Career Profiles: Recent Episodes
BTR Boxing Podcast Network
Career Profiles explores the highs, lows and professional boxing careers of the sports most legendary names. Each episode features stories of where it all began and the trials and tribulations inside and outside of the famous squared circle. Find us on the Sport Social website: https://podcast.sport-social.co.uk/podcast/career-profiles/
Naseem Hamed (born 12 February 1974), nicknamed Prince Naseem and Naz, is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2002. He held multiple featherweight world championships, including the WBO title from 1995 to 2000; the IBF title in 1997; and the WBC title from 1999 to 2000. He also reigned as lineal champion from 1998 to 2001; IBO champion from 2002 to 2003; and held the European bantamweight title from 1994 to 1995 Sean & Johnston tell the story of how Naseem Hamed came from a young seven-year-old boy being picked on in the playground at school to becoming one of the most flamboyant fighters that the sport of boxing has ever seen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Naseem Hamed (born 12 February 1974), nicknamed Prince Naseem and Naz, is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2002. He held multiple featherweight world championships, including the WBO title from 1995 to 2000; the IBF title in 1997; and the WBC title from 1999 to 2000. He also reigned as lineal champion from 1998 to 2001; IBO champion from 2002 to 2003; and held the European bantamweight title from 1994 to 1995 Sean & Johnston tell the story of how Naseem Hamed came from a young seven-year-old boy being picked on in the playground at school to becoming one of the most flamboyant fighters that the sport of boxing has ever seen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927 and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. Sean & Johnston present the story of one of the most popular boxers in history, taking you on the journey of a true rags-to-riches story with many historic moments along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927 and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. Sean & Johnston present the story of one of the most popular boxers in history, taking you on the journey of a true rags-to-riches story with many historic moments along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927 and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. Sean & Johnston present the story of one of the most popular boxers in history, taking you on the journey of a true rags-to-riches story with many historic moments along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Recently retired George Groves has thrown his hat back into the ring, the podcasting ring as we present the first episode of his new podcast "George Groves Boxing Club". Having covered George for Legendary Nights and having our own experiences and moments that featured George we felt it only fitting that this collaboration had to happen! Please enjoy this first episode exclusively across our network and for more episodes search for "George Groves Boxing Club" which is available on all major podcasting platforms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Edward Henry "Harry" Greb (June 6, 1894 – October 22, 1926) was an American professional boxer. Nicknamed "The Pittsburgh Windmill", he is widely regarded by many boxing historians as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers of all time. He was the American light heavyweight champion from 1922 to 1923 and the world middleweight champion from 1923 to 1926. He fought a recorded 298 times in his 13-year career, which began at around 140 pounds. Not only that, but he fought against the best opposition the talent-rich 1910s and 20s could provide him and despite starting as a welterweight, he was frequently squaring off against and beating light heavyweights and even heavyweights. Sean & Johnston tell the story of the legendary middleweight king who would go down in boxing folklore with his amazing feats inside and out of the ring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe Gans (born Joseph Gant; November 25, 1874 – August 10, 1910) was an American professional boxer. Gans was rated the greatest lightweight boxer of all time by boxing historian and Ring Magazine founder, Nat Fleischer. Known as the "Old Master", he became the first African-American world boxing champion of the 20th century, reigning continuously as world lightweight champion from 1902 to 1908, defending the title 15 times versus 13 boxers. Sean & Johnston tell the story of the lightweight fighter from Baltimore who overcame huge adversity to create boxing history and solidify his legendary status in the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston (c. 1930 – December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, Liston was particularly known for his toughness, formidable punching power, long reach, and intimidating appearance. Sean & Johnston present the life and career of the one-time heavyweight champion as they document his humble beginnings and early rise through the boxing ranks on route to becoming a world champion, and his subsequent fall from grace and untimely and mysterious demise! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duke McKenzie MBE (born 5 May 1963) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 1998. He is a three-weight world champion, having held the IBF flyweight title from 1988 to 1989; the WBO bantamweight title from 1991 to 1992; and the WBO junior-featherweight title from 1992 to 1993. At the regional level he held the British flyweight title from 1985 to 1988; the European flyweight title from 1986 to 1988; and the British featherweight title from 1993 to 1994 Sean & Johnston take you through the story of the history-making fighter, from his tough upbringing and strong brotherly love to his struggles becoming a boxer and how his adversity led to the world title. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. In boxing, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1967 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist.Sean and Johnston present the story of the legendary heavyweight, from his early days on Fifth Ward to the heavyweight championship of the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wayne Pocket Rocket McCullough is a former professional boxer from Northern Ireland who competed from 1993 to 2008. He held the WBC bantamweight title from 1995 to 1997, and challenged six times for world titles at super-bantamweight and featherweight.Sean & Johnston take you through the life and times of the history making bantamweight from Northern Ireland that brought more than just pride to his country he kept boxing in Ireland on the map and shared the ring with some of the great fighters of the 1990s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Salvador Sánchez Narváez (January 26, 1959 – August 12, 1982) was a Mexican professional boxer born in the town of Santiago Tianguistenco, Estado de México. Sanchez was the WBC and lineal featherweight champion from 1980 to 1982. Many of his contemporaries as well as boxing writers believe that had it not been for his premature death, Sánchez could have gone on to become the greatest featherweight boxer of all time.
