Welcome And Jeff Horn Arrives

Jeff 0:00

I'm just literally I'm an ordinary guy and I did an extraordinary thing. Yeah, it's extremely important to have someone that will have that kind of belief in you, but no one's gonna give you that belief unless you show how much you kind of want it, right? It's about to happen. This is it. I'm about to punch on with many pacquiao.

Don 0:19

And you punch hard, you win, and then one.

Magnus 0:30

Hard work beats talent when talent don't work hard.

Ryan 0:34

Yeah, 100% of the time.

Magnus 0:36

Welcome to the Mastering Podcast. I'm the host, Magnus Olson, and today I'm joined by co-host Ryan Shilliporte. I think I've got that about as close as I've uh That's good.

Ryan 0:48

That's good, you nailed it. I'll I'll give you that one.

Magnus 0:51

And also joining us today is Don the Powerhouse Sanker. How are you, boys? Always good when I'm next to you, mate.

Don 0:59

But you're looking dapper. Yeah, well, I thought someone's gonna bring the quality of this thing up.

Magnus 1:04

So you're making us all look bad, mate.

Don 1:07

Or I'm trying too hard.

Magnus 1:10

All right. Today we are sitting down with one of Australia's most inspiring athletes and figures, former WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn. Known around the world for his unforgettable victory over Manny Pacquiao. Jeff's story goes far beyond the boxing ring from being boxing, from being bullied at school to becoming a teacher to stepping in the ring and shocking the world. His journey is one of resilience, discipline, and mastering adversity. Now Jeff uses his platform to motivate others, speak about mental health, and show what it means to fight for more than just titles. Today's conversation is going to be more than just grit, growth, and but more importantly, what it truly means to master yourself. Welcome, Jeff.

Jeff 1:54

Thanks for having me.

Magnus 1:56

Let's kick off. Now, how does a kid from Acacia Ridge growing up, blue-collar background, go on to become a world champion? Give us a little bit of your backstory.

Jeff 2:08

Look, uh, I grew up in Palara. That was where where I grew up, which is very close to Acacia Ridge, by the way.

Don 2:14

I went to Acacia Ridge. That's in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, just uh for the listeners. Yeah.

Jeff 2:18

Yes, it is. Um, and now you you've thrown me with what the question was.

Don 2:24

Between that and Manny Packy Hall, let's just clarify.

Magnus 2:28

So you've got a master of business. I've I've got a year 10 education. I did fail English. So yeah, it's a pronunciation. I thought he was fought another someone different.

Jeff 2:38

I can't even think of what you said anymore. You said Pacquiao, right?

Magnus 2:41

Yep. Yeah. Oh, there you go. I think you knew what I meant.

Ryan 2:44

It's like that was in Brisbane. Yeah, yeah, good start. That's it.

Magnus 2:48

Sunk orp stadium.

Ryan 2:49

Yeah.

Magnus 2:50

So yeah,

Bullying And Growing Up In Brisbane

Magnus 2:51

how was life growing up?

Jeff 2:53

Look, life growing up was fairly normal. I had a normal uh, I guess, upbringing with the parents and siblings. I've got two older sisters and a younger brother. Um I guess the main problems I I had, I guess, growing up was at school in primary school, probably the the later grades of primary school, and that's where I struggled with with bullying.

Don 3:16

Oh wow. So you experienced bullying as a Yeah, 100%.

Jeff 3:20

And I I think I'm one of millions of people that have gone through bullying, right? So there's it happens to a lot.

Ryan 3:27

And I was gonna say it must be hard having two older sisters, they're the worst bullies of all.

Jeff 3:32

Look, I I did struggle with with some things with my sisters. Look, they'll they're fine, emotionally fine, but yeah, physically, I guess, when I'll try doing things when I was a lot younger and then getting kicked off the bed and and whacking my head and things like that.

Ryan 3:46

I know my older sister definitely bullies me more than than than all my brothers combined. They're a menace, you have to pick up boxing to be able to protect yourself from them. But to to go back into the question, like when did you really start to notice or pick that up for yourself with that bullying? What what opened your eyes to kind of realize that you are no supposed needed to change your mindset or you you moved away from that? When when did you start to realise that?

Jeff 4:14

It's it's hard when you're a kid to have that mindset at all to think about what can you do? It's just like you just want it to stop.

Ryan 4:20

Yeah.

Jeff 4:21

And you want people to start treating you better. But um, I guess I was lucky enough to have family around me, fam close family, like mum supporting me and dad, and um trying to let me know things that I can do to get rid of it. And some of those things that came at me weren't always the proper things that you should do. Like dad says there's a really soft spot and on your nose that you can hit and really hurt. It's not the right thing to do. And I did do that occasionally, and it wasn't the the outcome that I wanted.

Don 4:52

So did your fighting come from that inside of that you know, learning to defend yourself? No. Or did you defend yourself?

Jeff 4:59

No, I I don't think my my love for boxing and and me being good at it came from me being bullied as a kid. Yeah. I always wanted to be a professional athlete in some capacity. I always thought it was going to be in soccer or football. Yeah, like that would have been really cool and to be able to do that for a living, and you probably probably would have been able to do that for a lot longer than I did boxing for, but um life chose how it is, and uh there was a little bit of a segue into m potentially rugby league, but it went off I chose boxing.

Don 5:34

So what took it on the path of boxing because it's very different to um rugby league or any football uh pathways are different as well.

Jeff 5:44

Yeah, look, I that was the the problem. I I started very late. So I started even rugby league, trying to make it in rugby league very late. I was 18 years old and trying out for teams, it's just like expecting to get up in the in the ranks and and know what to do at those ranks, I I couldn't do. So um boxing was the more I I knew I was good at it. Oh I I noticed that

Choosing Boxing Later Than Most

Jeff 6:10

I had some potential and some real talent there, and that's where I I stick to it.

Don 6:14

So when did you start um getting into boxing? You said at 18. So you usually kids get into either little athletics or a sport very young, around 12, 13 years of age, and and then they find their gr feet when they get into their teens.

Jeff 6:29

Yes. So I was doing, as I said, I played soccer from grade one all the way to grade twelve. Yeah. Didn't make it as I wanted to as to be a professional soccer player, but uh that's when I chose, okay, what am I gonna do? Then I went to to rugby league, as I said, and boxing kind of at the same time. Which which door do I choose? Um, chose the the boxing door and to go, okay, I'm gonna train to get in the boxing room.

Don 6:53

Was there any particular reason why you chose boxing?

Jeff 6:55

I I chose boxing.

Don 6:57

Where was that moment when you said, okay, this is I've got a future here?

Jeff 7:00

I guess it's just because I was I was good at it. I guess I uh the the natural ability of me in in boxing was seen by my my mentor and trainer Glenn Rushton and he said I can make you a world champion one day. I can get you the Olympics in a few years' time and make you world champion.

Don 7:18

I was like, And this was when you were 18.

Jeff 7:22

Yeah, around 18. So probably I was probably 19 or 20 by the time I had these discussions with him about boxing. Yeah, because I didn't have my first match till I was 20 years old.

Don 7:32

Yeah, wow. Your first match was when you were 20.

Jeff 7:34

Yeah. So it's pretty late.

Ryan 7:37

I'd say that's probably like a good age, like 18, like you know, training, fighting. You've you've first two years, like first six months, you're just trying to figure out if you like getting because you get hit a lot, right?

