Share
The Rocky Road
Tony Bates - Mi Vida Loca - Part 1
Season 4, Ep. 37
•
Tony Bates is a professional boxer from Dublin. Unbeaten since his debut in 2011, he last fought in 2018. Nicknamed ‘Irish Psycho’, he could just as easily have borrowed the moniker ‘Mi Vida Loca’ from the legendary hellraiser Johnny Tapia, because life’s been crazy up to this point. Growing up in Clondalkin, he gained a fondness for gambling, alcohol and drugs at an early age – ‘the party life’ – and somehow found a way to work his excesses around his burgeoning football and boxing careers. In 2008, with the recession starting to bite back home, he headed Down Under where he was called to the ring. Bates sparred every big name in Australia boxing – from Michael Katsidis to Tim Tszyu, Anthony Mundine to Jeff Horn – and started making waves as one of several Irish up-and-comers on the pro scene. But outside the gym, his addictions were always in his ear, coaxing him towards trouble. Gambling was the big one as his life started to spiral out of control. Eventually, Bates was locked up, deemed a violent offender and stuck in a maximum security facility. After serving his sentence, he was due to be deported back to Ireland but then Covid hit and the Aussies decided to dump him on Christmas Island, an external territory mainly used as a refugee and immigration detention centre. Hundreds of miles from the mainland, with no set date for release, no wifi and no visitors, the detainees rioted - with Bates witnessing it all unfold. He contacted The Rocky Road to tell of his plight, trying to find a way out, and believes that going to the media – and informing the authorities – helped him find his way home. And now he’s back in Ireland, back in boxing and looking to get back in a professional ring at the age of 35. He’s survived shootings (of the tasering variety), stabbings (giving as good as he got) and hundreds of street fights, but is now living a peaceful life of prayer (he is a devout Muslim) and preparation (under the watchful eye of new coach Phil Sutcliffe). It’s an unbelievable story and this is the first time he’s told it.
In Part 1, Tony talks about growing up in the toughest area of Dublin, early days in football, finding gambling, drink and drugs, the party scene in the capital, becoming a fighter to battle the bullies (and getting a taste for it), horses, hellraising and converting to Islam.
More episodes
View all episodes
20. Lee Reeves - The cream always rises to the top, eventually
01:02:55||Season 7, Ep. 20This week on The Rocky Road, Kevin sits down with Limerick’s 15-1 southpaw Lee Reeves ahead of his May 30 return at Leopardstown Racecourse on a JB Promotions show.From the streets of Limerick to the lights of Madison Square Garden, Reeves’ journey has been anything but ordinary. In a deeply honest conversation, he opens up about personal grief, finding purpose and the experiences that have shaped him inside and outside the ring.A right-hander who switched to southpaw as a teenager, Reeves has never taken the obvious route. He speaks about the night he spent 28 minutes in the dark waters of the River Shannon trying to save a life, his service with the 12th Battalion, his work as a mental health ambassador in suicide prevention and his drive to climb the professional ranks.Now managed by Jamie Conlan and David McGinley, Reeves is targeting big domestic clashes this August — and if Irish contenders stand between him and a world title shot, he is ready to go through them. An absorbing conversation with Irish boxing’s ‘Mr Worldwide’.“I hope my opponents don’t take me seriously... because they’ll find out.”If you have been affected by anything discussed on this podcast, please contact the Samaritans on 1850 609 090 or Pieta House on 01 6010000.
19. Heavyweight Classic - Daniel Dubois v Fabio Wardley
01:12:29||Season 7, Ep. 19Joining us to dissect the absolute chaos of the Daniel Dubois v Fabio Wardley heavyweight clash is a man who lives and breathes the sport. Hailing from a legendary fighting lineage in Drogheda, Chris McKenna is a former boxer himself and a top boxing journalist. He is the son of coaching icon Christy McKenna and the brother of one of the island's elite tactical minds, Damien McKenna. We discuss the madness in Manchester and what’s next for the new WBO champ, Dubois. With news dropping on the Irish boxing scene almost daily this week, we also run through the headlines around Joe Ward and Lewis Crocker, while Chris tells us about the unbreakable bond he has with boxing and why the anticipation that comes before a major bout trumps all others in the world of sport.
18. The Champ Returns: Ryan Burnett on The Rocky Road
28:21||Season 7, Ep. 18Since hanging up the gloves, unified world champion Ryan Burnett hasn’t been looking for a quiet life. Whether it’s pushing supercars to the limit or tearing up tracks on motorbikes, he’s a man who still lives life on the edge. Now a boxing trainer in his own right, his latest challenge was perhaps his most personal and gruelling yet: pushing 63.5kg - the fighting weight of his late mentor Ricky Hatton - through the 26.2 miles of the Belfast Marathon.It was a journey that almost ended before it began after Ryan slipped a disc during his training camp, and the race itself proved just as unforgiving. Flanked by boxing royalty like Andy Lee and Carl Frampton, Ryan suffered at stages but found the mental iron to power through. If you didn’t already think he was something of a lunatic, wait until how you hear he got through the last two miles. This was Ryan’s personal farewell to Ricky and a mission to raise vital funds for mental health.Read more and support the cause here:https://www.justgiving.com/page/mickey-meehan-5?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAb21jcARj6VFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81NjcwNjczNDMzNTI0MjcAAafguiP-FSsyIxKAiXuciG_--T7431Zmo6rliqbmThCuVtNzlIZXGzq6wr47fA_aem_p8_OJwztSrRqXx4JLDiKEw
17. One Last Dance - Luke Keeler v Jason Quigley
40:38||Season 7, Ep. 17Jason Quigley will have been out of the ring for more than three years; Luke Keeler for 2.5. But they're ready to park their retirements and meet at the centre of the ring at Croke Park when Katie Taylor rocks up for her retirement bout in September, all going well. Every Irish fighter born from his/her mother will have their hand up for a slot on the card but these two are at the head of the queue in a Last Dance-style bout that would be the perfect way for both men to go out. They met twice in the amateurs, and as pros scrapped their way to world title contention - going down to the same champion. Today Quigley and Keeler talk about The Rocky Road to Croke Park and why they're willing to go all-in at GAA HQ.
