Living Under Muhammad Ali’s Shadow... | Nico Ali Walsh | DSH #2079

Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: Digital Social Hour
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Nico Ali Walsh (Professional Boxer, grandson of Muhammad Ali)
Episode Title: Living Under Muhammad Ali’s Shadow... | Nico Ali Walsh | DSH #2079
Air Date: July 24, 2026

In this episode, Sean Kelly sits down with professional boxer Nico Ali Walsh to discuss his journey in boxing, the pressures and privileges of being Muhammad Ali’s grandson, the mental side of sports, industry exploitation, the importance of spirituality for fighters, and broader reflections on society in the digital age. The exchange is candid, introspective, and at times philosophical, with Nico offering rare insight into what it's truly like to carve his own path while walking in the shadow of one of boxing’s greatest legends.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Fighting, Preparation & the Boxing Business

• Life Between Fights (00:35–02:18):

  • Nico details the unique difficulty of training hard without a fight date, describing it as the ultimate test of discipline.
  • Quote: “That’s where discipline comes in. You gotta constantly stay in the gym with guys who have fights coming up. So I’m constantly in camp, but it’s not my camp.” (00:45)

• Fight Scheduling & Opponent Dropouts (01:59–02:55):

  • Last-minute opponent changes are routine. Nico notes that in non-title fights, replacements are found quickly, though it’s more "annoying than anything”—but for big title cards, everything gets disrupted.

• Main Card Pressure & Fast-Tracked Career (03:00–04:46):

  • Nico explains how he was placed on the main card just a few fights into his pro career, outpacing his amateur experience, which gave him little time to adjust but forced him to “learn quick.”

• Early Losses & Learning Mindset (04:02–04:46):

  • Lost his first amateur fight, leaving him bruised and questioning his path, but a talk with his grandfather reframed losing as "a step towards becoming champion.”
  • Quote: “Losing is a step towards becoming champion. This and that. That was one of the points where I was like, ‘Yeah, if I’m gonna stick with boxing, now would be my decision-making time.’” (04:44)

• The Burden and Benefit of the Ali Name (07:52–08:25):

  • Nico discusses the double-edged sword of carrying Muhammad Ali’s legacy: unique opportunities and instant visibility but also extra pressure and public scrutiny.
  • Quote: “My whole life I always said it was a curse. But then I grow up, I mature, and there’s great things to it... Not all exposure is good exposure.” (08:03)

• Fighter Autonomy vs. Other Industries (12:12–13:12):

  • Compared to artists in the music industry, boxers have greater “creative control”—he usually just agrees to the fight his team arranges.
  • Memorable Moment: Discussion of Justin Bieber having to play his own songs from YouTube at Coachella due to rights issues (13:17).

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2. Mentality & Handling Pressure

• Dealing with Haters and Social Media (18:07–19:27):

  • Nico observes he has “probably more” haters now, but they “move to the back of the line when you’re doing well.” He stresses the futility of trying to please everyone.
  • Quote: “It’s impossible to please everyone. I’ve probably been nice to some of my haters.” (19:03)

• Proving Himself and Perspective on Opportunity (19:34–20:26):

  • Recognizes people resent his prominent position ("this kid got a shot") but says it's not worth arguing; outsiders rarely see both sides.

• Rapid Experience Accumulation (20:31–21:56):

  • With fewer than 30 total fights (amateur + pro), Nico is still “developing in public,” unlike most title contenders who may have 100+ amateur bouts.

• Physical & Mental Wear (21:56–24:18):

  • Starting boxing too young (age 8, common among peers) leads to burnout or psychological fatigue—Nico started at 15, which is considered "late," but gave him more normal childhood memories.

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3. Athlete Persona & Spirituality

• Individual Sports and Introversion (25:32–26:07):

  • Nico identifies as an introvert, finding comfort in boxing’s individual nature: “I want to be away from people.”

• Running, Training, and Mental Fortitude (26:27–27:43):

  • Both Nico and Sean share stories about running without music, relying on pure grit for mental training—Nico prefers minimal distractions.

• Music, Energy, and Spirituality (28:12–29:53):

  • Discusses influence of music on mindset; Nico avoids “bad” frequency music, favoring Kid Cudi for its positive, healing qualities. He credits a spiritual outlook as his psychological edge.

• Why Fighters Turn to Spirituality (29:58–32:35):

  • Believes fighters are more spiritual because fighting brings one so close to mortal danger: “The objective in fighting is to literally bring the person just one stage before death... that seriousness makes people have to thank someone.”
  • Quote: “Sleep is the cousin of death. The closest you can be to being dead is being knocked out...” (31:41)

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4. Strategy, Mindset, and Emotional Control

• Pre-Fight Rituals and Emotional Suppression (33:42–35:41):

  • Nico describes a ritual of “dehumanizing himself” before fights—removing all emotion to perform better: “Emotions kill fighters. If you fight with any sort of emotion, that can limit you.” (34:23)

• Examples from Boxing Elites (35:45–36:37):

  • Praises Bud Crawford as an example of a “no-emotion” fighter, claiming the best fighters have mental switches to suppress excitement, fear, or anger in the ring.

• Mental Game Supremacy (35:50–39:34):

  • Nico claims boxing is “90% mental,” arguing mindset beats skill and talent if discipline is lacking.
  • Quote: “If you can grab the greatest boxer today and pin him against an amateur with a stronger mind, I feel the amateur would win.” (36:01, paraphrased)

• Work Ethic vs. Talent (37:28–40:18):

  • “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”—Nico emphasizes that discipline and willingness to sacrifice are the dividing lines between contenders and champions.

• Sacrifices & Toughness (40:53–44:59):

  • Shares a story of fighting through a severe shoulder injury, refusing painkillers even during surgery, and finishing with a dislocated shoulder.
  • Quote: “I make dumb choices sometimes just based off of morals… but if I had to do it all over again, I would do the same thing.” (43:28)

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5. Wider Reflections: Technology, Society, and Media

• Phones, Memory, and “Living in the Moment” (15:12–17:17):

  • Nico finds value in documenting life via phone, especially for family memories, though recognizes the need for balance.

• Conspiracies, AI, and Evidence in the Digital Era (50:01–54:04):

  • Entertains the difficulty of proof in the AI/video age: “If videos no longer count as evidence... What does?”
  • Discusses loss of trust and how “raising kids in a society where you can’t prove anything” is troubling.

• Surveillance & Social Credit (53:41–54:56):

  • Contrasts the low-crime, high-surveillance environment in Dubai/China with possible privacy concerns. Both agree: “If you’re ever outside, expect to be on camera.”

• Division, Control, and the Role of Media (57:17–59:53):

  • Strong condemnation of societal division along race and religion: “If you follow God, then we are on the same playing field.”
  • Argues the media’s role in stoking fear, division, and negativity, and why he avoids the news: “If you hear about it on the news, it’s just darkness.”

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6. Looking Ahead: Goals and Legacy

• Avoiding Callouts/Clout Chasing (61:12–61:54):

  • Nico refuses to call out opponents for attention. His only focus: building toward a title, specifically the WBC green belt (the same belt his grandfather held).

• Long-Term Ambitions (62:09–63:31):

  • Foresees himself fighting for top-ten level titles within a few years. Only the best will satisfy him: “That’s my goal—the WBC belt. When I close my eyes, I see green.”

• Podcasting Parallels (63:40–65:00):

  • Sean Kelly relates with a similar “go big or go home” mindset, striving for a top-three global podcast—taking inspiration from Joe Rogan’s longevity and dominance.

• Reality TV, Authenticity, & Old-School Stories (65:05–67:21):

  • Reflection on how manufactured reality TV now differs vastly from the raw reality of shows like “Flavor of Love,” which Nico watched as a kid.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (With Timestamps)

• On privilege and pressure:
  “I couldn’t do [easy matchmaking] because of the name recognition, I couldn’t get away with that... My whole life I always said it was a curse. But then I grow up... There’s great things to it. But not all exposure is good exposure.” (07:52–08:03)

• On haters:
  “Haters move to the back of the line when you’re doing well. They just wait for you to slip and then they’ll be back.” (18:18)

• On spiritual mindset in fighting:
  “The objective in fighting is to bring that person that you’re in front of to that stage [almost death]. So that alone is like, creepy.” (31:41)

• On emotional neutrality:
  “If you fight with any emotion, whether good or bad, that can limit you. Emotions kill fighters.” (34:21)

• On discipline vs. talent:
  “Work ethic is not God-given... You can’t teach work ethic. You can’t have a work ethic class. They just gotta have it.” (39:34)

• On society’s challenges:
  “We’re raising kids in a society where you can’t prove anything... If videos no longer count as evidence, what does?” (52:55)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Life Between Fights, Pressure, and Losing (00:35–04:49)
• Main Card Fast-Track, The Ali Name, and Building a Record (03:00–08:01)
• Boxing vs. Music Industry Freedom (12:12–13:12)
• Spirituality & Mortal Stakes in Boxing (29:58–32:35)
• Pre-Fight Dehumanization and Mentality in the Ring (33:54–36:37)
• Discipline Over Talent, Willingness to Suffer (40:53–44:59)
• Reflections on Surveillance, AI, Social Proof (50:01–54:04)
• Societal Division, Religion, Media Negativity (57:17–59:53)
• Focus on Titles & Legacy—No Clout Chasing (61:12–63:31)
• Old School Reality vs. Fake TV (65:05–67:21)

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a deep dive into the life, mentality, and evolving worldview of Nico Ali Walsh—a boxer navigating immense pressure, family legacy, and the rapidly changing realities of both professional sports and modern society. With candor and humility, Nico shares what it means to seek greatness under a legendary shadow while staying true to oneself.

