WEBVTT - #177 Jai Opetaia: How the Boxing Champ became one of the Baddest Men on the Planet 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:01.880 Hi'm my Boris, and this is straight talk. 0:00:04.320 --> 0:00:06.320 When you're a boxer, you know, when you go somewhere 0:00:06.440 --> 0:00:09.559 size are the top, you know, you're like, oh, how 0:00:09.560 --> 0:00:11.400 am I going to approach? How how am I ever 0:00:11.440 --> 0:00:12.360 be there? Am I going to? 0:00:12.440 --> 0:00:13.440 You know what I'm going to do? 0:00:13.600 --> 0:00:16.439 So I've met him a few times and there's a 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:21.480 way to beat him. Boxing is what I do. It's 0:00:21.520 --> 0:00:24.599 like a religion to me. I've grown up in the sport. 0:00:25.239 --> 0:00:27.560 I'm i first one at eight years old. Well my 0:00:27.640 --> 0:00:32.920 whole life training, running, punching bag, sparring. To get to 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:36.880 the top is a freaking long journey. It's hard, man, 0:00:37.120 --> 0:00:41.279 It's a very lonely, hard road. But I was never stressed. 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:43.600 I always seen the light at the end of the tunnel, 0:00:43.880 --> 0:00:45.839 you know what I mean. Like, I always knew what 0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:48.400 the goal was, and that was the wind world title, 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:53.200 get on the big stages. So now that I'm here, good, 0:00:54.200 --> 0:00:56.520 I'm the best cruise way in the world. I want 0:00:56.520 --> 0:01:00.320 these belts around my waist. I'm chasing unification. What there's 0:01:00.400 --> 0:01:03.040 me and Ramiroz. You know they say, well the top, 0:01:03.440 --> 0:01:03.800 that's what. 0:01:07.920 --> 0:01:14.120 Joe Battire. Well, we're doing straight talk made man straight up. 0:01:14.400 --> 0:01:19.720 I know that Polynesian surnames are often pronounced wrong by 0:01:19.800 --> 0:01:23.440 people like me, So how do I actually say your surname? 0:01:25.080 --> 0:01:28.040 Give it a go opataia. 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:32.119 Opa tyle thank you, because a lot of people say oh. 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:36.920 And in your language, we're in the Simon language, is 0:01:36.959 --> 0:01:42.520 always I always pronounced as opposed to oh, is that right? 0:01:43.200 --> 0:01:49.760 Is that right? He's more fuss I'm half fuzzy. So 0:01:51.520 --> 0:01:52.560 I'm learning myself. 0:01:52.600 --> 0:01:55.120 But it's pretty important because, like I've noticed in the 0:01:55.200 --> 0:01:58.080 Raby League circles now that commentators have really been careful 0:01:58.120 --> 0:01:59.680 to say the name, probably because there's sort of like 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:02.240 send me disrespectful. I'm not get it for my surname. 0:02:02.240 --> 0:02:04.840 People pronounced my used to pronounce my surname wrong when 0:02:04.840 --> 0:02:08.000 I was younger. It's and I iced to think, fuck me, 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:10.040 get it right, Like it's not that hard, but maybe 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:11.760 it is hard for people who don't you know, don't 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:13.280 don't know the pronunciation. But I just want to make 0:02:13.320 --> 0:02:17.760 sure it's right. So that's a that's not and so 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:20.880 welcome mate, like it's and by the way, mum and dad, 0:02:20.919 --> 0:02:26.720 so obviously from your surname, your dad's Polynesian someone and 0:02:26.760 --> 0:02:29.440 your mum's an aus woman. Are they from Sydney or 0:02:29.520 --> 0:02:30.639 where from? 0:02:30.720 --> 0:02:32.399 Yeah? They actually grew up around. 0:02:33.240 --> 0:02:36.359 Around the Dalla area where our studios are just here 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:36.720 and there. 