5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - Taylor v Serrano III: Catching-up with Katie

Episode Date: July 9, 2025

Buncey takes the pod to the public workout, where he catches up with Katie Taylor and her promoter Frank Smith from Matchroom Boxing. He also speaks to Nakisa Bidarian of MVP, who shares the vision behind the company he co-founded with Jake Paul. And Alicia Baumgardner joins the pod as she returns to MSG, having been part of the BBC commentary team for the first Taylor-Serrano fight.

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That's pockethose.com slash podcast for your two free gifts with purchase. Pockethose.com slash POD C-A-S-T. BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. This is five live boxing. Boxing days can be long days in New York. It started about seven in the morning when I made my way to the end. by a state building to go up and see Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor face off on floor 174 or whatever it was and now well it's getting close to about 8.30 at night and I'm in a fancy

shopping centre underneath where the World Trade Centre once stood and the reason I'm here is that all of the women involved in the massive monumental MVP night at Madison Square Garden. They've been in the ring this tiny ring that I'm touching now you're going to hear me touch it. They've been in there working out, including obviously Katie Taylor and Amanda Serran who meet in a trilogy. And it's a big night because there will be a record amount of world titles on the line. 17 in one night. No other night in boxing history has ever had 17 world title belts. As I say, boxing days in New York can be long.

They can be sweaty. But you know what? They can also be fantastic. And this has been one of those days. I'm Steve Bunn and this is Five Live Boxing. Katie, we're back in New York. Last time we're here for a massive fight, you walked out and you told me,

you said I'm going to enjoy every second of it. And it took you about five minutes to get to the ring for the first of what's now going to be a trilogy. What do you remember about that amazing emotional night? Yeah, sometimes I look back and on that fight and I get goosebumps even looking back and I just did, just the history of the night. I just did how loud it was in the arena that night, the atmosphere.

This is the stuff of dreams. I think every single fight of dreams, the nights like that. And I look back and just have a heart of gratitude that I was involved in such a huge and a start night. And we have a chance to do it all over again a few days' time. Well, you did it all over again when you were in Texas. But on that first night, I interviewed you as you would leave in the ring and you were absolutely exhausted.

You had nothing left. You'd left it all in the ring. But you did say, we'll do it again. We'll do it again. Could you watch a fight like that back in the ring? enjoy it or do you watch it back and going oh no not again yeah i think it's a bit about i i have good moments of bad moments like you did in the fight yeah exactly exactly when i'm watching my own fights back but um but it is great to you to look back on uh on those kind of lights and like i said

when i was a kid grown up these are the kind of nights that i dreamt of um so yeah i saw amanda sarano arrive today at the empire state building and you were already there and she came over and she shook hands and you gave you a little cutter it was really a really weird because there was no one watching. I felt like I was the only person watching. Your relationship with her, it kind of is so strange because what you've been through,

20 unbelievable rounds. Do you have any moments away from everybody just the two of you together? Have you found yourself waiting in a holding pen, for instance, drinking bottles of water? We've had plenty of moments like that where the cameras aren't on us behind the scenes

and just chatting away. I think we have a lot of mutual respect towards each other. Both teams are very friendly towards each other, but when you share 20, rounds together like we have done there is just an instant respect towards each other for that reason alone we shared history together

and I'm very very grateful to have Amanda Serrano in my lifetime because it's these kind of fights that create history it's these kind of fights that impact the next generation and it's because of those fights we're having a moment like this again where we're headlining an all-female card

so this is unbelievable in itself now I know you've been in some amazing emotional, unbelievable fights, but this one feels like it might be the biggest yet. There's just a sort of buzz around the city already, even though it's early in the week. Do you sense that or is it to you, can you really just say

it's just another world title fight? It's just another massive fight, or do you sense that this is special as well, Katie? I definitely do sense that there's something special going on this week and even the buzz and the atmosphere around, every single female fighter that's on the card. This is a huge night for them as well. They have a chance to actually steal the show on Friday

alive on Netflix. It's unbelievable, the platform that these women have. So there is a lot of excitement around this week. And I didn't think it was going to get any bigger than the first Madison Square Garden fight, but here we are. This is an even bigger show than the second one and the first one. It seems ridiculous.

