5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - What to expect from 2026 (Women)

Episode Date: January 12, 2026

Is this set to be Katie Taylor’s final year in the ring? Can Ellie Scotney take the final step and become undisputed? And will we finally see Lauren Price face Mikaela Mayer? Plenty for Buncey and Stacey Copeland to debate as they look ahead to what could be a huge and defining year for women’s boxing.

This is Five Live Boxing. Just 10 days into 2026 and we have a new British world champion and a genuine fight of the year contender. That's how I like my years to start. Dalton Smith went to New York as the underdog last Saturday and knocked out Subreal Mateas, the champion, to win the WBC super lightweight title. It was an exceptional win, one of the very best by a British boxer in a foreign ring. And the finish was Punch, Punch. Perfect, quite brilliant. Now I'll be catching up with Dalton soon.

But this week, as promised, it's a preview of women's boxing in 2026, the known, the unknown, the expected and the needed. I'm Steve Bunce, and this is Five Live Boxing. So last week, obviously I sat down with Barry Jones and we went through what the men are going to do in 2026. And we never ever look at it at the end of the year because we get so many of our predictions wrong. I don't want to get predictions wrong this week.

So I've travelled up to Ricky Hatton's gym, the Hatten Fitness in Hyde. First time I've been here since Ricky's passing last September, and it was a bit strange. I didn't get, I didn't realize until I'd been here 10 minutes that I hadn't been here. Anyway, and with Stacey Copeland, or as I call her up here, Tracy Copeland,

which is very funny when you ask for Tracy Copeland because they try and put me right out and tell me it's Stacy. So I'm with Stacey Coat, listen, we're going to go through all of the, of the big women and a couple of international women and just see what we know is going to happen this year and what might happen this year. I know you've been reaching out to people doing new work.

But first of all, how has your Christmas been? How is your new year? It was great. We were in Madeira. My dad's not been away in a while. So that was good. It was great, yeah. The new year there's pretty spectacular.

But I've not quite done enough training, so I've got a lot of work to do now. You took a spin class today? Yeah, I do the spin class every Saturday. but yeah it's it was out of than usual and you're carrying a bit of timber training's uh training's brutal so i'm looking forward to being able to fit in the rest of my clothes and get fit again now no i don't want i don't want to make this about ricky because we've done that and you and i've done five live shows and all sorts of stuff um the first time i was hearing i said didn't hit me until i've been

standing by the ring for about five minutes i was just messing around and sending a couple of messages and it kind of hit me how's it been for you and how's the how's the place been since since September. It feels like it's more normal again now, as life does, but certainly in those first few weeks it was just heavy, I think,

the way that I would describe it, heavy grief, that's a good work, and it's a good work, it's a vacuum, really, you know, like losses, but I think when you've got a place like this that is so, obviously, you know,

belongs to someone and their spirit is on everyone. In the room we're in now, there's maybe 15 pits around here, yeah, maybe more. And of course, as you walk up the back stairs up into the gym, there's that whole timeline of his life in pictures and in newspaper articles

and everything. So, yeah, and of course, those first couple of weeks, there was, you know, a mountain of flowers and teddies and people were bringing shirts and scarves from football clubs from all across, so it was, obviously... Hard to walk for that. This is his hometown hide, so it dominated everything around here. So it was, yeah, I think heavy

is the best way to describe it but I would also say that what was really special about being here was that everybody, it was part of the community whether they'd met him once or just seen him walking through the gym or like us, they knew him. They felt like they've allowed. Everybody got it, yeah, and the support for one another.

That was Ricky, wasn't it? Yeah, and the support that everyone gave each other was really special. Okay, listen, that's, I don't want to make this whole about Ricky, we don't want to do that because, you know, we've done our Ricky stuff and Ricky's done his stuff and that's the way it works. Now, I was with Katie Taylor in Killarney,

which for people going to Kalani or flying to cork isn't actually near cork. It's an hour and 20 minutes away from cork, but it's still worth it. It's a lovely drive. And it was this brilliant night at the Glen Eagles Arena, 16, 700 people. Katie was in sparkling form, revealed several things, but wouldn't tell me when she was fighting,

but it might be June, it might be July. It might be neither of those. So that's almost the Katie Taylor part of the show done. spoke to her at depth. She couldn't tell me, and I don't think she knows. I think she might have been fighting Holly Holm. I think Holly Holmes, who lost just the other week. I think that was a genuine goer.

