The Rocky Road
by News Ireland
An Irish boxing podcast that fans of all sports will love. No one gets to the top without overcoming adversity, in sport or in life. But as Rocky Balboa said, ‘it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward’. Every week on The Rocky Road, host Kevin Byrne and producer Simon Maguire will bring you the distance on some of the wildest journeys the sport has to offer. Pain, pride, passion and politics, the world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It's about how much you can take, and keep moving forward.
Episodes
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Jon Mackey: Conlan’s criticism, Zaur’s exit and changing Irish boxing
JON MACKEY tackles Michael Conlan’s criticism of Irish boxing in the first of a two-part interview with Kevin Byrne on The Rocky Road. Speaking at the Sport Ireland Institute, Boxing Ireland’s High Performance Director discusses the problems he inherited in April 2025, the disconnect between...
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Gary Stewart - Boxing Ireland CEO
Today on The Rocky Road, we are joined for the first time by Gary Stewart, CEO of Boxing Ireland (formerly the IABA). Originally from Cumbria, Gary's lifelong passion for sport eventually led him to Ireland after meeting his Wicklow wife, and he has recently celebrated the birth of his second…
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Mick Conlan: I'm Batman
Michael Conlan joins Kevin Byrne for an unfiltered look back at his career and what lies ahead. Mick reveals the crazy story behind his recent trip to Moscow and the truth about his Rio 2016 robbery, explains why Irish amateur boxing needs fresh blood on the coaching staff and breaks down Anthony...
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The House That Katie Built
Guest co-host Sinéad Kehoe (East Coast FM) joins us to unpack the true impact of Katie Taylor’s legacy - from opening gym doors for a new generation of female fighters to the harsh funding realities facing grassroots boxing on the ground. We hear from Brendan Fitzpatrick, former fighter and now...
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Brendan Kelly - Before Hollywood Came Calling
Actor, fighter, and storyteller Brendan Kelly sits down with Kevin Byrne on the Rocky Road Boxing Podcast for part one of a wide-ranging, raw conversation. Brendan reflects on his early years growing up in a fighting family, stepping into the ring as a 16-year-old at Chino State Prison and his…
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Kieran Molloy - My Time To Shine
Undefeated IBF European welterweight Champion Kieran Molloy returns to The Rocky Road. Four years on from his first appearance as a 3-0 prospect, the Galway southpaw joins Kevin Byrne to reflect on his rise to 15-0, overcoming pro ring adversity, honoring his Connemara roots, and where that...
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Time to Byrne
We’re joined by Jay Byrne of JB Boxing Promotions — and there is plenty to discuss. Dublin has enjoyed a boxing boom this summer, beginning with Byrne’s show at Leopardstown in July and concluding at the National Stadium on September 27, when Paul Loonam faces Ruadhan Farrell for the Irish...
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Katie Taylor - The Epic Finale
Kevin Byrne is joined by Gavan Casey to reflect on an epic night at Croke Park as Katie Taylor's celebrated career came to an end as a unified world champion after victory over Flora Pili. Kevin also catches up with Taylor's trainer Ross Enamait and RTE's Siobhan Madigan.
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Katie Taylor's Final Fight
It's finally here - Katie Taylor will fight at Croke Park this weekend in her sold-out finale against Flora Pili. Kevin Byrne and Simon Maguire look ahead to what could be described as the greatest goodbye in boxing history. The Irish icon will lace up the gloves for one final fight which will be...
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Brian Peters: GIFD - Part 2
The conversation continues in Part 2 as Brian Peters opens up on his decade-long bond with Katie Taylor and why they’ve operated on a handshake deal without a contract. Brian sets the record straight on the Amanda Serrano and Chantelle Cameron fights, reflects on coming out of retirement in...
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Brian Peters: GIFD - Part 1
In Part 1 of an exclusive two-part interview, legendary boxing manager Brian Peters joins Kevin Byrne to break down Katie Taylor’s historic Croke Park fight night and the landmark deal to bring live boxing back to RTÉ. Brian reflects on the 17-minute sell-out demand, why he and KT refuse to take...
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Aaron McKenna's World Title - The View from the Corner
Cornerman Tony Dunlop joins us to discuss Aaron McKenna’s IBF world middleweight title victory at the 3Arena. We talk about the years of hard work put in by dad and coach Fergal and his sons Aaron and Stevie, and why Belfast Kronk veteran Dunlop, who assists Fergal in the corner, believes this is...
