5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - Wood v Warrington: Last Man Standing

Episode Date: February 19, 2026

Will it be repeat or revenge? Buncey heads to Nottingham to speak with Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington ahead of their highly anticipated rematch on Saturday night. He also catches up with promoter Eddi...e Hearn and "Meatball" Molly McCann. Plus, we hear from Ismael Davis and Bilal Fawaz as they prepare to battle it out for the British title.

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Starting point is 00:01:37 That's pockethose.com slash podcast for your two free gifts with purchase. Pockethose.com slash P-O-D-C-A-S-T. This is Five Live Boxing. Now, I love a rematch. I love a rematch of a little bit of need or a little bit of nastiness. And this rematch on Saturday in Nottingham has that. It is a real old-fashioned British rivalry rematch with nastiness. Lee Wood and Josh Warrington.
Starting point is 00:02:09 This is the story of the fight. I'm Steve Bunce and this is Five Live Boxing. So I'm joined by Eddie Hearn in this familiar surveillance. And Ed, could I just say it's been fairly confrontational week for you this week with some of the stuff you've been having with Dana White. Well, and you, Bunsey. Yeah, the pair of us have been against it. Let's not duck out of that, you know.
Starting point is 00:02:31 But yeah, just another rivalry. I mean, I suppose it's what we're used to, and now it's Eddie V Dana, which I'm, you know, I think it's a nice little, it's got a good ring to it. I know who sells more tickets. Can I just say that? Well, yeah, well, they're doing it in front of about 100 people at the moment. So I think out, you know, I've got a lot of time for Dana, right? But once he, you know, he made the terrible mistake of going down the,
Starting point is 00:02:54 yeah, well, Eddie works for his dad line, which is generally what people say when they've kind of run out of ideas or frustrated, but this is after one month. Normally it takes me years to get that kind of comment. You know what I'm saying? So, yeah. Maybe he saw it somewhere on a video and decided to copy it. What I find staggering is that, I mean, I don't want to dwell too much on the Zouffer belt. And she says, Zufa, what is Zufa?
Starting point is 00:03:17 I don't want to dwell too much on that. I don't want to upset too many people because I'm simply doing that without even trying to upset people. But it was quite ridiculous to attack. I mean, if he puts on a massive show and he gets 63,000, as you said, he might do that at some point. Oh, he will. He will. Yeah, but right now, like, you know, ultimately, you've done. got, you know, Max Kellerman, I mean, the whole thing is, like, and I know that, you know, you guys,
Starting point is 00:03:39 some people are more independent than others. If you're working for a broadcaster, I understand, there is a tendency to exaggerate on the quality of the night. It's just what happens, but you still can't go out there and say that Callan Wall, she's a very nice young man, is the next Roy Jones. And Max Kellerman telling you that a Jagber against Charles Martin is really a part of the rebirth of the heavyweight division. And this is, you know, I mean, And if I was putting on those shows, I'd get crucified. You would, actually. So I would.
Starting point is 00:04:07 Yeah, you would. And if you said that stuff alongside putting on those shows. But also, like, when you talk about vision, the vision that we've had globally has never been done before. But having a new belt, it's got nothing to do of vision. It's just about a control. They don't want to play by the rules of boxing. They want to run the rules.
Starting point is 00:04:26 And they want to run the game. So this is our belt. You have to do what we say. But because they, you know why? because they couldn't operate in that mad world of boxing because it would do their nothing. Don't get me wrong, it does my name. I don't blame them, by the way.
Starting point is 00:04:41 They're going, no, no, we don't want, we'll just do our own thing, we'll start our own rules, we'll control everything in-house, just like they're done with the UFC. And listen, it's worked with that. Wherever it works in boxing, proof, you know, time will... It's worked with that, but, you know,
Starting point is 00:04:53 has had some problems over the last couple of years that we're going to pay fighters, let's get that right. Well, that'll be the next problem that they've got with a UFC, because what they're going to be paying... They're going to make some mad offers for some fighters. To get people over. And what that will do is the UFC guys will look at those numbers and go, hang in a minute, you're paying $5, $10 million for him.
