Longevity and Life Outside Boxing

Just before we get started, I just wanted to say a big thank you to our partners Skyber and please don't forget to subscribe if you like I hope you enjoy this episode. Ben's outside of bring outide the door,s theor. Okay,. Let get in. Get in. Y champ where' a champ. H is How are you? Nice to see you. Nice to meet you, B. Real pleasure. How are you, manate? R How you. good. Jesus How you doing? How you? How are you good? That's what I doing. Roy called me an egg the other day in the programe And so we've just been going through the best PG rated insults like mug, weapon, tool So you've got your what's your what's your favorite insult are youen I don't know if it is PG it's not it might not be PG We went on to it. But Mad used to just call me a jam fot. that's Jam Jam f. Jamam. Yeah. What does it mean? Jamican accent? Yeah. No what I mean say Damum. Yeah Dam. Jam K. Jan Crum That's like one of them that's like a vulture in Jamaica, like the birds and scavenger birds Jangra As s that money, you're good Unbelieable Ben Jo something. I've got like a massive push on you. I'm on YouTube all the time. and j the algorithm. and you come on it all the time pretty m Yeah. Roy, you needed to seely what you did done in the ring, honestly. so. This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Sky Bet. Before we kick off the show I want to say a huge thank you to our partners Skybet, who' helped bring you Stick to football throughout this tournament. Make sure you've liked and subscribed, you do not want to miss what's coming next There's ways to playate, you can eith be the bad guy, the good guy, the middle guy. I always go down the villain right. What's this guy like? You're fighting here? An American guy that can talk well, of course. I just feel like in every department I'm better than him. Better fight, I' got better speed, I'm better looking. all of that If I go to hit you now are you blocking that hunch? do it. I slip ball Oh He. I'm seventy nine kilo so I'm very tall for the weight so you can keep your distance. I'm heavier than you. A yeah There's too much of these on this table. never, no,. And it's good, but you kind of do need it because it this Saturday it could happen. I'm like, what's going on here? I've never felt it, but it kind of shows how good I am too. which you have a little spa,ever el there. Come on If you're a football player? ye. Which football player that's playing now or that's played historically Would you be Oh, I've got a couple of names that I think you would be. I'd say Ryan now, probably youao You've gone straight for. That' lot ofus think. but my favorite players Babrigas I' probablyis head fabrigas. Wow, Yeah. I would say like's Latin or something. Okay. Do you mean someone with like Be of the expressive nature of him. I understand. yeah, but I've got two sides to me. I can be lined up, but I'm also kind of laid back to you. I go fabriicasas like. That's really strange like you're laid back because your boxing style is very flamboyant' to the point it's really I worry I worry because I think man, this guy is just taking the. Is that writ itonestly. If it was in football, people the equivalent is like doing kickups on the pitch and it and some But cannot be honest Ibviously said you go way back to Ahmid when he was messing when he was doing his b re catch them with these punches when you're doing these moves, what you're actually catching them with Yeah, proper shots, Ben. That's it. it's all about expressing yourself of course as There's always going to be backlash in our culture but It's about going out there backing yourself, have the confidence and there's know when to do and when not to do it. Of course there's a time and a place to be disiscipline focus. H did in the Olympics But when there's the time to get the crowd going, especially when they're paying the money, you've got as well You gott to give him something. Exactly. But whoo gives you a hard time Ben for that? Beuse I watched you I just think it's unbelievable., obviously you're in there the reality is you can get hurt of course you have been hurt the time. So why would you get a hard time for that? It's just the culture of the fans. I think English fans are all that different. So like I'm fighting America this weekend. fightingight fighting an American guy called Virier who's fought for a world title, so he's not an idiot There's something about the English fans. I don't want you to go in there and get the jum get the job done. Not really taught too much and leave. But as a boxer, it's not like a team sport. You go out there as yourself. Yeah you're proting yourself through your own brand. So there's ways to play. You can either be the bad guy, the good guy, the middle guy I always go down the villain route point. You know whyy would you be a villain? I don't get When I watch you, I think that we should be look, I could to be fair, I played football. I was tense when I played football I was rigid. I was like, I was talking before about Last night in the tunnel, a couple of the England players looked really like sort of you know, tense. And then Jude was just stood there like relaxed. He just looked like he