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3Arena Debrief
Not for the first time, the 3Arena/O2/Point Depot has proven to be a house of pain for Irish boxing. Following in the footsteps of Bernard Dunne and Katie Taylor, Pierce O’Leary lost his unbeaten record in an enthralling encounter with Mark Chamberlain - a bout that is certain to make plenty of...
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Joe Ward - Time To Shine
Today, we’re joined by a man with one of the most decorated records in modern Irish boxing: three European gold medals, two World Championship silver medals, an Olympic appearance and a career as a professional contender. Since turning professional, his path hasn’t always been straightforward.…
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Pierce O'Leary - Ready To Leave His Mark
We hit Dublin Docklands BC this week to sit down with local hero Pierce O’Leary, who’s back in town for his rescheduled dust-up with Mark Chamberlain at the 3Arena on 1 August. ‘Big Bang’ tells us what it’s like to get exactly what he’s been looking for – and has sacrificed so much for – as he...
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Sean McComb - Who Wants It?
Belfast’s elite 140lb technician Sean McComb joins the pod to discuss the high-stakes, low-reward reality of being one of the most avoided fighters in world boxing. With an August 1 date at the 3Arena fast approaching and opponents still playing hide-and-seek, ‘Sugar Sean’ opens up about the...
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The Rocky Road to Croke Park - Part 2
In Part 2 of our special from Vicar Street on the Katie Taylor/Croker Park, it’s a heavyweight special - fitting, given Muhammad Ali was the last fighter to headline there. ‘No Carty, No Party’ seems to be the case once again as Dublin heavyweight Thomas Carty takes on durable Doncaster puncher...
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The Rocky Road to Croke Park - Part 1
The undercard for Katie Taylor’s Croke Park fight on September 5th has been officially confirmed - not that she needed one, judging by how ticket sales are said to have gone. In Part 1 of our special from Vicar Street, we hear from Jamie Conlan on how some of these fights came together. He…
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The Croc Hunter
Lewis Crocker surrendered his IBF world welterweight title after a gruelling battle with Liam Paro in Brisbane. Having won the belt in his closely contested rematch with Paddy Donovan at Windsor Park last September, the Croc was handed a stern first defence: a trip Down Under to face the home...
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Barry Jones - Katie Taylor's Last Dance
Barry Jones is a decorated ex-boxer turned pundit and analyst, a former WBO super-featherweight world champion who’s returning to Dublin this summer for a couple of key events in the calendar. First he’ll be ringside to call Pierce O’Leary v Mark Chamberlain at the 3Arena in August – then he’ll…
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Dublin's Boxing Boom
We’re mapping out what is about to be the most chaotic, star-studded and high-stakes summer in the history of Irish boxing. Four shows in less than two months, spanning from Leopardstown Racecourse to back-to-back weeks at the 3Arena, all leading up to a history making night at Croke Park when...
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Muhammad Ali - Ten Years On
This week, we sit down with former world title challenger, elite trainer, and boxing historian "The Iceman" John Scully. Ahead of his June 6 event at the legendary Deer Lake training camp to mark the ten-year anniversary of Muhammad Ali's death, Scully breaks down the complex legacy of The…
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Lee Reeves - The cream always rises to the top, eventually
This week on The Rocky Road, Kevin sits down with Limerick’s 15-1 southpaw Lee Reeves ahead of his May 30 return at Leopardstown Racecourse on a JB Promotions show. From the streets of Limerick to the lights of Madison Square Garden, Reeves’ journey has been anything but ordinary. In a deeply...
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Heavyweight Classic - Daniel Dubois v Fabio Wardley
Joining us to dissect the absolute chaos of the Daniel Dubois v Fabio Wardley heavyweight clash is a man who lives and breathes the sport. Hailing from a legendary fighting lineage in Drogheda, Chris McKenna is a former boxer himself and a top boxing journalist. He is the son of coaching icon...
