Adam Haniver [00:00:16]: Okay, everybody. Really, really excited to invite Nina Hughes onto the podcast. Nina, how you doing? Nina Hughes [00:00:38]: I'm good, thanks. How are you? Adam Haniver [00:00:40]: Yeah, pretty good, Pretty good. We've got two reasons, really. I thought we'd, we'd have a chat. One is to talk about your career all the way from Chadwell St Mary's which I think it started. Chadwell St. Mary's. Nina Hughes [00:00:51]: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Adam Haniver [00:00:52]: And then all the way through to the pro ranks. Obviously we can, we can briefly touch on a recent event which was highly controversial. How much you want to relive or that, I don't know, but we could have a chat about that. And then the second part was how you do this through being a mother as well. You have two boys. Are they 10 and 8, I believe you said? Nina Hughes [00:01:13]: Yep, 10 and 8. Adam Haniver [00:01:14]: And your journey. So, you know, motherhood itself is just one thing, but your journey through being a professional boxer, you know, at the highest of levels and just sort of sharing a few of your experiences around that. How does that sound? Nina Hughes [00:01:28]: Yeah, that's good. Adam Haniver [00:01:29]: All right, let's go for it. Let's jump right in. Okay. So you started a Chadwell St. Mary's not, I believe, around 25. Is that right? 25 years of age. You're starting quite late then. Nina Hughes [00:01:41]: Very late. Yeah. Fell into it completely by accident, really. It wasn't even something I wanted to do. Do. I just literally, me and my friend did a boxercise class one day for fitness and I really enjoyed it. And then I ended up joining the boxing gym, just. But purely for fitness, not because I actually wanted to box or was into boxing. Yeah, I just enjoyed it more than going to the gym. Adam Haniver [00:02:00]: How long was it before you first. You did that first walk into the gym for fitness to get in your first bout? Nina Hughes [00:02:06]: I think it was six months. But my first scheduled bout, my first bout was a bit... ended up in a big disaster. We drove, there's been all female show in Hull. We drove all the way to Hull and then it was canceled. The whole thing. They didn't tell us until we got there. Adam Haniver [00:02:19]: Right. I didn't say. Okay, so Hull would have been about six hours for you. Nina Hughes [00:02:23]: Yeah. Imagine you first about all nervous and that drove all the way to the Hull and yeah, it didn't happen. And then it was the summer break. Adam Haniver [00:02:32]: Okay. Nina Hughes [00:02:32]: And then yeah, started again in new season, had my first bout then. Adam Haniver [00:02:36]: So you could have easily just dropped out and said, sod it, that'll do me. Because you've got the break as well, haven't you got the summer break after? So it's easy just to drop out. Okay, so who was looking out? Who looked after you mostly at Chadwell St. Mary's when you, when you first started all the way through to your competitive career? Nina Hughes [00:02:51]: When I first started it was Chris Oko, he was my coach at the time. And then yeah, he left that gym at the end and it went on to Scott Johnston. Adam Haniver [00:02:59]: Okay, right. And obviously, you know, massively fantastic gym. How many, how many amateur bouts did you have before, before you went into the national championships, before you won your first national championship? Nina Hughes [00:03:09]: I did the 0 to 5 category first to develop my 1. Only 5 at the time. So I won that and then I think I had had about 11 when I went into my first open class national championships. Adam Haniver [00:03:25]: Okay, so when did you start getting the sniff around GB? Nina Hughes [00:03:28]: And then it was literally after my first national championships. Staying out to the Olympics. Women's boxing was going to be in the Olympics for the first time. Yeah, I got invited for assessments. The assessments went on for about six months there every now and then for the weekends and yeah, and I was selected for the first ever BMAN squad. Adam Haniver [00:03:48]: Okay. And again doing a little bit of digging. So I think that was around about 2009 if I'm right in saying. Nina Hughes [00:03:54]: Yeah, it was. Adam Haniver [00:03:55]: Okay. So you've got three years into a certain little event that's happening in London at 2012. What were your sort of thoughts at the start when you're getting onto GB about, you know, the, the potential there? Because obviously there was another lady on the, on the cards then, weren't there, Nicola? Nina Hughes [00:04:11]: Yeah, obviously I always knew I was her. I think there was