I had the pleasure of hosting a charity breakfast with Premier Chris Minns to raise funds for Chalky’s Gym in Moree.
Chalky’s isn’t just a boxing gym — it’s a place where young people in the community learn confidence, discipline, and character. Boxing has changed the lives of many out there. It gives kids purpose, routine, and someone in their corner. It’s also changed the lives of many in areas where crime and poverty are serious problems.
As part of the event, I sat down for a live podcast with two legends of the sport, Jeff Fenech and Johnny Lewis. We were also joined by Premier Minns and a representative from Chalky’s (Robert Burton) to talk about the incredible work they’re doing in Moree.
We spoke about the power of mentors, the discipline that boxing teaches, and why gyms like Chalky’s are so important — not just for the sport, but for shaping the next generation.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You deal with all the big issues, literally the big issues,
and I think you said, well, I was really lucky
for the way you've been dealing with the big issues.
But what's interesting is that this is a small issue,
but you still manage to be able to lean into
small issues. And I should say to you, this whole
thing is the Premier's initiative. He saw me about it,
(00:20):
but I only took control and so to speak, because
he's too busy tell you.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
The big issues, really big issues. I mean, what is
it that sort of drew you to helping joking out?
What was it that deal to you?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Well, Mark, I'm deeply indebted to you for doing this
that you don't have to do it, and you put
it together a really short batus and obviously you've got
a big heart, you care about these things.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I think it's I'm very very grateful.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
But I had a chat to you about having gone
on to Maury quite a few times. Maury is a
pretty tough town. It's got a lot of a lot
of crime issues.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
There's many underprivileged kids.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
It's it's very difficult for a lot of family and
they've had run, particularly for the last ten years.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
And I've been out there quite a few times, really.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
If I'm going to be honest, off the back of
some very troubling clients, wanted to see through myself first hand.
And the interesting thing about the city though, is that
it's got a lot of hard there's.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
A genuine people.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
And in the midst of going to see victims of
crime and the new Southlast police and the local court,
someone said, you've got to go out to this boxing
gym because you don't want to leave Maury.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
With bad taste in your mouth.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
So I went out there men Chalky, met some of
the guys that run it and came up. Rather than
being dispirited and thinking, oh, there's going to be no
way through.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
This is a town in terminal as a client, I.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Went away think you're absolutely opposite. There's some fantastic people here.
Let's build on the success that's already rather than try
to reinvent the will and create something ourselves from a
quarry street or the middle of Sydney, why don't we
build on the success that's already been dealt with with
joking and maybe you can tell us what chalk he does.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
We'll get chalkis reps up here to remember what do
you think, what is the success?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
What is it that you saw as a let's call
it an outsider.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Well, it was presented to me as a gym, boxing gym.
Go and check out this boxing gym.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
But when I actually got there, we extended the time
as long as I possibly could, and we went upstairs
and short we had fitted out all of the spare rooms.
This is a factory adjacent to an auto repair shop,
I mean, but on the second floor he fitted it
out with couches.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
Couching is roem.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Another couching is rouem, another catching the room, and some
mattresses on the floor in your further room. It was
all immaculately clean. And I said, what's going on here?
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And he said, oftentimes too days for the kids to
get home, or they'll tell me Mum and Dada not
in a good way. And rather than working in a
dangerous situation, we don't make any fuss about it.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
We just let them bump him in.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I mean, this stuff happened is completely unheralded. Day after day,
no one would ever know about it. It's just at
the very end of a long visit, Chalking mentioned to
me that in it this is the running in gym,
getting kids up the.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Stream, giving them some wide skills.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
He's also acting as emergency accommodation.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
For nothing, So I mean, I think that gives you
the indication of what they're doing there the good people.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Most people don't realize is that Chris is a fan
of boxing and an avan of MMA.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
You probably saw his UFC encouragement the.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
USC and the contract that you said last stop has
done with the UFC, and I think they've got.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
One more year on that.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Next year, I think that would be direct, So yeah,
one more, But we're talking with them, and I'm trying
to think this annual events going to Sydney.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Blom's got these big annual events.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
I think we need to bestus that people can play
around it, prepare every year for the UFC or probably
one great Tian whatever.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
And so where did your interest in combat sports come from?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
I like the USC.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I'm a fan of it, but nowhere near as much
as I'm a fan of boxing.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
And I still think it is as exciting at the
moment that it's been in many many years.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
And I, like a lot of people, I think we've
discussed it before.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I get him YouTube black holes where I'll watch endless
videos about music and how as the south Port he
just gets on the outside.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Of Duboir, how he knocked out Joshua and he've been
Tyson Fury twice.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I mean, it's exciting to see a cruiser way step
up to that division and just completely dominated. And also
to be such a humble person. I mean, I love
the way he goes about life.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
It feels to me like he's an absolutely gentleman, but
more importantly.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Boxing secondary to how he goes about living and the
way that he puts out this incredibly positive energy in
the world, particularly being from the Ukraine and representing a
country that's kind of war at the moment.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
It's inspired.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
It just just to close it out because I guess
what I'm what I find amazing is because I've pat
a few many premiers of this statement in fact, and
I like bold Car, but I remember I took bold
Cart in the state of Origin when I was sponsoring
New south Wells and you didn't know, you know, to
stream Rode League Ruby And I remember Peter bed he
was a premier points and at the time Peter gave
(05:21):
him a really hard time that night, ripped him hard.
I find it quite interesting that we have a premier
in our state and most people just so well, so
I noticed it was actually interested in just call the
working class sports, you know, like where I grew up,
boxing was a natural thing for young kids to do.
It's not so much natural, essays, but where I grew
(05:43):
up with it was a natural thing. I guess probably
you wrote Copra rocked down there. And by the way,
he's a Canary Banks down fan.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
He loves the bull.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
It was either how that happened? How hasn't you've.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
A support Henry Banks happened to Robs George.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I've got the first cousins, wats and lots of them.
And it was a bit of a tradition that everybody
had a different team. So I think I got the
draw was the next the next baby be born would
go for the bullfox, So that was me. But everybody
goes for different and you but you stayed pretty solid.
You're still pretty solid.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Well, it wasn't hard in the eighties.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
We were good in the eighties and we got the Marcus.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
That's good at the moment. Yesterday, they're pretty good. Yeah, look,
I there's a funny story about Bob Carr. Actually Phil
Goold pulled him into stayed boraging camp and he was
only meant to do a photo of and telegraph with
Andrew Johns, but it just so happened in the fire
team was there and Gould said, can you come up
and give a speech to see Bob gowns. Okay, So
(06:43):
it gives this incredible speech about how they got to
do it for the miners who were in Newcastle, or
the people who have just lost their job, a bluescape
or a mum and dadd you can't pay the mortgage.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
And they were really starting to lift and he said,
so tomorrow night, I want you to give victory the.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
Thrashing of the right.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Look, I can't fight. I'm a terrible fighter in the
few scraps I've been in, but I do.
Speaker 6 (07:05):
I just enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
I find that in a funny way, once you break
down the strategies that a fighter will go into the
ring with, it's sometimes a metaphor for life. You know,
whether you rush the boxer or you hold back, or
you go with a strong tactical game, or you're trying
to get them into the later rounds, or you absorb
punishment in the beginning.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
So as that you can tire out your opponent in
a funny way.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Because of the combating politics, I often see analogies that
a fighter will go into the ring with that we
can apply.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
This might sound silly, but to politics.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Well, I want to thank you, Forether. I putting his
idea in my mind and you drew everyone along. That's
how I got record in. I said the premier is
going to be here and made. I want to say
that styles win fights. That's what boxers, as boxing coaches say,
styles wind fights.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
That Chrismin's your style is winning fights within miss last Man,
so good I do, mate, Thanks very much.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Now, thank you make you're a good man if you're
telling something, you see.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
So Chalky is away and doesn't like to trouble with
much anyway, but obviously his representative you have maybe yeah,
and you set the gym up brichly.
Speaker 7 (08:15):
Yeah, managing t pressing boxer out there to talk the
train and during COVID we're all looped down.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
TC rang me one day instead, I haven't need a
couple of bags for the garage.
Speaker 7 (08:34):
M hyeah, So so TC Rangy asking for a boxing
bags Fores's garage That was it. So I thought, I
have a look around, but we've got to do something
a bit better than that. I rang Chalk he was
training and said, you have a look around for it's
in premise. Se if we can get him and shed
for nothing or something you set up, you know, because
(08:56):
TC had from your hangers on training with the indigenous kids.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
And about a week later, Chalk gets.
Speaker 7 (09:02):
Back to me into these magnificent premises that we've got
now that someone had offered to do natural astudents.
Speaker 6 (09:08):
So at that point I realized it was sort of
there was an opportunity for something a bit bigger.
Speaker 7 (09:14):
So I was set to work in city to raise
some funds and sure he got his crew together there
and started working on it on the Shudent preparing it
and took us from their phone calls when we opened.
