The VIRAL Roy Jones Corner Moment Explained, Boots vs Zayas & Tyson Fury Returns

26:15And I was asking God for an opportunity. You know, I'm just talking to God out loud. Just like, you know, God, please give me an opportunity. You know, I'm ready. You know, you know. So just talking to God out loud, and then I get that call two days later. And it was a situation where it was like, this is what I literally just asked God for. So it was really, you know, I discussed it with Roy and other members of my team, and obviously yourself. But it was really a no-brainer, man, because it was like, when you ask God for something and he delivers, that means it's your time. So I felt like it was my time, and it was a big moment for me, especially where I'm at in my career and in my life right now.

26:52So I just wanted to make sure I went out there and capitalized on that. Roy, what was your mindset? You know, how did you prepare a fighter like Kevin where he is in his career for a moment like that? Where you know, like, you got to have this. Yeah, you got to train different for that moment. And you got to keep putting in your mind, in his mind, that your mindset has to be different. You're fighting a young guy who they're high on. You're not the guy that's supposed to win. So you got to go in there and dominate this guy or you're probably not going to win. So that's what was on my mind. That's what I kept trying to instill in Newman's mind.

27:25I fell asleep, right? Like I knew Kev was going to be fighting at a certain time. You know, I'm 42 years old, man. Stuff be happening. So I nodded off. I fell asleep. I wake up. And I wake up to the moment in the corner that went viral. That's what I woke up to. So I get on my phone. I log on. I'm like, man, Kev fighting. And if I'm not mistaken, this was in between round seven and round eight, correct? It was a little earlier. No, I think it was between round four and five. It was early. Between four and five, yeah. That moment happened that early? Yes, between four and five, yes. Okay. So before I get to the moment, Roy, what were you seeing that you did not like from Kev?

28:03What was he not doing? What was he doing? What was the problem? Well, we all both understood that, you know, women mature quicker than men, right? Right? So a 22-year-old man does not have the same mental capacity as a 22-year-old woman. A 22-year-old man is in a crossroads of being still a boy but coming to be a man. And we understood that. So that being said, Kevin 34, you ain't going to get me any more shots. You're fighting a 22-year-old guy that you have to put in the mindset that he's dealing with Unc. He's not – I hear dealing with another kid his age. He dealing with Unc, and Unc's been a bully.

28:37You understand what I mean? That's what it was. You understand what I'm talking about? And that's what my mindset was. So what happened was, first two rounds, he did. He treated him like nephew. Third round, he started letting nephew get a little more confidence. And nephew quit acting like nephew and started acting like cousin. Fourth round, cousin started acting like maybe I'm going to be on. So I lost. I'm sorry. I lost. That's not what we trained to do. And my mind, I just, like you said, I glitched out. I didn't know what the hell happened. Just that you're not going to let him come. I glitched because you're not going to let this little dude come here and run you around after all the stuff we done did.

29:10We done did everything necessary. We done got all these days of training. I ain't ready to go hang out with my dogs, my chickens, because I'm training you, you're trying to get ready to go out here and get this moment that you've asked for and now you're going to let him come out here and treat you like he's unk? No, that's not going to happen today. No. Kieran, up to that point, did you feel like the fight was going the way Roy was in? I mean, you know, when I'm in the fight, obviously, you know, when you in there, you in there. You know what I'm saying? But, like, I knew I was winning, like, the first three, but I felt like he started to, like, he kind of tried to come on a little stronger at the end of round three, but I knew I had won the first three rounds.

29:45The fourth round, that's when he kind of started having some moments. And then that's when Roy lost it after that. And, you know, I mean, I understood. It was one of them situations where, you know, like, sometimes fighters need to hear certain things. And, you know, like, I'm pretty sure a speech like that would have done a lot of fighters some good in their career. Because sometimes fighters get complacent and things like that. And they don't get the reel from their coach. And, you know, so, I mean, obviously, you know, Roy went off. You know, I really didn't have nothing to say back to him.