0:02:36.760 --> 0:02:41.240 Man, Yeah, they grew up you know, they lived at 0:02:41.240 --> 0:02:43.480 the cross where we lived that I was born out 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:47.160 in Westmead. We lived in a flat in Parramauta for 0:02:47.200 --> 0:02:50.360 a while and then yeah, we made them move to 0:02:50.400 --> 0:02:53.079 the Central Coast. So I'm a Central Coast boy at heart. 0:02:53.680 --> 0:02:56.960 Yeah, and actually not only a Central Boys Coast boy 0:02:56.960 --> 0:02:59.960 at heart. But you're a world champion in real turn, 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:03.200 like absolute world champion. You've defended your title as well, 0:03:03.240 --> 0:03:06.160 so like well done made Because Jeff Phoanix is a 0:03:06.160 --> 0:03:08.160 good friend of mine, had told me that as far 0:03:08.200 --> 0:03:10.799 as he's concerned, and this is, you know, come from 0:03:10.800 --> 0:03:18.960 a legend that you probably are the most promising Australian 0:03:19.280 --> 0:03:23.360 fighter in the last ten years. And that's a big 0:03:23.440 --> 0:03:27.079 rap come from Fannick Jeff. 0:03:26.840 --> 0:03:29.760 Phoenix, you know, a legend of the sport, you know, 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:32.960 and not just here in Australia. Man, he's well known 0:03:33.160 --> 0:03:37.120 all over the world, so you know that's a massive compliment. 0:03:37.280 --> 0:03:40.000 And he did train for well, they didn't he he 0:03:40.360 --> 0:03:42.840 managed me for a while he managed you yeah yeah, yeah, 0:03:42.840 --> 0:03:44.800 because and I'm going to take you back a little 0:03:44.800 --> 0:03:47.160 while and said something outside about it. But there was 0:03:47.200 --> 0:03:51.080 a his father was a good fighter too, But there 0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:53.000 was a young fellow here in Australia called willis a 0:03:53.120 --> 0:03:54.560 bit bigger than you. I think it would have been 0:03:54.600 --> 0:03:56.280 a heavyweight division. You would have been like you would 0:03:56.280 --> 0:03:58.440 have been in your nineties. In terms of chillos. He's 0:03:58.480 --> 0:04:00.840 probably in those days. He probably of one hundred and ten, 0:04:01.080 --> 0:04:04.160 six foot five. But I remember watching you spa with 0:04:04.840 --> 0:04:07.640 went for neck invite to me, and I watched watch 0:04:07.680 --> 0:04:09.920 his spa A much bigger guy, willis Man, and this 0:04:09.960 --> 0:04:11.800 is I'm going to take this somewhere in a moment. 0:04:12.480 --> 0:04:14.720 Obviously a heavyweight and a very experienced fighter, and as 0:04:15.120 --> 0:04:20.240 was his father, father fought for the war title. Do 0:04:20.279 --> 0:04:23.400 you remember those younger years when used to just jumping 0:04:23.400 --> 0:04:24.560 with anybody who would be put in. 0:04:24.560 --> 0:04:29.960 Front of you. Definitely, they've you know, molded my path. 0:04:30.560 --> 0:04:34.360 You know, there's like the apprenticeship of where I am today. 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:37.920 And you know, special shout out to willis Man. He 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:40.200 was like a brother growing up to me. You know, 0:04:40.240 --> 0:04:44.840 we grew up on the Central coast together. We were 0:04:44.920 --> 0:04:48.200 never allowed to go to the same school. Why not, Oh, 0:04:48.400 --> 0:04:50.080 just because we used to run a mark you know 0:04:50.160 --> 0:04:52.400 who were back in the day. But I tried to 0:04:52.400 --> 0:04:57.880 get into his school and that wasn't you know, going there. Yeah. So, 0:04:59.160 --> 0:05:02.200 but yeah, we spend plenty of time together. Man, We've 0:05:02.240 --> 0:05:08.120 done thousands around together, you know, hundreds. We grew up 0:05:08.200 --> 0:05:11.920 moving around together, and we grew up developing at one stage. 0:05:11.920 --> 0:05:15.000 You know, he's always been a tall dude. He was 0:05:15.040 --> 0:05:17.760 a bit skinnier, but and he really sort of shot 0:05:17.800 --> 0:05:20.280 off and man, he's a big boy. 