It took six weeks to getting out an operational community gym.
When I when I started, it's interesting that the issues
(09:36):
issues out there in the bush will lead the kids
that are dis French of us.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
Kids are pretty well known.
Speaker 7 (09:41):
And as soon as I started speaking to people and saying, look,
this is what we do and we've got an opportunity.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
You know, people I've got raised ten thousand dollars and
I did a couple of weeks.
Speaker 7 (09:52):
People they all signing for nothing and silarriting, and so
people were willing to help.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
So I got all way together, loaded up a.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Big trailer, got a bunch of mates, boxing people. It's
actually a bigger all world champion. He came out there
with me.
Speaker 7 (10:09):
We drove out and meanwhile Chalking his crew had been
working in more reading the premises ready.
Speaker 6 (10:15):
We had a big working be and I left him
with all the year.
Speaker 5 (10:19):
He came back to Sydney in a couple of weeks
later we were.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
Ready to open.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
He must have seen some great turn around stories that
have you seen.
Speaker 7 (10:27):
Yeah, you know, boxing is a beautiful family for stars,
and that's a very important thing for some of these
indigenous kids, you know, been taken out of their families
and their family lives that have disrupted.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
For all sorts of reasons.
Speaker 7 (10:42):
And the gym gives him a community, you know, and
we've had we've got young role that the ministers meant.
He came down here for a fight and he was
on bail at the time, so we had to get
permissioned him to travel, you know. But he's turned his
life around, and he's got a couple of other young
kids that the Minister's met out there that have done
(11:03):
the same thing, showed me lives around through boxing, through
having the mentors, you know, and interestingly, other indigenous.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Elder elder guys.
Speaker 7 (11:17):
That have been boxes something they've been in the gym
at being volunteering. So it's not only helping the younger ones,
it's giving some of the older guys that used to
box and giving them a sort of status as an
elder and getting in there and helping the.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
Kids as well.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
It's just very interesting because it's funny, you know, the
older boxes are older boxing coaches and the two of
them here today Johnny Wilson, Jeffinny.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
But what's interesting about what you just said is, and
I've seen.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
In rugby league all the time when we have our
cham with the Rusters here Nippolitis, and we see.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
It's nearly like a privilege for older guys.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
I guess I fit in that category for older guys
to help you to pay forward something that you know
they may have received from someone else when they were younger.
And you just mentioned that the older boxer coaches, the
older boxes. They're always very willing to get out there
and pay forward to these younger kids. Maybe something an
(12:19):
opportunity of the day had given to them. And I
think probably everyone in this room, but we like everyone
in this room probably has had somebody at some stage
just reads out to them and helped them.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
And that's why I don't know if it's an Australian.
Speaker 6 (12:30):
Thing or not, but.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
You know, I'd like you to reflect on this for
us for a moment that it seems as though there's
a lot more generosity in our society than we are
given credit for. I think people are much more generous
from what you were saying, much more generous, and we
give ourselves credit for. And sometimes we just got to
just kill a little bit and just remind ourselves where
(12:54):
most Australians are pretty good gym beans.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Is that your experience?
Speaker 5 (12:58):
I think when I first reaching out to people, everyone
was you know, what can I do? You know, we
read energy.
Speaker 7 (13:05):
Jumped on board and gave us money to get our
car set up. The amusing a bill board the government
provided forces. We've got authority to use that.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
And we use that.
Speaker 5 (13:17):
Chalky drives all around town pick it up for kids
in that and you yeah, every.
Speaker 7 (13:23):
Five ys And the point you made about how the
box is helping, I think it's it really gives them
something to.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Do and it gives them a purpose.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
It gives them a purpose. You know, they're putting back
into it into the kids. You know, before that they're
just working round. Next month they've got a gym they
can start teaching some of the things that they learned.
Speaker 6 (13:44):
But I was surprised at.
Speaker 7 (13:45):
How once I got it set up, and you know
it was a not for profit association as soon as
you mentioned a community gym to try to disadvantage kids. Yeah,
people people were very helpful able. Last got from from
Jeff and World, Jim H.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
John Davies.
Speaker 7 (14:07):
They've thrown in and wait's equipments.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
I think you're right.
Speaker 7 (14:13):
But the community seems to understand there's a problem and
we're happy and well.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
If you just tell Chalky on our behalf, thanks very much.
We're doing very little web.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
We've given a couple of hours or an hour and
a half our time this morning, while someone has got
really really helpful, probably earlier than normal. But and you know,
we're going to give a bit of money to them,
but please pass on our you know, our wishes that
he can continue and you to continue the good work
you guys are doing up there and more because you know,
(14:46):
like you can talk about the big issues, you know,
get the police up there and get this particular I
kind up there who might be an Indigenous person up there,
and it's there's a lot of sort of shiny stuff
around that, but at the end of the day, it's
the stuff that happens that's not so shiny, the grind,
the stuff that Chalky.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Does, that you do and everybody else who's helping you
out up there. So I appreciate thanks very much, Bob.
So of course everybody knows that we have.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
One of that the.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Greatest boxer in Australian history and boxing Hall of Famer
Jeff Finnick, full time FOURD deficient World champion, and we'll.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Talk better than the second.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
And of course we have w b C A Hall
of Famer coach Johnny Laws here, who was Jeff's coach.
And I think the relevance of this and I mentioned
earlier and we'll just quickly turn to Johnny first is
when did you first week reprobate how when he was
really young? We can you just sort of talk about
how you met him.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
And what was the process of when you meet him.
Speaker 8 (15:46):
Yeah, I just remember man father of rugby league and
boxing growing up. The day that Jeff Will into the gym,
he just sat down and didn't say too much. And
(16:07):
I was training another kid that was having to go
to the Olympics, and I just happened to say to
him at the end of the workout, I worked to
try and get some sparring for her.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
And with that a voice said, I was sparring when.
Speaker 8 (16:22):
I went around a little skinny kid there, and I said,
we don't do it's made here. We have a little
bit of a introduction to the sport and the way
we go. I said, come up tomorrow. Anyhow, the next
day I used to get up there a little bit
(16:43):
earlier and do something myself, and this kid was out
in the front with his bag already waiting about an
hour early, and.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
And everything he did.
Speaker 8 (16:56):
Assured me that this kid was running h one hundred
and the progress like, it's marvelous. How that kid I
wouldn't let inspiring and went off finally learn inspiring the
kid bult a ship out of him.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
The learning Jeff the Link kid.
Speaker 8 (17:20):
Anyhow, I said, mate, you're going to come and start training.
They sparred again about two weeks later, and the ship
was flying, but it wasn't hit. It was the other kids,
and just so so quick the progress. But I never
(17:43):
had a record, second to none, robbed of an Olympic
gold medal, turned prone. And there's another story that we
had an offer to fight for the world title after
six flights and nowhere could not ever be achieved. And
(18:07):
I said them all in that way and kept doing
nothing about them. Jeffers were really wild about it, like
he wanted to fight there and then, but anyhow, he
finished up. We decided that we go ahead with it.
And I think the day he for the fight, ten
(18:30):
experts predicted assault. Nine of them said that we're in
for a belting, and one blade called Jimmy for others,
So I think Chef's up for it. And on the
Friday night, Jimmy car others showed that he not only
(18:51):
was a good in the ring himself, he was good
out and jeff won by a knockout, and his progress.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
From then on his I think it's we thought anyone
that they put up for us.
Speaker 8 (19:05):
We didn't need anyone that couldn't find more only done
a really good job bringing out good fire in this room.
And Jeff took a better job by turning a day.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Jeff, can you can you just tell us about the story?
Can you give us your recollection now? Because what were
you doing before the day or the weeks months before you.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Turn up to Johnny's at the gym. I think you
would have even been in Johnny's gym before, even.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
Just before then.
Speaker 9 (19:31):
I'm just gonna say, quite obvious, Johnny hasn't been punched
in the headlockers room.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
There's a lot of things, but then I'll never forget
the first move went up. I can go up in
the box.
Speaker 9 (19:41):
I'm went up there with a group of friends because
we wanted to find somebody who wanted to.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Beat up.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
And the last room I looked at him was the
last room had boxing on it.
Speaker 9 (19:52):
We looked at there that people were there that we
were looking for, and I sat down with I seeing
one of my schoolmates who was Mark Grieb, who was
Australian cham and then I heard this old guy say,
am bel.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
He was not young, not older, but I heard this
guy he say he'd.
Speaker 9 (20:07):
Been waiting somebody's sparring, so I volunteered and after that
Thursday that I sparred and I got beat up.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
Johnny walks over and says, joh Man, that was really good.
Speaker 9 (20:18):
You're going to come back to them or over year pretend,
And in my head I couldn't say no because some
of my friends are there, and I think, not a
chance in the world am I going back to my
I get bashed again. Anyway, For some reason, I went
back and this man the pc YS again. I'm plus
some boys.