Starting point is 00:05:12 I'm getting $7.50. I've just sold out the T-Mobile and done $500,000 pay-per-view by us. What's going on? I mean, over the last 50s, I didn't want to talk about this, but I've got to just mention it. Over the last 10, 15 years, I was always amazed when I'd see these figures of what they were making and what they weren't making and what we were making
Starting point is 00:05:30 You know, them quite comfortably saying that we're this and we're that. And I just thought, just look at the sums. None of it added up. They were making peanuts those guys. You know, UFC, look, what a business, right? TKO. I mean, they're making hundreds of millions because they take all the money. They don't pay the fighters correctly, in my opinion.
Starting point is 00:05:48 So, you know, you've got a situation where, you know, say of the revenue pot, the fighters are getting 15% of the pot. Whereas in boxing, they're getting 80% of the pot. Sometimes, 140% of the pot. Unfortunately. we like pots to don it up Ed we finally got this one back on Lee Wood against Josh
Starting point is 00:06:05 Warrington in your in your view why did it take so long because I thought we might have had this seven and a monocity and ego you've seen it you know we've seen it so many times before where it's like when there's a great fight which it was
Starting point is 00:06:16 and when there's a swing either way you know Warrington's controlling the fight all of a sudden he gets dropped I've actually watched it back I think it was a little bit harsher on Josh Warrington than I remembered at the time
Starting point is 00:06:32 because I've seen the reverse angle no you know the angle where you can see his face so where I'm sitting on the night I can just see his back and he's staggering and he made the classic mistake of turning his back and not turning around in time
Starting point is 00:06:45 but if you look at him his face when he goes back to the corner he's looking at his training he's going on he's composing himself to turn around like and he wasn't like you know the eyes weren't rolling around it was like
Starting point is 00:06:59 From that angle. It was still his fault. Yeah, yeah. Because he didn't turn around. But he turned around at 8 and went, I'm ready, and they went, no. Now, his mistake. But generally, what happens in a controversial stoppage is in a great fire. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:07:11 The rematch is massive. Oh, even bigger. So three, four, five months later, I'm saying, right, guys, let's run it back. You know, Lee Wood's like, I don't want to run it back with him. And then it's like, all right, well, I want this much money. And it's like, guys, like, I paid you a lot of money for the first one. It's sold out. but kind of like the money in the pot
Starting point is 00:07:30 is the money in the pot. So the money's going to... No, if he wants to fight me again, he's got to take a load less and I want more money, right? Then it breaks down. Then we revisit it six months later. Someone says something in the media
Starting point is 00:07:43 and it's like, you know, don't worry. And then Wood goes to fight Kikachi. And then someone else goes another way. Yeah. And then eventually, you know, they both come to me and say, right, we've had our fights. What's next? I go, guys, why don't you just rematch?
Starting point is 00:07:55 Oh, well, yeah, blah, I said, like, come. on. You're at the stage now. This is what we call this show. Last Man Standing. The loser goes. He's done.
Starting point is 00:08:05 The loser of this fight, in my opinion, will never fight again. And that loser might not have been facing the end of a successful or the end of his proper career. Had it been made two years ago? Maybe. Yeah. But ultimately, now there's more on the line. I think it's like, you know, you can never really wait too long unless both guys just aren't what they were, which this is. is not the case.
Starting point is 00:08:29 I'm not saying they're in their absolute prime. But they're both, yeah, they're both physically in great shape. They're both bang up for this fight. And these are the kind of nights. And, you know, jokes aside from the Zuffer stuff, this is our bread and butter. Like Nottingham Leeds, sold out, electric atmosphere, sweet Caroline, big grudge match, domestic battle, two former world champions, two kind of generational great fighters from this era, if you like. Of good fights.
Starting point is 00:08:58 Exactly. Dozens. So, you know, plus British and Commonwealth Championship on the line, Fowaz against Davis, world championship on the line, Sandy Ryan, Leo Atang, Tier Aiton, Molly McCann. I mean, it's a proper night of boxing. It's a good, but before we hear from the two boxes, have you seen much of the two boxes this week in the build? Have you seen, Josh? Have you been close to Lee?
Starting point is 00:09:21 No, I've got a sense of them. I've got to Notting them today. I just saw Lee Wood outside. It looks very healthy. I mean, I put super feather. I like it. I like healthy. I mean, feather would. was not good for him.