had no But Jude said stuff last year for being confident. and he was criticized right here Yeah. Yeah. if you show too much of that It's finding that balance. Like I said, saddly. it's just the way the world is. sometimes if you are confident, if you do talk out a turn, why is he being like that Other countries applaud it. When they go out there and do it and bat themselves, that's what they want and that's what I find out when I come to America. When I talk the way I talk and then going back it up Y next thing seem slice put in England is kind of. But the greater boxes are like that. The greater boxes you look back that you remember. Of course of Mohammad on it. were. Everyone looked I't. But people want to people because of your stylleing that people want to see you lose Is that drive you? that make you even hundred percent I think that's what the fire of my stomach is to never let them succeed in seeing that of course, but of not only that. It's forget what they say, as long as your family know the true you and as long as you go out there and achieve what you want to achieve, which is a world champion, unified, undisputed When you thinkick all those boxes, I can't Have you always bxed like that Ben because I know you won the silver medal. Yeah, Olympics Have you always was there a time where you just I'm just I'm going to express what. I'm want a box like this, you know, what was your coach like? Yeah, so luckily my first ever coach was my dad. and he was probably My best thing and my worst thing because having your dad you want to impress him so much, but sometimes He's got you He kind of crew at scrutinized yeah, not to a cult would do. So if I did something Perfect in the culture' eyes, my d be like, that's not good enough.ight? And that's what made me better actually And then when I got to teeam GB it was like Super roll bike, everything's like perfect And I went up there hands down, looking out the ring uperkay. And like they used to have these noteepads And like they write good or not. And I looked at the ring when I was spying and I saw him go ex and I called me that I said, I'm doing everything right. I'm beating up these kids. I look the best here, but They don't let my star. My dad said just try and Don't look like you're the rebel of the group just listen. So the next session I came super tight and I was, Oh, you can box like that too. I said yeah, I can do both I went to a tournament, listened to the coach, went super tight, lost the first tournament Cool my dad, my dads to look Why did you get there? I said for my flare, for my skill. I said, go out there in the next tournament be you. went out there hands down, looking at the ring Dun know my thing, I got a gold medal, boxer of the tournament. The coaches sat me down after him and said the way. You know what you're doing though't Go out there and do it. So there was a time and a place sometimes like in the Olympics I would do that It was a bit of a tight round. the culture say back to your discipline now Rod get back there So soon as I' got that sused again, hands are back down. What about when you get to the latter stages of a fight when you start getting past six and seven rounds Do you go into wr? I'm just going stay tight here because I want to be arms loose and you don mean someone throws a haymaker and catches you. What's it like when you get to that stage of the fight? It's all feel, it's all feel. Of course, you need to see what the opponent is doing, but by then as well, they're probably slow down you broght them down to. and like I said, it' E opponent's different. every approach attect to the ring is different. So What I try and do is not focus on them, make them focus on me. Because if you're worrying about them, that's when you're Everything goes wrong. You want to make them fight, you all fight and that's in every walk of life. Do you think you mentioned cultural, Ben? because what you're saying is about the English way. We do tend in football to coach The skill, the flare out of players and try and make them fit into a system. that sounds like it's happening in boxing as well Yeah one hundred percent light willll find, of course, and There will be some players where they could take on the m They could run down the wing, the could add a bit of flare ball. If they did that, whyy is he doing that? Why he just play the simple ball And sometimes yeah, you've lost a ball but they're expressing themself to trying something different. And that was like me in boxing I could have easily kept it super disciplined, but That could have probably lost me some fights where if I just listen to my natural ability didid my flare. That's what won the fights S likea cities Now using it when you need to And that's what I think football should do as well' not scrutinize them. If they've got that playare to take on I man take them on. That's what youra does. Yeah. does've not you've not lost. you've got a draw. I saw that draw with it. You both fell out the roar That was Lilliam was his Lilliam Cameron? Yeah, that was an interesting fight that was was you beat him next time What's what's this guy like? you're fighting here? American guy that can tour well of course. He's p