Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's Parenting Hell - S04 EP36: Conor Benn

Episode Date: June 3, 2022

S04 EP36: Conor Benn Joining us this episode to discuss the highs and lows of parenting (and life) is the boxer - Conor Benn. Conor is a a professional boxer who has held WBA Continental welterweight title since 2018. He is the son of former two-division world champion Nigel Benn. He talks openly and honestly about his career, issues with mental health and therapy around his extremely religious education and the relationship with his dad.Please rate and review. Thanks, Rob + Josh.BIG NEWS.... we're writing a book! ⭐ All the stories we can’t tell on the podcast – in depth.⭐ What it’s like to raise a stiff neck and a loose neck – straight from the horse’s mouth (our parents)⭐ And.. the BIGGEST REQUEST WE’VE EVER HAD FOR THE PODCAST… Hearing from our wives, Rose & Lou. They’ve got a chapter each and YOU can submit your burning questions to them... [e-mail]'s it really like to be a parent? And how come no one ever warned Rob or Josh of the sheer mind-bending, world-altering, sleep-depriving, sick-covering, tear-inducing, snot-wiping, bore-inspiring, 4am-relationship-straining brutality of it all? And if they did, why can't they remember it (or remember anything else, for that matter)?And just when they thought it couldn't get any harder, why didn't anyone warn them about the slices of unmatched euphoric joy and pride that occasionally come piercing through, drenching you in unbridled happiness in much the same way a badly burped baby drenches you in milk-sick?Join Josh and Rob as they share the challenges and madness of their parenting journeys with lashings of empathy and extra helpings of laughs. Filled with all the things they never tell you at antenatal classes, Parenting Hell is a beguiling mixture of humour, rumination and conversation for prospective parents, new parents, old parents and never-to-be parents alike.Find out everything you need to know, including how you could win a pair of tickets to the Parenting Hell LIVE tour & an overnight stay in London here: https://www.bit.ly/ParentingHellBookWe're going on tour!! Fancy seeing the podcast live in some of the best venues in the UK?Of course you do, you're not made of stone! Tickets available now on the dates and at the venues below. We can't wait to see you there...ON SALE NOW 14th April 2023 - Manchester AO Arena19th April 2023 - Nottingham20th April 2023 - Cardiff 21st April 2023 - London (The O2)23rd April 2023 - London (Wembley)28th April 2023 - Birmingham Utilita Arena If you want to get in touch with the show here's how:EMAIL: [e-mail]: @parenting_hellINSTAGRAM: @parentinghellA 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, I'm Rob Beckett. And I'm Josh Willicombe. Welcome to Parenting Hell, the show in which Josh and I discuss what it's really like to be a parent, which I would say can be a little tricky. So, to make ourselves, and hopefully you, feel better about the trials and tribulations of modern day parenting, each week we'll be chatting to a famous parent about how they're coping. Or hopefully how they're not coping. And we'll also be hearing from you, the listener, with your tips, advice and, of course, tales of parenting woe.

Because, let's be honest, there are plenty of times when none of us know what we're doing. Hello, you're listening to Parenting Hell with... Can you say Josh Widdicombe? Josh Widdicombe. And can you say Rob Beckett? Rob Beckett. Well done. That was a good one.

All right, until quite an intense cough at the end. Kids have the most insane coughs. Do you know what? I was watching that go along. You know you can see, like, when you're playing a clip, you can see the sound waves. Yeah. And I was like, it was just tootling along, and then it finished.

I could see there was this huge sound wave thing at the end. I was like, what the hell is about to happen here? And it was a mad child cough. It turned out it was a mad child cough. I know. It was a child coughing like they'd had 20 silk cut a day for the last 40 years. It may have. We don't know.

We don't know what that kid's smoking. This is Isaac, two and a half-ish, in one take, been with you since the beginning and love listening each week. My partner, Ed, often asks what I'm listening to

when I'm laughing out loud and I say the boys, as you're affectionately known in our house. Ah, the boys. The bloody boys. The boys are back in town. to when I'm laughing out loud. And I say the boys, as you're affectionately known. Ah, the boys. The bloody boys. The boys are back in town. Thanks for making me laugh out loud each week. Emma from?

The Wirral. Newcastle. There we go. Oh, no. You win some, you lose some. How are you, Rob? I'm all good, mate. I've got some great messages, if you want them, on Instagram.

Go on. We do some listening stuff rather than us blabbering on this is a good one from heather hi guys following on from rob's daughter saying she didn't care about him i thought i'd tell you about my five-year-old daughter this week she took a pair of scissors and decided to give herself a fringe when i wasn't looking naturally i was mortified but she sort of did an okay job i wanted to seem shocked and make her see it was serious and not to do it again so i threatened her that if she ever did it again i'll take her tablet away for good and keep it for myself she just replied with well if you do that i'll just kill you never have i been so shocked at my sweet little angel. Zero remorse.

Did she say how old she was? Five. Oh, my word. I think that five's like the limit of that's like, oh, she doesn't really understand what she's... But anything beyond five is you're worried. If she's eight, then I'll kill you. That's when you've got to worry

before you become one of them Netflix documentaries. That is superb, isn't it? Really good. Really good good um this one made this this one made me laugh he's from charlotte northern ireland love the podcast i listen to every week during work i'm a private cleaner and thankfully most houses i visit are empty when my eldest child's born in 2004 she's now 17 my husband had a goatee come may april time he shaved it off due to the heat i mean mean, our what's Northern Ireland in April. That's incredible.

The goatee is not even a full beard. The heat. Better whip this off, I'm so hot. Absolutely boiling. Anyway, she totally rejected him for the first few days due to the change in his appearance. Lots of chats involving daddy's beard ensued, so she learned to say the word beard as one of her first words fast forward to a night i had a bath and sauntered into the bedroom and dropped my towel only to turn to my daughter who pointed

at my nether regions and said very clearly and a matter of fact mummy's beard oh no this will never be forgotten and my husband fell about laughing because the baby thought that it was his beard that was now there oh my god how other the babies made an incredible logical leap charlotte from northern ireland oh my word that's a good one shaved it off because of his bit because it's too hot you know what it's like you know what what Belfast likes in April. Belfast in April? Is that 45? Is that the Sahara? I know.

Poor old Gerry Adams, eh? How does he cope? How does he cope every summer? You know, he's only got a goatee and he's got to shave it off because it's too much. Gerry Adams, suited and booted, beard on in Belfast. Having a beard in Belfast? God, are you crazy? It's so hot over there.