Jeff 7:50

And it hurts. When you first get punched in the nose, it's not a good thing.

Don 7:53

There's also that argument, right? You you probably have you probably got into competitive fighting after most of your development's been done. There's a lot of research right now going around. Like it could be why we're talking to you with a you know uh full set of brain and what you're doing and everything. No, it is. Yeah, it's yeah, I I'm always curious.

Magnus 8:13

Let's just put some perspective around for our listeners, Roy, and just give us a little bit of your background, mate, because you've put the gloves on more than once, just for our listeners.

Ryan 8:21

Yeah, yeah. So I I've trained boxing since I was probably a little bit younger, probably around eleven or twelve. Um worked in security protective services, so had a had a few scraps around there as well. Um, had a few fights in boxing, um, moved over into MMA, trained MMA. Now I'm currently training Mua Thai. And stu more than me.

Don 8:46

So no one came to you and said, made you're good enough to uh go to the world championships.

Ryan 8:50

Um I think for me it was more discipline as well, because you have to, and I'm sure Jeff can attest attest this. You you have to make a choice and it's it's all or nothing. There is no in-between. There is wake up, live in the gym, go to bed in the gym.

Jeff 9:06

Yeah, 100%. Like it isn't a sport that you can take kind of on on a part-time basis. You need to put 100% effort into it, and it shows when you're in there if you if you haven't, and that's when you have your your losses.

Ryan 9:17

There's there's no downtime. There is literally it's you live, breathe, and that's it. And your coach, you'll see your coach more than your partner. You'll you'll and so when I when I was prepping for for fights, it it's intense. And I found with my businesses and where I wanted to get in my professional life, it just didn't align. So it was for me personally, I was like, uh, I do like having a brain somewhat. This is useful. I don't want to lose. Yeah, I was like, I I I should probably give back that and being a paramedic. I was like, saving people, hurting people is a bit true.

Jeff 9:56

Yeah, you knew all the risks. Yeah, yeah.

Don 10:02

This is the thing, like we've spoken to a lot of elite athletes. What separates an elite athlete from the rest of us? It's just that drive that you guys have for some reason you want to excel at that at the expense of everything else once you realize you're good at it.

Jeff 10:17

Yeah.

Don 10:18

And that's what I was trying to get an understanding of where where does that come from? How does that sort of click into place? How do you tick after that?

Jeff 10:28

I guess that's just a switch inside someone's head, right? They they go, I have have they got it or they don't? Do they want it bad enough or they they don't want it bad enough? So um it's just uh I guess wiring in my head that I was like, I am gonna put 100% into this and I'm gonna do whatever I can to be the best I can at this sport.

Ryan 10:47

Well, gonna have that dog, man. Yeah, this is uh like I you you see a lot of fighters kind of you come in and they just see that you're like, oh whatever, man, you've got to get in there, you're gonna hate losing, you're gonna wake up every day and it's gonna piss you off at night.

Jeff 11:02

Yeah, you do not want to lose. If I remember dreaming even losing a match, I would go back and go redo that dream because I need to win that match, and I want you to see myself winning. So it was it was a never say die attitude.

Ryan 11:19

You don't even want to want to dream someone. This is it's next level with fighting again uh uh as well. Like, and I think that's why some people can start it a little bit later because you see most sports, and if you don't start it at a at a super young age and get those foundations and get that footwork and everything, but like fighting is one of those sports where like you walk in that like someone can walk in at a later age, like Anthony Joshua or some of those other boys, and they just pick it up and they're freaking monsters, yeah, absolute monsters, and it's just something different. Yeah, I don't I don't think that's one thing that can be trained, you either have it or don't.

Jeff 11:53

I think that's a great thing about boxing as well. It's not a sport that you have to start when you're really, really young, so you don't need to be getting punched in the head when it could be affecting you more for later in life, and yeah, it's a sport you can probably pick up when you're a little bit older.

Learning Defence The Hard Way

Magnus 12:06

So, people, I think, as a non-fighter, you you look at it as and it's about hitting people or about getting hit more than you're not gonna get hit. So let's just talk through that for a bit. What do you do to avoid being hit and how much training is actually focused on evasion?

Jeff 12:22

Look, that's uh that's a tough one. It's a tough one to kind of talk about, but basically you you learn a lot on on the job, unfortunately. Like you learn if you sat that the coach says slip or and keep your head moving, and you're not doing that, you learn pretty quickly that you're not doing that, and you're getting smacked in the nose or you're getting hurt in some way, and you go, Okay, all right, I've got to improve, I've got to keep doing this. And looking back at those things, you go, I can I can be better.

Magnus 12:51

So the tip is just to keep moving.

Jeff 12:53

Yeah, 100%. I guess that's with everything in life, right? Keep moving, you can't stay still and get hit.

Ryan 12:59

Yeah, head off the center line.

Magnus 13:01

What about you? What about you, Ryan? What what do you deal with as far as the unpredictability of fighting, not knowing and trying to anticipate?

Ryan 13:08

Moving from boxing into Muay Thai, that was definitely an experience because I'd never had to worry about leg kicks before or body kicks or elbows or knees. So that was definitely an experience because it you know you get down moving your head, and even then when you say you get it down, you don't really still get punched. But I think the best lessons have always been just fighting people that are so much better than me again and again and again, and fighting the people you hate to fight again and again and again until you kind of go, Okay, well, I'm more comfortable being uncomfortable.

Magnus 13:42

Well, that was your story too, wasn't it? When you were amateur, you got thrown in the ring with people a lot apparently better than you, and you got touched up on more than one occasion.

Jeff 13:51

I definitely did. I was lucky enough to have that. Um, I don't know what it is that you say it is, but like to go into the state titles, a little bit of luck that the the last state title holder wasn't there at that, and I ended up winning the state titles in my in first three fights that basically I had ever, and then straight to national titles. So that's getting thrown in the deep end, right? In my fourth amateur boxing match, and I'm at the national titles against all these champions out there, and that's where I lost straight away. I had my first loss, first match came up against the champion, and he taught me a lesson, and um he never beat me again after that.

Don 14:29

Man, I um you know, everything I know about boxing, I've never done boxing, never got into a boxing ring. You know, the people I see is what I see on TV or in the movies, like they don't look like you, right?

Ryan 14:41

You you look like explain that you can dive into that super deep.

Don 14:47

Yeah, uh it's you know, you look at the diss all, all right. What you look like he looks like the nice guy that you want to have a conversation with or ask for a favor, right? Not the kind of guy that you know, if you want to pick a fight with someone, they're the worst ones, man. They're always distracted. You don't have that look about you.

Jeff 15:07

So um, there's an advantage sometimes, right? Because people would look at me and go, this guy, I'm gonna walk over the top of him.

Don 15:15

Did that happen? That's where I was gonna get at, you know.

Jeff 15:18

It has happened, it has happened before. I think they they underestimate the niceness that I can give. Yeah, it means nothing when I step through those ropes. Because what when I've when I'm in training, when I step through those ropes, that's exactly where I know I have to pummel this person as much as I can. And I and I will not give up and I'll do the best I can at doing that.

Ryan 15:43

That's a respect thing though, as well. It's like you it's a it's a respect to the other person, like outside the ring, we're we're all well and good, but inside out of respect, I know the training that you've put in. I'm gonna give everything. Otherwise, uh I I'd be pissed off if I got into the ring with someone that didn't take it seriously, and they were just you know mucking around and like out of respect.