three of us at first in the same way and then it obviously going down to me and Nicola. I always knew I was just lacking that bit of experience. When I was. When I first got picked for GB, I think I'd had 15 bouts, so I was just. Everyone else had been boxing for England for years. There was all so much experience. I was just lacking that international experience. So I knew I was basically her reserve. I couldn't get competing. I kept getting better, I was getting more experience, but it just wasn't quite enough time. Adam Haniver [00:04:44]: So maybe if it was more like a 2007 sort of thing, this. The whole history of female boxing could have changed, you know, with her not going on. So when could it change? Nina Hughes [00:04:54]: Definitely, I think it's just another couple of years because I was improving massively while I was on there and, yeah, just needed that extra bit of experience. Adam Haniver [00:05:01]: Okay. And you were constantly moving around with her up at Sheffield? Nina Hughes [00:05:04]: Yeah, yeah, we just spar every time. We're weekly up there, so. Adam Haniver [00:05:09]: Okay. Nina Hughes [00:05:09]: I was definitely closing the gap as the months went on. Adam Haniver [00:05:12]: Okay. And who else? Maybe Lisa. Lisa. Nina Hughes [00:05:15]: Lisa came on after for the next one. Yeah. Next Olympic cycle. Adam Haniver [00:05:19]: Right, okay. So obviously, great career, illustrious career boxing for your country. Obviously, the only thing that sort of stopped you, that those, Those full honors was with Nicola Adams. Just having that top spot and a lot more experience than you. So when did you then get married and start having the kids? Nina Hughes [00:05:38]: After I was released from the GB squad. Yeah. In 2012. Adam Haniver [00:05:42]: Right, so straight after. So after London or before London? Nina Hughes [00:05:46]: Straight after London. Adam Haniver [00:05:48]: Right, okay. Nina Hughes [00:05:49]: That was all the plan in case I went to the Olympics. Adam Haniver [00:05:52]: Right, okay. So when that happened then, so what happens? So you, obviously, you're pregnant. Your first child was born in what year? Nina Hughes [00:06:01]: Sorry, 2014? Adam Haniver [00:06:02]: 14. So what then happened with the boxing around. Around that time? Nina Hughes [00:06:06]: See, when I come off GB, I tried to carry on for a little while, but in my club. But I just. I'd lost all motivation. I think I was so disheartened from not going to Olympics that, yeah, I didn't. I just didn't have the motivation anymore. I tried, but, yeah, so I did actually stop boxing and I didn't actually think I'd ever box again. Lost all interest. It was only after I had my first child that I put on loads of weight. And I thought, you know what? I thought I'm gonna go back to the gym and just train to lose the weight. And I thought I was gonna set myself a target of just having one bout just to lose the weight, and that's it. That's all I thought I was gonna do. And I had that one bout and I just started enjoying it again. I sort of fell back in love with the sport. Adam Haniver [00:06:45]: Was that the bout with my girl then? Nina Hughes [00:06:47]: No, your one was after the second. Adam Haniver [00:06:49]: Second. Okay, so who did your box after the first one then? Nina Hughes [00:06:51]: Louise Orton. Adam Haniver [00:06:53]: Hell. Okay, right. Yeah. Yeah, she's a national champion as well. She. Yeah, unbeaten pro, I think. Nina Hughes [00:07:00]: Yeah, I won that and then, yeah, I was like straight back in having go after that and yeah, I knew I wanted to keep carrying on then. Adam Haniver [00:07:10]: But what happened? I mean, that must be from going, that's it. I'm throwing the towel in. I've got a kid, I've put the extra weight on, I'm not training. Everything's changed. Life's changing. Who's dangled the sort of Louise Orton carrot in front of you? Is it like an agreed thing? Nina Hughes [00:07:24]: Well, yeah, it was just. I wanted a fight. I wanted a bout. And that's who they matched me with. I remember it was on a London. It was a London live show. It was on London Live channel. I think it was like. Adam Haniver [00:07:35]: Oh, yeah, yeah, I remember that. Nina Hughes [00:07:36]: London versus south or something like that. It was one of them shows organized by like Terry and Brian and yeah, that's who they matched me with. Adam Haniver [00:07:45]: Okay. Yeah, Nice easy one to come back into because obviously Louise is a quality operator. Had your first child. Had your first bout, you then want to go into, Did you say you go into Haringey? Did you say. Nina Hughes [00:07:58]: Yeah, yeah. Adam Haniver [00:07:58]: Okay. How many times did you box in Haringey? Nina Hughes [00:08:01]: Well, there was only once in the end. There was nine in our group, I remember. And then everyone pulled out and it ended up in a straight final. Adam Haniver [00:08:07]: Did everyone pull out because you were in it? Nina Hughes [00:08:11]: I don't know what happened, but yeah, I know it went from nine to two. Adam Haniver [00:08:15]: Okay, all right. Who did you box in the final there in Haringey? Nina Hughes [00:08:21]: Okay. Adam Haniver [00:08:22]: Another easy one. Didn't you? Nina Hughes [00:08:23]: Yeah, yeah. I mean, at most awful. I was unlucky. I. I thought I'd done enough to win. A lot of people thought I'd done enough to win, but I didn't get the decision on the day. Adam Haniver [00:08:32]: Okay. And of course, she's a big name as well. She would have been busy, I'm sure. Nina Hughes [00:08:38]: Yeah. But yeah, good bout against her for. Did well. Adam Haniver [00:08:42]: Okay. Okay, great. So then you have your second child. How many years later? Nina Hughes [00:08:45]: They're two years apart. Adam Haniver [00:08:47]: Two years apart. And then I get the phone call from Scott saying, Adam, Nina's trying to get back into it. We need a bout. What were you saying? You're boxing, usually boxing around under 54. Nina Hughes [00:08:58]: This is what the plan was, right? Adam Haniver [00:09:00]: Go on, you tell me. Nina Hughes [00:09:01]: So I knew. So when I fell pregnant, I knew I wanted to carry on boxing straight away, like after I'd had my child. I remember having to pull out the championships at the time because I fell pregnant. And then, yeah, once I have a kid, next national championships was five months after and where I'd put on so much weight again, I was debating, I was like, do I go into the national championships having not boxed for so long or do I have a warm up fight at a much heavier weight? That was the debate. But I'm humming and achhing thinking it's obviously a lot heavier, I'm just carrying weight rather than I'm not that weight. And then we took the risk and thought, let's just go for it and never get a bat in before the national championships, even if it is a much heavier weight. Adam Haniver [00:09:44]: Sure, yeah. Scott was, to be fair, he was straight up with me. He said, okay, look, it's Nina, but she's been out with the baby. She's you know, she's not nearly near her fighting weight we need about before she goes in the championships. Adrianne, she had quite a few bouts. I think by then maybe she had 20 bouts, 25 bouts. Nina Hughes [00:10:01]: It was hard to match because I'd had so many. Not many people take it because you've. Adam Haniver [00:10:06]: Had no, no one want. No, no one. Yeah, I get that at your weight, no one to go. I don't care if she's had a baby, if she's. But because you're up, you're up a little bit and you, I think you gave a bit of weight to us anyway. But Adrian was experienced, but she was a half and half girl. She wasn't, she weren't a banger at all at that weight, but she was fit and busy and I think she gave you, I think, I think it was perfect, wasn't it, for you, to be fair, in the end? Nina Hughes [00:10:29]: Yeah, yeah, it was good. Adam Haniver [00:10:30]: Yeah. I mean you got, you got the win you get, but I think she did put it on you occasionally as well. And, and you know, it was, I think it was a, a decent workout, but I think you, you were catching her with the right hand too much. Nina Hughes [00:10:43]: Yeah, I remember Scott being nervous when he see the size of her compared to me because it's just naturally someone, even though I was heavy, just looked so much bigger because she's more naturally that way. Adam Haniver [00:10:54]: Yeah, sure, sure, sure. But yeah, I do remember that about. And jumping on the other side of the fence. I thought, yeah, it was sort of perfect. You know, she gave you a proper good workout, made you work for the win. But, yeah, you were scoring with that. You were scoring with that right hand. Anyway, moving on, moving on. So, okay, 21, I believe, York Hall, pro debut. What was the yes, I want to turn pro. What was the catalyst thing? Yeah, I want to do this professional. Nina Hughes [00:11:18]: It was, you know what, I was going to retire from the sport. Like, I was obviously getting older and I wanted to do one more. In my head was I was going to do one more national championships in the amateurs, and then I was retiring and that was it. And then obviously COVID happened, lockdown happened, and they started televising a lot of the female fights on the tv. And I'm watching these girls thinking, I could do this. I could still beat them