I was there once and it went to 15 degrees josh mad this is a good boomer good boomer and then i've gotten a horrific email i'm gonna read out boomer story hi josh and rob i'd like to tell you my boomer story my dad was a keen fisherman and would go regularly lake fishing at the weekend when i was four i was taking a bath he came up to say hi after a long day of fishing after a short talk about the day he pulled out a bag and emptied its contents into the bath shouting snake he had brought home a live eel what and threw it in the bath as a joke no i was of course terrified and leapt out of the bath yeah of course i would love to say this was a one-off, but he actually did it again when I was six.

No. Of course I can laugh about it now. I'd never get in the bath again. No, of course I wouldn't laugh about it now. No, well, Leanne reckons it's funny, but she would never do that to her children, which I think is more telling than I have a laugh about it. I can laugh about it now.

No one's ever said I can laugh about it now about anything that was funny in the first place. Oh, I went and saw, you know, I went and saw, you know, Comedian. I wasn't, well, I can laugh about it now, about anything that was funny in the first place. Oh, I went and saw, you know, I went and saw, you know, Comedian. I wasn't, well, I can laugh about it now. Watch that new Jackass film. I can laugh about it now. Not then. No.

Sister, the new Jackass film. That's so good. I just love it. I love Jackass. It's so good. Do you? Did you always love it? I always loved it.

I always loved Dirty Sanchez as well. Yeah. I just like stuff that is immediately funny and you don't have to think about it or not. I find stuff where there's too much faffing about. No one's surprised you've said that, Rob. That's just... It's much easier.

Life's a lot easier, isn't it? It's just instant. Yeah. TikTok generation. Yeah. It's more fun, isn't it? Anyway, so that's Leanne Heath, 445 months. Now, do you want this horrific story

before we go into the guest? No. This is a horrific story. Right, so let's have the guest. Well, this is from Lucy. Lucy emailed in. Hi, Rob. Just listened to your Florida flight disaster podcast.

Oh, what a journey you had. So this is basically the reason why my flight was cancelled. This is from Lucy. We were actually on the flight from London to Orlando on the 2nd of April with BA. We were on the flight that had such an ordeal which led to your cancelled flight. This is our story.

No way. So basically, I woke up, for people that I know, woke up at like 3 in the morning to a cancelled flight on the 3rd of April. For people that don't know, come on, Rob. So, Lucy, 2nd of April, London Gatwick to Orlando. We left on time and we were above Orlando about to land. I was travelling with my three kids, six, four and eight-month-old baby.

Oh, my God. Three of them, six, four, eight-month-old baby. So, when you've got above Orlando, you feel like you've cracked it. You feel like you've achieved the flyer. The pilot then announced a seatbelt sign for landing. It would go on in five minutes as a result i chucked away the three calls buff i i'd brought from home for our kids oh no no no none of which they had touched because you were you know you're not allowed to bring anything into the u.s so i had to throw my food away then we circled for three hours above orlando due to a storm oh my god we then fly to my

fly to miami to refuel with the intention of coming back to Orlando on the same plane once the storm had passed. We sit on the ground in Miami for two hours. Then depart Miami to fly back to Orlando. When we get to the end of the runway and sit for another hour, at which point we still haven't taken off, the pilot then announced he had run out of legal flying hours. So it was back to the gate for us. Oh, my God.

Eventually, we get off the plane in Miami. Six-hour delay at this point. So basically, it's a 10-hour flight. So they've been sort of on a plane for 16 hours. 16 hours. We go through customs and sit in a luggage hall waiting for our bags. No word from BA about the plan or how we get to orlando so miami is probably about a three or four hour drive i think up to orlando from miami we sit in a luggage hall

for three further hours i think she's got a six year old a four year old an eight month old at this point no seats no food bear in mind there had been no food or water offered since about two hours before the supposed landing time in orlando the whole plane of people collapsed on the floor in luggage hall. Kids asleep everywhere. At this point, my eldest daughter goes hyper and starts scooting around the baggage hall and then vomits everywhere from dehydration. Oh, my God.

There is no megaphone slash announcement system in the hall. So, as a result, a BA crew member was passing messages around about the plan and then this led to Chinese whispers around the passengers. I don't know if it's allowed to be called Chinese whispers anymore. No. Whispers? Whispers. Miscellaneous whispers.

Miscellaneous whispers. With miscellaneous whispers. After three hours of waiting, finally the bags arrived. BA put on coaches from Miami to Orlando, midnight at this point in the US. However, they warned us there were 200 seats on the coaches And over a thousand passengers So not enough seats for everyone

At this point I gave up waiting for BA And found a guy called Sam online Who was a local driver and offered to take us for $800 Five minutes later After he realised there were so many desperate people He raised the price to $1400 Oh my word Anyway Sam eventually drove us in a storm from

miami to orlando we arrived 24 hours after we left home i've been totally wired the whole journey and didn't sleep one bit my middle door who slept for the last six hours of the journey wakes up for the day local time 3 a.m when we arrive at the hotel. All in all, it was horrific. Don't know if your journey was any better, but also sounding horrific. Anyhow, as a result of our situation on the 2nd of April, it led to your plane not being back in the UK in time to take you, and so the saga continued.

But never mind. Two days later, we had recovered and had the best holiday in Orlando with our three kids. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Disney would all... Disney was awesome. No, you wouldn't. Disney would all... No, you wouldn't. Disney was awesome.

No, you wouldn't. Absolutely, you wouldn't. Do you know what? Someone come up to me in the shop and went, oh, I was listening to your podcast. I went, all right. She went, yeah, the one about Disney. It sounds like a nightmare.

I went, oh, what, all the flights and the cancellations? She went, yeah, and also the holiday. I went, pardon? She went, yeah, the holiday just sounded awful. And I felt like saying saying I know I'm like on a podcast and doing a public service I've got a lot of

texts from friends who've gone I'm never going to Disneyland after hearing that episode that's fine they're texting you behind my back you don't say to someone

to their face you know the holiday that you spent a lot of money on and waited two years for it sounded awful who does that I know I'm on a podcast and put myself

but that's not how you operate you don't say that to anyone even if you think it i don't went pardon but yeah your holiday sounded awful and i'm okay then bye thanks i didn't get annoyed but i was like who says that to someone even if you are on a podcast or not that is so good but yeah that poor lucy but she had a great time anyway but um blimey o'reilly right this is the episode connor ben oh do you know what one of the most fascinating chats we've had absolutely incredible i'm a huge boxing fan so it's great to talk to connor ben son of nigel ben one of the most famous british boxers of all time and a really interesting story about his rise

up the ranks of boxing but also his childhood and his new baby, who's only, what, a year old? So, yeah, brilliant interview with a top bloke. Enjoy. This is Connor Ben. Connor Ben, welcome to the podcast. I'm very excited about this. I'm a big boxing fan, big fan of yours. First of all, for our audience, can you explain? You've got one child, is that right?