Jeff 16:03

Normally they get knocked out. That's normally what happens. Those types of people that don't take it seriously at all. If you take your hand your eye off the ball for just a second, that's when you get guys getting hurt.

Magnus 16:13

So

Coach Belief And Elite Drive

Magnus 16:14

talking about preparation to again to the listeners out there that don't understand, I guess, what goes into preparing for let's say a title fight. So let's say you many Pacquiao fight. Did I pronounce that right? No, he didn't. Okay.

Don 16:27

You said Manny Pacquiao.

Magnus 16:28

I don't know how, but so your preparation for the Manny fight, what did what did the what did that look like?

Jeff 16:36

Look, it was months in in the lead up, and I think it took longer because many threw in the spanner of oh, maybe not, maybe I'll I'll go fighting Saudi for this against Samir Khan or something. I know that got thrown in the work.

Magnus 16:48

So the fight kept getting postponed, is what you're saying.

Jeff 16:51

It did once, yeah. So we had I think we had an initial date, but then he was like, Oh, I might not do it. Playing doing being hard to get, I guess, because I was I was lucky enough to get the phone call that I was I was gonna be fighting Manny Pacquiao, but to to get another one, like yeah, it was just insane.

Don 17:09

So I I want to get back to Manny Pacquio, but before that, I want to sort of go back a little bit. Many Pacquiao.

Magnus 17:15

Pacquio.

Don 17:16

Yeah, not Pacquiao. Okay, because we all know how I say Pacquiao. Pacquiao, right? Pacquiao, Pacquiao. He said Pacquiao. Yeah, it's a different person. That's a different person.

Ryan 17:28

Put it to a vote to the list.

Jeff 17:30

How do you think I don't think it I don't think it really means? I don't think he cares, right?

Don 17:34

We just go with Manny.

Jeff 17:35

It's like me getting called Horn or Horny. I don't care. Horny.

Don 17:40

I'm sure you like horny better than it. So going back to the 20-year-old, you said you started at 18 and you know, at 20 you got tapped on the s shoulder and said you're good enough to go to the Olympics or become a world champion.

Jeff 17:54

I was probably at about nine nineteen or so that that Glenn's gone, you you could be good at this. Like I can get you to the Olympics in four years' time and make you a world champion one day. And I was like, okay, this guy's crazy, but oh let's jump on the train.

Don 18:09

See, how how did you get there from from getting tapped on your shoulder, then end up fighting someone like Manny Pacchia?

Jeff 18:16

A lot of hard work and that mindset that that is the only thing that's important to you, right? And that was the number one. So my number one was being the best I can be at at boxing, and yeah, my belief as well, which Glenn got in my head, was I could be a world boxing champion. So I had a belief I could be the best, and I would fight no matter who was in front of me, and I would always believe I could beat them because I had the answers to beat anyone.

Magnus 18:45

Just expand on that because I see that as being super important. Like you've had someone like Glenn in your corner for a very, very long time, and he was that bloke, like you pointed out when you were just starting out, that said, mate, you could be world champion. Having somebody that's got that level of belief in you, and how important was that?

Jeff 19:02

Yeah, it's extremely important to have someone that will have that kind of belief in you, but no one's gonna give you that belief unless you show how much you kind of want it, right? So I was showing that I was interested in this sport and I was doing the best I could at it. So he was like, Yeah, you've got what it takes. I think I can see you've got the mentality, you've got the skills. Um, I can just obviously I didn't have the amount of skills that I needed that point in time where he said you could, but that's like anyone, anyone can do it. They've just got to have that work ethic ethic to get there.

Don 19:33

Talent's one thing, effort and belief, and then the dedication is another thing, right? Then that's it. You've got to have a bit of dog in here, as you said.

Magnus 19:41

What's that saying? Hard work beats talent when talent don't work hard.

Ryan 19:45

Yeah, 100% of the time. That but I also think as well, it goes to show the talent of the coaches in Australia, like especially like all the boys that are coming through now. Like, you know, fortitude boxing just over there with Connor Wallace and all those boys, Steve Deller doing the training there.

Jeff 20:04

Yeah, Steve's doing a great job with all the fighters, absolutely amazing coach.

Ryan 20:09

Um, like all those boys down there, and it's it's just amazing to see the talent kind of start to get recognised. And I think that was really, really to kind of start with with yourself. Um, you know, but prior to that, I think Australian boxing, we've had a few people, but then after Jeff kind of blew or when a school teacher comes out and becomes a world boxing champion, everyone goes, Well, maybe I can do that.

Don 20:35

That's another thing, right? Like the ninth person becomes a world champion in boxing.

Ryan 20:39

I have to ask, like, with speaking of like the new boxers. So five years ago, yesterday you fought um Timmy Zoo. How was it? Five years yes, sir. Yeah, five years. Wow. Yeah. I had a notification come up.

Magnus 20:55

Ryan's doing his research, good on you.

Ryan 20:56

Yeah, no, I do. I I love Tim. Like I love what he what he's doing. And um, I my first actual physical fight that I got to go watch was him and Gold Coast when he knocked out I I think it was Carlos and one of the boys within like 45 seconds. Yeah, bit of a waste of money, but like look, I'm not gonna not gonna go into that. But like, how was it like the difference of like fighting like someone, one of the up-and-comers kind of in this scene as well? Because he, you know, he's a little bit younger and was it almost like that handing of the torch for a little bit?

Jeff 21:29

Yeah, I g I guess so. That's what they said it was gonna be, didn't they? They said it was gonna be the handing of the torch. I didn't think it was going to be at the time, but I guess that mindset of me of not worrying too much about Tim is what made that a super dangerous life for me. And I underestimated how good he was because I'd fought in all international opponents, yeah, world title holders. I was like, this guy's not gonna have anything, but that that goes to teach me a lesson as well. Don't underestimate an Australian fighter.

Magnus 22:01

How do you deal with that? Like I think that it's boxing's such a confident sport, and when you're on top and you know that right, you've won.

Jeff 22:08

But how do you deal with when you get smacked around a little bit or you get knocked out and look, I guess it does take some time and you you need to get back in the gym and just doing exactly what you know you should be doing, and that normally can kind of fix things fix things up. But yeah, it's a lot of soul searching and finding out, and I think that's exactly what's happening to Tim Zoo at the moment, and he's really trying to find himself again and um hopefully he can come back.

Magnus 22:35

He's a warrior, he'll come back.

Ryan 22:37

Yeah, honestly, I thought the second time he versed Fandora, I was like, surely, surely he's gonna get it.

Jeff 22:43

Yeah, I I that first sure he's gonna get this guy this time. Absolutely killing. It's like Fandora had like some super confidence from the first one. I think Tim was a bit destroyed from the the couple of losses he had in a row. Yeah, his confidence was probably not quite up there and just didn't go his way, which is what happens in life. Sometimes it just doesn't go your way, and that's it.

Ryan 23:07

It goes to show as well just how easily your rhythm can get disrupted, and you see it, you you see these f fighters that just absolutely cracker fighters, and honestly, that first one he lost, like I yeah, bit of a bit of a absolute fluke to be honest, but that head gash and everything. Oh, it was frustrating to watch, and now you know that's he's disrupted, but again, like coming back from that yourself, like it is it just rebuilding that confidence again and again and again, training again and again.

