5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - Wood v Conlan: Who wins?

Episode Date: March 10, 2022

Steve takes the pod to Nottingham ahead of the big showdown between Leigh Wood and Michael Conlan on Saturday night. He chats to both boxers, as well as promoter Eddie Hearn.

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. Five Live Boxing. Welcome to a bonus pod in the week of a world title fight at a sold-out arena in Nottingham. Nottingham. Not something I've said for an awful long time. I'm sold-out arena in Nottingham. I'm joined by Eddie Hearn, the promoter of it, and also the promoter of the last time there was a sold-out arena in Nottingham. First of all, Eddie, Lee Wood, Michael Conlon. I was talking to Jim Bentley, who's the producer, the main producer you got on the zone.

And he said to me, he said, when I looked down at the schedule, seven or eight weeks ago that it was here, And there was loads of big fights on it, loads of good fights. He said this was the one that stood out. And I absolutely agree with him. It's a special fight, this. It is. It's a really good fight, but it's like the narrative as well, Bunce, isn't it? Which makes big fights and big occasions.

Firstly, the narrative of the trainers. Ben Davison, fresh off a bit of controversy, not his fault. No, not his fault, but a lot of it. The Jack Gatchel fight with Josh Taylor, Adam Booth in the opposite corner. The fans, 10,000 of them, probably six and a half, 7,000 from Nottingham. And three and a half thousand from Ireland. and you're going to cause a lot of noise. That just lends itself to a great atmosphere,

and it's a 50-50 fight. You know, it's the kid that was expected to go on and, you know, become a world champion in Michael Conlon, a kid that's been given a lot of opportunities, but rightfully so because of his amateur pedigree, against the local boy who's done it all the hard way, you know, got chinned along the way, came back.

As you pointed out. Maybe I shouldn't have pointed that out, but it was back in 2014, but it's part of the Lee Wood story. You know, a kid from Nottingham that used to buy a ticket to come and watch Carl, Roch Box to dream of one day headline in here and he's made it very clear

that this isn't the end of the road in terms of the pinnacle for him. He wants to go on and fight the city ground you've got Josh Warrington against Kiko Martinez for the world title in a couple of weeks. The winners could fight the winners but a nice calmness about Lee Wood and we'll see on the night how that calmness unfolds because it's going to be a cauldron in there

on Saturday. In all the fun of it is I do think that the people that call the boxer and the corner that can control themselves best in front of that because it's not just 9,000, Eddie. We've been with 20,000 that haven't had as much heart and passion, but this is a 9,000 making it sound like there's 60,000, and making it sound like they're actually on your back going into the ring. And it's a simple case of Ken Lee would do what,

reached those heights he did last summer in the garden when he beat Kenzo, which in a fight he wasn't meant to win, let's get that way. We're all looking back on that like it was a foregone conclusion, absolutely obvious, and is it too soon for Michael Conlon? And it depends on which one of those two camps, You're sitting. I think it's going to be an explosive fight because I think, you know, both guys, Lee Wood has tremendous power.

Michael Conlon is a very clever fighter. Can punch with speed and in combinations as well. And I actually see this fight ending in stoppage. A lot of people talking about Lee Wood by stoppage or Michael Conlon on points. I'm not sure. I think both guys are capable of doing either. But I do expect with the atmosphere, with the occasion, with the power of Leewood and the hand speed of Michael Conlon and the combination punching. I see this fight ending by stoppage.

and it's a massive moment for both. It's a massive moment for both. And I think it just shows it's really mad that they're together now because if you look back over their careers and this is really odd this. When Michael Conlonon was being led to the rig in Madison Square Garden

by Connor McGregor in a third coat, I think a week later, Lee Wood was having something like his 14th fight against the guy who lost for the 60 first time that night and making peanuts at a leisure centre. These guys have been in separate universes and suddenly together they'll be under one roof. Yeah, that again goes down to the narrative of the fight and it's like how tough is Michael

Conlon? How good is Michael Conlin? I think a lot of this fight depends on those factors. Michael Conlin, it's hard to say he's been given everything as a pro because, you know, as a fighter, he's had to come through the amateur system and he's put his heart and sew into the sport. But compared to leave what he has. But, you know, sometimes your amateur pedigree can reward you with those opportunities. But Michael Conlon has not had it tough yet as a pro. Now, maybe he wants to have it tough, but we just don't know. Lee Wood, we know, has come through adversity, but how good and how tough is Michael Conlonon?