for a world title like the higher weight, classer cruiser weight But I just feel like in every department, I'm better than him. you're not just saying that, honestly, I'm better fiire, I've got better speed, I'm better looking. all of that I'm all of that all of that in the above You know what I mean, so for me to just go out there. I've had a great training camp. Every boxer says it, but how long have you been in the training camp? Since funny enough January, so I fought. When did I fight again? I fought in April, so literally at a week I was straight back in camp. That's how I do it. Is still a challenge going to somebody else's backyard? Is that still a big test for? Yeah, of course. it's It's gone out your comfort zone. gone away from your home comforts. but for me, luckily enough being on teamGB, you flew across the whole world you was in different countries, different hotels, so I'm kind of used to It's quite good You said your dad was a massive inspiration. Who's your boxing inspiration when you were growing up? Oh. Now a lot of people know this guy's called Mario Kindlin. He's a Cuban amateur. He beat a Miia Khan in the Olympic fininal And he's the first ever fight I actually watched. I was down in Cornwall, my family watch, who's this? My dader, Ah Mikhan is supposed to a good fight. I said, n, notot him the other kid. And he's this cuban guy and everything he did was just beautiful. like you said Aican was great, It was a bit rigid. Everything was kind of programmed where the Cuban was just like fluid, just like water. and to me that was was How was you at the time? I don't actually know I think I've put a year four, year five or something ler and it was beautiful to see. and ever since then that's what It's amazing I someone can leave an impression on is' there at that young age. hundred percent This episode of S Football is brought to you by Skybet I've never thrown a punch in my life, by the way, Ben right?est. It's something I'm incredibly proud of right now. I always. But I always think if I go to hit you now, are you blocking that punch? If I tell me yeah, do it A slip bom. Oh It's an instinct, dude. It's an instinct. So a lot of people probably some people got to start to get hit to take it. Not me, man. My mom said, If you're going to go on a sport, I want you coming out the ring like how you went in there. So for me it's a very dangerous sport so not get hit that. you're constantly going You're constant going into oly. Is it the distance that you stay away from people as well in terms of the reach? Is it the measure? Yeah. So lucky enough for my weight category, I'm six foot free. But I'm seventy nine kilo so I'm very tall for the weight so you can keep your distance. I'm heavier than you Oh yeah too much of these on this table. But that's a key distance, of course. But there' a time in a place where you do need to just get stuck in on fire because you can't always have it pretty. I know we're having to laugh about it, but I still think people underestimate how tough it is being in a boxer on the train magic going into a ring. K never fucking just punching the head off somebody punching the head off you. Yeah. My dad used to say which used to it me off a little bit. and said goo out there and enjoy us. Enjoy it. I used to look at him like, what do you mean? Ejoy it? But then weirdly, when I got older to the point I am now, you do enjoy it because When it's all said and done you'll look back saying, I wish I could do it again. So for me just live every week, what you do and what you love, enjoy it. Are the press conferences, how much of that is show and how much of that is the real person? Be you're trying to sell a fight. Yeah trying to sell a fy, aren't you obviously? Yeah, for me, it's one of those like a lot of people do take it personal. you know but it's like, why are we taking it personal I never even met this kid You know what I mean? so some people to get a bit overboard, but It's one of those. You kind of need to say some certain things to get under the skin, get in the head to kind of frustrate them. you want to get them Yeah, that's what I do. I wind up merching. So whatever I do, I try and wind up people washing best line band that you've ever used on someone that. Oh. And what's the best one that someone back you know Hasone come back with you a good one with you o? I don't know. P probably someone's probably laughed up myircut one time. I looked at my b like What did you do? I mean so he flies with me now. he's over there everywhere I go in the bar get He come mate. Seriously. You' like but are you cool after the fight of boxes? Of course' expecting once.' it so it's literally there. you c his ha? shake hands. It's a bit weirdhere. cut my hair after How of do how often do you you have you have a trim I was going to think good life No mean bro. So when I'm in training camp When I'm in training camp, I don't get haircut at all. I just feel like there's no one need to look look pretty. At the end of the day, you're going in there to fight other people Were going there looking pretty for, but When you come out to do media, things you got to look shock. So's your friend, obviously as well. Yeah's friend I've know him everywhere. Yeah. travels. How long you know him Mattress? I know a forl was twelve or thirty wow. I'm gonna tell the story. Yeah, well, you can tell me st. they re realel diamonds in your ear. Yeah. Garry Ben from size them amazing My wife putting five p of my b.s like it's like a Christmas present man We bought these from me these. Nice.. Thank you b. We' your pair asing Bro? I started when I was like fifty But then I didn't go too well. Oh it just saw the first haircup. Oh my I before the first haircup was good. and you did. was So I was going to thely you did a couple bit I was going to the Olympic quQalifiers a big tournament. Yeah. I said, lookook, look, we' flying It was like coldVid time as well. it wass like cooldV time.ight. Stay at home, but I said come with sort it out for me. When I got my haircut, to me it looked good. So I did a little Instagram and I said, Ohh, it looks good. peopleople's popping it. What's going on here? I said, What do you mean? I said your haircut looks a bit funny. misses Ober there she goes, deelete that money.' crazy. So I couldn't see her back. So I did this. I said Never again. I went missing on him for a good two years. I I sending messages I. Mbe just like I thought maybe he just fix like. Yeah he sharped up his tools. Right. And now he' I said this time it's the ide he was like, you was I'm sure man. because cool Is it cool having him around just because you know him? Yeah, of course it's home conffortnce we know each other. it's a laugh. Like I said, fighting is a tough game. You're going there to fight someone so tough people around you J have a bit of a laugh It's good. No. But I've interviewed a few boxs. You've just changed promoters recently haven't you? Yeah. I've interviewed a few bocks, look, you have to earn as much money as you can while you know you've got a limited career like a football players. What's happening out there at the moment? It's really like aggressive isn't it? Yes, it's kind of a weird situation, like you said, T to be fair, I'm in a good position with Matum and Edium, but you've got the new people com in Zuffer, you've got people going to BBC now, you've got people coming into the zone. For me, it's all over the place, but for me it just focus on yourself. Make yourself one of the biggest names out there And that's all that matters. But It's kind of fortunate to have that many options because you didn't have that many options you' kind of stuck as well. So knowing you've got that many options to fall into or fall back to it's kind of a So what whatge bolat to Edie What's plan for the next sort of like to that he must have given you a plan for you to go join him, obviously? Yeah, of course for me it's just a route. If you look at some of the fighters who's took down to becoming world Champion I don't want to sound too bad, but they had the skill I've had and it've got them to a wild tre. So for me it's having that direction, knowing that they can do it. they've done it before, they've been there and done it And for me, I'm ranked number one or number two with the WBC, number two with the IBF So I'm near enough there for a world tile already. so It's just down to them to get the right fights at the right time and I'll become a world champion by next year. so they call you the surgeon, yeah? That's it. was the international? Yeah, so that was when I used to go to these international tournaments, I was real cool and collected. L these kids used to like fight like that. And I was just proper like surgical my shots. Yeah. And I came out, this kid was like, o You very surgical,'s like a surgeon. And it's stuck ever since and, that kind of runs in it' name like that. Gary the surgeon Neville. Is that what it was? So Ben, when you see them coming out all swinging is that where you got your style? Well I saw it even with Gary messing around and you just instantly went from boom. Yeah. Is how you see it That's say's like You're kind of a step ahead. It might sound silly, but it's like We've only got two arms If we're here right now, you can only foall the left or the right. So in my head I say I'm going to go there no matter what That youz even if you throz it no matter whens it's kind of maybe a risk, but it's kind of You've just had to trust yourself and believe. Is it the kind of thing So if you go there, can he can still knock you out, is that just a jab you're putting your fing? Yeah, you're putting yourself in like so if you did throw the jab, you're putting yourself in in a position where what else can you really throw? Are you looking to come there there? Yeah, rightight here, buddy. whoa Yeahah. what I mean?'t that br then when you go there, back Wow, you know what I mean? So it's little should have a fight for charity, I think I think we should big guys Yeah No. Wh's who's the most Be I do get caught up in these algorithms on YouTube of these boxes and they break it down Who is the greatest boxer that you've seen of all time in terms of When you see them broken down into that, is it Mayweather, is it Leonard or Ali or who's the greatest box we' know? That's a great question. I think it might be a bit like well, it's all generations. Yeah But my