Jeff 23:42

Yeah, I guess so. It happened to me against Michael Zaraffa, right? Like I underestimated him just like I underestimated Tim and um he beat me the first time. So I was just like, wow, okay, now um really got to go back to the drawing board and go, I'm gonna train absolutely properly, put everything, do everything right, what I normally do to it for with other fights, and came back and didn't put on the performance of my life, but I I got him. I I I got I won the fight, which is what the most important thing for me exactly, which is what set up the Tim fight, which is what I I thought was gonna be probably an easier, an easier kind of match, and then yeah, you

The Pacquiao Fight And The Walkout

Jeff 24:21

live. I'm sitting here, and here's my last fight in my career. So well done to Tim.

Don 24:25

What do you think is the pinnacle of your fighting career is it's obvious? Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm I know that's the obvious question, but I'm asking you. I'm gonna pronounce it again though. No, hold on, for us looking from the outside in, that looks like the most obvious answer, right? But it's it's yeah, that's the most oh like there's a lot of money involved in it, there's the audience there, but as a fighter for you, is was that it was oh a hundred percent.

Jeff 24:53

Like that's the the biggest moment where everything was leading up to. I guess all the little wins along the way, yeah, even though they weren't little wins, they were massive wins at the time, but everything in perspective when after that happens, it was just life-changing. I didn't realise how much life how much that would change my life beating Manny Pacquiao, but it was insane. So he was definitely the I guess the pinnacle of my boxing career, and to have that belief at that point in time is what I needed.

Don 25:23

Tell us a bit about leading up to it because uh did you think you could beat him? Manny Pacquiao at that time was he was up there, right? Like he he he probably uh took still is man, yeah, yeah, he is, yeah. He's an amazing monster, right? Like, but he probably took that fight for granted a little bit too, it's the same way for what you're saying.

Jeff 25:48

Michael, whoever, uh is when you underestimate someone just a little bit, it's a big advantage when you're in in there with them and you're going, Whoa, I did not expect this that they were to be that good, and I think that's what I did to Many Pacquiao. I was nice to him, respectful. Um, he thinks just a school teacher, I'm going in to get paid 10 million bucks to go knock out this school teacher. Easy work. He just basically came for a holiday to Australia, and that's not what he got.

Magnus 26:15

Yeah, just describe for us. I'm just intrigued. What was it like? Like there's 50,000 plus people at Suncorp Stadium, and you're walking out there. What was what was the song that you walked out to?

Jeff 26:27

Uh it was Seven Nations Army White Stripes. So that's my walk-out song for my fights from I don't know when up very early in my boxing career where I decided that was the one that pumped me up. And when I hear that, that means it's not long now until I'm thrown.

Magnus 26:43

So do you remember what was going through your mind as you stepped into the ring?

Jeff 26:48

Uh no, I was 50,000 people cheering. Yeah, look, I was not really I was focused on the ring, I think. Like in that moment in time, walking out, I I knew I couldn't let the crowd affect me. I was like, Yeah, sure, I'll I'll hit hands and stuff like that. But my focus was I've got to get in that ring. Like that ring is my destination right now, and that's exactly where I'm walking to right now to to fight the fight of my life. So that was my focus. I'm I'm on my way there.

Ryan 27:17

Do you think that's the best performance, boxing performance you've ever given of your career? Or what what what was like the highlight boxing performance skills? Wise looking back on it, looking at the videos, you can go, man, I just did everything right that day. Would you say uh yeah?

Jeff 27:33

Look, it was it was pretty pretty good. It was a pretty good performance. I guess it's hard to tell because uh of the skill level and styles of different different fighters, it's hard to go, oh that was the best one. But I can remember putting on a clinic against Rico Mueller here in Brisbane and uh outbox boxing his ears, ears off basically, and stopping him in that fight. But um the many Pacquiao one surely has to, even in my head, because it was my breakout fight, yeah, and the biggest one that it has to be the one that I have to go. That has to be the the top.

Don 28:04

How did you prepare for that fight in mentally and physically? But mentally would be the biggest fight, right?

Jeff 28:10

To get into I guess the mental part I I found it reasonably easy. Like I I got the questions all along through my career is he was my target, world title, the best out there. I want to beat a world champion to become a world champion, and I guess the belief was there, like I had that already. So that was my mindset walking in there and going around in that fight.

Magnus 28:35

Was there less pressure, do you think, because you're the underdog?

Jeff 28:38

Yeah, there is uh less pressure, I guess, when you're when you're an underdog, but you still have all the pressures, even when you are that you have other people going on here, you're gonna do really well.

Ryan 28:48

Self-expectation, right?

Jeff 28:49

Yeah, and in yourself. I'm like, this is what I've said to myself. I'm gonna become this, is I'm gonna do everything I can to get there, and I believed it. So if I was to stuff up on that that occasion, I've let myself down as well.

Ryan 29:03

I suppose it would have been strange as well. Like, I've always found like fighting an opponent when you realize they're a person and you're doing your face off, and there's all these ideas thrown out, and you can watch the videos and you can do that, but then you're standing across and getting into the ring, and you're like, You're a dude. Like, and uh and it I suppose that would have been ringing into your head walking into the ring and and and seeing them across, it's like real now. Like we're gonna you know punch the shit out of each other.

Jeff 29:30

Yeah, I guess so. That's when you're getting announced and the crowd's cheering, and you're like, It's about to happen. This is it. I'm about to punch on with many pacquiao.

Don 29:41

And you punch hard, you win, and then what?

Jeff 29:44

Yeah, the dreams come true at that point when it gets announced.

Don 29:47

Then ready, yeah.

Jeff 29:48

Um the life changes, I guess. Everything from that point it was a blur. I was getting pulled left and right and centre. Everyone wanted a piece of me, like radios, TVs, just the people, the normal person out there. I felt like I had to hide under a rock, like turn everything off and and hide. I couldn't even go to my house and chill because I'd have paparazzi sitting outside my house waiting to get a photo. And so it was it was a it was a crazy time and not something I kind of expected after a win from him, but I guess who who would thought I don't think about everything. I guess the money was gonna change, but the fame part and everything that comes with that type of fame, uh, that's what was really, really hard.

Don 30:32

How how was it financially? Uh, you said he he came for a ten million dollar payout. Um, how does it work for the opponent?

Jeff 30:40

I was guaranteed a purse as well, so I was guaranteed a half million dollars to fight.

Don 30:46

Big difference between ten million dollars.

Jeff 30:47

Just big, big, big difference. Uh, but big difference to what I was getting paid before. So before that, I was on a twenty-five thousand dollar refight deal. Wow, okay. Okay, that it might have been different if you weren't signed with the promoter, but I was signed with the promoter, I was getting paid weekly. Um, I had sponsors on board as well, and yeah, it took like that that amount of money was was good for me back then. But to get that opportunity for half a million dollars plus the pay-per-views.

Don 31:13

Yeah.

Jeff 31:14

So you got a share of the pay-per-views, yeah, which we ended up making it nearly a million dollars anyway.

Don 31:19

Wow, how old were you then?

Jeff 31:21

Good question. The office? 2017?

Don 31:25

Yeah, a while ago.

Jeff 31:26

How many years is that eight now? Is it? Yeah. I was about 30. We were all younger.

Don 31:32

We were all younger. I was about 30 at that time. Okay.

Fame Money And What Came Next

Don 31:35

So what happened after that? So once the dust settled, how do you how do you plan from that and then take the next step?

