AIR DATE:
EPISODE: Episode 31
Mike and Cedric interview Andrei Mikhailovich Driessen, a Russian-born New Zealand Professional Boxer. He is a 2 division New Zealand Champion holding the Pro Box NZ Middleweight title and PBCNZ Super Welterweight title, IBF Pan Pacific Middleweight champion and WBO Global Middleweight champion.
Watch Knuckle Up’s Mike Orr and Cedric Benn, who always discuss up-and-coming young, hungry, and (usually) undefeated boxers during his live daily show at 4pm EST (9pm UK) on TalkinFight.com or YouTube.com/c/TalkinFight
#TalkinFight #KnuckleUp #PeachBoxing
#AndreiMikhailovich
Transcribed:
[, Music ]: what up talking fight fans thanks for tuning in to today’s episode of knuckle up with yours truly mike or my man, cedric ben, in the den doing what we do best prospects? You know what it is man.
It’S part two of peach boxing week and we got the russian in the house.
Andre mcaulivich welcome.
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and join us for this wonderful interview.
Today, man much respect, much love, uh, let’s get right into it.
Tell us how did the journey begin? How did you start boxing? What age were you? How did i start um? I started boxing when i was well it’s kind of like a hard question because, like i’ve always liked fighting me and my brother growing up got into lots and lots of fights.
I got a twin brother, good mcfly, so we got into lots of fights coming up and i’ve always been into i like, like karate and all that kind of stuff, and then i had like i used to always get into a lot of fights at school because I just liked fighting and like it was a game to me and then um.
I got to a point where, like one day, i was walking down an alleyway and this bully from another school put a cigarette literally out on my chest, and i felt so defenseless and i was like well, i better start boxing actually and like learn how to Do it so i can kick his ass in there and that’s how i got into it.
So i would have been about 15 when that happened, but i’ve liked it for a long time.
But 15 is when i actually went to a gym for the first time and i was like this is what i’m going to do and i fell in love with man big time you know, and then you start learning about the greats and understanding who different boxers Were like i remember the first fight i watched was alive as uh phrasal one because i looked up because all i knew was muhammad ali, so i looked him up and it was the first fight.
I watched – and i remember thinking why did these guys hug so much [, Laughter, ] and um yeah and i fell in love with it and then i fell in love with like just the whole idea of being a fighter.
I mean i was like 15 and i loved boxing, so much i’d fall asleep with like boxing gloves on and stuff like that, like you know, like i’d, have to hustle to the gym, i was 15 i had to ride to the gym.
I’D have to do anything to get to the gym, bro and like i could only afford to go like like.
I could have started anywhere like once a week, but i trained like four or five times a day, four or five times a week at home, with a punching bag hung by a tree or up on the deck, and then i was like.
I could only afford to go like three times a week and i had to catch some boston or such a hassle, but i just loved it, but i loved being in the gym in there.
That’S amazing what was the um.
Maybe talk about the transition from uh from street fighting to actually in the ring fighting when you said you said, like you know why these guys hug so much when you got in there and you know made me realize you know it takes a little bit more Cardio and stuff like that, well, like i was more of like a just trying, knocking the [ __ ] out, so i didn’t really hang around for like a long time and i was like fighting people um, i had like a real.
I.
The thing is when i grew up like i had a real gung ho like didn’t, give a [ __ ] attitude.
That’S changed a little bit now because, like if you look at my hand, i am married and i’ve got two kids in there.
So i have to be, like you know, responsibly responsible with my attitude and financially and all that kind of stuff, so you got to be more responsible but uh.
When i was a kid bro i was loose like.
I was such a light.
I was like the worst thing on earth like i just had such a mean aura about me, and i was so like arrogant and just think of [ __ ].
You know and when i started boxing to be honest, it wasn’t actually that hard of a transition from street fighting.
If you want to go there to boxing because, like me and my brother used to go down to the um two dollar shop and get these like.
Ten dollar gloves right and we’ll spa 15, we’ll spa 15 rounds in the backyard with no mouth guard.
So when i actually walked into a gym – and i sparred i was already prepared like i would watch youtuber – i figured out what a jab was.
I figured out what the right hand was couldn’t hook to save myself but, like you know – and i figured out like if you go, if you faint here and then you hit them here, they’re going to think you’re going to hit them here.
But you really – and i figured it [ __ ] out pretty quickly and i was a natural like the one thing i was was a natural, but i used to always like dance around the ring like muhammad ali, because he was my first.
Like you know person.
I really enjoyed, but what they did was learn.
I learned how to like see and watch punches in there.
The one thing i’ve had to work on and we work on constantly in the gym now is when i move.
If i see a jab come in, my instinct is to either lean back or lean right over here when it only needs to be like an inch.
I only need to like move like that much, but sometimes i’m over moving and getting in a bad position.
So i can’t return with a right hand or a hog or uppercut or right hand, so it was kind of like refining my movement, but i’ve always had like exceptional.
Like head movement, i can see [ __ ] coming and it’s one of my best attributes.
Is my awkwardness and being able to see [ __ ] from angles that you’re not supposed to see shirts so yeah? What uh? What were some of your influences to turn pro yo? Did you um yeah? So what uh? What were some of you, who were some of your influence to uh, to decide to go pro like what helped you make that decision? Well, i had an amateur career at first and um.