Yeah. I think that was possible because it would have been... A big name as well. Exactly, it's a great name. Would it have been with MVP who we think are coming here. That's the organisation that Jake Paul and a guy called Nikisa Baddari and set up. They're the ones that have been promoting some of these massive. fights. They promoted the Jake Paul, Anthony Joshua fight. They promoted the Katie Taylor,

Serrano, second fight and the Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, fight Madison Square Garden in the summer, the third, the third fight. They're meant to be coming in September. It looks like they might be part of Sky's return to boxing in February, March. So, and we'll be talking about a lot of MVP fighters. So she might have another fight. I don't think she's absolutely guaranteed to have another fight, but I also at the same time, I don't think she's absolutely guaranteed not to have another fight. A bit of a Tyson Fury situation, if anything. If you were a matchmaker and using your crystal ball, Tracy Copeland,

I still like, Tracy's not bad. I saw your mum earlier. I should have mentioned to it. Did you think about Tracy when she was born? But I didn't, I digress, which is part of what I do. If you, what would you do as a good buy fight? Let's say it's Crock Park, Dublin, 60, 70,000 people. And it's in July 9th or June or something like that.

looking at your matchmaker's crystal ball what might what would you do what does she need to do stace I mean I guess really obviously she can choose can't she because she's in that position absolutely she's earned that position she can pick anybody absolutely

for many sport and everyone will want it oh shobby nobody would turn that fight down Tash of Jonas is still waiting for the call Chantelle's waiting for the call Sandy Ryan's waiting for the call Beatrice Ferreira's waiting for the call everyone's waiting for the call

so that's the thing that you you've got limitless really because everyone is going to want to take that fight. One because of the money, but also the prestige of the occasion, who's not going to want to be part of that. You'd want to be there even if you're not fighting. So she can really choose. Would it be a goodbye fight?

Would it be a retirement fight? Or would it still be a fight that would be crucial to her continuing legacy? I mean, I think, I don't think anything is going to affect. It's not straightforward. No, but I don't think anything's going to affect her legacy. Absolutely, I agree with that. It's not going to. And I think the fans in Ireland would just absolutely.

love to see her once again and especially if it was going to be a final fight, they would want that there and I would imagine she would want that there. With the hottest ticket in Irish sport. And you can go either way can't. You can either make it a really, really competitive fight which is as close to a 50-50 as you can get, where you're going to get someone who's on

form, got momentum, you know, etc. Or you can choose someone who's going to be competitive, so it's going to be a decent spectacle, but she's going to be able to be at a best and go out on a high. So really none of us can say that really only depends in the heart of her, you know, Katie Taylor, what, what she wants and how she wants

to go out if, indeed, it is to be a final final fact. I mean, she's surely only got one or two left, you know, at 39. The good thing is she has slowed down this last few years. So instead of fighting like two and a half, three and a half times a year, basically, she's gone. And these Serrano ones have been brutal. Absolutely. And as to the two Cameron fights before. Yeah, absolutely.

So five fights in a few years now, there, there's a hefty schedule. You know, two Cameron fights in one year. and then the three Serrano fights over whatever it was, two and a half years. Those five fights, every round's competitive. Even rounds that I think she won clearly, they're hard rounds.

And then there are a lot of rounds in those 50 rounds of competitive balls in. Also, what we've got a factor in is, yes, of course, there's the physical toll of the fights and the training camps, but they were enormous buildups, you know, because you were there every day of all of them. Seven days each. I was watching it from afar, obviously, but you were actually immersed in that.

You're probably doing a spinning class or something. and they were huge, weren't we? Oh, giant fights. The one in Ireland against Chantelle, like the flocks of young fighters coming out who she was wanting to inspire, wanting to be that role model. As you said,

touching baby's heads as they were getting past. It's true. There wasn't been exaggerating. That's telling the truth. Exactly. Now, all of that is also demanding of your energy, isn't it? And especially for someone who's naturally an introvert, like Katie Teller, she will do it,

and she knows it's important. So I think there's all that to factor, and it's been a huge couple of years. And she is finally, she knew, I noticed we've talking, about the past not throwing it forward, but she did acknowledge that she did too much without really knowing she was doing too much,

she did too much, which is why in the rematch with Chantelle Cameron, she did next... She did too much for the right reasons. For the right reasons, yeah. You still have to step back and say, you've got to. I mean, I need to be mindful. That's that story I tell about Lennox Lewis with me in Saudi Arabia,

looking at all these guys doing all this work on Monday and Tuesday and just shaking his head because Lennox gave you, you know, we had a 30-minute conflab with... We'd get a 30-minute meet with Lennox on the Monday night in Las Vegas, or Atlantic City or New York before his fights, and that's it. That's all we got.

Then all week long, he did, you know, he went to the, he went to the press comments and he went to the way. That was it. I remember Joe Gallagher said it about Krolla, for one of his fights. Was it Lomachenko, maybe? No, it was before that.

And he'd said, you know, really he, up to the last minute was still people ringing about tickets on the day of the fight. We can't have that next time. And so, you know, sometimes it's for the right reasons, you know you've got to.

So yeah, it's been a really heavy couple of years for her, hasn't it? So that all takes its toll. So it depends in her. How does she want to, she can plot now, you would hope, how she wants to bow out of the sport that she's given so much to. And my gut feeling is that she's still want to bow out with some sort of fight. Right, we've wasted far too much time reminiscing. We're going to start with.

We're going to start with. You want to do champions? You want to do it by weight? How do you want to do it, Stace? Do you want to do it, Trace? I'll leave it. Why does that make me laugh like that? No, seriously, that shouldn't even be funny.

Why does me call you Tracy make me laugh like that? I don't know, but you might not get out of me. Might be your last visit here. It just tickles me. I'll take over. I'll tell what I do. I'll do. Caroline do Bois first.