That's what I think this fight's going to come down to, because if he's not tough enough and he's not good enough, he'd get knocked out on Saturday night. And that could happen, or he may be a special kid, a special talent, but one way or another, we're going to find out on Saturday. And just quickly, one or two of the fighters on the undercard, I love the fact that Terry Harper's back and she's up a few pounds,

still looks like she could go up a few more pounds. I'm really happy about that, and she's really sensible. And I love that story told about her nan. with a banana saying, well, it's only five pounds. You still look really skinny. I think it's a really, I think it's a hard fight for her. But I've got to tell you, Eddie, all the fights you've been overseen

and rubber-stamped the matches, the fight between Sandy Ryan and Farias is absolutely off the scale. You've never okayed ever a fight for a free-bought novice against an opponent as good and as dangerous as Farias. I put that to you. Emma, to first. I would like to make it clear on air right now. I didn't rubber stamp it.

And I don't always have... I don't blame you. I know, but I just said to, you know, Paul Reddy and the guys and Clifton Mitchell. I said, look, I've watched Farias. I've watched her have a war with McCaskill that was a split decision for the unified world championship. I've seen her fight Cecilia Brackhouse.

I've seen her, you know, in all these fights. She does not stop the 10 rounds. Sandy Ryan is an outstanding prospect. She had three fights. Yeah. Against three, very average opponents, quite frankly. Three women she was meant to be comfortably. And now this is a whole other level.

but she's got something about her, Sandy Ryan. This is either going to look like a tremendous piece of matchmaking for a global talent in Sandy Ryan or a really, really stupid move. But I love it, don't you? We'll be sitting there on Saturday going, here we go. I mean, we've got Kevin O'Jaco in a great fight, he's a great Belfast, Terry Harbourback,

Gary Cully against Vasquez and loads of other stuff. But for me as well, I do look at Sandy Ryan against Eric Afarias and say this is the one that I'm actually most looking forward to on the undercut. Eddie, just a quick little run through a shopping list, a bits and pieces for you, if I can. AJ has a trainer, that's official, but of course we have no idea what Ousset's going to be doing because of the, you know, he's action on the front line,

on a real front line. When might we hear something about what AJ's doing? Just a ballpark figure time was. I spoke to Alex Kraswick this morning. I've been reluctant to really get in touch, because, I mean, it's just... The last thing they're thinking about at the moment is fighting. But, you know, I said to Alex,

we've got to make our move. And one thing we're not prepared to do is let the opportunity to fight Ucic go away because A.J. wants to regain his world heavyweight titles, but he also needs to fight. So I said to Alex Krassook today, look, speak to Uc and for us, if we can't fight in May old early June, we would like an interim bout before we go into the Uc fight.

And, you know, AJ's idea of an interim bout is very different to mine. You know, Buncey, an interim bout while you're waiting should be a nice little stroll in the park. A touch. A nice touch. A nice touch. A nice touch. You know, what about Otto Wilding? What about Louis Ort. What about Joe Joyce?

I mean, but this is AJ all over. If you look at his resume, he's never had an easy touch. I think now's the time to have an easy touch. Why not? He doesn't. He doesn't. You know, he wants to prepare and maybe Ortiz, maybe while in that Southport, you know, gearing him up for Alexander Usick, what might be a couple of months later as well.

But I expect if he does have an interim, knowing Anthony Joshua to him to have a real fight. And, you know, he's really pumped at the moment. He's in great shape. He's backs against the wall a little bit. He wants to fight. You know, he's like a cage lion. And again, we'll give Usick the respect and the time that he needs. But A.J wants to get back to the ring in the summer.

But as I said, the most important thing is to make sure that he rematches Alexander Usick. He's turned down a lot of money not to, you know, and he's not about to let that opportunity go. So if Usik, if the word back is that Usset's going to be busy, occupied, understandably, so would an AJ quote inter and fight be in that same time span, that May early June? At end of May, first week of June, something like that. You know, I don't know, back at Spurs, O2, Vicarage Road. You know, he wants to fight. He hasn't been that active recently because of the pandemic.