like the other girls my weight. And I was thinking I could still beat them in my head. And, yeah, amateur gyms were shut, pro gyms were open. And I thought. I thought, in my head, I thought, you know what? I thought, I'm just going to give it a go. I thought, if I don't, I'll probably regret it for the rest of life. And just think, what if. What if. I thought if I give it a go but I don't get anywhere, at least I can say I've tried but didn't get anywhere and I'll have no regret. Adam Haniver [00:12:09]: Then there you go. That's the word in it, that potential regret. You're seeing the girl. Yeah, because I think so in 21. So that's. That's three years ago. But even leading up to 21, obviously sort of 19 before COVID hit that, you know, it wasn't the quality that we see now with the females. It's high quality. Now, I think pre COVID, you maybe had some that wasn't such quality. And you're obviously watching the TV and you're going, I can put it on her, I can put it all over her. Nina Hughes [00:12:38]: I've sparred or beat them in the amateurs or do you know what I mean? Adam Haniver [00:12:42]: Yeah, absolutely. Nina Hughes [00:12:43]: That's what gave me the confidence to think I've just got to give it a go and see. But obviously, I know the pro side's a business side. There's a lot more to it than just fight, being able to get the fights and fighting anyone. So it's obviously to do with a lot of tickets. It's a lot more difficult than the amateur game. Adam Haniver [00:13:01]: Yeah, absolutely. So you're like, you're. It's the business side, so isn't it you've got to sell tickets, as you mentioned. So how did that look like? I suppose it's reasonably local, isn't it? Nina Hughes [00:13:10]: Yeah. Adam Haniver [00:13:10]: So you're going to York Hall, Bethanal Green 2021. What did that look like in terms of how you had to train, get yourself organized, sell tickets? How difficult was that in the first one? Nina Hughes [00:13:20]: Yeah, really difficult because like obviously you're focusing on training and then you're constantly on everyone for tickets. And I just remember like fight week when like obviously you're making weight and you're still like that day before, waiting, driving around, trying to collect all the ticket money, delivering all the tickets. Yeah, it's hard work because you got to do it all yourself. But yeah, I found a way. I made it work. I sold enough tickets and yeah, had a good pro debut. Adam Haniver [00:13:49]: Okay, absolutely. And what was the result of that pro debut? Nina Hughes [00:13:54]: Unanimous win. Adam Haniver [00:13:55]: Okay, so what was it, a four rounder, Six rounder? Nina Hughes [00:13:59]: Six. We knew because of my age we were always going to move fast. The aim was to do six, eight - first fight, six rounder, second fight, eight rounder and then third fight, went straight into a title fight. Adam Haniver [00:14:11]: Okay, so you would have been about 39 then? Nina Hughes [00:14:14]: 39. Adam Haniver [00:14:15]: I was, yeah, 39 the first one. Okay, so it has, since then has been obviously you, you've moved up the ladder and we'll get to the, you know, we'll get to the Johnson one. Was that being a priority, getting the bouts in thick and fast? Nina Hughes [00:14:29]: Yeah, definitely. Like the first year, I had five fights in the first year and won the world title in the first year. But it was always to just get as much experience and push up the rankings and try and get the opportunities as soon as you can. We didn't want to, obviously, not most people. You turn pro when you're young, you build yourself gradually, you get the experience as get as many much experience as you can. We knew that I didn't have time for that, but because I had 74 bouts that I had a lot of experience from the amateur, from the amateurs, that I could afford to move fast. Adam Haniver [00:15:01]: Yeah, the experience is there. Why, why do the whole sort of take ten fights before you test yourself type thing? Nina Hughes [00:15:07]: Yeah, exactly. Adam Haniver [00:15:08]: Yeah, absolutely. So in, okay, 2022, Tysie Gallagher. Tell us about that. Nina Hughes [00:15:14]: So Tysie Gallagher was my Third fight, it was for the Commonwealth title and the WBO International. My first test, first 10 rounder, first titles. Yeah, it was a great fight. And yeah, come away with my first two titles, which is really good. Adam Haniver [00:15:28]: Okay. And you know, I've seen you box several times. The amateur obviously you boxed Adrianne, I've seen you on TV as a pro. You know, without giving too much away, what is it people really have to look out for if they're going to handle you? What do they have to