Okay. She took her a world title fight recently at about two weeks. Now it's signed of MVP. Full over in Miami. She wasn't at her best, but she still boxed really well, but more than that, she just seemed like joyous. She's really looking forward to going forward this year.

No fights in the book yet, but if the MVP come here in March or February, she'll definitely be part of that. Yeah, she's pretty clear at that. I spoke to her this week pretty clear on what her plan is, and it won't be surprised to anyone that she wants Terry Harper. Yeah, she still wants Harper. I spoke to Terry.

They both got versions of the White or World title. She said exactly the same thing that, you know, You know, she wants to fax out. Terry's also with MVP, we need to say, yeah. Yeah, and she's got the WBO. So basically her plan is the big one she wants next is definitely Terry Harper. And Terry Harper said exactly the same that she wants Dubois. And then she wants to basically clean up, got Turhan, obviously.

She really fancies the Turkish woman, as I call it, a female Ernie Shavers. Yeah. Who's unbelievably heavy-handed, did a win-at-one world-thals. What she did on Ferreira, was unbelievable. Beatrice Ferreira, yeah, the Olympium from Brazil. It was... And she's known as being the tough nut. And she out-tuffed a tough thought.

Well, funny enough, when I was in Killarney with Katie Taylor, I talked to Brian Peters, who manages and promotes and looks after both Beatrice and Katie Taylor and several other fighters, including Tier Aitin that we're going to talk about in a moment. Some really good fighters, Brian's got in his... And Sandy, San Diego. And Sandy Ryan, yes, absolutely Sandy Ryan.

And he was saying that he had no... No, not even an idea that Beatrice would get dropped in the first and battered like he did by Turhan. And he said, but when he was up... Claude, because he goes in the corner. He could just sense the power of this one. Sure, she's raw. Sure she could probably, you know, you could make a miss.

But there's power, and she just keeps throwing, and she hits her anywhere. She hurt. I know she hit Beatrice were hitting her on the chin, but everywhere she hit Beatrice. She hurt. The body shots, the shots to the arm anyway, Stace. And she showed a different side of it because she broke her down, obviously, did she, you know, and to be fair to Ferreira, instead of just tucking up and holding on, which she definitely needed to do.

She tried to trade with that. Which she could have done. It didn't turn out well. She's a bit arrogant. And you would expect somebody with that amateur pedigree to know to do that. Arrogance took over in the dressing room. Yeah, she didn't weather the storm. She wouldn't listen to any warnings.

No. You know, and that's a fight of arrogance that, you know, better fighters than Beatrice Ferreira falling into that trap. So that happened. What she did to her, but then Shauna Brown, the Irish fighter, who's really good, by the way. She's really skillful, got a lot of talent. That was a one single shot, unbelievable. So she can do that.

Properly, properly flattened her. So she's really interesting. and she will be avoided. You know, if, but this will help her now. She's got this title. People will have to fight her. So that's the plan for Dubois. She said she wants Terry Harper first.

And then to her hand. And then there's obviously Hanu beat Holly Home for the other one. So then she'll she'll be able to clean up, won't she? And she could easily move up Caroline Dubois. 100%. Yeah. I mean, I look at her. I mean, she's a big lightweight.

She'd be a comfortable, super lightweight, lightwell to comfortably. And, listen, there was that period to her three years ago when, Terry Harper went from Superfebvre to Light Middle Super Welchway. Yeah, that's really difficult to talk about weight categories for women because they just go up and down wherever the opportunities are.

And so they should by the way. I mean, she's had three fights this year. The Bomi Ray Shim was unbelievable at the Royal Albert Hall. That was a phenomenal fight. That was absolutely one of the fights of the year in women's boxing for sure. That was incredible.

But I think this year she's really announced herself on the big stage not just because of performances in the ring. because of how she handled herself. She had that megastar quality throughout the week, the way she presented herself, the way she had words with Baumgartner. And you never know if she can, you know, become undisputed at lightweight.

Baumgartner could move up. Well, Baumgartner could definitely move up. And that would be... I saw that exchange. Unbelievable. I saw that exchange between Lisa Baumgartner and Caroline Dubois. I saw it live. I saw it from 20 feet away.

And I am telling you, bumgarner was a bit rattled. She's got... She's silky. She's smooth. She was fuming. She was, she was like, who's this little English girl coming over here doing all that?

The new Caroline was not doubling, you know. Caroline was, Caroline was this far away for saying, listen, you want to take this outside and have a chat. Yeah. So we saw a different side to Caroline there, a side that I was hoping was there that I've seen.

I quite, I quite like that. Listen, we've got to move on a little bit faster. Can you stop talking about, can you stop talking about spin classes, please? And move on. Don't just randomly mention that.

So anyway, that's Dubois, in a nutshell. She wants all the belts, all the smoke at lightweight. Let me just a little, slight though. We're going to get on to Sandy Ryan in a moment.