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Note:

• All ads, promo breaks, and non-content sections have been omitted from this summary.
• Quotes have been attributed with approximate timestamps based on provided transcript sequence.

Transcript

[Nico Ali Walsh]

His goal was to be fighting with no emotion, but he did fight with anger. His anger was so passionate. That got him. I mean, through his entire career. I feel like if Mike Tyson would have fought with no emotion at all, he would have never lost. The fact that I haven't had one nosebleed from a punch in a fight is crazy.

[Podcast Host]

All right, guys, got Nico on the pod today. Professional boxer. You might have heard of this man before. Thanks for coming, man.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Of course. Thank you for having me.

[Podcast Host]

You busy training right now?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, I'm just waiting on a fight date and staying in shape.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Is that the toughest period for you? That kind of in between phase where you kind of don't know what's next?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It's awful. It's awful because that's where discipline comes in. Because I've got to constantly stay in the gym with guys who have fights coming up. So I'm constantly in camp, but it's not my camp. It's not for something that I have to look forward to. It's just staying in shape just to be right. Disciplined.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Because once you. Once you know your opponent, you can kind of game plan.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, it's easy. Once you got. Once you have a fight date, once you have a face to the name or. Or a. Yeah, a date in mind, you have a goal, something that you can go towards. But right now I'm just going right. But it'll come up like it. You know, sometimes dates just pop up randomly and you only have like five weeks, six weeks notice, which seems like a long time, but for me, I like to prepare.

[Podcast Host]

Wow. I didn't know that. Yeah, I kind of assumed with all your fights, you kind of got to plan them pretty.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, yeah, yeah. No, I got every single one of my fights I've had to plan. I've. I've known about the fight at least 10 weeks.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, 10 weeks.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Which is a long time.

[Podcast Host]

Okay. As you get better and more known, sometimes there's fights on short.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, stuff happens. I've had several opponents drop out, last minute replacements. So you got to be ready. You got to be on your toes no matter what.

[Podcast Host]

So drop out because of injuries or just.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's what everyone says. Everyone says injuries, but it's whatever reason they're out, you know, that I could, I could drop out of my next fight if. If I was scared to fight. I could just drop out and say it was something like I sprained my ankle or something. You know, there's no.

[Podcast Host]

It's not easy.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Do you think there should be some check on that, like a physical or.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, I mean, it would be tough. I first, for someone fighting at my level, it's not as important as the title level. When it, when it comes to the title fights where you're the main event and you've got, you're selling out crowds and the, the opponent says, I sprained this or I did whatever, then you got to cancel the fight and you got to send back all the tickets that you already sold. That's when there should be extra stuff. But for me, they, I just find another opponent. It's just more annoying than anything.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Do you feel the additional pressure now that you're like the main card at some of these fights?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, I've been, I've been on the main card for a lot of, for a lot of my fights and, and I didn't understand, I got thrown into, into that like with Top Rank, I, I have more pro fights now than I had amateur. And for like my, I think it was my second or third fight I was on the main card and it's just, it's weird. I didn't know what that meant when I was turning pro, but now I understand that. Wow. Like, I was on the main card third or two fights in or whatever like that.

[Podcast Host]

So that's early.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, it's very early.

[Podcast Host]

So you got put in the starlight stardom, right?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. But now, you know, now I'm used to it. Now that I have what, like 14 fights? Something like that. I'm, I'm used to it now.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. So you got 14 pro fights. How many amateur fights do you have?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Ooh.

[Podcast Host]

Cuz when I looked up your record, it didn't mention the amateur. No.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, you can't. It's really hard looking up people's amateur records. I don't, I want to say I had, I want to say I had around 10.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But I'm, I can't be sure.

[Podcast Host]

Undefeated.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, I lost my first amateur fight. Oh, yeah. That's a whole story.

[Podcast Host]

That's actually crazy to start off with

[Nico Ali Walsh]

an L. No, I know. I, I, I lost my first amateur fight. My first amateur fight was in Arizona and it was down the street from my grandfather's house and we were going to have him come to the fight and then he got sick that morning and couldn't make it to the fight, thank God, because I fought lost and then I was just all bruised and beaten up. And the next day I went to his house and we just had a whole talk about how losing is A step towards becoming champion. This and that. And that was one of the points where I was like, yeah, I need to. If I'm a stick with boxing, now would be my. My decision making time.

[Podcast Host]

That's interesting. So you had a wake up call from the first.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

From number one. Yeah, that. It feels like that's how my career has been. Just like fast tracked in. In some ways, I gotta learn quick.

[Podcast Host]

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[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, yeah, no, I, I didn't. I don't like losing. And especially losing in, in that fashion. I, I legitimately lost. I got beaten up.

[Podcast Host]

Damn. I was not knocked out.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, no, no, no. I. I've never been hurt. Thank God. I've never been hurt. Never been like, knock on wood, right? Yeah, nothing like that. I've never been it. That's never happened. I. I don't know what that feels like. Thank God. But yeah, no, I was, I was. I fought a very tough guy and yeah, no, I got beaten up. Two losses I have in my pro career were. Were majority decision or like split decision. Like there were losses that I was like, man, I won that fight.

[Podcast Host]

Couple little tweaks.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That fight in the amateurs, I lost that. That an actual loss is tough.

[Podcast Host]

What ended up happening in that guy? Did he take off to this career blow up?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Man, I don't know. He went on to become number one in the. He number one in the country in the amateurs. I don't know what happened to him,

[Podcast Host]

as you would have heard about him, if he blew up. I feel like. Yeah, that's interesting. I'm always fascinated with stories like that. How. Because there's a mental side of the sport too. For sure. Because that guy's super physically gifted.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Maybe he doesn't have it in certain areas.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, it's. There's a. There's a lot to take in I just know that I. He may have been number one at the time I fought him. I don't know.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, so you started off with a really good opponent.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I was, I was going, yeah, I was.

[Podcast Host]

Cuz usually with boxers they build up record, but.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, that's never been, that's never been the case for me.

[Podcast Host]

You wanted to just get right in there, cuz you just could have built resume to like 30.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But there's no way. There's. I think it's stupid to do that.

[Podcast Host]

The money's slower, right?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, but not only that, but it, it's just like one. In amateurs, the record doesn't matter at all. Like back in the amateur days, they wouldn't ask you what's your record? They would say how many fights you got. And then your fight, your amount of fights would determine the scale of opponents.

[Podcast Host]

Got it.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But as a pro, a lot of pros, a majority of pros, like I would say 90% take the route of hand picking fights with lesser opponents, opponents with losing records. That way you build your career. That's the way to do it.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I just, I couldn't do that because the name recognition, I couldn't. I wouldn't have been able to get away with doing.

[Podcast Host]

Right. So you had that additional pressure because of the name.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Damn.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It's been strange.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Blessing and a curse, right?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, for sure. I, My whole life I always said it was a curse. But then I grow up and obviously I'm mature and there's great things to it. But you know, people don't see both sides. They only see, oh, he's, you know, his name or face is all over whatever. But yeah, it's, you know, not, not all exposure is good exposure.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. They say all PR is good pr, but I know, I disagree with that.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know everyone says that. I know a lot of people say

[Podcast Host]

that there's certain things you can't come back for them.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I think anything child related, you're screwed.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yes.

[Podcast Host]

I think grape. You know, that's. Yeah, that's pretty tough. I've seen some people do it.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But there's, there's a lot. There's a lot. The only, the only person that comes to my head right now that is like uncancellable is probably Kanye West.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. He just sold out. Yay, L.A. $33 million.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. But yeah, I mean, I wouldn't get used to people being able to.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. There's very few people you could put on an uncancelable list.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You know.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So I I wouldn't aim to be on that. For sure. Realistic.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But I mean, listen, I. We were just speaking before we started that, like, I just. I respect people who speak their minds, people who aren't afraid to say their beliefs. Just stick up for whatever they believe, whatever it is. Yeah, I respect it.