Jeff 31:44

Well, I guess you're on a high for quite some time, right? Like I'm it was a struggle to probably sleep that night, but um yeah, it was it took a w while and then it was like, okay, now you have to keep fighting. And I was under contract anyway. Bob Aram had already signed me for two for a two-fight deal if if I was to win, yeah, if I was potentially to become a winner against many pacquiao. So next one was like, okay, next fight. It was just like they want to hear this. People want to hear this straight away. It's like, okay, we've got to figure out who we're gonna who we're gonna fight next and where we're gonna fight.

Don 32:19

So who was next?

Jeff 32:20

Gary Corcoran. Who's next? He was the next guy. Um, he was in the ratings for the WBO, and we're like, all right, um, we'll get this guy to come come to Australia and fight, and we'll we'll sell out another venue.

Don 32:34

Yeah, how did that go?

Jeff 32:36

Yeah, good. He was he was a tough opponent still, uh, but I managed to to stop him in the late later rounds, but he was um a good spectacle. It wasn't over over quickly, he was a tough guy, and he was a gypsy. He he and he was um just like uh Tyson.

Ryan 32:54

So did you ever get to meet?

Jeff 32:56

Like who I have met him, kind of. He was a uh a function, but I think he was just off he's busy and he has people left, right, and centre all the time, like trying to get up to him, get a photo with him, talk to him, and I just I know what that it was like, and I I'm not someone to go in and try and get something.

Celebrity Boxing And The Tyson Debate

Don 33:16

What do you think about the new the entertainment side of boxing right now?

Ryan 33:20

There's you know, there's boxing and then there's the um ties and furies and the organized fights that's going on at now with all the YouTubers like Davis is gonna be fighting Jake Paul on Netflix. Yeah.

Don 33:35

What what are your thoughts?

Ryan 33:37

I've just got a thing.

Jeff 33:38

Look, I I I get I don't even know how that fight happened. I've been raging about it for like the last couple of weeks. Silly. That's a massive guy against a little boxer.

Don 33:49

So this is why I asked, have you ever things don't make any sense to me anymore? It used to be in weight classes all the time and it was organized, but since of late, it's that that's what I said. I wouldn't be surprised if you actually fought.

Jeff 34:00

There's there's boxing and then there's boxing circus. Sometimes the circus draws more money and more crowd, and that's the the bad part about the sport.

Ryan 34:09

When did that start? Because it always surely. Surely it was McGregor crossing over from the UFC.

Jeff 34:15

Uh potentially.

Ryan 34:16

That was kind of when it became huge because I remember that was like a people have been doing it for years though, right?

Don 34:21

Yeah, has it been? Because I I I don't think I I've ever noticed. I've seen boxing, if you could put it in that way, like the cricket of the sport. It's very disciplined and very technical.

Jeff 34:32

You know that works because you've got crossover guys from other sports that go, oh, I'll have a boxing fight, and they're super popular. You have whole heights of footy players fighting because people want to watch her. But then you have the likes of Gallon and Sonny Bill and all these other guys that actually are pretty good. Yeah, they do deep they are decent at boxing because they're naturally gifted and obviously naturally talented, but it's just probably a little bit too late for them, but they do all right.

Ryan 34:58

Yeah, yeah. But no, I I would say probably McGregor um crossing over to fight Mayweather was was like the the mainstream that was that was the mainstream, and then you had like the Paul brothers come over and they just started calling out everyone, anyone, and they were calling out other athletes, and they just had such a huge following on YouTube.

Don 35:21

Yeah, but are these fights real? That that's what really look.

Ryan 35:25

I I hate to admit it, man, because I like I'd I've watched you know Jake Paul from when he started to now, and look, the I'm not gonna comment on the Mike Tyson fight because that was a shame.

Don 35:36

I'm not going to that.

Ryan 35:38

I was getting there because it that was yeah, it was hot, it was hard to watch, but like Jake Paul is actually like a decent boxer, but should he be fighting like Davis or like any no, no, absolutely not.

Jeff 35:50

Well, how do they make that interesting and even the size difference in the guys? It's gonna make a big difference, isn't it?

Don 35:56

That's what I was surprised when you guys were surprised when I said, Have you ever fought free?

Jeff 36:01

I don't know how they sanction these things. I don't know how they're getting into this law.

Ryan 36:05

He owns his own like pay-per-view stuff, like he owns his own promotion. So Jake Paul comes in and goes, Hey, you you want some of the pay-per-view, and we're gonna make millions of dollars.

Don 36:15

As long as people are willing to pay for it, as long as there's anything, it's entertainment, right? I hate it because I'm gonna watch it.

Magnus 36:21

Let's change things up a little bit.

Don 36:22

No, no, before we go, I want to ask about the the the the one you didn't want to talk about. No, I don't want to talk about it. Upset me.

Ryan 36:30

What about you, Jeff? What do you think? Mike Tyson versus Jack Paul.

Jeff 36:34

Yeah, it was a it was a money grab. It was a money grab from both of them. Mike Tyson was a part of it.

Don 36:39

Tyson didn't lose that fight, right?

Jeff 36:42

Well, there's no way he's not Mike Tyson, though.

Don 36:46

That wasn't Mike Tyson, even 10% of Mike Tyson would have been old man. I know. Even then, but did you see him train the training?

Ryan 36:54

It doesn't matter. No way. Like you guys were gonna hear genuine. Jake Paul would definitely just the age difference doesn't matter. Jake Paul will get him.

Jeff 37:01

Yeah, Jake Paul would have got him. Absolutely. Unfortunately, yes, age it's I guess.

Don 37:09

All right, we can move on now. I just I just wanted to ask that it's been in my head.

Jeff 37:12

I was hoping, as you were saying, I was hoping when we watched that, I was like, come on, Mike, get out of there, yeah, smash him, knock him out, please. For the the the sport, just shut him up. And you watch them and you're like, this is not even a fight. This is they're mucking around with each other and getting paid millions. Barring, barring match. Yeah, barring match.

Magnus 37:31

I wanted to find out about how you handle public criticism. Um, and I know obviously you've you've had plenty of wins, but then there's always with every win there's gonna come some haters. And how did you deal with that? And in particular now with social media.

Jeff 37:48

Look, you you're never gonna go through your life and do everything perfect. I guess that's what you've got to just know, and everyone's gonna know that just living through life is you're not gonna be perfect all the time, and and you're gonna make mistakes, and that's what I did in the boxing world. I made mistakes, and sometimes it didn't go to plan, and I lived with it, and I mentally accepted things that I needed to work on and improve on. And it didn't matter if you have every what every man and their dog dissing you. It's like don't worry, I know. I don't need to read your comments because I know in myself I might have screwed up, but um, I can do better. So and that's what I did. I would always strive forward.

Ryan 38:30

I was gonna say sitting at home with a world champion belt around you probably helps heaps heaps as well. Like, yeah, guys, I'd be reading through that with it's like I have done it.

Jeff 38:41

Yeah, I have been there, I've I've got to the pinnacle of the sport. I don't need you now as an um armchair expert to tell me that I'm crap.

Magnus 38:51

I can see you, Ryan, Sunday afternoon on the lounge chair. You've got your belt on, feeling pretty good about yourself. Is that is that what you do on a Sunday afternoon?