really handle without giving away too much? At the end of the day, you're on TV anyway, so people can see. Nina Hughes [00:15:45]: Yeah, what did I have to handle? I suppose my aggression. My right hand. Yeah, I'm just a busy fighter. They have to be able to deal with my work. Right. Adam Haniver [00:15:57]: Yeah, the punches and bunches, you know, you do. For me, you do throw a right hand. Like you loop the right hand, but it's not a swing. It's like a precision right hand. So you often it's not just like straight through, but you will loop it over the lead hand, but it will go so quick and your head will move, you know, you'll sort of slip inside as you throw it. It's like you're not throwing it. And then it suddenly catches them over the top of that lead hand. Listen, I'm not giving her any secrets. People will see this. And then you come in, then you're coming back with that left hook quite a lot. So, yeah, you're quite aggressive in your style, which is maybe not an amateur sort of style. Nina Hughes [00:16:31]: Yeah, maybe. I don't know, it's harder. What do people say is an amateur style now? Like, I know people always say. Adam Haniver [00:16:37]: Yeah, good question. Nina Hughes [00:16:38]: I think amateur stars can be all different. But I know what you're saying. The typical amateur style is quite. Adam Haniver [00:16:43]: Yeah, I'm probably talking about the, you know, the sword fighting stuff. Stuff. Yeah, it's an outdated analogy. Because it's anything now, isn't it? Especially since the rule changes with the 10-9 and all that. But, but anyway, I think my point is your style suits professional boxing more, I would say, you know more rounds. So they, they've got to kind of be very, very strong, very defensively good to handle. Nina Hughes [00:17:08]: Yeah, yeah, I enjoy, enjoy it. Definitely. Like you got more rounds to deal with. It's that constant pressure and that constant work rate. Adam Haniver [00:17:15]: Okay, right, fantastic. All right, so let's get to that point then. So we've all seen it. It's done the rounds all over social media. I saw the highlights of it. I'm watching it the next morning and it looked like on the highlights that you were landing the, the dominant shots against Johnson. You were ringing in those right hands and you were pinging it with a jab and setting it up as well. And then the whole debacle happened. So that point when you had your hand raised and then two minutes, a whole load of incompetence happens and it gets changed. It's probably a stupid question to ask. How did that make you feel? I'm not going to ask you that. What was your take on the whole, that whole two minutes? Nina Hughes [00:17:52]: No, the thing is, no one explained to us what was going on. Like it was just one minute, I've won. And they were just about to do the post fight interview and suddenly they start announcing the scores again and the referee's dragging my hand back to the middle of the ring. So I didn't really know what was going on. And then they changed the scores and then they come on interview me and I'm like, I feel I've just been robbed here. I don't even know how they can just change the scores. I had no idea. There was no explanation. It was just, they've just, they just changed the scores in front of us. Adam Haniver [00:18:21]: Yeah. That didn't seem like there was like a word in your ear, like even an immediate apologies. Look, we've got this, we've announced this wrong. We've got this wrong. It just sort of, I remember watching it back a few times and just pulling your hat both pulled both your hands back in and then just re-announced it. No, sort of like listen, you know, or gone. Did anyone go to a trainer first. Nina Hughes [00:18:40]: And no one said nothing. They literally just changed it. And then. Yeah, then they come over with the post, like interview and expect me to. And I was just like, I was just baffled, like I didn't know what was going on. I had no words. I was just so, like, what has just happened? Yeah. Adam Haniver [00:18:56]: So when, so when the final bell goes though, and you never know in pro, you could, you could knock her down 100 times and still be a bit worried about what's going to happen in the decision in pro boxing. What were you, what was your first thoughts? Nina Hughes [00:19:06]: Well, throughout the fight, my corner were confident that I was winning. In the last round, my coach actually told me to even just stay away from there. Don't put yourself in any danger. Just like, box, move, box and move. So the last round I thought I actually gave away the last round and I was just boxing and moving because we were confident we'd won. So after the