[Podcast Host]

Did you ever feel like, as an athlete, you had to hold back certain things, certain topics?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I felt. I felt that as a person growing up my whole life, I felt like I wasn't able to say certain things because of being Ali's grandson or whatever. I didn't want to make my grandfather look bad. But as an adult now, I say. I say whatever I want because I'm. I'm my own person and I can. You know, my beliefs differ from a lot of people. I also have a lot of people who believe in the same beliefs that I believe in, so it doesn't. It doesn't matter to me these days. I don't. I don't think about getting canceled or nothing like that.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Plus, I'm sure the boxing helps with your confidence overall.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, yeah, yeah. No, but, you know, the, the biggest thing that people would set people in line is, is that money train that, you know, the money stops coming in if you get. If you say something wrong, the money stops.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, but.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, I guess I get that

[Podcast Host]

business point of view. Punish.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I get it. I. I understand. You know, I would say a majority of most athletes cannot speak freely. And I get it. I fully get it. But I just. I. I'm weird like that. I wanna. I wanna just be able to.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I think fighters are a little different because they're. They're more edgy, they're more raw. I feel like they don't have to answer to, like, a league, per se, because boxing's kind of all over the place. Right? Yeah, there's not, like one set.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, but like, with NBA, they got media teams. Teams. Look what happened to Kyrie Irving when he spoke out.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, I know, I know. That's crazy. Yeah, no, it's. That's a good point. When it comes down to the leagues and the teams, you've got more people controlling what you say, what you do. Boxers, I mean, not even ufc. UFC is a league, really. I mean, it's. That's a. It's a league. So boxers are more individualized. But I mean, fighters in general, because fighting is an individual sport.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But boxers really, in particular don't have anyone to answer to. They don't have a. A boss, so to speak. They. They Would only be, you know, silenced by their teams or their managers or whatever.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. You get exploited in other ways. Yeah, yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Of course.

[Podcast Host]

By promoters, networks, organizations. Right. More financial exploitation than free speech.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. It's a dirty business, I heard.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, I know it is. I mean, entertainment in general, and you know that. I mean, I'm sure you've had.

[Podcast Host]

That's why I'm independent.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, you've. But you've seen the entertainers on here, so. Yeah, entertainment is. Is a. Is a raw business.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, any business where you're just. There's crazy money, opportunity, there's.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

You know what? I got a question.

[Podcast Host]

Yep.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Boxing's a dirty business. Everyone knows boxing's a slimy business. Do you think boxing is worse than the music industry?

[Podcast Host]

Oh, they're both pretty bad. From whatever.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Music is bad.

[Podcast Host]

I know some artists, I'm not as privy as to boxing deals and contracts, to be honest. So you wouldn't speak more from that angle. But with music, if you're signed to a label, I've just never heard a good experience.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know.

[Podcast Host]

Literally never. You know what I mean?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Crazy.

[Podcast Host]

So I. Hard to top that.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I feel like boxing music probably has

[Podcast Host]

boxing beat when it comes to boxing. Like, do you have freedom to pick your opponents and be pretty flexible?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, I'm sure I do. I don't. I don't. My. I mean, my team utilizes that freedom. But me particularly, I don't say, I want to fight that guy. I want to fight this guy. I. They say, nico, do you want to fight this guy? And I've always said yes. I've never said, okay, no, no to.

[Podcast Host]

So you got pretty. Pretty good creative control right now?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I would say so. I would say so.

[Podcast Host]

That's pretty good.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I feel like with music artists signed to a label, they.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No.

[Podcast Host]

Like, did you see what Bieber did at Coachella?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yes.

[Podcast Host]

So for people that don't know, he had to play his music off YouTube because he sold all his rights to his music.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, yeah. Listen, when I first saw that, when I. When I first saw the setup, I was like, huh, that's interesting. I was like, I don't know if that's genius or lazy. I'm sighting more towards genius. Yeah, same because he had everybody singing, and I don't know about Coachella and I'd never been. You know, I'm not even on. Like, I don't go on social media like that. But I heard about the. The Bieber.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

And yeah, he had everybody going with just everybody vibing to his songs, I think that was.

[Podcast Host]

I was critical at first, but then I learned the backstory, how he doesn't own the rights to his music anymore. So if he wanted to perform those songs not on YouTube, he would have had to pay the label. Wow. Just to perform. Okay.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Because I didn't even know that.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. He sold his whole catalog, so that's why he was playing it off YouTube. Because if there's no restriction and everyone's like, oh, thank God he had YouTube Premium. There was no way. Yeah. Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

You know, dang, that's crazy. So I think it was smart.

[Podcast Host]

I think it was a genius move.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It was. Because, I mean, he played all his

[Podcast Host]

old hits, which he's never done before.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

He hasn't.

[Podcast Host]

He hasn't performed some of those songs in. In decades. I mean, those songs were old.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, I think that's a perfect example of you don't need fireworks and dancers, and you don't need a super high budget for a. A show. You don't need a spectacle to be great, to be entertaining. He had. He just pulled up a chair. There was a table and his freaking laptop.

[Podcast Host]

Crazy.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

$10 million for that, you know, Good for him.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

And whoever was there got. Has to say. I mean, they get to say now that they were there, and they got to listen to freaking baby or. And all his old music.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's wild.

[Podcast Host]

Events have changed too, man, because now you see everyone just recording them on their phones.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Like that. With boxing, too, or people in the moment, it's hard.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It's hard to record all of boxing because a knockout, something crazy could happen at any moment. So I see people all the time trying to record the fight, trying to record. Trying to get that moment, but then they're like, ah, okay, I didn't get it. And then they go back, and so it's. You got to be more in the moment with boxing because anything can happen at the flip of a coin. And honestly, what I love about boxing, now that you point that out, is when you're on your phone, if you've ever had to. I've had to record sparring many times for other people. So when you're recording, watching it from your phone is not the same as watching it in person.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

So when you're at a fight, even if you're recording, you want to be watching it yourself because it. It looks better. I can't explain it. So boxing more.

[Podcast Host]

I could kind of relate to that because, like, my basketball games at Lifetime are recorded, and you think you're an animal. When you're out there.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Watch the film and you're like, I know.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know. I look so slow. No, it's. It's. You got. In sports in general, you just got to be more in the moment.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I think it's different on film. You're right. You can learn a lot on film.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. I mean, I'm an advocate for phones and technology, and I think, personally, you know, when people say, live in the moment, don't take out your phone, I don't necessarily agree with that, because the greatest memories that I have, obviously I have their. Their memories that I can remember. But not only are they memories, but, like, even past loved ones, I think about, oh, I remember that time that we did this. But not only can I think about it now, I go back in my phone, I'm like, yep. I freaking. I got a photo of when we went.

[Podcast Host]

I agree.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

So I. You know, you can overuse phones, of course, but phones are a great tool for.

[Podcast Host]

I agree.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Capturing.

[Podcast Host]

There's a balance. Some people take photos all day on vacation, which I don't like. Like, that could take a few.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's annoying.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, that's super annoying.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I've seen. I've seen that a mint a million times. Just everything's. Everything's a selfie. Everything's. Let's record this. You don't got to record everything.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

There's a balance.

[Podcast Host]

A few moments, man. Because the human memory isn't as good as people think.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, you're right.

[Podcast Host]

If you think about it, like, you forget a lot of. And like, someone will bring up a conversation you had, and you're like, oh, I remember that.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. Yeah. But now. Now, I mean, the way I guess I work and my family works because my. My mom is the one that's always recording or taking pictures or something. When I have something great happen, like my greatest boxing moment that I can remember, I have the photo to remind me.

[Podcast Host]

Nice. That's cool. She's documenting it all.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, that's. That's the way to do it.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, that's important because you're probably gonna have a documentary one day or.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. I mean, my. My life in boxing has been such a fun, funny road. I don't know what kind of movie it would be, whether it's like a horror movie or a drama. A drama, for sure.

[Podcast Host]

But I'm sure you had a lot of haters at first.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, I think I still do.

[Podcast Host]

Really?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I still feel like you have a lot of. Yeah. More or less than when you started

[Nico Ali Walsh]

more, probably.

[Podcast Host]

Honestly. No way.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I think so many fights at this point.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know, but I think they've just. The haters. Haters kind of move to the back of the line when you're. When you're doing well. The haters kind of just wait their turn. So they just sit there and they just wait for you to slip something and they'll be back.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, because I feel like you've validated yourself at this point with so many fights under your belt. You got a good record.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I feel so. But, you know, you got to talk to them. There's. There's always somebody. There's always something.

[Podcast Host]

It's inevitable. Yeah. I'm glad I realized that somewhat young, because I used to try to please everyone.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

It's not good to think that way.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

When I was little, I used to do that. It's not. Yeah, it's impossible.

[Podcast Host]

It does more harm than good in the long run. Yeah. You know? Yeah, it's. It's like, I'm nice to everyone. Right? But, yeah, you gotta have some boundaries.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, I'm. I'm nice to everyone. I'm probably. I've probably been nice to some. Some of my haters. Like, I don't remember, like, when I see people. When I see people, I just. I shake their hand. I'm like, oh, hey, what's up? How's it going? I don't know who they are. I don't remember who they are. And a lot of them, it's happened recently where they just. Oh, yeah, I. I forgot I wasn't supposed to like that person.

