George Groves Boxing Club | Joe Egan

George Groves & Dec Taylor are joined this week by the actor and former Irish Heavyweight Joe Egan aka The Toughest White Man On The Planet.

Joe is most famous for his legendary stories from his time as Mike Tyson’s sparring partner – and he does not disappoint here.

Joe reveals all about spending years in the Tyson camp including a side rarely seen by the vast majority, his own pro career and what he updates us on the potential clash with John Fury. Let’s get it on.

GET TICKETS FOR THE LIVE SHOW ‘FROCH-GROVES III’ HERE: https://www.tegeurope.com/events/frochgroves3

00:00 – 2:05 – Intro
2:05 – 3:01 – The toughest white guy on the planet
3:02 – 11:15 – Meeting and sparring Mike Tyson
11:16 – 14:02 – Mike Tyson meeting Joe’s mother
14:03 – 17:13 – Tyson’s hardships in life
17:12 – 18:54 – What Tyson did so well
18:55 – 24:51 – Joe’s amateur career
24:52 – 33:50 – Joe’s pro career
33:51 – 34:39 – What was Joe’s motivation as a pro?
34:40 – 39:56 – Joe’s rivalry with Kevin McBride
39:57 – 41:16 – AD break
41:17 – 51:04 – Feature
51:05 – 56:45 – Fighting John Fury
56:46 – 57:46 – Ringwalk track
57:47 – 58:01 – Outro

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And at the end of the spot Mike said Joe Eagan is the toughest white man on the planet far far far from it I was the toughest white man in the gym that day I could take a beating George I could take Savage beatings you know I’ve took

Beatings all my life mostly from the bullies growing up what’s the crack here then with John Fury has to happen and I think he conducts himself like a Bully welcome to the George Groves Boxing Club I’m George Gro this is deck and today we are joined by an actor a speaker a sorry boxer yeah an actor a speaker a retired heavyweight boxer and once dubbed by I am Mike Tyson as the hardest toughest white man on the planet

Is Joe Egan Joe thanks so much for coming on the show M thanks for joining the club George is a pleasure pal I’m a big fan of yours you achieved you achieved what every fighter dreams of achieving winning world titles every fighter that climbs into the ring dreams

About becoming a champion of the world you became that champion of the world and you’re in some incredible fights I’m a massive fan of yours oh you’re I am that’s the first that’s the first person who’s ever come in and said that yeah I got I got the the honor and the

Privilege to do a dinner with you in Hull I shared the top table with you yeah no I was excited as well to meet you know thinking oh I must have met at some point but I couldn’t had we hadn’t met met but i’ followed your career you

Know watched your fight many times you know yeah your bitter rivalry with FR and the friendship that just have now because I love that in this sport I always tell people boxing gives you first and foremost self-respect and then respect for your opponent and the respect and the friendship that yous

Have earned in the two battles that you had you know incredible fights Warfare at the highest level worthy of any stage in the world you know it just happened to be at home for your boat like in the UK but it was it was just brilliant oh

Thank you well George you obviously won the world title you were number one in your division but what you were never labeled is the toughest white guy on the planet I’m AF I’m afraid you can I wasn’t I wasn’t that distinction I wasn’t in George’s class or League like

I said I won several Irish titles which was a major achievement for me to win one was an incredible achievement but when I spoted with Mike that particular day there was four white sparring partners and he knocked three of them out I was number four I got bad from

Pillar To Post but he never put me down and at the end of the SP Mike said Joe Eagan is the toughest white man on the planet far far far from it I was the toughest white man in the gym that day what a compliment from a man like Mike

Tyson I got batted by Mike Tyson and I got batted by lenx Lewis but I stayed on my feet with the two best heavyweights of my era and yeah I talk about it a lot but I’ve earned the right to talk about it you know if you’re going to get

Battered you might as well get battered by the best I go about by the best of my era that’s incredible so how can you tell us or tell the listeners how that came about how did you end up in Mike Tyson’s gym well I won um three titles

In the one year under 19 title a junior title and the senior title but between the Junior and the senior title I got picked to go to America on the Irish team I was only 17 I was a I was a teenage boy and I went over and afford a

Bigger marine sergeant he was 28 too strong for me and he battered me battered me in in three rounds I didn’t go down I took the beating I could take a beating George I could take Savage beatings you know I’ve took beatings all my life mostly from the bullies growing

Up you know I got bullied when I came to the UK as a kid visit my dad who worked on the building sites like a lot of the Irish and I got batted by the bullies because I had the Irish accent so when I picked up the English accent to mix in

When I went home to Dublin I got battered in Dublin because I had the English accent and I got four younger sisters and two younger brothers so when the bullies had finished beating on me I used to jump back in and say don’t hit

Them hit me more and I used to I could absorb a punishment like a sponge in the boxing ring even if it was Mike Tyson and lenux Lewis hitting me it was still only one man you know I had a break in between rounds you had a referee you had

The best medical care in the world you know so you had none of them luxuries when you were getting batted by the bullies so when I went to America to fight this big marine sergeant I’d been used to taking beatings so I took the most of my life anyway um my corner men

Allowed me to fight they wanted to to to to to stop me a couple of times during the fight the different rounds and I said no I can absorb this punishment anyway after the fight I lost on points Floyd Patterson who was in attendance one of the great world champions who was

On the cuss Floyd Jose Torres and then Mike Tyson the three champions of the world of course have trained he trained a lot of great fighters Floyd Patterson gave pait darald the feder who won an opportunity to stay in America whatever I did in in losing you

Know impressed him he had an Irish wife so he took a great interest in the Irish team and he said um you got a good chin you got not much skill but you got a lot of courage and all fighters are born with courage yeah you know you play

Football you play golf you play tennis you play basketball you don’t play boxing you can teach people skills but you can’t teach people courage they haven’t got courage they play other games they don’t box or they don’t have any Combat Sports and um I said yeah I’d love to

Stay in America gave me the opportunity I said yeah I wouldn’t have had the money to come back I was 17 I remember F him my mom I said m’am Floyd Patterson has given me the opportunity to stay in America she said you’ll never come home