I've got one son. His name's Eli, and he is 15 months old. So you are juggling a 15-month-old with also burgeoning, well, an established boxing career, but you're sort of on your way up looking for world titles. And it's quite an important point in your career really at this stage, isn't it? It's all to play for as opposed to some boxers and sports people have kids when they're a little bit older and they've sort of, know won the stuff they want to win and stuff like that so

how do you feel about that it's sort of quite a busy period for you it depends on what sort of person you are and your outlook on the whole thing i mean my son's been nothing but a blessing to me he hasn't um he hasn't made me change my life so dramatically, to be fair. Yeah. I can't go down to my partner being very helpful and understanding of my career and what it takes to get to the top. But, no, he's been nothing but a blessing. And it's all about perspective. You know, for me, he keeps me grounded and makes me think about who I am as a man. How do you kind of fit it in with training and stuff?

Because presumably you have to go away for quite long periods to training camps and stuff. If I'm in the UK and I'm doing training camp in the UK, I will base myself, well, my house is about 10, 15 minutes from the gym. I've just bought a house so close to the gym. So when I'm not at the gym, I'm at home resting. I spend more time with my family in camp than I do out of camp.

Because when I'm in camp, I'm home, gym, home, gym, home, gym. So I'm always home, really. I'm probably like one of the most hands-on dads that there can possibly be. Yeah, because I suppose sometimes it's a bit of a, with like sports people and athletes, you sort of assume that they're just sort of so focused on the job that they're not doing as much at home. So do you not find it distracting though?

Because you do need your rest. And if you're going in there and putting, you know, your body on the line in a fire, how do you manage the rest? How much parenting are you doing? Earplugs are a godsend. Oh, really? They are. When Eli was first born,

I was in the spare room for the first six months and he was kicking off crying. This was for the Samuel Vargas fight. He was kicking off crying. My missus was like, I can't do this. And I could hear her pulling her hair out and I was just like, oh, I feel so bad. But she was very understanding.

I've really just, yeah, my missus really does help out a lot. But I mean, I'm as hands-on as I can be in training yeah depends on how i'm feeling so if i've just done 12 sprints in the morning to the verge of throwing up then i've got to go home rest and then i follow it the following day i've just got my head filled in for 10 15 rounds yeah yeah i'm not really gonna be a hands-on dad then. Yeah, of course. It's a balance, isn't it? Because you've got the best excuse ever. Because if you're, you know, like,

it's easy to do a podcast if you've not slept. It's just two blokes talking. But if you're going into a ring and there's a bloke there who's been training three moms to knock your head off, you can't go into that tired doing a night feed. Nah, nah. Do you know what? To be fair, and I i mean i'm saying this my missus done literally all the night feeds nine and a half out of ten night feeds really and then what about when

you're not in camp though do you do does the baby just get given you no she tries to do that she tries to do that and i'm just like this is my resting period, babe. Like, when I'm in camp, I need my rest. Then when I'm out of camp, I still need my rest, so I come back refreshed. It has worked, but then she clocked on a little bit. So then it was like, okay, everything I try and do would be 10 times harder because he knows it's like he knows it should have been me doing it yeah that's what i because i'd sometimes you know go away for works for a few days or a week and you

come back you forgot how you do it and stuff like that it does you do lose your confidence in it a little bit well you forget how to change a nappy no not that but you know i've been putting them on their heads no but I find sometimes when you go away maybe it's different when they're a little bit younger but when they get older you think they love boiled eggs you do them a boiled egg

and then they go no I hate that you don't and they change what they like so quickly it's hard to keep up he does that all the time but he'll pick and choose

he has a thing for frying his food on the floor as well is your guys ever do it like you just pick up the the food then you i'm like mate you know you like this like i know you're hungry because you haven't eaten and then he's just like just like he's in disgust and just throws it on the floor and then i try and tell him no and then it's like his bottom lip starts quivering and And then it's just like, oh, give me a cuddle. I'm sorry. How do you switch off then?

Because as a boxer, you're properly intense. You're like, that's your, you really flip a switch. And speaking to you now, you're a totally different person than in a post-fight interview. How do you switch off between the gym and then being the soft dad? I don't intentionally. I look back at my fights sometimes like i watch my fights but i watch my some of my fights but yesterday my

life's not like i go to myself as if that's me i don't know if you know what i mean but i look back and i go like as if like i'm that guy do you know what i mean because i don't feel like that guy but i am that guy do you find boxing more intense or your child not sleeping? Oh, definitely my child not sleeping. Oh, my God. You know what? Every time mum goes away, which hasn't... Not every time. One time she's gone away and I said,

I'm not having him on my own ever again at this age. He goes to sleep perfectly normal, like, all the time. And she left. And he obviously just knew she wasn't there. And he was up screaming, bouncing up and down in his cot at, like, three in the morning, wouldn't sleep. And I'm sitting up just, like, thinking, oh, my gosh. I remember sitting on a step going, how does Victoria do this?

I feel like it's so much harder if it told me to have eli for a day or do two training sessions a day at maximum effort i'd rather do two training sessions a day 100 it's way more difficult when i go away to work and you're like i've got to do two hours stand up that is so much easier than bedtime. There's no comparison. Yeah, but I don't think you've seen how Connor and Tony Sims train though, Josh. By the way, his two training sessions are a bit more intense than you

having a chat about debit cards to people in Kendal. Oh, come on, Rob. I'm really sweating it out on stage there, mate. I'm really giving it some. You're still quite young though, Connie. You're only 25 to sort of like have this career on the verge of world title shots and a baby do you feel like you sort of you know like it's all happening quite quick yeah sometimes i feel like i've been up one lock and chew so like

when sometimes you sit back and you go bloody hell i've got a baby to provide for and then sometimes it's like mate not too long, I couldn't even look after myself. Do you know what I mean? And then you're like, oh, I've got a missus that I have to provide for. We like this certain way of living that I have to provide for. We like this house, this maintenance is X, Y, Z a month.

