made a great recovery from the jaw from the operation, which was a lot tricky than we maybe fought at a time. How are we? Look, he broke his jaw in two places, right? And he didn't slow down.

He was enjoying life, traveling the world, snowboarding, when you shouldn't have been talking? Snowboarding, jumping out of planes and helic, I mean, just crazy stuff. So never really gave himself the proper, like eight weeks afterwards, but his jaw's in a great place, expectation continues to be

either end of this year or very, very early next year, he'll be back in the ring. Yeah, back in the ring. Nikita, this is a delight talking to you. Thank you. It's a pleasure. Always talking to you. Appreciate you.

And this will be here. Well, this is, you know, I thought it was a good line up already. I like somebody, for women that weren't on the stage here and then revealing the sky. Are there any more that you're going to reveal? Are there athletes?

Yeah, no, the British Boxers. Is there anyone else coming over? Maybe. Maybe. We're working on it. There's still a couple left. There is indeed. If they're free agents or if their promoters want to talk about them becoming MVP athletes, we'd love to do it.

So during the Nekisa Badarian interview, we got kicked out of the venue. I always get kicked out. In fact, in Las Vegas, I'm famous for getting kicked out all the way to the street. Well, that didn't happen all the way to the street. I chose to come out to the street. I've lost Ellie again. I have no idea where she is, but I will get her back. Meanwhile, we talked momentarily there, briefly there about Sky Nicholson.

We can hear from Sky Nicholson now. And I've got to tell you, she looked a bit flush from sitting in a fancy black murk for six and a half hours, gently cooking. It was the big reveal, so I understood why we had to stay in the car. I had to duck when I saw Uncle Bunce having a little peek around the corner. I was making that. I didn't see you in the back of the car. But I did blow you a kiss, so I didn't see it. Oh, waste a wasted, wasted kids.

I think Sam quarter on his cheek. I suppose this was inevitable in some ways, especially as it involves the kind of match room working alongside MVP. So it's not like you've left Matrim. No. It's just they're still in charge. And you're over here with MPP as well. Explain how it's going to work.

Yeah, I feel it's a move that was never going to happen unless Matron were involved, obviously. I'm very loyal. They've been the main drivers of my career, obviously, right from debut. So I'm just really, really grateful that MVP and Mattron. have decided to come together and help create this pathway so that we can make the biggest fights, we can be in the legacy fights, we can unify the division. It was going to be very hard to do all these things without working with MVP. So for me, it was a no-brainer for my career and where we're at right now. I mean, I can't even begin to calculate how many fights there are

available to you over, say, a six or seven pound. It's half a dozen big fights and with rematches, basically it's the next five years of your life. Exactly. I feel like all of the big fights that we want and that we've been chasing, they're involved with MVP. So for me, it just, it made complete sense. It wasn't just a no-brainer. It was the right move for my career to be able to propel my career in the direction that we wanted to go. And a world title defence on the 29th of August.

So obviously, you didn't find out about that yesterday, did you? No, so that fight was originally happening with matchroom. So that was on a matchroom card that was scheduled for September 4th. So it's obviously I'm coming out a week earlier now, which I'm excited for. So, yeah, I'm excited for that fight. She's a two-way, three-time world champion herself, a great proven fighter. And I think that's what's going to bring out the best in me. And it's the start of a new chapter and a new journey.

Are you, I mean, you've always been fairly happy. Are you maybe the calmest and happiest you've been? You just seem really calm and really focused and really relaxed, sky. Yeah, look, 2025 was a little bit turbulent. obviously didn't start off the way we'd kind of planned for 2025 to go so there was the Sky 2.0, the rebuild and obviously being back now as world champion in a new weight division, I do.

I feel really happy. I feel I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. I feel like everything's happened the way it's happened for a reason and now those legacy fights, those big fights that I've been chasing since I was 4 and 0, they feel within hands reach now. They don't feel like impossible fights to make anymore. and that excites me.

That's what I've always wanted. And then you can move back up in weight, you can keep on going up in weight. For sure. I don't expect you to do what Michaela's done and go up to a super well to wait. No, I don't have the hype Michaela has for that. But off towards it at least.