It's insane. It's amazing. You know when you turn pro back in, whenever it was 2017 or whatever, you know that Amanda Serrano at that point had 32 fights, one World Titans or Four belts, and you know she told me, She gave me a quote.

She said, when Katie turned pro, I knew it would change for all of us. That seems ridiculous for a woman that had 30 odd fight. She was waiting for you to turn pro to make it change. I mean, we've talked about you carrying the women's boxing before, Katie. But it is quite ridiculous, isn't it? Your position inside the sport's ridiculous. Yeah, well, and I'm intentionally trying to embarrass you.

Yeah, I don't really know what to say, to be honest. But it's amazing to have a chance to have a chance to have. this sort of an impact but the minute I turned turned over to the pro game I wanted a big fights I wanted to have this this sort of platform I said to Eddie Hernd in the first meeting I wanted I wanted to change women's profession boxing and I wanted to do what ronda rousey did in the UFC and and I feel like myself and Amanda have created such a such an amazing legacy together and such an amazing legacy for female fighters everywhere and it's fitting at the trilogy fight

theory the final one you have with her final one you have with her. I'm careful with my words is going to be at Madison Square Garden. Such a sacred venue for all of boxing. Yeah, absolutely. And we were saying before the first fight when you think of Madison Square Garden, you're thinking about Hamdadi versus Joe Frazier, Rocky Marcian

and these kind of fighters, it's quite remarkable that myself and Sabrina were in that category as well now. It's amazing. And have you allowed yourself to visualize how the fight will play out or do you just take it, walk to the ring, five minutes take it all in but do you visualize how the fight might start yeah we obviously have my own

game plan going into the ring and then visualize and then as I always do but sometimes things change when you're in there as well you have to be able to adjust and adapt and you have to see what's in front you as well so myself and a man in style just jell so well it's going to be another epic fight another iconic night ding ding ring round 21 absolutely yeah Katie thanks so much for your time Thank you. Thanks so much. So I've left Katie Taylor in her tent, because she's just getting ready for her open workout downstairs in this Oculus Center.

As I said before, there are these 90-foot statues of both Serrano and Katie Taylor. And I'm joined in a little bit of an echoery, sort of anti-chamber, just as a ring over to our left. And we're just back here, the boxes are getting ready to go downstairs by matchrooms Frank Smith. Frank, first of all, I guess we always knew Katie

would do some business and change things. but did we know that she'd change things and do the type of business and have the impact she had when she first walked into your office and Eddie's office back in whenever 2016? I think you have to be honest and look at it and go

but do we look at a lot of stories like Anthony Joshua and you can believe and say they're going to do X, Y, Z but until it happens is the reality of what happens and what we see. It's quite tremendous to see what's been done. She was always going to be a trailblazer

but how far did that go and look at what she's created you know and she deserves every every part of it because she's worked so hard and she's such a nice person and she's never changed in all these years you know when sometimes when you look back on it you forget the fights

it's just end I think this is the 20th consecutive world title fight Frank and there's a couple that maybe match them haven't promoted because they'll see the MVP and Netflix style stuff that's that's neither here no idea you're still involved but there's maybe 15 enormous fights in there

just giant fights 100% but But she always wanted to change the game. And that's what she's done. You know, and she's never stopped testing herself at times where you could have gone, you know what, she's done everything. She's done everything you can do in the sport. What more do you want from the sport?

But she wants to keep moving forward, keep developing, keep improving and keep delivering. You know, so I think it's spectacular to see where we are. And I'm sure it can go so much further as well. And she deserves all the respect. You know, I don't always think fighters in the present day, any fighters who, whether that be male or female, whatever, get the respect until they retire in truth as to what they've done for the sport.

