Repeat questions in your answers please

Can you tell me your full name?

How long have you been boxing for?

What got you into boxing?....

Childhood questions

Tell me, growing up as a child, why didn’t you want to be a boxer? Shoaling warrior, kung fu, Chinese martial arts Growing up, who were you mainly living with and why? Grew up with mom older sister & brother, parents split up when he was young, and dad was mainly off in the army.

How close were you with your mom brother and sister growing up? Very close, would go on holidays, play fight ect… What were some of the stuff that you would get up to with your family? Holidays, play fighting, travelling, sibling stuff….

You always have a smile and seem to be cheerful - Can you explain to me, what sort of personality did you have as a child growing up? Growing up, Oli was Bubbly, always smiling, playful, cheerful, sleepovers with mates and going out playing Karen mentioned that you played Rugby whilst growing up Tell me, how much was you into sports whilst growing up? Oli played Cricket and Rugby, was very energetic Growing up, your mom mentioned that you looked up to your dad, why did you look up to your dad? Army Officer – Kick boxer, strong, muscles What sort of stuff was your dad doing when you were a kid growing up? Kick boxing, army instructor, army officer, training, champion kick boxer – training with Ray

Where and who was your dad training with when you were growing up? Ray Askew, Tell me, when you were younger, would your dad bring you training with him, if so why?

Now and again, to spend quality time together, and because Oli would nag him to bring him along. What sort of stuff would you do at training with your Dad? Training on pads, bit of here and there, nothing too serious

Tell me, you were never a troublemaker growing up, I remember before you mentioned yourself as a good boy, bit of a puppy, What sort of child was you like growing up?

How would you describe yourself growing up as a child? Lots of friends, very energetic, always going out playing with mates Most boxers who get into boxing normally come from a troublemaker background, what is different about the way that you got into boxing?

Oli was never a troublemaker, he was a good boy, and got into boxing because he was bullied. As a means to boost his self-confidence and become stronger, but because he was doing well, took it to the next level. Moneybox question!!!!!!! - Can you tell me, what was the reason for the bullying starting? What happened before the bullying to set you up for being picked on? The mugging is what started it all

Robbery situation

So with your Journey towards boxing, I remember you briefly telling me how this happened because you experienced a life-changing situation outside a shop in sheerness.

Can you tell me the story about this life-changing incident that happened in sheerness? (When you were confronted and robbed at knifepoint in sheerness?) Can you tell me about when your personality changed, from the once happy cheerful child, to the timid scared child?

How did this impact upon your life as a child? (start with at that time…) How did this experience change your life? (start with: this experience…) What was the emotional state you were in when this happened? (start with: emotionally, I felt…) How did you feel when this happened?

How did that situation change your trust for everyone? What did your mom do to try and change things up for you? What did your mom do to help you overcome this fear? Moved from Sheerness to Maidstone for a fresh new start and into a new school beginning of year 7

Bullying Situation

At that time, when your mom mentioned that you were moving out the area, how did that make you feel? When mom (Karen) mentioned they were moving, Oli felt: More safe, happier for a fresh new start? How did you first feel when you moved away from sheerness to Maidstone and start at a new school? Happy, fresh new start, new beginning When you moved over to Maidstone and started at a new school, how did life change for you?

Life didn't change, it got worse due to bullying How did the mugging situation affect you when you started at a new school? Because of being robbed, Lack in self confidence and scared

Can you explain to me, Why / How did the bullying start? People picked up on Oli being scared and timid, and exploited this weakness because he lacked self confidence and trust in people Can you explain to me some of the stuff that these bullies would say/do to you? When you were being bullied, what sort of stuff would you bullies do? Name calling, racist remarks, physical assault. Was there ever a point where the bullying got really extreme?

Self harming, pretending to be sick etc… What would you do to try and avoid the confrontation? Self harming, pretending to be sick, How did the entire bullying make you feel at that time? When this was happening, Oli felt Depressed, unhappy, sad, upset, like committing suicide Karen mentioned that during all of this you didn’t like playing outside. Can you explain to me, why you didn’t like going out?

How long did the bullying at that school last for?

Only lasted until throughout year 7, then after that Karen moved Oli out the school and back to Sheerness. Having experienced what you did in year 7, How did this impact on you when you moved back to sheerness and changed school? What self-promise did you make to yourself?