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:22.200 He was like six foot five or something like that. 0:05:22.320 --> 0:05:24.479 But for someone like you know, you're six or two 0:05:24.520 --> 0:05:26.120 or something like that. You're not small, by the way, 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:29.880 but you're a proper cruise ofweight, you know, like, I 0:05:29.920 --> 0:05:31.479 don't know what you're normally walking around there, but you 0:05:31.480 --> 0:05:34.560 can obviously get down a cruiser. Willis is someone like 0:05:34.680 --> 0:05:38.000 him heavyweight. Does that sort of prepare you for perhaps 0:05:38.040 --> 0:05:39.400 fighting heavyweights in the future. 0:05:40.440 --> 0:05:43.839 Definitely. Well, I've always just moved around with heavyweights, you know, 0:05:43.960 --> 0:05:46.560 I've always you know, I even moved around with the 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:49.599 old men Cully. You know, when you getting ready for 0:05:49.640 --> 0:05:55.560 fights and you know, just my old man was old school. 0:05:55.760 --> 0:05:58.400 You know. He would dad chuck me in with whoever, 0:05:58.880 --> 0:06:01.680 you know, and and that's all he was sort of 0:06:01.720 --> 0:06:04.720 taught the fight and taught the train. Was just you know, 0:06:04.760 --> 0:06:07.480 he told me stories about his old man. It didn't 0:06:07.520 --> 0:06:10.279 matter what weight they were. Everyone was aspiring everyone, and 0:06:11.120 --> 0:06:12.880 you know, you just got to learn to adapt to 0:06:12.920 --> 0:06:15.400 those styles. I feel like it sort of gives you 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:17.919 more ammunition for when you do need that sort of stuff. 0:06:18.040 --> 0:06:20.400 Because stepping up a division, not many strains have done that. 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:22.919 I mean, Panic did. He went up three divisions. But 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:25.520 when you've got a fourth division in the end, which 0:06:25.560 --> 0:06:29.040 is the Zoom and Elson fight, which they awarded him 0:06:29.560 --> 0:06:32.320 post the fight, like twenty years later, thirty years later, 0:06:32.400 --> 0:06:34.600 whatever it is, but not many strains have done it. 0:06:36.000 --> 0:06:40.200 Are they? Are they ambitions of fighters? I had Drinkers 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:42.880 Duplessus in here last week, which is who is the 0:06:42.880 --> 0:06:46.719 the UFC middleweight champion. He's talking about going up at 0:06:46.720 --> 0:06:49.680 division two? A dream going up a division, it's sort 0:06:49.680 --> 0:06:53.600 of proving yourself. Is that something that boxes do as well? 0:06:54.320 --> 0:07:01.320 Definitely? Well, once I've completed, you know, everything I've needed 0:07:01.320 --> 0:07:03.840 to do in the cruiseweight division. I feel like that 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:06.400 is the next step, you know, going up to heavyweight, 0:07:06.400 --> 0:07:10.080 and I do lose weight to go down and cruiser, 0:07:10.160 --> 0:07:13.440 so I feel like I can make both weights comfortably. 0:07:13.720 --> 0:07:15.240 You know, You've got to change a few things in 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:18.800 your training, but man, it's something I'm looking forward to. 0:07:19.000 --> 0:07:20.640 So when are you walking around it? What are you 0:07:20.640 --> 0:07:21.120 walking around it? 0:07:21.720 --> 0:07:25.520 Umm, probably walk around about ninety eight ninety nine kilos 0:07:25.600 --> 0:07:29.720 like comfortably, you know. But I can drop the weight easy, 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:32.360 you know, like I don't struggle too bad, I don't. 0:07:32.960 --> 0:07:34.760 You know. I used to be bad back in the 0:07:34.880 --> 0:07:37.760 day when I was a lot more unprofessional, and you know, 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:40.720 you wouldn't eat for two days trying to sweat at 0:07:40.720 --> 0:07:43.720 their hearts, sitting and sawn as It's used to be painful. 