Son I to be home next year maam anyway went to gon’s gym spoted a couple of pro heavyweights in the gym I talker I can’t remember the other heavyweights name Al Gab and Bob Jackson took an interest to me they said there’s a young heavyweight in the cat skills called Mike Tyson I’d

Never heard of Mike I didn’t know who he was he was knocking men out left right in center the 17y old phenomena was was just incredible but I didn’t know this I was just happy to hear 17 I’d left school when I was 14 years of age I was

On the doors of nightclubs at 15 I was big for my age but I hadn’t got that man strength and um I didn’t do good in school I left school with two swimming certificates but I believed I was going to make my fortune on the boxing so I

Had no interest in school not that I would have been any good anyway and um when when I heard 17 I just thought he’ll do for me cuz I’ve been so used to fighting men so when I got to the Catskills I met Co Camille Manny J Tom Patty the Hilton Brothers

The two Hilton brothers were there um um I think uh oh there was a few Champions there George it was incredible what was the environment like for you intimidate no no no it was such a warm welcome and then when I was introduced to Mike he walked towards me and I’m

Looking at him I thought he’s 17 the same age as it turns out he’s six months younger than me several months younger than me he was smaller than me and he spoke with a bit of a lisp and I thought I’m going to B you I really believed in my head I had

His measure because I’ve been so used to fighting men and he was so welcoming he was fascinated about Barry mcgan because of the relationship Mr Eastwood and Barry mcgan at the time was like a fatherson relationship that him MOS had he was fascinated about Irish boxing the

History of Irish boxing the the legends of Irish boxing and uh me and him just hit it off we walked and talked for hours we went to the top of the house he had the whole top of the house and he had access to the biggest collection of

F footage Jim Jacob and Bill CN at the biggest collection of f footage and he’s watching on the big screen and it was just so lovely the welcome that I had it was I home from home the next morning we ran together came back to the house had

Some food rested then we went to the mini bus to go to the gym and suddenly all these big powerful men appeared and they were walking very very somber they were walking like men walking into the Gallows but they knew what was coming stupid paty here didn’t know what was

Coming I was so relaxed George I was so comfortable at thought I’m bigger I’m old I’m more experienced I’ve got his measure got to the gym shadow box bandaged up CU said right glove up for for for sparring I’m looking around these big men were scared stiff

But I was so relaxed next what I look into the ring and Mike’s Pace in the ring and his shirt off his body his physique was incredible his biceps his chest his incred I hadn’t seen him strip to the waist and I’m looking I’m thinking that’s not the same 17y old boy

I met yesterday that’s not the same 17 year old boy I around with this morning that’s not the same 17 year old boy sat next one the Mini Bus getting here yeah then Co pointed to one of the big men to get in he was KN spark out I tell people

I say it all the time I ruined a good pair of Underpants at that moment and Sh myself there’s no way a 17y old should have that power he knocked a couple more out I got in I got batted for three minutes got out couple more got in then

I was back in again i’ done six minutes with him that day but the madness in me George because I do believe Fighters have to have a little bit of Madness in them you know I really do and it’s not insulting any fight but I just believe

That there a bit of Madness in us all to fight and to want to fight yeah and uh I believed in my mind one day I’ll get the better of you I never did I stayed on with him for two years and it was probably the makings of me because I I

Took some serious punishment off that man over two years he made me cry so many many times but psychologically I believe if I could take Mike Tyson’s punishment I could take anybody’s punishment because he was such a power puncher he used to speak to my mom on

The phone regular oh Mrs Egan chatting away and she’d say to him oh Mike thank you so much for looking after my son but he was minding me as well even though he was Bing me he was minding me I remember one time when sug Leonard came to the

Gym he came to the gym on two occasions while I was there and Mike wanted to impress Ray Leonard because he was an a of Sugar Ray Leonard like a lot of Fighters are yeah and um Mike savagely savagely beat his SP P this day battered us to

Pops Ray Leonard didn’t come to the house for food that day he left after the gym but the next time he came six or several months later I was still there and I spoke to Ray he said you were here the last time I was here he said you’re

A very brave young man to come back I said haven’t left haven’t gone I’m still here he said you’ve been taking this punishment all this time I said I’m learning from the man hard lessons but I’m learning and he he came back to the house and I said to Ray will you speak

To my mother he said your mother’s here I said no she’s in Ireland but we’re allowed make the phone calls and I rang my mom and I said Mom sugar ard’s going to say hello to you and he spoke and he complimented our son and she said one

Day you might visit me and he did he visited my M and duin and Mike did Mike visited my mom in Dublin and I tell you this quick story about about hardship and most Fighters come from very humble beginnings you know people say Fighters come from the gutter I don’t like that

Terminology believe we come from humble beginnings and we try to make a better life for oursel well no more a humble beginning than Mike Tyson at George he came to Vis my mom this day he’d been speaking to her on the phone for 22 years and they’d never met and this day

He said How’s your mother doing Joe I said she’s not so good Mike I said to you the lump remove from my neck I’m a concerned it might be cancer my Uncle Brian had died of cancer never smoked in his life 47 he said let’s go and see a

Mother joke so me Scott Welch who’s your friend yeah Scott ex former wor heavyweight cont the great guy and his son Tom is doing good now on beating and uh Scott Welch and my my my fiance at the time Rin and my wife we visited Mike

We went to visit him in Dublin on a Housing state where my auntie was living a house in estate where my family had actually been evicted from I’m now going on to this house in estate with one of the greatest heavyweights of all time it was it was very emotional because like I

Said my family had been evicted from that house in a state from my house house but um we went to see my mom and they embraced each other and this is a man that can break bones with punches embracing a fragile woman and they just chatted about birthdays and Mike’s

Birthday is the 30th of June my mom’s was the 12th of July I lost my mom and dad in 2022 was a horrible year for me I said I’m not going to cry I W cry and I’m going to cry a lot but um they embraced and they started talking about birthdays

And they’re both of the same birth sign Cancer and I was with Mike when we were 17 and his first birthday while we were together it was his 18th birthday and he said Miss Ean he said I remember you’re sending over presents he said you sent a