We've actually got a version of a world title shot coming up because she's got one of her Katie's old belts. Tasha Jonas, and we mentioned Tasha Jonas' name, hasn't fought since that Royal Albert Hall night defeat against Lauren Price,

where Lauren was just a little bit too fast. Tasha has been holding out. She hasn't officially announced she's retired, yeah? No. But she hasn't officially announced she's continuing, if I'm not taken. She's 41, but she's not.

He's a fresh 41, let's get that right. But she's still, you know, she's done unbelievable things at different ways. Got an NBA as well. Got an NBA. So, so I just, I'm not quite, I'm not quite sure. I don't want Tash to be a measuring stick. I don't want Tash to be, you know, some upstart, you know. I don't want Tash's, you know, but will be a 21st fight to be a test against.

The last time we had like a proper conversation with Tash was in September at the World Championships, obviously in Liverpool where we were working to. Was she working with you up there? Yes, she was, yeah. I spoke her to her here. She's one of our pundits. And we were chatting, obviously, in between fights and what have you. And I didn't ask what you're going to do,

because I know what that question's like. Whether you're injured or whether you're waiting for a fight, it gets a bit frustrated. It could also kill the rest of the conversation. Yeah, exactly. So why use it if you don't need to? So I said to her, are you happy at the moment? That's a sly way around it, if you don't mind me to answer.

Well, that's me. That's my alter ego, Trace. I like Tracy Big Bear Well I prefer Bonsi But anyway Bincey Be back in a minute

Just Buncy don't like So yeah and I just said to her Are you happy And she understood the question like That it wasn't What you're gonna do What are you thinking Because it's just too much at times

Isn't it? And she said Do you know what I'm really happy At the moment I'm really really happy So you can take that as you want But I'm just glad That she's happy

With where she is No matter you know, what she decides to do. And Tash is really intelligent. She speaks really well, as you know. She's a great role model. There's lots and lots and lots of things that she can do, which I hope if she decides to transition, will help her.

And the main thing is what we want for everyone is that they're happy, whatever they choose to do next. I mean, she's made, she's had a couple of good payday. She's got a great role with Sky, assuming they come back. Arthrow one fight, are you? And it leads us into the woman I want to talk to next. I'll throw a fight at you. They've had an incredible fight before.

Michaela Meyer, who will do well in Britain. She's not with MVP. Tash is not with MVP either, as far as I know. But deals can be done. And MVP will promote fighters who aren't their fighters. How about a Michaela Maya Tasha Jonas rematch? Yeah. Maya still fumes about that decision that she lost in Liverpool.

It was a tight, hard decision. I thought Tash was brilliant that night. I thought she just nicked it. Yeah, they both were. It was way for Finn. So the reason why I say that is that they're both evenly matched, perfectly matched. One's 35, one's 41. And that's a great payday.

It can generate some good money. That could be a good fight. It could, but I think there's lots of other people who want that fight as well. So it'd be a matter of... Competitive. Yeah, I think so, yeah, because Michaela Mayer's got three of the belts,

aren't she? Super Welter. So I think there's a few more in line waiting for those. A certain Lauren Price, he'll be knocking on the door for that one, for sure. But the thing is, Mayer's annoyed with Lauren.

And Lauren Price's people for not making a fight that she was told of nearly a year ago she was going to get. So she could despite them go down the other route. Lauren would still be out there. Before we do Lauren Price, I'm going to, Sandy Ryan, as I say, she's fighting in Nottingham on the 22nd of February on the undercard of Lee Wood and Josh Warrington, a fight that should have happened sometime in the last 18 months. You forget with Sandy.

She's only had 12 contests. She's 8, 3 and 1. You forget that with Sandy. And she's fighting this woman called Carla Ramosamora, who hasn't got a great record on paper, 12 and 10, and 1210 with 2 draws. But she's teak tough. And I mean really tough.

She looks really tough. You want them you wouldn't want to run into in a back alley, isn't she? Absolutely. Just give her your money straight away. And she's had some hard fights, some hard wins and some hard losses. But Ryan isn't washed up, isn't worn. I know she lost back-to-back fights to Michaela Mao. I was at the one in Los Angeles.

Yeah, but they're excellent. But they're excellent fights. So she's had a big old boy. I know she squeezed in an eight round or something. Yes, she did. Yeah, yeah. In Hought and this week. Absolutely, which was a great idea.

Yeah, just to tune up one. Brian, Brian Peters has managed to sort out that there was a WBC. And it's a great card for it to be on. It's a brilliant car for it to be on. And so she could shine out. It's in Nottingham. It's from Derby. I think she wins a version of the top.

And a big, a thing then is to chase down Shantel, Cameron, who she dislikes. They dislike each other. They've posted really unpleasant pictures of each other. They've said some really unpleasant. things about each other. She can chase down Chantel Cameron. I'll call relinquish the same title, if I'm not mistaken, because she wasn't going to be allowed to fight three-minute rounds.

She wants to fight three-minute rounds. It's a separate debate. But she could chase down Cameron. Cameron is with MVP. This is a bit like a soap opera. Women's boxes turning like a soap-opper. We should have the East Ender steam at the start instead of the normal. I can do it.