No, for sure. I've always said going down to 122 did not ever for a second mean I wasn't going to go back to 126. I'm always going to be open to the big fights at 126. I've been very vocal about wanting the Serrano fight that has not changed at all. That's still there, isn't it? I think now it's more, more than ever a chance that it could possibly happen.

Obviously, the Tiara Brown rematch. Yeah. Always going to want that. Ellie's moved up to 126. Yeah. So there's definitely going to be fights, not just at 122, but at 126, potentially 130 as well. You know Amanda Serrano, you could get Amanda Serrano's version of Katie Taylor's Croke Park goodbye, couldn't you? In Puerto Rico.

In Puerto Rico. Or even Madison Square Garda, which would be little Puerto Rico on the night. Let's make it happen. And finally, just remind me what channel you'll be boxing on, just in case it's a catchy phrase that we can use in the future. Sky on Sky. What a time for Sky's MVP debut to be live on Sky. Sky on Sky Sports.

How long have we been waiting for that? Do you know there's dozens of men and women wandering around here saying, I was going to use that? Did none of the media think that perhaps you guys might use it anyway? Anyway, that's not been there. Sky, congratulations on your deal. Thank you so much. See you in the week in all.

August in Birmingham. It's a pleasure always to talk to you. Cannot wait. Thank you. Ellie, we're going to move on now. We've done Nick Nicky. So we've done Sky Nicholson. We've talked about them.

We've talked about you. I want to talk about some other news that came out today. In addition to Sky Nicholson being outside in the car, another little bit of news came out. And that was that a gym mate of yours, Caroline Dubois. It's no longer going to be trained by Shane McGreg. And you're going to be based in California and trained by Manny Robles.

Did you know about it? Or did you know about it? Yeah, yeah, no. It's still a big move. She's still going to be managed by the McGregan group. It will always, you know, always be one of her biggest supporters. You know, I always say, like, the human that's changed in the time, like you've seen the growth of Caroline, not just within the ring, but outside.

I'm recognisable. It's been, like, a girl used to be called Caroline Dubois a few, about five years ago, doesn't she? It's amazing, and you know that in yourself. It's not just the fighter that's really grown. She's blossomed. She's blossomed. She's always been a person. If she feels something, she goes with it.

And I feel like, you know, she had a great career, become, you know, unified and you know she feels like it's time to move on to branch all the way out to America get a different eye and I feel like she's on her way to even more great and I know that you know the cynic in me says no splits like this are happy no splits like this happy but this one might just not be the one might just be the one I spoke to Jamie Grigg and he said no Steve it's perfectly okay it's been discussed you know we're still going to be controlling her you know management wise and you know Shane and her reached a understanding they're talking and she's just understanding they're talking and

She praised Shane nonstop. Anyway, she caught up with what's or rather. She sat down with BBC's Cal Sajadha to have a little run through it. Now, it was no need for me to do this interview because Cal gets straight in at the top, works his way through, from A to D. Have a little listen. Thanks very much.

Caroline, there's only one place to start. You've parted company with Shane McGuigan. Can just talk close through that? Yeah, like, I mean, I'll start off just saying this. I had a phenomenal time with Shane. There's been no bitterness, no breakup, no clash or rift. It's more of a mutual, you know, and understanding that, like, I'm leaving Shane becoming the unified war champion like.

I've announced myself onto the women's boxing stage, and I'm so happy and proud of that. And I feel like we've done phenomenal together, and I'm just so happy and thankful the time, the effort given and put into me by him. And, yeah, proud of the journey, to be honest. But right now I just feel like that next level, I always say I'm on a quest for greatness and I would do whatever it takes to get there. And I feel like this is that next step that I need to help me just continue to progress,

to continue to never get stale, never get complacent, never to believe the hype, just continue to develop, to push myself. And that starts with change, you know, that changes the catalyst for that. Development is very important. And I'm excited for the journey. I'm excited for the next step. And so far, it's been a good one. Such an interesting point because so quickly people will point to,

oh, there must have been some bad breakup, but you're not spoken. Sometimes that happens, obviously, a lot of the times when people lose and then they leave and they want to blame someone and they want to throw someone under the bus. But, you know, I never left Shane on a loss. We left on a wait. Like, we did good and I'm so happy and proud. So there's no bad blood in that sense.