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The Champ Returns: Ryan Burnett on The Rocky Road
Since hanging up the gloves, unified world champion Ryan Burnett hasn’t been looking for a quiet life. Whether it’s pushing supercars to the limit or tearing up tracks on motorbikes, he’s a man who still lives life on the edge. Now a boxing trainer in his own right, his latest challenge was…
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One Last Dance - Luke Keeler v Jason Quigley
Jason Quigley will have been out of the ring for more than three years; Luke Keeler for 2.5. But they're ready to park their retirements and meet at the centre of the ring at Croke Park when Katie Taylor rocks up for her retirement bout in September, all going well. Every Irish fighter born from...
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Dan Donnelly - Dublin Boxing Legend
Dublin actor, comedian and former international boxer Terry O’Neill joins us to talk about the upcoming show at the National Stadium, ‘In The Ring With Dan Donnelly & Dublin’s Boxing Legends’, taking place on May 9. Terry, who will perform a portion of his hit one-man show Rope-A-Dope on the…
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Heavyweight Madness
Heavyweight madness as The Sun's Wally Downes Jr joins us again to talk about Tyson Fury's comeback, the deadlock with Anthony Joshua and how it can be broken, the late surge of Deontay Wilder and the ongoing adventures of Oleksandr Usyk. We also look ahead to the title fight between British…
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Brandon McCarthy - American Dream
Brandon McCarthy is living the dream right now. As he prepares to get back in the ring in Las Vegas, after 13 months out, the Kilkenny boxer – a 16-time Irish amateur champion – reflects on the lesson’s he’s learned so far in the pros, boxing out of the famous Wild Card Gym in California where he...
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Steven O'Rourke - United They Stand
Steven O’Rourke runs O’Rourke’s Gym in Inchicore, Dublin. Originally from Denton in Manchester, boxing and Manchester United were the twin pillars of his youth - and they remain so today. Steven takes us back to street life in the 60s and 70s, running with the Manchester-Irish lads and learning...
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Ryan O'Rourke - Star is Rising
Kevin Byrne caught up with Ryan O'Rourke before his fight against Alex Vargas on April 17th was announced. O’Rourke is not easily dissuaded. At 26 years old and 13-0, with a promotional deal in the US with Star Boxing, the Dubliner’s trajectory looks envious from the outside. But behind the…
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Anthony Cacace's Dublin Delight
‘Ohh, Anto Cacace’ came the chant at the end of a blistering night in Dublin that saw the Belfast man crowned a two-time world champion. The Apache beat Jazza Dickens by unanimous decision to claim the Liverpudlian’s WBA super-featherweight strap. That came after the Big Bang – with Pierce...
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Belfast Brawl - Michael Conlan v Kevin Walsh
Belfast’s Michael Conlan and Brockton’s Kevin Walsh meet at the SSE Arena on March 20, with the stakes sky-high for both men. For Conlan, at 34, it’s about navigating the final chapter of a storied career. For the unbeaten Walsh, it’s the opportunity he’s been chasing since got the gloves back on...
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Kelsey Leonard - Off To A Flyer
Kelsey Leonard has got off to a flyer in professional boxing. Fittingly, that’s exactly how she started as an amateur: spotting a flyer at age nine inviting youngsters to her local club, showing up, and never looking back. Inspired by her idol, Katie Taylor, the Kildare native stormed the amateur...
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Gary Cully - Back To Work
Gary Cully could write a book about what’s happened since he last joined us. He’d have a chapter on the best win of his career and perhaps his worst defeat. We’d hear about the realisation that a drugs cheat cut him down in his prime, derailed his momentum and potentially cost him millions of…
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Paddy Gallagher - The Final Four
After one bender too many, one doghouse too many, Paddy Gallagher decided enough was enough. He was quitting the gargle for good. But when he made that decision, he never really expected what would follow – a boxing comeback. However that’s exactly what’s going down, with the Pat Man ready to...
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Paul Ryan - Resilience
‘Ravishing’ Paul Ryan tells us about, er, descending from a boxing Hall of Famer in Tipp’s ‘Trojan Giant’ Paddy Ryan, giving himself his own nickname and why Tyrone McKenna owes him a tattoo. The exciting Dublin middleweight moved into headliner category last year with an impressive victory over...
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John Cooney - One Year On
John Cooney died in February 2025 after suffering a brain injury during the first defence of his Celtic super-featherweight title against Nathan Howells. It was his 12th professional bout, and In total, he boxed 60 rounds across his dozen pro bouts, winning 11, right up to his final contest at…
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King Kong v Posh Boy
This is The Rocky Road to Dublin, Part 3. It’s going to be a big night of boxing at the 3Arena on March 14, headlined by the world title fight between Anthony Cacace and WBA champ, Jazza Dickens. Parts 1 and 2 dealt with the main event and co-main event featuring Pierce O’Leary versus Mark...