fight, yeah, we was confident we won. And then when they read out the scores, and then that's right. Like it was no surprise I've won. And then obviously, yeah, then they changed it. Adam Haniver [00:19:34]: But remember the scorecards. Yeah. Sorry, this is a painful relive for you, but I think a lot of people will be interested in this. If I remember rightly, I think one was massive, wasn't it? Nina Hughes [00:19:43]: By, like, the one only gave me two rounds. Adam Haniver [00:19:44]: Two. One was six and one was the draw. Yeah, that baffles me as well. So you've got one by massive this way, one's gone the other way and one's gone draw. Nina Hughes [00:19:53]: It was. Do you know what it was the way, like, if you know what you know, say you have a close fight and. But they score it and say just because. I mean, Australia say the close rounds they gave to her, but it was just so obvious that they were cheating because the way they were scoring it was so wrong. Even Michael Buffer tweeted about, how do three judges only unanimously score two rounds the same? It was like the first two rounds I clearly won. It was impossible to have me losing the first two rounds, but two of the judges had me losing the first two rounds. And then it was like, you know when I think I will make the score closer by evening it out and giving me some later. Adam Haniver [00:20:31]: Right. Nina Hughes [00:20:31]: That's what I've had four scorecard. Like the last round I thought I'd give away and that showed me winning. So it's one of them. Like, it was just the way they scored it was so. It just seemed like so obvious that they were cheating because the rounds are clearly gone to her. Adam Haniver [00:20:49]: Okay, I. I'm. You know, I don't know much about pro box. I'm more focused on the amateur stuff. But the guys, the announcer. So what was the mistake, then? So the announcer got the information back and surely he just has to read it. Nina Hughes [00:21:02]: Yeah. Adam Haniver [00:21:03]: Is he reading it wrong? Has he got the wrong information from the judges? What's happening? Nina Hughes [00:21:08]: They've told us he's read it wrong. I don't know how you read it wrong, because I've seen some other scorecards. I'm like, it's in black and white. It says literally the scores and who's won. And I've seen some of Michael Buffer's cards where he's had to read them. I'm like, how could you actually read that wrong? But their explanation to us afterwards was he read it wrong. So whether that's true or not, I don't know. But they don't. Adam Haniver [00:21:31]: It's not like they. They will circle red or they'll circle blue, you know, they'll circle the name, you know, or. Or he has to add it up. Surely it's just made so plain for him that it will just read. Yeah, it's. It's written down. And your winner by this is. By this. By this score. Nina Hughes [00:21:46]: This score. Adam Haniver [00:21:47]: This score is the name. Nina Hughes [00:21:48]: Yeah. Adam Haniver [00:21:49]: So how do you get. I don't understand it, and I'm not trying to be a bit of a. Nina Hughes [00:21:53]: So many things go through your head. Like you think, was it all set up? Have they changed it? Has this person changed it? That's something we'll never know. Adam Haniver [00:22:00]: Right, okay. And so where are you with that now? Have you sort of made peace with it? Nina Hughes [00:22:06]: So. No. So I'm just waiting for the rematch now. So we appealed to the WBA about the controversial judging and the decision, and they got neutral judges from around the world to score judge the fight. And the majority had me winning. So, yes, they had me winning. And they've made me mandatory for the rematch now. Adam Haniver [00:22:28]: Right, okay. So you're mandatory. And so she can't go anywhere else. Nina Hughes [00:22:31]: No. Adam Haniver [00:22:31]: Right, okay. Nina Hughes [00:22:32]: Waiting for venue date. Adam Haniver [00:22:34]: And when they watch it, when they watch it back, obviously they're not there. Do they watch it from a camera from different angles, or do they just watch the tv? Nina Hughes [00:22:43]: I don't know. They didn't say. Yeah, neutral judges from around the world to rejudge it, I'm guessing they just watch it from the tv. Adam Haniver [00:22:49]: Yeah, you know, because sometimes, you know, judges say, well, I thought, you know, you thought he never won it or she never won it, but they're watching from a different side of the ring, all that kind of stuff. Nina Hughes [00:22:59]: But I like different angles. So it can look different, can't it? Adam Haniver [00:23:02]: Yeah, but pro box is a bit different. It's not like you go ping. And there's