And at the end of the day, it's, I think if ego gets in the way and you feel like, you know, someone owes you something or you're tied to someone to the hip and they must remain forever in that stagnant state, then that's when problems start. But growth and development, the way I am now is not the same person I was when I was 21. What I needed at 21 isn't what I need now.

What I need now isn't what I'm gonna need when I'm 30 years old. So we must continue to develop, continue to grow, continue to learn. Boxing is a sport where once you stop learning, you need to be out. And you see that all the time, so it's just about that quest

and I will take, do whatever it takes to get there. In terms of that development and growth, what kind of role has MVP, Nikisa, Jake Paul, had on your development, on your growth? You know, they've, again, helped me get to that next level. You know, signing with them off the back of Sky Sports and Boxer, it's about level changes and level development and I'm constantly doing that.

I feel like they have signed some of the best women in boxing and I want to be involved in the best, the biggest, the most important fights in boxing. So that's that step that I need to take, and we're there, we're here now. So it's obviously the depth of the stable. Day to day, what have they done in terms of Jake Paul's profile and MVP the way they put their fighter first approach?

What have they done to help you grow outside of the ring? You know, they've put me in a lot of good rooms, they've put me in a lot of good places, connecting me with a lot of good people. And Jake, obviously, he brings that whole social influencer dynamic into the things. And I remember I was speaking to him in El Paso, Texas, at Stephanie Hahn-Hawley-Hon fight,

and he was giving me some tips and some pointers on big fights that I want to do and how I should help, how I should build these fights and not to let my ego be so big that I feel like I'm above that. And at the end of the day, it's always about entertainment. We're entertainers. That's what we are. That's why we get paid to step into the ring and entertain people.

So it's always good to get that insight from someone who's technically outside of the sport. He's got that fresh mindset. and MVP, they've got that on lock and it's really good to be a part of that. We see him buying Ellie Scotney a car. And on the surface, you know, it's fun, it's great. But it also shows about the viral moment

creating those moments as well, right? For sure, for sure. I mean, Jake Paul is the support of women and he, you know, him and Ellie, they've got good connection and she was able to tell him what was happening with her and he instantly was like, I want to help you.

That's the type of person he is and then you capture it. It's a good moment. It's a good moment to show people like we're here to support the fighters and he's always here for the fires. You look back at when you were fighting at I think it was a Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield

and I think, you know, I think it's fair to say there's probably about 1,000 fans there and then you go to Miami and you're fighting, you know, on the undercard of Jake Paul and Aunt and Tilly Joshua just describe that journey

and how quickly it's happened. No, it's very surreal. You know, I can look even further back I remember my first amateur fight in Camden and think about those moments, thinking about walking into the gym when I was nine years old at Repton in Bethnal Green, and now I'm fighting there,

and I'm talking about headlining here, and I'm talking about fighting on Netflix, and I'm talking about being involved in the biggest fights in women's boxing. It's a crazy journey, and when you actually take the time to sit back and reflect, it really shows you the power of the mind, the power of dreams,

the power of saying you're going to do something and actually doing it. It's very powerful. And that dream is to become undisputed in not just one, two, maybe three weight classes. Of course. I'm on a quest for greatness. I always say it. I feel like that's going to be my thing now. Like, that's the dream. Greatness. I want to see what it looks like. I want to see what it tastes like. I want to see what it feels like. When you walk into a room, you say, that person is great. I want to have that. So Caroline Dubrida and Cal Sajad, thanks very much, Cal. Thanks very much indeed, Caroline. Sounding, as you say, almost like a different person than a woman we had two and three and four years ago. Well, I'm a lot. I was hoping this pod. I just thought this pot would be really simple.

You get Ellie Scornney. Then you talk about Michaela Meyer and you talk about Shantel Cameron. We've been on air about 25 minutes. We've not even talked about the main event. I know. I've got help with this delivery, I reckon. I'll charge them, though.

Hey, on the subject to charging, you've got about five loads here. You've got Sky TV, SkyPod. You've got our pod. I need you as my manager, don't you? No, you don't need you as your manager. Don't even say that on air. Don't even say that off air.