30:21I think I came to the corner and said, I'm fighting. Because I was fighting. I wasn't dominating like he wanted. I was actually fighting. And he said, no, you're not. You know, you're not. You're not fighting. And fighting to Roy means as soon as they punch, you punching off they punch. You wrecking them off they punches. You know, you dominating. That's fighting to him. So, you know, I'm like, I'm fighting. No, you're not. You're not fighting. And, you know, you this, you that, you know, you letting him, you letting him out, you this and that. And I'm just like, in my mind, I'm like, you know what?

30:50I have immense respect for Roy. I look at Roy like a pop. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, you know, I mean, these last few years of my life, he's been there for me through boxing and through real life. And, you know, and the last thing my father told me, he said, you know, listen to Roy. That was the last text message he said, listen to Roy. He said he's a legend. And he said, you could be a legend too, baby. and um you know so with him being set i just i literally was just like this tunnel vision and of course you may not those certain certain words come out you may not want to hear them words because you're not dealing with it from from anybody else you know i'm saying like you know i don't you know of course you don't take certain words lightly but i knew where it was coming from and i knew how bad roy wanted me to win that fight and i knew how bad i wanted to win that fight so it wasn't really it wasn't too much to talk about it was just go out there and just go get to work.

31:36My dad used to coach like that early on before he passed me off to Verge, right? My dad was a great man, but them pressure moments hit when you ain't using your jab. I told you to use your jab. And for me as a kid, that kind of stuff would make me angry and then I would shut down, right? And now I got an issue with you and I'm trying to prove you wrong, but me and you ain't good right now. That's how I did it. So he passed me off to Verge, who was more cerebral and would be more, hey, baby, you got to do it like this. Hey, don't let him do this. That worked for me because I was already a competitive kid.

32:13I'm already driven and I already, I don't need to be turned on, right? Even though sometimes you need to be turned on, it was more me needing to be pulled back at times. So for me, I was talking to Kev about this last night. I don't know how I would have received that information in that moment. I think for me, I probably would have been looking at Roy like come on bro like come on bro you you gonna you gonna do me like that right now even if I needed to hear it and I probably would have got up and either had something to say in that moment or maybe just tuned it out and been like you want to knock out I'm finna show you I'm finna show you think this what he doing to me I'm finna show you that's how my brain is wired man what did you take from that moment and and throughout your career here, how did you need to be coached in order to be at your best?

33:01I didn't get a chance to actually see the moment. I caught up on it this morning when BD had hit me, but it's interesting because people receive information and coaching different ways. And I'm a coach now and I'm 46 years old. So I'm, you know, I'm, I think I'm right behind Roy as far as being the oldest in here. And we came from a generation where we got cussed at, screamed at. Some people put hands on you. It was whatever way the Bobby Knight method if you want to refer to a basketball coach the Bobby Knight method to how you receive information and it's really on you can you can you take that in and understand that it's coming from a place of motivation and love because I feel like a coach doesn't get on someone in that way or those words unless they see something and obviously Roy sees something in Kevin that's why he's coaching him so it's just an interesting time because again I coach my 17 year old kids and similar to what you just said Dre cussing at them and screaming at them.

33:55I have to do it every once in a while, but they don't receive it. The team doesn't receive it. Like this generation does not receive that type of, I don't want to call it discipline, but just that style of coaching. So to me, you know, my whole method has been, because I've been coaching them since they were eight and they're 17 now, is going down to their level, getting them to believe and trust in me, and then bringing them up to where I want them to go. And then that way, my words kind of really, you know, they really register if I have to cuss at you. But most time I'm going to explain it to you.

34:22I'm going to be cerebral and put you in situations to make you understand it. So I think in the moment where Roy was at was he saw the clock ticking. And like you said, he felt it was leading up to a certain situation. And he had no other way within that 60 seconds to put their words on you. And credit to you, you took it the right way and changed the whole outcome. But to what you said, Drake, some people may not be able to handle it. And you got to think in that moment too. Like sometimes it may take you a second to process, But in boxing, you're right back out there trying to kill each other, you know, respectfully.