Starting point is 00:09:29 I've got to say, I saw the pictures of Josh Reinsen. I mean, he's always in shape, but he looks absolutely beasted. I mean, he looks in phenomenal condition. He's had the old Barnett done as well, which I'm very jealous about. You know, he's got a few more follicles in there as well,
Starting point is 00:09:42 what you're not. So look, you know two consummate professionals. Yeah. Both in the absolute physical peak condition they can possibly be in, ready to put it all on the line for us on Saturday night. Now let's hear from the two fighters now. Just one second, Ed.
Starting point is 00:09:56 It's completely different. Even the fight would be different. The build-up's different. He said a few disrespectful things. I thought to myself, I thought, he's just being disrespectful to get the rematch. But then I looked back, I think he did a few things before the fight. Personal things, you think?
Starting point is 00:10:09 Yeah, like, he posted something about me going off to use the drip after the way in, which I've never done in my life. I sometimes wish I did because I really struggled to read it sometimes. But yeah, I thought, so it wasn't even because to get a rematch. I don't know why that's what he does, that's how he is, or maybe he thought he was going to win. I don't know. How much different is it?
Starting point is 00:10:29 It's really hard for people to understand. It's only £4 people to say, but for you, if that £4 pounds is like a... It's enormous, isn't it? It's a lot. It's a lot. I don't want to go in time which I used to court,
Starting point is 00:10:38 but... Don't have to, we all know. Yeah, you can see my face today, well, make a feathery. I think it's half dead, but even now, like, I feel... I'm not as in full of any joke, it's still hard to me,
Starting point is 00:10:50 but I feel I'm living. Do you regret that the... I know there was all sorts of reasons why it didn't happen. Do you regret the reason? rematch didn't happen six months after the first fight? Or you'd fight in the words now? From my point of view, that was always in my back pocket.
Starting point is 00:11:04 That fight was always there. Same with the Conlon fight, if I need to revisit that. But I don't think I wanted him the opportunity, to be honest, but with Josh, it was always in the pocket. So I could go on and head towards challenges, and that fight was always there. And I always wanted to say, with boxing, when I finish on a high, this is the fight for me,
Starting point is 00:11:21 what's going to bring the best out of me? Do you like the nastiness that exists, the sort of how personal it's become? Because it seems like, I mean, do you like it or is it just part of our business? I don't like it, but I think I need it. I think with the Conlon fight, he brought the best out of me. And I think with this fight, again, it's going to bring the best out of me. It hasn't come.
Starting point is 00:11:40 I've been so switched on and been nailing the sparring, like, I just think it brings the best out of them in. Maybe I need that. I need that fire there. A bit of disrespect you need. Maybe, yeah. I've had a good look back over your career. You've been disrespected a lot, really, haven't you? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:11:55 Whatever way you want to call it, people have sort of taking you a little bit for granted. I mean it nicely. I find that ridiculous. Yeah. It's good though, it's good to be on the radar sometimes, the only on my career.
Starting point is 00:12:08 And then when the world title came around, I got picked because of that unlucky, which was a blessing. No chance to beat Conlon. That's it. No chance to be anybody, really? You keep beating them. You keep beating them, Lee.
Starting point is 00:12:20 Because I adapt to win. I don't box the same against every fire, and that's what you're going to do to get to that level. Now, I was talking to Carl Frot, and he was saying that you were talking to him about how you used to go to his fights when you were a bit young.
Starting point is 00:12:32 Just tell me a little bit about that because he's like the king of his town. Well, he might be the king of his town. It turns out that you might be the king of his town. Just don't tell Carl. He said, are you the sheriff? He's the sheriff? I'm not sold in it for you.
Starting point is 00:12:45 Yeah, so my friend of the Taz, his dad, Mark, he was coached me from a kid, took me on pads and he used to take Carl on pads from when he first turned pro. He was to go to a weights gym and everyone used to look around watching I was only really young
Starting point is 00:12:57 and I watched Carl go from turning pro to winning world title and most of the fights been in the arena and you went to those nights yeah a quarter of it, half of it and the first time it fully filled it and won his world title day I was there
Starting point is 00:13:11 Pascal fire yeah, Pascault fire and I was in the crowd screaming for him and looking around thinking one day I'd love to do this one day and I've done it numerous times now and it still doesn't get any less satisfying when I walk out to that stage
Starting point is 00:13:24 and I look around and I think Amio it's time to go but I said this as a day I said I'd love to share that with someone so Matcham this time got me some sunglasses to come out over with the camera on No wait so you're going to ask
Starting point is 00:13:36 I got a sunglasses on but I got the camera to look around to view the scene and share that with people You know what that's a really good gimmick yeah I like that and just finally how does it end on Saturday night after you've taken the sunglasses after you've taken the robe off
Starting point is 00:13:52 when it's just you him and a reference and a capacity ground. How does it end? No, I can't really, I don't know what he's been doing and I don't know what he's been preparing like, but I feel like I'm going to get him out of there and it's going to be a lot faster than last time.