I can do it. Yeah, it's ridiculous. You see, speaking to Shan, wants Michaela. That's what she said. That was her words. That's what she wants. So this is what I mean.

There's going to be a line. Because that's a good way to get. Listen, Michaela Meyer against Chantelle Cameron on MVP show in April. I was just thinking of a retirement fight almost for Tash, if you like, that makes a lot of sense. Because there was a point 18 months ago when she thought she might get another crack at Katie Taylor. Their first fight was way for a thing. Brilliant fight. fight.

Oh yeah. First professional fight. Yeah, really good. Okay, so Shantel Cameron fancies. She could go in. Will Ryan, could Ryan, I mean, Ryan and Cameron together, that's the, that's the massive.

That's the, that's the biggest bad blood clash. Those two would really just, I mean, that would capture the imagination. Were you ever in squads with them or was it just a bit? Yeah, yeah, of course it was, yeah. So Shan was at a couple of Europeans with her and the worlds. Yeah. And Sandy, the first senior world. that she went to and she got the silver medal

we were together in Korea. That was, and that's when she had a big amateur breakthrough. Yeah, yeah, yeah. She was, I don't want to use any revisionist history. But was there any tension between them? Because often this tension goes back to the first week that one comes into... Yeah, not that really noticed.

I don't want you to fear it either. No, no, not that I noticed because, of course, at that time, you know, Shan was focused on trying to qualify for the Olympics at her weight category. Yeah, good point. Sandy was only just coming up. She was a baby.

Yeah, exactly. So it was her first senior experience. She was like absorbing it all like a kid in a sweet shop, you know, like wow, it was her first time sort of, you know, on that top elite level in that sense. So it wasn't like that then. Okay, that's good, that's good. But sometimes those, those, those, you can make that enemy

in that first day, that first afternoon. Absolutely, no, not that I noticed anyway. They might say different, but not that you sensed at all in the team. So it becomes interesting. And at that point, remember, there were different weights. There wasn't that rivalry like you'd get. If Ryan can beat Zemoral on the 21st, or 20, 20, see, there 21st of Feb, that gives, doesn't put her in a driving seat,

but it gives her a little bit of, gives a little bit of emphasis, a little bit of oomph, so she can take to the table. Let's deal with Lauren Price. Yeah. Only the one fight last year. Yep. That was a great night of the Royal Al Bowl, a night that gets overlooked, actually. When people stick the boot into boxer,

they tend to forget that they had an enormous night of women only. At the Royal Albaugh this year. That had a great one in 2020, obviously, at the O2. But I thought it was an amazing night. And Lauren Price in Cardiff before that was phenomenal as well. Yeah, I mean, Lauren, I mean, keep hearing that she might be moving elsewhere. She might be, you know, the latest defection. But, you know, we do hear lots of stories.

I think I want to see Lauren connected to Maya or someone else. And I want to see it soon. So Lauren and Cameron, I don't care. But I want to see Lauren in a big fight. I don't want it to be against an Argentinian or Mexican that she's going to win 10-2s. These weight categories are just phenomenal. Well-to-super-welt-o.

There's so many that could. So many combinations. Yeah. Unbelievable. And she's well in the mix. Of course she is, especially with three of the belts. Absolutely. So that's what I'd like for Lauren,

because for our big star, for our big star, Olympic champion from 2021, and a woman that's so marketable. Yeah. And so entertaining. I want to see her. I know it's, I know it's,

no one's kept her on the sidelines intentionally, but I want to see her in two fights this year. Yeah, and she did put on, just yesterday, whenever it was, just saying, you know, 2025 had its highs and lows, obviously the peak being the one at the Royal Albert Hall. The way that she handled that whole occasion,

because that was one of the questions, Tasha had been there, done it, at the very peak, like a home Olympics she'd handled, she'd sold out in her own home city, etc. No, Tash can deal with that. Lauren had had that fight at Cardiff where she'd really, you know, sort of announced herself and said,

I can cope with this level of fighter, but could she cope with a massive occasion, a really intense rivalry? Yes, that was the answer. She's ticked all those boxes. And I think for a few of the fighters, I know we're going to get onto Karis in a minute, you felt they would kick on

from that Royal Albert Hall Show at the, you know, relatively early in the year in March, we're thinking, right, here we go. Really early on you. And then it just didn't happen for a lot of reasons. So, you know, hopefully, and she did put on it, you know, this is going to be a big year. So you would hope so. I mean, the fights are there to be made.

The belts are on the line. There can be unifications and disputes. There's all sorts. They've got to happen quite when or which promoters is yet to be seen. But they will happen. They have to. And women's boxing needs it because I know we had, we had Katie Taylor in the trilogy fight with Amanda Serrano in the summer in New York, which was a massive event, sold out

event. They made lots of money. It did good figures on Netflix or it was on Netflix. And then, of course, we had the role. Royal Albert Hall. But we didn't have a consistent year. So we had great couple of fights at the event of the Royal Alba Hall. Katie Taylor was a masterclass against Amanda Serrano.