34:56So it was very interesting to where you were able to digest what he was saying. I understand what he said. And I think even to your point, Kev, you said you would only take it from Roy. Like no one else could say that kind of thing to you and get away with it. Again, you have to just understand where it's coming from, why it's coming, and can you digest and disseminate what he wants you to do and go out there and apply it? And obviously you were able to do that. So hats off to both you guys for that. Appreciate it. Appreciate it. Yeah, I respect Kev for how he received that. And the truth of the matter is this.

35:28Kev, I'm not sure if Roy don't have that moment that you go out there and close that fight the way that you did because no matter how Roy disseminate that information, and it's not a right or wrong situation because every fighter, every athlete is different, like Matt just said. Like, some guys, you can't give them the subtle approach. They won't catch it. Bro, we running out of time. And Roy is aware of how this game is run. they're not going to give a Kevin Newman at this stage in his career nothing because even going into the last round for me that moment at that time wasn't even the biggest thing the comment that I leaned in on the most was when Roy said I think it's between the 9th and the 10th round he said go out there and knock him out or this is our last fight together and I was like ooh it don't get no realer or no rawer than that and you went out there and you closed the show.

36:22I got a lot of respect for Roy. Thank you, brother. Thank you, brother. If you don't close the show right then, we lose the fight. And I don't want to say that I didn't do enough or I didn't give him enough to go out there and really complete the obligation that he had at hand. So, for me, it was like I had tried the cerebral approach round one, round two, round three. You understand where I come from? It wasn't working. I wouldn't get what I wanted. Round four, I didn't get what I wanted. So it's like, Kevin, this is not what we're here for, brother. We're here to either fight or let's go and wrap it up and leave.

36:55Because if you're not going to fight, they're not going to give you nothing. If you're not going to go ahead and dominate this dude, they're not giving you the fight. You saw what happened the last time he fought. Last time he fought, I thought he lost that fight. But they didn't take it from him, they gave it to him. So everything I'm looking at is remembering what happened the last time I saw this kid out there boxing. He fought a guy that dropped him in the first round, and I thought the guy pretty much won most of the rounds after that, and they still gave it to him. So, Kevin, if you go out there and do this, what you're doing now, they're going to give it to him.

37:24I'm in a position where I'm left with nothing else to do but try out where we're coming. Actually, I don't think it was even me. I think God overwhelmed me and made me say what I had to say because my mind, I didn't go in there with none of that in my mind to say. I just, when I got in there, just, hey, if you're not going to do this right now, we done, bro, because this is your last shot. You're 34 years old. If you don't do this right now, that's a wrap. And that's how I had to look at it. You understand me? And what he was doing was probably enough for most people, but it wasn't for me because I know what he can do.

37:56I know what he's capable of. I know what I saw in training. I know what I've seen from him since I had him. I know why he died here with me. You understand me? So I know what he's capable of. That what he was doing, that's not what he's capable of. He's capable of much more than that. So if you don't give me some of that, I'm not going to keep wasting my time. I can't do it through you. You got to do it. I can give you the instruction book. I can help you with the guidelines, but you got to go through it. If you don't care no more than to do it, I got to show you how much I care. I care about my time.

38:24So if I'm going to show you how much I care about it, and if you don't take those instructions and do it, well, I can't do nothing for you no more. That's all I was saying. And Kev, you went out there and did it, man. What's going on in your mind from a fighter standpoint? Because I don't know if you've ever been in a situation like that where you had to get it out the mud like that, where you had a few rounds to get it done. What's going through your mind, and how did you ultimately pull it off? I mean, you know, it was obviously, you know, Roy, you know, coached greatly in a crunch moment. You know what I mean?