And he wants to get back in the ring. He's ready to go. He feels tremendous. And he wants to prove that he's the best heavyweight in the world. And he can do that by a good win in the summer and then hopefully beating Alexander Ousick later in the year. And Eddie, and finally, and thanks so much for your time here. It started off with slippers, then it went to pyjamas, then it went to robes.

is there no end to this bromance between you and Saul Canelo Alvarez? He's lined up for fights, but more than that, people don't really want to know about the fights. They want to know just about, I mean, have you been out pony riding together? I mean, where does it end? Where does it start?

I've got to stop with the public cuddles, because, you know, it's him. It's him. Yeah, we're just, you know, I've just, I'm going to stop saying I love Canelo Averiz, but it's just, I was sat next to him in San Diego, and he's screaming at Julio Cesar Martin his. He's up, you know,

and it's the passion, the love. for boxing and it's so infectious, you know, and the two biggest stars in boxing are Anthony Joshua and Canelo Averis and I'll represent both of them and I'm very, very lucky to do so and especially to represent an American superstar in Canello Alvarez and his love and his passion for the game, it's very infectious. Yeah, and there's a lot to be said about great energy. Yeah.

And Canello Alvarez has great energy. So quite frankly, Bunce, I don't care what anyone says. No. I love him. I'm on your side, son. Just quickly, I mean, I had a fantastic time at the Caleb Plant fight. with Alvarez, where he was brilliant. He bent over backwards with me.

He did fantastic interviews. He was great. And he talked lovingly about fighting in Britain. Talk to English about fighting in Britain. I mean, where is there possible windows? Because it's not a joke. I know he wants to. Yeah, well, that's December, hopefully.

I mean, look, he's got Dmitri Bivar on May the 7th. He's got Garnardi Golofkin in September. And then he wants to fight John Ryder in London, who is his mandatory or Maccabu in Mexico. Two things I'd love to do with Canello. One is to bring him to the UK. and two is to do 100,000 plus in Mexico. It would just be wild.

So he definitely wants to fight. Yeah, of course. He definitely wants to fight in the UK and hopefully we can make that happen. Eddie, listen, thanks very much. I'm going to go and grab all of the fighters here and let's look forward to Saturday night. Conlon against Wood.

It's a special night. It's a special fight. Cheers, Buncie. So thanks, Eddie. I'm going to wander off. I know that Lee's here. Lee, I know you're hungry and it's your schedule and you've got to go and do what you've got to do.

Well, I spoke to you a few weeks ago when we were here in this same building, you were very relaxed. Well, I was expecting to find you a little bit edgier. Well, you're even more relaxed now than you were six weeks ago. How's that work? Absolutely, I put the work in. Throughout this whole buildup, the press conference in Nottingham,

the press conference in Ireland, the press conference today, I feel I've remained the same. I've said the same things. Maturtsud's been the same. My mindset's been the same. Whereas Mick's been up and down. He has been out of character. In Nottingham, he was a bit rattled, you could have said,

aggressive sometimes. Sometimes, then he went to Ireland, who was calm. He was more chill, he's relaxed, having a laugh at a joke. And now his back of your, he was quite quiet. I see straight through that confidence. I see straight through it. You think there's a weakness there?

I just think he's overconfident. He's trying to convince everyone is confident. Why? If you're confident, sit down and shut up, smile, go get the job inside the night, like myself. Why do you need to convince everyone that you're confident? Art of war. When you're strong, seem weak.

When you're weak, street seems strong. I mean, you're not the first person that said something along those lines to me today, It seems to be, this is the way people are talking about the fight. You tell me how you see it. Talking about the fight this way, we'll find out, it's all about we'll find out what Mick Conlon can do. We'll find out how good Mick Conlon is.

We'll find out if all the hype about Mick Conlon, no one I've spoken to, and I'm telling you the truth here. I've got no reason to lie to you. You know, I've done you a while and I've covered your fights for longer. It seems to me it's all about what Mick Conlon can do. What about what about Lee Wood can do? Not too loud. We don't want them, we don't want them to hear that,

Because I like to stay under the radar. I like to get rid of it. It's a big puncher, but can't make a box. Or, Kanzui, you know, he had a long time out of the ring. We like to stay under that radar. We like to get overlooked. I can box. I can fight.