Starting point is 00:14:05 I'm really sharp, I'm really devastating. I know what I need to do, I know what it brings to the table and I've got an answer for it every single thing he does. So that was Lee Wood. Now let's hear from Josh Warrington. I can be calm now because, you know, I've got a chance to be right.
Starting point is 00:14:18 You seem calm. Yeah, I'm very calm, very, very relaxed. I think, you know, I didn't mention it, physicality then, but I think more than anything is my mindset this time around going into it. Not saying there was Rocky going into the first fight, but it had been in a very good place upstairs. Do you think that the extra break, I mean for a rematch, such a great fight generally, it won't take this long to come around? But do you think that extra break has maybe helped you a little bit?
Starting point is 00:14:45 Maybe put you more at peace with what you've got to do on Saturday? Yeah, I think so. No, I think so. No, I don't think so. I don't think so. I think obviously a bit more maturity. I think that going off the catch a fight, I didn't realize that some of the things I would have carried in upstairs. So, yeah, I'm glad that we've had a bit of time
Starting point is 00:15:06 and it's a bit of time for me to reset myself as well. Those things you're carrying upstairs, they can ruin things on the night, can they? Your body can be unbelievable condition, but those things in your head, that baggage can ruin your fight. Fights can be won and lost on the water of the ring. I'm sure you've seen that many times. You can see people who are world champions in the gym.
Starting point is 00:15:26 It comes to the fire week, you know, they start dipping day by day. And then the ring walk, when they get to the change rooms and all that stuff, just eats away at them. And it's a big pressure cooker in there. You know, the old event, the old occasion, they can eat weight people, but it's where for me, it sets me on fire. Some of your fights, Josh, over the years, and there's almost two many they mentioned.
Starting point is 00:15:47 There's like 7, 8, 9, 10 that are memorable, they're incredible to watch from my side of the boats, which is the safe side. of the votes. Do you watch them back with the wins and the losses? Can you watch them back and can you watch specifically this one back?
Starting point is 00:15:59 Can you learn anything by re-watching what happened in the first fight? Yeah, definitely. Definitely. There's times when I watch it back and I get a bit annoyed and frustrated with myself
Starting point is 00:16:08 because, you know, times when I potentially I didn't make a little and go or times we went for a shot a little bit wild and we didn't work on it like that. You know, approach, maybe being a bit silly or whatever.
Starting point is 00:16:22 But obviously the seventh round where I got leaping in the last 10 seconds should have been a far lot tighter but is what it is and you know obviously it's easy to watch the winds back when your arms getting raised and you've had like a bandtom oh yeah phantom fight or you come out in it too not good for Carl but yeah but yeah there's
Starting point is 00:16:41 you know the first two rounds fantastic but yeah I do struggle to watch you know the loss is back but I think when it's all said and done then you just appreciate it do you? And two things. First of all, the extra four pounds, fantastic. It's just game-changing. You know what?
Starting point is 00:16:57 How ridiculous is that? You know, Rees Mold will vouch on me here. I remember saying to Reese quite specifically, he won at training sessions. I said, I said, I'm going to finish the circuit together. And I turned around, I said, this is my last one at February. I've done it in February, but the extra four pounds isn't so much.
Starting point is 00:17:16 But, you know, it's not a lot of me, so not of you. But for the little fellas, you know, it's a lot way. Yeah, it's a big mountain, and I feel so much better. I'm refreshed. And finally, drag you back to the line, the final question. I'm going to drag you back to that night. You were angry on the night that it was stopped.
Starting point is 00:17:33 When you look back and watch it, are you still angry it was stopped? Yeah, I understand, yeah. You're like, that long as you're solid. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, just I feel that I should have been given the benefit the doubt. But then again, if it won't stop and make you get him distinct, then we wouldn't be in this position. That was then.