Shoe box with some it’s all on the internet you can see it on the internet my M and mic he said you you sent over a shoe box with some potato chips Irish potato crisps he said some money in an envelope would have been very little money and some sweatshirts would have

Been secondhand sweatshirts and my mom looked at Mike and she said you remember that mik that was like 21 22 years previous and he said yes Mr Eagan he said I remember it he says because very few people have given me anything in my life Scott Welsh and my wife they got

Choked up they had to leave the room I broke down crying yeah and Mike looked at me excuse the language he goes Joe [ __ ] you’re always crying you baby CES so but I think this man could have been a billionaire athlete remembering something 22 years previous

So simple and trivial but it meant the world to him so you would have always seen that side of Mike Tyson when so many others wouldn’t have acknowledged that wouldn’t have known you know you he’s different character Now isn’t he like he’s much more open and almost

Philosophical but back in the day he was just Savage he’ seen as that anyway wasn’t he you know at the peak of his powers but he was running wild as a child in Brownsville his introduction into this world was horrific I lived in Brooklyn I lived in Bay Ridge for a

While after I left the cat skills and I’ve been at the Brownsville shanana bricks come from Brownsville as well and there was a lot of crime a lot of corruption lot of violence lot of deaths and this young boy running the streets as a child 8 nine 10 trying to fend for

Himself to make ends meet it wasn’t a nice introduction into the world for that man you know and what he’s had to endure throughout his life I said it in my book we launched my book in Canary wolf we brought Canary wolf to a standstill thousands and thousands of

People people fed over a night several world champions in attendance Barry mcer and his son Shane came Steve Collins um Paul Sil Jones Alan Mina Charlie mgy Brian London these great Champions all in attendance I know the thousands of people were there for Mike Tyson but

Mike was there for me and I said it in my book that even with what he’ achieved in life I don’t envy his introduction into this world you know he had such a hard life and when Co died I said it in the book when C died the best of Mike

Died we’ve never saw the best of him 20 years of age he hadn’t even matured as a man and he would you still in the gym with him at that point no I’d left just before c died when C took sick even though I was made to feel like family I

Didn’t I felt so sad and I like I said earlier on I cry so much and they were all trying to be strong for cuss and I’m a quivering wreck you know so I just I I I left I could have stayed I’ve been back many times you know I went to visit

Camille she lived till she was 91 I think you know and um the house is still there in the Catskills it’s all boarded up now you know but um had some wonderful times there and it was like I said earlier it was like the makings of

Me yeah and then the Friendship 41 years on Still Standing the test of time yeah you know he’s still doing videos so we speak on the phone regular you know and um I tried to get to see him as often as I can I’ve been an irand with him on

Four occasions being around the world with him many time well not around the world many times but many countries in the world you know and the welcome that he gets is unbelievable yeah because at one time they said his name was the most mentioned English word on the planet

Other than Coca-Cola he was up there Coca-Cola and Tyson with the two I had a dog I named one of my box of dogs when I came home from America I called my dog Tyson and people used to say to me that’s a stupid name for a dog Joe I

Said there be a lot of dogs called in the future I wrote the laad to Champions Steve Collins was one of the Champions I wrote to when I was 17 with Mike I said I’m training with the future heavyweight champion of the champion of the world I

Knew then how special he was because I’d been hit by men yeah and then for a boy to do this was incredible tell us what sparing was like then so what are you worried like you’re preparing for sparring with Mike Tyson what did he do so well like is there anything that is

Maybe not obvious people don’t give him the credit for his speed George his speed was phenomenal his head movement was phenomenal he would be in on top you you might get a jab off you might be fast enough to get a jab on a right

Right hand off but he was on you he was on you and he was on you with ferocity like he cuss used to say what he lacks in what he lacks in experience he uses in aggression you know because he was in against very very experienc I was more

Experienced than him and some of these Pro heavyweights were a lot more experienced than him but he would just have so much ferocity and every punch he threw was with bad intentions that’s why when he done that exhibition with Roy Jones I couldn’t believe that he pulled

These punches but I was so happy that he did yeah he hit Roy Jones a body shot sunk it into him Roy Jones wilted a great Champion four-weight world champion but Mike knew and he didn’t want to hurt him anymore and he done something that I didn’t think he could

Ever do he pulled his Pointes so like you said early on he’s mellowed yeah he has mellowed he’s mellowed it’s lovely to see at this stage of his life I still believe there’s a bit of anger there because of the way he’s been treated by

A lot of people powers to be you know what they’ve done to him I think there’s a bit of anger there but he’s controlling the anger and then when he lost his child you know the accident that the child had he didn’t go back onto the drugs heavy I think he smokes a

Bit of we to keep him mellow anyway but whatever keeps him mellow and he’s happy I’m happy for him yeah so all of this takes place you’re still an amateur at this point yeah amateur boxer that’s why I had the problems with the Irish amateur boxing Association because the

84 Olympics they were saying I was too young except that I got batted by by the English man who when I got the bronze Bobby Wells he caned me but he was ABA champion and all I’ve ever been is tough I I’ve no real skill you know I wasn’t a

Skillful fighter I wasn’t like you George you were skillful and beautiful to watch Boxing I was just tough and I’d walk forward and I could take a beating and a lot of guys that I beat that were better than me I beat them because I just happened to be

Tougher than them on the day and I’ve always claimed to be tough but I was never very skillful you know and when they said I was too young for the 84 Olympics I accepted that so I’m back in America then 85 on training with the

Pros the 88 Olympics I box him well I got the bronze in the Acropolis games did you box in the Acropolis games don’t think I did it’s a pre Olympic it’s a pre Olympic tournament they hold them in Greece hold them in Greece it’s like 20 countries compete it’s just a a

Prestigious ceremony because boxing was the first sport of the Olympics and I boxed in the 87 Acropolis games I won a bronze medal I beat European silver medalist Gregor scures from Poland I beat not in that tournament but in other tournaments and in Internationals I beat selon Ireland versus America Bruce