Speaker 10 (20:36):
Club and changed my life on here today and testing
and need to if you'd prepared to work hard and
listen to and that's one thing I didn't do when
I was young and didn't listen to many people.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
But this man made me believe everything, and then.
Speaker 9 (20:51):
Here here I am today, and I said, I've made
mistakes in my life, but hopefully had the mistakes I
made will teach people to be better of them.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
I think Johnny told me that as well. So I'm
just we're talking about the people in more reen stuff
and the people used to say about me. I came
up from this family who had nothing, which we did.
But then I traveled the wall and go to Bangkok.
Speaker 6 (21:12):
Can I think of the.
Speaker 9 (21:13):
People in more Reen, I think that when I really
put in perspective, I think I wasn't really need computing
to those four people. And that's why I wanted to
be here helping you guys today and to say thank
you the Pool.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
Were having us here and an honor being with the
Premier and obviously M. This meant he implaudus is you know,
should be with Paramount and other roosters.
Speaker 9 (21:34):
But like I said, for me, it's just not to
be here, especially we're sitting beside Mark, it's one of
my great great friends, and.
Speaker 6 (21:41):
With Johnny M.
Speaker 9 (21:42):
And then to know that we're doing something that we're
capable of doing that's helping them society where it needs
to be helping. That's what I really want my legacy
to beout my legacy being about me being a four
time World champail. I want my legacy, which is growing
at the moment, about helping people and then yeah, making
Australia a bit of place, because yeah, without Australia, without
(22:04):
the people who helped me, like I said, I just
wouldn't be here.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Tail one hundred and sent beginner in job.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Maybe it's just because you know, I think the relevance
of this too, Jeff is maybe you just give us
a little bit of a description of what you were like.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
How old were you when you first went to the gym,
and what were you like when what was going on
in your life.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
I was seventeen and a half when I went into
the gym.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I play.
Speaker 9 (22:25):
It's John played Matthew Shield when I was fourteen, and
gym wall when I was fifteen and sixteen, Jersey for
Eve when I was seventh and evening and I was
forty seven kilos.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
So I made every real treat and well everyone does
me around the league player and.
Speaker 9 (22:40):
Yeah, I just walked in and to the piece and
white sild I said, we didn't want them walking. We
kind of stormed in a few of us to look
for some people we wanted to beat up. And now
my life changed. I mean the score him on my right,
and yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
What do you think?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
What do you think a boxing?
Speaker 1 (22:56):
What? What is it special about sun boxing? Training and
story the same? But it's like Johnny from Shorty who
have a member the same sort of thing. What is
it about those individuals that can turn a young person's
life around.
Speaker 9 (23:09):
I honestly say, you Johnny's the Wayne Bennett from football
to boxing, and the first and foremost thing is your
family and you.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Of course he wants to be a great.
Speaker 9 (23:23):
Fighter, but he knows that if if he crossed the
eyes and te's and they're puts it the air and make.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
Sure your life's better around I think everything flows.
Speaker 9 (23:33):
And like I said, down when I got stable and
I didn't go out fighting and stuff and I am
concentrated on the goal that Johnny sent me, like I said,
in my life was totally different. And I'm sure today
as we sit here and we look at all these
suicides and stuff that are happening, when I can sit down,
(23:54):
once they're.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Done, we all go home, what could I have done
or could have done well?
Speaker 9 (23:59):
I honestly believe we should be thinking that before when
anything happens, and whether you think that will happen, whether
it's not going to happen. We just need to be
as parents. You need to spend time with your kids.
I go to restaurants, so I go through every every day.
I eat out every single night, and I send these
little kids just on their right pads and their mum's
going to have a great time.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
Nine o'clock ten o'clock, and.
Speaker 9 (24:19):
Yeah, I mean, how do they know what their kids
are like? How do you know if they need help?
If you don't spend time with me, you don't talk
to me. And honestly, I honestly believe it's one thing
that when I was growing up. Although I'm going to
travel a little girls and I am every day after school,
my first movements were to take off my school clothes
and go to the park and play sports.
Speaker 5 (24:39):
We've lost that. We've lost that culture in Australia at
the moment.
Speaker 9 (24:42):
I think it's really really sad because, yeah, I mean,
social media honestly spoiled the world. I think that we
need to as people, yeah, do what we're doing now
for the people who will really do as much as
we can over the locks help. So I'm at the
moment getting a group of people to help. We do
the same as you guys doing, but I want to
(25:02):
do it on the whole world soon. And I just
hope that, like I said, from all the experiences I've
been through and the mentors.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
That I've had, that I'm going to be able to
give something back.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
So Johnny, obviously he's or something, specially the kid and
I often ask you John about this, so.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Maybe you just explained because like the people know jefflet yourself.
Obviously he's probably one of the.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Most driven. Certainly was probably the fittest fighter probably have
had to put put cups on his hands like in
the world. Like his fitness, his drive, his ability to
run like an amazing speed and just keep doing repeats it.
What is it about him that made him so good
in the ring?
Speaker 9 (25:51):
Just to probably give it to him, I'll just say this,
and I say this without any hesitation every time.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
And I thought, of course I wanted to fight and.
Speaker 9 (25:59):
Do Australian great But when that Bill regular send his
face and wanted to come cold me was the greatest thing.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
We ever had.
Speaker 8 (26:13):
Yeah, looking was a big thing for me. That suddenly
I was on the threshold with Jeff. And I was very,
very fortunate in nineteen seventy three to meet a guy
called Jack Gibson, who I know that Nick Politis annis
(26:34):
the same way.
Speaker 6 (26:35):
But he didn't say too much Jack, but he said
a lot. And I just remember that.
Speaker 8 (26:44):
One thing he said was that, yeah, you only take
out what you put in, and that's why this young
fella here took out so much right boxes, just to
just run out of morning, just a kid the engine over.
That was what we wanted to do with Jeff. But
(27:06):
unfortunately there'd be a blake half a mile in front
of him and he had to beat him.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
He had to go past that play. That was the
enner of Jeff. Whatever it took, he was hell ben
on where he went to. He knew he was going
to do that.
Speaker 8 (27:27):
He knew it was inside. He knew no one could
beat him. He knew he could beat everybody else. And
he was driven by himself. And it's just I know,
I'll never ever say another virtually another athlete like him.
Particularly in bossing Jeff, he put aside a lot of things.
(27:52):
He knew that where he wanted to get to he
had to change ways and everything. But the one thing
he never did is that any our gymnage, and when
we had a lot of kids, a lot of them,
a lot of indigenous kids, a lot of where Yugoslavia
had a whole lot there that Jeff was sponsored by.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
The various brands of Maribok and so forth.
Speaker 8 (28:21):
Every kid in that gym never wanted for any shirts, shorts, boots.
He gave them all whatever they wanted. And the other
thing that I remember about him was when I first
started training him, he said he was training a rugby
league team in the New Down junior competition and I
(28:46):
went down watched the grand final and they would catch
better than our first grade side advice. He done a
remark couple job. He loved rugby league and I know
that he even though he was small, his heart getting
through with it. But he's ability day how the Josian
room and get these kids out there and they won
(29:08):
the competition and he had to put that on hold
for his own thing.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
But he.
Speaker 8 (29:15):
Very very giving person and there's he just always there
was something every week that made me love him, even
them all never self sent and I never forgot the
kids that he knew how hard it was to ask him.
He town, so no one better to pull him up
(29:36):
and give him happen what you have did?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
What do you What do you guys think about the
future boxing in Australia now?
Speaker 1 (29:42):
So you know we're premier to talk about and you're saying,
you know he loves boxing and we got some great
fighters out there.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
At the moment, I was just thinking of Dripti the
other day A.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Wonderful CRUs Waite fighter and we're talking, we're talking about
music then, and I'm thinking of myself, Will Joe one
day of a you would you go back down a
cruiser and fight Someway Joy or will join you up?
Speaker 2 (30:06):
But what do you think about the bossing scene now
in Australia? How do you think we're going understand?
Speaker 6 (30:15):
Yeah, well.
Speaker 8 (30:18):
I'm trying to reach out a little bit to you, uh,
real aggressively. But I'm worried about it. And yeah, I
think that I think we need a body that can
govern our sport. I don't think there's enough expertise with
(30:40):
the mob that are doing it. And the one thing
about I think that the main thing that you get
when you venture into boxing, it's discipline, and I don't
(31:03):
think they can. That's worry my opinion.
Speaker 6 (31:07):
Worry.
Speaker 9 (31:09):
I just say this really quickly, and I said the
mark and of being in trouble for and being pretty auspoken.
Speaker 5 (31:17):
But listen, if the sports grand boy.
Speaker 9 (31:20):
Dodger should be wearing red noses, the clowns and the
sport will will never get better. I mean, if Paul
couldn't put on a beautiful breakfast that he's putting on here.
He wouldn't be if the guy's filming this with the
camera that they couldn't do that, it wouldn't be here.