I think to be completely honest, like my image.
Career was like [ __ ] by a student coach like if i hadn’t had this coach bro.
I would have been a good amateur to be completely honest and i’m not gon na name names and i don’t need to or anything but like there’s this one dude that, like like really like you know, made it a real hard time and that was really frustrating Because, like all i wanted to do was fight, and you know i wanted to be me, and the thing is with me being me and my eccentricness and my colorfulness: it’s not really like something that can be under a banner.
So like i knew i was never going to go to the olympics and you also go to the commonwealth games, i’m too much for that.
I’M too much for like the standard new zealander, like everyone in new zealand, is very like modest, and you know it’s real beautiful and all that.
But i just say what i want to say and like it’s all good but like it just means that, like amateurs is probably not for you and it wasn’t, it was never going to be for me, and i i already knew in my head that i wanted To be a pro from the minute i walked into a gym.
I wanted to be a professional because i wanted to fight with my mouth guard and my top off and as an amateur you’re wearing a head gear.
You got a single on and you know it’s not, and i didn’t really like value it now.
Looking back in hindsight, i, like part of me, is like man.
I wish i had more of an image career because i could fight more often now i’m fighting like i’ve, had three fights this year, which has been extremely lucky to be honest, but as an amateur it’s every other weekend, and you know i love fighting and i Love the competition of it and i’m competitive in that, so you know i i, like i kind of like wished the most amateur but then again like i literally grew up so much in the program i’m 19.
now and like every year.
You see like a different vision, it’s like the same dude but just different shades to me because, like you know i was developing, i was i literally just turned 20 when i had my first birthday and if you’re 20, regardless of how mature you are as a 20 year old you’re only 20, you haven’t had enough life experience.
Yet so that’s good one person that i have got to go.
I really value and thank us isaac because like isaac, let me be me, but then, if you thought i was going to fight it grabbed me and put me back and i needed that because one thing i didn’t have growing up was fair like i was [ __ ] fearless, like yeah, you could be the most scariest thing in the world and i wasn’t scared.
I was like willing to do anything but as i’ve gotten older, i know a lot about respect and i understand you know like time and place so isaac’s been a big influence in my life.
Definitely um.
So when did you first meet isaac and how did that that situation all start, then i i was um one of his pros needed spine and i went and seen isaac one one thing about isaac is, if you don’t know, isaac he’s intimidating, [, __ ], like Trust me like, when you see him in real life, he’s like pretty like, like you know, you’re like oh, that guy can be a mean [, __ ], i didn’t know him.
I was he’s, probably he’s.
Probably one of the only dudes i’ve really ever been like [ __, ], uh, who’s, who’s.
That and i remember the first time, i’d seen him bro and i was like bro that dude’s just like whoa and i went up to him and i was like hey uh.
I heard you need uh.
I heard you need a sparring for your uh pro and he’s like yep, and then i got his number and i went and um.
I did pretty good for myself and then like they invited me back and i did good for myself again.
I was pretty cool because i remember spying his pro and on the edge of the ring.
Everyone was just watching and the eyes were on me and stuff like that, and i knew that i was like.
Oh, this is interesting.
I quite like this one thing about the gym.
I i i’ll tell you what for my amateur career for the majority of my gym, i wasn’t literally like the woman’s nationals coach them.
So i was around a woman all the time and like i uh and like like to me, i needed to be in a real masculine, strong environment.
That’S what i needed! That’S what i need to you know perform.
So when i went to that environment it was so much different to what i knew bro.
I never knew what heart training was telling me isaac, like i remember like the first two weeks, training with her mother bro.
This is way too difficult, but i didn’t know it was this hard and um yeah.
I end up training with them and like the amount of work you’ve got to put in and how fit you’re going to be to be in that gym.
You know it’s! That’S crazy man, but you have to love it like.
First of all, and that’s what i tell people that say they want to be boxing.
It’S like! Well, you have to really love this [ __ ] because, like hey, i’ve been boxing.
What i’ve been doing boxing about 10 years now and like the payoff, is only starting to pay off not 10 years.
You know.
I’Ve been punched in the face.
Woke up bled cried everything for this [ __ ].
You know like it’s not like a it’s, not like an instant gratification or boxing.
It’S a long burn.
You know it may be pretty good, but, like i may go to the days gym some days you get my ass kicked and i’m pretty good like they make kick.
My ass dave make a glass, but then i make their ass and it’s just life and that’s how it is because you’re learning you’re trying to understand [ __ ].
So it’s a real long-term thing.
You know it’s not something that everybody wants to be a fighter until the fighter walks and burns.
That’S you, that’s not generator cedric! You want.
You got a question.
You want to ask him um, no just adding on to what he was saying.
Just basically, you know you, you literally have to go through the through the blood, sweat and tears too.
It’S not it’s not just a cool slogan.
On a t-shirt that people like to wear.
You know unboxing.
You really have to have to go through that.
To get this, i feel, like you know, this is an issue of like instagram like youtube facebook.