Seldon the number one who went on to win the word everywh up in 88 I was boxing well the iaba didn’t pick me for the 88 88 Olympics because they said I was training with the pros I was getting paid to Spa yeah I was I was getting paid to

Spa but they shouldn’t have held that against me for the Olympics now look what’s happening with the amers they’re all getting paid yeah you know but at the time they didn’t pick me so I had to fall out with the iaba and um I said to my dad I said I’ll

Finish with boxing he said no son he said see how you go in 1989 you know don’t call her a day in ‘ 88 I didn’t want to go pro George I didn’t want to fight 6 8 10 12 rounds it was hard enough getting hit three rounds yeah you

Know but I was enjoying the boxing I was enjoying the fights I was enjoying the camaraderie of the gym but what they did to me upset me so I said to my dad let me think about it anyway I carried on an 89 I won another Irish title and another argument with

The president of the iaba over the 1988 Olympics because I believed I’m not saying I could have got it medal you get a bit of look you need to look at a draw you know maybe I could have got a bronze like I got in the Acropolis games you

Don’t know yeah and um I had my words had my say and um I didn’t I didn’t like the way they treated me so in the final the 1989 final I lost my temper a little bit and I threw the medal at the president of

The and called them a few names and I just thought I’m going to go Pro now I’ll have my say anyway um there was one international the guy that actually beat in the finals that year got Co shanan he went to America and um I didn’t go he

Beat a couple of Americans but he got his jaw damaged in the fights in America and uh he won but when they came back it was an international against Wales so they said look will you fight against Wales my last time at you fight actually

For Ireland my last time at you fight so I said to my dad I don’t want to fight that I said I’m going pro he said no fight for your country have another another vest yeah so I boxed against Wales I stopped the welchman in the first round hanat wasn’t a particularly

Nice way to win it was just a bit of savagery because I wanted to yeah to finish on a high and uh I stopped him in the first round I think he was an ABA finalist and um it was a great win for me and then I went pro like I said I

Never wanted to go pro but it was the carry on in a sport that I love to carry on fighting carry on boxing I went pro I went pro with Mr Ewood it’s funny how times change fun it’s funny yeah so when you turned Pro and you had your debut

Were you all in then or would you back of your head thinking this is not exactly what I wanted to do I never enjoyed the running I really kind I know the feeling my dad used to call me for the runs in the mornings he say come on drag yourself out of bed

It’s like dragging yourself off the deck I said Dad no one’s going to put me down I said my Chin’s graned and my legs are strong and I remember in the Acropolis games um semi-finals I’d won two fights and um I’m in the semi-finals my eyes damaged I’m in against the Greek George

Is steping upis and I didn’t see the Punch Coming George didn’t see it second round he caught me and I’m lying on my back I’m flat on my back I’m gone I’m out I’m in bed and I’m pulling the bed sheet over me I’m lying on my back so

From the time he hit me on the chin to the time I fell to the time I rolled onto my side with this left eye closed I saw every go five and I’m looking I thought I’m on the deck here I didn’t feel a thing i’ i’

Had some hard points in my life that I feel from my nose to my toes but that one the one that knocked me out I didn’t feel it I climbed to my feet my corner man Mickey aens and Jerry Han was calling him into the ring I wasn’t I was

Looking for my bed sheets I know it’s funny it’s funny feeling so when I got to my feet I fell into my train in his arms I got beat on my feet he won the eventure I I lost the eventure with gold medalist he beat the Dutch man in the fin

But when I rang my dad I said Dad it was exactly like you described dragging myself off the deck was like dragging myself out of bed in the cold Winters mornings to go running yeah he must have been decked at some stage of his life you know in every boy’s eyes his dad’s

The toughest man on the planet so I could never have seen him in my mind being decked but he must have been to experience what he told me and I said it was exactly like you said so when I went pro I had to run a little bit further I

Used to just do the three miles when I was an amateur a mile for around so so now I’m having to run six miles cuz I’m doing a sixth round fight in my mind so I’m running with Richie wenton Nigel wenton Steve Collins who I fought twice

Sam story I’m up in Belfast I’m having a great time I’m me probably at the time one of Europe’s best camps you know those great champions in there you know and Mr Eastwood was was was very very kind to me you know he gave me good

Money gave me nice lodgings got a nice car you know so um I’m living the life yeah and it was it was fun but I was still working three jobs people people don’t understand um the luxury of having a sponsor and um the luxury of having a

Training camp I was working Friday night in duin on the door Saturday night in Dublin on the door Saturday and Sunday in the airport you know I was working the door in a pub I was working the door in a nightclub and I was working in the

Airport at the time for Delta Airlines and then traveling up to Belfast sort of Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday training up in well fast come back on a Friday afternoon work you know so really any potential that I had it never really got brought out because I couldn’t focus

Totally on boxing because I was working to subsidize you know the boxing but I was enjoying the boxing and then when I got my first paycheck for my first pro fight I got a decent sign on fee Miss ree would gave me a decent sign on fee

But um I gave that to my brothers and sisters you know but my fight purse you know know a lot of the Irish when they go abroad to work they send the money home to help the family when I was in America working my mic sping my mic I

Used to ship the money home me and Michael going to Manhattan I got the bank of Island 50th and F month months a month $15 used the cost to ship the money home one sister went to America she ended up marrying a policeman in New York she’s still out there now near 40

Years later he’s retired from the New York police my other brother bought a milk float he’s got four milk floats now mother s they went to University to became a chared accountant you know so help my brothers and sisters so when I signed on I give the money to my family

My signing on fee but my first professional wage check I said to my dad I said Dad what you know do you want it he said no son he said you’ve given your signing on feed your brothers and sisters you keep that and I bought a

Sofa I bought a 32 and A1 jade green sofa I brought a Phillips TV and video camera uh uh television and a video DVD um VHS video recorder and I brought a I bought a water for Crystal big cuz I water for Crystal and I bought a water

For crystal lamp I still have the water for crystal lamp you still have it now still have it 34 years old 34 years old beautiful lamp two-piece lamp the television stand my sister an still has that the TV doesn’t work anymore the video is gone but she still has the