I think Michaela Meyer and Shantel Cameron for a couple of Michaela Mayer's super well to weight, which is the old light middleweight belt. I like this fight. I love it. I like this fight a lot. And Michaela talked in the conference. We'll hear from her in a moment about how this has to be a good fight.

And surely it does. It can't not be. Absolutely. Can I talk now? I'll just go over there. He's leaving me. I feel like... That would be a cold day in hell, wasn't it?

I've said it's a fight that could have happened at 1-3-5 all the way to 1-4-8 because it is a catch-weight. They're fighting at that. They've agreed at that. So it's just, just explain to people. The world to weight limit is 147 pounds. And then the weight that the belts actually held out is 154. So they've agreed they catch weight.

Because neither of them. Neither of my one. No, exactly. One's a 140. It's all about opportunities, right? It's all about opportunities, you've got to take it. But I generally believe it's a fight of all ages as well. And I feel like it will be a fight that will look back

because not just fight at the year, but one of the best fights women's boxing is delivered. You can't put them in a ring and it not catch fire. No, I agree. If they're going to tell you they're both going to, you know, jab and move around their life. In all fairness, we're going to, I tell what, don't worry about that. Let's hear from Michaela Meyer, because you may have, no wonder you heard the interview.

Let's have a little lesson to what Michaela Mayer told me 15 minutes ago. Michaela, everyone talking, first of all, great to see. Everyone's talking about, well, you know, will you come back here because you've lost too tight decisions here? That's just the way the boxing business work. That's not nothing to do with Britain. It's just the way it works. It could happen anywhere. Absolutely.

I can see why people would get traumatized, though, you know, and try and, you know, keep it in their backyard. I've never been a scared fighter. I've never been scared person. I go and I take chances and I do what I got to do. Yeah, exactly. Michaela Mayer is not scared of. She'll fight anywhere or any time. It's as simple as that.

And I'm not superstitious. And actually, three could be the charm. It could be the charm. Now, Shantel Cameron, you know exactly what Shantel Cameron does. She's not going to suddenly come out and do something you've never seen before. And you talked about it being a potential fight at year.

In fact, you went as far as late. It will be fight at a year. for women's boxing. I kind of agree with you. And just what you said, we know what Shantel's going to do. But if you look at my last few fights, I'm developing still. So I don't think she knows what I'm going to do. I don't even know what I'm going to do.

Do you feel that you're getting better? I'm getting better and better. So I have, and I felt it each time I steps in the ring. The two Sandy fights and the Mary Spencer fight, I don't even know what version is going to come out of me this fight. but I know it's going to be better than the last. I just don't know how much better, so I know she can't prepare for it.

So we might not get Michaela Meyer M.M. against Chantel Cameron-C-C-C., in a little four-foot square space. We might actually get a moving fight, you being mobile. We might see a different Michaela Meyer. Hey, I'm not going to sit there and say, you hit me now, I hit you.

You have in the past, though? I have in the past, exactly. And they've been great events. They have been great. So in moments, yes. You're going to have that in moments just because that's me and Chantel are fighters. But I think it's going to be more one-sided than you guys think.

And I'm not going to let it go back and forth. And assuming you get past Chantelle, that she has a rematch clause, you have a rematch clause, and it could be a second fight. But if there isn't a second fight, even if there is a second fight, there's a lot of big fights in women's boxing, especially for women like you were prepared to move up and down,

six, seven, eight, nine, ten or twelve pounds. There's 15 fights going forward, and half of them against people on the top table. I know, I know. And even going to 160 is an option for someone like Clarissa. Am I a 160 pound or no? Am I a 154 pounder? No, not really.

I'm probably a good 147 pounder. But I'm willing to do what I have to do, you know, to go get the fights done. Could that Clarissa fight? Is that still bubbling under? Is that still bubbling over, rather? Is that still a possibility if she can get down to 160? Well, yeah, because they just announced the fight with her and Kay Scott at 160. So she's made her way down.

It's happening in August 15th. So I'm happy for that because at least we're one step closer. But so you're saying it's still alive in theory? Yeah. Oh, it's still happening. August 15th, that 160 for Kay Scott's titles. But you've been around her so often over the years. I've seen you embrace her. Not very often over the years anymore. Just when I see it at fights? Yeah, when we see each other at fights, you know, I don't know much about her personal life anymore.