[Podcast Host]

Really?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, I don't. Yeah, I can't. I'll start keeping, like, a book of everything. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Jeez, man, that's rough.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know.

[Podcast Host]

I think a lot of it must be jealousy, too, for you.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. I mean. I mean, they're mainly. They're mainly the haters that I would speak on. They're mainly mad that my name is constantly circulating through, obviously because of Ali is in my name. And I understand that. And what can I do about it? Like, I. I'm not asking to be front and center headlining every. Like, I'm not asking for that. I'm just, you know, boxing, and this pops up. It's not me. So.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I could probably see their perspective. They're like, this kid got a shot.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. Yeah. No, I. I understand their perspective completely, but they don't look at both sides of the coin. And it's not even worth me, like, explaining to them.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. You know, that makes sense.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It's a double edged sword for sure. Sure.

[Podcast Host]

You still feel like you're getting better though at this stage?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. No, I feel like, I feel like because of my lack of amateur experience, my pro career is. You're gonna see the, the development stages of my pro career for a little bit longer because I'm still young in the sport in terms of the time I've spent in the sport. I haven't spent a lot of time in the sport. So I'm, I'm young still and I'm just going to keep getting interesting.

[Podcast Host]

So yeah, you're at about 25 fights, amateur and pro combined. Right? Because you said 10, 0 and then 12.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, yeah, it would be something like that. Yeah. And then you think about that. My pro and amateur career combined, 25 fights. You talk to any of these guys, we're not even going to speak on like Lomachenko, Lomachenko had 200 plus fights. Jeez. So that, that's crazy. No, it's, it's insane. So that's a. I, the experience I have is a blip compared to.

[Podcast Host]

How many did your grandfather have?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Ooh, do you know what I read one, I read somewhere that he had over a hundred amateur.

[Podcast Host]

Damn. 100amateur.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, that's normal. That's normal, yeah. These guys be fighting, know that? Yeah. No, so 100amateur is normal. If you look at any of the big guys today, a majority of them have over 100.

[Podcast Host]

I feel like that's. Isn't that wear and tear on your body by the time you reach the pro?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It is, it is. And so that's, that's like the other like double edged sword that people forget is you have, you get mileage from the moment you start boxing. And so if you have 100amateur fights that's going to wear, if not on your body, on your, on your mental.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Because you're taking hits no matter what. And I mean a lot of people burn out and they just don't turn out the same when they're pro and then they start getting fights. But I mean, I'm just happy with where I'm at. I, I always used to wish that I got more amateur experience, but yeah,

[Podcast Host]

it's got to be a sweet spot because you're seeing this with basketball. A lot of young guys are getting injured now.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Really?

[Podcast Host]

Because yeah, they're playing too much before they get to about the NBA because of the, it's stupid. Yeah. Basically like it's turned into a business. Basketball, like they're monetizing it for these young kids. Yeah, that's. And they're just putting them in these tournaments. So there's like four games back to back to back. Yeah, you know, it adds up.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, it's crazy because that, that's exactly how boxing is. You, you know, you'd be if a lot of these guys started when they were like 8 years old.

[Podcast Host]

Geez.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. And that's, I mean that's freaking like you, you're shocked. But that's normal. It's normal. Yeah. Like eight before ten is, is normal. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I don't know how I feel. I mean, because then you're an 8

[Nico Ali Walsh]

year old getting punched.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

And then you're, then you're an 8 year old getting punched, then you're a teenager getting punched, then you're an adult getting punched and then you're just, you just realize you've been getting punched your whole life and it adds up at some point.

[Podcast Host]

Bro, you're growing up at that age.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, no, it's crazy.

[Podcast Host]

Is that when you started 8?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh no, if I started at 8, I would be, I'd be on a different playing field right now. I started at like my first fight was when I was 15.

[Podcast Host]

Okay. So you got to experience childhood.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, yeah. But 15 is late in the boxing atmosphere. It's like 15 year old, 15 year old amateur starting. Is that's late?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, it's like freshman year high school.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know, I know.

[Podcast Host]

Was I? Yeah, yeah, that's freshman year.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I was. Yeah, I was a freshman.

[Podcast Host]

That's crazy.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, it is.

[Podcast Host]

And were you thinking about it before that or did you kind of just jump into it?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I was thinking about it before that, but I wasn't, I didn't know what steps to take towards it. And then it just kind of all happened so fast. I, I had my first amateur fight only a year after training.

[Podcast Host]

Is that normal?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I don't know.

[Podcast Host]

That sounds early, but I'm not sure it's.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It, it sounds early. I don't know if it's normal. But you know, then again my normal with the guys that I train with and talk to, their, my normal is they didn't start when they were 15, they started when they were 8 or 9 or. Right.

[Podcast Host]

So they don't years to train.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, they've had years. And then at the level of eight and nine year olds, you're obviously not getting knocked stuff. They're not punching hard. So you do get more ring experience. But once you hit the teens and you're like 1415. Then you get, you start fighting guys that can, you know, punch a little bit, and that's when you start, you know, getting hit.

[Podcast Host]

That makes sense.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

And, you know, taking on that, that mileage.

[Podcast Host]

Were you talented in other sports too, or just.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Man, I, I was a one trick pony. I found boxing and I stuck with boxing. I mean, I've done. When I was a little kid, when I was probably six years old, I did like flag football. That doesn't count.

[Podcast Host]

That's just speed.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I did a season of basketball with my brother and I would just mess around on the court. It was never, I never did any other sport serious before boxing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Boxing was the only one.

[Podcast Host]

This is the one for you.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But I did know enough about team sports to know that I did not like team sports. And I wanted to be independent and individual and I wanted to be away from people.

[Podcast Host]

So that you said, what are you an introvert?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I'm. I. When it comes to boxing settings and people, I pretty much fake the, the social butterfly.

[Podcast Host]

I notice a lot of individual sports. I'd be curious if they did a study on this, but it's introverted by nature. Really. People that are participants.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, I know a lot. Yeah, I know a lot of boxers who are introverts.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Because I was a distance runner, which is kind of a mix. Like you're. You're on a team, but like, it's still like very personal.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

What kind of distances.

[Podcast Host]

I did everything from the half mile, mile, 5K. It was awful. Very mental sport. I attribute a lot of my mental. My success financially to actually.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Really?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Dang.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I mean, you probably run because, you know, you're boxing.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, I have to.

[Podcast Host]

We.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, we ran this morning, but running is my least favorite thing to do.

[Podcast Host]

No, in Vegas, I mean.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, it's just in general, running's awful.

[Podcast Host]

I hated it every day. I hated it. But it just trains you to be mentally strong.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know it does. It's that David Goggins stuff.

[Podcast Host]

It's probably even harder now with a short attention span. Yeah, I'd imagine it's way harder to get into running right now with Tick tock and.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, you know what? You're right. Because the run every runner I see, I'm the only person who runs with no earphones.

[Podcast Host]

Damn, you're raw. Dogging it. That's what.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, I throw. I throw. I. I'll play music, but it'll be on my phone in my pocket, which you can't hear that, but you can sometimes. Like if you get. If you get in a real quiet area, sometimes you hear it.

[Podcast Host]

That's how I feel at the gym.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. That's not. That's not me. You go to the gym with no music?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I'm the only one.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's crazy because I don't do that. I don't do that.

[Podcast Host]

No.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's wild. Oh, my God.

[Podcast Host]

No one does it. I go to Lifetime, there's like hundreds of people that I can't find a single person without headphones.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Wow.

[Podcast Host]

And 10 years ago, no one was doing that. Everyone was raw dogging it.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's crazy, right?

[Podcast Host]

Or they had the wire maybe, but that's crazy. It's crazy to think about how quick society changes.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, but man, respect. Respect on that. Because I do not go. If I go to a public gym, it is not without headphones.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I mean, for you, probably. You don't want people coming up to you and shit, right?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, I get. I mean, I'll get recognized in any sort of athletic setting.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

So sometimes like my AirPods will die and I'll just keep them in just. Just so people are going to test listen.

[Podcast Host]

That's funny. Sometimes I'll bring wired headphones, listen to a podcast, but that's it.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I think most music is destructive to the mind. These.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. No music listen. Music is. That's a whole nother thing. You got, you know, studies coming out where like the frequencies you listen to, obviously the words you listen to, the stuff you listen to, it affects your mind and your subconscious. Yeah, I don't listen. I don't listen to nothing bad anyway. So.

[Podcast Host]

No hip hop.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, I listen. The hip hop I listen to is like Kid Cudi, like, chill.

[Podcast Host]

I love CI.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I. I love Kid Cudi.

[Podcast Host]

He's in my top five. Amazing.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

He's in my top three, bro.