We then have these outgoings that are X, Y, Z a month. And then also on the verge of winning a world title, then I have this this and then you just sometimes just go oh my gosh but then again i like the the challenge i you know i'm like i'm that guy has it changed your attitude to boxing like has it made you more focused um not really i mean but in terms of being focused and i'm driven i don't think my son's done any of that for me i don't rely on anyone for me to be successful. I don't rely on my son to get me out of bed in the morning

or motivate me. You know, I do that off my own back because I like winning. I love winning. You know, the fact that I can be the best fighter in the world is enough motivation for me to get up and do my runs in the morning. What my son has changed in terms of me coming along is thinking about how long I want to be in this game for. Yeah, of course.

Because boxing, I'm very selfish. I feel like he's very selfish. I don't have to box. Most people have to fight for a living. You know, I've got secure investments that I make sure that I don't have to fight. Do you know what I mean? I choose to fight.

But then, so what? Am I risking my life for nothing, technically, for bragging rights? I'm the best fighter in the world over my son. So I look at it more from that light, which is very, I don't know if it's twisted. I don't know if you guys get what I'm saying. No, definitely, yeah. And do you find that that's influenced because obviously your dad was a boxer?

I wasn't born. He retired when I was born. I got the best of my dad, I suppose. I got him retired. My dad was just my dad to me. And that's where I come in to say it's more about the man I am. Because my dad was a Nigel Bender that I destroyed to me. My dad was my dad.

And how my dad was with me and as a family man was what mattered it wasn't about what his career it wasn't about him being this and being out don't get me wrong it's cool to say hey you know my dad's Nigel Benn do you know what I mean you grew up in um you grew up in you spent a lot of time in Spain and Australia didn't you so in Spain and five in Australia yeah so is so is it weird? Because, you know, obviously Nigel Benn is one of the greatest boxers, one of the greatest ever British boxers, and he's a huge deal over here. Was he a bit more under the radar in Australia and place in Spain? Or was he still aware of who he was?

I wasn't aware my dad was famous. Do you know what I mean? You wasn't? No, I wasn't aware, which is mad thinking back. I thought, like, having, like, going wasn't aware, which is mad thinking back. I thought like, having like going to private school, mum driving a Cadillac, dad driving a Porsche, living in a mansion, mum in a jacuzzi. Them not having to go to work was just normal life.

But then again, yeah, exactly. I know it's bad, but obviously that's my reality. That's how I've grown up. So I wouldn't know no different. And it was nice because my dad was just my dad to me. know i'm happy he raised me abroad i kept my innocence a lot longer and um yeah it was good it was good life when you did find out about your your dad's sort of career as you got older because you you moved from australia to essex essentially and you know i'm aware of this because i'm a big boxing fan and you moved over on your own with no one you didn't see

any of your family and he's in a little flat and you was trying to be a boxer. And at the start you were, you got a lot of grief for being, oh, he's only getting opportunities because of who your dad is. And then at the start you were a good fighter, but you didn't sort of blow everyone away in the beginning. And then you went and trained with Tony Sims and you've become one of the biggest prospects. Did you, did that give you more motivation then? Like because of the grief he was getting about your dad? Um, have you guys got kids?

Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, when someone says to me, oh, you've only got what you've got because you're dead. Say if that is the case,

and that is the truth, don't get me wrong, it's probably one of the hardest sports in the world. How good is that? Because I want my son to have every opportunity and this, what parents do. Yeah. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? So the person who all the people obviously haven't got it from their parents and their enemies or jealous about it,

or it's other parents who wasn't able to give that to them kids. Do you know what I mean? So it's like, mate, is that not the whole plan? Is that not what it is? Yeah. Yeah. To give your kids a head start in life, that's the goal. If my son, I mean, my son's already like, he ain't got nothing to worry about. Do you know what I mean?

And he hasn't because at the end of the day, I'm going to make sure that I have to die and all the T's and cross when it comes to him being whatever it is he wants to be. I will make sure all them doors he has access to. And I can go, here you go, son. Here you go, son. Walk through that door.

Yeah, it's something to be celebrated where in the UK, it's something that's put down. I think in America, that's way more positive. Well, I think what you say about it's quite interesting where you say people have to fight, but you choose to fight, which actually makes you more dangerous. That's what I think. You know. At the end of the day, I don't have to fight but you choose to fight which actually makes you more dangerous that's what i think you know at the end of the day i don't i don't have to fight you know i mean the problem is is when you come from nothing that as they say i mean no one really

comes from nothing but when you come from nothing and you achieve a little something you think you've made it yeah but then when you come from everything i mean say a young millionaire to me that's nothing because my dad set the bar so high that i'm not even complacent whereas you grab someone out in the mud and put them where i am that they've cracked it at life they're successful that's it they're done they're finished when you grew up in that kind of uh lifestyle did your dad try and give you drive in a different like how did you instill this kind of winning ethic i think i'm the only one out of my siblings maybe no my two younger siblings but i think it's down to just the life skills that he's taught me so i used to paint and decorate in spain um from a kid for from like

full day shift from like 7 a.m till there's that 4 p.m and i used to paint and decorate for 20 euros a day day 20 euros and i mean they got me doing the shit jobs like rolling the ceilings and and like hard work do you know i mean And that was for 20 euros a day. I remember I saved up my money and bought a 180 euro watch. I bought my mum a 100 euro tennis bracelet and I bought myself one of them Verizon phones that's tied up. Do you know what I mean? So I think that's where he sort of installed in me.

He never gave me money for the bus or, or, or train or anything like that. So I used to ride my BMX from Santa Ponza to Palmer. Now, I don't know if you know Miyoka, but Santa Ponza to Palmer is a bit of a mission and a BMX bike has no gears, but I would ride all the way there and back.

Do you know what I mean? So it's just that my dad, that my dad taught me. I don't know. I guess I think you're born with it as well. Do you think you'll be the same as your son as well? You'll be tough on him like that? No, no, no.

I know. I always thought I would be. I always thought I would be, but I don't think I've got it in me to be as firm as my dad was with me. Yeah, because you're very similar to your dad, but I think you're a bit more composed, I'd say. Do you think? Because my impression of him, obviously you're very similar to your dad but i think you're a bit more you're a bit more composed i'd say do you think or because my impression of him obviously you know him way better but you feel like you're more composed and you channel energy right he's just like a big ball of energy that sort of explodes kind of thing all the time he is he's um he's crackers my dad

and it's funny i mean the older i'm getting the more I realise I'm very near that mark as well. I know it's bizarre, but I think you are what your parents are. Yeah, you can't get away from it. When you're parenting, do you go, oh, God, I'm parenting like my dad? Or do you feel like you're different parents? No, I'm a very different parent, I think. I think, yeah, my dad was like a disciplinarian. Yeah.