38:53And it wasn't necessarily about the instructions. It was like what he said, like, hey, bro, this didn't that woke me up. You know what I'm saying? But, you know, I take it back to the conversation that me and you had before the fight. You called me fight day. And, you know, to make a long story short, you just said, you said, be great, bro. You said, it's your time. Be great. And I don't understand what you meant in that moment. And I thought when you said be great, I thought you meant to go out there and, you know, be this mythical looking fighter where it's just like it's just everything. Just, you know, you look different.

39:24And, of course, that's what we all want that as fighters. You know what I'm saying? We all want to look like RJ in his prime. We all want you. I mean, come on now. You know, like the Ray Leonard's in their prime. But when you said that to me, it was more so like I didn't understand it until I had to, like you said, you know, really like bite down and go out there and fight and start pulling myself out of a hole that I shouldn't have been in in the first place. You know, down a couple rounds, I shouldn't have lost no rounds to that kid. And, you know, so but when afterwards I understood what you what you meant by that.

39:53Go be great, meaning go out there and, you know, in that crunch moment, go out there and close the show, bite down and go out there and do what you got to do and pull yourself out of that. And I mean, that's what I took from that man. But in the fight, I'm like, I hear Roy. Like, I'm listening to him. And he's, you got to knock him out. You got to do this. You got to do that. And he's, hey, what can you do? Can you do it? What's going on? And in my mind, I'm like, I know I'm winning, but I know Roy's keeping me reaching. And like he said, they're not going to give me anything. Whether I feel like I'm winning or not, they're not going to give me anything.

40:23That's their fighter. You know, that's their young guy. And I understood that. And I mean, and for me, like I said, I have a crazy amount of respect for Roy. And, you know, he's my idol in this boxing game. If you know me, you know that. And so I just went out there and just put it all on the line, man. And I got the result that we were looking for. So, I mean, you know, now it's like, you know, we've been there. We've done that. But now we got to get right back in the lab. And, you know, we got to get back to really, you know, turning up. Because it only gets tougher from here. The fights only get bigger.

40:59You know, there's no backwards fights. It's big business now. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, when you want to get in there with the Charlos and the Plants and the Resendezes, obviously, you know, he's a WBA Super Metalweight World Champion. Obviously, Canelo is there. And then you got, you know, the Pacheco's and Shiraz's. You got to go out there and beat these guys, you know. So, you know, and that's kind of where I'm at with it, man. So I'm ready for whatever. I told you last night, man, I said, man, you, how old are you? 34. You are preserved 34. You know, you don't smoke, you don't drink, you know, you're a family man and you're always in the gym.

41:39I said, bro, you can go on a cold two to three year run, man, and change your financial situation and start playing with them M's, bro. Like if you, if you really lock in, you know what I'm saying? Like not to say you're not locked in, but it's levels to the lock in. You know what I'm saying? Like sometimes you get tunnel vision where don't nothing else matter. and this is what's about to happen and the type of money that's going to start throwing your way all you got to do is beat another name that they don't think you're going to beat and now hey man we'll give you you know one five we'll give you the numbers going to change drastically and i want that for you bro you've been in the game a long time and you're also a guy who supports a lot of a lot of fighters man you you rock with a lot of fighters you ain't got no ego you don't mind standing next to somebody and letting them have a moment while in the background you encouraging in them and tell me, bro, you can do this.

42:22I'm going to be with you. I'm rocking with you. And you have a great box in mind, bro. So lock in, bro. Like we talked about, because it's a lot of money on the table and you don't want to leave none of it on the table. Yeah. I mean, go ahead, Roy. If you saw anything that happened that he was doing, especially like the first round, the first two rounds, and that last round particularly, you saw that man throwing hands like ain't nobody throwing hands in the game right now. You feel me? And when you can do something different than people are doing, then people are going to pay to see it because they don't get it nowhere else.