Lovely cabinet my sister and has that and the Jade green sofa we only threw it out my dad had that for years only thre out a few years ago was that was that your setup for your watching going back with Tyson watching the movies the old fights you got the green over

Far green I never forget a 3-2 and a one and the one was a recliner side and I just I just I just spent my my wages my fight wages on that so you had then you had a second you had your second Pro fight I’m my second Pro fight yeah I won

The first one against I shouldn’t have thought I thought a guy called John Williams was coming up no I beat him on points I was never a big puncher never six six six round points six rounds yeah I got decked in the six rounds I was

Very tired I only went down for a second he caught a shot I knacked and uh he caught me just a quick flash knock down but it’s because I was tired you know and um he was after coming off two knockout wins he was after knocking out two of my

Pals he knocked out Jerry story whose Brother Sam was the British first British super mway champion and he knocked out John MCB so he was coming off to knockout wins I should never have been boxing him I was matched with uh Chris cochan and Doug McKay two journeyman Fighters that would have been

A nice easy learning experience for me roduction into the pros suddenly I’m in against a man that’s coming off two knockout wins Paddy burn the Matchmaker his sister Cynthia was married to my mom’s brother so of all fighters should have been getting an easy introduction should have been me have been s been

Sting well out you know but instead I’m getting a hard fight and you can see it on television afterwards when it was recorded John Williams was her be sparring partner right a tough dangerous man and then round five he’s gone back to his Corner he’s only warming up he’s

A 10 round fighter I’m shattered in my corner he’s gone back to his Corner telling Tony Baker who worked for Mr Eastwood and Paddy burn who’s my S his sister’s my auntie I’m going to punish him now I’m going to hurt him now he’s tired cuz he knew yeah I’m going back to

My corner after five rounds I’m shattered he seen me I thought I’ve got you now and he come out for round six and he and he did hurt me but I held on like I’d learn learned to hold on against Mike like I’d learned to hold on

Against Leno Lewis I held on you wouldn’t have got me off John Williams with a crowbar I was holding on that sight you know but I went on to win the fight on points it was a good fight it was a good fight but it was a hard fight

For my first pro fight and then my second Pro fight I’m in against um the Gladiator Raider big Power Power House from I model himself off Ken Norton I’m boxing in the Kings Hall on a world title bill and fighting on Boy mcc’s Bill he’s fighting Lewis Curtis the

American and they said it’s taped time delay if if they boy stops Lewis they might show some of the undercard on American television so I’ve got this in my mind I said if they’re going to show any of the undercard they’re going to show the heavy weights yeah cu the

Americans love the heavy everyone loves heavy weights the Americans in particular love the heavy weights right so I’m thinking to myself of a winning Style I might get shown on television in America just imagine see me George no that’s true though yeah right so instead of going in and and and

And and being a little bit cautious against a big powerful puncher I go gungho madness in me right I go gungho and I get stuck in and it was a bloodbath of a fight it was a blood P I won the fight yeah I got 64 stitches

After the fight I got caugh stitches internal stitches and everything I got cut across the top of the eye down the side of the eye across the cheek across the lip here and across this eye but the funny thing about it paty burn who’ been in my opponent’s Corner in my first pro

Fight who was an Incredible Cuts man he jumps up onto the ring apron Mr Ewood wouldn’t have been able to stop the cuts I got on video you can see it on television Mr Eastwood’s hands were shaking he probably made the cut worse he was shaking like that you know and uh

What’ you buy with your which boy with his wages Medical Kit I think I don’t I can’t remember I can’t remember but yeah but listen to this this is funny this is right because um Patty Burns pushed Mr Eastwood to the side and he was able to Clos the cuts so

The blood wasn’t running into my eye the cheekbone was running down here the lip B was running down here so it wasn’t affected my vision and uh the referee at the time was one of Mr ew’s referees he was a good referee but he was for the

Eastwood Camp he’ worked a mcgan era and that and um good referee he let me carry on I could see and I went on to win the fight on points but after the fight they want me to go to hospital because I’m badly caught internal staches know they

Patched me up the doctor did what he possibly could but he said you got to go straight to hospital I said I can’t I said I got a ringside seat with my dad to watch Dave boy McAuley yeah you know they said no you got to go I said no

Please I go after the World title fight right so when we were kids we watched The Belfast fans with the here we go here we go here we go and dad used to say the fanatical fans the Belfast fans which they are yeah so I’ve come down my

Face all patched up with butterfly stitches and tape and everything and my dad was standing we had two ringside seats Mr Reese would give us two ringside seats so me and my dad I ringside and my dad was standing on the chair with his arms up in the air here

We go here we go and I’m looking like he said the atmosphere the atmosphere son his electric have you did you ever find the king Hall I had I had a amateur Empire I think incredible incredible Martin Lindsay yeah Martin Lindsay against it was a Scottish lad it was a

Good fight it was incredible at the Box on his undercard was just beautiful that was that was the first world title fight I’d ever been at wow I’d never been to one before and suddenly on boxing on the undercard are you dreaming big now as a as a professional boxer do you think

You’re going to make it like do you think this is this is my call him or no because I I knew my dad had big Ambitions for me but like all dads you know but I knew my limitations I knew my limitations I couldn’t I couldn’t um I

Couldn’t do 8 10 12 rounds getting hit by them big bombs I could do three as an amateur and maybe six at a push if I was lucky but I knew my own limitations but I still dreamed the dream yeah you know in your mind you dream the dream you

Know what was the best thing what what was your favorite part of boxing at that point the money at that stage you know cuz I’ve been handed a lot of trophies and sudden you’re getting handed thousands of pounds you buy a lot of trophies with thousands of pounds yeah

You know and then I thought maybe I could win an Irish professional title Patty Finn from my old amateur Club had been the Irish amateur and professional champion and I thought maybe I could win an Irish professional title and uh at that stage then I was matched with Kevin

McBride for the arish professional title I’ve never started a ril in my life I’ve been security all my life like I st on doors when I was 15 I’ve done static ad store detective bodyguard doorman I’ve done every type of security and I’ve I’ve stopped a lot of rails but now I’m