Know what I mean? And I'm not 100% sure on that same approach. I mean, listen, it served me well, because I mean, look at me, do you know what I mean? But with my other siblings, it wasn't as hard on them. But then you look at them and they're soft. They're so soft. Like, they don't live in the real world, which is fine.

But they're, like, living like a bubble. And it's really funny to watch because I'm like, why can I not just be that kid as well? Yeah, why did I have to be, be like you could have just gone on love island and done brand deals perfect yeah yeah you know here i am getting punched in the face for living um it's just you know what i just think if my dad had to be firm on me to be the man i am now so being do you mean we didn't get on mean? We didn't get on for ages. We didn't get on for ages with my dad.

We didn't get on for years, man. Was that when you were still living in Australia? Yeah. So it mainly started, it was in Spain a little bit. So I was what, 13? 13 right through to 19, I reckon. Really?

Just the teenage years? Was that too many rules and stuff like that? He just didn't know. I don't know know he just had a lot of things going on himself you know i mean obviously affected me mainly because i was the oldest of my and you're more aware what's going on i was kind of what's going on yeah so it really affected me and then me growing up i was like what you think you can tell me what to do? Yeah. I mean, obviously you could because he's like Nigel Benn. But I mean, you've got to destroy it.

You know, if you're going to do something, you've got to do it. You know, there ain't no two ways about it. Exactly. He was in the military as well, wasn't he? So the boxing training and he was in the army, wasn't he? Yeah, that's what I'm saying. So he was a disciplinarian. But then you've got to remember his whole life his whole career it's just a madness like when you i don't know about

dad's life but his whole life was just like allow him to be the dad he he was able to be don't get me wrong i get it now i'm older i get it i understand do you know what i mean i understand you dad and you know what i do i love you for just the man you are. Do you know what I mean? I completely get it. But it's had to take me, well, as long as it took me, which are years I regret hating my dad, when really he just had a lot going on as a man. And does that kind of inform you?

Do you think I really don't want that to happen with my own son? I think so. But, I mean, my dad was just very firm on me as well. So it was, it's a completely different approach than I would have with my son. Yeah. Being able to, for him to just talk to me, do you know what I mean?

And me to just sit there. To know that my son's going to go through some stuff, to know that, let him know that it's okay, to let him know that I've been there. Do you know what I mean? I've made the mistakes. I know what you're talking about. Rather than talking to him out of fear that he's becoming exactly like me. I think it's a different generation as well.

Your dad's generation to now where we were a lot more open and we talk more, you know, you're 10 years younger than us, but the younger generation, and you've in the past would speak, I think I spoke to you about when you used to get down with boxing and then you were speaking about it and then you sort of got your head right, where I think that wasn't an option for when you're the Dark Destroyer and you're a fighter in the 80s and 90s, there wasn't a space where you could say how you're feeling and it's come out in different ways. Yeah, don't get me wrong, my dad's cried on my shoulder numerous times, do you know

what I mean? We'll have some moments that only me and my dad um know about jamin and um my dad is something like he's a special man jami i think the older i get and the more i enter the real world i realize everything he actually challenged and faced um you know and it's like john that's half you know like listen yeah you're like you're like a legend do you know what i mean you yeah you are you are like a legend do you know what i mean yeah you are you are who you are do you know what i mean he doesn't he doesn't try and still steal your limelight either he really let you get on with your career and he comes to a few fights yeah he doesn't come he's not even like yeah good luck i just got shoots on the old barbie

yeah but he like he just lets me crack on and do what i've got to do but he raised me the man i am now do you know i mean yeah for instance me being here i'll do what needs to be done and do you think um you'd um how would you feel if your son wanted to be a boxer i was i was very against it before he was born and for quite a long time into him becoming a toddler but I've now got to a stage

where it's like I can do what he wants who am I to go nah mate you ain't boxing don't get me wrong it's brutal and it's not

not like I won't go oh yeah let's put him in a boxing gym and make him answer amateur fights nah if he wants to go to the boxing gym and make him answer amateur fights. No, if he wants to go to the boxing gym with me and train,

he can come. If he wants to put on the gloves, put on the gloves. If you want to fight, fight. Yeah, I think that's a fair... Some people are too strong either way. Yeah, they're going to do it or absolutely not, but you've got to let them make their own decisions, I think. You're forcing your children to be stand-ups, aren't you, Rob? You're absolutely forcing them.

Yeah, 100%. Yeah, I just want to retire as soon as possible. They can go out. I children to be stand-ups, aren't you, Rob? You're absolutely forcing them. Yeah, 100%. I just want to retire as soon as possible. They can go out. What's that? I'm nerve-wracking his stand-up. Not as nerve-wracking as boxing. No, it must be

because I was watching Britain's Got Talent and this geezer come out with some dead jokes and I'm just thinking, oh, mate, I'm going like this. And I couldn't even watch it because I was just like thinking oh mate that must be so awkward like it's cracks a few

jokes and everyone's just staring at him you're getting punched in the face but no but i think it's similar to it's similar to boxing in in a way because you get all the glory or all the hate because it's just you on your own you have a training team but you're in the ring on your own you're on the stage on your own but after a while you get used to rejection doing it wrong and then you realize you don't really care because you know you're funny and you're trying your best and stuff but it must be the same for you like you know you're funny but are you yeah that's what i'm saying or do you just tell yourself you're funny and that's it end up ain't up for discussion i'm funny well if there's no one in the theater then I'm not.

But if they keep buying tickets, they must be doing something right. Do you know what I mean? It's easier than boxing as well because you've gone 21 fights undefeated. If you're a stand-up, you will lose 50 fights in your first six months. Like, as a stand-up, you go so badly at the start so often that you kind of just get a really thick skin for it, I think. It's a bit like the amateurs. You didn of like the amateurs in but you didn't really do much of the amateurs but in the amateurs you lose people lose fights it's in the pros yeah but then

in the pros in boxing they do sometimes certain fighters not connor as such get given fighters early doors so it's like an easy win at the start and it for pros when they turn over so that's a bit like you getting a gig in plymouth your first five gigs in front of your friends and family. You're not going to lose that one. And it's only as you go up the levels it gets tougher with where Connor's at now. But I hate gigging in front of my friends and family. I find that really stressful. Like if I was

a boxer, I'd be like, I don't want any of you to come and watch this because it'll make me feel more stressed. I didn't let my drag come to any of my amateur fights. He didn't come to one. And did he want to? I don't know, but I never let him anyway. Yeah. Well, but you're,

because you're, what's going to be interesting is you obviously were born when he retired, but your son will be at an age where he could come to a fight. You're only 25. You could fight for another 10 years, really, if you wanted to. He's not interested about that. When are you retiring? 30? No, before I'm 30. And then what are you wanted to. He's not interested about that. When are you retiring? 30?