42:51And that's all I've been trying to tell him. When you let your hands go and be you, it's something different to see. It's something people want to see, but you got to give it to them. Yeah, I told Kev, I told Kev, I said he could have stopped Garcia. Yes, he could have. Like, even though he stepped it up, you know, there was times that he was catching Garcia at the end of his punches. So he's piling up points. I said, if you really stepped in, like if you really stepped in, you could have stopped him because there was times where Kev was hurting him just with what he was doing. of course right the volume and the snap on the shot but if you stepped in and hit him mid-range with that stuff the fight was going to be over you were going to hurt him and be able to finish him off of course what Roy is saying is it's it's like it's it's even another level and I told you this last night care it's even another level you can go to right where you're not accepting certain things I'm not just I'm not going to accept a close fight with you you don't need it this fight ain't supposed to be clear and when you start having that type of mindset, right?

43:49When you start locking in like that, well, like, you're going to have to show me. You're going to have to knock me out because I'm going to be in your wheelhouse. That's a different type of mentality, bro, and I think where you are in your career and your age, that's what time is. That's what time is. And like you said, the skill set, the hand speed, brother, there's some folk that'll pay for that, my boy. Use that. Keep using that. And you know, to touch, obviously you said it's a lot of money to be made, But, you know, for me, Dre, like I came in this game, man, you know, I want to be the best and I want them belts, bro.

44:24Like, you know, when I look at the RJs and yourself, man, and seeing y 'all have all them belts, bro, like that to me is what gets me, you know, like I want some of that action. I want some of that, you know, and I know God gave me enough to go get that and then some, you know. So with that being said, man, the money is great because, of course, I got to take care of these kids, my lady and my family and everything. But at the end of the day, bro, I know what I want from this game. And, you know, just to flip the script real quick, man, it's like Roy said something to me a long time ago. He said, man, he said, I went out there and did it for all the people that couldn't do it, that were in the hospitals and sick and things like that.

45:06Like, I listen to everything he says and I hold on to and I remember it. He said, for the people that couldn't do it, and it's like, for me, like, I'm dedicating the rest of my career to my brother because my brother's life was cut short, man, and right when he was about to take off and what he was doing in his music and his, you know, he was about to start a movie and all kind of things, man. So it's like certain things that make you tick and get you going, and it's like, that's one of them things, man. It's like he was right about to do his thing. So it was like, for me, I'm here. I'm at the door.

45:33Now I got to kick the door in and go really get to it. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, I got the man with the plan behind me. You know, I got RJ. I got a great team, man. I mean, I appreciate you, you know, for being just a, you know, I don't use this word a lot, but being a big brother in the game of boxing to me. You know what I'm saying? And, you know, of course, you know, Devin, you know, I mean, I can't say enough about him, bro. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, dude has really, really, really helped me big time. You know what I'm saying? And, you know, my team, you know, RJ, Sid, my brother Sid, you know, he's came in and helped me a lot.

46:04Miss Jones, Andrew Murphy, my cousin, a whole bunch of people. I could name a whole bunch of people that really helped me. You know what I'm saying? But Roy, man, I mean, this dude has really helped me, man, like rebuild me and pulled me out of a place where my career was essentially probably over with. You know what I'm saying? And so, I mean, we just going to take this thing all the way to the top, bro. That's where I'm at with it. You know, whatever we got to do to get there, that's what we got to do. I hope it ain't no more hollering involved because I don't do too good with the hollering.

46:38But, you know, I mean, at the end of the day, people got to see something, you know, see something special, man. I mean, whether you think it's funny, whether you think it is, you got to see a fighter who respects their coach and, you know, who's willing to go out there and do what the coach was asking. You know what I'm saying? And a lot of fighters could benefit from that because I see a lot of these guys, man, they just give these fights away, you know. And so, you know, hopefully Roy might have started something, man. You might see a lot more of that We might not be the only ones He might have started So you know this guy Been transcendent forever In this boxing game You know so You know it's crazy It's crazy I got so many calls People Hey can you work my corner No I can't work your corner I'm sorry No I cannot But I knew it came from A place of love though You know what I'm saying Like I know that Exactly I know that Exactly A place of love Real quick Real quick Let me ask you this though Roy you did You did apologize I didn't see the apology video why did you apologize about that moment in the corner?

