From Student to Coach: Mike Benitez's Boxing Journey

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Boxing isn't just about landing punches—it's about landing purpose in young lives. Meet Michael Benitez, founder of Mutopia Boxing and Fitness in Winchester, Virginia, whose passion for the sport transcends the ring and enters the realm of youth transformation.

Starting with nothing but a football pad tied to a pole after his father's gym closed, Mike has built an 8,000-square-foot sanctuary where kids discover their inner strength. "I got a lot of parents that come in and the kids with them, the kids quiet, man, they just won't speak," Mike shares. "I work with them for two weeks and the parents come back and are like, 'Man, what'd you do to my kid? He won't shut up now.'" This remarkable metamorphosis happens within a judgment-free zone where young people find their voice, confidence, and community.

Mike's approach balances technical boxing instruction with life lessons about responsibility and restraint. "This is something that if I teach you, I don't want you to take it outside of my gym unless you have to," he tells his students, echoing his father's wisdom. The individualistic nature of boxing—what Mike calls a "me versus me sport"—creates accountability that team sports sometimes can't provide. For kids who haven't yet found themselves, this personal journey becomes transformative.

The conversation explores Mike's own boxing career (currently 5-2 with professional aspirations), his analysis of the Crawford-Canelo fight, and his passionate advocacy for bringing boxing programs to schools. Despite facing institutional resistance, he makes a compelling case for boxing as a tool for building discipline rather than promoting violence.

Whether you're curious about boxing, interested in youth mentorship, or simply love stories of community impact, tune in to discover how Mutopia Boxing is changing lives one glove at a time. Find Mike at mutopiaboxing.com or visit him at 661 Millwood Avenue in Winchester. As he says, "If you dream about it, you think about it, make it happen."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:19):
I was ready, bro.
It's a hindrance.
Silence is cassette, so letyour voices be heard, man.
We, brothers with opinions, nowwe spreading the word.
Bringing light to the darkRevolution is our art.
Man, a lot of people talk, butthey ain't never walked apart.
Gotta shine a light on povertyand fight against injustice and
always speak the truth when theenemy's monsters.

(00:40):
Brothers with opinions, bigvoice.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
We back everybody.
Welcome to BWL.
I don't know what Chris isdoing.
He ain't ever ready.
Welcome back to BWL.
We're about to have a greatguest on today Michael Benitez
of Metopia Boxing and Fitnesseveryone.
So please hit the subscribebutton to our YouTube channel

(01:04):
and follow us on Facebook andall that stuff.
Like I said, I don't know whatChris is doing right now, but
we're going to add MichaelBenitez and welcome him to the
show everyone.
Okay, I was like what is hedoing?
We're going to add Michael inhere and welcome him to the show
everybody.
Thanks for tuning in.

(01:24):
We'll get Michael in here andwelcome him to the show
everybody.
So thanks for tuning in.
So we'll get Michael in here.
Mike, can you hear us?

Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yes, sir, hey, what's going on?
How y'all doing, how y'alldoing.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Good, good.
So today the platform is yours,sir.
You were with.
Do I have it correct, it'sMutopia?
Yes, sir, Boxing and fitness inWinchester?
Yeah.
So you want to start off,introduce yourself and what you
do for the community with yourbusiness and everything, the

(01:55):
boxing and stuff, 100% man.

Speaker 3 (01:57):
This is Coach Mike with Mutopia Boxing and Fitness.
We're here located inWinchester, virginia.
Man, honestly, it's just toinspire.
Honestly, we just we're tryingto grow the kids and that's it,
man.
It's just give back.
You know what I mean and youknow we have a lot of kids who

(02:17):
come in and just I wouldn't say,depressed, but they don't know,
they ain't found themselves yet.
So you know, really just youknow, and first off I want to
start with, you know, shout outto my team, because if it wasn't
for my team, it wouldn't bepossible.
You know what I mean.
It would just be me, you know,trying to make ends meet and do
what I do, but at the same time,my man is my team with me.

(02:39):
So you know.

Speaker 2 (02:45):
Right, right.
So so what?
I'm curious myself because I'mnot sure how did you get into
about, what was your interestand when did you start, you know
?
I mean like, how did you getinto all this?

Speaker 3 (02:50):
yeah, shout out, pops man, my dad honestly you know
chris, chris knows you know mydad, uh, had a boxing gym and
you know me, after school, Ireally didn't know what I wanted
to do.
I was, you know, into footballand stuff like that, but it just
team sports wasn't me.
You know what I wanted to do?
I was, you know, into footballand stuff like that, but it just
team sports wasn't me.

(03:11):
You know what I mean.
So I found boxing and you knowmy dad always wanted me to do it
, but you know I was young anddidn't want to listen to him and
everything.
But you know, one day afterschool, it just it just clicked
to me and, you know, startedgoing to the gym, started
hitting the bag and you, youknow it was never like me
wanting to get into it seriously, but you know, finally, I was
like you know what this is a me,a me versus me, sport, you know
what I mean so nobody'sfighting for you, it's just you

(03:33):
and yourself.
You know what I mean.
So if you don't put the work in, that's, that's a reflection on
you.
You know what I mean.
So my dad, it all, that, all itall comes back to my dad all
right.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Well, praise, praise, pops, and I mean you're right,
me and chris me and chris weretalking about this it's it's
different.
Individual sports like boxing,wrestling.
You know like it's you againstyou.
You know you're your biggestcompetition, different from team
, and I feel you know you can,you can elaborate on that.

(04:03):
You know building confidenceand this you know in these kids.

Speaker 3 (04:06):
Yeah that's what it is, man, they, they.
You know I got a lot of parentsthat come in and you know the
kids with them, the kids quiet,man, they just won't speak.
And I work with them for twoweeks and you know the parents
come back and like, man, what'dyou do to my kid because he
won't shut up now, right, soit's just, you know, and you
know a lot of kids, man, theydon't want to open up to the
parents.
You know what I mean.
It's just, it's natural, it's akid thing.

(04:28):
You know what I mean.
And the kids come in and theyopen up and you know they just
they're able to vent.
You know, I mean, because it'sa no judgment zone in my gym,
right, you know we, we're, we'rehere, you know I mean we're
mentors, we try to enrollpositivity and and that's that's
it, man, yeah the main thing isconfidence, so of course

(04:48):
self-defense right teachesteaches them that a hundred
percent, and you know in theright way you know I had a kid
come into the gym today and youknow I want to learn boxing.
you know, but hey, this issomething that if I teach you, I
don't want you to take itoutside of my gym unless you
right, right.
I mean, like you know, my dadgrowing up was like, hey, I
don't want you to take itoutside of my gym unless you
Right, right.
I mean.
You know my dad growing up waslike, hey, man, don't fight
unless I put their hands on youfirst.
Right, and you know I still goby some rules that my dad used

(05:11):
to give me.
So you know I learned a lotfrom him and that's what I still
instill in my kids now.

Speaker 2 (05:17):
Well, it's like my dad would say, and I'm sure your
dad says it's like don't startit, just finish it.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
Right.

Speaker 2 (05:24):
Right yeah.
So what have you got?
Any events, anything going onLike what do you guys?
Because you guys do personaltraining right as well, we do
personal training.

Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yeah, my gym's private man.
I want the kids who want tobetter themselves.
You know what I mean.
People are like man, you know,I couldn't find your website.
You know, if you don't know mepersonally you don't have me on
Facebook, you don't have me onInstagram you probably don't
know about my gym.
You know what I mean.
It takes.
It takes.
I want to see who wants them.
You got to find my gym, you gotto find me.

(05:54):
You got to.
You know what I mean and whenyou walk into the gym, that that
shows me.
You know what I mean.
So now I'm interested in you.
Now I want to see what you'reabout, because you took the time
to find the gym.
People are like man, they sentme here, sent me here, hey, you
showed up, that's all thatmatters.
You walk through the door, I'mgoing to do my job and I'm very
good at what I do.