Ryan 39:00

I I'm Sunday, Sunday morning. I'm out. I've got the grill on, I've got the belt on around. Ask Jenny, look at her.

Don 39:06

She's so it is true. It is true.

Ryan 39:10

Everyone, that's that's what the belts are for. Did uh you got the memo as well. They say please wear this.

Don 39:15

You turn up your barbecue, Jeff, with a belt on.

Jeff 39:17

Look, I take my belt around to a lot of schools and show it off to the kids and they get a good on you, mate. A high from it, so that's that's great.

Don 39:24

That's

Bullyproof Education Empathy And Technology

Don 39:25

talking about schools and kids. You know, we talked about um, you know, your experience with bullying as a kid. Um, I'm reading the t-shirt bullyproof. I'm assuming now you're doing something um to prevent that from happening for future generations.

Jeff 39:44

Like is that is that trying to uh it's all about education, right? The the more we know, the smarter we are, and the less normally bad things that can kind of happen to us.

Don 39:54

So, what is bullyproof? What what do you what do you do?

Jeff 39:56

So we've got a program in schools that um helps with uh easing the conflict that kind of happens because conflict happens everywhere, no matter what. It's part of learning and growing, but some people mismanage that conflict and do something stupid when it kind of comes to them, and that's when things can escalate out of control, and you can have coward punches and people dying out there, so it's or or they they're just bullying left, right, and centre, and then that person ends up taking their own life. And we want to teach people how to treat each other better, and uh that normally starts from a very young age. So we start the program uh with the prep kids or the grade one kids at schools and uh take it all the way through to grade 12.

Don 40:37

Is this something you've always wanted to do because of your experience as a kid?

Jeff 40:41

Look, uh no, this hasn't been something I was like from the the get-go, um, going, Oh, I want to program in schools. It's just kind of come at me uh left field and going, yeah, I would I would be good at this. Like after becoming a world boxing champion, it's like people would listen to to what I've got to say. So um I had been tough through tough times. I'd I'd said it through my boxing career in the school days, but um now it's about I guess giving back and making sure the next generation aren't broken when they get older.

Don 41:12

How do you think bullying has changed in the new age?

Jeff 41:15

Technology. Technology's changed everything, and uh kids can't escape it these days. Uh back in the day, you could go to school, go home, nothing, go play with kids across the street or whatever, but now you you get in buzz left, right, and centre, and people could be online bullying you.

Don 41:31

So Yeah, that that that's the thing, right? Like you could have an argument with a kid in school, and then you go home and then you start again. You probably haven't experienced this, but for us uh growing up in a different generation before the internet, yeah.

Ryan 41:46

Um I I didn't really get bullied.

Jeff 41:51

I I I just bullied yeah, I was gonna say bullied, yeah, yeah.

Ryan 41:57

No, no. I I wanted a lucky 75. No, I I I was I was really, really lucky. We my entire year was probably we were all friends with each other. We had we still have a Facebook group, we catch up with each other. We'd like literally probably very, very fortunate.

Magnus 42:13

So if you were on the Sunshine Coast too, so is that do you think that beach lifestyle is that is there just as much bullying, Jeff Coastal Towns?

Don 42:21

I think bullying happens everywhere.

Ryan 42:23

Well Dicky Beach, we just had like a bunch of this was like a few days ago, 14 to 17 year olds, like uh 10 of them beat up an old man, like like just yeah, like quite like so like youth crime is is on the rise. And you know, I've worked a lot with like the youth justice, I see a lot in the disability sector, and the like the it is getting worse and worse and worse, especially in Australia, knife crime, all those types of things. So it's especially now that we have technology, I think we that accessibility that kids have to each other to be able to harm each other and what they're exposed to, it's not the same. Like before, people were worried about you know kids playing Grand Theft Auto and watching, you know, bad movies. Now it's they have a phone from 12 years old.

Jeff 43:13

Yeah. And and the techno and what they can see on that phone is the amount of information that they can get at their age that their brain probably can't really answer.

Don 43:22

But every every generation's been afraid of the new, right? I remember the Beatles were the the Antichrist. Then when I was growing up, it was the the the you you can listen to the lyrics back to front and you were listening to the devils. But I think we're at a real crossroads right now.

Jeff 43:40

Well, social media's not necessarily gonna ruin the youth, but we've made that now that it's a ban. It's a ban on on kids to be using Facebook, which I think is uh is a great thing. So is it gonna work? Yeah, look, it it solves some problems, but yeah, look, they'll they'll find a way. There's normally always a way with technology to Find a way around it. But as long as you can kind of cure majority of it, then a lot of the problems will probably drop.

Ryan 44:07

Well, if we can go into your program a little a little bit more, and uh like I'd I'd be you know very, very interested from my experiences because I find like a lot of a lot of the kids once they're given a little bit more time, a little bit more understanding and and actually educated on these things, as you've said, and what once you're actually educated. I remember for for me in you know, training boxing, you don't put your hands on anyone outside of the ring ever. Like, and I'm sure it was the same. You you just don't do that, it's just uh it's not even in your hindsight. You go to the ring, you fight in the ring, you spar with your partners. You do not do that anywhere else. You just it doesn't even cross your mind. So is that the type of thing that's like you your program's trying to teach kids, or is that how do how do you guys improve it?

Jeff 44:52

Yeah, we go, we go right back in in the program. Like um, we we go right back to thoughts and feelings of of the kids when they're younger because um that's where it all starts, right? And if you're feeling this way, sometimes people get angry and they might say something stupid or do something bad to you or someone else. It's like it's just how you react to that. So it's teaching them, okay, bad things will happen. Uh, what's this person going through? What's happened to them? Um to so kind of try and think and process about the why this action might be happening to them.

Ryan 45:25

So don't just quickly lash back out and so like a cause and effect and creating that empathy for kids and understanding, yeah. Awareness.

Jeff 45:33

That's there's so much awareness out there of like don't bully, but people are like, Well, why not?

Ryan 45:39

Yeah, it's like what is bullying? Kids don't really you know have the skills to be able to do that in inherently unless they're taught by their parents, and you're actually taught that you're not gonna be able to do it and then parents are so busy these days as well.

Jeff 45:52

It's it's hard for parents sometimes to to get it all out and all the information they need. So we need to be teaching the kids in school uh I guess proper behaviors of what's expected.

Magnus 46:05

Speaking of um family, you've obviously family man now, two kids.

Jeff 46:10

Three three, how old are they? I've got uh eight, set uh six and three, basically.

Magnus 46:19

Yeah, so how do you balance? Obviously, back in your fighting days, you had to be quite aggressive in the ring, and you were uh clearly being able to compartmentalize that, and then once you step out of that ring, like you were saying, Ryan, and then now having being a family man.

Jeff 46:34

So look, it's uh it's the best job in the world, I guess. Uh to some people. Uh I love being a parent, love bringing up my girls, and um yeah, couldn't think of anything better to do.

Don 46:47

Mate, have you actually retired now?

Jeff 46:51

From boxing, yeah, sure. Um unless they came out with some ridiculous offer as you were saying before, like with a YouTuber or something.

Ryan 47:00

Yeah, I felt like Jake Paul, John, Jeff Horns here, just say 50 million at the line.

Jeff 47:07

If I was get some stupid offer like that, then of course, like you've got to think about that, right? It's like yeah, if I'm gonna go give out a million dollars to someone, people be like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, me, me, me. I'm I'd be the same thing if I was gonna if a YouTuber like Jake's like, yep, I'll I'll give you a file, give you 10 million bucks or whatever, or a percentage of pay for you to come. I was just like, sure, let's do it.