Sean & Johnston take you through the life, boxing career, and untimely demise of the late, great featherweight champion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2011. He reigned as the undisputed champion at cruiserweight in the late 1980s and at heavyweight in the early 1990s, and remains the only boxer in history to win the undisputed championship in two weight classes in the three belt era
Sean & Johnston take you through the life and times of Evander Holyfield's with stories of his early introduction to the sport and his time at the 1984 Olympic Games plus the trials and tribulations of his professional boxing career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Barney Ross was more than just one of the best boxers who ever lived. A Jew whose life was largely defined by anti-Semitism, he was a hero to his people, no less than Benny Leonard before him.
Sean & Johnston take you through a journey from the “Bloody Maxwell” neighbourhood to becoming a dual world champion and a decorated war veteran.
Barney Ross has a story that defines an era! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
John Arthur Johnson (March 31, 1878 – June 10, 1946), nicknamed the "Galveston Giant", was an American boxer who was widely regarded as one of the most influential boxers of all time, and one of the period's most dominant champions, and as a boxing legend.
In the second part of the story, we cover:
Becoming Champion The Party Life His Career & Retirement Prison Time The End Legacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
John Arthur Johnson (March 31, 1878 – June 10, 1946), nicknamed the "Galveston Giant", was an American boxer who was widely regarded as one of the most influential boxers of all time, and one of the period's most dominant champions, and as a boxing legend.
In part one we cover:
The introduction to boxing Battle Royals Riding The Rails Becoming A Force To Be Reckoned With A Trip To Australia The Boat Ride From Hell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nigel Gregory Benn (born 22 January 1964) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1987 to 1996. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the WBO middleweight title in 1990, and the WBC super-middleweight title from 1992 to 1996. Regionally he held the Commonwealth middleweight title from 1988 to 1989. Nicknamed "The Dark Destroyer" for his formidable punching power and aggressive fighting style, he retired with an 83.3% knockout-to-win ratio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Constantine "Cus" D'Amato (January 17, 1908 – November 4, 1985) was an American boxing manager and trainer who handled the careers of Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson, and José Torres, all of whom went on to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Samuel Edgar Langford (March 4, 1886 – January 12, 1956), known as the Boston Tar Baby, Boston Terror, and Boston Bonecrusher, was a Black Canadian boxing standout of the early part of the 20th century. Called the "Greatest Fighter Nobody Knows", by ESPN, many boxing historians consider Langford to be one of the greatest fighters of all time Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ramil "Ray" Arcel (August 30, 1899 – March 7, 1994) was an American boxing trainer who was active from the 1920s through the 1980s. He trained 20 world champions over the course of his career some of which go down as boxing legends.
Sean & Johnston take you through the early days of Arcel's life and tell the story of how his career in boxing blossomed into a legendary one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944 – November 7, 2011), nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. Frazier was known for his strength, durability, formidable punching power, and relentless pressure fighting style.
Sean & Johnston take you through the early beginnings of the Frazier family and how Joe ended up going on to become one of the great heavyweight boxers of a generation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956), best known as "Sugar" Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor. Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed from 1977 to 1997, winning world titles in five weight divisions; the lineal championship in three weight divisions; as well as the undisputed welterweight title. Leonard was part of "The Fabulous Four", a group of boxers who all fought each other throughout the 1980s, consisting of Leonard, Roberto Durán, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oscar De La Hoya is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008, winning eleven world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championship in three weight classes and is arguably one of the best pound for pound fighters of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ezzard Mack Charles, known as the Cincinnati Cobra (July 7, 1921 – May 28, 1975), was an American professional boxer and World Heavyweight Champion. Known for his slick defense and precision, he is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time by boxing critics and is often known as the greatest light heavyweight boxer of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Alan Sydney Minter (17 August 1951 – 9 September 2020) was a British professional boxer who competed from 1972 to 1981. He held the undisputed middleweight title in 1980, having previously held the British middleweight title from 1975 to 1976, and the European middleweight title twice between 1977 and 1979. As an amateur, Minter won a bronze medal in the light-middleweight division at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It is safe to describe Téofilo Stevenson as the greatest heavyweight boxer never to be the world's professional champion. In fact, Stevenson never even fought for the title because he never turned professional.