generation growing up, it was fluing my over. It changed the complete sport He was a you don't get hit. Now I didn't get hit. he won numerous world titles And if you look at it has changed the sport because now it's you've got to keep you old. you cannot lose where the old fighters They were warriors who would go in there findight anybody that' lose at wind or draw And was commended for that win nowadays You lose and not lose. Just like football managers, if you have like one job that's difficult. You're a bad manageable. If you lost on in a year. Yeah. That doesn't mean that your career is over should under That's a good question you said actually except Me, I always used to say it's about football as a. Why did the managers get so much stick because if the football is going out there to play Yeah. So like me, if I go out there and have a bad day, my coach Andy Lee is not going to get scrutinized this me. I going to say Ben Whit performed laful. So sometimes I think they mightack the coaches after a do the do by the end of the day, we're going out there fighting. There's only so much someone can tell you. You've done this sport your whole life. Go out there and do it. That's what my dad says. My dad said, At the of the day, I can only tell you so much. You've got to go and do it. Yeah But between rounds can your coach Say, I'll give you something you got to. You got a little manager here. Air could give it that little kick. Most of it's just like ation like you said, you've got the skill, you've worked hard not mini, it's just to tell you, look, Do you wantan to go home and lose or do you want to go and win That's all you need sometimes thates, let's It's more motivational That's it than tactical. Yeah, of course. there might be a little chin quiz like our eyes dropping this, you're not seeing that. Yeah That's good but for me sometimes it's like, oh, you've gone through this whole training camp Do you want to go there and lose or you want to go and win You think we're going get to a point you see the football teams now and you've got the guy on the bench with with the match on the iPad on the. Do you think we're going to ever get to a point whereby you get into the corner at the start of the second round. it No no. And the corner com with thePad with the iPad and says, lookook what you did in that first round there. You could do but man. I was that out man. That's what I need to do. Pbably don't get to see it Gal. You know exact because they the way in which analytics is going in every sport. I can imagine at some point in the future, there'll be Bxuus It'll come. No it is, it is. The way times are moving they're always looking something better. But for me, it's just Keep it nice and by. keepeep it very short There's a A plan B plan C plan culture needs to tell you which on'es work and which oneess not and that's it. When you get to into it. L's as more as. Thatesss his moreor because you'll sitting there going what's going on? He's toldght me fifty thousand things. D army and a simple thing. Who's the main man that you want to ultimately reach? You're gonna f? All fight wise. We in the same. Or fight wise, I'd probably say Like I said, I'm in a fortunate position where they're all calling me up. And to me I've not done much yet. I've got like world Champions calling me out and whatnot but I say the fight that would make a lot of sense with me Benvidas at Weembleley. Derby. Yeah, That'd be crazy. What' they're calling you out becausecause they know that you're entertaining That C cell tick. That's the Nor cell tickets. and I've got all of that, but funny enough funny enough, I've had eleven fightes They know what to get me now. Bet because I'm a bit green? If I get a bit more experience and a world tile under me. He's going to be hard if that makes sense. Are you getting to that point now, Ben where you'll be starting to what would be have super fights that would be sort of the big money. Yeah, of course. it's getting to that point now and I can Benaters would be Yeah, that would be like a major one. but's for me, I treat every fight like that. Now this weekend it is for me because if I don't do that, won get to the bigger fight Right. And at the end of the day, this kid's still going to try and come and change his life. So for me, it's just focus on this job now. That's what I used to do before. look too far ahead in the future. just focus on this now It to ke fire as a final and then you go That's the danger of boxing in an nv, you know, you think you underestimate somebody remb just one pointun and set your back. Yeah one hundred percent. What's the sort of the British fight that you could try and get to that would be like, you know, just would be like a megaight. Is there somebody that could come up or come down or I'd say if you spoke about the lot of heavyweight division back in the day, it wasn't really that good But domestically, British wise We've got some great names there But' say the names that would do sell well for me would probably be Anthony Yard or ajust Bet, I think that would do very well. Yeah, that'd be good. Totenam be arrsenal. Totam' be arsenle broke Are you a big arsen fan? I'm Tottenam.otadley Tottenam. That's