47:36Because it's like I have an alter ego called RJ. And when RJ comes around, RJ just loses it. He don't give a care about nothing, nobody. He just loses it. You understand me? And I don't like to have that person come around. You understand me? I got to love you a lot or I got to be really into something for that person to show up. So I apologize because I usually can keep the brakes on him and keep his content down. I don't like to be that explicit in public. You understand me? That's not what I teach. that's not what I stand for that's not what I I want people doing you understand but in that moment I love boxing so much that I just and I know I know Kevin's potential you understand where I'm coming from it wasn't I wasn't getting it out of him the way I was trying to get it so it just something's overwhelming to say this is your last try because listen listen Dre if he lose that fight his career is over with if he lose that fight his career is over with and if I don't go and go out on the line to try to help him save himself from himself then he gonna I mean I could sit back and say, well, Roy, you should have told him.

48:34You understand? You didn't tell him right. But I did tell him right, and I gave him an opportunity to go out and save himself. And guess what Kevin did? He stood up and went out and saved himself. You understand? So with that being said, man, I— So over, though, Roy? Over? Like over, over? Yeah, over, over. When you get 34, you think they're going to give you any more chances? Let me ask you a question. Boo-Boo lost to Dave Benavidez. Have you seen Boo-Boo anymore? Boo-Boo was 34 years old. Have you seen Boo-Boo anymore? He got a couple shots, though. But have you seen Boo-Boo anymore? we ain't seen after 34 you ain't seen no more so if a guy loses at 34 to a guy that's 22 who wanna see him fight nobody else who believes he gonna make it anymore they won't believe it so that's why I was saying that this fight is a crossroads fight for Newman Newman you can't lose anymore because of your age you gotta either prove you gonna do it or you gonna let it go and that's just the facts you understand me so it's like I don't wanna I wasn't doing none of that on purpose, I didn't mean it for that part of me to show up.

49:34That's why I apologized because that's not what I wanted to say. That's not how I wanted to have to talk to him because I'm not that kind of person. I believe I didn't like my daddy to talk to me like that. That's how I understand what you say. I understand that. I was shut down too because I ain't like it. You understand me? But sometimes you got to at least that was the last thing I could have tried to get him to do it. And guess what? It got the job done. Not that I'm going to go there all the time and I'm mad at him for making me have to go there, but he got the job done. He's still mad at you.

49:59And that's why I apologize, but I don't like that. Why you make me do that? You feel me? I don't want to do that. I don't want to have to do that. I want you to want that. I don't want her to want that like that. I want you to want that like that. You feel me? That's all I'm saying. Last one for me, man. How Ms. Jones feel about that, man? She in the boxing game. She know how this thing works. How she feel about that person showing up like that? Ms. Jones, Kevin's mama, and Kevin's fiancee, all concurred and understood that that's what Kevin needed at the time. Am I wrong, Kevin? Am I wrong, Kevin?

50:37Am I wrong, Kevin? No. And, you know, and Dev, man, Dev was like, you know, he posted on Twitter. He said that was A1 coaching. He said that's exactly what he needed to hear. And, you know, so, I mean, you got to respect it, man, because the outcome, you know, and the outcome was you've seen a fighter that truly respected at what his coach was saying, didn't argue with him. You know, I'm looking at him like, like, bro, you not playing. Like, okay. Like, I feel you. Let's go ahead and turn this thing back up. And, you know, so that's what it was what it was. Let me ask you one question, Dre, too.