They see like these training camps in these vlogs or whatever right of people, training and, and they think it’s a real like cool thing like they think it’s cool, but we’re training i’ll, tell you what, if you’re training hard it’s very unglorified, it’s really ugly! It’S really dirty, it’s really sweaty and it’s real bloody and it smells right like your hands, are really always funny.
You know it’s sweet all the time you know, and it’s and you look like lethargic a lot and like it’s a very it’s literally the grind and people are like shocked at how hard like it is like what last week i did like 11 sessions training and For me, that’s like, like that’s just my life, you tell people that they’re like i.
I think you need a bit of a rest on jesus, i’m in the middle of training.
For something like i hit my eyes, i get hurt right.
Like i’ve hurt my elbows before, but last year i had a fight.
I couldn’t even straighten my arm out and now, like you, should probably pull out of this fight.
It was like three weeks ago people saying that to me and i literally like and put my elbows forward.
Oh my god, it’s literally you have to be.
You have to be tough bro and to create toughness.
You need to be in a tough environment.
You can’t be like pussyfooted around you’ve got to be in, like an environment, that’s cruel! Sometimes i love isaac.
Like all my heart, isaac’s, my man, jd bobo.
I love them so so so much but like they need to be mean [, __ ] to me.
Sometimes they need to tell me what’s up and they need to push me.
I need to push.
First of all, i need to push my [ __, ] self.
[ __ ] everybody else.
If i don’t want it, there’s no point me even showing up.
If i go to training with a bad attitude, everybody sees it.
If i go and not want its people, everybody sees that if i go and have a bad sparring session, everybody sees it and guess what no matter, what way you put it it shows up.
On the night yeah i had like a [ __ ] last week.
I wanted all that, but i just wasn’t on and for a few factors right and i knew what those factors are and there and it was what it was.
I i won and i’m whatever, but i’m not happy with my performance so that just drives me to be best.
I want to be the best and i and i want to go [ __ ] to the moon and back, and i want to go beyond until infinity and beyond, like [ __ ] buzz lightyear right, yeah learning from it by having a great attitude and a Lot of self belief and [ __ ] working your ass off and um yeah.
That’S that’s! That’S it! What’S up what what’s a what’s a day, what’s a day of training, look like to you well like what what what does it involve? What time does it start? What time do you finish and what do you do throughout the whole day, um, so [, Music, ], so yeah we’ll talk about today? We can talk about yesterday, but yesterday, because today’s just started yesterday i got up at six o’clock.
I went into the conditioning.
Workout got home at about 8 30.
Chilled out did some work because i run my own business and stuff like that as well.
I did some business related stuff, um and then i went to training in the afternoon uh.
I i leave my house at 4 30 and i didn’t want to get home about on 6 37, so a couple hours in the afternoon, but it’s it’s the quality.
So you know how this is uh.
One thing you always see right, you’ll see a dude go to the gym for like four hours, three hours and they’re like we’re on their grindr.
What the [ __ ]! Are you doing four hours in the gym bro? What are you doing like? What are you doing? Bro like for [ __, ] three hours? I can guarantee you’re looking at your phone and [ __ ] around bro, like you need to be in the gym when i’m in the gym.
My focus needs to be an intense focus for about 45 to an hour like really intense, hard training, where i’m complete on the ball anything longer than that is just a waste of my time, but i need to be incredibly on.
I need to be switched on and it needs to be very specific what i’m doing so when i get the training, i warm up my shirt on and yeah.
What are we doing today? Generally, you may have an idea some days, you don’t have an idea and that’s good but like as soon as you say, we’re doing this and this that’s all i’m worried about.
I didn’t give a [ __ ] about if the world was ending.
If the word was and then – and they told me i’m running i’m running – i don’t care if the media is coming dinosaurs coming, but i’m running bro my job in the gym is to be a fighter.
Everything else can get [ __ ], while i’m in the gym it’s the most important thing in the world bro, it is straight up.
You guys are like it sounds funny, but to me in the gym, i’m a selfish perk.
I don’t talk to anybody, but i try and get as much as i can.
When i spa i’m a [, __ ].
I don’t care about anybody.
Bro, i don’t touch gloves.
I don’t do any of that.
[ __ ] very inspiring, regardless of your my best mate or not um great example is jj um, jerome yeah he’s such a friend of mine he’s a godfather from one of my boys right me and jay’s.
Fine, we kill each other.
I don’t give a [ __ ] about him.
When i’m trying, i mean he doesn’t give a [ __ ] about me, we’re trying to hurt each other like go we’re going to talk to you tomorrow about it yeah now straight up, and he knows like he knows that i’m i’m i’m smaller than him, but I’M in there to like, like do my job and my job is to be the meanest [ __ ].
There is right and, to be honest, i’m cruel.
I can be a cruel prick bro.
When i fight i’m cruel.
I don’t care bro because at the end of the day, the reason i’m doing this is for me and my family and if you’re [, __ ] in my way boy, i’m gon na [, __ ] you up regardless the next guy i’m his name’s isaac he’s Just another little [ __ ] in my waiver, and i am going to [ __ ] him up straight up what i like to hear the rivalry, the rivalry that started yes, yes, right right; no, no! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! There’S not a rivalry yeah! It’S not! There’S! There’S no rivalry! He just talks.