0:07:43.760 --> 0:07:45.520 But now now now it's good. You know, I eat 0:07:45.560 --> 0:07:49.200 the day before Wayne, and you know, we're very professional now. 0:07:49.600 --> 0:07:52.480 So if I could just you know, because you units 0:07:52.520 --> 0:07:54.920 probably don't quite understand this, but so cruse it just 0:07:54.920 --> 0:07:57.320 sell us a cruise weight Wayne, Wayne weight is. 0:07:57.720 --> 0:08:00.000 So cruise weight weight is ninety points seven. 0:08:00.720 --> 0:08:04.200 So just yeah, just okay, just under ninety one killers. 0:08:04.480 --> 0:08:06.080 So you've got to you walk around at ninety eight 0:08:06.160 --> 0:08:08.880 ninety nine. You've got to drop a kilos. You say, 0:08:08.920 --> 0:08:11.640 you can do that quite comfortably. When you look at 0:08:11.640 --> 0:08:15.720 someone like Usik, who's the current heavyweight champion, you're now 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:21.200 occupying his previous division, the cruiseweight champion division. You look 0:08:21.200 --> 0:08:22.840 at someone like him, you look at someone like him. 0:08:23.520 --> 0:08:25.960 I don't think he'd be much bigger than you. 0:08:25.960 --> 0:08:28.560 No, he's not too much better. I reckon, he's moment 0:08:28.600 --> 0:08:29.800 an inch half an inch. 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:30.640 Yeah, I've. 0:08:32.320 --> 0:08:33.960 When you're when you're a boxer, you know, when you 0:08:34.040 --> 0:08:36.280 go somewhere his size and everyone up all the time, 0:08:36.400 --> 0:08:40.680 all the time. How am I gonna you know, I approach? 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:42.240 How am I going to beat him? How am I 0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:44.720 going to you know what I'm gonta do? So I've 0:08:44.720 --> 0:08:47.040 met him a few times, and you know I've stood 0:08:47.080 --> 0:08:49.840 next to him, So there's a way to beat him. 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:56.839 That's as a fighter yours, you are actually sizing them up. 0:08:57.520 --> 0:08:59.480 You're I mean, I'm not in an aggressive way, but 0:08:59.520 --> 0:09:01.080 you think he's Well, if I have to jump in 0:09:01.160 --> 0:09:04.200 with this bloke, you know, I'm sort of just getting 0:09:04.200 --> 0:09:07.439 his shape. I'm understanding. I'm sort of profiling him, sort 0:09:07.480 --> 0:09:09.760 of thing, you know, with your brain your profile on 0:09:09.800 --> 0:09:12.720 the guy. Do you feel confident about it? You know, 0:09:12.760 --> 0:09:15.320 like do you You obviously watch his fights, that's different, 0:09:15.320 --> 0:09:18.160 that's the style. You watch his style, but just in 0:09:18.240 --> 0:09:21.040 terms of his physicality when you meet him, you think 0:09:21.040 --> 0:09:23.719 to yourself, Man, I reckon, like, I don't feel overpowered. 0:09:23.840 --> 0:09:25.439 I feel like, you know, I might be a chance here. 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:29.240 Definitely. I feel like everyone's beatable, you know what I mean? 0:09:29.280 --> 0:09:32.720 And I feel like, you know, you train right, you 0:09:32.800 --> 0:09:37.120 prepare properly, and you know, I just feel like everyone's beatable. 0:09:37.160 --> 0:09:39.880 Man, that's a pretty positive mindset. I mean, how do 0:09:39.920 --> 0:09:44.360 you grow a positive mindset because you're a pretty mind 0:09:44.360 --> 0:09:46.079 getting you a pretty shy guy, like because you're not 0:09:46.120 --> 0:09:48.760 one of those cocky guys out there, Karen On, you're 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:52.160 not aconom mc gregor style person in terms of you know, 0:09:52.280 --> 0:09:55.880 like up front, how do you develop your positive mindset 0:09:55.880 --> 0:09:57.880 about like that type positive mindset? 