And some, if you mentioned AJ there and certainly with Katie Taylor, I'd say with both of those, they deserve all of their plaudits now, whilst they're still in training camps, whilst they're still filling out stadiums, whilst they're still selling out Madison Square Garden, they deserve that now,

not in a year, not in two years, certainly not in five years. I would completely agree with you. But she is 39 now, not that I've seen, in my opinion, any massive signs of decay. I know she's changed the training regime, fewer sparring rounds

and different types of systems. I mean, maybe she's doing different stuff to prolong a survival in the business. There has to be a point when she calls it a day, surely. Yeah, but... In theory, you know, it's... Only she can be the one to decide that. And until she's done with a sport,

until she feels like she's done everything she wanted to, fair play. You know, she... Look at the last fight she was in. Look at that spectacle. look at the one before that, you know, like... And the one before that? Yeah, but...

And boxing's a crazy sport where you get written off if you have a bad performance or not. You don't have to lose to be written off. Exactly, and it's like, in any other sport, you get to perform weekly. You play football, you get to perform twice a week, and you get to have a rubbish game

and come back out. And then you have a good game. And everyone's like, oh, he's great. Great again, they're great again. Boxing is every four, at this level, five, six months. You have a bad performance, you're judged on that single performance

until you go back out. she might go out and have the best performance she's ever out of her career and everyone go, oh, she's got another five years, and her. She might go out, win and go, do you know what? I've done everything I want it. But there's only one person who can decide that. And that's Katie.

Yeah, exactly, and she'll be the one who decides that. She's decided her whole career. She sends kind of mixed messages sometimes. You get the sense that she's maybe coming towards the end and then she'll have, like, the Chantelle Cameron rematch performance. And that's it, you know, we've got another two years of her. And then comes, you know, beating Serrano for the second time. I think, oh, we've definitely got two more fights.

And I'm always thinking there's at least one more after this one. But I thought there's one more after this one for about five years now. Yeah, I know. But again, that's so many fighters that you look at and you go. And also, I've looked at fighters over the years that we work with and go, they should call it a day. And then they go out and have a performance of their career. And then two more?

Yeah, and you think, do you know what? I told Derek Chazora, we don't have it, rowed him for years, but a good friend of mine two years ago, what are you doing? You've boxed everyone. You've made a fortune. You've been involved in the biggest events ever. Why he carry on? And he's like, because it's all I want.

It's all I want to do. It's all I love. And now he's... He's about to fight for the world title. So, you know, in Katie's position, she's at the top of the tree. And she can determine, you know, she can go on for another 10 fights if she wants to do.

And we've gone past, a bit like with Adia, we've gone past looking at what their legacy might be because they're living legacy. I mean, AJ, I believe, is, you know, he's living a legacy. And certainly with Katie, she has, the cliché,

it's nothing to prove. She's part of her own, she's part of her own history and she's still living it now. Yeah, 100%. But like I say, I don't think she'll ever get the plaudits truly until she calls it a day. And not even when she calls it day.

I think 10, 15, 20 years after that, people look back and go, wow. You know, and that's part and parcel of the game, though. So, Frank, finally, before I let you go, I'm speaking in about a half an hour, I hope, to Jake Paul. And obviously, the first question I want to put to him is, what's the date for the AJ fight? So I've got to put the same question to you. How far advanced are we with the AJ, Jake Paul chat?

It's not there yet. It's not there yet. I've got to be honest with you. But let me tell you, I'm all here for it. Because can you imagine the job AJ had to? But fair play to Jake Paul. What he's done is quite tremendous.

Anthony Joshua may be a stretch too far, though. From Tank, from talking about Tank all the way to AJ to Benevit. There's a lot of names being called out and fair play. Then he just reached a bit too far away of the AJ one. Yeah, I mean, but look, respect if he means it, because I wouldn't want to get punched by AJ. Again?

So that was Frank Smith there. Now, I caught earlier on, and I'm glad that she's agreed to give me a couple of minutes. Let's see a boom garden who's defending about 30 titles on the bill. But more than that, Lisa, we were together for the first of the trilogy. You were part of the BBC's commentary team. And by the way, what a good job you did. Well, thank you.