A lot of [ __, ] bro and that’s all he like good for him – he’s done well from stuff by talking [ __ ], but you know bro.
I will promise you one thing when i hop in that ring bro.
That’S when i’m gon na start talking! [ __ ] bro, when i’m in the ring with you and you’re fighting me and you’re down six rounds mate.
That’S when i’m gon na start talking to you and i’m gon na make it the most cruel, [ __ ] night of your life.
It’S gon na be a night that when you wake up every morning, you’re gon na be like man i dreamed about that: [ __ ] last night, man, man, i dreamed about that [ __ ] last night and when you’re 60 people will remind you of that.
[ __ ] bro.
You know what the [ __ ] happened.
It’S going to go down.
It’S not get out of history.
It’Ll go down in the history books.
It’S him getting his ass, [ __ ]! That’S a lot of people talking about history books! This is like i just want to do my job.
My job is to be a fighter at the end of the day.
So what else you’re right on? Do you? Do you find it you find it hard? Do you find it hard to get uh to get fights in new zealand now uh that you have time out, we got ta, we got ta give the date for this fight.
We got ta get the height, get it so hype.
What’S the date for that? For this uh, this fight right, i have, i don’t even i have like an idea and it’s around the end of october, but i i don’t even know if i’m allowed to be talking about this friday, because it’s not like announced yet: okay, okay, okay, okay, i Think that’s well-known australasian boxing community that this fight’s about to happen, so it’s kind of like like yeah that was talking about speaking into existence.
Well, it will happen.
Like you know, like you know, he can talk as much as he wants and he can talk his [ __ ], but like at the end of the day when it’s just me him in the ring bro he’s going to see what a real [ __ ] Is i’m not even joking buddy? He is like you know, like yeah [, __ ] him yo.
I can’t wait.
Man, i’m super excited uh.
Are you finding? Are you finding it hard to get competition now in new zealand like? Are you gon na have to start looking internationally for competition, because you know you’ve definitely yeah well, i thought my last besides my last fight, my last three fight’s been in australia and they’ve all been like third uh third round a second round knockout a first round.
Knockout, where i threw literally four punches and i knocked the dude off right – i literally always touch right hand, a jab and then he touched me and i threw a one too assume this dude [ __ ] up.
You know what right i’ll tell you when you’re fighting someone that’s shorter than you.
If you have your hands out in front of you and they touch you with their hand, they’re in your range they’re in your range as soon as they touch me just no.
I fight in australia, i like fighting australia and i [ __ ].
I want to go all over the world with my fighting.
I don’t really care.
I like i like fighting people’s backs yards.
When i fought in sydney last year, i walked up to the whole stadium, booing me bro and they left and everybody was like.
Can i get a photo? Let’S just changes, hey buddy, it’s just funny is there? Is there uh? Is there anybody that you want like? Who, who would you want to fight tomorrow if you could right now i’d like canelo 100, like you guys? Oh my god, like you, think you can beat him it’s not about beating him at the end of the day.
You know how much experience you get from fighting on a stage like that.
Do you know how much like you can learn from fighting someone like that, regardless of if i can think i can win or not it’s it’s irrelevant.
If i go out there and put on a great effort right – and i do my best and i do what i know i can do bro and regardless by when i lose get knocked out whatever i don’t think any of that would happen, but it’s the experience And these are experiences that i’ll be able to pass on to my kids at the end of them like hey, i did this and this is how i experienced it, and then you know that just sets you up if you, if i was to fight canelo tomorrow, I’M not saying i won’t because he’s a [ __ ] gangster fighter right and that’s [ __ ] fantastic, but it’s the experience of a lifetime and the whole.
What’S the point of life to have great experiences right, like imagine just sitting on your phone all day? Imagine just commenting about! Oh my god! This kid does this and that and you know, being a karen or a gym or whatever [ __ ].
You know life is a bad experience and i want to experience everything bro like if i mean i, if these, if they said uh andre you’re in the top 15 in the world, you’re number 13 of the wbo uh canelo wants to fight you next week.
I’Ll be like [ __ ], i got ta lose a bit of weight, then i wouldn’t even say no like.
I would just be like sweet hey, i may lose.
Who gives a [ __ ] if i’m fighting the best and i’m losing to the best yeah regardless? It doesn’t matter, because i know i’m i’m [ __ ] doing the best.
You know that that you know and yeah, because in a few years time that will set me up so good like in long 24 and when i’m like 26 27 that’ll.
Do me such wonders, because i would have gone through the experience in that.
So you know i’ve never gone to a fight wanting to lose but like if you, if i got offered it tomorrow like mate, like you know what the chances are.
This would be realistic.
It’S like a [, __, ] 1910.
Chance of me winning like 10 percent me winning and that’s all good, but it’s the experience of a lifetime bro and who knows some magic might happen.
You know the magical moments are sometimes the [ __ ].
You don’t want to expect in boxing.
One punch.
Can change the entire outcome of a fight like you know what i mean yeah and it’s the attitude.
If you have a great energy, i look.
Man, like i come across as like very out the gate and over the top of that, but like this is who i’m living my life bro and i’m really enjoying who i am, and i you know if i had to live my life again.