Matched with Kevin McBride for are his professional title we’re both on beting Kevin had boxed in the Olympics and I thought yeah so I said to Mr Rew Tony Baker how much am I going to get for the Irish professional talk CU that’s what I was interested in the

Money how much am I going to get so they told me a lot of thousands it’s going to be on Irish television two Irish men both on beaten he was with Frank Warren at the time so I’m running all that week spending the money in my mind spending it I’m getting thousands of

Pounds I’m going to win the AR T because I really beli that the beating of Kevin I’m a bit more experienced than him a bit older than him the following week I going to into the gym Tony baker said Kevin McBride pulled out of the fight he’s left Frank

Warren headlines in the newspaper Kevin leaves Frank Warren because he feels he’s been pushed into a fight with Joe Ean too early in his career so I said what’s going on here they said he’s gone to Frank Maloney they said we’re going to get you an Irish American or an

English man with Irish descent Irish heritage I said but how much would I get for that not as much cuz the television won’t show it an irand two Irish men you get on Irish television so I thought no no no no I’ve spent the money already

Right I spent the money so I said no I I I’ll sort this so rang panic’s promotions Ed Robinson answered the phone panicked for promotions I said hello Ed it’s Joe hello Joe he said as I GNA speak to uh Frank Maloney he said Frank’s not taking any calls today as

Well Ed you just told me he there have the decency to put the man onto the phone to me I’m a boxer and I want to speak to a boxing manager put him on place he said Frank you got to come to the phone Joe E M come on to the phone

Fair play he said Joe what you want I said I want to fight Kevin McBride he said Joe we’re not going down the orangish title rout we’re going down the European title I said no don’t disrespect the Irish title Frank you’re an Irish man if he thinks he can beat me

Matching with me if he beats me then he want the European title if he doesn’t beat me then maybe I get a European title who knows yeah no Joe I’m a busy man he said I get jo One undercards I said I can fight on Mr E’s undercards

I’m not going to get these tens of thousands I want this money Joe I’m hanging up now he hung up the phone to me I was fuming now I’m thinking to myself like what am I going to do so I ring Pam the secretary of the iaba I

Said Pam can you give me Kevin’s bride’s phone number we had no mobes it was a mob at the time they might have been but only the rich people at them right so she gives me Kevin McBride’s number so ring him he lives in Clone the same

Place as Barry mcgan so answered the phone Kevin McBride I said Kevin it’s Joe Eagan I said Kevin it’s Joe Eagan Joe how you doing I said how am I doing I said you gutless wonder I said you make me ashamed to be an Irish man we’re fighting men that’s

All we’re known for and you’re not going to fight me for the Irish title Joe don’t be talking like that he said Frank Malone’s got different plans for me don’t mind Frank Maloney in his different plans you fight me for the Irish professional title we’ve been Irish amateur Champions now fight each

Other Joe I’m going to hang up you’re not going to hang up with me I called him a few names I said I’m hanging up on you your gutless Wonder hung up the phone I thought to myself right he called it on that with his manager match me with Jo

Wean but then I was involved in a bad car accident and my career was finished over done dusted and um I never got to fight Kevin MCB for the title so I piled the weight on I’m man event years later and who do I see at the event only Kevin McBride all 6’6

Of them Powerhouse of man I thought I don’t want to fighting for nothing I could afford for a lot of thousands but I’m too proud to walk out so I walk over to him and I put my hand out I said Kevin it’s Joe Eagan and he looked me up

And down cuz I’d put the weight on since the man had last saw me he said you put the bit of weight on I said yeah I’m retired now Kevin I said and uh had a car accident I said that phone call that I made all them years ago which phone

Call I said the one where I called you I don’t mind that and he give me a big hug and it was a nice embrace you know he remembered that phone call he remember the phone yeah he remember the phone call but he gave me a nice Embrace and it was

Lovely you know and I went out to America when when I was with Mike when he beat Mike I know it wasn’t the Mike Tyson of old it was a shell of the man but Kevin McBride still got Mike Tyson’s name on his record as a victory over

Mike and uh Danny Williams the same over a victory over Mike but I went out to Washington DC I was with Mike and I saw Kevin beat him and it was sad to see actually even though I was happy for the Irish man my friend I was sad for my

Other friend to lose like that you know but he owed a lot of money he was in debt to management he was in debt to the tax man and uh he had to fight and have to was a horrible Master you know I’m talking about fighting again but I don’t

Have to fight I want to fight yeah that’s the big difference big big difference well let’s hold it there because we have a break there and then we’re going to bring it right up to date with that fight that you’re talking about so let’s have a quick Brea there I’m George Groves he’s

Deck and if you haven’t heard the George Groves Boxing Club is going live and tickets are on sale right now nice our first ever live event George are we going to start off in a nice lowkey venue absolutely not no we are taking on the world famous Shepherd’s Bush Empire

And it is f Groves fre it is 10 years deck since mine and fr’s fight at webbley stadium so I’ve gone and got Mr fr to come down all the way down to the shepherd’s Bush Empire and we’re going to tussle it out again in podcast form

Nice you can get the bus there again should we brainstorm a few other ideas it’s going to be uh the feature and it will be the best feature we’ve ever done you maybe you and Co could have a jewel we’ll be crowd souring my skin has come

In he’s crowd surfing 50 cents going to buy the first three rows anyway we could promise this FR Grows free a decade in the making tickets are on sale now listen to The George Groves Boxing Club podcast for all the Details right we’re back in we’re back off the break and I’ve got a feature deck right so it’s um Jo and what is he he’s the toughest white man on the planet y officially that’s the name of the feature today hug jingle toughest white man so I’ve got

Here a list Joe so let me explain Joe each week we have a feature and the feature is generally a quiz it’s always a quiz so we got I’ve got I’ve WR a quiz today for you and de it’s u v deck yeah

Are you you up for this quiz is it Bo in knowledge cuz he’s going to annihilate me are we on telly now yeah it’s not live no no I could tell you when I done celebrity Eggheads I’m not quizzes yeah they give me this sh I’ll tell you when