No, before I'm 30. And then what are you going to do? Do you know what? I'll do something. Do you know what I mean? But I understand there's more to life than boxing. Whether it's commentary, whether it's, yeah, TV work,

whether it's commentary on talk sport, whatever it is, even if it's outside of know commentary on talk sport there's design whatever it is even if it's outside of sport forget sport yeah they're limelight sort of work um i would probably go into pt i'll probably go into training one-on-one clients for 80 quid now yeah but so what's your what's your goal then is it like because if you're because most fighters will want to try and get as much money in as possible which is why you know people know, people like Amir Khan and Kell Brook were fighting, you know, when Amir Khan was probably a little bit past it for those last big paydays. If you're financially secure, what is your legacy?

What is it you're after? The world championship? For me, it's more about the world title. Because if I can't, in the next couple of years, well, next couple, if I can't in the next couple years we'll well next couple next in the within the year we'll know how good Connor been if Connor Ben is the best in the world and if I'm not the best in the world what am I doing yeah what am I doing do you know what I mean because listen you health is wealth they say so it's like well I'm going to keep risking my health when I'm not going to be the best in the world. And what am I doing it for, a paycheck?

Well, you know, as a fan of yours, was it Payne Old who you had a rematch with? Was he called Payne Old? Yeah. Where Conor had a close fight with this French bloke, and you just narrowly beat him. And you went, you got knocked down, he got knocked down. And then really, most prospects, you would go, right, just move on from him because he was a difficult fight and forget about it and get another fight but you demanded that rematch totally unnecessarily from a career point of view so how

will that mindset not change from now to when you're a bit older if you go close to someone the best in the world you know what i mean for me i know you said you're retired early at 30 but i couldn't see you retiring in two years time as world champion but also fighting through about 40 because of your personality you could go either way you know what i'm a strong believer in the right doors open and the wrong doors closed um so whatever doors open we'll open them whenever whenever it's time for me to go it's time for me to go and would your wife say would you if she said i want you to stop because you know we've got a family now and stuff no she would never say that i should be like oh i'll part with you every day of the week now

and you know what probably you know what though i probably won't retire till about 50 60 otherwise it's a lot of night feeds i'd rather so no i'll make you right, to be honest, Rob. Yeah, you'll do another fight if there's a baby on the way. When you're not fighting, though, and you're not in camp, do you have a lot of holidays with your wife and kid as well? Are you making time for that? Yeah, what I did realise is going on holiday with baby isn't really a

holiday no no i realized i went paris and it was just like oh mate i'll come back i'm just like i am so drained it's brutal it was either we're shopping or daddy daycare so it was um yeah it weren't really like um ain't really like holiday but it's lovely because you you have like you have like little special moments in the holiday all of its madness no relaxing mayhem chaos everywhere and then you'll have like one little 30 40 minute window where it's like that was really amazing and that makes up for the whole ruin of yesterday you know what I mean

it's weird though it's so true and all the money and everything which was just wasted and ruined and come back and cold sores in my mouth because I'm drained that 30 minute window is perfect when's the last time before a fight that you'll see your wife and son That 30-minute window is perfect.

When's the last time before a fight that you'll see your wife and son? A week before. A week before? Yeah. Oh, wow. But I'm, like, so in my zone at that stage. I could basically live in the same house and not be... I have to really work on it, of being in the room. Cause I'm there, but I'm not present.

I have to make sure I'm like very conscious of being in the room with my family. Otherwise I can really easily not be present. It must be quite like almost like an escape to do like little things with your kid, like go to the park or like those minor things in life. You live in England? Yeah.

Yeah, do you not see the weather outside majority of the time? I didn't get spoiled by growing up in Australia and going to Spain, so I'm all right with it. Ooh, fair, fair, fair. I can't believe Josh just threw a pot shot. I know. He's on the other side of this laptop

you know what it's it's just one of them things man I try to but even when I try to nah do you know what it's hard for me to switch off

when I'm in training when I'm like preparing for a fight they're big fights do you know i mean i'm selling out seven half hours in a um echo arena and then you know another seven half uh emmy and arena i'm so goal driven to that date that one moment that everything else becomes irrelevant you know as it's up its benefits and it's done it's only a short period though really your career in boxing you live for six seventy eighty years and it's what 10 15 years of you know you've only been going for about five years really but like yeah i've been pro six years but i could potentially got another half tops another one of them how quick yeah it's gone now

yeah yeah exactly but then and then your son will be seven and then you're retired sorted for life and you can really be there for the you know your son and maybe other kids you have so it's just a short part of your time you have to dedicate to it but then it's that thing it's sort of feast or famine isn't it you what the work you're putting in now will pay off when if you can retire in six years really you know and have achieved your goals and then dedicate your time to your wife and kids it's worth it isn't it yeah i mean it's it's hard i mean because sometimes sometimes it really hits me and then sometimes i'm like because i remember my family's not here either so so sometimes it really hits me and then sometimes i'm like fine about it do you mean like it will be like fine up until I like hit a wall

and then I'm like, oh my gosh. Yeah. Who do you speak to? Have you got friends or your trainer or is it you ring your dad? But you know, because you are, you know, they're 24 hours in a plane away, your family. Yeah, like my mum hasn't seen my son yet either. Her first grandson.

Grandchild. Yeah, I know. It's COVID. It's all just like, it's all just mad. But it feels like a bit of a blur as to how I've got to where I've got to sometimes. Would you ever consider like moving your family, when you finished boxing and stuff, would you move to Australia or would you consider moving out of the UK? Australia is too far.

Australia is too far, I think, from far i think um from everything i would move abroad but i would still be in europe again there's so much going on i sometimes think to myself i don't know how i like i've managed but i do talk to a life coach oh really yeah it does help because it's like sometimes you don't know if you're processing things the right way like just because you're like maybe I'm not processing it properly. Or maybe I am processing it, but maybe not the right way. Or maybe I'm dealing with this the wrong way, because it's like I feel like I'm still trying to find out who I am.