[Podcast Host]

Dan.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, No, I love Kid Cudi. He's. I was just. I was just talking about Kid Cudi cuz I was with my. My godfather is Flavor Flav and everyone in the music industry knows Flav and I'm with him all the time. I. He's like one of my favorite people in life and how we. We were just talking about Kid Cudi and he listens to Kid Cudi and I'm sure he knows somebody, so I'm. I'm sure I. I would be able to meet Kid Cudi one day, but

[Podcast Host]

he got dark times, man.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Bro. Kid Cudi, he's. He freaking got everyone through dark times. He's like one of the only artists that I'm like, he's. He's like more than. More than music in the minds of his supporters.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Yeah. He's talent. He hasn't dropped in a while, but his old stuff hits, bro.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, that's wild. But that's the kind of music I listen to. I feel that chill. I'm not. You're not gonna hear me listening to nothing crazy because it will certainly affect my mood. That's what music does.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. That's where I feel like you have an edge because you're very spiritual. Yeah. You have that side to you, which I think is something athletes don't focus on.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You know, for sure. And now it's weird. Yeah, it's weird. They don't talk about that more.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, I see. I see a lot of fighters. You know, I. I was actually talking. I don't know who I was talking to this about, but fighters I see going more towards the spiritual aspect of. Of life. And I was wondering, why do I see it in fighters? I don't see it, like, in athletes in general. I don't see it basketball player, football player. I don't see the, like. I don't see, like, the God talk from these guys. But in fighters, I see a lot of. A lot of. I just wanted to thank God for this and that. And. And I'm like, why is that? And I think it's because when you're getting ready to fight, like, it feels like. It feels like you're. Like you could potentially die. It feels like you're going to war, like, actually, and you're putting your mind and body out there where there is a potential where you cannot come back. And I think that kind of seriousness makes people real, like, makes people have to thank someone. That's out of someone. Someone's got to be in control of everything. And I feel like that serious kind of event and doing that serious event constantly, you're fighting more than once. It makes you want to rely on. On something that you can't see because something's at plan. Something's working behind the scenes.

[Podcast Host]

And that is so well said, dude.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I don't know. I don't know if I. I don't know if I'm explaining it right.

[Podcast Host]

No, I can totally get that. Yeah. Because you're right. There's boxers that die. There's fights that die all the time.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You're putting. There's a chance you're going to die. It's not like other sports where, like, you play basketball. I mean, no one's really died from that.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And you're right, because I see these speeches after every fight, almost all of them thank God or thank whoever they believe in.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, it's crazy. And. Because, like, okay, sleep is the cousin of death. The closest you can. The closest you can be to being dead is being knocked out. And the objective in fighting is to bring that person that you're in front of to that stage. So the objective in fighting is to literally bring the person just one stage before death. That's the objective. Like, that's what you're doing. So that alone is, like, creepy. And you realize that. You realize that when you're the one fighting, and you realize that the person's not just trying to touch you, and he's not just trying to win. They're trying. The. The win. The spectacular win is getting that knockout. And that is, you know, something that a lot of fighters haven't come back from. And it's happened. It's happened a lot recently, which.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Very strange.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I want to ask you about that. Do you have something when you get in the ring where you kind of dehumanize them? Because did you see the Jerry fight the other day? UFC fight?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yes.

[Podcast Host]

So he could have easily won that, right?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Then after the fight, he was like, I felt bad for.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a good freaking question. I've never. I've never gotten that question before. There's a. There's a type of ritual. Not a ritual, but, yeah, it's a ritual. It's something I do before every fight where I. I kind of. I don't dehumanize them, but I almost dehumanize myself, because if I dehumanize myself and I do this. I started this a couple. I started this maybe five fights ago, but, like, I'll dehumanize myself to the point where, like, I say a certain mantra in the mirror, and I'll dehumanize myself to the point where I don't feel emotions towards. Towards my opponent in any. In any aspect, whether it be anger or. Or I feel bad for them, of course, like the Yuri thing. But, yeah, I dehumanize myself so I. I can rid myself of human emotion. Because if you have no human emotion, if you're something like Mike Tyson, then you. You will ultimately get your job done, no matter what.

[Podcast Host]

Well, Mike, didn't he fight off anger, though?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

You know what? You're right. I. But his goal was to be fighting with no emotion, but he did fight with anger. He's He. He fought with. His anger was so passionate that. That got him, I mean, through his entire career.

[Podcast Host]

Right. He channeled it.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. But if. If. I feel like if Mike Tyson would have fought with no emotion at all, he would have never lost.

[Podcast Host]

Are you serious?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Well, that's quite a statement.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. No, because, I mean, emotions kill fighters. Emotions kill fighters. And if you fight with any sort of emotion, whether it be good or bad, that can limit you.

[Podcast Host]

That's such an interesting take because I think a lot of just normal people would assume when you fight with anger, it makes you strong.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Right? Most people do. You know who fights with no emotion? He just a psycho. Bud Crawford, okay? He's. He's one of those guys. And then obviously he's retired now, so he retired undefeated, but he's one of those guys that he doesn't fight with any emotion at all. And I even told him like, if he wasn't a boxer, he would be like a serial killer. He just had. He has a switch. Yeah, that he has a switch where he could flip a switch and. And just not have any emotion. So, like, in. In his fights, the. The guy is maybe roughing him up and maybe being a little dirty. Elbows, headbutts, whatever. And he just remains the same. Like this just remains impressive. And. And same with like, oh, he hurts the guy. Normally a guy would get excited and then start. No, but he hurts the guy and he's like this. He's just freaking. Like, no emotion, like when he's fighting. So it's. If. If you have someone to look up to for that, he would be the guy. That's the guy. Mr. No emotion.

[Podcast Host]

That's impressive because some people try to get in your head, right. Throw you off. And that's part of the sport. That's part of. Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Boxing is 90% mental.

[Podcast Host]

Really?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, I would. I would say so.

[Podcast Host]

Wow. That's way higher than I thought.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, it's that.

[Podcast Host]

I thought it was more. 50. 50.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, if you can grab. You can grab the. If you grab the greatest boxer today and pinned him against an amateur boxer. And the greatest boxer today has a weak mind, but the amateur has a strong mind. I feel the amateur would win.

[Podcast Host]

Holy crap.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You think that would beat skill and talent? Just a mindset.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Mindset can beat skill and talent.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Wow. Yeah, that's impressive, dude.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But skill and talent raises with your mindset, so it would be very, very unlikely that you would be that skillful and talented without having already the mindset to get you there.

[Podcast Host]

So have you Met someone that just had raw talent but didn't have the mindset. Like, that's not a common thing.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's not very common. I mean, because anyone who's successful in anything at all has the mindset to be successful. And the mindset to be successful is the same for everybody.

[Podcast Host]

I feel love.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It's not. It's not like one guy has this mindset. Another successful guy has this. No, all the mindsets have like a common denominator where they will stop at nothing to get to where they're going. So I haven't met a guy who's gotten there without that mindset.

[Podcast Host]

That makes sense.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But if you do meet a guy like that, let me know because he can get dethroned immediately by someone with a strong mind.

[Podcast Host]

Well, there's that classic hard work beats talent. I think it is.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Classic quote.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Hard week.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Hard. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

And that's a fact.

[Podcast Host]

That's my life, dude. Yeah. I've always been the underdog, but I've not worked everyone. Yeah. You know, I've never been the smartest. I've never been the best in anything. Whenever I played on a sports team, I started off one of the worst, but by the end of the season, I was one of the best. Yeah, it was just hard work.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, people get. I mean, I've. I. I know way too many talented fighters. You asked me about talented fighters who lack the mindset. I don't know a lot of those guys, but I know a. I know so many talented fighters who don't like the mindset but lack the discipline. They just don't want to work hard. They just don't want to get up early to run. They just don't want to run that extra. However mile or whatever. They just don't want to do that extra work. I know so many guys who rely only on talent alone and that won't. That will not win. When it comes down to when he. When they face guys, whether it's in a fight or just in life in general, when they come across a man who doesn't have their talent but has more discipline or. Or work ethic, they're going to. They're going to lose.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. It's not enough anymore.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And I feel like these days in the digital area where the access to information is so abundant.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

It's even harder.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Talent to get through because now everyone has access to really good coaching information.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, everybody. Everyone could be talented.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, talented. Talented is Being talented or having a talent or being, being a natural at something is God given and it could happen to anybody. So it's really not special. It's not. Because work ethic is not God given. That's. Work ethic is something that you have to do yourself. You're not going to just, you know, be a three year old who wants to wake up every day and go running at 4 in the morning or wants to do that extra set or this and that. Like it takes time to get to that point. But certain people's brains work different, bro.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I don't know if work ethic and motivation is teachable.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No.

[Podcast Host]

Because I, I look at some friends I had 10 years ago and I just see the difference where we're at and it's like it's all work, I think.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, your workout, that got you to different places. That, that's how I tried to teach it to them. But no, you can't. That you can't teach. You can't teach work ethic. It's just like the person, the, the special person that I'm talking about, the, the work ethic person, they see certain things and they, and they grab it. Their brain just grabs it. You can't have a work ethic class where a teacher is like, listen, you gotta, you have to want it, you have to want to do the extra. Because you can't put desire into somebody for sure. They just gotta have it. They gotta be born with, with something different.