If i had to live life again, i’d live my life, exactly how i’ve lived it because i am a gangster and i want to change anything about me.
What’S up change, one thing: bro and that’s [, __ ] um, probably like not compulsive spending.
That’S about it! That’S the only thing i know: [ Music, ], [, Laughter, ], it’s good for the kids good for the kids to have their wife.
Like that, it’s good! It’S fantastic! How old are you? How old are you, kids, um? How old are my kids uh, mr tarantino tarantino’s, my oldest name from quentin tarantino uh? I, like that name tarantino spelled it slightly differently to how it’s originally supposed to be spelt um.
I love the name, uh he’s three in september and then we got little toro.
So after the torah getty uh, he is one and a half.
So two boys, two beautiful boys.
I bet you can’t.
I bet you can’t wait to uh get them in the ring eh with some gloves on i’m gon na teach you when i like.
I don’t know like i’m adopted in [ __ ] bro like i’ve come from russia bro me my two were adopted in that bro.
I had a pretty like i’m, not saying like relative to what i know and i only took them on myself.
I had a pretty [ __ ] time coming up from my teenage years and stuff like that, and i was very misunderstood and misunderstood a lot of things.
So i had fire and i’ve got like an ambition in here to be [, __ ], you know i.
I know that i’ve come from like [ __, ] and [ __ ] like that, and that fuels me.
But you know when i look at my boys bro like i, don’t really want them to fight man like because, like i know how dangerous it is and i’m aware of the consequence of the bro and i’m well, i’m aware of it.
So, if i want do, i want them to fight i’m not really, but if they, if they decide on their own terms, that i want to be a fighter, then that’s on them and to be honest, i’m not going to do [ __ ], all for them.
I’M gon na literally go you go.
Do your thing bro you go train.
Don’T compare yourself to me.
Just do your own [, __ ]! That’S it because i have seen so many fathers come in with their sons bro and be so overbearing.
Bro, like yeah i’ll, give them advice if they want advice, but i’m not gon na be the dad.
That’S there like.
Ah do this do that like if they do fight, they go, go train with isaac and then isaac will [ __ ].
Let you know what’s up, because i know what the [ __ ], you know.
It’S, not my life, it’s your life and if you want to get punched in the face for the rest of your life, is up to you.
I am making the decision for you.
Buddy andre, what what’s the biggest lesson that boxing has taught you today? Do you think becca’s listen, um! Well, like boxing trans descends, boxing right boxing isn’t just boxing, but boxing has a life right, like you know the dedication, the discipline, the determination all of these factors – bro uh, have helped me serve so have helped me so much in my life.
Sorry, one second yeah! It’S really like it’s it’s you know.
The art of boxing is like one thing, but, like you know, it’s just the discipline of like when you get up.
You know do your just as honestly, probably discipline and conf big-time confidence bro when i was the big issue of me in school was also insecure, insecure and so against myself, and so against myself.
That, like it was hard for me to you, know, appreciate who i was so like.
I think it’s given me a self-appreciation of like you’re, so powerful beyond belief, and you just got to believe, and i think self-belief is the other one like you know this self-belief isn’t like it’s not a cockiness, where i don’t believe it.
It’S just who i am and what i’ve like manifested into through belief and training and like evidence and the big thing is evidence.
You know, like i’m good, i know what i’m doing and i’m capable and i’m very capable of my job.
I’Ve got a lot to learn and i’m self-aware about that, but i’m capable – and that gives me confidence, and it gives me confidence to like, along with my boxing, has given me this amazing opportunity to work with people in my life, like so my job with the Three or four is i work with people um once or twice a week very ni, and i teach them about like discipline, self-belief confidence.
I teach them a bit of boxing, but the box is afterthought.
It’S about attitude towards life and stuff like that.
So that’s one of my most favorite things to be honest, um for the people out there that don’t know who you are uh.
What fight would you say would be the best representation of you as a as a fighter to watch to go back in your history and watch um this fight.
When i was 20 on my 21st birthday, i watched this.
I thought let’s do good adrian ty here.
He was like 17 on 4, when i caught him, and i was like 6-0 and everybody thought i was going to lose to him and like there was like a pole that went out, and this dude was this big mean [ __ ], like a real good Fighter tough dude bro and everyone thought i was getting.
My ass kicked and i hopped in the ring, and i did my job and i did an amazing job so, but that one’s not really on youtube or anything, that’s a real hard find.
So i think one you could watch on youtube like i’ve had a few terrible fights.
I thought the suit called marcus hayward, where i just did horrible, because i had lost 10 kilos in like six weeks and i was so tired and i literally had to go to this dark place, but that’s horrible.
My last fight was a real, boring fight.
Uh.
This was boring, bro like not much was happening.
He didn’t really want to rumble with me and that’s kind of him.
I want to rumble, but then i was having an off night too.
So we’re both kind of like trash that night and it is what it is probably [ – __ ], i don’t know alex hannah.
I knocked out alex cannon in like two rounds bro after a great like build up, so that shows a good representation shows.
Definitely definitely i thought that was good.
That was a good one yeah, because that that that’s like that’s like the epidemic of my life, for me standing up to the bully bro.
So that’s something i’m really really proud of yeah.
That’S great cedric! Yeah! Sorry manny be quiet, you got a question brother.
Yes, yes, um! One of your knockouts was uh.
Forget this guy’s name here um.
It was this.
It was the the the knockout of the ernest espana ernesto espana.
Do you remember that knockout? That was a straight like textbook, one two right down in the middle um.
You know, because i explained to some of the boxes: go ahead.
Explain it up.
I lined them up, like i heard them and like i was like the whole time something i can actually explain.
This whole fight, like straight like in like a minute bro, the first round bro i come out and for the whole week, uh i’ve been hearing.
This is the mighty russian, the russian andre mckayla she’s, a puncher blah blah blah blah in the first round i go out two tenths bro and i’m two stans and the first punch i throw was a checklist, took right hand, and i missed by like that much Bro because he was fading away to his right and i was like okay, we need to loosen up something and then a little bit longer than me and he’s hitting me with his jab and i’m like just trying to i’m too tight.
So when i’m seeing i’m not pulling back in time – and i’m just just a little bit too close to him and i’m getting my thing getting my thing – go back to the cold corner, you’re too tight you’re, too tense andre.
You guys still there yeah you’re too tight you’re too tense, all right.
Next round i go out.
I start breaking the distance.
I start walking to this range.
I start seeing this [ __ ].
Instead of having my hands like here like how i usually have them.
I have my hands and i start catching.
These punches can’t just punch just walking through the range and then what i start doing right is because what i like to do is switch it like you know, when you’re walking down you can be hospital, you can always say, come forward and be a support, and It gives you another angle to work on and i’m quite well well balanced like that right and i start walking and i start walking i’ll get to those range a minute and a half into that fight.
I start to relax because i know i’ve got this under control and i’m glad i’m all good and i start enjoying it and as soon as i relax as my shoulders drop and i’m relaxed and i’m just having fun and that i was good and then what Happens was i hit him with a right hand, uh.
It was like behind any wobbles and i’m like sweet, and i hear boys yeah i’ll go finish him on jury, he’s tough and then all i do is i come and i go one two three.
Four.
This mess – and i was like okay, we need to calm down.
I took a step back, i see him, i see his head, i put my hand out on his head.
I just throw the right hand boom and he looks like he’s dropping.
So i turn away and then for a second, i look back and the motherfucker’s still standing, i’m like the hell is that as i’m watching the highlight as i’m watching your highlight of you speaking everything you’re speaking right now, i’m watching on my other laptop right now.
Yeah, that’s what happened like two tenths, two tenths, two tenths and um yeah um, but it was good uh.
His father was a really good fighter.
His father fought barry mcquiggin his father.
Actually, if you look up espanyo ernest ernisto espanol senior, he was a good fighter too.
He was a um.
I think he was like a super featherweight or a featherweight, but you know he had a lot of heritage and, to be honest, bro.
That fight on paper was a real, interesting fight because he was um.
What was he? He was 30 32 and three with 27 knockouts, and i was like that [ __ ] is venezuelan, and these south americans are really tough people.
They’Ve come you know they come from like this is their meal ticket.
This is gon na really set them up.
So they’re coming here with full force, they’re not coming here to muck around you know, they’re, not gon na come with opponents hey.
He may have been a bit awkward, a bit weird with how he did stuff, but he was doing his best.
You know and that’s what you expect and it makes me happy that was a good fight and i’m happy with that.
But, like you know, you do something like that and then three weeks, four weeks later, you have a [ __, ] fight.
You know like it was a quick turnaround and that was tough for my body in there, because i’d had three back-to-back camps.
My kids had left to vanuatu for five weeks, so i hadn’t seen them and all that had a few factors that you know and i didn’t perform my best at night and you know it’s funny how you go from the top of the pots where you well.
Everybody’S messaging, you and they all love you they’ll love, you, you have one bad fight and nobody gives a [ __ ] about you.
That’S just funny.
That’S that’s that! That’S that boxing world right.
That’S definitely how it is man you’re only as good as your last fight is what they say right, and it’s really true.
It’S like if you’re, if you’re hot you’re on everybody’s radar, every you know everybody’s beating down your door to get you a fight, hey.
I want you to fight this person.
I want you to fight that person, but the minute you have a bad fight.
There’S not a phone call coming in at all they’ve forgotten about you.
It’S crazy, [, __, ] man.
How boxing is speaking continue on that espana fight? Here’S a quote.
I think this is from uh his coach or his dad, or somebody that said um.
It looks like in this picture, says what a big right hand that was, i got ta say one thing about michaelavich he’s a great finisher.
Once he gets you hurt, he finishes you oh yeah, that was from uh.
I don’t know yesterday because you know yeah, that’s you, there’s uh no overtime, this long or that long, i’m still gon na get paid the same amount.
You know what i mean like it doesn’t.
If i can get you out in one round and if you’ve given me the opportunity in one round and if i’ve seen the opening and i go for it and i land a good shot or i land a good shot, that’s like that’s [, __ ]! You want to put value for money.
The big thing about what i do is like fighting is the most important thing like you.
You can be a great talker right.
You can be a great talker.
You can be a great trainer, but if you can’t fight, if you can’t put on great shows, if you can’t put like you, know incredible things where it’s more than just a fight, it’s actually a display of art.
It’S a it’s a theater performance, they’re from the way you walk out to the way you’re in the room, to the way you own the ring.
So the way you fight – it’s all art, it’s it’s a massive show, because people want to watch the show they’re, not people like believe it or not.
You know how the boxing is a sweet science and i have a hundred 100 100 respect for the sweet science of hit and not get hit right and i are and at work.
And you know – and there are some great examples – iris london, lander floyd, mayweather, um whitaker – these are people that were like hit not get hit.
Thai people, but yeah you got ta have if you’re gon na do something like that.
You’Re gon na have a pretty out there personality to be backing the [ __ ] up.
The word was great because towards the end of his career um, he may have not been the most exciting fighter in the world, but he had the persona to back it up.
So you can’t be a boring fighter and be a boring personality.
You got to have kind of like you got ta have some balance good good balance.
You have to have a good balance.
Uh shout out to me who’s watching, hey mia thanks for tuning in to today’s episode, yeah, oh man, what you honestly, you got a great team uh and honestly, i can’t wait to see you uh internationally man i’d like to see you you know in the uk.
Maybe in the states within the next year and uh, you know fighting for these big belts.
Man is that is that the plan like by next year to be be international.
You know, man like box seems like a roller coaster.
You can only take out one fighters at the time.
I don’t know bro like tomorrow.
Bro, like anything, could happen, i don’t know, i don’t even know what the [ __ ].
I haven’t, got much today, regardless of next year.
I don’t know, i don’t know.
Okay, i know what i want, but the world has a great way of working bro and the universe will provide when you’re ready right.
I met isaac at the right time.
I met my wife at the right time.
I had kids at the right time.
The universe will always line it up for you, bro.
If you have self belief and like you want enough, it’ll come to you, but you got to work hard for it, and i know my i know things are going to i’m fine.
I don’t like to have like this mind that much it will happen like i’m literally a walking show i literally just walk around and i’m just a [ __ ] actor myself bro, so like walk around they’re in your own life.
Right now, from what i understand from what i understand, only got one opportunity to be me and why not live me to the fullest bro, i’m not going to be scared of what people think bro like hell like to be honest, like what’s the thought? What’S an opinion like to be honest, like anybody can have an opinion bro, my son has an opinion on what trump he likes.
You know what i mean and he doesn’t know what you know why.
Why should i take on other people’s opinions, like i don’t care very like if you don’t like me, it’s on you.
If you love me, i appreciate it.
I don’t care, i just want to live life, and i want to fight, and i want to put on a great show and i want to be respect.
The only thing i want is to be respected and remembered, and i’m with the way i’m going, i’m sure i’ll be okay and at the end of the day, as long as i do a good job, my biggest finger is like boxing we’re talking about boxing right Now right and that’s [ __ ] fantastic.
I love boxing.
My biggest thing that i’m most proud of is that i’m a good dad.
There are many men.
There are many members that are our dads right, but to be a father to be a good father is something i’m incredibly proud of.
I’M 24 bro, i have kids.
When i was 21 bro, i could have easily did [ __ ] this [ __ ].
I’M not gon na be a dad.
You know i got my life to live, but i stood up and, to be honest, i did a i’m doing a [ __ ] good job.
I have a lot of [ __ ] on my plate.
Bro, like i, i’ve had to back myself completely bro and i’m so proud of that, and i’m proud that i’ve got two boys.
You know i’ll tell you something for two and a half years, but i never saw my kids because i was always working and training working in training working and training working training.
I never got to see them right and i didn’t have a good relationship with my kids.
I had this beautiful opportunity to stop work and box essentially full time and do my own run my own business, which is fantastic as well and now i get to see them and i got a great relationship with my kids and i did that because of me.
Nobody told me to do that.
I did that on my own accord and i’m more [ __ ], proud of that.
That’S [, __ ], fantastic boxing will be boxing.
You know but like as a man as a father, i’m [ __ ], proud, that’s [, __ ]! That’S what life’s about being a good dad big time! I’M proud of that! Much respect for that.
Much respect for that.
So obviously, you um whether it’s hard or easy you just make sure to find a time to make sure you balance out between like family time and um and and training time, obviously right sort of like how i work it.
It’S like in the morning i’ll get up at either five or six a.
m, depending on like what i’m doing and i’ll either do my run or a conditioning exercise.
And then, when i get home, i’ll hang out with the kids for probably a couple hours and then from, and it depends on what time i am like training people when, like doing my own clients and stuff like that.
But then, from about ten to about two i’ll work and i’ll do like some, i don’t know whether it’s this or that or that meeting or some stuff i’ll go and do that and then from two until about 4 30.
I spend time with the kids.
My wife will have a lie down and then from 4 30 to 6 or 6, 30 or 7, sometimes i’m at training and then it’s from seven to nine, i’m with the kids and then from nine to 11.
I’M with my wife and then it’s repeated every day.
That’S good man, that’s a good way to schedule it out that way.
You know everybody gets equal.
We will equal parts, you know about balances, you need to balance life yeah.
I just think it’s important that my kids, you know like are raised.
You know raised correctly, you know i, you can really see a like how vital a kid’s learning of life is especially young, the early years man.
They need to be shown life in a certain way and, like you know, there’s something that i think is really important.
So in boxing uh i always ask everybody this question: do you want to be loved or do you want to be feared? I don’t really give a [ __ ] to be honest as long as people pay them like.
I want to walk into a room and like people like just nice to me, i don’t like fear like okay, there’s, there’s a story, uh a statement.
I heard once if my car, if your car broke down in the middle of the night and muhammad ali, pulled up to fix, help change your tire.
You’D be pretty excited right.
If mike tyson pulled up to help change your tire you’d be a bit like.
Oh [, __ ], you know there’s a bit of like a you know.
What’S going on, one thing i do not want to come across is like a [, __ ] and like it’s a it’s and it’s hard with me and who i am, you got ta, there’s a very fine line and i try to use humor.
My humor is my break my icebreaker right, who i am you can’t be like no [ __ ], this [ __ ] that [ __ ] the world.
You have to have like this balance and i’m still trying to understand your balance and understand what the lines are and stuff like that, but i’m getting there and it takes development.
But i don’t really care like some people, love me and some people don’t like me and that’s just life like i think, [ __ ], some people are great people and i some people i don’t like and that’s okay, but my only thing is: i’m not gon Na slice like unless it’s like a real personal thing, and i don’t like you – i won’t slag people off.
I just you know, try and be respectful because, like if i, if i wasn’t a fighter bro like you know, you got to respect fighters bro like fighters should be respected, regardless of rank.
Creed, color and level like journeymen need to be respected.
Man, like you, journeymen, need to be respected, so much gatekeepers need to be respected.
Champions need to be respected boxing the game of respect, regardless of what way you put it.
Definitely andre.
Do you remember, do you remember the first time you put somebody to sleep in the ring and the feeling that came over you, oh yeah? I would have been first time i put someone to sleep without cold yeah.
It would be my fourth amateur fight, because i was fighting this dude and um.
I hit him with a right hand.
Left turkey just dropped and i was like i wasn’t actually sure what was happening now i was like.
I wasn’t sure if the fight was going to continue or not, and then my coach called me over to the corner at the time, and i was like man, you got real power.
That was crazy.
That’S like what happened.
He was like bro.
You just knocked him out, but um it’s sort of tricky like i don’t really feel like when you knock someone out for me.
It’S just like.
I got the job done next fight, it’s not! I don’t really like to get too excited about it or like worry too much, because, like people only remember you for the moment, bro like people love to be in the moment, people.
This is what boxing i’ll tell you, what it is.
Bro people forget [, __, ] real quickly about life.
You know that right.
If you give someone a hundred dollars in two weeks time, they would have forgot that you gave him a hundred dollars bro.
So you’ve got to be kind of careful about how you do.
[ __ ] and how you feel about [ __, ] bro.
You got to be kind of like unemotional, you can think about it, but don’t be emotional about about [ __ ] because, like if you start getting emotional excited bro like it leads to, like you know like ill feelings and [ __ ].
So, like you kind of got to be cool, bro like i like, i’ve, never been knocked out or hurt ever in my life ever like, i think when i was 15, i got dropped off a body shot once and then i got dropped by a heavyweight overhead Shot but i got straight back up and that’s cool yeah, but um i’ve never really been hurt before like never ever really and i’m pretty lucky for that one.
I think it’s because i put it down to me being russian.
I think that’s a big part of it.
My ego is another thing: bro is like you’re not going to hurt me ever in real life, it’s impossible, but i’m also understanding that [ __ ] can happen.
[ __ ] can go wrong and you have to be aware of it.
So you know, i think, there’s also the fear as well like.
I don’t want to get hurt, so no, i’m not going to get hurt.
You’Ve got to be you’re, going to be cool.
Very boxing is very respectful and the thing is regardless, if i like you or not after the fight i’ll be nice, i’m always the sweetheart of the fight.
I i’ll make time for you on that.
Even i thought alex hannah right after the fight near him.
We’Re fine before the fight we may have not liked each other and um.
That’S just respect for a box scene.
It’S a real, respectful sport and it’s a real mano, himano sport and you know it takes a lot of bulls to be a fighter and like anyone.
I i get excited just watching amateurs from their first fight, because i know how scary it is, and i and i know the anxiousness and i know the anxieties, they feel man and it’s just like bro.
That’S awesome, you’re concrete something, you’re scared of that’s like amazing bro.
If i i honestly wish brother everybody had to have a fight in their life, that should be like a requirement by law yeah up just one fight, because then, then you will know what respect is.
Bro like if you’ve, never had a fight right and you pop into a red bro, it changes your life bro.
It teaches you a lot about one, how vulnerable, even with me, unlike what number? Third, i’m in the world with the ibf number 12 of the wbo bro.
If i go to the wrong place in northland bro, i will get my ass kicked.
Teaches you that you’re [ __ ] vulnerable bro.
One thing is: it teaches you about self-awareness and knowing situations and stuff like that? Yes, yes, that’s good trust me when you’re a fighter everybody you have a target on your back mate you’re, not people, respect you but you’re also a target.
There are no reviews yet.