And, and, yeah, so there was, you know, there wasn't, okay, Sandy Ryan and losing to McKayley was a great fight. Yeah, it was a great fight, yeah. But I just, you know what I mean? It just, you know, I mean, it just, it just was, it was a year that lacked consistency. Yeah. It wasn't a dreadful year. No.

It was just a bit of a. It kind of didn't. But there were fights there that ought to have been made straight after. So, Bryce and Mayer was an obvious one. As soon as she, you know, got the win over Sandy Ryan, could have happened towards back in the year and it didn't. So those fights between that mix that we've just talked about, Shannon Olem, you know, and you can throw Terry Harper in as well.

They need to happen. Terry Harper and Dubois. And Dubois, that's another massive one. You know, Ryan and someone, Cameron and someone. I mean, they're good fights. They've got to happen. I just say, and I've got nothing against Argentinian or Mexican women whatsoever. But I don't want an Argentinian or tough Mexican woman to come over here,

lose 10 rounds, and it'd be 100 to 90. We're too many 100 to 90s in fights, too many in fights where there were alternatives. Let's get that absolutely. And that intrigue isn't there, Buncey, is it? Of course it's not. You know what we want to see is. She's from Derby. She's from Northamptonshire.

She's from there. She's from that. Oh, let's see. You know, and it builds up that rivalry, doesn't it? And his proper rivalry. Yeah, and it'll be genuine bad blood between most of them anyway. You mentioned McElfield's finest, Caris Art and stuff. I've really missed not having Caris around since that fight in March,

because she's such a character. That was some fight that for the British title against Raven Chapman. What a performance. That was a great fight. And she said exactly the same thing. Like when she spoke to you after the fight, she was buzzing, a bit too buzzing because she swore live on radio. But anyway.

70-74 F-bombs? Yeah. She was on. I got in trouble for that, by the way. Because she knew finally she'd had the chance with a game opponent. Yeah, proper opponent. And we all know what that's like when you've had a couple of fights against journeymen or journey women trying to break him down.

Do you know what it is what it is? But then you get someone who's coming at you. There's a title on the line. There's nothing like it. And she came through that. She performed really well. And then she thought, this is it now. She was one of those who thought, right, I'm going to kick on.

Just hasn't happened. She has had an injury. She said it was a bit of a naughty one. It was the way she described it. I saw her a couple of months ago, actually, when there was a youngster, I was taken up to the EIS, you know, to have an experienced day there or whatever.

And Caris was there. So she was, you know, trying to deal with the injury now. She said she's hoping to be back out in March. Okay. So she'll come back in March, hopefully. There is, in theory, a boxer show around March, assuming she's still with box.

I mean, you know, I'm not talking out of tourney. I'm not responding to rumours. I'm just giving you the way it is. Caris Ardustore. I know she's only, she only had the seven contests, but she could have easily been matched with someone for a version of something title, if something became available.

She is the British featherweight champion. That's interesting one featherweight, though, because you've got Serrano with two of their belts, Tierra Brown, what a character she is. And Nina Minker, you mean, she's been around for absolutely donkers years. She's got the IBF. So, you know, that can help when there's not, you know, not one fighter's got all the titles.

They're split a bit, gives you a bit more options, don't it? I'd like to see, because I think, Because I think Caris can be a bit of a crossover because she's such a character. Yeah, she's. The backstory is. She's a great fight week as well. She's brilliant on fight week.

She's, you know, she's a chomper. She's like that. She's mean. She's mean. And I've been a massive fan of hers going into the Olympics. Of course, she got a bronze medal. Before, we mentioned Tiawa Brown there. She, of course, beat Sky Nicholson,

who even though she's Australian, she is based in South London. It was a shock, won't it? Because you remember... She wasn't right, Sky. No, Tiara Brown boxed out of her skin. Do you remember she was working with Sky that night? And they were talking about, obviously, in between fights when they were talking to her, that was part of the plan.

That, you know, there was X, Y and Z going to happen next. And of course, it didn't happen. So sometimes that happens. If you don't win that fight, you have to reset and start again, because otherwise it would have been massive things for her. But she didn't chase Tiawa Brown as hard as maybe she could have. Tehara Brown either has or hasn't signed of MVP. It's a little bit vague about whether she's.

with them. She shows up at their show. She was there in the summer. But I don't know she's signed. But if she has or hasn't, it's irrelevant. But Sky has dropped down a couple of pounds. And she told me the last time I saw, which was just before Christmas, she told me that she's comfortable going down to Superbana. Wait, it's only four pounds or is it four, yeah, four pounds of Superbannum. But she said she's comfortable doing it. So she's looking, she's looking for stuff down there. And so we mentioned, we mentioned, we mentioned Sky, simply because most of it, even though she's boxed overseas quite a lot. She, you know, she's got a British. field because of that.

She's based in Bromley. She's training with Reddy Lamb. That's not a training of convenience. That's been her trainer since day one. Yeah, no, she's very part of our set up. That could be dead interesting at Superbant and 122 if she is going to do that because of course, we've got Ellie Scotty.

We have got Ellie Scotty and we need to talk about Ellie. Ellie is with MVP. We thought that she might have had some kind of complete undisputed title fight. It was being mentioned for some November. date, then that vanished. Yeah, it was the original Jake Paul and Giovanta Davis, which obviously we know what happened there.