(06:14):
I like to think and I get themhooked.
You know what I mean.
Kid came into the gym today.
He's like hey, you know, coach,I just want to see how you
train.
I want to see you traininganother kid.
I mean smile from ear to ear.
You know what I mean.
He's like, yeah, I want to doit.
All right, cool, I locked youin and I tell him you give me
100%, I'll give you 100%.
Now let's match up at 110%.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
Now do you start at a certain age.

Speaker 3 (06:40):
Man, honestly, like with the kids, I usually do an
hour session, hour and a halfsession to the guys who want to
compete and everything like that, but at the same time with you
know six year olds and five yearolds, like your attention span,
is not there yet.

Speaker 2 (06:55):
Trust me, I'm coaching third and fourth
graders right now, you know whatI mean.

Speaker 3 (06:58):
So I try to do 30 minutes with the young kids and
it seems to me that, like I canget 30, a good 30 minutes out of
them.
And you know it's just againconsistency.
I tell the parents like, hey,man, I'm okay with you signing
your kid up for one day a week,but at the same time bring them
in more.
You know what I mean.
Get them, get them interestedin it, and the more you do it,
the more it'll sink in yourbrain.
So, right, right.

(07:18):
This is your full-time career,career right full time man, it's
the only thing I want to do.
People tell me, like, why don'tyou get a you know real job?
Hey, man, you worry about you.
I'm doing what I love to do.
I go to work.
I'm not mad about what I'mdoing.
Nobody's telling me what to do.
I'm doing what I love no, nolie.

Speaker 4 (07:35):
Most of us would love to do something like that.
We don't really.
Most of us don't do exactlywhat we love, and you're blessed
when you're able to do that.
So for you to be able to dothat, yeah, it doesn't matter
what nobody else thinks, man andyou're making a difference in
people's lives, especially youngpeople, but nobody we hate
working for the man.
That's the way to keep it real.
We hate working for the man andyou're doing something big and

(07:57):
you're doing it for yourself, atrue entrepreneur man.
Big respect to that manappreciate that man.
Yeah, you know, and I know,besides you looking just like
Pops right now like I wouldalways get you guys confused.

Speaker 2 (08:09):
On being honest, I'm like they look just alike.
I don't know which is which man.
That's totally common.

Speaker 4 (08:13):
Besides, you looking just like him, like yeah, we
grew up a lot and I looked up toBig Mike too, man, because he's
a few years older than me and Ito me and I, I appreciate what
you do and no lie, man,including your pops man.
We all wish we could do exactlywhat we love every day and not
have to go work for the man man,I love it, I love it.

(08:34):
I wouldn't want it any other wayright, right, so shout out how
can people become a member ofyour gym or how can people
become someone that you trainbesides having to find you
because they really want it,like, how can they reach out to
metopia and be like mike, I wantto do this, and then they can
come in and you see him, orwhatever?

Speaker 3 (08:54):
find me on metopia boxing uh, metopia boxing on
instagram or uh, michael benitezon facebook.
Shoot me a message.
Um, you know, we got a websiteand everything metopia boxingcom
.
Uh, shoot me an email.
Shoot me a.
Shoot me a message.
We got a website and everythingmetoviaboxingcom.
Shoot me an email.
Shoot me a text.
Give me a call, show up.
Show up is what I prefer, buthey, give me a call, I'm going
to make it work.
Right.

(09:15):
Right, I wake up.
I think boxing, I wake up.
I think I'm making my boysbetter, my young girls that I
got.
I want to make you better, youknow, I mean, I'm trying to
trying to be a role model man,trying to be positivity in our
community and, and you know,boxing needs to come.

Speaker 2 (09:34):
It's big, it needs to be bigger.

Speaker 3 (09:34):
Oh I agree, we're about to get, we're about to get
into that you have currently.

Speaker 4 (09:37):
You have everybody that's fighting and, like you,
I've seen you going on the roadwith kids yeah, so.

Speaker 2 (09:44):
So how many of?

Speaker 4 (09:44):
those kind of classes do you have currently?

Speaker 3 (09:47):
Currently, I think, I'm at between me and my coach
me personally, you know we worktogether and all but me
personally, I think I'mtraveling around with like eight
kids right now.

Speaker 4 (09:58):
That are competing.

Speaker 3 (09:59):
Yeah, that are competing.

Speaker 4 (10:00):
Nice and that one kid's 6-0.

Speaker 3 (10:05):
Yeah, my man Trey Fincham, he's 6-0.

Speaker 2 (10:07):
What weight?
Class 125.

Speaker 3 (10:10):
125?
.
We need the heavyweights back.
That's what I'm talking about.

Speaker 2 (10:16):
We need heavyweights back, but that's.

Speaker 3 (10:17):
Mike, mike's the heavyweight.

Speaker 4 (10:19):
That heavyweight division, mike, what's your
record?
If you don't mind me asking,5-2.

Speaker 2 (10:24):
You hear that.
Do you still fight or you justtrain?

Speaker 3 (10:29):
Honestly, my goal is to go pro.
Okay, I'm over the amateur.
You know it's a different styleman.
The pro and the amateurs areway different.
You know, amateur is moreoutput.
You know what I mean.
You got to be in the bestcondition of your life.
You got to be able to throwpunches like that's all they
look for.
You know what I mean.

(10:49):
And I think, with the way thatI was trained and the way that I
trained myself, it was more ofa pro style.
Um, you know, believe it or not,I actually sparred, uh, the guy
who fought on the caneloundercard, ivan drichko.
Uh, the heavyweight, um, okay,and you know.
So, just the experience thatI've had, the experience man,
the travel and it's.
You know, and, honestly, when Iwent to pa to spar him, I I was

(11:10):
a, I was a student, you know.
I mean, I put the coaching tothe side, I was learning, I went
there to learn.
Right, I'm sparring a guy who'ssparred tyson fury, who's far
deontay wilder, who's faranthony josh is for the top
heavyweights in the world, man,and it was hey, look, I got my
ass whooped, buck.
It's not about that, it's aboutgetting there, getting the

(11:31):
experience and being able to say, hey, I stepped in the ring
with a top 10 contender, right,I mean, and I'm always learning
His coach, tommy Kello, man,great guy, shout out Dallas
Brewer for taking me there.
If it wasn't for him I wouldn'thave went.
But, man, the experience and itgave me a different eye on the
coaching aspect of things.

(11:51):
And, man, you dedicate yourtime and your people.
Man, the sky's the limit.

Speaker 2 (11:56):
Right, Totally agree.
I mean, that's all I didn'tknow.
You were still like trying tofight, but that's awesome.

Speaker 4 (12:04):
Hey, good luck on that.
You want to test them, you wantto spar with them?

Speaker 3 (12:09):
I'll take it easy.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
I only fight when I have to.
I'm not going to voluntarilyget punched in the head.
You guys are just a differentbreed, hey everybody who steps
into the ring.

Speaker 3 (12:26):
You know, spectators are what makes boxing happen.

Speaker 1 (12:30):
Right.

Speaker 3 (12:30):
But the boys who get in there, man it's, you're
getting hit, you're going to gethit.

Speaker 4 (12:35):
It's a sport.

Speaker 3 (12:36):
You're going to get hit.

Speaker 4 (12:37):
Now how many people are on your team that help at
the gym?

Speaker 3 (12:41):
Man, I got like seven or eight.

Speaker 4 (12:46):
I also at the gym, man, I got like seven or eight
that also helps train otherpeople too.

Speaker 3 (12:49):
Right, because you can't train everybody.
Yeah, I can't.
You know what I mean.
And and honestly, uh, my other,my assistant boxing coach,
coach, green front row guy um,you know, he's been in my dad's
gym before I even started boxingand you know, unfortunately my
dad closed down his gym and manjust the boxing yeah, winchester
boxing.
I started with nothing when mydad closed down.
You know, unfortunately, my dadclosed down his gym.
Manchester boxing yeah,Manchester boxing.
I started with nothing when mydad closed down.
You know, working downtowntrying to make some money,

(13:10):
Because I always knew what Iwanted to do.
Like you said, man, I didn'twant to work for the man.