I'm fit. I'm 100% more determined than most fighters you come across. Discipline to hell. I ain't got here by a fluke. And they'll look at Mick Colin. On Saturday night when I beat him, they're probably going to say, Lord, it wasn't as good as we thought. But that's just going to push me into my next fight to do it all over again.

Listen, he is that good, okay? He should have had two Olympic medals. You've got a European amateur champion. You've got a world amateur championship. You've got a Commonwealth Games. He fought the best amateurs in some of the harshest and hardest places. He's a really good fighter. Don't worry about that.

I'll get the prop for being in then. No, no, that's why I'm getting out there. That's why I'm getting out of it. Let me just remind you of something. Just when he was being walked to the ring by Connor McGregor for his debut, Madison Square Garden. McGregor had a fur coat on. You were about the fighter guy who was going to lose, I think, the 60 first time. about the same week.

You two have been, I wrote about this in the boxing news, you two have been on two different roads, but you're together now. It makes me chuckle. Yeah, and I would have given my leg to be in bigger fights at the time. Why am I fighting these kind of kids?

Why am I fighting a gentleman? I say to manage, look, I want to be in a fight. I want to be in a title fight. Take your time, we'll take your time, take your time. And I'm like screaming for it. And then, you know, it's just one of the things, you know, management and politics of boxing is crazy.

And even to this day, I will never understand why it is how it is. I think going forward on that note, there should be more competitions, more tournaments at every single level. Like the Golden Contract, it plateaued me and pushed me forward. Pulling people together, a full subject to have good fights.

At every single level, every tie level, British title level, European and world. Nearly 10,000 in the Nottingham Arena. It's an arena you've been at to watch Carl Frotch. How many more do you think would have been there? If it was 5,000 bigger, would you have sold those tickets? I could have sold them three or four times. over. People have been pulling out this week. My auntie's been on my tickets. Bless her, thank you to

my aunt Sue. You aren't this money tickets. Yeah, my aunt's Su's in charge of tickets. And thousand, she's done. And when people pull out, you know, I pass the number on. She sells them within hours. There's a group, the group chat. We've got about 30 people in there that sell a lot of tickets around because they've followed me through. I've always done my own ticket since Turning Pro, small or boxing. So people always come to me for tickets. So then I pass them on and we've got a right little sell. I tell you what, it might be a world title fight and it might be a really big world title fire

and it might be a sellout but it just feels like, I don't know, we aren't so involved as well, it feels like a bit of a family affair. Absolutely, family, friends, everyone's involved, you know, and I'm not one of them kids that, you know, I'm here and I'll do it a different way. My feet are on the ground,

I do things out, I've always done things and I'm going to do the same thing on Saturday night. Great to hear. Lee, thanks very much. Enjoy yourself Saturday night. Cheers, thank you. No, thanks. So up on stage,

In fact, we're behind the stage here. So to my right, the sort of the back of the backdrop with the stage details on. I want to go over here, and Michael Conlon's just having a drinks, sitting with his brother, Jamie. Michael, looking very, very serious. It's a big night. It's a big fight.

Michael, thanks very much for your time. Six or seven weeks ago, you're a bit more relaxed. It's just time of getting in the ring and do the business now, isn't it? Time to get the job done. I'm very, very focused. I was just seen here today. I have no need to talk any nonsense

I'm here to fight and that's it and I'm going to keep on going back to it because you keep on going back to it why do they think you've never been in this situation before when you fought in Kazakhstan Luzbekistan and you fought in those places against fighters you knew you're not going to get the decision against why do they still think that for some reason

you've had this you know this lovely this lovely easy career I don't understand it you know they they don't understand the journey and that's all it is. You know, it's a journey. If they were able to do it, they would have done it, but the simple matter of the fact is

they weren't, so it doesn't bother me. They can think whatever they want to think. Saturday night, I f***ed this guy up. And it's 9,000 people in there and I know what it's going to be like in there. It's going to be special. Yeah, it's going to be special. I'm not like, when I say

there'll be more Irish. And if there's not more Irish numbers, they will certainly like there's more Irish by tenfold anyway. As you're going into this, As you're just now, you know, hours away from it. Does it feel different to you than anything's ever felt in the past, Michael? Does it feel different?