why someomeone's got say fabrgas, but he likes fabras. I like that. brotherers support. fabras. I was thinking must bersenlean. Yeah. Andy I know Anty an Arsenle fan. Yeah, yeah. This episode of Sick to Football is brought to you by Sky Bet I saw an interview with Nasi Muhammed. Oh yeah. and it came from my YouTube thing and I think it I really didn't like it. Yeah did you say what happened? He was really I thought it was quite bitter Yeah It' a little bit bitter. It was quite bitter. Iook, I love Nasima. I had that when I grew up watching him, he was unbelievable. go of him as rather than. everyone. As soon as he criticize something? Wow. I loveving Nasima, by the way, just in case I see him in the future Mate happened then I didn't Yeah just like it is a little bitter I was just honest, before he bigged me up praised me then Ke getting a thingingle or do you get your style from NAas the copist sty of all this rubish And I said, truthfully not, I've never actually watched him, which I didn't. I grew up. I Yeah. But I grew up in my house as you know, Floy Mayver. and we go back Willie Pepe, Perellel Whitaker. I was just naming all these names. And because I didn't probably give him that homage, he got a little bit upset, which is fair enough, but I didn't mean it in any bad way. I was just saying who I grew up on mean, but you know, some people take it some what did he say?as he say n? J just a bit like, you know, just like, o, you know, I don't want to talk about Ben Whiticker blah, blah, blah That's a shame. To me to compliment yourself. you've got a so called leegend L that kind of bit bit I was like, Thank you very much. That's how I take. the're talking about me. G or bad, that's good to me, so it's all good. Well, in terms of fitness wise now, where do you think you are in terms of your peak of your journey Do you feel like you're at your sort of highly? What's your budody family? Yeah Yeah Last time I clickch last time I friend who's six percent You know me? Yeah. so I always walk around pretty much on way I'm a professional. I' got a bit of a sweet tooth cookies in one of those Those with a cup of teao. I don't have one of those. I'm kind of professional. I just think I've got a couple of years at this sport so I' give him my own He has six percent when I think he got six percent Oh yeah, not even Lord. Yeah to the point I got to the point where I was getting a bit too ill, so I'm trying to be a bit moreca bit chiller know what I mean? After a big fight, do you let yourself go would you have a few? Yeah, so I don't drink or nothing. I don't drink all pie or nothing.s just the way I've grght really My thingingers have got a sweet tooth fl as so Ill just eat everything I can to the point where I feel sick and I want to eat cleing the army. I was saying the other day that the football players like Modrich and Monaldo and Messi, they're now going on to the forty. Yeah. And I say obviously sports science and medical improvements are big But not drinking in terms of injuries and stuff is massive. The box is at a point now whereby a lot of them don't drink. or there still some after fights go for it a little bit. Yes. Don't get it trit to someome people do So I saw them straight afterfter the fights popping bottles and what. But it's all down to people att the end of the day, I just never grew up with it. I Probably had a taste at a family p. I was like, this is disgusting man. I'd rather have kind of coke or something. But for me, it's just like I always think it's all about longevity. It's all about looking after yourself. And like you said perfect example, Mudrick Bronado. they're playing in these in their ages now where the other players are probably not because they didn't look after the body. So for me it just look after it now and we can enjoy it. How do you switch off? What' your hobbies? hobb. ing playing the play station, seeing the family, seeing my little nieces Probably shopping Little things like What what's shopping De? what'd you like? riding?re you watches cars on? Yeah ye, so I've got a decent watch collection, you know what I mean? So probably watches I don't really mess with cars because as soon as they got miles in the car resell them. You know what I mean? someone probably watches them anything I' like to have an interesting shop, don't? Yeah, exactly. becausecause it can get a bridgeid. It can get a bridgeim. It's when I was in the Olympics, where the Olympics set upp it was literally Monday to Saturday, you're in this little flat. You probably seen it Aunt in Joshua stay there's some flats where it's the chairs all battered. Yeah. so it's not the best but It was a routine where you could get to the point where I've had enough fies. And some of the kids did do that They like, I don't want to fight no more. I don't want to be on team GB no more and they went left where for me it's like just coming home, seeing my family, seeeeing the bigger picture for me is always it's not just for me, it's for them At the end of the day, I went to boxing to change their life, R as well as mine. so. So enjoyed that side of it. Yeah enjoy that side. Exactly away from that There's a treat for your side. That's it. Thankk