Starting point is 00:17:47 Why do you beat him this time? Why don't him this time? Because certainly, going into the fight physically on one unbelievable condition know the things that could have done a lot better, even though I was winning on all judges score cards in the first
Starting point is 00:18:02 fight, you know, it's been two and a half years and these not even spring chicken. These things, sometimes you know, you get into a nearer to 40. Sometimes the only way to find out is on the lights.
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Starting point is 00:20:20 drive to survive. This week on Good Bad Billionaire, How Toto Wolf made his billions. Listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts. So that's the two boxes, Ed. I mean, they say what they have to say, and that's the way it is. I think there's a lot of, I think there's a lot of animosity. Hates may be too strong, but there's certainly some good animosity there. I'm delighted that Sandy Ryan has getting another crack. Vacant title, one of Katie's old titles. We forget Sandy's only had about 12 fights. She's like a 65th veteran. You know, when she started out, She wanted to jump him really deep early against Sanchez, I believe it was, or Farias. And she was a tough fighter at the time, Faris.
Starting point is 00:20:56 She got beat in a very close fight. She rematched her straight away and won, then went out and kind of found herself becoming a world champion in Cardiff, and then jumping into a massive fight with Michaela Meyer away from home for a lot of money, and then going and having to rematch her again on ESPN in two fight-a-year contenders. So she's sitting there now, what, with three losses? I mean, the record doesn't really explain the achievement. So this is to become a two-division world champion. Not going to be an easy night against the Mexican as well.
Starting point is 00:21:26 She's always, always in great fights, and we expect another one on Saturday. This, I'm still calling it like middleweight class. Bill Al-Faraz is a character. I mean, it's been around 15, 12 years, 15 years or so. And of course, Ishmael Davis is, well, I'm not even quite sure what he is. What a terrific fight. Do you know what? Two such likable individuals.
Starting point is 00:21:43 I mean, first, the Ishmael story is extremely motivating for people who, you know, come from that world, who look for a way out and keep on battling away for a break. But then you go to Bill Al-Fa-Waz, how can you not love the guy? You know, I mean... He trumps this male story.
Starting point is 00:21:59 Yeah, he does, really. He does, and that's hard to do. Stagland. Really hard to do. I think this fight is a lot closer than people think. You know, Fowaz is a real competitor. He's awkward, he's skilled.
Starting point is 00:22:12 He can punch a bit as well. Strong, strong man. And he's coming off a string of tough fights. Yeah. You know, going back to the Josh Kelly fight on a week's notice, then Bochuk, then, Agiarko. I thought he edged that fight, but it was a very close fight, and then a really tough fight against Sam Gilly.
Starting point is 00:22:28 And he goes again in a tough fight. Four hard fights. Yeah. So I see this as a 50-50 fight. Giveish the slight favourite, but a really good old-school British and Commonwealth classic. All I'm going to ask you is, where's the rematch going to be? Which one? Of that one, probably one.
Starting point is 00:22:42 The trilogy fight was. Who knows? Who knows? And then the rematch for that. Listen, Ed, Ed, thanks very much for your time. And try and stay away from arguing. I can't help it. You know what it is?
Starting point is 00:22:51 It's like, you know, I'm trying to be nice. And then someone says something, and then I've got all these YouTubers coming up to me going, he said this, what you've got to say? I don't know any other way, Bunsey. I've missed it. You know, now me and Frank were on a friend. So I've got to have a row with someone.
Starting point is 00:23:05 So as Ed walks away, let's hear from Ishmael and Bill Alfavaz. I had a very, very dark environment. I had a very dark place that I had to go through. And I thought I was over. But I came out, I climbed out of it. And when I came out, I came out with something very, very tangible that I never had when I went down in there. So I came out with something that propels me forward.
Starting point is 00:23:32 And that's why I'm here. Killer instinct. The will to survive, the feeling that it's not enough. I want more. Now, all those years ago, when you were in our studio, whatever it was, and you were throwing the Superman punch from your amateur day, That seems like 12 or 15 years ago. And I'm still here.
Starting point is 00:23:51 I'm still throwing it. And I'm still doing it. And I'm beating up people that are 15 years younger than me. It's crazy. The thing is right. But you've been 27 forever. I've been 27. Yeah, look at my family.