Moving back to sheerness and starting at a new school, Oli vowed never to be bullied again, wanted to become stronger, wanted to be able to defend himself.

Starting a fresh new life through training

When you moved back to sheerness and started at the new school, what training did you start with Ray to help overcome being bullied?

Moving back over to sheerness, Oli started kickboxing training with his Dads former tutor uncle Ray Askew Who is Uncle Ray to you and your family and why did you start training with him? Friend of the family, best man at fathers wedding plus uncle to Oli Turned Oli’s Dad into a kickboxing champion, respected trainer. Tell me, to start off with, how serious were you taking kickboxing when you started? Or was it just to help build confidence? To start off with, training was not serious, as Oli was also in school How did you feel when you first started training? In what way did this help you out? Oli felt good within himself, built his confidence, How did the training lessons with Ray help you out during secondary school? Helped Oli build up self confidence and believe in himself, helped gain friends When you started entering kickboxing fights, what way did that change peoples attitude towards you? Helped boost confidence further and gain more friends, and build self belief How did the kickboxing fights make you feel when you had them at that time during your life?

Happy, excited, confidence, loved to hear people cheering and encouraging him Alongside the fights he got you. How did the training with Ray help you with combating your fear of going outside and meeting new people? Built up courage to face the outside world. Talk to people, a little more trust in people / strangers

Amateur Boxing life

Please explain to me… Even though you were doing well in kickboxing, when you finished secondary school, what made you decide to change over to amateur boxing? Talk me through that whole decision and the reason behind it? Even though Oli was doing well at kickboxing, Ray Askew decided it would be best for Oli to change over to boxing as someone with his potential needed a bigger vehicle / platform to get noticed and work harder Tell me When you changed over to Amateur boxing where did you do your training at and why? Started training at St.Marys Boxing club because Ray did not have an Amateurs licence

When you changed over to Amateur Boxing, who were your coaches at the time and was Ray still present training you? Gerome, Dan, Matt, and Ray was still guiding him through amateurs While training at St.Marys ABC Boxing club, what did they teach you? What sort of training would you do?

At St.Marys ABC, they taught Oli Amateur style Boxing Can you talk me through what would happen in a typical amateur boxing lesson? Sparring, pad work, skipping, shadow boxing etc… How did amateur boxing help you to get more noticed?

Under St.Marys, Oli was boxing in tournaments, winning his bouts and getting newspaper coverage, which helped getting more people to recognise him. While training at St.Marys ABC, what accomplishments did you achieve? Oli got through to the Novice ABA finals, which he won. After you won that tournament, what did Ray decide for you to do with your boxing career? After Winning that tournament, Ray Decided that it was best for Oli to turn Pro Even though it may have been considered early for you to change over to Pro. Why did Ray Askew decide that is was best for you to turn Pro? Even though it was still early for Oli, Oli could get experience in the Pro game, plus Ray though it was the best time for Oli to turn Pro. He had a good following, good fighter and prospect potential.

Pro questions

When you first changed over to a Professional Boxer, what did that mean to you? How important was this change in life to you?

It meant everything, have the chance to be big etc…

What is the difference that people treat you as a pro boxer to an amateur boxer?

People respect you more; they look at you different etc. When they hear pro they thing famous etc.

When you changed over to a pro, where was you training at and why?

Was training at minster golden gloves with Ray Askew because he Is a pro coach

What new training did you include into your pro training?

What changed for you that you were doing differently as a pro, that you were not doing in the amateurs?

Strength and conditioning, training more with Dad

Changing over to a pro boxer, what is the difference in training that you stepped up to?

More training, Strength and conditioning training

Tell me, why is this training important in making you a better fighter?

Explain to me, what is the difference in danger being a pro boxer than to an amateur boxer?

Pro games got to survive, there to take head off, to cut opponent, whole different game. Nick Blackwell etc.

Since becoming a pro fighter, how did your life changed in general?

It didn’t change straight away, when he started posting pictures that’s when it changed

Regarding the following and support and how people treated you more positively as a professional boxer - Why do you feel that these people showed you support and encouragement?

Island boy, doing something good for himself, doing something good for the island, well behaved, likable, carries himself as a professional fighter, good role-model because of dedication.