It is a pleasure to always see you. And to be a part of something like that was an experience. You know, I was allowed to be in that space. Nearly in the ring. Nearly in the ring. And feel the energy and just everything that was going on and commentating it live. And remember, I told you, I'm going to be here one day.

But they say you were close enough to it. And I remember you were edging, you were getting so excited. You were throwing shots, ducking shots, missing shots. Now you're going to be part of it. An undisputed world-tired off fire in the big house of Madison Square Garden. on the night when Katie and Amanda do their trilogy. Pinch yourself, would you? It's a fantasy.

I know it. I'm telling you. I know it. It's a blessing. Again, I'm just super thankful to be here, to be in position, to be the undisputed real champion, and just go out there and perform in the most championship way there is. And there's going to be nothing less.

You know, I think we're going to get three or four big nights like this per year. So you could be involved in two or three years and moving up. Some big fights for you out there. Oh, yeah. 135. Yeah. Hello. Of course 1.35 alone.

Hello. Hello. One third, one 37, all sorts of fights. You don't kidding. And there's some opponents out there. People that want to fire you. People that would like to fire you. People that are desperate to fire you.

You're going to be seriously featuring you the next year or so, aren't you? We're going to be busy. I think a lot of people, I don't think, I know. They're going to be seeing a lot of Alicia Bumgarder, and you're going to be seeing the rise of who she is and where she started and where she's going. Yeah. You seem fresher than ever.

And I mean that I mean that You seem really fresh You seem like really eager Oh very eager I'm hungry I've explained it To many people

I'm hungry for this I'm happy that I can be in position Do you know what it is to be in position I am there But it only gets better And I'm never satisfied And let me ask you this finally And really appreciate your time

Just before you go and do your public workout Do you have to win well On Friday night Is it a case if you have to impress Or is it just just the case of getting through and leaving with the belts. Which one is, Elisina? You know, if I'm being honest, as an individual and as an

athlete, I always want to have that dominant performance, that knockout and everything. But what I do know is that I have a set of skills. I have a great trainer giving me instructions. And when I go out there Saturday night, you will see a poised fighter, an experienced fighter

and someone who is happy to be in there and dominate per usual. Let's see, you know what? It's an absolute delight talking to you. It's always a pleasure. Thank you. My pleasure. Lissie, thank you. So that was Alicia Boomgard,

who's defending her four super featherweight belt against Jennifer Miranda. It's not an easy fight. She should win. And if she wins it, you heard her there at 1.35. That's a reference to the weight, lightweight. And there's lots of fights at lightweight for her. Now, Mekisa Bidarian and Jake Paul,

they've been doing some real damage in the boxing business. They've been putting on some big shows. But more than that, they've created this whole thing. out boxing, counter revolution, I guess, is the best way to describe it. They're doing great business. They've got the fights on Netflix. And Nikisa's just over there. I'm going to go over and grab him if I can before he vanishes back downstairs.

Nikisa, thanks for your time. MVP, massive night of the garden, unbelievable bill, Guinness Booker Records. I mean, the entire interview is just going to be accolades of what you've achieved here. It's ridiculous. I was going to ask you real questions. We're excited. It's a humbling moment, right, to be in this sport for four years and being able to work with Amanda and Katie for a third time,

having all these incredible athletes, world-class athletes, part of this event, part of MVP, and they all deserve it, right? As Amanda Serrano says, women can fight, women can sell, and Friday night you're going to see an unbelievable event will have globally on Netflix. I mean, the trilogy fight itself is one thing, but there's four or five other incredible fights. I mean, the trilogy fight, I'm going to whisper it,

might not be the best fight of the night. Well, that's the goal, right? You want to have sensational action, successional fight after sensational fight. We have two unified championships. We have an unprecedented, three undisputed championships in one night. We have 21 world titles on the line,

17 being the sanctioning body world titles. And it's a testament to what our team at MVP has built. It's a testament to Netflix for their partnership. And we look forward to having many more events. And what you've done with, Obviously with Katie and Ceyrana, but especially with Amanda. I saw you just in their Cyn.