Starting point is 00:24:04 I'm 37 years old. And look at me. 37. You've looked the same all the time I've known you. I take care of myself. You do take care of myself. I don't put crazy stuff into my body.
Starting point is 00:24:14 I'm more of a clean kind of person. And can you win the British Times? Can I win it? I've done win it. Are you being serious? I've dismantled everything in front of me. Why wouldn't I win it? I know how to beat the sky. Trust me, I would make this fight an easy fight. Because I've seen him, I've seen what he has, and he's not in my caliber.
Starting point is 00:24:36 I read somewhere that once you win the British title, you're going to just go back on your app and start working as an Uber driver again. Is that true on Sunday morning? You're going to have a Sunday morning? on and off at least. I'll have the Sunday morning off, but the bills roll on because if I don't work, I have to pay for the car out of my pocket.
Starting point is 00:24:55 So I'm going to go home, celebrate, and then after that I'll work. I have to do the Uber. You're wanted upstairs. Thank you. Everything happens for a reason. All their moments brought me to this moment now. And it feels good being a British and Commonwealth champion. But you know what I have.
Starting point is 00:25:14 You're a real role model now. You know what I mean about that. You're a real role model now. And you know what it is? Do you know what it makes me feel like I want to do? Get more belts. So there's more work to be done, and I just got to keep going. Now, this fight, Bilafo was, it's a hard fight.
Starting point is 00:25:28 It's tricky because he's unconventional and he's strong and he's tough. You know the stories. I know he's a good talk and all the rest of it. But he's a tough man and he's dedicated. And by the way, his backstory, it's not bad. It might be as good as yours. It's good. It's good.
Starting point is 00:25:42 It's good. It's good. It's good. It's good. You know what it is. It's good. But I respect his backstory. and what he's trying to do, but boxing doesn't love you.
Starting point is 00:25:50 Boxing not love no back story. That's the true. Boxing loves the fight, so. And it doesn't even love that. Boxing, you have to get in there and fighting. You need some luck. You need some breaks. It's an unforgiving sport, so the talking will be done on Saturday night
Starting point is 00:26:05 and we'll see who does the walking. And those fights that you lost, the three fights you lost, those are the fights that made you, whether you like it or not. And then the Sam Gilly 12-rounder. You've had some really good, really good hard fights. against good guys. You're totally a different man than the man you were two or three,
Starting point is 00:26:21 two and a half years ago. You're season now, is? Yeah, yeah. You know, you're getting, you're getting close to complete at the moment. That's true. And you know what it is? It's just mad because I'm such,
Starting point is 00:26:33 compared to the guys in the game that I've done all the amateurs and travel the world, I'm kind of a novice. Still, in a bizarre way, I know exactly what you mean, yeah. But I've done 12 round and then I've done another 12 round,
Starting point is 00:26:45 and I've done another a 12 round, except for these parts. Against the odds, against the odds, against the odds. Maybe I might have lost, but I learned along the way. So Saturday night, I do everything that I'm thinking of. You're going to see a spectacular performance. So that's Ismail Davis there. That's a really hard fight with Bell Alphoaz. And looking at Ismail, though, he knows how hard it is.
Starting point is 00:27:06 And Ismail could go on to become a giant role model. Great also to hear from Josh, obviously, and from Leewood. Now, I'm with a man that knows Lee Wood very well. Now, he's not one of those guys that lies about something so that he was there when Lee Wood was born. Listen, I whisper, we've got guys in the boxing business who claim they were in, like, the walled when the baby was born. They've got to get themselves with the guy forever.
Starting point is 00:27:29 I'm talking to, I'd like to call you Five Lives, Charlie Slater, but it's Nottingham, it's the Midlands. It's just so many times when we've done a show. You've been off. When the last time we did a fight, you were covering Manchester United, I think. What a great lesson by the way of us. Yeah. Charlie, you know, you've known Lee along the show.
Starting point is 00:27:45 while. I just spent a bit of time talking to him. How is he this week compared to how he was traditionally when he was really struggling to make? As he said, it's only four pounds, but for them it's a life. Absolutely. No, I think I look at him this week and his cheeks aren't quite as sallow as they have been before. Less skeletal. Yeah, exactly. There's more in his eyes as well when I look at him. How crazy is that, Charlie? Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely crazy. And it's only the fight game that will show you things like that. You don't see a footballer cutting weight before Liverpool plays Man City. or anything like that.