Speaker 4 (13:14):
Yeah, I'm with you.

Speaker 3 (13:17):
I was okay with it for the time being but, man, I
knew I wanted my own place.
I got a football pad and I hada pole.
I tied the football pad to thepole and, man, my clients just
kept coming, kept coming, andthe gym grew, went from 3 000
square feet to I mean, I'msitting at almost eight right
now.
You know, got a boxing ring,got a team full of trainers, got

(13:40):
a fight team, you know.
You know everything you need inthe gym.
We make it work nice so heythat's awesome, you know.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
Work from the bottom up, yes, and that's great
perseverance, man, as I triedinstilling kids to work hard and
strive for your goals if youthink, if you, if you want it,
you'll go get it right.
Gotta work for it I keeptelling chris talk it into
fruition to make it at, talk itinto existence.
Yep 100, yeah, yeah, so do youhave any?

(14:09):
Yep.
So do you have any big fightslike lined up that you would
like you with yourself or theyou know, the boys you're
training?

Speaker 3 (14:19):
um, so some of my guys that are fighting for me
right now, my man Trey, he's gotthem lined up.
I'm trying to keep them asactive as possible.
Soon, probably, hopefully nextyear we'll make it out to
nationals.
We're looking at October 4th,we're looking at October 18th,
we're looking at October 25th.

(14:39):
Then we'll go to Ohio November8th, just keeping them active,
man.

Speaker 2 (14:47):
Right right.

Speaker 3 (14:48):
And then for myself, I'm hoping to turn pro next year
, talking to a couple managerstrying to make ends meet and,
you know, go from there.

Speaker 2 (14:55):
Nice, nice.
Now who's your?

Speaker 3 (14:58):
trainer Myself.
Ah, so when you go pro too,you're the one in the corner um,
you know I have, I'll have a aguidance guy I'm looking at, uh,
dallas brewer um, the guy thattook you to fight that that guy
or whatever right yeah, lookingat him, um man, really it's,

(15:21):
it's.
It's funny because my lastcouple fights it's really been
people just giving me water inthe corner, really just give me
some water my last fight man, Ifought a dude who shorts nah, I
wouldn't say shorts 6'1 stocky,built like a refrigerator man so

(15:44):
what class are you?

Speaker 2 (15:45):
Are you heavyweight?

Speaker 3 (15:46):
Heavyweight.
Yes, sir.

Speaker 2 (15:48):
I figured you was a heavyweight class.

Speaker 4 (15:50):
Yeah, might as well take out.

Speaker 2 (15:52):
Hey, we need you to bring that heavyweight class
back.

Speaker 3 (15:55):
Hey, we need to man.

Speaker 2 (15:57):
To prominence man.

Speaker 3 (15:58):
That's the goal.
I'm trying to have a.
I'm trying to represent ourtown, man Winchester, you know
what I mean Trying to have aheavy weight, trying to do
something in boxing and againI'm here to lead by example.
I mean, I feel like sometimesYou're representing already.
Yeah, I feel like sometimes.

Speaker 4 (16:14):
If you make it big and do your thing, you're going
to represent more thanWinchester, the DMV and Virginia
are going to claim you Right.
That's how Mike's at home.

Speaker 2 (16:25):
You know how that goes.

Speaker 4 (16:27):
By Tennessee.
They're going to claim you.

Speaker 2 (16:29):
Everybody trying to claim you, the bigger you get.
But no, you know, we wish youthe best man.

Speaker 4 (16:34):
We hope everything goes well and works out for the
best.
Like you said, be positive,speak into existence, manifest
it, but you go.
I grew up in so many differentlocations as a kid, you know,
grew up in.

Speaker 3 (16:42):
Born in Winchester, grew up in so many different
locations.
As a kid, you know, grew up inuh, born in winchester, grew up
in tennessee, um, you know,moved out to west v.
Lived here for a little bitduring my middle school years
you was in diane yep, I was ingallenberg, tennessee gosh okay,
so you know it's all over.

Speaker 2 (17:01):
Support from everywhere, man, I love it so
you know it's all over supportfrom everywhere.
Man, I love it, right, right.
So you have any big plant likebusiness ventures?
You know with us, you knowevents coming up.
Do you do stuff in your own gymlike have boxing matches and
events?

Speaker 3 (17:15):
uh, no, I don't actually.
But um, you know, the coolthing about it is is I'm able to
hopefully eventually under usaboxing you're allowed to throw
your own events.
You know, got to get thedoctors and the officials and
everything but hopefully workingagain with Dallas Brewer and
hopefully sometime soon throwingan event in Winchester Virginia
.
Just because I think it's it'snot here, you know what I mean.

(17:37):
In my gym, yes, it's here, butI want it in the community.
I want people to be come outand see you know what boxing's
and see you know what bison'sabout.
You know what I mean and again,it's building self-defense and
confidence.

Speaker 4 (17:49):
It's never been there , at least when I lived there,
of course, like, yeah, your dadand you, you guys have pretty
much brought it on the scene inthe area because it's never been
a thing over there.
People got gloves before andfought, but most time it's
street fighting.
It's never been done likeyou're doing man, we hope you
can continue to build it andgrow it, Mike.
What you're doing, that's anamazing thing and you're helping

(18:11):
the youth.
And you're helping people tryto chase their dreams.
Some of them can make it.

Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yeah, yeah, very true .

Speaker 4 (18:19):
That kid 6'0" man, he look promising.

Speaker 3 (18:23):
That kid Trey you said yeah, man, he looks
promising.
That kid Trey you said yeah,man, he's special.

Speaker 2 (18:28):
So what's his record?

Speaker 3 (18:30):
He's 6-0.

Speaker 2 (18:31):
So that's when he had the 6-0?

Speaker 3 (18:33):
Yeah, he's just he's coachable, he's hardworking,
he's dedicated.
You know what I mean?
The kid sends me two milesforward, one mile backwards
every morning before 7 am, youknow.
I mean he comes into the gymand then he'll come back to the
gym fora strength training.
He's just, he can't beoutworked.
I mean I'm like, dude, how areyou not tired?

(18:56):
And he's like I coach, I justwant to do it.

Speaker 4 (18:58):
I'm like right, that's somebody that definitely
has what it takes to make it ohman, dude, he's dude, he's
special, he's special.

Speaker 2 (19:05):
Nice.
So he's a gym right.
He wants to be in the gymconstantly.

Speaker 3 (19:08):
All the time, so he's actually helping me get kids
into the gym now.

Speaker 2 (19:13):
Cool, awesome.

Speaker 3 (19:18):
You know he loves boxing, so he told me he wanted
to do it.
So hey, let's continue to build.

Speaker 4 (19:21):
Now when you make it professionally to build.
Now, when you make itprofessionally, who's going to
take over the reins of holdingthe gym down?

Speaker 3 (19:26):
Oh, I'm going to do it all.

Speaker 4 (19:28):
Because you're going to come back and it'll be like
I'm going to do it all.

Speaker 2 (19:32):
Look, he already has his team, so when he's fighting,
hopefully they can hold thefort down while he's fighting.
Right, While you're away.

Speaker 3 (19:40):
If I'm going for a week, I depend on my people.
Man, I trust my people.
They're going to take care ofme as I take care of them.

Speaker 2 (19:47):
Nice, and I don't think I have.
Where is your gym exactlylocated?

Speaker 3 (19:51):
We are right across Shenandoah.
We're at 661 Millwood Avenue.

Speaker 2 (19:57):
Okay, yep, all right, gotcha All right.

Speaker 3 (19:59):
So everybody knows that as well where you're
located Right there in town,knows that as well where you're
located Right there in town,nice.

Speaker 2 (20:06):
Well, that's right down the road for me, then I'll
have to get my boys in there.

Speaker 4 (20:10):
You should get Quincy into it.

Speaker 3 (20:13):
They'll fall in love with it, man.

Speaker 4 (20:14):
He'd probably be a good one.
It'd be something positive forhim, man for real and, of course
, working out with Mike man he'sgoing to put him through the
test, if Quincy ain out withMike man he's going to put him
through the test.

Speaker 3 (20:26):
If he ain't got it, then he'll quit.
You get to punch people and notget in trouble.

Speaker 2 (20:30):
Right, hey, that's why I love football.
I said it was you couldillegally assault somebody.

Speaker 3 (20:38):
Hey, and I'm with that.
You know what I mean.
Hey, let's do it.
I mean, I think boxing reallyjust makes you grow as an
individual.
You know I mean, and you knowin our gym.
You know we're a team.
You know what I mean.
So we're not sitting theretrying to hurt each other, but
at the end of the day we aretrying to get better right you
know, I mean, and I think that'show a lot of sports should be

(20:59):
right.

Speaker 2 (21:00):
Well, I love it, man, I love it.
I love what you're doing it.
It's positive getting the kidsout there.
Like you say, get their mindright first and foremost, just
build confidence in themselves,self-confidence, 100%.
So, chris, I think you wantedto talk about the fight.

Speaker 4 (21:15):
Yeah, I was going to ask you, Mike.
I actually got to see Crawford afew years ago because my
favorite boxer is Teofimo Lopezand I went to see him fight and
Crawford a few years ago becausemy favorite boxer is Teofimo
Lopez and I went to see himfight and Crawford fought right
after him and I was like, ohshit, I didn't even know he was
going to be at the fight,because I really just went to
see Lopez and he's a beast.

(21:36):
And now we've seen it.
He fought Canelo, being also ontop of your half black and half
Mexican, but Crawford got him,no matter what people say.
He was running, but you don'tland more punches if you're
running.
You know what I mean.
He was being strategic.
Another get you in that corner.
It's gonna be tough yeah, right,but I want to know your
thoughts and takes on that wholefight man um is this the best

(21:58):
fight you've had in a while?

Speaker 3 (22:03):
I think it's.
I think it's elaborate when yousay it's the best fight that
we've had in a while.

Speaker 4 (22:09):
I guess because there's not too many big names
out there.
Okay, so it would be a biggername fight.
You know what I mean?
Something that's so calledblockbuster right those guys
have been doing it forever.

Speaker 3 (22:21):
I think my whole output on the fight is you gotta
give Terrence Crawford hisroses.
I think he dared to be great.
I think Canelo dared to begreat.
I feel like my opinion and Idon't mean it may come off
biased because I've been aCanelo fan since before I
started boxing but Again, he won, he won.
I think it was a quote.

(22:42):
In my eyes it was a littlecloser than what a lot of people
are saying it out to be.
You got to think two judges hadit a draw.
One judge had Terrence Crawfordup 115 to 113.
Is decreasing as a fighter.
I think he's going down.
I think a lot of you know.

(23:03):
You got to think Canelo fightswhat?
Three times a year.
Terrence Crawford fought onetime in the last 16, 17 months.

Speaker 4 (23:11):
Yeah, so Crawford's almost three years older, but
Canelo's fought a lot more, sohe's the same age basically, if
not older because of his fights.

Speaker 3 (23:19):
Right, you know, it's just one of those things, man,
I think there's a lot of thingsthat canelo could have done to
actually win that fight, becauseI do think he could have beat
terrence crawford.
Um, I think the lack of the jabhonestly I want to say that the
lack of the communication inthe corner, um, I think a coach
pays a big role in trying to getyour fighter motivated, and

(23:42):
it's all about what you say tohim, because, because he's the
only person you talk to in awhole 12 rounds, you know, but
Terrence Crawford is a greatboxer, he's a technician, he
knows what he's doing, hecontrols distance well, and
everybody thought that Canelowas the bigger fighter, but I
think in watching the fight,terrence Crawford looked like
the bigger fighter.

Speaker 4 (24:03):
He did and I was trying to tell my buddy I
watched the fight with.
I was like Crawford is astraight student.
He went to the last six yearsof Canelo fights ringside and
watched and studied all of hisfilms, everything.
I'm like he knew and studiedeverything.
He wasn't worried at all.

(24:23):
He, just he.
That's how much of a student hewas.
He was like I've seeneverything, I know everything.
I will beat him and I thinkboxing wise I was.
I think canelo wasn't ready forso much jabs like croft were
giving all them jabs likecanelo's not used to that right
would you agree?

Speaker 3 (24:39):
I would agree.
And you know what's funny is?
I don't think Canelo threw but20 jabs the entire fight.

Speaker 4 (24:45):
Yeah, that's not his fight.

Speaker 3 (24:47):
Nope, and you know it's easy.

Speaker 2 (24:50):
So elaborate on that.
Speak the importance of the jabit's the most important.

Speaker 3 (24:55):
Hey, it's the most important punch.
Every coach will tell you,every fighter will tell you that
jab dictates everything.
Yeah you can control youropponent yep and terence
crawford I do know that littlebit about boxing like it is the
most important punch man and youknow, I think me when I started

(25:16):
boxing it was six months of myleft hand right, because you're
not left-handed right yep, no, Ino, I'm right-handed, but it
was work on the left hand, workon the jab, work on the left
hand, that's your off hand Yep.

Speaker 2 (25:27):
Yeah, yeah, Like when .

Speaker 4 (25:28):
I swing with my left hand.
I feel weak Like.
You know what I mean, so Iunderstand it.

Speaker 2 (25:32):
That's why you'd be working with your left hand for
a year.
Oh yeah.

Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah, man question.
Yes, sir, who do you think isthe greatest boxer of all time?
Because now, now, what's up inthe air?
People are.
People are saying crawford,let's say, this era, let's say
this era.

Speaker 2 (25:52):
I apologize first because I've gotten out of
boxing like I didn't watch thefight.
Yeah, I stopped watching,basically when tyson, like I
wasn't in with You're not thatold Tyson, but I mean, I'm just
being honest, I was aheavyweight, like you know.

Speaker 1 (26:08):
He was a big one, Because I would say honestly, to
me the best fighter is MikeTyson.

Speaker 2 (26:14):
Like I always tell people, I'm a little biased
maybe, but man, when that manstruck fear like nobody wanted
to fight a young Mike Tyson thatwas hungry.

Speaker 4 (26:27):
He's my favorite.
Ever too, mike, he's definitelymy favorite.
I think our whole generationgrew up on Mike.
I think there could be adifference between the best and
the greatest, because if we'resaying greatest, it's got to be.
I can't think of the whiteguy's name.
From way back in the day he waslike 39-0.
49-0.

(26:48):
And then Muhammad Ali was namedMayweather, and now Terrence
Crawford.
Those guys have finished theircareers, at least unless
Terrence fights again.
He might fight Canelo again,but they're undefeated.

Speaker 2 (27:00):
That's got to be the greatest.
Muhammad Ali is not thegreatest of all.
You want to see a rematch?

Speaker 4 (27:07):
100% they might do it , plus the money will be crazy.

Speaker 3 (27:11):
And see, I think, what are the options?
You vacate the belt or youfight again.

Speaker 4 (27:19):
Yeah, and if he knows he can beat him, then fight him
again.

Speaker 3 (27:23):
Here's my thing, because if you beat, somebody
twice, then it's not a fluke.
Right, I feel like Canelo wasalready at the top.
And he says he trained hard,which I'm going to believe him.
Terrence Crawford has somethingto go get, yeah he wanted it.
Yeah, he wanted it more.

Speaker 4 (27:39):
Canelo's been at it.

Speaker 2 (27:41):
So, mike, I know you're younger than us, so who's
your greatest To answer yourquestion?
Who do you think is thegreatest boxer of all time?
You're going to cause somecontroversy, probably.

Speaker 3 (27:53):
I'm going Canelo.
You really I'm going Canelo.
I think that over Mayweather,Mayweather's tough man.

Speaker 4 (28:03):
But Mayweather beat him.
That's why I'm asking too.
The only losses he had was justrecently, and then against
Crawford and Mayweather.
He beat everybody else.
He beat my boy, miguel Cotto.
I was pulling for Cotto back inthem days.

Speaker 3 (28:19):
I'm going to say the greatest boxer In my mind, floyd
.
Now my all-time favoritefighter, greatest fighter,
canelo just because that's thedifference I feel like canelo
didn't.
Canelo didn't pick hisopponents.
I mean, he fought everybody who, if you said he couldn't fight

(28:41):
him, canelo fought him yeah, hedidn't back down and he didn't
back down, so he wasn't fighthim.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
Canelo fought him.

Speaker 4 (28:44):
Yeah, he didn't back down and he didn't back down
from the boards.

Speaker 2 (28:46):
So he wasn't ducking that wreck out there.
No, no, no, nobody.

Speaker 3 (28:50):
Nobody.
I think Canelo has also donemore for boxing than any of
those other fighters that we'retalking about.

Speaker 2 (28:58):
Okay.

Speaker 3 (29:00):
If you look at resumes Terrence Crawford's
resume people are.
You know, I've been talkingabout this all week in the gym.
It's all right.
Well, you're saying that Canelowas the best, but Terrence
Crawford's resume?

Speaker 4 (29:14):
now has Canelo on it Right.
And he hasn't lost yet, eventhough he hasn't fought the same
opponents, but he's been waysmaller weight classes his whole
career.

Speaker 3 (29:21):
Right.

Speaker 4 (29:22):
So there's differences.
That's why I say the same thingwith like basketball stuff.
I'm like you can't reallycompete centers versus guards
and 40 years apart, just becausethere's so much differences.
Yeah, in boxing, mike tysonmight be my favorite, but I
can't.
I can't compare him and saynothing about mayweather,
because they would have neverhad to fight, because tyson's
weight class is too bad, andthat's the the thing, it's the

(29:42):
weight class thing, yeah.
So apparently, from now on,mayweather says he's the best
and we can't lie to him he'swhat 52-0?

Speaker 3 (29:50):
Yeah, if we're going back y'all, tom, I like Sean
Morrison Heavyweight.
Yeah he was nice oh.

Speaker 2 (29:55):
I remember yeah.

Speaker 3 (29:58):
Is it Sean Morrison?
Yeah, you're talking aboutTommy.
You're talking about TommyMoore.
He's from.

Speaker 2 (30:02):
Rocky yeah.

Speaker 3 (30:05):
Right.
Hey, if he wouldn't have gottento all that trouble that he got
in, I think he'd have been upthere.
Tommy Machine got worse, youmight be right.

Speaker 2 (30:11):
Yeah, because he was coming up there and then he got
in that trouble or whatever.
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (30:16):
Man, he was a bad dude.

Speaker 2 (30:18):
Yeah, he was bringing it back up to you.
I'm with you on that one.
I forgot about Tommy Morrison,yeah.

Speaker 4 (30:25):
A fun one for you real quick.
And we can keep going onwhatever you guys want to talk
about, but favorite boxing movie.

Speaker 2 (30:32):
Oh, Rocky.

Speaker 4 (30:35):
You both know.

Speaker 3 (30:36):
Rocky, okay, hold on.

Speaker 4 (30:37):
Because there's so many parts of Rocky too, Because
I love Creed, but I won't countthat one.

Speaker 3 (30:41):
I was about to say.
If you're talking aboutgenerations, Rocky's a good one,
but what about Creed?
Creed's fire, it's the samething.

Speaker 4 (30:49):
What about the Hurricane?

Speaker 2 (30:50):
Creed is good.
What is it the?

Speaker 4 (30:52):
Hurricane was a good one, denzel.

Speaker 2 (30:54):
Oh yeah, I forgot.
Yeah, that was a good one.

Speaker 3 (30:57):
Will Smith played in a boxing movie too Ali.
He played Ali.
I'm going Creed my generation.
I'm going to stick with it.
Creed, I'm going to lock Creedin on that one.

Speaker 2 (31:10):
I mean, I think everybody would say Creed, Like
you say you're a youngergeneration, but Rocky, that
Inspired a whole generation.

Speaker 4 (31:18):
You know what I mean.
Which Rocky, though?
Tony, there's six of them.
Rocky won.

Speaker 2 (31:24):
Rocky.
Rocky won.
Yeah, of course.
My dad even told me when thatcame.
He said it motivated him to eatraw eggs and start like
everyone was inspired in the 70s.
When did it come out?
78?

Speaker 3 (31:38):
Like before that I just had a woman come in saying
she watched Rocky so she wantedto start boxing.

Speaker 2 (31:46):
Yeah, I mean honestly , it's a very inspirational
People get motivated.
Shit, I get motivated.
They're watching this.

Speaker 4 (31:54):
I thought yours was Million Dollar Baby.

Speaker 2 (31:58):
Hey, that was a good movie.
No lie, it wouldn't have to.
Yeah with the girl.
Yeah, that was a good movie.
No lie.
Yeah with the girl.
Yeah, that was a good movie.
What was the one with?
Did Woody Harrelson do a boxing?

Speaker 4 (32:09):
movie.
They were like the Great WhiteHype or something.
Yeah, I think that was morecomedy.
Mike, who's some inspirationsin your life Boxing, or
non-boxing.
My son man, my son Tell theworld his name for those that
don't know it.
My little man Crew.

Speaker 3 (32:30):
Yeah, he's the hope for you, just one self Been a
father for going on a littleover a year now, and man it
changed my life, man, you know,it's just.
I think you know to touch on alittle emotional side of things,
man, I think fathers and youguys are fathers, you sacrifice

(32:53):
a lot for your family.
That's the hard part, man.
Really it's like Cruz, my son,but I got a lot of kids because
I consider all my kids at thegym, my own.

Speaker 4 (33:03):
They are.

Speaker 3 (33:04):
The most important one is is, you know, at my house
, you know, when I go into thegym at six o'clock in the
morning, 5, 30 in the morning,and you know I don't see my son
all day, so so it makes me happyto come home to him and and my
lady, um, but, yeah, man, thoseare my inspirations.
Uh, them too.
And you know, I got gotta givecredit to my mom and my dad, um,

(33:25):
you know, they brought me here.
So, all right, yeah, them too,man, I'm with you man having
kids.

Speaker 2 (33:33):
It keeps you going.
Yeah, yeah, great father.

Speaker 4 (33:36):
That's wild man I won't get into it, no more than
this.
But tony, you already know mikeknows, but so I.
I lived with his mom and hisaunt growing up.
I looked up to his dad.
We played ball all the time atthe Civics.
I used to go watch him playfootball and stuff at Clark
County.
But it's wild man I rememberbeing when I lived in Preston

(33:56):
Place.
Mike lived in Preston Place andlittle Mike was like one two
years old man.
Me and big Mike would playMadden and stuff.
Now look, you're a grown manwith your own business doing big
things, man.

Speaker 3 (34:06):
Appreciate that man.

Speaker 4 (34:09):
That's fire.
It's amazing to see that wholelife come and go and now you're
a grown man and you have yourlittle seed.

Speaker 2 (34:16):
It's amazing, it's almost full circle.

Speaker 3 (34:20):
Blessings, man, blessings.
It's good stuff, it's juststuff.
You know what I mean.
It's just continuing, that'sall.
That's all I want to do is, man, is continue to give back,
continue to inspire, continue to, you know, be there for my
family and provide for my familyas much as I can, man.
That's it.

Speaker 4 (34:38):
Hey, we're handling guys, but now that I think about
it, it seems like the new kidson the block got the most
successful athletes, and that'sMillbrook.

Speaker 3 (34:48):
You think so?

Speaker 4 (34:49):
Tony, you got to keep it real.
We got Mike, we got NajeeJohnson or whatever two-time
Super Bowl champ already.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
Chris, you got a point.
He's the only one to go to NBAfrom our schools.
Well, listen what MillbrookMillbrook got all the times.
How long was Millbrook built?

Speaker 4 (35:08):
They weren't there when we went to school.
They came in the 2000s.

Speaker 3 (35:11):
Don't forget about Eric Green.
I was going to say Eric.

Speaker 4 (35:13):
Green.
He's the only one who went tothe NBA.
Yep.

Speaker 2 (35:17):
But I mean what Y'all got everybody.
They already got in their shorttime, but they won a state in
basketball.

Speaker 4 (35:25):
In basketball, yeah, with Eric and Jordan, sugars and
Claytons and all them Did theywin one?

Speaker 2 (35:30):
Did they get a football when PK was?

Speaker 4 (35:32):
there.
No, they didn't win.
No, state football.

Speaker 3 (35:35):
I think, they fell short.

Speaker 2 (35:37):
Yeah, they had a good run, but I mean, hey, they're
short, they had some athletescome out of there.

Speaker 4 (35:43):
Yeah, Way more than just that.
But I'm saying big-timeathletes, yeah, y'all got to
give love because Millbrookwasn't there when I went to
school, right?

Speaker 3 (35:52):
And you know it's odd man, because I went to Hanley
my sophomore junior and half ofmy senior year and graduated
from Millbrook like I want tosay like the last quarter of
school Really.

Speaker 2 (36:07):
Yeah, so you moved.
My dad did the same thing, andthen he graduated from Hanley
like his senior year.

Speaker 1 (36:14):
I played basketball.

Speaker 3 (36:16):
Played basketball at Millbrook Yep and that was it,
wow, and graduated 2017, manFeels like forever ago.

Speaker 2 (36:25):
So are you a judge or Millbrook?
What is it?

Speaker 3 (36:29):
Or just the kids period.
If I had to claim a school man,I'm going with Hanley man.
You can't down Hanley.
It's a a school man.
I'm going with Hanley man.
You can't down Hanley.
It's a great school man.
They got a great program.
I love the diversity that theyhave there.
You can't beat it, man.

Speaker 2 (36:44):
Yeah, I mean.

Speaker 4 (36:45):
I'm out in West Virginia now, but when my son
goes to school, I want him to goto Hanley, and no lie, I got a
lot of friends that grew up withthis and with the Hanley and
now they all live in WestVirginia and Stephen City and
shit and I'm like damn y'allkids ain't going there.

Speaker 3 (37:03):
Right.

Speaker 2 (37:04):
But that's funny.
We just talked about diversityand stuff and with BPG last week
being on Hanley's just such adiverse school it is and that's
funny.
You say that you want your kidto go there.
Because of that I had a parentcome to me I won't name no names
, the kid's only in seventh.
But he's like how do I enrollhim in Hanley?
My kid wants to go to Hanleyand the first thing he said is

(37:27):
like that's how he grew up.
You know diversity and that's agreat thing because you're
around a lot of different people.

Speaker 3 (37:34):
I feel like at Hanley man, you, you, you learn not to
judge people by the image oftheir.
You know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (37:40):
And with the way the world is today.

Speaker 3 (37:42):
Man, I feel like you.
Everybody needs to be aroundblack, white, Hispanic, chinese,
asian, don't matter what it is.

Speaker 4 (37:47):
That's why I love New York man.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
There's nothing like it here.

Speaker 2 (37:51):
Right.

Speaker 4 (37:52):
Yeah, no lie.
And then the whole area fromStephen City Front Row, what
Berryville and whatever else thecounties.
Winchester is the so-calledcity of that area and it does
have a lot of people Like a lotmore different cultures and
races of people that's moved inand been in the area.
So they go to Hanley whenthey're in those city limits.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
And it's been like that, yeah, and it's been like
that since Greenburn.

Speaker 4 (38:14):
Winchester won't ever build another school, a high
school.
They said they would never doit, so they're going to keep
growing.

Speaker 3 (38:20):
I thought they were thinking about it.

Speaker 4 (38:22):
Not in Winchester, in the county In Frederick County
is building another one.

Speaker 2 (38:25):
I mean I know yeah, frederick County is building
that fourth one behind Abel Bird, and that's where the fourth, I
think in the next year or two Ithink they've already broke
ground, so it'll be a fourth one.

Speaker 3 (38:37):
Hey, you know what I would love to see?

Speaker 4 (38:39):
What's that?

Speaker 3 (38:40):
Boxing become a sport at high schools?
That's what I was going to ask.
How are you pushing that?

Speaker 2 (38:46):
How are you pushing that?
Besides, when me and Chris werethere, we had Mr Carpenter, who
always wanted to put the gloveson, okay.

Speaker 3 (38:54):
So I had talked to the school um about doing, you
know, trying to just promote mygym at the schools, because I
really felt, like, you know, alot of kids could use it.
And they unfortunately told methat I was, or that they felt
that I was, promoting fighting.
So, you know, I I really don'tthink so.

(39:15):
I think it's more soself-defense, right.
And if you give kidsopportunity to fight with gloves
on again, I'm not trying to getthem to do that, but at the
same time I think it createsmore discipline.
Like me, man, you can sayanything you want to me.
I think it's built so much formyself.
I don't get mad.

(39:35):
We could have an argument onthe street.
I'm probably not going to hityou.

Speaker 2 (39:39):
Right.

Speaker 3 (39:40):
You know what I mean.
Unless you hit me first, youcan say everything you want in
the book.
I'm going to laugh at you.
You know what I mean.
It just boxing just helped meso much, man, I don't get mad.

Speaker 4 (39:57):
I don't you know what I mean.
I got a great counter for that.

Speaker 3 (39:58):
Go ahead.
They promote people going tothe Army when they get out of
high school.

Speaker 4 (40:00):
Yeah, they allow those people into the high
school hallways to get kids whenthey come out of classes.

Speaker 2 (40:04):
I remember Well, and the thing is too, look at
wrestling.

Speaker 4 (40:08):
Yeah, I mean, come on , I mean you're not punching
them in the yeah wrestling inits own right.

Speaker 2 (40:11):
But yeah, that's so violent.
And Well yeah that's so violentand it's odd because college
has boxing now.

Speaker 3 (40:20):
Yeah, college, you're right.

Speaker 2 (40:22):
We'll work on this and we'll get it in the schools.
Mike, We'll pay it again itwould be amazing.

Speaker 3 (40:29):
I think it would be amazing for the community and
give kids a different outlet.
You know, just again,self-defense, confidence.
You got these kids who, man,they go home, they stay in the
room all day.
I mean they don't have nofriends, they don't talk.
I think in boxing man, youbuild a brotherhood, you build a
sisterhood.
You know what I mean.
You build a family.

Speaker 2 (40:47):
And then also, like you previously mentioned, like
you said, what Like team sportswasn't for you and that's for a
lot of kids?
Yeah, but it's something theycan pick up an individual sport
and, you know, maybe start tolove it I mean, it's just like
gym.

Speaker 3 (41:04):
People can get hurt in gym class why, not.
Why not make boxing an elective?
I bet you, I bet you, a lot ofkids would pick boxing as an
elective over another class ohsure, I'm sure you'd get a lot
of kids.

Speaker 2 (41:17):
And that's the thing.
It's elective.
You're not forcing anybody todo it unless they want to.
Yep, 100% yeah.

Speaker 4 (41:25):
Yeah, that'd be dope man.
Y'all should no lie, mike,we're going to have some of the
school board, the WinchesterPublic School Board, on in a
couple of weeks.

Speaker 3 (41:38):
We of weeks, we'll hook you all up, I'll bring it
up to him and man, I would, Iwould love to hop on that call
for five minutes just to talk tohim.

Speaker 2 (41:42):
Okay, we will make it happen?

Speaker 3 (41:43):
yeah, I would love to , and just to see an opinion and
their input right, right, yeah,hey, get, uh, constructive
criticism.
We, you know, get some feedbackand and a no won't hurt me, a
no won't hurt me.
I'd rather you say no than saythat I'm promoting fighting.
I'm not promoting violence, I'mpromoting self-defense.

Speaker 2 (42:11):
Ultimately, it's a sport like everything else.
They've already added whatgirls flag football is a big
thing.
Now they're getting that intothe high schools, which is great
.

Speaker 4 (42:23):
When people ask me to rank my top ten favorite
athletes, Mike Tyson alwaysmakes it.
I'll never leave him out.

Speaker 3 (42:29):
A hundred percent.

Speaker 4 (42:30):
It doesn't matter what sport it is.
Boxing one of my favoriteboxers makes it.
Roy Jones is almost going tomake it.
You know what I mean.
But I love him that much and Igrew up just loving that sport
of boxing and seeing him.

Speaker 3 (42:42):
Which one you got hired, MJ or LeBron?

Speaker 4 (42:46):
You said MJ or LeBron .

Speaker 3 (42:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (42:48):
Kobe.

Speaker 2 (42:49):
I was going to say the same thing, say different
generations.

Speaker 4 (42:54):
I know Mike has what he has, but I got to witness
Kobe's whole career.
I was 15 in high school whenKobe came onto the scene and I
really got to watch his wholecareer and I loved him to death
before he even died.
Like it has nothing to do withhis death.
Of course that's veryunfortunate he's my favorite but
come on, Chris, Now you're what.

Speaker 2 (43:16):
You were born in the 70s, I wasn't like I don't
remember that vietnam stuff I go, I go, mj kobe and everybody
else like okay, watching and.

Speaker 4 (43:25):
But he asked me michael lebron.

Speaker 2 (43:27):
I got mike over lebron oh yeah, I'm just saying,
man like watching them two.

Speaker 4 (43:32):
Lebron is a phenomenal talent and his
specimen is like no other.
So Mike and Kobe couldn't touchhim.
But with that killer instinctthat they have and that
determination and will to bebetter and want more, most
people don't have that.
Who do you got?
Who's your goat?
He just doesn't have all this.

Speaker 2 (43:50):
I think Mike's trying to ask who's your goat of all
that in basketball?
In basketball who?
So you put Kobe over Mike?

Speaker 4 (43:58):
I didn't know this Over MJ Kobe's my he said my
GOAT, my favorite of all time isKobe.
I mean it's close, but me, I'meven a Laker fan.
I'm a Lakers fan Penny Hardawayand Grant Hill.

Speaker 2 (44:09):
Look, I'm even a Laker fan and I put MJ over Kobe
.

Speaker 3 (44:17):
But Kobe's a close second.
I'm not a Luger fan.
I want to say this, and youmight disagree I don't think if
there was no MJ, there wouldn'thave been no Kobe.
And if there was no Dr Jthere'd be no MJ.

Speaker 4 (44:29):
Wow, mike says it himself.
You know what?

Speaker 2 (44:32):
I mean.

Speaker 4 (44:32):
Good point when they talk about it.
That's why.
Mike's like I can never say I'mthe greatest because I didn't
get to play against them.
Old dudes, will Chamberlain andJerry Wesson.
I just think there's no answer.
But if it's my favorite, it'sKobe.
I would never knock anybody forsaying Mike is better, but I
wouldn't agree with people thatsay LeBron's better.

Speaker 3 (44:48):
Me neither Right.
He had a and at the end of that.

Speaker 4 (44:54):
Yes, it's longevity that helps him and Kareem.
But to be playing that long andyou still haven't even caught
Kobe, let alone Mike nah, heain't the greatest.

Speaker 3 (45:03):
Yeah, he's got the most of everything when he's
done.

Speaker 4 (45:07):
Too many different teams, he's got the most rings.
Yeah, he's got more losses.
Not hating he's been there morethan most people ever.
Phenomenal feats what he's done.
I hate him.
He's been there more than mostpeople ever.
Phenomenal feats what he's done.
He lost six times, mike, to behonest, I heard a funny joke
back in the day when LeBron losthis sixth ring and they kept
comparing him and some white kidwas on TikTok or Instagram and

(45:29):
he was like if I have a girlcome to my house six times this
week and I hit all six times,but you have a girl come to my
house six times this week and Ihit all six times, but you have
a girl come 10 times but youonly hit four times, who's
winning?
I'm like whoa, like you came 10times but you only hit four.
She came six for me and I hitall six.

(45:52):
I'm sorry to everybody outthere you know they might not
think that's a joke, but I saidit, I thought it was hilarious
and it made a good point.

Speaker 2 (45:59):
You're going to piss off a lot of LeBron, but I'm
with you guys.
I mean you got to win, you makeit through the finals.
If you're the supposed go, yougot to pull it out.

Speaker 4 (46:08):
You got to win, but he's played with so many greats
too.

Speaker 3 (46:17):
Mike went to the finals Six times, right Now he's
got Luka.
Mike went to the finals sixtimes and won six times.
Right, yeah, yeah, all six.

Speaker 4 (46:24):
Nobody even took him to a game seven in the finals.

Speaker 3 (46:27):
Come on, man, that's great.

Speaker 2 (46:29):
We got it done before that decided game Kobe's five
and two.
Five and two, yeah, cause theylost to the Pistons, but they
never should have.

Speaker 3 (46:39):
And he lost to the South.

Speaker 2 (46:43):
So I don't want to hear this all about Kobe.
Only one, because of Shaq.
No, they needed each otherfirst and foremost when they
played.
And then Kobe proved it afterShaq, he still won.
Go look at that Laker rosterand look what he won with.

Speaker 4 (47:00):
But he could have gave up on life when people were
screaming he didn't win.
In between Shaq leaving untilhe started going back to the
finals.
He didn't do much.
This and that.
I'm like.
This dude was playingbasketball practice or games,
traveling back to Colorado everyother day for his trial and
going back and keep doing it.
He was dropped 40 points in arow, like eight times.

(47:21):
He dropped 81 that year.
It was like, oh, he wasn'twinning, like that.
I'm like, yeah, but this dudewas going to court like every
other day during the wholeseason right he could have lost
his freedom like he was dealingwith all that.
That's a lot to me, like I takeall that stuff into account.

Speaker 2 (47:36):
Now do you feel Kobe should have won?
Because what Kobe got?
One MVP right.

Speaker 4 (47:40):
And so does Shaq, and so does Kevin Durant, but Steve
Nash has two Like it's politicsand everything.
Now that's whack.

Speaker 2 (47:47):
Steve Nash getting it over Kobe was crazy Because I
think Kobe averaged over what 30?

Speaker 4 (47:52):
He averaged 32, the year that he lost it to Steve.

Speaker 2 (47:55):
Nash yeah.

Speaker 4 (47:55):
It's fine, it's politics.

Speaker 2 (47:58):
We know.

Speaker 4 (47:59):
LeBron could have won more than four.
It's politics.

Speaker 2 (48:01):
Yeah, right, right Like.

Speaker 4 (48:03):
I'll keep it real On that front.
Mike could have won more thanhe won, but they want to switch
it up sometimes and, to behonest, when they give it to
Steve Nash and them it, theydon't have any white people to
give it to, so they're like,well, we're going to give it to
the best one.

Speaker 2 (48:16):
Yeah, just keep it real.

Speaker 4 (48:18):
Yeah, I ain't going to lie.
Now.
They got to be happy becauseCooper Flagg might end up being
the real deal, but other thanthat, since Larry Bird it ain't
been no great white Americanplayer.

Speaker 2 (48:27):
Right, it hasn't.
So while we're going on, we'regetting near the end of the show
, big Mike.
So you know anything you wantto.
Anybody you want to giveshout-outs to or like again, you
can tell everybody how to getin contact with you.
Sign up anybody get into boxing.

Speaker 3 (48:46):
MutopiaBoxingcom.
Mutopiaboxing on Instagram.
Find me personally, MichaelBenitez, on Facebook.
Mutopiaboxing on Facebook.
Man, if you want to come get it, you know what I mean, Just end
all of y'all.

Speaker 4 (49:00):
Mr Bado, I love that.

Speaker 3 (49:01):
Right, if you want to come get it, man, don't let
nobody judge you.
You know what I mean.
Just, you're your own person.
I mean you can accomplishthings.
You know, if you dream about it, you think about it.
Dream about it, you think aboutit, make it happen.
I mean, shout out to my team,shout out to kwan, chris ashley,

(49:21):
sarah trey, ricky, all of us,man, we're, we're on the same,
we're on the same path.
Uh, trying to, you know, giveback to the community, be a
positive role model for a lot ofpeople in the community.
And you know, no matter the age, no matter how young you are,
how old you are boy, girl,whatever you are, we don old,
you are boy, girl, whatever youare, we don't judge.
Just come get better, right.

Speaker 2 (49:42):
Well, hey, Mike, it was great having you on and,
like I say, hey, we'll reach outto let you know about you, know
the school board or whatever.
Let you jump on for it, becausewhen we have them guys on to
try to get that boxing into theschool system, that'd be awesome
.

Speaker 3 (49:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (49:57):
One more them guys on to try to get that boxing into
the school system.

Speaker 3 (50:00):
That'd be awesome.
Yeah, we got you one more shoutout, shout out, shout out.
Y'all love what y'all are doing.
Appreciate you having me onChris on love.
Yeah, appreciate it.
Always, man Always.

Speaker 4 (50:10):
Hey, man Appreciate it, we've been excited to have
you on, man.
We're glad it finally happened.

Speaker 3 (50:13):
Yes to have you on, man.

Speaker 4 (50:14):
We're glad it finally happened, yes, sir, and we wish
you nothing but the best man.
Anybody out there that wants toget into boxing wants to get
into being trained by a realstand-up gentleman that really
cares about you being better.
Like he said, you got to wantit, though.

Speaker 3 (50:27):
Yep, you got to want it.
Holler at Mike man.

Speaker 4 (50:29):
Go to Mutombi on boxing man and get in the gym
and better yourself, man,because you ain't going to do it
alone all the time.
It's hard to motivate yourself,so let Mike help you do that.

Speaker 3 (50:40):
That's love.

Speaker 4 (50:41):
Go be a part of Motopia Boxing.
We wish you nothing but thebest, Big Mike.

Speaker 3 (50:45):
Hey man, I appreciate y'all.
Big Mike, that ain't.

Speaker 4 (50:47):
Big Mike.
Well, he's bigger than me, it'sBig Mike.

Speaker 2 (50:54):
All right, bro, I appreciate you 100%, 100%, 100%.
All right, man, We'll keep intouch man.

Speaker 3 (51:01):
Go ahead and spend the time you can 100% Appreciate
it.

Speaker 4 (51:05):
All right.
If he grow up looking likey'all man, it's going to be a
problem.

Speaker 3 (51:10):
All right, he's going to start when he's three.
Right, let's go, all right manhave a great evening.

Speaker 4 (51:18):
All right, fellas, have a blessed night.

Speaker 2 (51:22):
All right, Chris Michael on there.
Great to have him on.

Speaker 4 (51:27):
Yeah, good show man.

Speaker 2 (51:29):
Yeah, everybody, you know, tune in for next week
we're going to have on JustinGarber from Winchester Virginia.
He writes his own music.
Now what he did?
A national anthem for theColorado.

Speaker 4 (51:40):
Rockies.
He did it at the ColoradoRockies Major League Baseball
game earlier this year in thesummertime.

Speaker 2 (51:45):
Yep, so we're going to have Justin Garber on next
week.
I think he's released a CD, Ibelieve, or records.
We'll have him on and probablysing something for us.
Y'all into country music, oldfriend Justin Garber we grew up
with, went to Hanley High School.
Was he in 1998?
1998,?
Yeah, he's out there inColorado right now.

(52:07):
We're going to have him on nextweek, so everybody tune in.
Like we mentioned previouslytoo, we're working on having
Carl Rush on here, hopefully inthe next couple weeks.
But everybody, hey, appreciateeverybody.
Subscribe to our YouTubechannel, follow us on Facebook.
We're on Brothers With Opinions.
We're on Instagram X, so go outthere, subscribe, it's free

(52:31):
guys.

Speaker 4 (52:32):
It takes two seconds.
Yeah, look, if you're listeningand your name's Kevin Curry,
holla at us, man.
We want to get you on the show.
If your name's StephanieWashington, stephanie Curry,
whatever, you know what time itis, the drill team needs to come
back.
Let's make this episode happen.
Everybody else, the 84 footballteam, big D, I ain't forgot
about you.

(52:52):
We're going to get y'all guyson soon too, man, and yeah,
we're going to keep it moving.
Like Tony said, justin Garber'sin the building next week, man.
So all you musicians and peoplethat got a good ear for music,
man, get excited, becauseJustin's a great talent and
we're excited to have him joinus.

Speaker 2 (53:08):
Yep, yep, all right everybody.
Hey, enjoy the football game.
We've got the Bills of Miamicoming up, so we got to jump
over here.
I got to get my face.

Speaker 4 (53:15):
I know you got Miami winning because you love Tua, so
let's go.
Hey, I like.

Speaker 2 (53:19):
Tua, but I don't see Miami.
They have to have a quickturnaround because they are not
looking good so far.
Bills are looking like a teamto beat, destroying everybody.

Speaker 4 (53:28):
Shout out to Haley 3-0 with their backup
quarterback man.

Speaker 2 (53:32):
Yes, oh, and everybody speaking sorry,
speaking of uh football go outhaley versus skyline tomorrow at
skyline.

Speaker 4 (53:41):
I love haley.
Gotta go for haley, but I hopezayden gets 300 yards rushing
tomorrow yeah, you got.

Speaker 2 (53:45):
You got a lot of local stars out there zayden
birds for skyline, uh, andre bigjay playing.
And on haley's side you gotjosiah johnson.
Hanley's side, you got JosiahJohnson.

Speaker 1 (53:54):
What do they call him ?

Speaker 2 (53:55):
Biggie, yeah, biggie.
But Hanley got, josiah Johnson,you got.

Speaker 4 (54:01):
Oh JoJo.

Speaker 2 (54:01):
Killen, yeah, so that's going to be.
Hey, that's going to be a greatbattle.

Speaker 4 (54:05):
They got Washington kid at 100 yards last week.

Speaker 2 (54:08):
Yeah, jameer, jameer's nice yeah, so you got.

Speaker 4 (54:11):
And Yoder, yoder's out there.

Speaker 2 (54:13):
That's who it is Will Yoder's out there.
So hey, everybody check outSkyline and Hanley.
Tomorrow Should be a good one.
All right, chris Got to go Loveit.

Speaker 4 (54:23):
Big hype machine, tony, y'all enjoy Hanley going
3-0 and see if they can beatSkyline, maybe get to 4-0, 5-0.
And then I'm going to just telly'all one thing, with two names
Randy Moss, I'll see y'all soon.

Speaker 2 (54:39):
All right, all right, bro, love you and see you next
Thursday.

Speaker 4 (54:42):
Yes, sir, love you too, man Y'all have a blessed
night man.

Speaker 1 (54:45):
Let's go.
Dolphins, big voice, no silence.
Revolution televised Ain't nogood in private Not.
Knowledge to the ignorant Ain'tnever been.

(55:11):
We'll be right back.
We condition to die.
Most people fail before theystart because they don't ever
try.
Man, they told us we wasworthless.
We believed in the lie.
We took it way too literal whenBig said ready to die.
You know, the KKK turned thecops in disguise.
Man, a lot done, changed, butrace still applies.
Five-oh hands up.

(55:31):
Don't even ask why.
Trey Vaughn, mike Brown man,another mother's cry hey, bwo,
let the con rope begin.