And I'll always have so much respect for her. We're Olympic sisters forever. But, hey, we got to do what we got to do. And it would be enormous business. Did you expect to call maybe an inquiry about being part of Katie Taylor's last dance, close your eyes 80,000 people you're the baddie you're not really a baddie

you'd be the baddie coming out did you would you have liked the call at least on an inquiry there was a part of me that was hoping maybe I would get the call but you know

I wasn't holding my breath I don't know she can choose who she wants to fight at this point but I didn't get the call so I was a little bummed about that because I always wanted to fight Katie Taylor

out of respect like I've always wanted that fight all of us did yeah all of you did and looking at Chantelle I was looking at her over there, looking at body language. She's a calmer beast than she used to be. You know, like Chantel, that calmer and who fought those two dramatic fights with Katie Taylor,

she may not be here anymore. She may be a smarter woman these days. We'll see, you know, I don't think, I think that she was her strongest at 140 in that first fight against Katie Taylor. This fights at 154, but I did agree to meet her at 148. She doesn't feel like a 54-pounder, but neither am I. And I don't want any excuses at the end saying, oh, that's not my weight class. I was too small.

You don't do excuses. Now, I've got to ask you another question about away from the boxing. There's something else I love about you. And that's the amount of dogs. Every time I see a picture of you, you've got a new dog in tow. One's got one eye, one's got one leg. One's lost its tail. One's lost that.

How many have you got at the moment? I'm minus one. All rescues. But I'm minus one now. I'm down to two. It's okay. I got her when she was old. I asked for the oldest dog in the pound, gave her the last few years of her life.

and she went peacefully. You were okay with that, weren't you? I'm okay, I know. You changed her life for that short period. I knew what I was getting into, and I knew I did a good service, and then she had a good little life with me. She, I just thought, when I speak to Michaela,

I'm definitely going to ask her about the dogs. Yeah, Rip Otter. Yeah, or baby Otter. It's a pleasure talking to you, always. Thank you. So that was Michaela Mayer there. Hinton, hinting, there's things you haven't seen yet, Steve, and I keep reminded of what I was there from the Yamadou,

the Mammadoose fight, that was unbelievable. Wow. I mean, I was there in Las Vegas and other fights where she's been sucked in. And I think that she's the kind of fighter, Michaela, and she won't mind me saying this, I've said it in front of her,

where she could start off to all intents and purposes, very mobile, touching, showing shots, fainting. And by about round four, like that, everything's short and vicious, yeah. It's in you, and I can say that as a person that does the same thing. As much as, you know, you've got to be disciplined, when you have that natural, you know,

instinct to fight because I feel like they both have that. Chantelle and Michaela. Shantelle, you could feel it on her. I was in her present. I said, you've got this piece because you know you're going into a wall. And she's happy with it. She's over the moon, happy with it.

She's most comfortable there. And I feel like Michaela has that too, no matter when, where, how. If you ring a bell, they'll fight. And I feel like, yeah. Any bell. Any bell, they're gone. Doorbell, they fight.

Doorbell, anything, yeah. They're ready to go. School bell, no problem. I was talking to Shantel and I forgot to, I forgot to say this to at the end, and I think you'd agree. You know, there's an old expression you say about someone who, you know, you meet in a pub and he looks like something, or she looks at a thing, she's hard.

You know that old-fashioned world? I mean, isn't she hard? I mean, that sum up, Chantelle Cameron. You can beat around the bush. She's just hard. I feel like when you say a person that out of all the females where they just, they're naturally born to fight in that sense, like she could go at any moment. Oh, yeah, good.

Against anybody? Against anybody. I think what makes this fight... She'd bash up a flyaway at the flyout. She would. She would. At any moment. You've been in a superbathom and feather.

No, you're not even safe. She was like... I think it was either this fight or no fight. So that in itself tells you how serious she has put it. Because it was like, I don't want a gimmick fight. I want the big fights. And this is what they're both delivering. I've got so much respect for both them in the sense that they've only chased big fights.