We have referees and judgment have never formed their life
and never formed their life, and they rule people's lives.
Speaker 5 (31:41):
They having three people watch a fight and one have
them buy six points to one won't have to buy
six points the other and one they have to draw.
It's a joke.
Speaker 6 (31:48):
And I mean until we.
Speaker 9 (31:51):
Can make things properly, until they're their account of what
they do out of the fight, I mean, nothing happens
next week they're fighting, they're refereeing, or again, I mean
until they can sit down and somebody said, show me
what that guy won by six points and they can,
you know, do that.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
The sport's never going to be going anymore. That's why
you have so he's taken over.
Speaker 9 (32:10):
And then because they have men and have responsible people
who run their sport. And I've said in the sport
of boxing, and man, I don't even want to tell
stories as so yeah, I mean I will tell one story.
I don't know, I can't tell anyone. But anyway, like
I said, now, I just don't won't let.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
The Olympics's go back to them.
Speaker 5 (32:31):
So what happened to mean the Olympic Games?
Speaker 9 (32:33):
I mean, and here is I'm win to fight why
the judge the jury overturned Arden Tunsell doesn't even appeal
to say how. And it was the first time the
jury had ever been there, and the jury were just
there was a boys stop because they've got some more
clowns to go and ship ringside because they know they're.
Speaker 5 (32:53):
All it's all a boys club. And yeah, I mean
Australia didn't even protest that I that I lost. But
the great thing is, and I'll never forget it when
I got on the plane.
Speaker 9 (33:02):
Because I came home el list And do you know
the greatest thing when you go to the Olympics is,
of course thirst.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
Thing is you march for your country. I couldn't march
because it was the day that I The.
Speaker 9 (33:12):
March was when I had to fight that night and
it was very, very hot in the LA So I
went in and win the finals much. I would have
loved the march till my friends in Australia to see me.
And then after that it's about competing. So I competed
and I've done the best I could and like I said,
I won. My decision was overturned. And then the next
greatest thing is that with your own Olympics, the after
(33:33):
parties like the part of your life, everybody from the
whole world meet up and enjoy themselves. I didn't go
to that either, because once I lost the five and
once they of the driven my decision, I read joinings
and I'm coming straight home. And well, one thing that
I told the Olympic organization back then, I said, if
you can guarantee that Johnny's going to be in my
corner at the next Olympics, I will stay amateur for
(33:55):
another four years.
Speaker 5 (33:56):
They said no, So I turned professional and then one
hundred ninety six days I was a world champ because.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
This beautiful empy side.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
And you thought the person who wanted to go a medal,
I thought them.
Speaker 9 (34:06):
In my second defense at my will time, I thought
to gold Witherston. I knocked him out in the fourteenth round,
but had some real bad circumstance. We were in a
health farm four weeks because I broke my hand and
I fought with the broken hand.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
But we had some good stories. And by the way,
they were fifteen rounders.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
We're talking fifteen round fights that that's pretty rare, and
the fourteenth round.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
And Johnny, you might be able to reflect on this.
Jeff used to suffer from broken hands or breaks, but
as so it didn't really stop him.
Speaker 6 (34:40):
As I said before, nothing is going to stop me.
But after.
Speaker 8 (34:47):
He made as I say, we had to go down
and we had three fights to get to the Olympics.
And I can tell you that after the first fight
he did to sleep. We had two buckets, four of
the ice and he had we had his hands shaking
(35:08):
in the two buckets. That being a good black that
I am, I went to sleep for him so he
didn't have to worry about that. The National eye we're
in the buckets again and he's with his hands in
the ice buckets. And then they had the final and
he won that and he was back in the atmosph
(35:30):
in his hand at the days one second tour about
him being a nice guy. And then I just told
them and they were fun. Well, every day, bring me
out these leaves.
Speaker 9 (35:42):
And stuff, because I couldn't even I had to lose
weight on had to lose like thirteen pounds in the
last anywaybody tells us and Johnny and all the guys
I used to go and look from every night.
Speaker 5 (35:54):
Most of the nights I see them, and then on
every second or third or nobody's around.
Speaker 9 (36:00):
And then I'd wake up in the water to go
for my run because I could still run, of course,
and ride a boy to try to lose away or
see all these pizza boxes and McDonald's things out the
front they go and sleeping out eating McDonald's and pizza.
Speaker 11 (36:12):
While I was dying in that room on my own,
and and and and and then these hands are John
sorry and just finch off the hands like because how
it goes up and played in his whole career.
Speaker 8 (36:26):
Look, yeah, I'm going to say at that stage, uh,
this has gotta stop his progress. You know, yead operations
on them, and then we had them. I've done it
to put.
Speaker 6 (36:45):
What they were.
Speaker 9 (36:47):
I had pins putting them to so that's how I
supposed to stay for the rest of my life. But
for some reason the operation has never worked, and the
pins were taken out, and my fingers would come straight
back to where they are where we're pretty prelude theirselves
time on punch wil breaking back.
Speaker 5 (37:02):
In my hands.
Speaker 8 (37:05):
Yeah, I just said the premier I'm really worried about
some of the matchups that goes on. And another thing,
I'll go to rugby league blankets sent off the same
thing four weeks for him four weeks.
Speaker 6 (37:23):
It's done professionally.
Speaker 8 (37:26):
We're going a young lady sitting down there who played
in a premiership winning side for Melbourne. Curtis like amazing
boys in their life when they're young, they do something
stupid or whatever that these kid's got life. I'm rugby
(37:48):
leaguing and boxing. He's undefeated in boxing and.
Speaker 6 (37:54):
What why is this?
Speaker 8 (37:57):
How can these guys have came do much for the
spider boxing? Come out and give someone alive? What's their
credentials to do that?
Speaker 5 (38:07):
Everybody deserves a second chance. I don't care who you are,
what you are.
Speaker 9 (38:12):
If nobody's prepared to give you a second chance, then
there's something terribly wrong with him. And I've said that
I've made stupid mistakes, but I've been blessed.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
Whether I've had a second chance, start to go, I'll
prove that I can. I can do things again.
Speaker 9 (38:25):
You can change, We can all change, and I think
that's why we're all. Headle wanted to change a community
to make him better, and.
Speaker 5 (38:33):
That yeah, I look around the table.
Speaker 9 (38:36):
One of my great friends, John Rocker, who has helped
me and supported me with all my boxes.
Speaker 5 (38:41):
And I couldn't even tell you for how many years
it's it's been so long. I'm blessed have all these people.
Speaker 9 (38:47):
And I mean, like I said, it would be good
to be able to sit down one day and go
through a few of these people who have made mistakes
and give them a chance. And like I said, and
this kid was most probably the most talent going balloting
sense he earned he played you know, first weight for
Melbourne Storm and they're best, and like I said, he
made a mistake. And like I said, man, I just
(39:10):
both with the Premier and the police commissioner and stuff
a few weeks ago. And when I walked out of there,
it made me so proud of all these guys taking
photos of up with me because I had I had
a second chance. I told him the police, that's you
gave them a chance to yeah, to speak in front
of the commissioner all those people, and it made me
(39:31):
really really brown. But yeah, if somebody makes a mistake,
I mean, there's a time where he should be able
to go back and said, this guy's been punished enough,
giving the opportunity to show that he's yeah that yeah,
we all can change. We're all yeah, yeah, we all
make mistakes. And then, like I said, I love Johnny
for saying that because one of my young boss two
(39:53):
years ago now threw a plastic bottle of water with
somebody and there he got three.
Speaker 5 (39:58):
Years for throwing a plastic bottle of watered somebody.
Speaker 9 (40:00):
I mean, it's it's just a joke, and that's never
happened to the sport of boxing, reports and moves liberally
his voice, So sometimes I think it was because he's
led them my hope.
Speaker 5 (40:09):
But like I said, there's been people in the sport
of boxing, like myself who have.
Speaker 9 (40:13):
Done much worse than that. Nothing's ever happened. So I mean,
like I said, until until we have good people around
that sport, we have people who being involved in the sport,
I never think boxing is going.
Speaker 6 (40:23):
To get better or stronger.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
Well, ladies and gentlemen, I think as ladies said, and gentlemen, gentlemen,
I really appreciate your honesty. Both him and I think
that in a small gathering, and it's this sort of
chat house rules in this group.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
In this group, I think that your honesty is highly
highly valued from.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
All of us in relations to you know, how you've
changed your life, how Johnny something production of something like
Johnny has changed your life, and probably really how hopefully
Joky and Bobby and all that their entourage can help
change lives and more and do something really positive. And
really I think we're talking about a really small factor.
(41:07):
We're not really sort of doing something like you know,
you know the treasurer from New South Wales Bookie is
not sort of building into his budget and money to
put it more. And this is something small, but it's
also but I think it's really beat. It's also really
large and it sort of comes out of generosity and
he comes out of people not making judgments and other people.