Explain to me, how do you feel about having the overwhelming support and followers? And what sort of pressure do you feel?

Don’t want to disappoint supporters

As a professional fighter, what are the expectations that your supporters and followers expect you to live up to?

Why do you feel there’s pressure?

With this support and expectations, what ways did you have to change yourself to the public eye? How do you now conduct yourself as a pro fighter than before? (start answer with, As a professional fighter….)

No drinking, smoking, partying, sleep early, 12 week camp

Having the expectations to live up to, how does this affect upon your life? Cant take things for granted or will loose it all.

How does having this responsibility, reflect on how you have to carry yourself to the public?

Why is it important that you behave in a respectable way?

A lot of people have high hopes, sponsors and supporters, and he represents a lot of people who are wishing on his success and he cant let them down over doing foolishness.

What would be the consequences if you messed up or done something stupid / irresponsible?

Would loose everything

Explain to me, when you first turned pro, was this something that you understood at that time?

When you first turned pro, how did you not understand the importance of your responsibilities as a pro boxer?

When he first turned pro he did not fully understand his responsibility, was something new, a new career, did not understand the impact a mess up could cause. Thought it was the same as amateurs, let emotional issues mix with boxing life and training. Lack of experience balancing personal life with pro life

Pro debut questions – Relationship and personal struggle

Has there ever been a time when you almost lost everything that you had work for? Tell me how has your personal life has almost jeopardised your pro boxing career?

Tell me, how did your lack of experience balancing your personal life with your boxing life almost cost you your career (before it properly started)?

Personal life (relationship breakup) affected him emotionally impacting on not only his training, but how he carried himself outside of the ring to the public. Almost costing him all he had worked for

What happened on the lead up to your pro debut?

How did this impact upon your life?

Felt depressed, first serious relationship, not concentrating went mad, loosing the plot and wanted to give up.

Explain to me, how did this affect your training?

Explain to me, Having sold a lot of tickets - what were your followers / supporters thinking of you at that time? Especially with their high expectations of you?

Disappointed, upset, let down, purchased tickets and seeing you out acting irresponsible

How did this impact upon your followers and supporters who purchased tickets?

Lost supporters, people saw him out drinking etc..

When did reality kick in that if you didn’t get yourself into gear it would cost you your career?

Behaving the way that you did, how important was it that you won your pro debut? How much did you have on the line that night?

Relationship, family, friends, sponsors, trainers all let down!

Explain to me, how much did that fight mean to you, what were you fighting for on that night? –

Explain to me how your debut was more that just a fight on that night?

What would have happened if you had lost that fight?

On the night of your pro debut, explain to me, what was going through your head?

How did you feel waiting in the changing rooms with all your supporters outside waiting?

Scared, excited, happy, sad, worried if he was going to perform ok

When you were in the changing rooms, how did ray help you to mentally prepare, to focus on the fight and nothing else?

Psyching Oli up, doing pad work,

When you was called up and had to walk to the ring, what was going through your head?

How you couldn’t let people down, everyone was watching, all training for pro debut, family trainer and relationship was at steak.

When the bell rang, explain to me how did you feel, what went through your head?

Everything was for this moment, people cheering

How did the fight turn out, and how did you feel about the results?

Luckily got through it, survived

How did this win impact upon your life, what did it mean for you?

Sorted life out, made him feel good, retribution and atonement for disappointment.

Tell me, having gone through this ordeal; is it something you would go through again? (start with having gone through all of this….)

No Never

What did you learn from this whole experience?

Believe in yourself, do what is right for you, don’t worry about what other people think.

Final Wrapping up questions

Looking back at you as a child to how you are now. How do you feel boxing has changed you?

Reflecting back over your life journey, from once being bullied, to now being very popular confidence prospect, explain to me, how grateful are you to boxing?

Very grateful, without boxing wouldn’t be where you are, very grateful for having a good family / team around you – Ray – Dad – Dave.

Where would you be without boxing?

Thinking forward, where do you want to see yourself in years to come?

And finally, explain to me, what encouraging words would you give to someone who’s gone through what you’ve gone through?

Final rapping up questions

How has boxing changed your life?

What would you be doing if you were not boxing?

What do you have to say to those who being bullied and lacking in self-confidence?

What would you say to your younger self?