They've moved up to get the big fight. So... Chantelle, Cameron, and gimmick. Three words. You're seldom ever going to hear. in the same sentence because Chantelle Cameron, under no circumstances,

wants to even be in a sentence with the word gimmick. I called up with Chantelle Cameron, who is, as I said, and Ellie agrees, hard. Yeah, it's a big one. It's one I wanted for a long time, and I'm glad it got over the line.

And it's pretty easy to make as well. There's a few little missaps in there, but we've got to overcome it, and here we are. She does a bit from, Michaela Seldersbord, doesn't she? She packages it, she puts herself out on her limb. She, you know, she's bolding her declarations.

And yet, when you got up in the ring back in whenever it was, people or whatever. She was all smiles. I thought it might be a bit fiery. I mean, is that just respect. I like Michaela Mayer. So like, no, they want the trash talk and they want the back and forth, but I like her. I respect her. I think she's great for women's Boston. I think she's a cool person. And just we're going to fight. We're going to want to beat each of it within the ring. But you ain't got to be an idiot outside of failure. No. Because if you do get upset, it's not very nice anyway, is it? If you don't mind me saying so. I see you red.

Nobody wants that. Also, you don't want it because it's energy whether you like it or not. I mean, it might be good venting, but it's energy. Yeah, it's wasted energy and like, like, with experience as well, you don't need to be wasting energy. Now, Maya will try, she will change.

You know, you know, like, she's lovely now, then she will switch. She'll be ready for that, won't you? Yeah, I'm ready, yeah. And she's going to want to sell the fight. She's very good at seven fights, but again, that's not my cup of tea, so I'm just going to stick to what I do, and that's the main thing. Not fall down any little traps, be to mink or play a pattern to me

that I don't want to play a pattern. Is it hard in big fights, fights that mean this much to try and stay calm, you know, to try and control your emotions? I think it's a water for ducks back now. I think I've been around that long

that it means nothing. All it boils down to is what happens on fight night. So it's literally waterford ducks back. And I'm quite good at just being like, oh, whatever. Call, Calmer collected. I've got to ask you,

I don't think I've spoken to you specifically about the Katie fight since. I mean, we've talked then, but we've avoided it. Monumental year that year, a monumental couple of fights, any fighter involved in two fights like that is a better fighter afterwards. Is that a fair comment? Yeah, and you learn so much. You take so much from it, and I definitely did.

I took so much from it, I learned, and I've grown from it as well, and probably matured a bit with it. So, Maya, I know you're not walking out at the Aviva in front of 80,000, you're walking out in front of a capacity crowd in a fight that's definitely as hard against Maya. It's definitely hard.

Stiles make fights and she's a top opponent, but that's what I've edishing. And you see me when I do have them opponents, I always perform and I come out as well. So I'm looking forward to it. The women's landscape is, I like it particularly because, obviously, people that have come up from Superfeather,

people like Natasha, people like Terry Hart, but they can go up and down. So you're all moving around about a 15, 20 pound limit. You can still go up and down, can you? That's the plan, is I'm going to go up and down. Mix it up a bit. See where the names are and tag it, the ones I want. But again, it's not so much for belts for me now.

It's the names. So I'm chasing names, not belts. Chasing just creating a legacy now. Just like cementing what I've done and just having them names to be like, I boxed pound for pound stars. So are you more at peace now? Much more at peace.

I'm in a good place. Like, you really do have to sometimes have them hard times to come out in a better place. and I've had them. Now I'm just kind of like, I just, I care but don't care anymore. Do you know what I mean? Like, I'm just like whatever.

Yeah, just like, I'm just like whatever. So you can wake up in a house, your house, you're a nice car, you've got this fight coming up, then you'll have another one, then they'll have another one. You think, you know what? That's what you've worked all those grotty years for. And you know what?

I know I know I can fight. I know when it comes down to it at Belvings, I'm going to be there. I'm going to be in their face. I'm going to be relentless. I'm going to give them a hard night. I think on my hard night. like to work for anyone.

And that's why, are you always going there with confidence because I know that these people probably don't want to fight me because they know I'm hard work. So that's my, like, attitude where I think they're going to be worried where we should be. I think that a relaxed chantile Cameron is a really dangerous fighter.