No. I've been in this position many times before. Faving for many major belts, titles in the amateurs. And now we're here in the professional game. Just doing the same thing. I've done many, many times. I've been successful at many, many times. I've had bigger pressures than this. I've been under more scrutiny and more pressure than what I'm going to face.

I face better fighters. than this and I know my ability so I'm very confident my preparation has been unbelievable and I can't wait to go in there and choose Saturday Nate how great I am So Eddie Hearn Conlon and Wood with their

thoughts and feelings about Saturday night me personally it's one of those type of fights where if I could sit there with my feet up I'd probably enjoy it as much it's got that type of feel to it so Lee Wood against

Michael Conlon for the WBA featherweight championship of the world from a sold out Nottingham arena live on five live 10 p.m. on Saturday night and the winner of that well we either have a massive fight in Belfast or we have Lee Wood outdoors at his beloved Nottingham Forest Ground. It's a special the winner whatever happens if it's a draw we get a rematch great if it's a tight decision we probably get a rematch it's win win win I'm going to try and grab one or two of the people from the undercard now I'm going to fucking grab hold of, I can see Terry Harper over there.

Let me go and find Terry Harper. Terry Harper, listen, thanks for joining her. I love that story you told about your nana. When you explained to her that you put on the way, just tell me the story again. Yeah, she used to go mad at me all the time saying, oh, you're too skinny. Oh, you look, you look poorly.

I wish you'd just move up weight, so I think my nana were very happy when I did tell her that we made the choice to move up weight, but when I said it's only five pounds, she's like, is that enough? Is that going to be enough? And still now, she's like, oh, you're still looking.

but do you know what I feel like a completely different person and um fuller energy full of life and just I'm just I feel like the old Terry's back and I'm excited to be here it's been a really hard year or so isn't it I mean we work with the hand injuries back to back and then and then a defeat and the nature of defeat it's been it's been it's been a tough period for you Terry hard period yeah but do you know what it's I feel like I've had a good team around me a good support system and I kind of just with the cards I've been dealt I just got on with it

you've got no other choice yeah so like before that this is your pandemic pandemic and then obviously then the hand injury you just kind of roll with it because you've got no other option and it's about staying positive and focused and just knowing there's going to be light end of the tunnel and here we are

this is light end of the tunnel and yeah like I said I'm excited to get out there Saturday night it's been brilliant attitude and I must admit I did find it and I shouldn't laugh but the day after the defeat, when you know where I'm coming with it, when Steffey said, that's it,

we're in trouble in the business, Terry's back down the chip shop, and then you came back with that, see, I guess I'm back down the chip shop, which I just thought was such a great way to deal with losing your unbeaten record and losing your world title, in such a shock.

I thought that was brilliant. That was a great attitude. Yeah, it's the saying, if you don't laugh, you'd be crying, but do you know what? A few weeks, I were down after the fight, but I kind of picked myself up, dusting myself off,

And now I'm the running joke at home with the football girls and that. They're always having the banter and the jokes about me and my loss and stuff like that. But I feel that's what you need sometimes. You can't take yourself too serious. And you know what? It's character building. That's what I see as character building. And the mad thing is, the real mad thing is, as you said, you were concerned.

You know, you were only half joking that you thought the fans might go away. But the fans have come out of even bigger numbers. Yeah. Great support, as always. Can't thank everyone enough to be fair. I thought that's it. I lost all my fans. But like I said, I feel like I've gained more.

And I feel like people can relate more to me now. I'm just showed everyone that I'm human. And everything's not perfect in life. We have setbacks. And I'm just here to show everyone that it's about how you deal with these. And now you come back stronger. Absolutely brilliant. Terry, thanks so much for your time.

Enjoy yourself on Saturday night. I will do. Thank you. Terry Harper, just to say, Terry Harper fighting up at the lightweight, where she may be. should have moved earlier, but hey-ho, that's just the way it works. She's fighting Yamila Bellin Abilande. It's not an easy fight, but it's a fight that she should win. I certainly win on paper.

Now, if fights are measured on paper, let me just grab old of Sandy Ryan here. Sandy, if you were a man and you were matched with another man who had the record of your opponent, people would be saying that's the greatest match and the hardest match ever made. It's ridiculous, I'm telling you now. Yeah, they wouldn't do it, would they? They wouldn't do it. I mean, listen, your brother Dave, who you give a lot of stick to, right? In his third or full fight, he would never have thought someone like this.