Speaker 5 (41:25):
I hope you can starting, Maureen, and we can do
it in many other places. There's a lot of places
that maybe all much.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
As suppose one hundred percent. Well, thanks very much, guys,
I appreciate.
Speaker 9 (41:32):
It just for saying, begg you give me the opportunity
to be with the premier and some great people who
I know, and I'm sure Johnny feels the same.
Speaker 5 (41:39):
Thank you so so much.
You deal with all the big issues, literally the big issues,
and I think you said, well, I was really lucky
for the way you've been dealing with the big issues.
But what's interesting is that this is a small issue,
but you still manage to be able to lean into
small issues. And I should say to you, this whole
thing is the Premier's initiative. He saw me about it,
(00:20):
but I only took control and so to speak, because
he's too busy tell you.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
The big issues, really big issues. I mean, what is
it that sort of drew you to helping joking out?
What was it that deal to you?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Well, Mark, I'm deeply indebted to you for doing this
that you don't have to do it, and you put
it together a really short batus and obviously you've got
a big heart, you care about these things.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I think it's I'm very very grateful.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
But I had a chat to you about having gone
on to Maury quite a few times. Maury is a
pretty tough town. It's got a lot of a lot
of crime issues.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
There's many underprivileged kids.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
It's it's very difficult for a lot of family and
they've had run, particularly for the last ten years.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
And I've been out there quite a few times, really.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
If I'm going to be honest, off the back of
some very troubling clients, wanted to see through myself first hand.
And the interesting thing about the city though, is that
it's got a lot of hard there's.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
A genuine people.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
And in the midst of going to see victims of
crime and the new Southlast police and the local court,
someone said, you've got to go out to this boxing
gym because you don't want to leave Maury.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
With bad taste in your mouth.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
So I went out there men Chalky, met some of
the guys that run it and came up. Rather than
being dispirited and thinking, oh, there's going to be no
way through.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
This is a town in terminal as a client, I.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Went away think you're absolutely opposite. There's some fantastic people here.
Let's build on the success that's already rather than try
to reinvent the will and create something ourselves from a
quarry street or the middle of Sydney, why don't we
build on the success that's already been dealt with with
joking and maybe you can tell us what chalk he does.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
We'll get chalkis reps up here to remember what do
you think, what is the success?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
What is it that you saw as a let's call
it an outsider.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Well, it was presented to me as a gym, boxing gym.
Go and check out this boxing gym.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
But when I actually got there, we extended the time
as long as I possibly could, and we went upstairs
and short we had fitted out all of the spare rooms.
This is a factory adjacent to an auto repair shop,
I mean, but on the second floor he fitted it
out with couches.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
Couching is roem.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Another couching is rouem, another catching the room, and some
mattresses on the floor in your further room. It was
all immaculately clean. And I said, what's going on here?
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And he said, oftentimes too days for the kids to
get home, or they'll tell me Mum and Dada not
in a good way. And rather than working in a
dangerous situation, we don't make any fuss about it.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
We just let them bump him in.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I mean, this stuff happened is completely unheralded. Day after day,
no one would ever know about it. It's just at
the very end of a long visit, Chalking mentioned to
me that in it this is the running in gym,
getting kids up the.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Stream, giving them some wide skills.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
He's also acting as emergency accommodation.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
For nothing, So I mean, I think that gives you
the indication of what they're doing there the good people.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Most people don't realize is that Chris is a fan
of boxing and an avan of MMA.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
You probably saw his UFC encouragement the.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
USC and the contract that you said last stop has
done with the UFC, and I think they've got.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
One more year on that.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Next year, I think that would be direct, So yeah,
one more, But we're talking with them, and I'm trying
to think this annual events going to Sydney.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Blom's got these big annual events.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
I think we need to bestus that people can play
around it, prepare every year for the UFC or probably
one great Tian whatever.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
And so where did your interest in combat sports come from?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
I like the USC.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I'm a fan of it, but nowhere near as much
as I'm a fan of boxing.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
And I still think it is as exciting at the
moment that it's been in many many years.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
And I, like a lot of people, I think we've
discussed it before.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I get him YouTube black holes where I'll watch endless
videos about music and how as the south Port he
just gets on the outside.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Of Duboir, how he knocked out Joshua and he've been
Tyson Fury twice.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I mean, it's exciting to see a cruiser way step
up to that division and just completely dominated. And also
to be such a humble person. I mean, I love
the way he goes about life.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
It feels to me like he's an absolutely gentleman, but
more importantly.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Boxing secondary to how he goes about living and the
way that he puts out this incredibly positive energy in
the world, particularly being from the Ukraine and representing a
country that's kind of war at the moment.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
It's inspired.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
It just just to close it out because I guess
what I'm what I find amazing is because I've pat
a few many premiers of this statement in fact, and
I like bold Car, but I remember I took bold
Cart in the state of Origin when I was sponsoring
New south Wells and you didn't know, you know, to
stream Rode League Ruby And I remember Peter bed he
was a premier points and at the time Peter gave
(05:21):
him a really hard time that night, ripped him hard.
I find it quite interesting that we have a premier
in our state and most people just so well, so
I noticed it was actually interested in just call the
working class sports, you know, like where I grew up,
boxing was a natural thing for young kids to do.
It's not so much natural, essays, but where I grew
(05:43):
up with it was a natural thing. I guess probably
you wrote Copra rocked down there. And by the way,
he's a Canary Banks down fan.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
He loves the bull.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
It was either how that happened? How hasn't you've.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
A support Henry Banks happened to Robs George.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I've got the first cousins, wats and lots of them.
And it was a bit of a tradition that everybody
had a different team. So I think I got the
draw was the next the next baby be born would
go for the bullfox, So that was me. But everybody
goes for different and you but you stayed pretty solid.
You're still pretty solid.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Well, it wasn't hard in the eighties.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
We were good in the eighties and we got the Marcus.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
That's good at the moment. Yesterday, they're pretty good. Yeah, look,
I there's a funny story about Bob Carr. Actually Phil
Goold pulled him into stayed boraging camp and he was
only meant to do a photo of and telegraph with
Andrew Johns, but it just so happened in the fire
team was there and Gould said, can you come up
and give a speech to see Bob gowns. Okay, So
(06:43):
it gives this incredible speech about how they got to
do it for the miners who were in Newcastle, or
the people who have just lost their job, a bluescape
or a mum and dadd you can't pay the mortgage.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
And they were really starting to lift and he said,
so tomorrow night, I want you to give victory the.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
Thrashing of the right.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Look, I can't fight. I'm a terrible fighter in the
few scraps I've been in, but I do.
Speaker 6 (07:05):
I just enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
I find that in a funny way, once you break
down the strategies that a fighter will go into the
ring with, it's sometimes a metaphor for life. You know,
whether you rush the boxer or you hold back, or
you go with a strong tactical game, or you're trying
to get them into the later rounds, or you absorb
punishment in the beginning.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
So as that you can tire out your opponent in
a funny way.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Because of the combating politics, I often see analogies that
a fighter will go into the ring with that we
can apply.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
This might sound silly, but to politics.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Well, I want to thank you, Forether. I putting his
idea in my mind and you drew everyone along. That's
how I got record in. I said the premier is
going to be here and made. I want to say
that styles win fights. That's what boxers, as boxing coaches say,
styles wind fights.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
That Chrismin's your style is winning fights within miss last Man,
so good I do, mate, Thanks very much.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Now, thank you make you're a good man if you're
telling something, you see.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
So Chalky is away and doesn't like to trouble with
much anyway, but obviously his representative you have maybe yeah,
and you set the gym up brichly.
Speaker 7 (08:15):
Yeah, managing t pressing boxer out there to talk the
train and during COVID we're all looped down.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
TC rang me one day instead, I haven't need a
couple of bags for the garage.
Speaker 7 (08:34):
M hyeah, So so TC Rangy asking for a boxing
bags Fores's garage That was it. So I thought, I
have a look around, but we've got to do something
a bit better than that. I rang Chalk he was
training and said, you have a look around for it's
in premise. Se if we can get him and shed
for nothing or something you set up, you know, because
(08:56):
TC had from your hangers on training with the indigenous kids.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
And about a week later, Chalk gets.
Speaker 7 (09:02):
Back to me into these magnificent premises that we've got
now that someone had offered to do natural astudents.
Speaker 6 (09:08):
So at that point I realized it was sort of
there was an opportunity for something a bit bigger.
Speaker 7 (09:14):
So I was set to work in city to raise
some funds and sure he got his crew together there
and started working on it on the Shudent preparing it
and took us from their phone calls when we opened.
It took six weeks to getting out an operational community gym.
When I when I started, it's interesting that the issues
(09:36):
issues out there in the bush will lead the kids
that are dis French of us.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
Kids are pretty well known.
Speaker 7 (09:41):
And as soon as I started speaking to people and saying, look,
this is what we do and we've got an opportunity.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
You know, people I've got raised ten thousand dollars and
I did a couple of weeks.