51:15Let me just help clear myself up better. Have you ever came to a corner and told Virg, I'm fighting, Virg? What do that sound like? Yeah, nah. That sound like you don't believe in yourself no more, right? right I don't know what he meant by no I'm just saying no what it was is we was fighting we were fighting I understand but fighting ain't what we came here to do we came here to blow him out understand me so when you come in tell me we fighting so you tell me you gonna decrease the job now so you gonna cut back and go half on the job now no we not going half on the job we didn't come here to fight we came here to dominate so you come tell me you can't I'm fighting that really that's probably what pushed the button no that's what no that's what you said you said you ain't You ain't fighting.

51:57And of course, you used some other words, but you know, you said you ain't fighting. That's probably what pushed my butt in, because you come back and tell me you fighting. I don't want to do that. No, that's what did it. Yeah, no, that's what did it. I told Kev last night, I said, Roy, came in calm, and then he said, you got to fight, man. And then you said what you said, I am fighting. And that, boom, it went from there. Yeah, that's not what I meant. Because what you doing, you ain't fighting. Well, look, man, it worked. You got it done, bro. And I told Kev, I said, you going to be better because of that fight, because of that moment.

52:26You got that under your belt. You know, it just, you know, to be able to win like that in a moment like that, it do something to you, man, it make you a lot better. And any questions you had, them questions was answered. Yeah, sure. So I appreciate you being on, brother, man. We're excited to see what's next, brother. Amen. Don't leave nothing on the table, man. Go get it all. For sure. Because you got what it takes. And last but not least, I do want to say, Ward, thank you for keeping it real with him. Because anytime you talk to him, he come back and tell me exactly what you've been saying. to him and you always keep it real with him.

52:57If you don't keep it real with him, you're hurting him. So I appreciate you keeping it real with him. And I don't care you talk to him as much you want. I'm not one of those coaches who, oh, I don't want nobody to talk to my fighter. No, no, no, no. You talk to him as much as you want to. If he want to go out there and train and work with you sometime, you take him because anything you teach him is going to be positive and only going to add to what I'm trying to get from him. So don't ever feel like you can't be 100 % real with him. And I appreciate you keeping it real with him. Absolutely, man.

53:24That's the only way to do it, man. I love for Brody. Thank you. Likewise. Likewise, man. I appreciate both of y 'all, man. I don't know what happened to Matt. Matt dropped off, man, but you know, great conversation about coaching. We're going to keep the conversation going, man. It's another episode of the Hall of Game. It is. You know, y 'all great coaches know what they need to be in the moment. So like when Kev mentioned how I told him to go be great, that don't mean that it's going to be an easy night. It just means that you need to be whatever you need to be in the moment to get the job done.

53:55And I had a similar moment, a little bit different than Roy's, but very similar with Kovalev where I was performing below the expectation. I shouldn't be on the canvas, even though I know that that can happen. When I fought Kovalev the first time in 2016, I spent my whole career staying off the canvas. I don't do sit-ups on the canvas. I don't roll on the canvas. I don't play on the canvas. My whole career is predicated on staying off the the canvas. The only thing that's supposed to be on the canvas is my feet. And when my coach saw me in the biggest fight of my life, not performing well, he had 10 rounds to let me know what time it is.

54:38And he did it his way, but he looked me in my eyes and said, look, man, we need every single round. But he also had that inspiration in there to let me know that Ali been in this situation. Sugar Ray Leonard has been in this situation. Many greats and all-time greats have been in this situation and they got up, you got up to go get it done. So I understand these moments. And when you got the right horse, you got the right charge, you got the right fighter, they can take that information and they can go execute. And it's just what they need to hear when they need to hear it, man. So I get it and I respect it.

55:14And to all the great coaches out there and just coaches in general, in order to be a great coach, that's the best way to say you got to know when to shift and give your fighter or your athlete what they need when they need it. You're not trying to be that fighter's friend. You're not trying to, you can't be afraid to say the things you need to say because Virgins always say this. He said, look, man, I don't mind if you mad at me. He said, I will risk you firing me in order to tell you the truth. And sometimes you being told the truth is the difference between a win and a loss.

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