No, no. So why have you taken it? What have you seen that I can't see when I look at a record? And I'm being honest with you. Yeah, I just know my capability and my ability to be her. She's coming. She's game, isn't she? She is game, yeah.

It can be a tough fight. but I'm getting the win. Her five defeats, okay. Now, she's lost to boxing royalty. Celia Breckas, right? Delphine Pursune, twice to Jessica McCaskill, and in her last fight to Michaela Mayer. Wait for it, all on points.

And three or four of those were fairly competitive. Yeah. Put some respect on my knee. No, I'm putting too much respect on your name. I'm saying this is a bold piece of matchmate. and I understand that you and Clifton have seen something but Sand it's a really hard fight

I know you've been in you probably think you've been in with better amateurs at different tournaments around the world but this is such a test and Eddie's right after this you can only go on to a world title within about two fights

yeah so it is a very big step up but this is what I'm here for and I know a lot of people do a lot of talking and that but then they want to be matched like padded and I'm just like but I know

know what I'm capable of and I want to be the best so let's start beating the best. So you're in a situation where you win this and you fight someone else like this and then you get one of the light world or weight world champions or super lightweight as you call it. So if in about 10 fights you could in theory have had two or three world title fights. Fast track. Yeah. That's that's a plan really. A few more fights this year and get a title in there. And then yeah, because I've got a of ambitions for the sport and let's just get it going now you're 28 still you're 28 aren't you so you're still young I mean a lot so many of the women are 32 33 34 so you've still got all of those years in you one thing I can't see how you end up having 25 fights in this business you

see what you see my point because everything's fast-tracked I can't see that can you see it I'm not sure about 25 fights 15 or 20 I want to I want to have I want to have a kid at some point at some point yeah that's why yeah I'm in there

I'm in the I'm in here I want to beat the best I want to get the titles cash in have a nice family and be successful and inspire the next generation

and you know what Sandy that's just about all any fight a male or female can ask for get in get the money get out have a family and inspire the next generation

You have a great relationship with Clifton Mitchell, who I've known an awful long time. But can you ease up a little bit on your brother? You're giving him too much stick. You're brutalising him on Twitter. You're brutalising him. You've been doing it for about four or five years now. Give him a break, can you? It's just all banter, though.

It's all jokes aside. But, no, I love my brother. He's with me in five weeks. And, yeah, we've got a nice small circle. Cliff, the boss. and that's why I feel like got a great team and yeah. Last year, let's see this, throwing it ahead. Now, women move all over weights.

You saw what Natasha Jonas did the other day. She went super feather. She jumped above your weight, jumped another, but it went to the middle. Down the line, and I know you're an athlete and you're not carrying anything as such. Could you see yourself going up if there was an opportunity, if there was a fight? 100%. And that's in my mind already because I don't want to be doing this weight for, years. A year

max I want to be in this way that's why I'm going at it fast and then I want to move up to Walter 147. So Sandy Ryan there in a brilliant fight a winnable fight but a fight that would be oh it's just an incredible

marker as I say hand on her I can't think I can't think and I spoke to Mick Costello a bit earlier I can't think of a fight involving a man where there was an opponent like this in the full fight. Hi-yo, fantastic stuff. Well, so that's it from Nottingham. So just a reminder, it's 10 o'clock Saturday night, live on 5 live, from the Nottingham Arena, Lee Wood against

Michael Conlon. We'll be joined at ringside by Sky Nicholson, who just last weekend, or last Saturday actually made her debut, a winning debut in San Diego. We'll talk to Sky, and you'll understand why when you hear her. She's brilliant, to be perfectly honest with you. And she can fight a bit as well. Lee Wood, Michael Conlon. Is it too much too soon, or is it simply a case of the right man at the right time? Is it the Lee Wood story or is it a Michael Conlon story? We've heard from both today. We've heard both sides. It's a special fight. It's an intriguing fight. It's a big fight. I can't wait for it. So that's 10pm on Saturday on 5 Live. And of course, I probably should now I apologize for there being no pod on Monday.

That's a story for another day and another night. Thanks very much. Join us on Saturday night. I hope you've enjoyed it. Let's get ready to...