[Podcast Host]

And I also think I was willing. I don't know about you, but I was willing to sacrifice more than normal.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh yeah.

[Podcast Host]

To where I'm at.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's amazing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. No, I mean that speaks volumes.

[Podcast Host]

Of course it's good and bad. Like for me, I sacrifice my personal health, which I don't recommend doing.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

But I was working like 18 hours a. And living.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, that's crazy.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Unhealthy.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, but I, I understand that a thousand percent. I understand that a th percent. It's. I mean, yeah, of course you, you wouldn't recommend it, but it's gotten you to where you are. So it's, that's. It just takes a different kind of person.

[Podcast Host]

High risk, high reward. I've made and lost all my money twice already. Uhhuh. You know, knock on wood. Now I'm doing great. But yeah, just, I'm willing to take risks. And same with you, you took on some hard fights early on your career. You didn't have to do that.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, I wouldn't, I wouldn't Change. I wouldn't change anything. And unfortunately, I'm that kind of psychotic guy who would, who, who would risk my mental health and my health in general. I mean, I already. I'm a boxer. I'm going to get hit. I'm already putting my health at risk. But like, for example, one fight I had where I was fighting, I was rematching the. The. The first opponent that beat me who, who got the decision on me. And during the fight, I was beating him up. I knocked him down. I was ready to knock him out. And then my shoulder got dislocated.

[Podcast Host]

Damn.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But it felt different. And after the fight, I've realized stuff after surgery and everything that my shoulder. My shoulder tore almost completely off. So, like, tendons like this in your shoulder. It tore from like here to here. Like, she. Almost completely torn. And the pain was excruciating. It was awful. And I had to finish like three rounds. I had to finish about three rounds with the shoulder out.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, my God.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

And I was just lying to my team between rounds saying, like, they were like, is. Is something up? And I was like, no, no, no. Because if, if something, if they noticed, they would have stopped the fight. Ref noticed, they would have stopped the fight, and I would have lost by technical knockout or something like that. So, no, I just. I had so much. I had a different mindset in me where I didn't like this guy. I wanted to beat him. He, you know, he, he. He got a, A weak decision on me the first time, and I had to just make it clear. So then I had to go the rest of the fight with the shoulder out and ended up winning like that.

[Podcast Host]

But did it have any long term effects on you?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, I'm gonna be finding out. I would be finding out.

[Podcast Host]

This was recent.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. No, I mean, it was a year and a half ago.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, I had, I. It required surgery, and then I was freaking punching. I was punching my shoulder, trying to hit it back in place, which is dumb. So I did more damage doing that. I just. I did more damage where a normal person would have felt the pain and stopped it immediately. And I'm sure that would have made the surgery easier. I'm. It may not have required surgery if I had stopped immediately, but if I had to do it all over again, I would do the same thing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, that's just. Your pain tolerance is crazy.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I don't know. I mean, I. It hurt really bad. I think my brain was just like that. Pain doesn't matter. I need to get to where I'M going, yeah, because you were in the moment.

[Podcast Host]

The adrenaline, too.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. And everyone speaks on adrenaline, and the adrenaline helped a little bit because I didn't feel. I'm sure I didn't feel the full pain, but it still felt. It still felt so awful where the adrenaline only carried me so much. But I'm just. I make dumb choices sometimes just based off of morals and maybe just because the, like, having a tough mentality or whatever. But like, for example, like, when they did the surgery, they offered. They were like, well, we got to give you. We got to give you fentanyl in the surgery.

[Podcast Host]

White.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, in the surgery because of the pain and stuff. It's going to be that immense. They said, we got to give you fentanyl during the surgery to do whatever. And I was like, no, I'm not. I denied all the drugs that they were required to give me. Not required, but that they. Off. They offered to give me. So when I woke up from surgery, it felt like I got ran over by a semi truck. It felt like my body was mutilated. It felt awful. So I felt it all then. And I was really paying for my tough guy, morals mentality, whatever you want to call it, for not having done the drugs. Because I don't do drugs. I've never done anything like that. Yeah. So I paid for it for sure. After. Through the pain.

[Podcast Host]

Damn.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

That must have been a really low point for you.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Man, that sucked. It sucked. And, you know, it's. It's so. This is gonna sound so stupid. Of all the things that sucked, it was my. It was my left arm, so my left arm was. My left arm was just incapable of doing anything. I was in a freaking cast. I couldn't move it at all. One of the biggest things that sucked was I had to sleep on the other side of the bed. And I don't know if there's a metaphor. I don't know if there's a metaphor for this somewhere in my brain, but what sucked to my brain the most of that whole experience was I normally sleep on my. On the left side of my bed. I had to sleep on the right side of my bed for. For months because I couldn't lay. I couldn't lay on this side.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

So I had to sleep on the other side of the bed. I don't know. Maybe I need to talk to a therapist because that bothered me. That really bothered me, having to sleep.

[Podcast Host]

We all got.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Side of the bed.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. We all got our sleeping positions.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, it was. That really bothered me because I was like. I just didn't feel like me.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I'm a side sleeper too, though.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Really?

[Podcast Host]

I can't do belly.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's weird.

[Podcast Host]

Some people sleep on their belly.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, that's weird. Back I can do. No, no, I don't do back. I don't do back.

[Podcast Host]

If I'm gassed, I'll just do back at a hotel. But I prefer side. Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Back I don't do back. Is too much. Back is too coffin casket for me. I. It's. I'm side.

[Podcast Host]

Sides are unbeatable, man. Yeah. You know, I think it's like. Like fetal position, they call it. It's like.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, you're right. I think. I think. I think that's the healthiest way to sleep. I don't know the science behind that. Yeah, but sleeping on your back, that's

[Podcast Host]

how you snore and everything. It's not really your passageways. Do you sleep with mouth tape too?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No. Look, I mean, I've had to sleep. I've had to sleep sometimes with. They got those nose strips.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah. I use those too sometimes.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I've got. I've got a deviated septum.

[Podcast Host]

Oh.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

So I'm sure something's going on while I'm sleeping.

[Podcast Host]

You're not getting surgery for that?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, I mean, I can't get it while I'm boxing because as soon as I get it, it'll freaking your alpha. Yeah. My. My nose, when I first started boxing, got deviated back then, and I used to bleed so much through my nose. So much. And it stopped bleeding. I haven't had one nosebleed from a punch in a. In a professional fight.

[Podcast Host]

Wow. Because this is closed off.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I don't. Yeah, I. I guess so.

[Podcast Host]

So you're giving up airflow for no nosebleeds.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's a great trade. That's a great trade for me because my bl. I remember when I was little, my. The blood used to come out of my nose just from one punch. It would just be like pouring a water bottle out.

[Podcast Host]

Geez. Is it deviate on both. Both nostrils?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, just one.

[Podcast Host]

Just one.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Just one side. And now I just. The fact that I haven't had one nosebleed from a punch in a fight is crazy. I had. I had one one time. I know there was blood in my nose from a fight, but the guy headbutt me and it left like a. I thought my nose was broken, but that doesn't count.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It's got to be a puzzle.

[Podcast Host]

You lose a point for that, right? Had.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But he didn't lose a point. That fight was in Africa. There was a lot going on.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I gotta hear some African stories now. What was it like out there?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's. Fighting in Africa is on my bucket list. Like among. Among. Like among. Going to space and visiting all seven continents. Like, fighting in Africa is like that for me.

[Podcast Host]

So.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That was amazing.

[Podcast Host]

Why was that so high up for you, man?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I think probably because my grandfather did it.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, I didn't know he did it part partly.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yet one of his biggest fights was the Rumble in the Jungle versus George Foreman, which was in Africa. And. And it was just such a big fight and I grew up hearing about it from everybody. So that. And Africa is just like the central of the Earth is. It's just the center of the Earth. It's like the motherland. And just going over there and seeing the stuff that they have. Everything is so old and. And so unique. So it's a special place for sure.

[Podcast Host]

I gotta get out there.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, it's.

[Podcast Host]

I've been everywhere except Africa and Antarctica. I've been.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Really?

[Podcast Host]

Every other continent? Yeah. Holy crap. I mean, there's only seven, but like.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know, but still five.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. You haven't been to Asia yet?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No.

[Podcast Host]

Asia, Europe?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, no, no. I'm sorry. Listen, my geography might be off. Where's the Philippines?

[Podcast Host]

I think Philippines is in Asia. I probably know that.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I haven't been. No, I haven't been to South America. I haven't been to South America. I. You got me beat on the continent.

[Podcast Host]

You got four then. Okay.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. You've got.

[Podcast Host]

Antarctica is going to be our hardest.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's going to be the hardest. How?

[Podcast Host]

Really? Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

How?

