The Rocky Road

An Irish boxing podcast that fans of all sports will love. No one gets to the top without overcoming adversity, in sport or in life. But as Rocky Balboa said, ‘it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward’. Every week on The Rocky Road, host Kevin Byrne and producer Simon Maguire will bring you the distance on some of the wildest journeys the sport has to offer. Pain, pride, passion and politics, the world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It's about how much you can take, and keep moving forward.

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Sports Sports & Recreation

Update frequency: every 6 days
Average duration: 48 minutes
Episodes: 224
Years Active: 2020 - 2025

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Michael Conlan - We Go Again

Michael Conlan is the special guest for this week's show. He joins Kevin Byrne to preview Katie Taylor's homecoming clash with Chantelle Cameron in Dublin and looks ahead to his own tilt at world tit…

00:44:28 | Wed 17 May 2023

Deirdre Gogarty - Immortal

A true fighting hero joins us today. She’s Ireland’s first female boxer and was Ireland’s first female world champ. She added to the legacy of Barry McGuigan between the ropes and now Katie Taylor ad…

00:58:07 | Wed 10 May 2023

David Irving - The Man in the Middle

Today we welcome back a guest who has lived two lives in boxing – firstly as an amateur and then a pro fighter, and for the last 34 years as a referee and judge

Last time we spoke with David Irving, w…

00:51:38 | Wed 03 May 2023

Gus Farrell – On The Waterfront

“I’m John Farrelly. I’m not Gus Farrell. I’m an ordinary Joe Soap. Gus Farrell is gone.”

This week’s guest was known as Gus Farrell during his fighting days in the 1960s and 70s. Hailing from Sheriff …

01:12:49 | Wed 26 Apr 2023

Roberto Diaz - The Matchmaker

Roberto Diaz joins us for this week’s episode while enjoying his first ever trip to Ireland. The former Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker was over for the Jason Quigley homecoming and sat down to disc…

00:48:57 | Thu 20 Apr 2023

Jamie Morrissey – God’s Plan

Irish boxing has welcomed a host of new pros in the last few years and Limerick fighter Jamie Morrissey is among the most interesting of the crop. He’s clearly willing to fight anyone, going by his r…

00:38:55 | Wed 05 Apr 2023

Dennis Hogan - The Road Less Travelled

‘I’ll tell you a funny story…’ Dennis Hogan is coming home. After 36 fights all over the world – from his base in Australia to Mexico via Germany and the USA – the Kildare man is finally set to reali…

01:13:32 | Wed 29 Mar 2023

Katie Taylor - The Return of the Queen

Ace reporter Kev came down from the mountains for the Katie Taylor ‘Homecoming’ press conference at Dublin’s Mansion House (talkin’ bout a revolution?) as she gears up to challenge Chantelle Cameron …

00:47:05 | Wed 22 Mar 2023

Steve Collins - St. Patrick's Day Special

We’re joined by Steve Collins, AKA The Celtic Warrior, for The Rocky Road St Paddy’s Day special 2023. Steve talks about his amateur days under legendary coaches Maxie McCullagh, Peter Glennon, Tony …

01:02:43 | Wed 15 Mar 2023

David Irving - The Early Years

David Irving is the special guest for this week's episode. The Belfast man charts his rise through both the amateur and professional ranks from the early days of the Holy Trinity Boxing Club through …

00:43:53 | Thu 09 Mar 2023

Tommy Hyde - Rebel Heart

Tommy Hyde is a 2-0 professional boxer and publican from Cork. As a kid he travelled the world with his fighter-managing father, Gary, posing for pics with boxing royalty such as Oscar De La Hoya, Ge…

00:36:04 | Wed 22 Feb 2023

Jason Quigley - The Return

Jason Quigley is about to begin The Rebuild – and who better than Andy Lee to guide him back towards the top? After all, Lee knows all about The Rocky Road from world title contender to forgotten fig…

01:04:58 | Wed 15 Feb 2023

Citizen O'Kane

Eamonn O’Kane took part in the toughest era of Irish middleweights, going up against the likes of John Duddy, Darren Sutherland, Andy Lee and Jason Quigley on the domestic front while battling fighte…

01:07:23 | Wed 08 Feb 2023

Creating Champions - JP Kinsella and Damien McKenna

Damien McKenna and JP Kinsella were Ireland team-mates at the 2001 World Championships in Belfast who both came within a win of a medal. Multiple-times Irish champions, they are both now making waves…

01:17:18 | Wed 25 Jan 2023

Mickey Vann and the Fighting Irish

Legendary ref Mickey Vann wound up his career as the third man in the ring with a stint in Ireland, reffing bouts such as Spike O’Sullivan v Anthony Fitzgerald (yikes) and Jamie Conlan v Junior Grana…

00:40:21 | Wed 18 Jan 2023

Elites - Kenneth Egan and Jason Quigley

This week special guests Kenneth Egan and Jason Quigley join Kevin Byrne to discuss the greatest night of the year in Irish boxing – senior finals night (or, to give its official name, the IABA Natio…

00:46:49 | Thu 12 Jan 2023

Ruth O'Sullivan - Ruthless

"Ruthless" Ruth O'Sullivan, originally from Dublin, has three New York Golden Gloves titles to her name - all won at the boxing Mecca of Madison Square Garden. After some time away from the sport, sh…

00:43:50 | Wed 14 Dec 2022

Paddy Donovan - The Real Deal

Paddy Donovan is the special guest for this week's show. He joins Kevin Byrne to discuss his pro career as he looks for his tenth successive victory this weekend. He also talks about the discriminati…

00:41:07 | Wed 07 Dec 2022

Kieran Molloy - Aiming for the Top

Kieran Molloy joins Kevin Byrne for this week's show. The Galwayman talks about his amateur career and why he left for the paid ranks, his rivalry with Paddy Donovan and working with Top Rank and Mic…

00:44:45 | Wed 30 Nov 2022

John McCormack - A Life in Boxing

John McCormack grew up in Dublin’s inner city centre as the son of famous boxer Spike McCormack. From a large family, fighting was in his blood – but he only really discovered it when standing up to …

00:51:38 | Wed 23 Nov 2022

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