16. Dan Donnelly - Dublin Boxing Legend
44:59||Season 7, Ep. 16Dublin actor, comedian and former international boxer Terry O’Neill joins us to talk about the upcoming show at the National Stadium, ‘In The Ring With Dan Donnelly & Dublin’s Boxing Legends’, taking place on May 9. Terry, who will perform a portion of his hit one-man show Rope-A-Dope on the night, will be joined by heavyweights of Irish culture including Brian Kerr, Damien Dempsey and Elite champion Kellie McLoughlin.Though he had just three organized bouts, Dan Donnelly’s name remains legendary more than 200 years after his death. Terry explains how Donnelly’s 19th-century clashes with Englishmen Tom Hall and George Cooper on the Curragh were the "Louis-Schmeling" of their day - symbols of the oppressed rising against the oppressor. We dive into the life of this hard-drinking man of the people and the macabre saga of his stolen arm, which became a literal ‘Irish Shroud of Turin’.We also trace the lineage of Dublin boxing royalty, from Frankie Kerr to Kenneth Egan, and Steve Collins to Kellie Harrington. Plus, we run the rule over today’s stars: from Pierce O’Leary, fresh off his clinical IBO world title win at the 3Arena, to the resurgent Jono Carroll, and the relentless Paul Ryan and Emmet Brennan.With Donnelly still remembered two centuries on, we ask: which of today’s fighters will be talked about in 2226? If Katie Taylor finally gets her Croke Park swansong - a hot topic on today’s pod - she might just be the one
15. Heavyweight Madness
45:52||Season 7, Ep. 15Heavyweight madness as The Sun's Wally Downes Jr joins us again to talk about Tyson Fury's comeback, the deadlock with Anthony Joshua and how it can be broken, the late surge of Deontay Wilder and the ongoing adventures of Oleksandr Usyk. We also look ahead to the title fight between British rivals Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois, and where Next Big Thing Moses Itauma fits into it all. Plus he pays tribute to Derek Chisora after the old War horse hung up his saddle.
14. Brandon McCarthy - American Dream
38:42||Season 7, Ep. 14Brandon McCarthy is living the dream right now. As he prepares to get back in the ring in Las Vegas, after 13 months out, the Kilkenny boxer – a 16-time Irish amateur champion – reflects on the lesson’s he’s learned so far in the pros, boxing out of the famous Wild Card Gym in California where he walks in his hero Manny Pacquiao’s footsteps. McCarthy tells us about working with Pacman’s former trainer, sparring with his son and hopefully working with the Filipino legend in the near future as he eyes the Floyd Mayweather Jr rematch later this year. McCarthy also touches on the progress made by his compatriots in recent months and tells us his route to world title glory, having locked down a new managerial and promotional set-up this year.
13. Steven O'Rourke - United They Stand
44:17||Season 7, Ep. 13Steven O’Rourke runs O’Rourke’s Gym in Inchicore, Dublin. Originally from Denton in Manchester, boxing and Manchester United were the twin pillars of his youth - and they remain so today.Steven takes us back to street life in the 60s and 70s, running with the Manchester-Irish lads and learning early on how to fight his way out of trouble. He recalls the dream-like access he had to the Old Trafford dressing room through his father’s TV career - and the crushing blow of that world being snatched away when his father died young. Left to process his grief through the only outlet he knew - violence - Steven explains how boxing ultimately saved him. The sport provided the discipline he lacked, along with a few necessary "clips round the ear" from a trainer who saw his potential.Eventually, the love of a good woman brought Steven to Ireland, where he established his Dublin gym 15 years ago. We discuss the stable of fighters he’s built, his ongoing friction with the Boxing Union of Ireland, and why he is certain his son, light-welterweight prospect Ryan O'Rourke, has what it takes to go all the way. It's taken last week's guest Ryan a long time to secure a big fight but he's finally got one, as he takes on Alex Vargas at Madison Square Garden on April 17 in a clash of undefeated boxers.
12. Ryan O'Rourke - Star is Rising
37:25||Season 7, Ep. 12Kevin Byrne caught up with Ryan O'Rourke before his fight against Alex Vargas on April 17th was announced.O’Rourke is not easily dissuaded. At 26 years old and 13-0, with a promotional deal in the US with Star Boxing, the Dubliner’s trajectory looks envious from the outside. But behind the record lies the exhausting reality of the professional game.In 2025 alone, Ryan saw four fights collapse. Inactivity? Check. Last-minute cancellations? Check. Opponents vanishing after the money and miles have already been spent? Check. Most people would have packed it in for a more reliable weekly wage, but Ryan is fueled by an inner drive that goes beyond the paycheck.Following the loss of his close friend John Cooney, Ryan is fighting for a legacy that transcends the sport’s "BS." In this episode, we discuss his upbringing in Dublin, avoiding the capital’s teenage pitfalls, and the decision to choose the ring over the football pitch. We also dive into the unique dynamic of being trained by his father, Steven, and his desire to ignite a massive domestic rivalry with Pierce O’Leary—a Northside vs. Southside "mill-up" with the potential to echo the legendary Gus Farrell v Ske Mullen battles of the 60s.