I don't know who in Trudeon. How was she? How is she? Because I think she's under a bit of pressure. Pressure's good. It's a privilege in boxing. But you've just been into Cid. What was she like?

Who do you think is under pressure? I think both are under pressure, both Amanda and Katie. That's good. This is their Jake Paul, Mike Tyson moment, right? I heard somebody say, we've never seen Katie post so much on social media. So rare.

But she knows what's at stake. She's putting on a global, massive mainstream event. And she wants to deliver. And delivering is in the ring, but delivering is making sure that people tune in to see the next generation of superstars that MVP has signed.

And you've got them. And the onus is on her and Amanda to deliver that. And they definitely will. And just final question, have you signed Ebony Bridges today? Is that confirmed or is it? 100% we announced that we signed Ebony. Ebony.

She's a massive. She's a superstar. She's a superstar who recently became a mom. She called us and said, listen, I want to hold a baby with the belt in the ring. Can you guys help me? We said, that is unbelievable. That's exactly the kind of thing that Jake and I want to do.

And final question, you've got an unbelievable roster of women, and they're a great team, a mixed team, international team. But there are still some other women out there. I mean, MVP still shopping? We signed another phenomenal fighter today that will be announced in the coming days or weeks, and we want to make sure that we become the home of women's boxing full stop.

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Online. That's a degree better. Explore more than 350 plus undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs at ASUonline.asu.orgia.orgian talking to me about, well, about MVP and what they've done and how they're doing. I'm now back down at ringside. And it's starting to empty now because it's all over. We've had Amanda Serrano in the ring.

We've had Katie Taylor in the ring. And her mother, Bridget, managed to find four young children in the audience who either boxed or did Irish dancing. So they came in and did dancing. Amanda Sorando was surrounded by some Puerto Rican young fighters. Now, about five hours ago when I arrived here, there was one man standing solo in the ring. A giant in the business, microphone, and he was mouthing his intros.

He's finally finished. He's undone his top button. He's taken out his earplugs. He's put down his mic. He's grabbed his BBC mic. And I am, of course, talking about the man you might know as Big Mo. He's also known as Cody Mo Mart. And his family will be very happy that A, I pronounced it correctly,

and B, we've finally given him his real name. Because every time he's called Big Mo, he'll have aunts and uncles and grandmothers and people saying, his name's Cody. Anyway, Big Moe's joining me. Yes. First of all, Big Mo, congratulations on getting the gig. This was some event.

Just this was something, wasn't it? No, look, what MVP is doing is trying to disrupt the market, trying to present the product in a new way. I mean, don't get me wrong, the show on Friday is momentous and historic, but they've laid out a huge fight week to really parlay that into what's going to be on Friday night. When you have MVP's creativity and you have Netflix, that's a big force in the industry. And they've chosen you. Of course, you did the show last September, whatever it was.

November. Massive show in Texas. Mike Tyson, Jake Paul, and the second, the rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. What was that like? I mean, just being introducing. I mean, Mo, did you ever think you'd be introducing Mike Tyson for a start? You grew up watching people introduce Mike Tyson? I thought I'd introduce Mike Tyson, to be honest.

But I always had the goal of being on the biggest platform and the first. biggest stage and that was I mean a hundred million people watched that there were 75,000 people there so for me just on a personal note it was you know I felt validated you know I've been working hard in the industry and trying to scratch and claw and kick doors down I'm new to this all so the fact I got to do the biggest fight in history is pretty cool and you're gonna be doing another historic night 17 world titles that's a Guinness Booker Records yeah 16 of the world's finest female boxers but more than that big mo and I want you to join me

and just closing your eyes and picture that moment just before Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor, just before you do your intros when there's about 19,157 people, the garden is sold out and Big Moe is in the ring, introducing pure history. Oh, Mo, I've got goosebumps for you. Yeah, you just summed it up well.