Starting point is 00:28:16 Imagine if you did. I know. Imagine if they had to peak all the time. It's just an idea. I mean, I'm an Arsenal fan, so maybe that's the way forward. Let me send a note to myself. Note to, I'll get older Mikkel later.
Starting point is 00:28:27 There's probably a camera in it, anyway, they'll stick it in the changing room or in the sauna. Somewhere. So, yeah, I mean, this week, when I look at him in the eyes as well, they're there, and in previous fights
Starting point is 00:28:35 when you're approaching a fight where he is having to cut weight, and it was difficult when he used to have to cut to that feather weight all those years ago now as well, look back. But now this week, he's got that personality
Starting point is 00:28:45 about him too. Sometimes you'd speak to him two or three days before a fight and there wouldn't be a lot coming back. I'm on your side. Exactly, but but this week there's still plenty days he's got a lot to him this week. There's still that little bit of banter to him and as a whole I just think he's really zeroed in on the task at hands. He quite likes a rematch.
Starting point is 00:29:01 You'll remember obviously Lara and I think you know sort of Lee and Ben and people like that I think they take real pride and pleasure in exploring where they went wrong and how they can fix it and I think they've figured that out. Especially Ben. I mean, Ben, their whole thing is about science.
Starting point is 00:29:18 They like to apply science. So they'll analyse every single part of that fight and see where they could have improved it. And there was a lot of room for improvement. Absolutely. I think in the sixth round he was really struggled. Even in the seventh round, the round of the stoppage. He was, I rewatched earlier.
Starting point is 00:29:32 I mean, he was struggling. He was behind on all three score cars. One was tight, two were wide. And Josh was starting to, I don't want to get two over top. He started to enjoy himself a little bit, Charlie, when the punch is finished. I rewatched the fight earlier on. and Josh had Lee in trouble in the third round, the sixth round,
Starting point is 00:29:47 and at times in the seventh round, just before, and he looked comfortable. Lee pulled that punch from the gods. And then five shots. Absolutely, my goodness. And they were punishing five shots that put, I mean, if the canvas wasn't there, Josh would have fell and kept falling.
Starting point is 00:30:02 Still be falling now. And he might still be falling now. It sets up the rematch beautifully. And I just know that there's so much on the line as well. Lee's admitted to me on record that it might be his last fight, and I think he wants to go out on a high. So if he wins this fight, I think there is an opportunity for Lee
Starting point is 00:30:20 to go out on that high in front of 8,000 of his adoring hometown supporters. You can't write that, can you? Those are the scriptures can't write. Well, I know one thing will be there, and if he wins, you can get up in the ring and do the interviews. I'll stay down at ringside with Stacey Copeland,
Starting point is 00:30:37 with Ritchie Woodall and with Ronald McIntosh. And you can go up and do that heavy work, and I tell you for why, because the last time I got really, in trouble. I got kicked out of the wing by the security because I was standing in the wrong place. So if it happens this time, it's Charlie's fault. Charlie, thanks very much indeed. We'll see you on Saturday.
Starting point is 00:30:51 Looking forward to it. Charlie would be with us on Saturday night. Thanks very much to him. Thanks so much to everyone else. Now, I was trying to get out of the building and I got rugby tackled. She might be smaller than me, but she's meaner than me. No, I was trying to track her down a day. Molly McCant here. Molly, first of all, how are you? I haven't spoken to you. I haven't spoken to you. I haven't seen you since I was about
Starting point is 00:31:09 10 pints of Guinness in. I know. When I interviewed you and Tony Bellier after your debut, after you'd been kicked. That was ridiculous, aren't it? How you been? You're settling in? Settling in. I had a really good debut. I had a real big lesson in my second fight.
Starting point is 00:31:24 I took a bit of... I think I'm just going to knock everyone out and it's all going to be this easy. Be it a Bolly McCann. Yeah. And in the second fight, I learnt a lot of good lessons. And then I've had the whole of December off you now. I had such a heavy...
Starting point is 00:31:38 Let your body rest? I had such a heavy year from having an MMA fight to retire. and to learn a whole new sport and two big fights. So I took December off to it for this, like rest this. And then on me, I went away to Tenardee for two weeks, right? As I'm on the plane landing and I touch the tarmac, January 10th, get a message. Yeah, Eddie wants you on this card and the one in Liverpool after it.
