1. Up and at it – what is your morning routine?
I waken about 8am every morning and head downstairs to the coffee machine. My first chore is unloading the dishwasher, then I'll have something to eat. I'll have a chat with Adam, my coach, and the family, then I'll shower, pack my boxing bag for the day and head out to the gym.
2. What might you eat in a typical working day for...
Breakfast? Breakfast will be a cup of coffee, two Ryvita crisp breads, avocado and salmon.
Lunch? Lunch could be something like quinoa and chicken which will be heated up in the pan, with some vegetables.
Evening meal? For my evening meal, I allow myself some carbs, probably rice, and I'll eat that with chicken or fish. I like to have a well-balanced meal at this time of the day.
3. Is nutrition important to you?
Yes, nutrition is very important, especially because I'm a boxer. As well as being good for your body, proper nutrition is vital due to the weight restrictions for matches, so I have to constantly think about what I eat. Getting nutrition right is part of the discipline, but it's not as difficult as some people think. To keep my body functioning correctly, I have to make sure I give it the right fuel.
4. Best meal ever?
Well, I'm a fan of pizza – with all the trimmings... I couldn't pick one out, in particular.
5. Do you have a guilty pleasure?
See above; I just love pizza. I'll often have a pizza or two, but only after a fight when all the hard work is done.
6. Have you ever been on a diet? If so, how did it go?
I have to diet for every training camp to bring my weight down to the limit I need for a fight. I usually walk around at nine-and-a-half stone, so I have to drop a stone and a bit to get down to eight stone, six pounds. It can be difficult, but, as a boxer, you have to be disciplined, so it comes with the job. I have to do this two-to-three times a year.
7. Do you take health supplements?
I take vitamins and protein shakes; just the usual kind of health supplements, I suppose.
8. How do you relax?
After working hard in the gym, I love to just go to my room, put the TV on and chill out to a favourite television series. I like Breaking Bad and Prison Break at the moment. Another favourite way to relax is to have a nice, hot bath with candles and soothing music.
9. Teetotal or tipple?
A tipple – after a fight and on special occasions. I am partial to a Mai Tai cocktail which is a fruity and rum-based drink.
10. Stairs or lift?
Stairs, every time.
11. Do you have a daily exercise regime?
Yes – in the morning time, I box in the gym, doing punching sessions, sparring, that kind of thing. I'll also have running sessions where I will do sprints on the track or long runs up a hill.
12. Best tip for everyday fitness?
Eat 'clean' – it's important for everyone and not just for people who go to the gym. I started to seriously think about what I was eating when I first started boxing and I soon realised the benefits of good, organic food. It's still a learning process.
13. On a scale of one to 10, how fit do you think you are and how fit would you like to be?
I have to be a 10. There's no-one fitter than me.
14. Have you tried, or would you try, alternative therapy?
Sports massages are great for aches and pains after a fight and to help your body recover. I have a guy who gives me a sports massage every other day and that works for me.
15. Were school sports happy times or do you have a memory you would rather forget?
I'm afraid I got in trouble a bit at school when I was younger. Funny enough, I was always fighting – nothing too bad, just messing around, really. When I went to St Patrick's College, I did enjoy playing football and other sports, though. Boxing wasn't allowed in the school sports hall, unfortunately. I think boxing should be part of the school sports curriculum today as it would give kids great discipline, as well as keeping them fit. I would say boxing definitely brought discipline into my life, for sure.
16. Did you ever have a health epiphany which made you change your lifestyle?
I don't remember an epiphany, as such, but when I first started boxing, when I was aged nine, I remember feeling that something just felt right. That feeling firmed up when people kept saying to me that I had a talent for it. I have always wanted to do well in life ever since.
17. Best health/lifestyle advice you were ever given and would pass on to others?
Eat, natural, good food and keep yourself in shape, whether you do sport for a living or not. Look after your body and it will look after you. Also, be determined, work hard and stick at something and it will pay off – it paid off for me.
18. Who inspires you or who would you try to emulate in terms of fitness/attitude to life?
When I was starting to get into boxing, I would watch all the great boxers of the time and be in awe of them for their skill and fitness levels. I don't have a sporting hero as such, but I did greatly admire people like Floyd Mayweather and Sugar Ray Leonard.
19. What time do you normally get to bed and do you get enough sleep?
I go to sleep around midnight but I always have a nap after the gym. In total, that mounts up to 11 hours or more, so I do OK. That might sound lazy, but my body really does need sleep and time to rest and recover.
20. Would you say you have a healthy attitude towards your own mortality?
Yes, definitely – and I think it's healthy to do things correctly and you will live well. It pays off in the long run.