Speaker 7 (09:52):
People they all signing for nothing and silarriting, and so
people were willing to help.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
So I got all way together, loaded up a.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Big trailer, got a bunch of mates, boxing people. It's
actually a bigger all world champion. He came out there
with me.
Speaker 7 (10:09):
We drove out and meanwhile Chalking his crew had been
working in more reading the premises ready.
Speaker 6 (10:15):
We had a big working be and I left him
with all the year.
Speaker 5 (10:19):
He came back to Sydney in a couple of weeks
later we were.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
Ready to open.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
He must have seen some great turn around stories that
have you seen.
Speaker 7 (10:27):
Yeah, you know, boxing is a beautiful family for stars,
and that's a very important thing for some of these
indigenous kids, you know, been taken out of their families
and their family lives that have disrupted.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
For all sorts of reasons.
Speaker 7 (10:42):
And the gym gives him a community, you know, and
we've had we've got young role that the ministers meant.
He came down here for a fight and he was
on bail at the time, so we had to get
permissioned him to travel, you know. But he's turned his
life around, and he's got a couple of other young
kids that the Minister's met out there that have done
(11:03):
the same thing, showed me lives around through boxing, through
having the mentors, you know, and interestingly, other indigenous.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Elder elder guys.
Speaker 7 (11:17):
That have been boxes something they've been in the gym
at being volunteering. So it's not only helping the younger ones,
it's giving some of the older guys that used to
box and giving them a sort of status as an
elder and getting in there and helping the.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
Kids as well.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
It's just very interesting because it's funny, you know, the
older boxes are older boxing coaches and the two of
them here today Johnny Wilson, Jeffinny.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
But what's interesting about what you just said is, and
I've seen.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
In rugby league all the time when we have our
cham with the Rusters here Nippolitis, and we see.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
It's nearly like a privilege for older guys.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
I guess I fit in that category for older guys
to help you to pay forward something that you know
they may have received from someone else when they were younger.
And you just mentioned that the older boxer coaches, the
older boxes. They're always very willing to get out there
and pay forward to these younger kids. Maybe something an
(12:19):
opportunity of the day had given to them. And I
think probably everyone in this room, but we like everyone
in this room probably has had somebody at some stage
just reads out to them and helped them.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
And that's why I don't know if it's an Australian.
Speaker 6 (12:30):
Thing or not, but.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
You know, I'd like you to reflect on this for
us for a moment that it seems as though there's
a lot more generosity in our society than we are
given credit for. I think people are much more generous
from what you were saying, much more generous, and we
give ourselves credit for. And sometimes we just got to
just kill a little bit and just remind ourselves where
(12:54):
most Australians are pretty good gym beans.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Is that your experience?
Speaker 5 (12:58):
I think when I first reaching out to people, everyone
was you know, what can I do? You know, we
read energy.
Speaker 7 (13:05):
Jumped on board and gave us money to get our
car set up. The amusing a bill board the government
provided forces. We've got authority to use that.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
And we use that.
Speaker 5 (13:17):
Chalky drives all around town pick it up for kids
in that and you yeah, every.
Speaker 7 (13:23):
Five ys And the point you made about how the
box is helping, I think it's it really gives them
something to.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Do and it gives them a purpose.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
It gives them a purpose. You know, they're putting back
into it into the kids. You know, before that they're
just working round. Next month they've got a gym they
can start teaching some of the things that they learned.
Speaker 6 (13:44):
But I was surprised at.
Speaker 7 (13:45):
How once I got it set up, and you know
it was a not for profit association as soon as
you mentioned a community gym to try to disadvantage kids. Yeah,
people people were very helpful able. Last got from from
Jeff and World, Jim H.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
John Davies.
Speaker 7 (14:07):
They've thrown in and wait's equipments.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
I think you're right.
Speaker 7 (14:13):
But the community seems to understand there's a problem and
we're happy and well.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
If you just tell Chalky on our behalf, thanks very much.
We're doing very little web.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
We've given a couple of hours or an hour and
a half our time this morning, while someone has got
really really helpful, probably earlier than normal. But and you know,
we're going to give a bit of money to them,
but please pass on our you know, our wishes that
he can continue and you to continue the good work
you guys are doing up there and more because you know,
(14:46):
like you can talk about the big issues, you know,
get the police up there and get this particular I
kind up there who might be an Indigenous person up there,
and it's there's a lot of sort of shiny stuff
around that, but at the end of the day, it's
the stuff that happens that's not so shiny, the grind,
the stuff that Chalky.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Does, that you do and everybody else who's helping you
out up there. So I appreciate thanks very much, Bob.
So of course everybody knows that we have.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
One of that the.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Greatest boxer in Australian history and boxing Hall of Famer
Jeff Finnick, full time FOURD deficient World champion, and we'll.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Talk better than the second.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
And of course we have w b C A Hall
of Famer coach Johnny Laws here, who was Jeff's coach.
And I think the relevance of this and I mentioned
earlier and we'll just quickly turn to Johnny first is
when did you first week reprobate how when he was
really young? We can you just sort of talk about
how you met him.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
And what was the process of when you meet him.
Speaker 8 (15:46):
Yeah, I just remember man father of rugby league and
boxing growing up. The day that Jeff Will into the gym,
he just sat down and didn't say too much. And
(16:07):
I was training another kid that was having to go
to the Olympics, and I just happened to say to
him at the end of the workout, I worked to
try and get some sparring for her.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
And with that a voice said, I was sparring when.
Speaker 8 (16:22):
I went around a little skinny kid there, and I said,
we don't do it's made here. We have a little
bit of a introduction to the sport and the way
we go. I said, come up tomorrow. Anyhow, the next
day I used to get up there a little bit
(16:43):
earlier and do something myself, and this kid was out
in the front with his bag already waiting about an
hour early, and.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
And everything he did.
Speaker 8 (16:56):
Assured me that this kid was running h one hundred
and the progress like, it's marvelous. How that kid I
wouldn't let inspiring and went off finally learn inspiring the
kid bult a ship out of him.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
The learning Jeff the Link kid.
Speaker 8 (17:20):
Anyhow, I said, mate, you're going to come and start training.
They sparred again about two weeks later, and the ship
was flying, but it wasn't hit. It was the other kids,
and just so so quick the progress. But I never
(17:43):
had a record, second to none, robbed of an Olympic
gold medal, turned prone. And there's another story that we
had an offer to fight for the world title after
six flights and nowhere could not ever be achieved. And
(18:07):
I said them all in that way and kept doing
nothing about them. Jeffers were really wild about it, like
he wanted to fight there and then, but anyhow, he
finished up. We decided that we go ahead with it.
And I think the day he for the fight, ten
(18:30):
experts predicted assault. Nine of them said that we're in
for a belting, and one blade called Jimmy for others,
So I think Chef's up for it. And on the
Friday night, Jimmy car others showed that he not only
(18:51):
was a good in the ring himself, he was good
out and jeff won by a knockout, and his progress.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
From then on his I think it's we thought anyone
that they put up for us.
Speaker 8 (19:05):
We didn't need anyone that couldn't find more only done
a really good job bringing out good fire in this room.
And Jeff took a better job by turning a day.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Jeff, can you can you just tell us about the story?
Can you give us your recollection now? Because what were
you doing before the day or the weeks months before you.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Turn up to Johnny's at the gym. I think you
would have even been in Johnny's gym before, even.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
Just before then.
Speaker 9 (19:31):
I'm just gonna say, quite obvious, Johnny hasn't been punched
in the headlockers room.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
There's a lot of things, but then I'll never forget
the first move went up. I can go up in
the box.
Speaker 9 (19:41):
I'm went up there with a group of friends because
we wanted to find somebody who wanted to.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Beat up.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
And the last room I looked at him was the
last room had boxing on it.
Speaker 9 (19:52):
We looked at there that people were there that we
were looking for, and I sat down with I seeing
one of my schoolmates who was Mark Grieb, who was
Australian cham and then I heard this old guy say,
am bel.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
He was not young, not older, but I heard this
guy he say he'd.
Speaker 9 (20:07):
Been waiting somebody's sparring, so I volunteered and after that
Thursday that I sparred and I got beat up.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
Johnny walks over and says, joh Man, that was really good.
Speaker 9 (20:18):
You're going to come back to them or over year pretend,
And in my head I couldn't say no because some
of my friends are there, and I think, not a
chance in the world am I going back to my
I get bashed again. Anyway, For some reason, I went
back and this man the pc YS again. I'm plus
some boys.
Speaker 10 (20:36):
Club and changed my life on here today and testing
and need to if you'd prepared to work hard and
listen to and that's one thing I didn't do when
I was young and didn't listen to many people.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
But this man made me believe everything, and then.
Speaker 9 (20:51):
Here here I am today, and I said, I've made
mistakes in my life, but hopefully had the mistakes I
made will teach people to be better of them.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
I think Johnny told me that as well. So I'm
just we're talking about the people in more reen stuff
and the people used to say about me. I came
up from this family who had nothing, which we did.