Starting point is 00:32:04 And I was like, oh my God, I've got five weeks to get ready. So it's actually been probably one of the best camps in my life. that you haven't got time to get in your own head. So I'm really good sparring for this camp. I've done a little bit. I've been seeing some of the pictures of your sparring by. And I'm just really excited that in MMA, everything's like every punch is to kill.
Starting point is 00:32:27 And in my last fight I realised, my lesson was you can't do that in boxing. Touch, move, touch, touch, a bit more power. So that's what I can't wait to have a go at. To go through the gears a little bit more, this camp instead of going like into fifth and staying there. Brendan Young, we used to talk about, Just go for a walk.
Starting point is 00:32:43 Have a little walk. Just touch him with a jab. Just touch him. Five seconds, 20. You've done 30 seconds. Just have a little thing. Yeah. But I needed that opponent.
Starting point is 00:32:51 I needed that opponent to switch that on. Because in the first fight, I got that. But in this fight, she'd come for me straight away. So I was like, I meet fire with fire. Of course you do.
Starting point is 00:33:02 Apart for when you were kicked in your first fight. I know. When Samma, you restrained yourself. I don't know how I was in her. I was like, I felt, I was in the street. I was getting ready to throw her on it. Do you know? You actually smiled.
Starting point is 00:33:13 There was a look, you went, she just kicked me. What's she doing kicking me? When I watch it back, I see your face. It's Josh Taylor by you. And I just see you go, Yeah, we do. Because I have the amount of times I've watched it.
Starting point is 00:33:26 It's a good time in a moment, suddenly, because it's been a sort of low the last couple of years. It's been some big fights, but not a lot. Suddenly the MVP people are around and there's a little bit of new interest and some big fights are being made, lots of mix up. So it's a good time for you to make a bit of a footprint this year. I think so.
Starting point is 00:33:40 I think after this the next fight will be for eight rounds and I think I'll have two eight rounds and then go for a 10 at the end of the year so he wants me to have five or six this year and then start pressing on for I've always dreamed to win the British title
Starting point is 00:33:56 I think to me to have that Lonsdale belt is just like You know what you seem really calm seem a bit calmer than normal I quite like that I can't fire in the belly ice and the mind and I think if I want a fight
Starting point is 00:34:10 and I know I've got to get up for it. I'm there, but if I want a box, it's not really proven to anyone else. It's proven to myself. Just go and do what you do in the gym on the night. The calmer I am, the more likely it is that you can think underpress, and react and respond correctly. That's exactly what it is.
Starting point is 00:34:27 Morley listens, it's a pleasure talking to you, mate. Always, and I'll see you soon. I see her on Saturday, and then maybe in April. Definitely in April. Yeah, I'll take it for some scrann. I'll come to your place. I've been before. I've been before.
Starting point is 00:34:39 You weren't there. It's good food as well, I wasn't joking. And I was in Faye Camp, I was caught in weight. I wasn't cutting weight. Enjoy, guys. So thanks to Meatball, Molly McCann there, who's sounding and looking more and more like a fighter. So Wood and Warrington,
Starting point is 00:34:57 memorable, savage, shocking, brilliant fights. They've had dozens of them. Remember Josh Warrington beating Carl Frampton, 2018 in Manchester? Remember Lee Wood, shocking everybody in Eddie's Gardering and beating Canso when he had no chance of doing it, stopping him in the 12th round. And then that victory over Michael Condon in the 12th round,
Starting point is 00:35:16 and then their fight together, then their fights with Maurizio Lara. They have delivered and delivered, and they'll do the same on Saturday. Now, the fights start on Sports Extra from 7 and then on 5 Live from 10, with me and the team. Wood, Warrington 2.
Starting point is 00:35:33 It is the rematch. I'm Steve Bunce, and this is 5 Live Boxing. Five Live Sports. Nations. Rugby's greatest championship. What a day of the Six Nations it's been. Live commentary of every match on BBC Sounds. I don't think he has to try.
Starting point is 00:35:50 Just a stunning score. One of the all-time great tries. The Rugby New Weekly podcast will be daily throughout the tournament with all the best insight and analysis and the biggest names in the game. The Six Nations. Listen on BBC Sounds.

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