Ryan 47:30

Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

Magnus 47:32

When you

Family Life Retirement And Identity Shifts

Magnus 47:33

retired, I know that when I stepped down from a fairly high position I had and entered into another phase of my life, I went through a bit of an identity crisis because people that I knew when I had that role, they associated me with that particular role, not with obviously the person that I was. How's that been for you? Like you're Jeff Horn, world boxing champion, and as soon as you pull the gloves off and you retired. How have you gone through yourself with personal struggles on for your identity?

Jeff 48:03

Um, yeah, I guess you do. I you at times you I do go through and you're like, oh gosh, like no one knows who I am anymore. And it's just like, what have I gotta do? Have I gotta go back and have have another boxing fight or something?

Don 48:17

I don't want to do just put your belt on and start walking around, mate. Then then there's a club.

Jeff 48:22

I'll be getting some strange looks, I reckon, as well. But um, yeah, I don't know, you just I guess deal it's just something I've had to deal with, right?

Ryan 48:31

It it probably almost like nice in a way as well, just to be able to revel it.

Jeff 48:36

To disappear, that's what you want, right? Like you want you want to disappear into the sunset, yes, and people just to figure out who you were and you can just live a normal life, yeah. But at the same time, you go, wait, like this this fame and fortune part, if I'm able to keep that going, yeah, that that's obviously opportunities that you you're letting go. So you're like, it's the opportunities, right?

Don 48:57

More than anything else. But there's there's some people who build their whole identity around what they do. Some sports people, it's just like that's their identity, they don't know anything.

Jeff 49:06

Yeah, I guess I was lucky enough that I I did boxing for a certain amount of time, and the whole point of boxing is the showmanship of it, but then to win, and I was able to win, get the money, get out with my health, and pity there's not a mastering program like Don here sitting next to me, 48-year-old over 400 meters.

Magnus 49:27

Over how many meters?

Don 49:28

400.

Magnus 49:29

Your particular sport, how what's the oldest guy that's doing masters athletics?

Don 49:34

I think the last time I checked, there was a 99-year-old guy. 49-year-old.

Magnus 49:39

So you never have to retire. So Don's never ever going to go through any identity crisis because he's still running.

Don 49:44

But I think there's a big difference, right? One's getting punched in the face, the other one is just doing what you're born to do. Yep. Run. So there are certain things you can keep doing while when you get old, but I I would not probably advocate someone to be punching each other at 99 years of age. It's a big difference.

Ryan 50:03

Yeah, no, I'd have to agree with Don that. Like, man, my my last fight, that that first round, man. I've never wanted to be out of the ring more in my life.

Don 50:14

But and he's how old?

Ryan 50:18

Oh, 26. I had to think about that. See, look at that, it's already coming in.

Magnus 50:22

So, what do you do nowadays? Like, let's talk about longevity and sustainability because you're still taking care of yourself, and you're obviously doing the program that you're doing throughout the schools, but just from a physical and mental perspective, what do you get up to?

Jeff 50:35

Oh, look, it's it's a lot of playing with the kids to be honest. Like, that's where I save my energy for the afternoons when they they come home and I can throw on them around and run around with them. But uh I I'm starting to get to the point where I get closer and closer to go, okay, I've got to do something. I actually played touch footy the other night, uh filled in with for my wife's touch touch team, the mixed touch team, which yeah, it was exhausting, but she said that I wasn't gonna be able to do it, and I'm here now. I can say it on podcast that I did do it.

Don 51:06

I saw him once again. Did you guys win?

Jeff 51:10

No. Okay. Well, you didn't win, but that doesn't matter. The result doesn't matter. The result is I was able to play.

Don 51:17

I didn't see you walk in. Were you limping? Just just checking.

Ryan 51:20

Yeah, I was gonna say, can you stand up for us?

Jeff 51:23

No, it was fine. It was probably a couple of weeks ago now, but yeah, yeah, that was and he's just recovered.

Magnus 51:29

So, what about legacy? What's that look like for you? What do you want to be remembered for?

Jeff 51:34

Oh, look, if I'm the what I'm doing now and changing lives, sure people are gonna remember the boxing, but um when I get messages on Facebook or Instagram or wherever, and I get kids messaging me sometimes and go, You've saved my life, like I was going to was gonna throw it all away. That's what changes you, right? And gives you goosebumps thinking about that's the type of influence you can have on people, and that's what I can have these days. And why not use that as much as I can in these schools and with school children to to kind of change lives. I think it's fantastic.

Don 52:11

Man, that's amazing. And that's again, uh for me, I think that's one of the biggest. I got I'm the dad of two daughters, like one of the biggest fears I had was the bullying part, because that's where as a society we're failing is that piece. Yeah. Um, where you know you can't when you see kids just giving up on life because they couldn't get along in society, it just doesn't make any sense to me.

Jeff 52:34

It does it doesn't make sense. That's why uh we're here to educate uh the teachers and students out there and get a program that will will change their their way of thinking.

Ryan 52:45

Yeah. Well, I think it's getting kids as well um more accustomed to adversity as well and and how to overcome it. And like, you know, your stories are at you know, probably one of the pinnacle examples I remember being 18 and having my mum call me going, What did you just watch that fight? That was insane. And I was like, I'm watching it right now. But like you know, you you yourself, you know, almost the narrative that that you brought of like you can overcome anything, yeah, like no matter how bad it looks, or how that's what I want people to think, right?

Jeff 53:17

Like, I I'm I'm just literally I'm an ordinary guy, and I did an extraordinary thing, and that's what I want other people to think. Because a lot of people out there think I'm just ordinary, I can't do anything s spectacular like that. Like, yes, you can. All you gotta do is believe in yourself.

Magnus 53:32

Well, he's that's anything believer in that. In in in I think we all have unlimited potential, and I think it's fantastic that you're able to get in there with the schools because I still remember back like when Glenn sat you down and looked you in the eye and said you can be world champion. Yeah, you obviously showed some things, but imagine that turning point in your life if you hadn't met Glenn. You're still a great fighter, but just the impact that he had and having somebody that believed in you, I think you're going along into these schools as well, because I think you're an inspiration.

Jeff 54:00

Yeah, I think it's a it's a crazy moment, I guess. Me rock rocking up to Glenn's gym. I could have gone to any gym, and I think I did go to some other gyms out there, but the that relationship and connection and his belief that I could do something crazy in the amount of time that kind of I really wanted to do in the sport was, I guess.

Don 54:18

Is there anything you would have done differently in your life?

Jeff 54:22

Oh, definitely not. Well in the boxing world and not underestimating the opponents, I underestimated. Uh uh look, there's there's I guess regrets that I've I've had for sure in the past when I was probably younger and the way you treat people, you everyone can probably think back to a time they're like, Oh, yeah, I really probably shouldn't have done that or treat that person that way. But I guess they're the type of moments you were like, Oh, I wish I could take that back. Because I wonder how that person is these days.

Ryan 54:49

Yeah, oh wow. Well if you could rematch those two questions, if you could rematch any one of your opponents, who would you like to rematch?

Jeff 54:58

Rematch.

Ryan 54:59

I guess that would have to be peak form, peak form, like your peak form.

Jeff 55:03

I guess that would have to be Manny again. That's what people would want, right? They would go, uh well, find him again.