It ended up being AJ just before Christmas. Did it? That's what she was meant to be on, but she had to pull out injured, which was a sickner. I think Ellie liked the idea with that show. Presumably, it just makes sense for them to reschedule that fight. You'd think so, which they didn't do for the December fight, and then they haven't announced it, but it might be one of their shows coming in. Ellie was particularly happy fighting on the Giovanna Davis bill because

Devonna Davis is shorter than her. See, Ellie, I've looked after you there of a joke. I've looked after you there with a joke. It's open season on Giovanna Davis, it turns you. There's not many shorter than Ellie, just him and Barry. Might as well get one in and him as well. So Barry gets one. Yeah.

Ellie gets one. Yeah. So Eddie Scottney, who might just be one of the very best in the top two or three. She had a brilliant year. She had a brilliant year. A really good year. She's flawless. she still hasn't stopped anybody.

No. I think she might, I think she'll also move to February weight. I think she'll, and people might say, Bansis, how's she gonna, trust me,

just it can happen. She can move up a few pounds. Well, she's 27 years old now, and she's been making weight for a long time. Obviously she had that massive amateur background.

I mean, it was 2015, 2016 that I was sort of, you know, helping out the younger ones. You were some really exotic women, yeah? No, no. I think it was.

It was Hungary. I don't get away much. That wasn't exotic. I apologize to our Hungarian fans. They had a superb like team back then and obviously she was part of it and they were in the you know the juniors, schoolgirls, whatever, the Europeans. She was one of the standouts. It was clear.

Not just because of a boxing ability but just how measured she was. Her whole mentality was next level and now we're seeing that come to efficient. But it is a long time to be that dedicated making weight, etc. And at 27 years old, it wouldn't be surprised. surprised to see a move up. But great year. She beat more two at the January that was on it. It was unbeaten and tough and season.

And then Yama left Mikado. I mean, just what a performance that was. On paper was meant to be this, but she greased it. She should have got the bonus that night. She should. But she did she agree. She should. She knew she wouldn't get it, but she should have got it.

Do you know what, though? Do you know what I loved about that for Ellie and knowing her? We know she's from Capford and all that. And she's just a genuine down-to-earth kid. She's great. but she really absorbed everything, didn't she? And all the interviews with you that week on the pod, you could tell again like a kid in this week shop.

She sat in every bit of energy. But she was not overwhelmed by it and overawed by it. And that's what I love, that she can still appreciate and say, my God, I'm here, little Ellie, in New York, having this experience. But also, that's not enough. I'm not just going to say, oh, it was great.

I know this is my opportunity and she grabbed it. And my God, did she? I know she hadn't stopped anyone, but her performances. One, they've been brilliant. And they've got better and better. every time. She's got a big fight mentality,

which seems like a contradiction because she's only been in a one really that McCarley, on a big bill, you know, Madison Square Guard and that type of stuff. But she's got a big fight mentality and I do this kind of sort of expression that I want to see how relaxed they are in the ring

and we almost want to take the pulse. She's lovely to watch. So when she's in the ring before a fight and she's just there in the ring, you know that her pulse is normal. She's not flying like a pinball. No. I think that works well with Shane.

Bingo. Shane works on that. Josh and Prishard. They're very, like, calming. Their corner work can be frantic when it needs to be, and they can read the right act, but they do a good calming act beforehand. I just hope that fight with Flores' atmosphere.

She would have become the youngest Brit of the modern era. So hopefully she still gets that and she can do it. On the subject of youngsters, there's two or one I just mention before we say goodbye. It's been an absolute delight and a pleasure. Fran Hennessy, Francesca Hennessy, doing, been on the BBC once already with a ringwalk, getting a lot of publicity, fighting against, she's unbeaten.

The ringwalks are epic. Yeah, you know, and she's got good timing. She's growing in. She's flamboyant, isn't she? She's still, she's still, she's still, she's not fully mature. She hasn't, you know, as we say. She understands a business, doesn't she? Obviously with a dad, for those who don't know.

With a dad, McKenzie, who launched. For all that time. She knows the game. She, she's waiting for a woman's strength. We say that about Matt. And that's understandable. Absolutely. Tyson Fuevich.

Mick Hennessy promoted Tyson for about three years of a pro before Tyson, even though he was six foot six and seven and eight in stone. Before he got his man strength, don't worry about it. And the other kid is this 19 year tier Aiton, who's top amateur, won, I think, in 2019 a junior world championship somewhere. She's four fights, four stoppages,

super bantam feather, super feather, whatever. I think she can go up quite a bit. I think she's, you know, I think she has, to work for the way. Speaking of the Brian Peters, who looks after her, this isn't,

I don't want to turn this in at the Brian Peter show. He's saying, I said to him four fights for tier of issues. He said, why not? She had four fights

from June to December. Why can't she have six fights? Yeah. And she's banging people. She's dropping people with proper shots. She's also going to be on that Sandy Ryan's on, obviously Wood's Worrenton on the 21st.