But then I traveled the wall and go to Bangkok.
Speaker 6 (21:12):
Can I think of the.
Speaker 9 (21:13):
People in more Reen, I think that when I really
put in perspective, I think I wasn't really need computing
to those four people. And that's why I wanted to
be here helping you guys today and to say thank
you the Pool.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
Were having us here and an honor being with the
Premier and obviously M. This meant he implaudus is you know,
should be with Paramount and other roosters.
Speaker 9 (21:34):
But like I said, for me, it's just not to
be here, especially we're sitting beside Mark, it's one of
my great great friends, and.
Speaker 6 (21:41):
With Johnny M.
Speaker 9 (21:42):
And then to know that we're doing something that we're
capable of doing that's helping them society where it needs
to be helping. That's what I really want my legacy
to beout my legacy being about me being a four
time World champail. I want my legacy, which is growing
at the moment, about helping people and then yeah, making
Australia a bit of place, because yeah, without Australia, without
(22:04):
the people who helped me, like I said, I just
wouldn't be here.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Tail one hundred and sent beginner in job.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Maybe it's just because you know, I think the relevance
of this too, Jeff is maybe you just give us
a little bit of a description of what you were like.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
How old were you when you first went to the gym,
and what were you like when what was going on
in your life.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
I was seventeen and a half when I went into
the gym.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I play.
Speaker 9 (22:25):
It's John played Matthew Shield when I was fourteen, and
gym wall when I was fifteen and sixteen, Jersey for
Eve when I was seventh and evening and I was
forty seven kilos.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
So I made every real treat and well everyone does
me around the league player and.
Speaker 9 (22:40):
Yeah, I just walked in and to the piece and
white sild I said, we didn't want them walking. We
kind of stormed in a few of us to look
for some people we wanted to beat up. And now
my life changed. I mean the score him on my right,
and yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
What do you think?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
What do you think a boxing?
Speaker 1 (22:56):
What? What is it special about sun boxing? Training and
story the same? But it's like Johnny from Shorty who
have a member the same sort of thing. What is
it about those individuals that can turn a young person's
life around.
Speaker 9 (23:09):
I honestly say, you Johnny's the Wayne Bennett from football
to boxing, and the first and foremost thing is your
family and you.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Of course he wants to be a great.
Speaker 9 (23:23):
Fighter, but he knows that if if he crossed the
eyes and te's and they're puts it the air and make.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
Sure your life's better around I think everything flows.
Speaker 9 (23:33):
And like I said, down when I got stable and
I didn't go out fighting and stuff and I am
concentrated on the goal that Johnny sent me, like I said,
in my life was totally different. And I'm sure today
as we sit here and we look at all these
suicides and stuff that are happening, when I can sit down,
(23:54):
once they're.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Done, we all go home, what could I have done
or could have done well?
Speaker 9 (23:59):
I honestly believe we should be thinking that before when
anything happens, and whether you think that will happen, whether
it's not going to happen. We just need to be
as parents. You need to spend time with your kids.
I go to restaurants, so I go through every every day.
I eat out every single night, and I send these
little kids just on their right pads and their mum's
going to have a great time.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
Nine o'clock ten o'clock, and.
Speaker 9 (24:19):
Yeah, I mean, how do they know what their kids
are like? How do you know if they need help?
If you don't spend time with me, you don't talk
to me. And honestly, I honestly believe it's one thing
that when I was growing up. Although I'm going to
travel a little girls and I am every day after school,
my first movements were to take off my school clothes
and go to the park and play sports.
Speaker 5 (24:39):
We've lost that. We've lost that culture in Australia at
the moment.
Speaker 9 (24:42):
I think it's really really sad because, yeah, I mean,
social media honestly spoiled the world. I think that we
need to as people, yeah, do what we're doing now
for the people who will really do as much as
we can over the locks help. So I'm at the
moment getting a group of people to help. We do
the same as you guys doing, but I want to
(25:02):
do it on the whole world soon. And I just
hope that, like I said, from all the experiences I've
been through and the mentors.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
That I've had, that I'm going to be able to
give something back.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
So Johnny, obviously he's or something, specially the kid and
I often ask you John about this, so.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Maybe you just explained because like the people know jefflet yourself.
Obviously he's probably one of the.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Most driven. Certainly was probably the fittest fighter probably have
had to put put cups on his hands like in
the world. Like his fitness, his drive, his ability to
run like an amazing speed and just keep doing repeats it.
What is it about him that made him so good
in the ring?
Speaker 9 (25:51):
Just to probably give it to him, I'll just say this,
and I say this without any hesitation every time.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
And I thought, of course I wanted to fight and.
Speaker 9 (25:59):
Do Australian great But when that Bill regular send his
face and wanted to come cold me was the greatest thing.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
We ever had.
Speaker 8 (26:13):
Yeah, looking was a big thing for me. That suddenly
I was on the threshold with Jeff. And I was very,
very fortunate in nineteen seventy three to meet a guy
called Jack Gibson, who I know that Nick Politis annis
(26:34):
the same way.
Speaker 6 (26:35):
But he didn't say too much Jack, but he said
a lot. And I just remember that.
Speaker 8 (26:44):
One thing he said was that, yeah, you only take
out what you put in, and that's why this young
fella here took out so much right boxes, just to
just run out of morning, just a kid the engine over.
That was what we wanted to do with Jeff. But
(27:06):
unfortunately there'd be a blake half a mile in front
of him and he had to beat him.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
He had to go past that play. That was the
enner of Jeff. Whatever it took, he was hell ben
on where he went to. He knew he was going
to do that.
Speaker 8 (27:27):
He knew it was inside. He knew no one could
beat him. He knew he could beat everybody else. And
he was driven by himself. And it's just I know,
I'll never ever say another virtually another athlete like him.
Particularly in bossing Jeff, he put aside a lot of things.
(27:52):
He knew that where he wanted to get to he
had to change ways and everything. But the one thing
he never did is that any our gymnage, and when
we had a lot of kids, a lot of them,
a lot of indigenous kids, a lot of where Yugoslavia
had a whole lot there that Jeff was sponsored by.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
The various brands of Maribok and so forth.
Speaker 8 (28:21):
Every kid in that gym never wanted for any shirts, shorts, boots.
He gave them all whatever they wanted. And the other
thing that I remember about him was when I first
started training him, he said he was training a rugby
league team in the New Down junior competition and I
(28:46):
went down watched the grand final and they would catch
better than our first grade side advice. He done a
remark couple job. He loved rugby league and I know
that he even though he was small, his heart getting
through with it. But he's ability day how the Josian
room and get these kids out there and they won
(29:08):
the competition and he had to put that on hold
for his own thing.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
But he.
Speaker 8 (29:15):
Very very giving person and there's he just always there
was something every week that made me love him, even
them all never self sent and I never forgot the
kids that he knew how hard it was to ask him.
He town, so no one better to pull him up
(29:36):
and give him happen what you have did?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
What do you What do you guys think about the
future boxing in Australia now?
Speaker 1 (29:42):
So you know we're premier to talk about and you're saying,
you know he loves boxing and we got some great
fighters out there.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
At the moment, I was just thinking of Dripti the
other day A.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Wonderful CRUs Waite fighter and we're talking, we're talking about
music then, and I'm thinking of myself, Will Joe one
day of a you would you go back down a
cruiser and fight Someway Joy or will join you up?
Speaker 2 (30:06):
But what do you think about the bossing scene now
in Australia? How do you think we're going understand?
Speaker 6 (30:15):
Yeah, well.
Speaker 8 (30:18):
I'm trying to reach out a little bit to you, uh,
real aggressively. But I'm worried about it. And yeah, I
think that I think we need a body that can
govern our sport. I don't think there's enough expertise with
(30:40):
the mob that are doing it. And the one thing
about I think that the main thing that you get
when you venture into boxing, it's discipline, and I don't
(31:03):
think they can. That's worry my opinion.
Speaker 6 (31:07):
Worry.
Speaker 9 (31:09):
I just say this really quickly, and I said the
mark and of being in trouble for and being pretty auspoken.
Speaker 5 (31:17):
But listen, if the sports grand boy.
Speaker 9 (31:20):
Dodger should be wearing red noses, the clowns and the
sport will will never get better. I mean, if Paul
couldn't put on a beautiful breakfast that he's putting on here.
He wouldn't be if the guy's filming this with the
camera that they couldn't do that, it wouldn't be here.
We have referees and judgment have never formed their life
and never formed their life, and they rule people's lives.
Speaker 5 (31:41):
They having three people watch a fight and one have
them buy six points to one won't have to buy
six points the other and one they have to draw.
It's a joke.
Speaker 6 (31:48):
And I mean until we.