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:03.440 Boxing is what I do? You know? Boxing is like 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:07.960 boxing is honestly, like it's like a religion to me, 0:10:08.200 --> 0:10:10.760 you know what I mean. Like it's just I've grown 0:10:10.840 --> 0:10:13.720 up in the in the sport, I've fought people all 0:10:13.720 --> 0:10:19.640 over the world. I've it's like another language to me, 0:10:19.880 --> 0:10:23.160 you know what I mean. So I feel like there's 0:10:23.240 --> 0:10:27.160 just the way to beat everyone, and I feel like, 0:10:27.200 --> 0:10:30.400 because I've done it for my whole life, I just 0:10:30.400 --> 0:10:32.199 feel I just feel like I want to find out 0:10:32.240 --> 0:10:34.240 that way to beat him and I can do it, 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:37.160 you know what I mean. I gotta sort of execute 0:10:37.800 --> 0:10:40.959 what's right and wrong minimum mistakes and then and then 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:43.600 I can. I personally feel like I can just beat 0:10:43.640 --> 0:10:46.800 everyone if I fight smart. But if if you don't 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:49.240 fight smart and you make one mistake, you're. 0:10:49.040 --> 0:10:53.200 Gone, because it only takes one punch. One punch, yeah, 0:10:52.760 --> 0:10:56.120 and it could be just a bit of a careless error. 0:10:56.320 --> 0:10:59.240 You've got to be on who else is left in 0:10:59.280 --> 0:11:01.960 your division now that you would like to aim up against. 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:07.000 The last win was pretty convincing. Where to from here? 0:11:07.080 --> 0:11:08.720 I'm chasing belts. 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:09.040 You know. 0:11:09.120 --> 0:11:13.840 There's a Mexican guy, Ramirez that that I'm really going. 0:11:13.840 --> 0:11:14.800 To fight my belts. 0:11:14.800 --> 0:11:17.000 You hold, he's got the w B O and the 0:11:17.120 --> 0:11:17.520 w B A. 0:11:17.840 --> 0:11:19.240 So you've got the ib F and you've got the 0:11:19.320 --> 0:11:22.720 ring magazine. Yeah, yep, so you wanted you're chasing w 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:24.280 B O w B A. That would be next. 0:11:24.360 --> 0:11:28.760 I want that w BO, you know, and then there's 0:11:28.760 --> 0:11:32.000 a WBC who I think he's an African fellow, who's 0:11:32.040 --> 0:11:37.920 got that? So I mean, honestly, I don't. I'm not 0:11:38.080 --> 0:11:40.480 I'm not like chasing fighters, you know what I mean, Like, 0:11:40.520 --> 0:11:43.240 I don't even I don't even watch these fighters unless 0:11:43.880 --> 0:11:46.840 I have to, you know what I mean. The only 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:49.760 fighters I watch is if i'm if I'm learning of someone, 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:52.440 you know that I'm adding to my game. I don't 0:11:52.440 --> 0:11:56.160 really watch people just for the fun of it, because 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:58.680 I live the sport, you know what I mean, Like, 0:11:58.760 --> 0:12:00.720 I don't so one of my home I just like 0:12:00.760 --> 0:12:06.600 to relax. Otherwise, when I'm watching boxing, I'm thinking about 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:08.439 it too much. I'm like, I should be about. 0:12:08.240 --> 0:12:11.600 The gym, you know, so you start obsessing. 0:12:11.840 --> 0:12:16.200 Yeah, seriously, that's what it is. That's a I always 0:12:16.240 --> 0:12:18.760 say it's a blessing any curse, you know what I 0:12:18.840 --> 0:12:22.839 mean that that same sort of thing that can make you, 0:12:22.840 --> 0:12:25.360 you know that that drives you and pushes you, can 0:12:25.400 --> 0:12:28.200 also make you can do it too much or you 0:12:28.240 --> 0:12:30.240 know you can you can shift it the wrong way 0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:31.240 or something like that. 0:12:31.280 --> 0:12:33.839 So well, So I watched you at Luna Park many 0:12:33.920 --> 0:12:39.160 years ago. Yeah, I went with Jeff and and I 0:12:39.640 --> 0:12:42.520 look at yours, and you know, they're all saying styles, 0:12:42.559 --> 0:12:49.560 wind fights. Your style now compared then? And I said, 0:12:49.559 --> 0:12:51.960 think myself, this kid when I watch you, that this 0:12:52.040 --> 0:12:54.200 kid could do anything that sort of thing. You're pretty young. 