you very much. How difficult is it to be a boxing in terms of O obviously from a football perspective, some lads get really bad advice and it's difficult for them when they sort of you tryonic base, they get a little bit of money, they get a little success. Is that the same in boxing? Yeah you lads sort of make it a little bit, they get a bit of money and they just sort of like thousand person I came from a house where my mom and dad work two jobs. We didn't It wasn't the poost, but you don't know what money is really. So then I got open while I was on teamGB get paid. I, Oh, I was spending it every week. R I don't know what I was doing I was spending on clothes doing this, doing it And then when I came off the TGBp With an Olympic medal, you get a big sign on bonus. Okay. And you don't seem whenoney like that's the tax that And you get so many people coming and thinking the no, they'll give you wrong advice, good advice It's hard to pick which road to go down'. Yeah, because he's like o, dude this, put your money there. trrust me, doude that. It is hard because if you've never saw it before, you want to listen to it. Yeah But for me it was kind of just like Sit down with them, ask them simple questions and you'll know from there You know from what they say, exactly. So for me, I've got a really small team team around me to say the right things. They're a good accountant Yeah, that's the first thing I did. first two things I did was good account independent good lawyer and who look That's it. I got good account and a good lawyer. That was my first two things and everywhere I went I'd go with my lawyer. and I'd let them talk. I'd look at him. And if you would look at me, I'd say, yeah, this hate a person for me. where if you would like nud and smile, I say they weren't a good person. So you have your own just in your personal team Yeah. you've got obviously my manoney here. Yeah. You've got you' got your lawyer, your accountant. Y'll break it then Yeah. then Where does Eddie fit into that in terms of So just explain the dynamic. Yeah, so I've got my own lawyer, own account and, my own coach. brothotherers my own personal strength and conditioning I got my own nutritionist, my own cook. and then That's my myam. They're alwaysvel it's' my base and then Eda and will be like can you say? he's like Kind of need a boss in a sense, but Army's boss if that makes sense. That's what I see because I'm the one making money as well. I'm the one fighting. I'm the one putting my life on the line. So me Iking myself here, they're there then everyone else is there You's a relationship where you can sit down You get a minimum guarantee from Eddie for a fight. You know what you're getting as you go in. Yeah. But if you perform well and the way my thing is BeCacause when I first came I scen I had like fifty K followers, I did that fight whileil on the ropes.. Next thing you know I had two million, three million. wow We've got to renegotiate, man. I'm not the same person as yesterday Exactly. And that's so you sit that. that's when you don't want big long contracts, It's short contracts. you can even go free fights five fights. That If you' locked into a five year contract and you've been performing's me've been performing. It's not going up security though Ben. No it is, but no we a gambble. a sharp as E yourself.ine yourself. You're sender forward, Ben. I'm a right back. I'm the one that keeps my friends foers. I' in my position as well. So you always signed so your contract with any promoter is what one year, two years? Yeah, so got two fks? Yeah, so it'd be like a short one, but of course there's still guarantees you'll be fing this many times you're fing here there. This is the cish purse But you always know if you perform on this or ove exceed it The next one's going to be even better. So for me it's better li there. Of course it's a gamble but you' got a gamble and yourself better on yourself. Yeah, I wasn't it was of course. You feel good at moment I feel great. Yeah, a lot of people say, Oh this that I'm in a great place. My family's good. I'm good. That's the main thing. Perfect This episode of Six Football is brought to you by Skybet Ben have a little spar, mean Whver else Yeah, come on, h I just go I don't hurt you. don't what I mean hurt I don't eat anything he don't warm up by. No just fingking slap him in his face No, no, no those don't slap I don't just. I'm like eight You don't throw any punches. I'm thr any punches. That's right. I'my five kilos, right It's sev nine, you say? Yeah, sev nine. So I'll walk around now this morning's eighty three So but was just look I'm done I can't win this I can't win that just from this. you can't get closeer. So what I did do now is say I'm keeping this occupied No no, no. That looks really s. Brilliant. I should have hidd him. Oh brilliant. Even would have given a lot of money to charity h. But it is, you know it is made watching tough watching watching one of the tough guys even just Just quit just watch you moved there was you could see something you see different. Brilliant. I must be good old peopleople shouting in the ring in therere I there, you're getting your headip punched. Yeah,'s one to do