This is, to be able to announce at the Garden, before I turned 30, it's pretty cool. I got to do big fights, I got to do the first all-women's garden, UK with Clarissa Shields and Savannah Marshall. That wasn't bad by the way. It was fantastic. So women's boxing has always been a big part of my career.

The first big fight I ever did was Clarissa Shields versus Savannah Marshall. I then did the Royal Albert Hall for Natasha Jonas Lauren Price. And now this. And now I get to do this mega fight at Madison Square Garden, two of the best female fighters in history, 17 world titles on the line. It's just unbelievable what they're doing. It's very, very cool to be a part of. You know what I like about you, Big Moe, is that you just love it.

Don't ever lose that, brother, because you're just, you're just, you know, You got, we just, every day we get, every day those of us working in this business, we need to wake up and go, yes, I'm working in a business. Every day we land in a new city for a new fire, we go, yes, we should, it's a delight and a pleasure to be in this business. Because we're privileged. I agree. I agree.

We have an amazing job that allows us to watch the greatest sport in the world and the greatest athletes. We get to watch it up close. We get to be around them all week. We get to see how they operate. And to be able to witness the show that they get to put on is going to be an honor for me to be part of and I'm very, very thankful to be here. So that was Big Moe who's going to be announcing

the massive fight at Madison Square Garden, a night of history for the women. Now, the following night, there's a great night of boxing at Flushing Meadows, the tennis centre. Yes, the tennis centre. And the main court there, the Louis Armstrong Stadium, 14,000 it holds. There's going to be a whole series of fights in there.

And there's a massive fight involving a young British boxer called Hamza Shiraz. A few months ago, he lost the world title fight in Saudi. Arabia. It wasn't his best night. He just wasn't well. He wasn't Hamza Shiraz. And he's coming back with an incredibly tough and hard fight against the local fighter called Edgar Belanga, who's only lost once, stops most of his opponents. He's only lost once. That was to Sol Canelo Alvarez last year. So it's Shiraz against Belanga on Saturday night in a massive weekend of boxing, not just for the world, but certainly for this city. Well, I went along to one of their functions today. It's been a long, hot, sweaty day in New York City

between bagels and coffee and undergrounds, I believe they call it a subway. And I sat down with a very calm and a very peaceful Hamza Chiras. Hams, first of all, I was talking about this fight with Belanga and I was thinking, I can't think of a guy

that's come from a world title fight where he didn't win a world title and has gone into such a hard fight in someone's backyard, so important. You must be commended because it's a brave move. No, no, 100%. A hundred percent. A lot of people in my situation wouldn't do what I've done. But I've been saying it ever since the fight got announced.

I've got the dynamics of the sport now with the backing of his excellency, the way he's changing the game. I'd be a fool to do anything else. I feel like I'd be doing injustice. You'd be going backwards. I feel like I'd be doing injustice to the sport of boxing if I was to go and fight a couple tune-up fights,

build up the confidence and then kind of fight for a title. I'd rather just get straight back into it. Because you weren't happy with Adama as, were you? I mean, you know, we, you and you're, You and I have talked about it before. It was just, you didn't look like, you didn't look like Hans are on the night. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I didn't.

I didn't. And there was a lot of contributing factors, but. There always is. There's always little bits, little factors. There is. But listen, no excuses. I stood on every one of them decisions, and I stand on them until now. So it is what it is.