0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:56.400 Then it must be like eight years ago, seven, eight 0:12:56.480 --> 0:12:59.880 years ago when you're fought to Lunar Park. And but 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:03.120 I thought you just didn't give. I felt like he's 0:13:03.240 --> 0:13:05.720 your cruising. Yeah, I thought he just it's too easy 0:13:05.720 --> 0:13:09.440 for you. How have you changed your style? 0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:10.640 You know? 0:13:11.000 --> 0:13:12.800 And what was it that sort of got you to 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:15.720 say I could be world champion? I am world champion. 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:18.600 What change style? Who changes style? 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:23.240 I wouldn't to be honest, I wouldn't say he's changed 0:13:23.280 --> 0:13:28.160 my style. It's just I adapt to what I need 0:13:28.200 --> 0:13:31.720 to adapt to, you know what I mean. I feel 0:13:31.720 --> 0:13:34.280 like that's what makes me. You know that that's what 0:13:34.400 --> 0:13:38.199 separates good from great in the ring. Is It's not 0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:40.480 it's not how good you are at one style. It's 0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:43.880 being able to adapt to someone who's a heavy puncher, 0:13:44.320 --> 0:13:47.840 being able to adapt to someone that's a fast puncher, counterpuncher, 0:13:48.360 --> 0:13:52.320 you know, like it's it's it's adapting in the ring. 0:13:52.679 --> 0:13:55.760 You know, like even all these game plans and stuff 0:13:55.800 --> 0:13:58.960 like that, like going in with a game plan that, yeah, 0:13:59.000 --> 0:14:01.839 we go in with like little game plan and we 0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:04.200 work on certain punches that we feel like are going 0:14:04.240 --> 0:14:08.400 to land more. But and we just perfect the craft. 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:12.439 You know, minimum mistakes is what our main focus is. 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:16.439 So you train not to lose in other words, but 0:14:16.960 --> 0:14:20.160 something so would you say you're a defense, you're working 0:14:20.160 --> 0:14:23.440 on your defense, or you just make sure you stay. 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:26.080 That could be distance, that could be anything, but is 0:14:26.120 --> 0:14:28.320 that something that is really important to you, and then 0:14:28.320 --> 0:14:29.760 you come for the kill when it's time to come 0:14:29.800 --> 0:14:33.960 for the kill. It's just a balance of everything, you know. 0:14:34.520 --> 0:14:36.440 It's no one thing in particular. 0:14:36.640 --> 0:14:39.280 Yeah, there's not one thing in particular. You know, Like 0:14:39.320 --> 0:14:43.000 you look at my last fight, it was we punched 0:14:43.040 --> 0:14:46.320 on like there was no backwards that the fight before that, 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:49.440 the guy didn't even touch me, you know, I boxed 0:14:49.480 --> 0:14:52.760 his ears off. So it's like, you need to be 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:57.720 able to do what needs to be done, and I 0:14:58.160 --> 0:15:01.600 feel like the key to it all is strength and 0:15:02.360 --> 0:15:05.840 strength and fitness, you know, like you need to be 0:15:05.880 --> 0:15:08.640 able to adapt to any style you need to. But 0:15:08.720 --> 0:15:11.560 if you're not fit enough to do it, then that's 0:15:11.560 --> 0:15:12.800 when shit goes out the window. 