this. you got to move know exactly. That's one thing know I've got older You get more confident, more composed. You can hear little things mean you are standing there asir U you on the bama. But kick him out. It's like, come on mates.'s ten seconds in the first round. calm down, but that's why we love to f. What are the pundits and the broadcasters like in boxing? did they pick because sometimes I think pundits in football piss the players off, you know what I mean? does that happen to you a little bit or? Yeah, a little bit because like I said The weird thing is with with all sports, S only get to see a certain person. probably like fight week or fight night There's a lot of emotion there. you're going through certain things. You're trying to be tunnel vision They don't get to see you day today So they're only judging you on what they see that week bends this bends that. It's like, you don't know me. So sometimes it pisses you off a little bit or Theyre never they're never satisfied. So if you perform well, Push that under theug. Oh next one's next is like Did you notice see what I did? Yeah. But the end of the day, that's the life we live. So at the end of the day, you start to refer all the punches. Yeah, it' weird It's weird in our country and I' said this before the World Cup about like You know, I think about Morgan Gibbs White, Fold and Palmer, we seem to sort of sometimes destroy our most talented and skillful. It seems like it's a sort of a It's a sort of thing. It's a trade it's a trade. we have a good boxing is like you do You know, you're in there knocking people out and beating them. they have to take notice of you at some stage. you just you just as long as you can blank ' them out, you keep knocking people out and that's it. They'll have to take notice of you one hundred percent that's the best thing you can do. Of course, there on occasion, you might let it let it go like like that or you might sit with you sometimes. Yeah. But the best thing you can do is never show it. I' I' pundits say certain things, especially after the Liam camera one.ways this is that You have to sit down with them like this. and all the small nice wow, give them the best conversation ever shade the hand. I said as watch this weekend You go out there knock ' them out, then that's the first person you look for in the crowd. Where is it? Yeah exactly Did you like that? Exactly. And that's the best thing you can do to make them just think man He's done us there. He's just performed the best you can. that's how I do it. There's no point arguing like this. Go out there, perform, look at them and say, I did what I wasm supposed to do. That's it. Whenin it takes care of there's a lot of things, doesn't it? Of course, of course. And it is a lot of pressure, but that's what you fri for. And when you win or perform in a certain way, just to silence them people That's down I said. win's the fight the twenty seventh of June. What punch hurts the most, Ben? No That's a good question. No, I'm asking like, No, s Is it like to the ribs or is it to the side of the head? Is it the nose? Is it nose? Where is it Luckily I've not been hit like that. You've never been hit Not I've been before, but I've not been like, o I said the worst thing I've ever had is my nose broke. Yeah. My nose broke. I remember I was I was like thirteen. barring this eighteen year old And was one of them again. I was kind of annoying him. He thought I was going to be a little kid annoying him. I was tapp him on the head straight in my nose. Oh my God. And it' one of them, they were look soft. so I was trying to hold in. my nose was dripping like a tap. My eyes went black. the worst pain Ive ever felt and ever since then that's why Iveved the way I move. I I don't want to get h like that. Have you ever hadad that nose operation where you have the packs up the nose and you haven't pulled No, no, it caught our eyes because it was bleeding a lot after that and that killed me.. Well like I said, my dad said, that's where you're hit and I get hit. you don't wantan to go in there and take excessive torture at the end of the day, that's what it is. You gott to leave with your brain and never had one. never never, no, no. And it's good, but you kinda do need it because tougher. This Saturday could happen. I'm like, what's going on here? I've never felt it. but it kind of shows how good I am too because you don't want to get it but in my mind I I think I do want to feel it in training because what happens on buying that when it happens? so it's good to feel it, but it's also good not to so it's a good balance. What's the best piece of advice you've ever had, Ben? we always finish this question, What is the best piece of advice you've ever had Best piece of advice I'd probably say don't get hit. Well definitely that. But I say stay true to yourself, know why you came into the sport, known how good you are. There willll be a lot of noises around you, good or bad Butut us stick to the plan. Stick to the plan and see it through because you'll love open and outs. Nice. Ben honestly, brilliant. Love watching, honestly. Thank you. so much. Thank you.ood luck Ben. Good luck to you. Thank you good luck. Yes