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St. Pierce's Day
St Pierce's Day weekend is coming. It’s going to be a big night of boxing at the 3Arena on March 14, headlined by the world title fight between Anthony Cacace and WBA champ, Jazza Dickens. The chief support bout sees Pierce O’Leary fighting in Dublin at long last. The local boxer takes on...
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Anthony Cacace v Jazza Dickens
Anto Cacace is starving. And not just for the Nando’s he’s been waiting all day for. The former IBF world super-featherweight hit The Rocky Road to Dublin to publicise his March 14 clash with Liverpool’s James ‘Jazza’ Dickens at the 3Arena, with Dickens putting his WBA world title on the line in...
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Feargal McCrory – ‘Don’t Miss Your Chance’
A new boxing year is upon us and a slew of Irish fighters are looking to break those chains and bring home some major titles. Among them is Tyrone titan Feargal McCrory, who’s KO’d inactivity once before and is determined to do so again. Since ‘Fearless’ last appeared on The Rocky Road, he’s…
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Wayne McCullough - WBC World Bantamweight Champion
Thirty (and a bit) years on from winning the WBC world bantamweight in Japan, Wayne McCullough sits down for a Christmas chat with The Rocky Road. We go back to his breakthrough as a teenager in Belfast, sparring with pros at the Eastwood Gym, his two Olympic Games which culminated in a silver...
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If Walls Could Talk - Cork Boxing Museum
The Tomás MacCurtain Boxing Museum opened in Cork last year, and The Rocky Road went for a guided tour with father-and-son duo, Tommy and Mick Kelleher. It’s not just a tribute to the Rebel County’s achievements in the ring but a testament to the impact Irishmen and women have made all over the...
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Kieran Joyce - Cork's 'Boxer of the Century' - Part 2
In Part 2 of The Rocky Road with Kieran Joyce, Cork’s Boxer of the Century, we tell the story of his career from the 1984 Olympics onwards, from Los Angeles to Seoul, where he boxed at his second Games. By then Kieran was a six-time Irish Elite champion and a dangerous man. He’d picked up...
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Kieran Joyce - Cork's 'Boxer of the Century' - Part 1
Kieran Joyce was named as Cork’s Boxer of the Century in 2014. A product of the Sunnyside Boxing Club, he boxed for Ireland at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games and is fondly remembered by fans as arguably the most exciting boxer to ever grace the National Stadium. The Rocky Road visited Kieran at...
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Tommy Kelleher - The Godfather of Cork Boxing
The Rocky Road took a trip to the Rebel County to sit down with the Godfather of Cork Boxing, Tommy Kelleher. He’s been coaching for five decades and took his first steps in the sport more than 70 years ago. Tommy has coached more than 30 Irish champions and internationals and led Ireland’s…
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Zaur Antia - Your Work Here Is Done
Zaur Antia – your mission is complete. You created universal boxers and delivered medals by the bucketload. Ten Olympic medals came Ireland’s way during your time in charge of the boxing team. As news filters through that the Georgian guru has stepped down as Irish boxing’s head honcho, The Rocky...
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Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn 2 Preview
Veteran boxing journalist Wally Downes Jr of The Sun joins The Rocky Road to break down this Saturday’s rematch between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn. Wally discusses the intense rivalry between the duo – or is it – along with the promotion’s lack of media engagement ahead of the showdown....
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Tommy Hyde - Homecoming
Undefeated contender Tommy Hyde (13-0) joins The Rocky Road after conquering rings in America, Australia and Spain since his last fight in Cork. We talk about his upcoming homecoming fight in Parochial Hall on November 29, break down his latest win over Patrick Allotey, and get his expert…
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About this show
An Irish boxing podcast that fans of all sports will love. No one gets to the top without overcoming adversity, in sport or in life. But as Rocky Balboa said, ‘it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward’. Every week on The Rocky Road, host Kevin Byrne and producer Simon Maguire will bring you the distance on some of the wildest journeys the sport has to offer. Pain, pride, passion and politics, the world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It's about how much you can take, and keep moving forward.
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