Only 5 days removed from creating history I spoke with Ryan Walsh about his fight against Samir Mouneimne and winning the title as well as a few high profile names in the Featherweight division and one particular name from the Super-Featherweight division. But I couldn’t start the interview any other way than talking about how it felt to make history with his twin brother Liam:

That is the biggest plus to me in all this because I was there when Liam won his British title. It was quite big news and it was good – there’s not many champions from Norfolk or Rochdale where we’re originally from. I think there have only been a couple from Norfolk and one from Rochdale. When Liam won it was quite a big deal but there’s a bit of history here and it’s that history that makes it really nice because it’s our uniqueness as twins and getting success. It was me who said it to Liam quite some time ago. I said I don’t think anyone else has done this. And I told everyone once I realised that and I put that pressure on myself. But that helped during the fight. It was that pressure and that drive. I’d told every man and his dog about it, about this chance for history and I really wanted it. I know Samir had the same pressure because Hull has never had a (British) champion itself. We both had that pressure but I think I used it in a better way. It was a real big driving force.

I asked Ryan whether he felt that his performance against Mouneimne was as good as he’d hoped and whether he felt he could have performed better through the fight:

You can always do better and perform better. I learnt so much so I do think in my next fight I’d be so much better. In this fight I’d had 10 months off, it didn’t work out right that I could get a bit of ring rust off but I didn’t think ring rust would be a problem. But watching it back I can clearly see some. I’m only human. I can’t imagine any other athlete in any other sport having a lay off at a high level – which a British title is – and come back and win the title so I’m very happy with my performance and you can use the facts. The facts are I hadn’t been in a ring in a competitive fight, if you see my last two opponents in the last two years – they’re not going to help me get ready for a title fight you know? Not taking anything away from them guys I fought, they’re just not in the same league as Samir. I went from Lee Selby, and then fighting two guys I’m expected to beat with both having losing records, and then I fought Samir. I’m not crying about it, these are just the facts and that’s what makes the win so much better. Things could have been a little bit different for me in the build-up but what I’m trying to say in I’ve played the hand I’ve been dealt the best I can and that’s what I’m really happy about. I can certainly be a better fighter and I will be a better fighter after this fight. I learnt so much- I’ve only ever had two 12 rounders in my life. And I fought those two 12 rounders against two class fighters. Obviously Lee Selby is world class and Samir is a class fighter himself, I think he’s certainly of that level and he could defiantly win a Commonwealth/British/European title. He fought Warrington and he could probably win a good domestic title and I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. He’s good enough to be a British champion. When I fought Selby I thought I was perfect. At the time I was as good as can be but I was so much stronger on Saturday than I was 2 years ago. It wasn’t my time two years ago. This version of me would have been so much more of a fight for Selby. But it was because of that Selby loss that Saturday I couldn’t lose. He either had to knock me out or I’d have to have lost on a dodgy decision in my opinion, they’d have to have robbed me. Selby wanted it more and I learnt so much from that loss, and I learnt from the Samir fight as well. So you put it on a whole, I’m really happy and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We also spoke about the scoring of the fight, which Ryan won via a split decision, and whether he would have a rematch with Mouneimne.

I’m always looking for smoothness and perfection. But real life isn’t like that and I should know better! On the night I thought “why couldn’t it just be clean?” I was kicking myself a little bit, I believed that I could have stopped him and I wanted to stop him. A lot of people thought I would and had backed that. I looked at his fight with Warrington and I know I hit harder than Warrington. It was Samir’s tactics that stopped me stopping him. I was looking for smoothness but that never happened. But overall it’s probably the best thing that could have happened because people are talking about the fight. I’m getting loads of different opinions when people have spoken to me. Everyone scored the fight differently and I think that is brilliant because it means people were not only watching the fight but studying the boxing, which is only a good thing. The controversy is always in the judges and commentary, and that’s helped the fight be bigger and more than what it was. In my mind I think I was the fitter fighter, the stronger fighter and more than everything I was the man who wanted to win it more. If he didn’t hold I don’t know how he would have got through that fight. I’d give Samir a rematch 100%, it doesn’t have to be an immediate rematch but let’s see what pans out best in the future.