Ryan 55:10

And there's a $10 million fight for you.

Jeff 55:12

Yeah, exactly. So but he doesn't want that, and I know he doesn't want it, so I know it's safe for me to probably even say his name because Manny Packing wants nothing to do with it.

Ryan 55:21

Posting that everywhere, by the way.

Magnus 55:23

Have you spoken to him since? No, I haven't spoken to him.

Don 55:26

I don't think he wants to, yeah. I think that was uh it was uh pretty so little, yeah.

Jeff 55:30

I think he was very happy with me.

Ryan 55:34

I don't know why he did not ex yeah, I don't know why if you could fight anyone despite weight division, you like like you got to fight anyone, who would you fight in their peak and you're at your peak and weight doesn't matter, you're the same one.

Don 55:48

Do they have to be dead or alive or it doesn't matter?

Jeff 55:50

Yeah, anyway. He got to live that moment somehow.

Ryan 56:00

Money makes dreams come true.

Jeff 56:01

Yeah, exactly. If you've got enough money, you can just pay them make more money off it.

Safety And Fair Divisions In Boxing

Don 56:08

Before we go to the quick quiet questions, I've got to ask you one tough one. This um, you know, the the last Olympics we saw some controversial sort of decisions with the gender issue that's happening right now. What's your opinions? I'm I'm divided on it. Like it's um I think boxing is one of those things.

Jeff 56:29

If you're a male, you fight a male, if you're a female, you fight a female.

Don 56:32

But how do you define a male and female? And we saw that in the Olympics.

Jeff 56:35

Well, then you have another division. Another division, then you create another another division because it's not fair. It's not fair to have a male that is now female fighting a female. You can't you can't so you have to have create another category.

Magnus 56:50

It's like when you're filling out the forms now, it's male, female, or other.

Ryan 56:54

Well, you can think about like you're talking about bone structure. Like I I've sparred with you know female fighters that are a million times better than me, skill-wise, but it's just the physicality, like even if we're in the same way, just the punches just do not hit as hard, and you're sitting there and what about the females that have you know different level of testosterone or or different uh as Jeff said, different different division. It's like performance enhancements like hey, let's let's get into the ring. I'm gonna take a bunch of steroids.

Don 57:25

But it's natural, right? Like uh it it's a tough one to me.

Jeff 57:28

It might be natural, but uh uh as we say, we trying to use our brains here, like we have male, female, and other.

Don 57:38

Yeah.

Jeff 57:38

Like, right? We have people that that don't know what they are, they they're they're they're they're bisexual or they're yeah, they're just they don't know what they are either. So they're in the middle. Then you create the category that they that they are that they think Yeah.

Don 57:54

The the the the tough part for me at the end of the day, something like boxing, it's very it's dangerous, first of all. And once you sort of give and go a little bit to that side, it it becomes and we saw some of the results at the last Olympics. Um I'm coming from a track and feel piece where women are seeing the other side of it where there's a the a small differentiator could make them really fast, but they're still females, they are actual females. So um I don't I don't think we're gonna find a solution to this, but again, we need to do whatever we can.

Jeff 58:26

Why not just create another category? Yeah, we're if you just create another category, it just solves everything.

Don 58:31

Okay, well then But regardless of what it is, we've got to make sure that everyone's protected, right? Our females are protected, like we've we've fought for women's rights for years and years and years, and it seems like we're going to be able to do that.

Jeff 58:41

Everyone should be respected 100%.

Ryan 58:44

Well, the Special Olympics, they have numerous categories for the same thing. You you you go to swimming, they've got all these different categories and types of swimming as well. It's a little bit, yeah. But I'm just saying, like it's a it's based off capability, and I agree. I think a new division or like a a a di alternate alternative division would solve a lot of problems.

Don 59:05

Yeah, I don't think we're gonna find an answer to this. And I think it's gonna be an argument.

Magnus 59:09

And we are running out of time, mate. Quick

Quick Fire Lessons On Mastery

Magnus 59:13

fire question time. You ready, Jeff? Yep. One routine you learned growing up that you still do today. Clear my room. What did teaching give you that boxing never could? Uh patience. What's the best piece of advice that you give a terrified seven-year-old kid on Monday morning?

Jeff 59:32

Terrified kid on a Monday morning. Um, everything's gonna be okay. Uh your teacher loves you.

Magnus 59:39

How do you handle a hater on social media? Ignore them. A moment you handle conflict without throwing at a punch that you're proud of.

Jeff 59:48

Uh just I guess all the time on social media.

Magnus 59:53

What does a good day look like for you now?

Jeff 59:56

Chilling, quiet, and get to play with the kids in the afternoon.

Magnus 1:00:02

One habit that you'd like every Australian workplace to adopt this year.

Jeff 1:00:06

A habit? Um keep moving.

Magnus 1:00:11

What's the most misunderstood thing about bullying?

Jeff 1:00:14

Uh that it is uh it's it's a once-off, it's it happens it bullying is something that happens over and over and over again.

Magnus 1:00:23

If I shadowed you for 24 hours, what small detail would surprise me a bit? Looking back, what fight taught you the most about yourself?

Jeff 1:00:38

Uh what fight? Probably my I guess is it the fourth fight international titles where I I found that where I got pummeled basically by someone and I was like, okay, now I've I've learned what what it's like to to be on the end of a punishment like this.

Magnus 1:00:59

And if you had to teach an everyday person one principle from boxing to improve their life, what would that be?

Jeff 1:01:05

That's gotta be the discipline discipline part in boxing as well.

Magnus 1:01:09

Final question, mate. Finish this sentence.

Jeff 1:01:11

Mastery is working hard, failing, but then going again, keeping on trying.

Magnus 1:01:20

Well said. It's been an absolute pleasure having you in, mate. Love what you're doing with Bollyproof. You're an absolute inspiration and a world champion.

unknown 1:01:27

Thank you.

Don 1:01:28

Thank you all. Mate, uh did you ever go back to teaching?

Jeff 1:01:32

No.

Don 1:01:32

No.

Jeff 1:01:33

I'm I'm kind of involved in a way with the schools, right? With still going there and talking to the kids and the teachers, but no, not I'm not a never went back to classroom teaching.

Don 1:01:44

So when did you uh finish teaching?

Jeff 1:01:46

It would have been about 2012 when I went to the London Olympics.

Don 1:01:51

Yeah.

Jeff 1:01:52

I think after that, when I started professional boxing and started getting paid, yeah, I I stopped.

Don 1:01:58

You didn't want to go okay. Fair enough. I wouldn't do that.

Jeff 1:02:00

That's fair. Because I started getting paid for something else. I was like, if I need to to go to to do teaching, a day job when I was training throughout the day and getting paid basically.

Don 1:02:10

Probably one of the toughest jobs, tough tougher than fighting. I recommend I'm married to a teacher, so uh Yeah, it is a tough job.

Jeff 1:02:16

They've they've got it out for themselves these days, especially with how kids are, with what they're learning and their brains and one of the most noble professions in the world, not respected enough and not baired enough.

Don 1:02:29

100% agreed.

Magnus 1:02:34

Thank you, Don.

Don 1:02:35

Thank you.

Magnus 1:02:37

Hope you enjoyed this exciting episode of the Mastering Podcast. If you got value from today's conversation, hit that subscribe button now and share this episode with a friend. Until next time.