It was a massive learning experience for myself. I feel like it puts me in good stead for this fight. And one that I feel like, well, not that I'm out there to shout a lot of people, people up, but I've got something to prove to myself. Yeah, and sometimes proving to yourself is better to prove to prove the people that doesn't matter. Now, several changes since then. One's the increase in weight and one's the change after about 10

fights, leaving Ricky, moving away from Ricky Funez in California, and training with Andy Lee. So those are two quite monumental changes, the gaining weight and the changing team. Yeah, big changes. Massive. Yeah, and like I said, a lot of fighters wouldn't really, when they've got a new coach or when they're up in a new weight, they need a couple

tune up to see how they react, but I feel like I'm big enough for 168 as it is. You're being big enough for 168 for about 10 years. Listen to us around. But yeah, the change with Andy Lee is being great. After the last part, I identified myself the changes that I felt needed to be made. Not under anyone else's influence, but that I genuinely felt I needed to change. And that's what I've done, and I feel I made the right decision. You know, when you first working with Andy, was it an instant?

thing. Was it like after the first session, you're on the phone to your family going, you know what, I like this? I don't want to get carried away, but I like this. Yeah, it wasn't even when I done the first session. It wasn't I met him first. Bingo, that's even better than. Yeah, when I met him, and I've never had that with any of my coaches in my whole pro career or amateur career, even, and we just got along. I feel like we're very similar in character, very chilled, go about our business, know what we're doing. You both make sacrifices in your careers. You all of that stuff, were you in California all those years, all the money you run up, or dependent on your family.

Andy did the same thing. Mrs. Packed his bag. He had a pair of boxing boots and the gum shoe and went to the cron as a baby. Exactly. So there's a lot of similarities there. A big similarities, right? Both two tall from middle weight.

And I feel like we've aligned properly. Yeah. And this fight itself, I mean, it's, the Belanga's low core, in inferior he's local, and his only defeat was to Sol Canelo Alvarez and he's talking a good fight. That's what Americans do.

But it's a fight. I mean, A, it's a winnable fight. And B, it's a great fight to win. You know what I mean by that? This is a really good one. No, 100% and the win gets, can you imagine the position it puts me in? Yeah. Do you know what I mean? I said you might become one of the hottest properties in boxing if you beat Balang Green style.

Exactly that. And now it's the case of going there Saturday night and actually doing it. And I'm a lot more chilled to be fair, like my last fight week. I didn't put too much pressure on myself, but mentally I over fought everything. And then afterwards I was like, is that it? Those weeks are big. Remember you and I talked before Tyler Denny in London? I said it's five days of this. You can calm yourself down. And with the Dharma, I mean, you were quite front and centre during that week.

Yeah, no, for sure. You did a lot of work, man. There's a lot of pressure on them, man. And that mix with the cutting and the weight and whatnot. Your first battle is not even the fight, it's the skills. Yeah, yeah. And now that's not the case. I'm a lot more chill and I'm a lot more happy.

Well, you certainly feel relaxed. Listen, Ham's, thanks so much for the time. Thank you very much. I'm sorry for grabbing you so late in the wing. I don't be sure. So there was Hamza Shia. Talking to me about five or six or seven or ten hours ago. I don't know I've kind of forgotten.

So thanks, obviously, Nikisa Badarian of MVP for spending some time with me. Alicia Bumgarner, the undisputed super featherweight champion of the world. Obviously, Frank Smith from Match. I'm always good to talk to Frank. But thanks mostly to Katie Taylor. She was absolutely brilliant today. You could just sense that she's got history.

She understands history. She understands what she means. And it's lovely to talk to Katie. I've been Steve Bunce, Paddy, Mr. Producer has been with me. It's been a very special big first day here in New York, and we'll be out all week. This is Five Live Boxing on the road in New York City.

From my very first game, I knew that I wanted to be a goalkeeper. The buzz and the adrenaline that I got from it. The dream was to always represent my country. Mary Earbs, desperate to impress. I remember saying, I know I've got what it takes. You have to be obsessed. Mary Ops with a Super Bowl. You just look at some of the saves that she makes.

Not everyone can do that. I really had no idea really how far I would go. Fingling! It felt like my world was ending. That was the moment. I was in pieces on the kitchen floor. You have to hit rock bottom to understand what you really want. Mary would put herself in front of anything and feel like she could stop it. I've done something that I'd always dreamed of doing,

that I never knew if I'd get the opportunity to do. Mary Earps, Queen of Stops. Watch on BBC Eye Player.