We’re recording so you’re good you’re good no we’re go we’re going you’re not good so I might win listen to this listen to this right they ask me to do celebrity egads me Willie Thor Peter shilton Jeff capes and Paul Dixon the cricket player so I thought well if I

Get TV and film or sport I’ll be okay yeah they give me food and drink and I don’t drink alcohol I’m an Irish man who doesn’t drink alcohol people say what sort of an Irish man I yes and my dad says I’m a failure as an Irish man but I

Thought no food you nobody look at the size of me like my food so the first question they asked me I’m in Against The Mastermind Champion to brand of Britain and I guess the middle hadn’t got a clue hadn’t got a clue it was right I was so happy to get one question

Right Mastermind Champion gets his question right second question middle again it’s right again two masterm Champion gets his champ gets question right they ask me the third question where’s the avocado from I said the avocado a pair I said my dad used to get

Me to8 when I was boxing I he used y I say full of whatever it’s full of but I don’t know where it’s from give me the clues the Americas I know austral Asia the Americans or Europe so I thought I can’t be the middle again so I went the

Austral Asia and it was the middle the Americans the so I got two right out of three yeah I know yeah but the master The Mastermind Champion got his question right so they said wow they said Joe you pushed the Mastermind Champion to the wire so afterwards up in the Green Room

In front of the celebrities I follow my dad I said dad I got two questions right out a tree he said Well Done son that’s great I said Dad they said I pushed the Mastermind Champion to the wire he said Son it doesn’t say much for the Mastermind Champion now if you pushed

Him to the than that right so okay so he’s on a losing streak in the quiz world I’m very much on a win one I’m wait one is that right yeah well you’re not in with a mastermind today you should be know where avocados come from though I

Thought it was going to be a tree that was I thought that was the answer anyway what’s the premise of the queen right so George has written this completely himself we got we got the toughest white man on the planet right so I figured and

Joan here’s a list well done go go right here’s a list right of some other things that share the toughest right on the planet Joe right so I have a little quiz here for you both right so you’re our guest there do you want to go first or

Second I go first I knew he was going to go first right okay right so the mountain goat is tough right yes famous survives at extreme altitude over 13,000 ft and snacks only on Alpine V vegetation right but very different from box re’s list of goats right so which has sugar

Robinson at number one but where do you think Muhammad Ali is placed oh well I I went to his house in Michigan Al Capone used to own his house and I went through the gates and up in the Gat is go8 greatest of all time so I

Would have had him at number one in my eyes yeah so if they haven’t got him as number one has to be two or three he’s number 10 [ __ ] no yeah off no chance sorry not having that that’s aan vo we’ll give you that point anyway listen the ones in between there

Was uh Armstrong Emy Armstrong there was there was there was a Jo I think yeah quite a few in there s out also but I love you know something we never saw the best of Muhammad Ali because he was banned in three years that was the best years yes

Yeah so maybe he would have been two otherwise all one yeah anyway what’s my question can I take a lead here the arctic fox loves avocados lives right on the frozen tundra of the northern he hemisphere right yeah uh I knew that bit his environment where temperatures

Dropped below 58° below zero right but what was the temperature outside in Quebec when Callum Smith for ARA pvv minus 24 I don’t know I put minus 11 so that’s wrong don’t even know I was in I was in Quebec for uh Billy Joe Saunders against David Lemieux

What month snow was up here it was a it was December fight amazing amazing Place minus 11 yes you should have said it okay well well nil and nil how many questions are there here 15 oh my God the ban camel camel camel right it lives in

Extreme heat in a goby desert right these deserts get temperatures over 100° in the summertime these camels are famous for having two humps right but I want to know who is Adrian Broner facing when both Fighters humped each other oh my God know in their provocative unsportsmanlike manner there

Were two humps in that fight so there was a fight and they sort of humped each other a bit remember that one Mosley was it I got it I know it I’ll pass Marcos maana yeah it was marus my fought May twice amazing fight no once he he boxed twice fight

Inc amazing right crocodiles are tough right they are yeah I can’t they can survive without eating for three years leave it or not right a very slow metabolism three years um that’s a bad they like to float about and you know save save energy right anyways what I

Want to know is so they’ve also got a lot of teeth right but I want to know who lost their teeth in a in a super midweight batt BJ J the girl any OPP yeah James go lost his teeth Jo actually he didn’t it was only a bridge of his

Teeth he got his teeth knocked out in sparing apparently by ay yram in the camp before you’re not getting bonus points so he had anyway anyway right number three this is number three for Jo let’s go one more each you got put it back here they get better they get better

Right you got loads you ain’t got load you get this one you get this one right brother the honey badger the honey badger is tough right it’s only 3 foot long and weighs like 13 to 30 but if provoked it can fight off lions and leopards

Right but what do you want to know right my question is who is the ragam muffin man right who held the Undisputed yes oh honey hurry for the title and when Harry Carpenter was was was was commentating incredible because Don Curry Don the Cobra Curry an incredible fighter I

Watched him fight the welsman Colin Jones Ryan Colin Jones was an incredible fight he beat Kirkland Lang in the ninth round twice you know that was that was it was an incredible win for Lloyd Honan yeah you know and he he had some great defenses then I

Think he lost it to Maron Sterling I think he might have lost the title too but Lloyd H that amazing win an amazing win D the Cobra Curry was was one of the most he was from Ford worth in Texas one of the most powerful vicious

Punchers hit me a Jag go last one no I’ve got two more two more we’re a Jaguar I had to write these I mean a Jaguar right cu the last two really good a Jaguar right he not the biggest cat in the world right but he a tough one after capturing

And killing a 500b deer it can drag it to the top of a tree to eat it on its favorite Branch right but which heavyweight boxer had a sponsorship deal with L Rover jaguar in 2019 endorsements top of the tree yeah Joshua yeah they also JD Sports AP boss

Just a few right links the black mber last one the black mber uh Joe right it’s one of the toughest animals on the planet with the most deadliest Venom but which former fighter went by the nickname black m finished with a record of 59 and 13 he’s probably most famous