I knew when I started speaking to Walsh that I would talk to him about the former British Champion and the man who relinquished the belt to concentrate on a chasing down a World Title shot; Josh Warrington

I’d love to fight Warrington but I’ve nicknamed him the “Running Man” – Forrest Gump could catch him! This guy, he is one of the best ticket sellers in the country. If he wanted to fight me tomorrow he could do that, because he sells tickets. He’s with Sky and they could fight me whenever they wanted. The best tactic they had against me was to only give me three weeks’ notice to fight him. I’m a big Featherweight, so I need the full 10 weeks to make sure I get down to 9 stone safely, they wanted to give me three weeks’ notice and then they tell everyone that they offered me the fight! But when I had the proper time to prepare and have the full 10 weeks, which is what a British Title fight deserves, Warrington decides to vacate the title! Credit to his team and I agree with them on this, when his bubble gets burst they want it to be on the world scene, then he’s at world level and can go and try and fight another world champion. They don’t want his bubble to be burst at a domestic level and I understand that, and that’s why he vacated the British title and wouldn’t fight me. I won’t vacate for nobody. I’ll fight anybody at 9 stone and I’ll stick to that, and that’s not just domestically. If I got the call to fight for the European title I will fight for the 9 stone European title, if I have to travel I will. That’s what I was looking forward to the most in fighting Warrington: go to his hometown, 10,000 people screaming how much they hated me and I would have thrived off it. I was gonna “Do a Naz”; go to his hometown the way Prince Naseem did to Robinson and torture him. I can’t see Warrington and his team giving me that chance though. I think his team and Sky want him to fight Selby at some point.

Talk soon went on from Josh Warrington to Britain’s 9 stone king, Lee Selby. I asked Ryan whether he’d like a rematch with Selby

After we fought two years ago I said to Selby “hopefully me and you can get a rematch” and he very politely said “Haha! No way!” and he’s been true to his word!

Let me put it this way: I’d be the cheapest title defence in the history of the IBF to get that rematch against Selby. I’d practically do that fight for expenses. I know I’m better than I was that night I fought him, and he’s improved loads as well. Selby will never be an easy fight, but I never said I wanted an easy fight. I didn’t come into this sport for easy fights. I would love the rematch. I still believe in my heart that I’ve got the style to beat him. I will say this: I’m a fan of his – he’s a good fighter and he converted me but if I ever had the opportunity I’d jump at it, especially now as he’s the world champion and it’ll be for the title! That’s what I want, the world title. I came in to this sport to get that world title – it’s the Holy Grail for a boxer. But’s it’s a bit unrealistic at the moment as I’m not even ranked with the IBF as far as I know. I’m so far away from it but if HE decided that he wanted it and wanted to fight me, I’d be SO happy! It would be something else. But realistically it’s not possible at the moment but I’d jump at it.

I then asked whether Ryan would step up to Super-Featherweight

I’d only move up to Super-Featherweight if the monster that is my twin brother stepped up to Lightweight! But the way I felt on Saturday, I’ve got a lot left in me at 9 stone. Featherweight is my division and where I’m happy. If I feel like I did on Saturday for every fight it’s gonna take some beating me.