With my mindset and with Jamie and Nigel, yeah, I'm a dangerous fighter. People don't want to fight me. I think that if you can try and get under your skin, try and get you a bit angry. You give yourself a little edge. But if you show up with your shoulders down, looking relaxed, that's a bit threatening.

Definitely. So in the gym as well, it's all about me relaxing. And when I relax, you see the difference in me. So it's all about me being relaxed. That's why, as much, whatever happens, it happens. It's going to try to get a little bite out of me. Going to try to get me a bit angry. But it's not going to happen because I know what I'm going to do on fight night.

And I have to be relaxed. And the final one on that, on that, Jim, you talk about Nigel and Jamie and other characters that float in and out of that. It is a gym that's made for, you have to be relaxed there, can't? You can't? You can't be up yourself there, can you? You can't be tense.

Don't get out of it or they'll just destroy you. Get absolutely tortured. Torture me anyway. So Shantelle Cameron there. One thing about Shantelle when you're talking is she's all smile. She's all this and she's all relaxed. And then she just glazes over a little bit when it comes to a serious subject. And her and Katie, she's like a bit, it's pantomime villain a little bit,

but I don't think Shantelle, she says she's over. but I think that's going to sit deep with her for a long time. So on August 29th in Birmingham, and it will be a raucous crowd because Jessica Barry's on and she's only from down the road in Cobb, so trust me. That's a great fight, by the way. She brings about three or four hundred people. I've seen her before.

She can fight as well, so that'd be a lot of fun. Top of the bill is Chantelle Cameron, the Queen of Northampton, against Las Vegas. I think she still lives in Las Vegas with all of her wayward dogs, Michaela Meyer. That's for a couple of belts

at the 154 Super World Trade. that we know, as you said, they've made a deal at 148. And then we've got a lightweight world title fight, Caroline Dubois, against Amelia Moore. Now, Amelia Moore's interesting, because she's only had four fights. But she's beaten some really good fighters over there. She beat Kelly Harrington a few years ago. She beat Alicia Boomgardner as an amateur.

She was selected for an Olympics. Got sick, couldn't go to the Olympics. And then she was first reserved another Olympics because of COVID couldn't get herself to Tokyo. So trust me, you know the old sliding doors theory? In a different world, she could be... She could be defending a world title So it's a strange one, don't get me real

So that's Emilian Moore And Caroline Dubois It's a massive bill And it's just getting bigger and bigger and bigger And you tried to get on it Yeah, I did, I did I tried my very best Especially because I feel like you look at it

The Femola Card for the sole purpose of UK versus USA So the fight with me and Teara Brown makes most sense on this card But for other reasons They said it wasn't feasible Well you know you could end up fighting her Somewhere in Florida

And it could be You've got to be there. Oh, yeah, that's 100. We're holding me to that. G-B-USA 2. Ellie, listen, it's been a pleasure. Are you going away the summer? I'm literally going to go in the summer.

I'm going to go, and we're good? You can't you say? No, I can say. Just 10-a-Roof of my mum. Yeah, she's spending the fee I'm getting on this. You've got to pay me out, whereas we're going to be in a hostel. I'll let you're in a secret. After your seven hours on the sky, we might reduce your fee.

Oh, I don't do this to me. No, I'm delighted you did it. Listen, Ellie, it's always a pleasure and a delight. talking to you. So that's the review of the next MVP card. It's on Sky, obviously, Sky back in the business with Zootboxing and MVP. That's a big plug for them. I don't care. I don't mind doing that. That's August 29 in Birmingham at the Pulse, I think they call it. And we've spoken to enough of the fires. We've spoken to the few of fires. And we'll do some stuff during the week. Sky came out of a fancy car. Ellie has got a fancy car. Nekisa Baderian's very happy. Everyone wants to fight a man

Serrano it seems. Caroline Dubois was in a very vicious mood and Chantelle Cameron and Michaela Meyer might just give us the fight of the year. You know what? That's not a bad morning's work. I'm Steve Bunce and 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.

four, three, and it's the huge one. Chish, woosh. Settle down, tough. It's a song, right? Cricket on Five Live Sport. Oh, blipping every ball of this. Listen on BBC Sounds.