Now as a trainer out of a Las Vegas gym is it Mayweather yeah yeah which one would it be Roger yes very good you want the last one yeah go and hit me it’s the gorilla yeah right I already know the answer right no you know right the gorilla 20 times Str 20

Times stronger than a human with 9 right obviously we’ve had our own gorilla on here ECM hatrick appearance John Ryder 168 compared to you know the 448 real gorilla mhm how tall is John Ryder I should know this cuz I just did that feature I’m going to say he’s 5 foot n

And a half no he’s 5 for eight oh so close I think that’s a draw no draw yeah yeah I reckon that’s so that’s a good well good performance I’m happy with that I’m happy with that now let’s just talk about jokes you might be you might

Just be back in the ring what’s the crack here then with John Fury now this is this got leg is this something that’s actually has to happen you want yeah what’s where where are we has to happen does um John FY he’s not conducting himself very well he son one of the

Greatest heavyweights I believe you know he’s up there with the best of them and uh could survive in any era of boxing because of his boxing press his boxing brain his engine for heavyweight is incredible I know he’s not in the the the greatest of eras of heavyweights but

He’s in there with some power punching heavyweights Wilder could could could could could can cuss anybody with a punch and the way Tyson got decked and got up the chin the heart the engine is incredible and I believe he could survive in any era but what he’s come

Through with his mental health and everything else has made him even more special but then the conduct of his dad has taken the Shine off him his dad has thrown tables up in the air at Young YouTubers a fan base that’s just coming into boxing the conduct of John Fury

Isn’t nice he’s he’s he’s he’s bringing the sport into the gutter as far as I’m concerned and I like John I’ve always G on with John but when he stood up there and he challenged Mike Tyson I thought got to admire him he’s a fighting man you know comes from good

Fighting stock traveling Community my mom’s people are traveling people so I understand the history of the fighting with the traveling Community but then when when when Mike laughed him off Mike broed him off as as as a comical joke you know in a nice way John Suddenly challenged any 58y old on

The planet brave enough to fight me so I thought to myself I’ll have a bit of that he said something to somebody that I didn’t like what he said I’m not going to say it on here I want to confront him when we do books so we have a a press

Conference because he said something about me that wasn’t particularly very nice but if he’s trying to steal his son’s Limelight of course he’s going to try and steal any Limelight that I’m going to get cuz he likes to be sent a stage and I think he conducts himself

Like a bully cuz these young YouTubers even some of the dads have confronted him it’s on television you can watch them on the Internet why are you doing this to these young children and he and he fronted the dads and I just thought I don’t like that conduct he’s not

Conducting himself as an xboxer the way he should conduct himself he’s not conducted himself as the heavyweight champion of the World’s dad the way should conduct himself so I’ve stepped up to the mark as I’ve done as a fighting man I’m 58 I want to challenge yeah of

Course and I’d like him to accept that he threw down the gauntlet first and I’ve accepted the challenge his first response was quite tugish and the man come near me and I RI that face off and I thought well when you threw down the challenge to Mike

Tyson Mike Tyson didn’t react with a a comment like that he just smiled so why should you react with a comment like that when a man steps up to your challenge to a boxing fight what bring it to where I’m going to rip your face off then he’s calling me a them then

He’s calling me a day I’ve earned the right to be call by my own name I’m a boxer that’s climbed into the ring like he has neither of us were any good facts we were we both average Fighters we about tough men he would have worked on

A building site all day and gone out to work box on the night I worked three jobs and went out and boxed so we were never really any good we were just two tough men and I I I’ve stepped up to the mark now he’s acknowledged my name Joe

Eon and the first thing he said right Joe you’ve insulted me now coats off and I thought I’m not asking you for a street fight I’ve had loads of them in my life there’s no money in the street fight if I’m going to fight I want it to

Be in a boxing ring like he’s challenged any 58y old man on the planet brave enough to fight him he wants to take his coat off on the street and I thought well if you match your enough to take your coat off on the street to want to

Fight me put the boxing clubes on and let’s have the boxing match so now we said that he wants the contracts rown up Misfits boxing they want to put it on they want to back me I’m hoping to get the contracts drawn up I cannot believe the

Response around the world and I mean around the world it’s it’s incredible you know I’m not just talking about Birmingham where I live or the UK or Europe there’s messages from all around the world people are it’s gone it’s incredible the way it’s gone but these YouTubers are worldwide you know and and

He’s upset a lot of them so we ask each and every one of our guests to give us a ring walk track the thing is right getting back to John Fury again right two donkeys make a good race like I said neither of us running go we’re not going

To be dancing around the ring and and and and I I I do believe my chin is better than his I’ve been hit by three heavyweight champions of the world and I wasn’t knocked out he was hit by one and knocked out and I want to fight them yeah I’m no

Disrespect to the man when we sit at a press conference I got a couple of things I want to say to him want to look him in the eye and ask him is this what we said do you understand yeah but it’ll be a good fight while it lasts the best

Man will win on the night I hope it’s me I do believe it’s me but he will believe it’s him as well I’ve lost the two southp he’s a third southp Third Time Lucky you know but you’re saying about the music your song Ring we’ve got a playlist on spot fight everyone who

Comes in gives us a track I used to I used to come in to Irish music when I was fighting originally if the fight comes off with George with sorry with um John Fury I suppose it’ll be the Elton John song I’m still standing because I tell a reason why I’ve been

Shot twice and I was still standing I’ve been hit by every type of weapon you can name a crowbar to a scaffolding Pole to a baseball bat over the years are getting bullied I’m still here I’m still standing and hopefully at the final Bell in the John Fury fight hope Be Still

Standing because that’s what we want to do is hear that final Bell stand up and fight fight like hell stand up and fight until you hear that final Bell yeah incredible we haven’t got any out and John yet as well he needs that’s the El and debut on the playlist on the

Playlist I’m still standing beautiful awesome mate thank you so much for coming in today sharing great stories with us and you’re in the club man yeah you’re in the club Joan thank you much it’s been Great