There was of course a reason why I asked Ryan whether he would step up to Super-Featherweight and that reason is Mitchell Smith. If you don’t follow Ryan and Mitchell on twitter you might not know about the twitter-sparring between the two. As soon as I mentioned Smiths name Ryan laughed and groaned at the same time

For 9 months I’ve been good and I’ve not reacted to any of these trolls and idiots that just want to wind you up. And he is them all rolled into one. I’ve met him, and he just talked rubbish. I asked him if he could beat me, and he said he could. I said “how you gonna beat me?” and his answer was “I don’t know how but I’ll find a way”. I said “That’s interesting because you couldn’t knock me out, you couldn’t outbox me” and he’s just a baby. He’s younger and I’ve been stupid enough to come down to this boy’s level, and he is a boy – not a man. I’m 29 and should have known better. It is good in a way because people are talking about it, my friends ask me about it. In that sense it’s good but as a 29 year old man who should know better and not lowered himself I’m upset in myself. The guy’s a tool. He’s not to be taken seriously. He has never made 9 stone, and I don’t know how he gets away with talking about fighting at Featherweight. It was after Liam won the British Title at Super-Featherweight that he started talking about coming down to 9 stone, which is a weight he still hasn’t made. I think he’s scared of my brother. When you look at the size of Smith he really should be Super-Bantam. Compared to Liam he’s tiny. If he dieted properly and lived the life he would be Super-Bantam. For me he’s not to be taken seriously. I’ll tell you what he’s doing which is really clever: He’s making himself relevant out of nothing. Nothing is going on at the moment for him. He’s won the Young Fighter of the year award without winning anything meaningful. There are plenty of other good young fighters out there who have won more than he has. Josh Warrington for example, he’s young and won more than him. I’d like to see who Smith was up against in that category. But well done to him he won it, but I definitely wouldn’t have given it to him. He’s won 3 belts that no-one cares about and all the belts he’s got are at Super-Feather, and if he really wants to fight anyone at Super-Feather he should fight my brother. He doesn’t mention my brother. I saw an interview with him not too long ago where he said he didn’t want to fight Lee Selby because he was far too good for him. Why doesn’t he want to fight Lee Selby? I fought him and yeah I lost but I stood up to the task. He’s a celebrity fighter with a big mouth and he’s a joke. He’s just a ticket seller. He’s not a fighter and I’d love to prove it but I doubt his team would let me. Firstly he’ll never make the weight at Feather. He lets himself go between fights, I saw him on Box Nation the other week and he looked fat. I don’t get it. I’m in the gym 24/7. I don’t “do camp”. He’s the total opposite to me this little Divvy Mitchell and I hope that I get to expose him. I’d love to rid this sport of him. I’d love to be the man to do it.

Ryan mentioned that Smith had said he wouldn’t fight Selby yet. To which I mentioned he’d said that in an interview with me, and that he’d said bar Selby he’d beat anyone at Featherweight and Super-Featherweight

He still didn’t admit that he’s sh*t scared of my brother? He’s petrified. The guy’s a toolbag. You think about it he should have fought Liam. He’s in the same weight and the same stable. It’s the easiest made fight. Liam’s asked for it hundreds of times and still hasn’t got an answer. I’ve said I’ll fight him, I want to fight him. I just don’t think he’ll make Featherweight. I’d happily go up to Super-Featherweight and kick his arse. I don’t mind the extra 4lbs. He talks fighting. He’s a turd. He’s never had to fight. He’s talked fighting but has never had to fight. He reckons he’s fought harder people than I have but he won’t even talk about Selby because he doesn’t want the backlash of everyone saying Selby will do him. Selby would knock him out. If Smith comes down to 9 stone I’ll talk to him but I’ve got a good mind to go up to Super-Feather and deal with him. I’ll force the fight. But I know if I go up to 9 stone 4 he’ll come down to 9 stone! He’s stuffed in his “weight divisions”. He’s got Liam at 9 stone 4, me Selby and Warrington that’ll expose him at 9 stone, and if he drops down to Super-Bantamweight Quigg and Frampton would destroy him! I’d tip Samir to beat him as well! Anyone with a pulse and was fit enough to get in a boxing ring could beat him!

I finish my chat with Ryan Walsh by asking what he wants to do next in his career

I wanna win the Lonsdale belt outright.