But then, like, I don't feel like I am what the public think I am. What do you think the public think? Well, I'm like this intense, ag aggressive guy but i'm not i'm far from that but then maybe that's maybe i maybe i am that guy do you know what i mean or maybe you've got a switch to you everyone has their public persona and that's what you need for your job but connor ben the person isn't that but a part of you is that you hone and you train and you unleash when you fight but you don't let it slip into your personal life? I don't know.

I mean, he comes out now and then. I swear that geezer on the road cut me up this morning. He was like, that's definitely... So what you're saying is you don't know if you you produce the aggression and the sort of angry connor ben or that is the real you and you have a calm side in order to sort of you know live in society yeah i don't know i've you know i mean i don't know it's um it's mad because it's like yes i'm just trying to i feel like to being being in the spotlight and being this certain way and people perceiving you a certain way and you sometimes you like try and want to know who you are not who am i yeah forget the people you're around in the world you live in and i mean when i mean i mean the sphere i live in

which ain't great but it's like okay so forget all of that let's take it down to the core who am i what do i say what do i represent what do i believe in because sometimes it gets clouded by everything going on around you no i'm not talking close friends. I'm talking just across the board. Yeah. It's fear I live in. And I suppose the life coach is really helpful for that because it's someone that's dedicated to listen to you and help you work that out. Yeah, because it's like, who are you?

Forget what XYZ's doing. Forget what they're doing. Forget what they're saying or what their approach is on life. Forget what the public think of you forget who you've got to be for the public who are you yeah and i'll tell you your dad's very religious and did you was you brought up with religion and do you still practice religion or is it something as an adult you don't do as much yeah i go to i go to church every sunday i go to church every sunday don't get me wrong it wrong, I was brought up in religion,

but not the sort of, not like, when I mean religion, I mean religion, not relationship. I believe in relationship. I don't believe in religion. What do you mean by that? Like, God ain't out to punish you. Do you know what I mean? In my opinion, I was taught God's gonna punish you

for this life, but I'm like, yeah. That was a massive issue in my life growing up, was religion. Really? I was told by my school that I had demons in me and I needed deliverance. Oh, mate, I'm not a fucking 13-year-old kid. Oh, man. I'm a 13-year-old kid, mate.

Do you know what I mean? Oh, my God. So, why are you laughing, bro? No, no, I'm just, no, I wasn't laughing. That's how my face looked. You were like, you were like, you were like, yeah, no, they were definitely right. just, I wasn't laughing. That's how my face looked. You were like, you were like, you were like, yeah, no, they were definitely right. No, I wasn't.

I was like, I've always got this face on. That's how I look. But I was in a really religious school in Australia then. That's what it was. Sorry, that's my face. I'm terrible. That's how it falls. You know when people think you're aggressive all the time?

That's how your face looks. People always think I'm laughing. everyone always thinks you're angry you know what I can't take you seriously now Rob sorry I'll turn my camera off I'll stop smiling my mouth's too big we were talking about the school so it was a really ultra religious school which was a bit too much for you yeah no it was a very religious school there was total demons in me

and it just weren't it weren't nice. Do you know what I mean? Because I was a kid, then I was told that anti-crisis is coming and the world's going to come to an end on New Year's. Oh, my word. I was holding my sins in my hands and knees. Yeah, it's a problem.

And the school was like a cult. And do you know what? I look back now and I go, mate, you damaged so many lives. Yeah, really. So many lives. I don't care Yeah, really. You ruined so many lives. I don't care what you say, you ruined lives. Just messed up, man. And that troubled me for so long.

I'd say it was quite traumatic. Obviously, my parents weren't aware because they had their own issues that they were going through. So basically, my school was a really private school of about 30 kids. But our school was also compliant with our church. So it was all over one branch. The teachers of our school were pastors in the church. Oh, so it's all in together.

It's all, yeah. So Monday to Friday school, Friday church, youth club, and then Sunday church, and Saturday voluntary work for the church. So it was all like in bed with each other. Do you know what I mean? And that was so, like, I honestly thought it was something wrong with me.

Really? Because of what they were telling you? Yeah, for so long I thought it was something wrong with me. Oh, man. Oh, it's so hard. Especially at that age when you don't know who you are at that age or what you are. You're so confused anyway as a teenager. So to have people in authority to tell you yeah but it was like my parents believed it because it was the church saying it and in the school sense my dad was like for i needed deliverance because obviously

the church and school were saying it that was our world so and my mom and dad now can't apologize enough like they're like oh sorry like we are so my mom just cries about all the time but i'm like you didn't know do you i mean like that was what was best for for me i think it's really interesting that you've it's interesting you've kept the religion that like you kept a relationship you go to the church on sundays like a lot of people would just push the whole thing away. It took me ages, man. Like I fell off, I fell off loads. Like I've made so many bad decisions in my life

and I was only harming myself. Know what I mean in those decisions? But when you look back, you go, no wonder I turned away from my parents or no wonder I turned away from the church or no wonder I went down this rebellious route, and this bad route. But then it's like, what?

Even my parents believe I have demons in me. Yeah. Oh, at least, you know, that must have been so hard. At least you sort of all made up. They didn't know. Do you know what I mean? So I know it's like quite deep, but they didn't know. Yeah, no.

They thought they were doing the best thing for you yeah yes and and then when my dad obviously said everything he had to say and he confessed which by the way is very brave of man when he didn't confessed all his mistakes to us i was like what you had the nerve to tell me i got issues when i needed i needed counseling for years years to get on with my dad do you know what though i'd say like because i've spoken to a lot of boxers and a lot of athletes and you know you're so young still but like i think that counseling you've done has been so helpful even though it was prompted by a terrible experience i think in a way and you never know at what point something's good or bad for you and obviously that was a horrible thing to

go through but the benefits from that is the counseling you've received you are so level-headed and so composed and so in control of your emotions and planning of what you want to do you're not running on fear anymore you're running on sort of a positive energy of you know you are and you know what you're doing and i think the counseling has been imperative in that. And I think it's what's helped your progress. Obviously you're a naturally gifted athlete, but your mentality and your training is second to none. And I think from, from a composed mind, it's really helped.

You say that because I've gone, I've gone from that up until I was 18, 19. Then I've come here and I've been Connor Ben. So I have had no, I've had no time to really go, hold on a minute. Let's think before I went to that school and before I went there to then when I started getting in trouble from 18 to 19. And by the way, what happened with me and my dad was what was a godsend, was I got in trouble.