[Podcast Host]

Actually, I might be wrong on that now, but when we were kids, I think it was invite only to scientists.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I'm sure it's still something.

[Podcast Host]

You only got Mr.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Beast going down there.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. You need some sort of permission.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

What is down there, like, is.

[Podcast Host]

Some people think it's the edge of the earth. Some people think there's a civilization in the. Whatever that slit thing called. Who knows?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's crazy.

[Podcast Host]

Who knows, man?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

There's. I. I could go. I could deep dive for hours talking about different stuff.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I don't have. I'm not a weird. I mean, I'm not a conspiracy person. I'm open to it, but like, I'm not a flat earther or nothing like that.

[Podcast Host]

Flat earth is hard for me.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, it. Because I've been too high up to. I've been. I've been too high up to. Of Seeing the world.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Do you know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host]

You've been on some mountains.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, no, I'm talking like, I'm talking like, like, if you go to, like, Sears Tower is the first thing I thought of.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

In Chicago, it's one of the highest buildings in the world. You go up there and you can see, you can see the curve of Earth, like, I don't know, flat Earth. Flat Earthers are, are very strange to me because there is, you would have to defy a lot.

[Podcast Host]

Tough one. There are some compelling conspiracies these days, but flat Earth is losing relevance.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I, I, I will listen to any conspiracy because I respect the, the effort in, in, in making that argument, but

[Podcast Host]

is there any you're, like, sold on or. No?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, I would have, I would have to hear it.

[Podcast Host]

I would have been landing moonlight.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Listen, moon landing is tough because I believe in the moon landing. But like, these days, we, I don't know, you know, what we're being taught through, through our textbooks and everything. Everything that I learned as a little kid. You've got to question everything. Especially nowadays where we're in the age of misinformation.

[Podcast Host]

Yep.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Where we don't know what we were taught. That, like, I'm open to, like, hearing stuff, but like, as, as of right

[Podcast Host]

now, they're trying to land on it right now as we speak, I believe they're sent another mission.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

So how would, in today's society, how. What would prove to people that someone's actually up there?

[Podcast Host]

That's a good question.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, you can't take a video

[Podcast Host]

because you can fake it with AI.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, yeah. Videos, very tough.

[Podcast Host]

Videos don't mean anything anymore because that's crazy. There's literally videos of Netanyahu and people are saying it's A.I.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

i know. Well, I see, I see any video I see right now that looks too good, too crazy to be true. Yeah, I will just swipe.

[Podcast Host]

I will just, I will probably, rule of thumb, honestly.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. I won't even look.

[Podcast Host]

Quality is too good. No.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

If the quality's too good and, and it's a. Something spectacular is happening. I just swipe. I don't even look twice.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, they're getting good these days.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, it's insane. And, and that's the AI that we, we are, that we have publicly. So I don't know, like, government wise, like, what they have.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, it's probably even better. No, it's got to be AI companies, you know.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

A lot of them report to the government.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

There's A lot of deep dives that we can, you know.

[Podcast Host]

But that's a good point you bring up, because if videos no longer count as evidence.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

What counts as evidence?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I guess it would just be witnesses, which even then is all hearsay.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. It's anecdotal. You know, anecdotal is considered some of the weakest form of evidence.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. Yeah. So I don't know. I don't. I.

[Podcast Host]

So we're gonna be. We're gonna be raising kids in a society where you can't prove anything.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Isn't that wild?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That is. It is. Well, I mean, that's another thing. When it get. When it comes down to crime, how's crime gonna work?

[Podcast Host]

Mass surveillance, I think.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. I don't. I don't know. I don't know how.

[Podcast Host]

We're heading that way. I believe. You think so Palantir. Yeah. I don't know if you've heard that theory, but.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No.

[Podcast Host]

Palantir is a company that's going to be monitoring everywhere.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Really.

[Podcast Host]

Like, they'll basically have. Do you know how it works in China with social credit system.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No. No.

[Podcast Host]

So there's basically cameras everywhere. And if, you know, you commit a crime, then you lose social credit points. Oh, that's like a hierarchy. If you get caught shoplifting, you get punished. And it's all on video, so you can't really fight it because it's on video.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Well, listen, I mean, I don't know how I feel about. I don't know how I feel about that because Dubai is one of those spots that I've been to where they're. Everything is recorded.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

So anything. Any crime that happens in Dubai gets punished quick. So that's why there's not a lot of crime.

[Podcast Host]

My friend went there and I guess they catch you speeding on the.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

How did they catch you speeding there on the.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

There. There's c. There's cameras everywhere.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

So they got him everywhere.

[Podcast Host]

So at the airport, when he was leaving, he had to pay. Really? Isn't that crazy?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's wild.

[Podcast Host]

They didn't even tell him he got a ticket. They're like, you owe this amount of money for speeding.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I'm not mad at that, because I've heard stories while I was in Dubai of people who got something as simple as they got their bike stolen from their house. And the. The. A bike, A bike. Every bike looks the same to me. They got a bike stolen and they had it returned to them within like a day or two.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Of the whole city of Dubai with all the bike, it's just like. Stuff like that is like, weird. But I'm not mad at it because Dubai's crime rate is crazy low.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, that's a good point.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But of course I'm. I'm sure there's sides of like people, you know, privacy issues, whatever.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, that's where I, I think I lean more towards it. I think overall it's better because you

[Nico Ali Walsh]

just gotta understand that if you're ever outside your house, expect to be on camera.

[Podcast Host]

Well, that's how I operate anyways. Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's how I operate.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. My texts and calls, I just assume they're being. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's what. Yeah, you just got to be on. That's how everyone should be. That's how everyone should be because you got, you got to be on your P's and Q's no matter what.

[Podcast Host]

Like, when I see his Epstein emails, I'm like, are they serious right now?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know. You know what I'm saying? Like, like what were they thinking? What were they thinking? Like, I don't know. Like, obviously one those people are like on a different side of evil, like inventing evil.

[Podcast Host]

That's demonic.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

But. It is demonic. But, like, what were they thinking? So I mean, maybe, maybe, maybe they just thought like, maybe they have like a, a God complex or something where they thought they would never get caught or in trouble for anything. I've seen that argument, but that is just insane to me that they're just in emails just writing out everything that they're doing. Just. They, it couldn't be more clearly.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, no one's going to get in trouble from it.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know. You know, that's a whole another thing where like people are just already wipe in the, the craziest, the craziest. The craziest thing that I've seen in my lifetime or, or heard of that sounds like a conspiracy but is proven to be real and true. Just get wiped under the rug.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. That's how powerful they are. I mean, when they own the, the media.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Everything.

[Podcast Host]

Everything. Yeah, yeah. There's levels to the game, man.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's crazy.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, I, I don't know how. I don't know how people like Epstein get a. Get away with what, what they do. I mean, when, honestly the way that I'm taught, in the way I'm raised, because I'm Muslim, I just, I see that stuff and I just, I shake my head. But I just gotta say, like, the only way that they'll pay because in this life they got the. They're billionaires. Trillionaires. However much they. The monthly money is endless for them. The only way they'll pay is, like, in the next life. That's the only thing that would. That could, like, put my heart at rest because, like, you know, going after kids is the worst thing a human being.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Could do.

[Podcast Host]

And it's nuts because they'll demonize the spread of Islam and.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

When you look at the files, there's no Muslims in it.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know, I know. Literally. It's weird. They. There's like. I feel like there's race wars going on. No Religious wars. I mean, going on in the world right now where, like that they just. I mean, people try to pin different religions on a. On each other.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

They try to pin the Christians against the Catholics, the Catholics against the Muslims, the Muslims against the Christians and the Catholics. And it's really dumb to me because, like, in my brain, if you. If you follow God, then we are on the same playing field. I don't see us as. As different.

[Podcast Host]

I agree, but they want us divided.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. No, I mean, dividing people is the best way of, you know, divide and conquer is to go to. That's the way. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

That's how they control you. Right.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, but I mean, that's. That's the way the world is. That's the way they do. They do. I mean, people do that with races nowadays. They. They make the. They pin the blacks against the whites, the blacks against the Mexicans, the Mexicans against the blacks. Like, it's like, classic. Yeah, it is classic. It's stupid.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I don't know if we'll ever be truly united at this current rate.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, I don't think.

[Podcast Host]

I can't see it, Honestly.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I don't think so.

[Podcast Host]

I really can't.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

There's some weird stuff going on. I don't get involved in anything. Like I'm telling you, when I. When it comes to me and social media in news, I'm out of. I'm out of the game. No, I don't. At all. So if I hear about something, it's bad. Wow. So what I'm telling you is. Is bad because if I hear about it, I'm that guy who lives under the rock. So if. If it's something that's troubling me, then it's really got to be just insane.

[Podcast Host]

Damn. So you consciously chose not to consume.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. No, I feel like if. If you. If you. I feel bad for the people who are in the news constantly.