0:15:13.440 --> 0:15:16.200 Yeah, that's interesting your I mean, and you know we're 0:15:16.240 --> 0:15:18.280 talking about Jeff Nick probably one of the fittest fighters 0:15:18.320 --> 0:15:22.280 ever in history according to Johnny Lewis. Anyway, you know, 0:15:22.560 --> 0:15:24.800 fitness is a big deal. Can you give us a 0:15:24.840 --> 0:15:27.000 sense of when you are in your training, when you're 0:15:27.040 --> 0:15:29.000 in camp, for example, you know what can be your 0:15:29.040 --> 0:15:32.040 twelve week period? Least, say you've got a fight coming 0:15:32.120 --> 0:15:35.120 up and you know, you know three months would you 0:15:35.240 --> 0:15:38.520 start your fight camp three months out? Or I know 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:42.080 you're always training, but like when you're stay getting serious. 0:15:42.560 --> 0:15:46.080 And we'll stay active, you know, we sort of stay 0:15:46.120 --> 0:15:49.760 fit and we keep our body moving. But as soon 0:15:49.760 --> 0:15:51.840 as they give me the call, you know, as soon 0:15:51.880 --> 0:15:55.520 as they call me, Well, when we train, we train, 0:15:55.960 --> 0:15:57.400 you know what I mean, Like we don't go through 0:15:57.440 --> 0:16:00.560 the motions like we we chase pain, you know what 0:16:00.560 --> 0:16:04.000 I mean. Like you've got to train smart when you're 0:16:04.040 --> 0:16:07.320 training hard like that otherwise your body, you know what 0:16:07.360 --> 0:16:10.080 I mean, you need to be on top of your recovery. 0:16:10.600 --> 0:16:12.600 I'm lucky. I've got good people around me, you know, 0:16:12.720 --> 0:16:15.640 Like what a great performance coach Mark Matthew, I got 0:16:15.640 --> 0:16:19.040 my boxing coach Taps I got my assistant coach carry 0:16:19.720 --> 0:16:23.440 and as a team. You know, they you know, if 0:16:23.480 --> 0:16:25.480 it's too early and they see me going too hard, 0:16:25.480 --> 0:16:28.240 they give me a week, you know, go go fishing 0:16:28.280 --> 0:16:31.440 for a week or something, you know, go because otherwise 0:16:31.440 --> 0:16:34.560 it's just drives drives drives, and you know what I mean. 0:16:34.560 --> 0:16:40.120 They're trying not to burn me out. But honestly, man, 0:16:40.160 --> 0:16:43.760 I don't have the I don't have the special recipe 0:16:43.760 --> 0:16:46.480 for you, you know what I mean. We just we 0:16:46.600 --> 0:16:48.400 just show up every day and we try our best. 0:16:48.600 --> 0:16:51.480 Then maybe that is a special risky. Just try to 0:16:51.560 --> 0:16:52.960 turn them every day and do your best. 0:16:53.000 --> 0:16:55.440 Get there, just be there and then rock ups the 0:16:55.440 --> 0:16:56.120 first one. 0:16:56.040 --> 0:16:58.640 And Joyson hard and Australia find smart partners and you 0:16:58.680 --> 0:17:01.200 have to bring people in from overseas or has. 0:17:01.080 --> 0:17:06.040 That, yes, and no, you know what I mean. That's 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:10.320 it's it's like who you're fighting, you know what styles 0:17:10.359 --> 0:17:12.400 you need? You know what I mean. We're a bit 0:17:12.480 --> 0:17:18.480 limited in there's a big jump from you know, world 0:17:18.560 --> 0:17:23.159 class and then there's you know, going lower from that. 0:17:23.359 --> 0:17:25.240 But yeah, there's a big difference in a good prior 0:17:25.320 --> 0:17:26.200 in a world class. 0:17:26.320 --> 0:17:30.320 Yeah, it's you know what I mean. But there's boys 0:17:30.359 --> 0:17:33.320 out there, you know that the Australian boxing is getting 0:17:33.640 --> 0:17:36.280 huge and it's it's in a good spot at the moment, 0:17:36.359 --> 0:17:40.879 so it's it's progress. There's a few out there, man. 0:17:41.320 --> 0:17:43.399 So I guess Rod is not going to jump in 0:17:43.400 --> 0:17:43.920 anymore with this. 0:17:46.200 --> 0:17:48.800 He's a he's a completely different style, you know what 0:17:48.840 --> 0:17:51.520 I mean. And he's a good duty and he's he's 0:17:51.560 --> 0:17:54.600 a crafty little fighter, is he. You know, he's tricky, 0:17:54.680 --> 0:17:58.640 he's awkward, and those awkward shotters when you get hit, 0:17:58.760 --> 0:18:00.600 so you know you've got to be switched on when 0:18:00.640 --> 0:18:01.080 you find it. 0:18:01.440 --> 0:18:04.680 Yeah, So if I just go you just mentioned fishing. 0:18:04.720 --> 0:18:05.960 I mean you've said it a couple of times, so 0:18:06.640 --> 0:18:10.359 obviously fishing is something that you love doing. Why is 0:18:10.400 --> 0:18:13.520 it because it's full relaxing, Like what what do you 0:18:13.600 --> 0:18:15.840 completely take your mind off what you do with other things? 