Some proper trouble and bearing in mind i need to be counseling for years for me and my dad to get service yeah talking 18 i got in trouble yeah trouble and he i come home and he he went son i love. And literally that moment was like the whole dynamic, the whole ice broke between us. Oh, wow. Which was, and then 19, I come here and then I'm like, oh man, why have I got to move to England and live here when me and my dad now start getting on?

Yeah. And then everyone talks to you about your dad. Yeah. Yeah. then i'm like oh man i just wish them years of growing up i had spent on good terms with my dad yeah of course but now i'm like mate i wish i could get that time back yeah of course yeah yeah of course you know isn't it yeah yeah but it's a lot it's a long life and you're still young the good thing is that'll inform how you parent and i'm i imagine you're a long life and you're still young. The good thing is that that'll inform how you parent. And I imagine you're kind of, you know,

you're doing everything you can not to get in that situation yourself with your own son. Yeah, I take my son to church every Sunday. My wife takes my son to church every Sunday. We will be involved in church. Do you know what I mean? But I will never force him to have a relationship with God. And I'm not going to be like, if you don't pray 10 times a day,

you're going to hell. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, of course. Any relationship shouldn't be dominated by fear, whether it's a relationship with God or with yourself or with a partner or your job or your industry. Anything that's run off fear,

fear's adrenaline. It's an impulsive response. You can't have lots of it because you eventually burn out or have a breakdown because it's too much it's too much to cope with so i think you know whatever relationship you have as long as it's not run by fear um but yeah i think it's such a an interesting story and i think it's so good you're so open of some of your age and the stuff you're going through to be open about all that kind of stuff and i haven't been open about it much not as much

as this i don't think to be able to talk about stuff like that is just so useful for so many people who are listening i think i think i still struggle now it's not something that i'm still i still struggle sometimes think to myself what man would i have been what person would i have been if i if i was able to have a childhood yeah and i think as well it's that thing of you all these things that you go through as a kid sort of open up again when you have kids because you start going well when i was at that age what was happening to me do you mean you'll probably get it when your son's 13 and going to school again you'll probably think about it and how you felt going to school and things like that it all comes back up again soft i think it's going to be very soft now about looking at myself i'm like man like i pray that you have like all the

childhood that i'm that whole experience of whatever it is like being able to watch a kid's film like disney like i just loads of stuff man like oh disney run by all that mate let me let me like lion king man enjoy it harry potter or lord of the rings or i haven I've only just started, facts for you. Yeah. Yesterday, day before, was the first time I've watched one of the Harry Potter's of Azkaban or whatever it is. Yeah. Did you like it?

Yeah, I thought it was sick. Let me live. Yeah. So what's on your list of stuff to do with your son when he gets older then? Because then you can sort of live through him, can't you? Anything else, Harry Potter? Well, be dressed up in a Halloween costume.

Yeah, exactly. Big Halloween party. Do you know what I mean? It's only when I've told my other half that this was what I was told that she goes, oh, my gosh. Yeah. She's lived like a really normal childhood because i yeah because what i would say is it don't matter how powerful how powerful god is your wife will always win

when you're talking about when you talk about fear trust me i fear my wife more than i fear god connor that's been absolutely amazing we have one last question we always ask but um i don't want you to get a slap around the ear from your wife it's uh what's the one thing your partner does parenting wise that annoys you but you don't want to bring it up in case you have an argument is there something she does that's uh winds you up a little bit she moans when he moans okay so it's a double whammy yeah no i mean like i'll be like mate like he's a baby like baby's moan like allow him to moan and i'm like i'm like like what do you expect you know like when your baby's crying or whinging you

go oh yeah he's whinging that's what babies do she goes oh but he's moaning i'm like well what do you expect yeah and she does it all the time and I'm like why would you do that that's all the counselling and therapy coming in isn't it all that is what it is there's nothing worse than being zen when a baby's crying

and you're not feeling zen is there it is what it is when it's fucking crying Conor you've been absolutely amazing and I'm a huge fan and wish you all the best

for the fights coming up and good luck with your good luck with your retirement in three years. Retire in three years, Scott. Listen, hopefully I'm on a yacht somewhere having a pina colada. Oh, fingers crossed. Connor, you've been absolutely amazing. Thanks so much, mate. Cheers, mate.

Thank you. Take care. Connor Benn, there we go. Do you know what, Rob? I'm going to say it. My C of e primary school was was actually quite laid back about religion it turns out do you know what they're like i because there's so many sliding scales of religion we're like we we didn't do religion at all in my family

not from any i don't know there was a lot of other stuff going on but um but yeah that was he's so i'm such a big fan of connor ben He's obviously like, as he was talking, the difficulties, his teenage years and stuff. He moved over to England on his own after what was, obviously I didn't really realise, but quite a traumatic teenage years. And he's been, he got so many pelters when he first started boxing. Everyone just going, oh, he's only doing this because he's Nigel Benn's son, blah, blah, blah. Nigel's Benn's son, blah, blah, blah. And that must have been so difficult when, actually,

he was having quite a difficult time with his dad at that point, when he moved over, and he's getting all that. And when he first started, he was very raw, and he wasn't, everyone sort of thought, oh, he's not that good, actually. It's just all hype. But then he knuckled down, and Tony Sims, who's a brilliant trainer, has been working so hard with him,

and he's doing really, really well at the moment. And he's becoming one of the best. So do you think he could be a world champion? A hundred percent. Yeah. I mean, he's at a level now where he's beaten everyone at his level in sort of the UK and Europe. And there's a couple of step up fights that he needs now. So it's really in the next year or so he'll be fighting the top level to try and find out if he is truly world class. Because the current world champions are absolutely unbelievable. or so he'll be fighting the top level to try and find out if he is truly world class because the current world champions are absolutely unbelievable so he's sort of got one more level to go up before the elite but when i'm talking about elite i'm talking about some of the best like two or three

fighters in the world so yeah he's a remarkable fighter and a remarkable man i think he's a brilliant advert for sort of counseling so i spoke to him before about he he was very honest about his feeling down and his mental health and stuff. And I just think counselling, whether you've been through something traumatic or not, gives you a really measured way of looking at the world. It was amazing talking to him. But yeah, I'm a big fan of Connor Benn.

Good luck in the boxing, mate. And I wish you'd get him back on another time, maybe, when he's got a few more kids, when he's retired in three years. When he's retired, yeah. He'll have nothing to do. He might as well talk to us. Absolute bullshit. Someone will call him out at 42

and he'll come out for a fight anyway that's Conor Benn absolutely brilliant and we'll see you on Tuesday bye