[Podcast Host]

It lowers your vibration.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, it's just because there's nothing good happening on the news. There's nothing good happening on the news.

[Podcast Host]

I used to watch it in high school. I always went to school depressed.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Really? Yeah, I mean, I mean, literally lower. What are you gonna hear about on the news? You're not gonna hear about that the grandma was saved crossing the street, that, that a bunch of newborn puppies were found. You're not gonna hear about that stuff. You hear about purpose per.

[Podcast Host]

Purposefully.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

You hear about all the dark stuff. You hear about there was a plane crash that killed every passenger. There is a shooting, a shooting going on and. Oh, and not only that, but hurricane. This is coming up next. And it's so you. You hear the bad side of everything.

[Podcast Host]

So I. Yeah. And as a fighter, you got to really protect your mental energy.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, I avoid, I avoid the news. It's very easy for me to avoid the news because all I got to do is watch one clip and I'm like, damn. And it brings me, it brings me back. I feel bad for the, the people who have to report it.

[Podcast Host]

Dude, there's probably like. Because now the news is social media scrolling.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

This doom scrolling.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I would estimate probably 80% of people are doom scrolling daily.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, you know, I'm, I'm a victim of that.

[Podcast Host]

I do it intentionally as, as best as I can. Obviously some stuff still slips through, but I try to cater my feed as much as I can. Yeah, but then you'll be scrolling. You see someone dying.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Crazy.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, I mean, like when I say I'm out of social media, I'm out of that game. I mean like I'm out of anything real. Like the. If you went on my feed right now, you would only see funny stuff. You would see dumb stuff, you'd see video game stuff. That's the kind of content that I want to, you know, be messing with my brain. I don't want to be seeing the bombs and the death and I don't like seeing that.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, that's Twitter.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. Yeah, that is Twitter.

[Podcast Host]

Twitter's toxic, bro. Yeah, it is. Yeah, it is. Scroll on Twitter.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I try to cater my feet as much towards anything boxing news. I think I heard about it because I'm, I'm on top of the boxing news and the boxing and then just anything like, I don't know, movie related, like fun stuff, I feel. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

What's next for you in boxing, man? You got a, a list of names

[Nico Ali Walsh]

you want to cross, man, I don't, I don't care. About people. I mean, not. Not like that. Not like that.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I don't care about. I don't care about people in opponents. Like, I will never be. I'll never be up here, you know, calling out, Calling out anybody, because at the end of the day, people call out people for clout, for opportunities, and I just, I don't need, I don't want clout. I don't care about that. I just want to keep building myself, get to the point where I'm fighting for titles and then be the best. That's all I care about. And then that will happen naturally without me having to call people out.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

So I don't even. I don't even know who I would call out. I just know that whoever I'm fighting next, I don't like them for the moment that I'm fighting them, and then after that, we'll be cool if, if they're cool.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. What's your. Is there rankings now? Like, how close are you to a title fight, Man?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I, I think, I think a serious title fight would be a couple years down the line. It would, like, because I'm thinking, when I'm thinking title fights, I'm talking like top tens.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, because there's different titles.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, because there are, there are a lot of titles in, in boxing, but I'm talking about like the top tens. That's a few years down the line.

[Podcast Host]

10 different leagues or how does that.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, there's like in boxing, they got multiple belts. They got wba, WBA or wbo, wbc, that, that kind of stuff. WBC is the green belt. That's the belt that has former champions face on it. That's the belt that has my grandfather's face on it. That's the belt I grew up looking at via my grandfather. Like, I saw it, I saw him on it and I was like, man, that would be cool to have that thing one day. So that's the belt that I'm going after. That's my goal, the WBC belt. But with that, there's also like, interim belts and continental belts, and those are all great. It's a belt nonetheless. And, you know, it'd be great to be fighting for that. But in my brain, I'm going for that number one spot, which is the WBC World Championship belt. And that would be a few years.

[Podcast Host]

You're going to the top.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. No, I mean, that's. I'm like an extremist. I go for, you know, go bigger, all or nothing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah, why not? Right? That's you got to have that mindset. I feel like.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

When I collect stuff on the way. Yeah, yeah. When I started this show, I, I, I hold up this in every photo.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Huh.

[Podcast Host]

I want to be a top three podcast in the world.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Let's go. I believe it.

[Podcast Host]

We're almost there.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

How. How old are you?

[Podcast Host]

29. Wow.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Dude, you're freaking young.

[Podcast Host]

We'll be there in a few years.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Holy crap.

[Podcast Host]

We hit number nine the other day. It changes every day. So now we're back down to, like 20, but nine was our peak.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

What it. What is it? What's the.

[Podcast Host]

Where are the rankings on every platform's difference? Like, we hit number nine on Apple.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Spotify has the one.

[Podcast Host]

I'm sure Apple's a big one. Yeah. Their top three. Spotify and YouTube. YouTube right now is. I think it's the biggest. We're not.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Who's number one?

[Podcast Host]

Joe Rogan. Oh, yeah. Diary of a CEO is usually up there. Sean Ryan, Tucker Carlson.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Wow.

[Podcast Host]

But Rogan's number one on all three. Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. He's the goat.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That's crazy. Yeah. I mean, how old is Joe Rogan? He's. He's been doing it. She might be in his for a minute.

[Podcast Host]

50s now. He's been doing it for 15 plus years. That's the OG that's awesome.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I grew up watching him with my dad, so it's cool to be like, full circle how you.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know.

[Podcast Host]

Fought with your grandfather. Now you're fighting.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I know. No, that's crazy.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I got a lot of memories of my dad just watching podcasts, so. Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I mean, I got my start with Joe Rogan on Fear Factor.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, you went on Fear Factor?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, no. I mean, I was watching.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, you watched it as a little kid.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I was watching with my parents. Fear Factor. Joe Rogan. I never met Joe Rogan.

[Podcast Host]

I've seen clips of that, showing it that would never air these days.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Stuff that they were doing was absolutely insane. There'd be so many firewalls stopping that stuff from happening. I mean, they, they have. Technically, today, they have another fear factor, but it's not on the level of. Of that. Reality TV back in the day was real.

[Podcast Host]

It was raw, like reality. Now it's all script.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It was real. Now you go. Now you got, like, shows that they, they will tell you what to do and they'll urge you what to say.

[Podcast Host]

I can't watch it anymore.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah, no, I don't.

[Podcast Host]

I've had on actors and they tell me what goes on behind the Scenes. I'm like, bro.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah. No, I've been. I've been a part of. I probably can't say that. Some stuff, but I've. I've been a part of, like, stuff like, in high school, where networks, like MTV or. Or. I forgot the other ones. But, like, they would want to do a reality show of us, and then we read, like, the contracts and the scripts, and. And they just, like, wanna, like. They force, like, artificial beef.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It's very.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, I get it from their point of view.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Because if it's just a boring show, I get it.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, I get it, but you can't. You can't be getting boring people. Have you heard of the Flavor of Love? Did you used to watch that?

[Podcast Host]

Sounds familiar.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Ah, the Flavor of Love was.

[Podcast Host]

Was that on MTV?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

It was on VH1.

[Podcast Host]

I think I'm too young.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

That was. No, I'm too young for that.

[Podcast Host]

Really?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I grew up watching.

[Podcast Host]

How old are you?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

I'm 25. Oh.

[Podcast Host]

How did you watch that?

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Because the Flavor of Love was. That was the show back in the day. That was. That was the funniest show, and it was so real. And the stuff that happened in that show is like, you got. That's got to be fake. Like, you watch it, it's with Flavor Flav, and it was, like, a girl show where, like, he had girls competing for him.

[Podcast Host]

Oh.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

And so, like, the Bachelor, but for. Yes.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, it was the Bachelor before the Bachelor. It was. It's the real Bachelor. And the stuff that happened in that show, you'd be like, there's no way that really happened. And then I. And then I talked to Flav, and I asked him a question. I'm like, wow, that was real, huh? That's freaking nuts.

[Podcast Host]

I'm gonna have to pull up a few episodes of that one.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

No, you will get lost.

[Podcast Host]

Damn.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Flavor. Flavor of Love is like. I mean, man, you gotta ask. Ask about the flavor of love that everyone. Everyone I know knows that. Because that was that prime reality tv.

[Podcast Host]

Damn.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

All right, I'll check that out. Geez.

[Podcast Host]

Well, dude, good luck with the rest of your career. When you have the belt, you got to come back on.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

Let's do it. Let's do it. The number one belt. Because I'm sure I'll be collecting some. Some belts, some. Some iron before then. But that number one that's in my brain, every time I close my eyes, I see green. So.

[Podcast Host]

Manifestation.

[Nico Ali Walsh]

When I. When I bring it here. I got you.

[Podcast Host]

Let's go, brother. Good having you all yeah. Check them out, guys. Peace. If you learned anything from this episode or got any value at all, please share this episode with a friend. It helps us grow the channel, it helps us grow the podcast, and it means a lot to us. Thank you so much.