a scoring shot like an amateur boxing, where you kind of went. It's different, isn't it? You know? Nina Hughes [00:23:09]: Yeah. Adam Haniver [00:23:10]: Okay, so, right one. And there's any sort of dates roughly when that's going. Nina Hughes [00:23:15]: It said February, March, so I'm hoping definitely by March latest. Adam Haniver [00:23:19]: Nice. Okay, so you definitely got to be keeping your hand out the quality street and roses jar. Nina Hughes [00:23:24]: Christmas. Adam Haniver [00:23:25]: It's a different thing. It's a different thing. Okay, so. And everyone, obviously, everyone wishes you good luck for that. So here's the next part I really want to speak to. It's really fascinating then. So as a mum. Nina Hughes [00:23:35]: Yep. Adam Haniver [00:23:36]: You're at the peak of amateur boxing, you're at the peak of professional boxing now, you know, you can't go much higher and yet you've got two boys. The whole motherhood thing's a different thing apart, you know, you've got to look after them, etc. Etc. How do you manage to come back from your first. I think it was your first child and then three months later you're boxing. Nina Hughes [00:23:56]: Yeah. Adam Haniver [00:23:56]: What did that look like? Nina Hughes [00:23:59]: You just find, you know. What. Yeah, you just find, I know everyone's situation is different, but you just find a way to make it work. Like, obviously I was. For my first year, I was in maternity leave, I had my mum only living around the corner, so I'd walk to hers with the pram, leave the baby, go for a run, do me runs that way. And then I'd train in the evening. I mean, sometimes I remember my youngest child, he was a terrible sleeper. Sometimes I take him to the gym in the evening and he'd sleep through the whole thing and with one the parents at the back, give him a little rock every time he woke up and he'd sleep through. He'd sleep through the whole session. Yeah, you just find a way to make it work if you want it enough. And, yeah, I really enjoyed it and I wanted, I wanted to train. I just found a way to adapt motherhood and get my training in at the same time. Adam Haniver [00:24:48]: Okay, so you had that, you had that family support around you, you had the people at the gym helping and supporting around you. And yeah, as you say, if you want it enough, you find a way to do it. Rather than excuses, did you have any without being too sort of, without asking too many sort of in depth questions, did you find any sort of physical parts of it difficult? You know, any sort of, you know, the changes in your body, the changes and everything that's happening. Did you find that a challenge? Nina Hughes [00:25:15]: I think it was just losing the weight because I put on so much weight for each one. I think the second. After the second child, I recovered quickly after the birth, obviously quicker than my first one. So I think that's why I think I was back in the gym three weeks after, after my second child. Yeah. Just on a mission to lose the weight and get fit again. Adam Haniver [00:25:35]: Okay, and did you have any sort of, you know, support around that? Not just from the family and friends, but in terms of advice, you know, from the NHS, from you know, doctors around, you know, was it more warnings or anything like that? Nina Hughes [00:25:46]: They tell you not to train for much longer, they tell you not to exercise. I can't remember how long they said, but it was ridiculous long. But then I started Googling it and speaking to other people and they was like, no, you don't need to wait that long. I think the NHS cover themselves and they tell you not to exercise or do anything for a lot, lot longer. But I ignored their advice, Googled it. Adam Haniver [00:26:05]: Okay, basically you've had the advice, but you felt good. You felt the main challenge was just shifting the weight. Nina Hughes [00:26:14]: And just obviously I got back in. I didn't go mad the first few months of training, just ease my way back into it. I remember going for my first run and it was really hard. I probably didn't run very far the first time and had to gradually build that up again. But, yeah, I just eased my way back into it. Adam Haniver [00:26:29]: And if I can ask, being too intrusive, how much weight did you have to shift? Nina Hughes [00:26:33]: A lot. So I put on four stone for both my pregnancies. Well, four stones before I give birth. So by the time I give birth, I was probably still three stones to lose. I think I was like 75 kilos when I first put back in the gym. Adam Haniver [00:26:48]: Wow, okay. It's almost like 50% of your body weight. Nina Hughes [00:26:53]: Yeah. Adam Haniver [00:26:55]: And what did, what did you find helped for you? I mean, I know obviously every, every mother's different and every boxer is different. How did you find what was the best way for you to shift the weight and get fit again, get strong again? Nina Hughes [00:27:08]: It was just exercising and eating healthy. Yeah. I just had to make sure I was eating the right foods, eating enough still. I think the first bit come off really quickly. Then I remember getting to about 63, 64 and I felt like I hit a wall a bit. I think we had lost so much weight, but I just kept. Kept on, kept on the diet, kept training hard and gradually got it off. Adam Haniver [00:27:34]: Okay, sure. Any sort of advice that you think you would give to any women who are currently pregnant and want to get back into it eventually or have had a child recently and want to get back into. What would be your general advice to them? Nina Hughes [00:27:50]: Just find a way to work. If you want it enough, you'll find you'll be able to adapt your training around your children and you'll find a way to make it work. And, yeah, your life shouldn't be put on hold just because you've had kids, you can still do the things that you want to do as well. Adam Haniver [00:28:05]: And do you think maybe there is a bit of a sort of narrative out there where people are saying, you've had a kid, that's it, full stop. Nina Hughes [00:28:10]: I think, yeah, some people probably do think that, like, once you've read that, I won't be able to carry on. But I think there's so many mums now that have come back that it's a lot more of a common thing probably than it was. Adam Haniver [00:28:21]: And I think it's probably worth having these conversations even more so just to find out about. How did you do it? Obviously, I understand there are medical things to consider and everyone's individual, but there's so many stories out there that, you know, being a mother isn't the full stop on the end of your end of your career. It's a comma. Nina Hughes [00:28:39]: I did still obviously try and train quite, quite a bit through my pregnancy. Well, I did for the first six months. I think I got too big for the last few months, but I remember being nine months pregnant and going into the gym and doing a few rounds of the pads, hoping that it get my baby out. Adam Haniver [00:28:55]: Yeah, well, yeah, they do say exercise is medicine, so yeah, maybe in a real sort of literal way there. Okay, great. Right, here we go. I'm gonna stick it right on you because today is the 20th of December, it's 10 to 7 the 20th of December. Tomorrow there's a certain fight happening out in Saudi. Go on then. Have you thought about it? Who you got? You got Usyk or you got Fury? Horrible question. Is it? Horrible question. Nina Hughes [00:29:19]: I keep changing my mind, but I think Usyk. Adam Haniver [00:29:23]: Go on then. I'm going to narrow you down even further. Go on. How's it happening? Well then, even further. Nina Hughes [00:29:28]: Usyk clear? I'm going? I think. Adam Haniver [00:29:34]: Yeah. Well, I think that's what makes it great. No one know. I've been asked it several times. I just like, don't answer that. Don't ask me that question. Don't ask that question. God, I'll put myself out there. I'll go the same. A few of my friends are in boxing. They've said they've just got this feeling that Fury is going to catch him and not be daft this time and just really, you know, business focused and use his weight, use his height, be busier, not switch off and do it. But I just love Usyk. I. I like Fury and. But I just think Usyk might, might nick it. But anyways, that, that's my 2 cents worth as well. Nina Hughes [00:30:10]: Yeah, it'd be a good fight if he brings it and he brings the uses his size and his strength, it'll make it an even better fight. Adam Haniver [00:30:17]: Yeah. Problem is I've got a old university lads drink tomorrow which starts at like 2 in the afternoon, so, you know, that's gonna be a difficult one for me not to have a couple of cut of shandies before, before the bout happens, so I've got to be careful. Anyway, enough of that. Right. So anyway, have a really merry. Have a great Merry Christmas. He's like I say, easy on the roses, the Heroes, the Twiglets, the Quality street and yeah, we look forward to you sticking it right on Johnson in February, March here. Nina Hughes [00:30:46]: Yeah, get my world title back. Adam Haniver [00:30:49]: That's the one. Bring it back. Bring it back to Britain. Hey. Right, well, cheers. Thanks very much. Nina's great speaking to you again. Nina Hughes [00:30:54]: Thanks. Good to speak to you too. Adam Haniver [00:30:56]: Take care of yourself.