And that's an eight-rounder. So, yeah, and she's got that Ramos, the Brazilian, who boxed Shannon Courtney in 2024. So that's a little step up Good measures. Yeah, I think that is.

You're measuring like you do with Moses Atama. How has he done against him? Now, I will mention one... She's exciting. Fran, by the way, 31st of January. Yes, she'll be boxing on the BBC. For the vacant WBC Silver. Are you doing that?

Yeah. You're taking the TV money. Thanks, Stais. I've got a face for it, they said. Yeah. Taking the TV money, I'm going to be, no. To be discussed up here. To be disgusted of it.

Yeah, no, so I'm looking forward to seeing a backing action again. And again, it's another step up, a title on the line. And this, Elie Batellu, she's fighting, by the way, has got an unbelievable story. Fights out of China. Cambridge University student. Dead interesting. You mentioned this to be.

Really interesting. So she's got an amazing backstory. Final one. After having a baby, Amy Broadhurst has struck a deal with GB boxing, where she'll be commuting from Ireland to be part of the GB team. She now already failed to qualify for the Olympics, having decided to leave the Irish system where in one year alone she became the Commonwealth champion,

the European champion and the world champion and the outstanding world number one. Anyway, she's had, since the Olympics, she's had a baby and she's just done a deal just this last week. In fact, it was the big news when I was in Ireland last week, Katie Taylor was talking about it. And she's going to try and commute

the mother and mama look after the baby one week and then the baby will come with her another week. It's not going to be easy. It's not going to be easy. it eases her back. It was talk about her turning pro. So Amy Broadhurst, and I've been a massive fan of Amies

for a long time. She's only 28. That was an incredible triple that she'd pulled off that year. And she did it in style. She was at that Hungarian championships as well as you're up to, again, one of the ones

that you could see. But yeah, I felt sorry for everyone involved in that situation, by the way. The GB fighters, Amy, the stick that she got. Because from a fighter's point of view,

you're just going to do everything you can to get to those to the Olympics. And as are the selectors? They've got to get medals on the table. But I did feel for the likes of Shona and Whitwell and Gemma Richardson, etc. So I did feel for everyone, it was very controversial. There's a huge backlash.

But, you know, hopefully she can do it this time. Because everything that she's sacrificed and going to sacrifice. Can I just mention Savannah Marshall as well? She can say it? Because obviously she has. Sav. Oh, so I was saving Sav to the end. obviously she had two years out of boxing anyway she did the MMA for a bit

and then lost to Shadasha Green which was a massive it was a massive shock won it split decision I still thought she won that and I am biased and I like Sadd but I thought she won it good luck Shadacia Green is a good story as well by the way yeah so absolutely but I asked Sav I spoke to Sav about

what would be on her you know wish list shields obviously and green, but she said neither of them will take it. Those are the ones that she wants. She wants the rematches with Clarissa Shields, obviously, and Shadasia Green. And she said neither will take it.

But she did say there's hopefully going to be an MVP show in April in London, which she'll be on. She'll be expecting to be on, but there's no opponent confirmed. I think she's the most difficult one to match of all these that we've talked about. Because there's no one there. Exactly. Everyone's got to give away a stone to fight her for God's sake. Although Tia Aiton says she'll fight her, no problem.

She'll put weights in her gloves. So listen, it's been absolutely fantastic So I see going through this. A bit of reminiscent being here in Ricky's gym We've named and gone through everything If we've missed you out, we apologise It hasn't been intentional That's just the way it works

Rosie Eccles hopefully be back inside the GB system After a Tory at 18 or so months Apologies again if we have missed you out We've made plenty of fights That's what we do And at the end of the year We'll find out how many of them have come together And I know one thing

Unlike with the men last week with Barry The men's business is going on It's going good there's loads of big, old, mad, crazy fights being made. We need half of the fights we've talked about here to happen to keep the female sport going. We can't survive on one big, the women's sport can't survive on one big fight a year.

It can't do it, Stace. We've got to have consistency over a 12-month period. We've got to be looking forward in January to something in March. We've got to be looking forward in March to something in April or May. And that's what we didn't have last year or the year before. So pull your finger out, people. Let's get some stuff done. Stacey, it's a pleasure.

I'm not going to call you Tracy anymore, mate, don't worry. I won't call you Tracy. Thanks, Vincy. So that's Stacey Copeland, sitting with me and talking with me. And when she does, she does it very, very well. It's been a delight and a pleasure. We're back, we're running, we're hopping, we're skipping. It's getting close to Moses It's getting close to all sorts of stuff.

I've been Steve Bunston. And this is Five Live Boxing. My name's Steve Bradnell, a sister manager of Royal Oka. You may have seen me online with Vidal. Vinyl sensation. And now the BBC have given me the chance to set the footballing world banter rights. This could be a great opportunity for us, lads,

a podcast for the BBC. Can I just say, what's a podcast? Brilliant. Great start. Well done, Bob. Brilliant. We can completely show utter transparency to Royal Oak fans.

I'll use my charm. Gift it, Gab. Games gone. The Steve Bracknell podcast. Watch on YouTube, listen on BBC Sounds.