Speaker 9 (31:51):
Can make things properly, until they're their account of what
they do out of the fight, I mean, nothing happens
next week they're fighting, they're refereeing, or again, I mean
until they can sit down and somebody said, show me
what that guy won by six points and they can,
you know, do that.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
The sport's never going to be going anymore. That's why
you have so he's taken over.
Speaker 9 (32:10):
And then because they have men and have responsible people
who run their sport. And I've said in the sport
of boxing, and man, I don't even want to tell
stories as so yeah, I mean I will tell one story.
I don't know, I can't tell anyone. But anyway, like
I said, now, I just don't won't let.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
The Olympics's go back to them.
Speaker 5 (32:31):
So what happened to mean the Olympic Games?
Speaker 9 (32:33):
I mean, and here is I'm win to fight why
the judge the jury overturned Arden Tunsell doesn't even appeal
to say how. And it was the first time the
jury had ever been there, and the jury were just
there was a boys stop because they've got some more
clowns to go and ship ringside because they know they're.
Speaker 5 (32:53):
All it's all a boys club. And yeah, I mean
Australia didn't even protest that I that I lost. But
the great thing is, and I'll never forget it when
I got on the plane.
Speaker 9 (33:02):
Because I came home el list And do you know
the greatest thing when you go to the Olympics is,
of course thirst.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
Thing is you march for your country. I couldn't march
because it was the day that I The.
Speaker 9 (33:12):
March was when I had to fight that night and
it was very, very hot in the LA So I
went in and win the finals much. I would have
loved the march till my friends in Australia to see me.
And then after that it's about competing. So I competed
and I've done the best I could and like I said,
I won. My decision was overturned. And then the next
greatest thing is that with your own Olympics, the after
(33:33):
parties like the part of your life, everybody from the
whole world meet up and enjoy themselves. I didn't go
to that either, because once I lost the five and
once they of the driven my decision, I read joinings
and I'm coming straight home. And well, one thing that
I told the Olympic organization back then, I said, if
you can guarantee that Johnny's going to be in my
corner at the next Olympics, I will stay amateur for
(33:55):
another four years.
Speaker 5 (33:56):
They said no, So I turned professional and then one
hundred ninety six days I was a world champ because.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
This beautiful empy side.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
And you thought the person who wanted to go a medal,
I thought them.
Speaker 9 (34:06):
In my second defense at my will time, I thought
to gold Witherston. I knocked him out in the fourteenth round,
but had some real bad circumstance. We were in a
health farm four weeks because I broke my hand and
I fought with the broken hand.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
But we had some good stories. And by the way,
they were fifteen rounders.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
We're talking fifteen round fights that that's pretty rare, and
the fourteenth round.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
And Johnny, you might be able to reflect on this.
Jeff used to suffer from broken hands or breaks, but
as so it didn't really stop him.
Speaker 6 (34:40):
As I said before, nothing is going to stop me.
But after.
Speaker 8 (34:47):
He made as I say, we had to go down
and we had three fights to get to the Olympics.
And I can tell you that after the first fight
he did to sleep. We had two buckets, four of
the ice and he had we had his hands shaking
(35:08):
in the two buckets. That being a good black that
I am, I went to sleep for him so he
didn't have to worry about that. The National eye we're
in the buckets again and he's with his hands in
the ice buckets. And then they had the final and
he won that and he was back in the atmosph
(35:30):
in his hand at the days one second tour about
him being a nice guy. And then I just told
them and they were fun. Well, every day, bring me
out these leaves.
Speaker 9 (35:42):
And stuff, because I couldn't even I had to lose
weight on had to lose like thirteen pounds in the
last anywaybody tells us and Johnny and all the guys
I used to go and look from every night.
Speaker 5 (35:54):
Most of the nights I see them, and then on
every second or third or nobody's around.
Speaker 9 (36:00):
And then I'd wake up in the water to go
for my run because I could still run, of course,
and ride a boy to try to lose away or
see all these pizza boxes and McDonald's things out the
front they go and sleeping out eating McDonald's and pizza.
Speaker 11 (36:12):
While I was dying in that room on my own,
and and and and and then these hands are John
sorry and just finch off the hands like because how
it goes up and played in his whole career.
Speaker 8 (36:26):
Look, yeah, I'm going to say at that stage, uh,
this has gotta stop his progress. You know, yead operations
on them, and then we had them. I've done it
to put.
Speaker 6 (36:45):
What they were.
Speaker 9 (36:47):
I had pins putting them to so that's how I
supposed to stay for the rest of my life. But
for some reason the operation has never worked, and the
pins were taken out, and my fingers would come straight
back to where they are where we're pretty prelude theirselves
time on punch wil breaking back.
Speaker 5 (37:02):
In my hands.
Speaker 8 (37:05):
Yeah, I just said the premier I'm really worried about
some of the matchups that goes on. And another thing,
I'll go to rugby league blankets sent off the same
thing four weeks for him four weeks.
Speaker 6 (37:23):
It's done professionally.
Speaker 8 (37:26):
We're going a young lady sitting down there who played
in a premiership winning side for Melbourne. Curtis like amazing
boys in their life when they're young, they do something
stupid or whatever that these kid's got life. I'm rugby
(37:48):
leaguing and boxing. He's undefeated in boxing and.
Speaker 6 (37:54):
What why is this?
Speaker 8 (37:57):
How can these guys have came do much for the
spider boxing? Come out and give someone alive? What's their
credentials to do that?
Speaker 5 (38:07):
Everybody deserves a second chance. I don't care who you are,
what you are.
Speaker 9 (38:12):
If nobody's prepared to give you a second chance, then
there's something terribly wrong with him. And I've said that
I've made stupid mistakes, but I've been blessed.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
Whether I've had a second chance, start to go, I'll
prove that I can. I can do things again.
Speaker 9 (38:25):
You can change, We can all change, and I think
that's why we're all. Headle wanted to change a community
to make him better, and.
Speaker 5 (38:33):
That yeah, I look around the table.
Speaker 9 (38:36):
One of my great friends, John Rocker, who has helped
me and supported me with all my boxes.
Speaker 5 (38:41):
And I couldn't even tell you for how many years
it's it's been so long. I'm blessed have all these people.
Speaker 9 (38:47):
And I mean, like I said, it would be good
to be able to sit down one day and go
through a few of these people who have made mistakes
and give them a chance. And like I said, and
this kid was most probably the most talent going balloting
sense he earned he played you know, first weight for
Melbourne Storm and they're best, and like I said, he
made a mistake. And like I said, man, I just
(39:10):
both with the Premier and the police commissioner and stuff
a few weeks ago. And when I walked out of there,
it made me so proud of all these guys taking
photos of up with me because I had I had
a second chance. I told him the police, that's you
gave them a chance to yeah, to speak in front
of the commissioner all those people, and it made me
(39:31):
really really brown. But yeah, if somebody makes a mistake,
I mean, there's a time where he should be able
to go back and said, this guy's been punished enough,
giving the opportunity to show that he's yeah that yeah,
we all can change. We're all yeah, yeah, we all
make mistakes. And then, like I said, I love Johnny
for saying that because one of my young boss two
(39:53):
years ago now threw a plastic bottle of water with
somebody and there he got three.
Speaker 5 (39:58):
Years for throwing a plastic bottle of watered somebody.
Speaker 9 (40:00):
I mean, it's it's just a joke, and that's never
happened to the sport of boxing, reports and moves liberally
his voice, So sometimes I think it was because he's
led them my hope.
Speaker 5 (40:09):
But like I said, there's been people in the sport
of boxing, like myself who have.
Speaker 9 (40:13):
Done much worse than that. Nothing's ever happened. So I mean,
like I said, until until we have good people around
that sport, we have people who being involved in the sport,
I never think boxing is going.
Speaker 6 (40:23):
To get better or stronger.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
Well, ladies and gentlemen, I think as ladies said, and gentlemen, gentlemen,
I really appreciate your honesty. Both him and I think
that in a small gathering, and it's this sort of
chat house rules in this group.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
In this group, I think that your honesty is highly
highly valued from.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
All of us in relations to you know, how you've
changed your life, how Johnny something production of something like
Johnny has changed your life, and probably really how hopefully
Joky and Bobby and all that their entourage can help
change lives and more and do something really positive. And
really I think we're talking about a really small factor.
(41:07):
We're not really sort of doing something like you know,
you know the treasurer from New South Wales Bookie is
not sort of building into his budget and money to
put it more. And this is something small, but it's
also but I think it's really beat. It's also really
large and it sort of comes out of generosity and
he comes out of people not making judgments and other people.
Speaker 5 (41:25):
I hope you can starting, Maureen, and we can do
it in many other places. There's a lot of places
that maybe all much.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
As suppose one hundred percent. Well, thanks very much, guys,
I appreciate.
Speaker 9 (41:32):
It just for saying, begg you give me the opportunity
to be with the premier and some great people who
I know, and I'm sure Johnny feels the same.
Speaker 5 (41:39):
Thank you so so much.
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