Sean & Johnston take you through the amazing career of Cuba's finest amateur boxer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tommy David Morrison (January 2, 1969 – September 1, 2013) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 1996 and held the WBO heavyweight title in 1993. He retired from boxing in 1996 when he tested positive for HIV. Morrison is also known for his acting career, having starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in the 1990 film Rocky V as Tommy Gunn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pernell Whitaker (January 2, 1964 – July 14, 2019) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2001. He was a four-weight world champion, having won titles at lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, and light middleweight; the undisputed lightweight title; and the lineal lightweight and welterweight titles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sir Henry Cooper OBE KSG (3 May 1934 – 1 May 2011) was a British heavyweight boxer. Cooper held the British, Commonwealth, and European heavyweight titles several times throughout his career, and unsuccessfully challenged Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight championship in 1966. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The three-time world champion at bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight is arguably one of the greatest boxers Australia has ever produced. Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York in June 2002, Fenech is recognised around the world as one of the sport's greats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Alexis Argüello was a Nicaraguan professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 1995. He was a three-weight world champion, having held the WBA featherweight title from 1974 to 1976; the WBC super featherweight title from 1978 to 1980; and the WBC lightweight title from 1981 to 1982 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ken Buchanan MBE is a Scottish retired professional boxer from Edinburgh and the former undisputed world lightweight champion. A clever boxer, Buchanan was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and turned pro in 1965. He won both the Scottish and British lightweight crowns before traveling to the United States and gaining worldwide recognition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Larry Holmes (born November 3, 1949) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 2002. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which led to his boxing nickname of the Easton Assassin. Holmes, whose left jab is rated among the best in boxing history, held the WBC heavyweight title from 1978 to 1983, The Ring magazine and lineal heavyweight titles from 1980 to 1985, and the inaugural IBF heavyweight title from 1983 to 1985. He made 20 successful title defenses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Roy Levesta Jones Jr. (born January 16, 1969) is an American former professional boxer, boxing commentator, boxing trainer, rapper, and actor who holds dual American and Russian citizenship. He competed in boxing from 1989 to 2018, and held multiple world championships in four weight classes, including titles at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight, and is the only boxer in history to start his professional career at junior middleweight and go on to win a heavyweight title. As an amateur he represented the United States at the 1988 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in the junior middleweight division after one of the most controversial decisions in boxing history Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sugar Ray Robinson (born Walker Smith Jr.; May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. Robinson's performances in the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He is widely regarded as the greatest boxer of all time, and in 2002, Robinson was ranked number one on The Ring magazine's list of "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thomas Hearns (born October 18, 1958) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 2006. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra", and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns' tall, slender build and oversized arms and shoulders allowed him to move up over fifty pounds in his career and become the first boxer in history to win world titles in five weight divisions: welterweight, light middleweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and super middleweight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Roberto Durán Samaniego (born June 16, 1951) is a Panamanian former professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 2001. He held world championships in four weight classes: lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight, as well as reigns as the undisputed and lineal lightweight champion, and the lineal welterweight champion. He is also the second boxer to have competed over a span of five decades, the first being Jack Johnson. Durán was known as a versatile, technical brawler and pressure fighter, which earned him the nickname of "Manos de Piedra" ("Hands of Stone") for his formidable punching power and excellent defense.
In 2002, Durán was voted by The Ring magazine as the fifth greatest fighter of the last 80 years, while boxing historian Bert Sugar rated him as the eighth greatest fighter of all time. The Associated Press voted him as the best lightweight of the 20th century,[4] with many considering him the greatest lightweight of all time. Durán finally retired in January 2002 at age 50 (having previously retired in 1998) following a car crash in October 2001, with a professional record of 119 fights, 103 wins, and 70 knockouts. Up until his fight with Wilfred Benítez in 1982, he was trained by legendary boxing trainer Ray Arcel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Marvin Hagler (born Marvin Nathaniel Hagler; May 23, 1954), also known as Marvelous Marvin Hagler, is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 1987. He reigned as the undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987, making twelve defenses of that title, and currently holds the highest knockout percentage of all undisputed middleweight champions, at 78%, while also holding the second longest unified championship reign in boxing history at twelve consecutive defenses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Michael Spinks (born July 13, 1956) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 1988. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the undisputed light heavyweight title from 1983 to 1985, and the lineal heavyweight title from 1985 to 1988. As an amateur he won a gold medal in the middleweight division at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title at 20 years, four months and 22 days old Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joseph William Calzaghe, CBE (/kælˈzæɡi/ kal-ZAH-gee; born 23 March 1972) is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2008. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the unified WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, Ring magazine and lineal super-middleweight titles, and the Ring light-heavyweight title.[1] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
NEW SERIES
Welcome to the first installment of our new series "Career Profiles" in which Sean & Johnston will breakdown the profiles of some of the greatest fighters in boxing history.
What better way to start than with "The Greatest" Muhammad Ali as they breakdown his amateur and professional accomplishments along with all the stories of life outside the ring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices