Shows / The Rocky Road
The Rocky Road
An Irish boxing podcast that fans of all sports will love. No one gets to the top without overcoming adversity, in sport or in life. But as Rocky Balboa said, ‘it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward’. Every week on The Rocky Road, host Kevin Byrne and producer Simon Maguire will bring you the distance on some of the wildest journeys the sport has to offer. Pain, pride, passion and politics, the world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It's about how…
Episodes
The Rocky RoadMick Conlan - The Last Roll of the Dice
Michael Conlan’s on The Rocky Road to Dublin. Host Kevin remembers his first time seeing the precocious Belfast teenager in action at the National Stadium…
The Rocky RoadBrian McKeown - A Rocky Road: Part 1
In Part One of his extraordinary interview on The Rocky Road, we sit down with legendary Cavan Boxing Gym coach, Brian McKeown. Brian takes us back to the…
The Rocky RoadAndy Murray - The Quiet Man
Andrew Murray, the quiet Cavan boxer, walked a Rocky Road unlike any other. As a child, he battled Perthes disease, and, despite doctors warning he could end…
The Rocky RoadPete Taylor - Footprints
Now as Katie Taylor basks in the glory of her latest victory over Amanda Serrano, cementing an epic trilogy with a third win over her great rival, the boxing…
The Rocky RoadSinead Babington - The Road Less Travelled
The biggest fight in women's boxing is just days away. On this episode of The Rocky Road, we dive deep into Taylor-Serrano III – the historic Netflix showdown…
The Rocky RoadKatie Taylor v Amanda Serrano 3 - The Final Chapter
Katie Taylor says she doesn't need this fight, but Amanda Serrano certainly does! On July 11, at Madison Square Garden, the two titans clash for Taylor-Serrano…
The Rocky RoadWhen Muhammad Ali fought at Croke Park
Today we’re going back to a time when the greatest show on earth came to Ireland. It was July 1972, and against all odds — and with the help of a strongman…
The Rocky RoadBarry McGuigan v Eusebio Pedroza - One Night in Loftus Road
We’re going back 40 years to one of the most iconic nights in Irish sporting history. On June 8, 1985, at Loftus Road in London, Barry McGuigan became WBA…
The Rocky RoadAndy Clarke - The Knockout
Today’s episode pulls no punches. Joining us is someone whose voice you know from Sky Sports — a man who’s been ringside for some of boxing’s most dramatic…
The Rocky RoadJohn Duddy - Part 2 - The Pro Years
Ireland’s John Duddy fought nine times at Madison Square Garden between 2005 and 2010 – winning them all – and lost just twice in a 31-fight career. At one…
The Rocky RoadEoghan Lavin - On The Up
From the heart of Swinford, County Mayo to the bright lights of the British boxing scene — today we welcome a rising Irish star who’s making waves in the…
The Rocky RoadAnthony Cacace - For a Few Dollars More
From underdog to world-beater, from waiting in the wings to centre stage — Anthony Cacace has flipped the script on what we thought was possible in Irish…
The Rocky RoadDaniel 'Daniel San' O'Sullivan - Only Way Is Up
From the corner of the gym to the centre of the ring, today's guest has made one of the more quietly remarkable transitions in Irish boxing. Daniel 'Daniel…
The Rocky RoadBack With a Bang: Caoimhin Agyarko Reloaded
Two fights. Two wins. One big message: he’s back. Belfast’s Caoimhin Agyarko returns to The Rocky Road to talk about his comeback after a frustrating spell on…
The Rocky RoadAaron & Fergal McKenna - Premier League boxing
It’s fight week, and The Rocky Road takes you inside the McKenna camp ahead of Aaron’s massive showdown with former world champion Liam Smith at Tottenham…
The Rocky RoadThe Rocky Road to Los Angeles
After months of uncertainty, Irish boxing has taken a decisive step forward. On this episode of The Rocky Road, Kevin Byrne is joined by Niall O’Carroll…
The Rocky RoadRon Katz - Legendary Matchmaker
Today's guest is a New York and Atlantic City Hall of Fame member as a matchmaker. He's spent half a century in the sport and has worked with everyone from…
The Rocky RoadDonald McRae - All Punched Out
‘Boxing has a perverse way of turning every significant bout I see into something deeply personal. It is as crooked and as destructive as it is magnificent and…
The Rocky RoadGlenn Byrne - Focused on Fighting
Glenn Byrne is an unbeaten professional boxer fighting out of Dublin/Wicklow. The younger brother of Jay Byrne, his manager, promoter and trainer, Glenn's…
The Rocky RoadSenan Kelly - Time To Shine
Senan Kelly is from Leixlip, Co Kildare. Currently the Irish welterweight champion, he will defend his title against Dublin's Declan Geraghty at the National…
The Rocky Road200th Episode Special: John Duddy - Part 1
The Rocky Road hits its 200th episode during Paddy’s week – so who better to have on than the King of New York himself, Ireland’s John Duddy. He had a famous…
The Rocky RoadBedlam in Belfast - Crocker vs Donovan
Kevin Byrne is joined by Irish Boxing's Joe O'Neill to reflect on a wild night in Belfast after Paddy Donovan was disqualified in controversial circumstances…
The Rocky RoadBivol Brilliance, Benn Boils - with Wally Downes Jr
Joining us today is The Sun’s short boxing writer who loves a tall fistic tale, whether it’s roasting hot in York Hall or self-loathing in Las Vegas – but…
The Rocky RoadMichael Conlan - The Last Dance
It’s always a pleasure to talk boxing with today’s guest, Mick Conlan - and the response we get everytime we have him on, shows that listeners relish these…
The Rocky RoadRobbie Murray - The Future of Boxing
Robbie Murray is a former undefeated professional boxer who defied the odds to achieve success in the ring. As a boy, he battled severe asthma and depended on…
The Rocky RoadStephen Ormond - A New Era Begins
Stephen Ormond, known as The Rock during his fighting career, knows all about The Rocky Road in boxing. A teenage elite champion who comes from a boxing…
The Rocky RoadLewis Crocker v Paddy Donovan - Team Crocker
The hugely anticipated Irish domestic clash between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan is only weeks away and we've caught up with both camps ahead of the epic…
The Rocky RoadLewis Crocker v Paddy Donovan - Team Donovan
The hugely anticipated Irish domestic fight between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan is only weeks away and we've caught up with both camps ahead of the epic…
The Rocky Road2024 Irish Boxing Year in Review
Happy Christmas from all of us at The Rocky Road! It's been a big year for the podcast and to round out the campaign, here's our 2024 Year in Review show…
The Rocky RoadOleksandr Usyk - The Greatest of his Time
What more can be said about the genius of Oleksandr Usyk? The Ukrainian got the better of Tyson Fury in their heavyweight championship rematch in Riyadh on…
The Rocky RoadJay Byrne - Making Fights
Jay Byrne is a former Irish boxer and current manager, trainer and promoter. Having just put on his seventh show in just over 12 months in Dublin, he's…
The Rocky RoadPodge and Rod
"Look, his mother was all over the shop, I had to ring Paschal, Spike, Craig O’Brien, right, and Big Niall Kennedy, ‘Do us a favour lads, will you explain to…
The Rocky RoadKatie Taylor - Bray Bomber Wins Again
‘This how she fight – head down, balls to the wall!’ Roy Jones Jr is on The Rocky Road this week as we reflect on the epic second fight between Katie Taylor…
The Rocky RoadKieran Farrell - The Story So Far
Welcome to Part 2 of our interview with Kieran Farrell. In Part 1 we spoke about his part in Daniel Dubois’ stunning destruction of Anthony Joshua at Wembley…
The Rocky RoadKatie Taylor v Amanda Serrano 2 Preview
Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano – the rematch is here. We’re joined today by Gavan Casey from The 42, who’s chronicled so much of Taylor’s career to date with…
The Rocky RoadJimmy Halpin - Always Working the Pads
“Jimmy is a great coach, loved him when he travelled to international training camps with Ireland, great pad man.” When you’re getting praise like this from…
The Rocky RoadKellie McLoughlin - The Fight of her Life
Kellie McLoughlin is a three-time Irish champion boxer who’s looking to make the breakthrough to win her first Elite crown. Standing in her way is two-time…
The Rocky RoadKieran Farrell - Cornering Daniel Dubois
One kid’s named after former world heavyweight champ Joe Frazier, another’s named after… Irish Olympian Jude Gallagher. That’s Kieran Farrell, a boxing man to…
The Rocky RoadLee Gormley - The Writer Fighter
This week’s guest is doing things a bit back to front. Mostly boxers will finish their careers before going into the media – but Lurgan man Lee Gormley has…
The Rocky RoadSteve Bunce - Calling the Shots
Steve Bunce has spent 40 years writing and talking about boxing for just about every newspaper and magazine in Britain – and just about every TV and radio…
The Rocky RoadRyan Burnett - Ecstasy and Agony
In Part 2 with Ryan Burnett, he's a man on the brink. After years of hard work, bordering on obsessiveness, he's about to reach the pinnacle. But winning the…
The Rocky RoadMercedas Taaffe-Cooper - Breaking Barriers
Mercedas Taaffe-Cooper is an Irish boxing pioneer. A competitor in the 90s when female fighters were thin on the ground, she sparred with Deirdre Gogarty and…
The Rocky RoadThomas Carty - Bombs Away
It’s a heavyweight special today as we’re joined by Ireland’s top man in the showbiz division, undefeated Dublin banger Thomas ‘The Bomber’ Carty. Carty was on…
The Rocky RoadRyan Burnett - Origins
Ryan Burnett reckons the secret to his boxing success was always asking, 'Why?' A superb athlete who could carry out instructions to the letter, he was also a…
The Rocky RoadAnthony Cacace - The Pride of Belfast
Anto Cacace is the feel-good story of Irish pro boxing this year. Or any other year to be fair. He's always had class but Cacace has never had much luck, with…
The Rocky RoadPierce O'Leary - Sheriff of Dublin, Part 2
Welcome to Part 2 of our interview with rising star Pierce O'Leary. Last time we took a stroll around the Docklands as Big Bang told us all about growing up in…
The Rocky RoadPierce O'Leary - Sheriff of Dublin, Part 1
This week we're in Sheriff Street in Dublin's capital for Part 1 of an interview with local hero Pierce O'Leary. We take a walk around with unbeaten world…
The Rocky RoadKellie Harrington - Celebration Once Again
Kellie Harrington is the double Olympic lightweight champion. Let's state that again. Kellie Harrington is the back-to-back Olympic champion. The first Irish…
The Rocky RoadPaul Griffin: The Pro Years - Part 2
Paul Griffin was training under Brendan Ingle, alongside world featherweight champ Prince Naseem Hamed, promoted by Frank Warren and about to put his unbeaten…
The Rocky RoadPaul Griffin: The Pro Years - Part 1
We love Paul Griffin here at The Rocky Road. He's been on twice before - for the 30th anniversary of his epic 1991 European gold medal, and 30 years on from…
The Rocky RoadMichael Conlan - I'm Not Leaving
Michael Conlan is not leaving. After a devastating 2023 in which he lost his second world title shot to Luis Alberto Lopez - followed by defeat against Jordan…
The Rocky RoadTo Paris with Glove - Aoife O'Rourke and Jenny Lehane
From July 27 to August 10, we'll be all about Olympic boxing once again. Ireland will send a 10-strong team to Paris 2024 with every boxer there dreaming of a…
The Rocky RoadTo Paris with Glove - Jude Gallagher and Dean Clancy
From July 27 to August 10, we'll be all about Olympic boxing once again. Ireland will send a 10-strong team to Paris 2024 with every boxer there dreaming of a…
The Rocky RoadTo Paris with Glove - Daina Moorehouse and Grainne Walsh
From July 27 to August 10, we'll be all about Olympic boxing once again. Ireland will send a 10-strong team to Paris 2024 with every boxer there dreaming of a…
The Rocky RoadOlympic Qualifiers - Going for Gold
We’re all on a high at the minute after four more boxers booked their ticket to Paris 2024. It means Ireland have qualified a record ten boxers for the Olympic…
The Rocky RoadJohn Joe Nevin - Origins
John Joe Nevin is one of Ireland’s greatest ever amateur boxers - and some would say THE greatest. He completed the full set of medals - two World…
The Rocky RoadJoe Ward and 'Big' Joe Joyce - Part 3
The Rocky Road paid a visit to Moate, Co Westmeath for a conversation we've been waiting a few years to have. Joe Ward is one of the finest boxers ever to come…
The Rocky RoadNiall Barrett - Behind the Scenes
This week The Rocky Road returns to Naas and we’re putting our money where our mouth is. We know Gary Cully and Co train hard but it’s time to see just how far…
The Rocky RoadYoung Guns - Brandon McCarthy and Paul Loonam
This week on The Rocky Road we sat down for a chat with rising stars Paul Loonam and Brandon McCarthy at UNIT 3 in Naas. Friends since their early days in…
The Rocky RoadJohn Joe Nevin - Back on Track
John Joe Nevin is on the comeback trail. Out of the ring since 2019, he’s signed a new management deal with a Las Vegas-based fight fixer and is ready to dream…