0:18:16.040 --> 0:18:18.840 I think so, I think it's just that sort of escape, 0:18:19.440 --> 0:18:23.840 like just doing something that's sort of you know, when 0:18:23.840 --> 0:18:26.720 you're fishing, you're only thinking about catching the fish, you 0:18:26.800 --> 0:18:28.760 know what I mean. So I think that's why I 0:18:28.840 --> 0:18:33.040 like that sort of just escaping and being outside as 0:18:33.080 --> 0:18:37.439 well the nature. So I love it. Ain't being on 0:18:37.480 --> 0:18:37.840 the water. 0:18:38.359 --> 0:18:41.119 It's amazing. You're you're a world champion and you're on 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:46.960 the world stage, and you know, boxing is still extraordinarily popular, 0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:50.720 like extraordinarily popular, and you know, more more eyes watch 0:18:50.760 --> 0:18:55.280 boxing than UFC. Still you get to mix it up 0:18:55.320 --> 0:18:57.760 with this oudis. You know, you go to those sorts 0:18:57.760 --> 0:19:01.359 of environments, you know, where like everybody's full of praise 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:05.720 for you, yet your humility and humbleness is still there. 0:19:06.760 --> 0:19:08.760 Just want to go fishing, You want to go to 0:19:09.119 --> 0:19:11.920 fishing a yam. But down from the Gold Coast where 0:19:11.920 --> 0:19:15.600 you live these days, how do you keep humbling hum 0:19:16.320 --> 0:19:20.040 and keep your humility? Where does that come from? 0:19:20.280 --> 0:19:24.399 Man? I'm honestly, bro, It's a weird balance, you know 0:19:24.480 --> 0:19:29.160 what I mean. Sometimes I am you know, like I 0:19:29.200 --> 0:19:32.199 am I am on the big stage now, like I 0:19:32.240 --> 0:19:35.040 am rubbing shoulders with greatness, you know what I mean, 0:19:35.080 --> 0:19:38.439 Like where I am and the award nights I go 0:19:38.560 --> 0:19:42.240 do and the events I'm at, And it's starting to 0:19:42.240 --> 0:19:44.080 spin me out because I used to look at them 0:19:44.119 --> 0:19:46.600 and be like, oh, you know, there's thing, there's things. 0:19:47.040 --> 0:19:49.639 But these greats are doing that to me now, you 0:19:49.680 --> 0:19:50.959 know what I mean, is that coming out of their 0:19:50.960 --> 0:19:53.520 way to talk to me. So it just it blows 0:19:53.560 --> 0:19:58.199 my mind and then you know, I'm grateful for it 0:19:58.320 --> 0:20:00.840 or you know what I mean. But sometimes you do 0:20:00.920 --> 0:20:04.000 lose track, you know, like sometimes you come home and 0:20:05.400 --> 0:20:08.760 my normal conversations with my you know, my normal people, 0:20:10.600 --> 0:20:12.679 you know what I mean. I'm talking like this, but 0:20:13.080 --> 0:20:18.720 you know, really oh relaxed, relax. So I feel like 0:20:18.720 --> 0:20:21.359 it's a balance you have to try and find. And 0:20:21.560 --> 0:20:25.040 you know, like I said before, I haven't got the recipe, 0:20:25.080 --> 0:20:29.120 Like I'm not sure. I'm trying my best every day 0:20:29.160 --> 0:20:30.520 and I feel like that's all we got to do. 0:20:30.960 --> 0:20:33.840 Yeah, you're just had a baby. Your partner's just had 0:20:33.840 --> 0:20:37.399 a baby, Yeah, which you have? I just had a girl, 0:20:37.560 --> 0:20:41.160 Like awesome, how older she's seven months? That brings back 0:20:41.160 --> 0:20:44.840 down definitely, especially when they you had to change an appy, 0:20:44.920 --> 0:20:47.960 or they're screaming because they've got saw tummy, or just 0:20:48.000 --> 0:20:50.679 wake up in the middle of the night. How have 0:20:50.720 --> 0:20:51.640 you been dealing with that? 0:20:52.119 --> 0:20:57.959 It's been good. I've got a really great partner, you know, 0:20:58.000 --> 0:21:01.280 who's who's been with me for a long time, you know, 0:21:01.440 --> 0:21:05.480 so it's it makes life a lot easier when you 0:21:05.560 --> 0:21:08.560 got someone that's got your back and you know she 0:21:09.640 --> 0:21:11.840