:00:24. > :00:27.Good evening from Burnley where tomorrow Cardiff City play knowing
:00:27. > :00:33.that promotion is safe and that next year Wales will have two teams
:00:33. > :00:38.in the Premier League. So after another historic week for Welsh
:00:38. > :00:42.sport, stay tuned for a bumper sport Wales.
:00:42. > :00:50.-- Sport Wales. We've been to catch up with Malky
:00:50. > :00:55.Mackay to reflect on a magical week for the club. We're taking as much
:00:55. > :01:02.advice from as many people as I can to keep Cardiff City in the league.
:01:02. > :01:06.Nathan Cleverly is talking to us ahead of his title bout against
:01:06. > :01:16.Robin Krasniqi. Plus we're at the liberty to meet some of Swansea's
:01:16. > :01:18.
:01:18. > :01:23.Well, Cardiff City players can relax when they play Burnley here
:01:23. > :01:25.at tur moor tomorrow, safe in the knowledge that promotion -- Turf
:01:25. > :01:28.Moor tomorrow, safe in the knowledge that promotion to the
:01:28. > :01:31.Premier League is in the bag. The journey back to the top tier of
:01:31. > :01:36.English football has been a bumpy one for the long-suffering
:01:36. > :01:40.supporters. Gareth Rhys Owen looks at a promotion that's been a long
:01:40. > :01:48.time in the making. All the players have moved over to
:01:48. > :01:52.the tunnel, sensible refereing. Marshal with a goal kick. Cardiff
:01:53. > :01:57.City are going to the Premier League. 51 years they've waited to
:01:57. > :02:07.go back to the top flight and this time, after all their recent
:02:07. > :02:10.
:02:10. > :02:14.failures, the nearly men have Despite being out of the top tier,
:02:14. > :02:18.the Welsh Cup gave Cardiff City a chance to face some of Europe's
:02:18. > :02:22.biggest clubs in the 60s and 70s. Domestic success became a rarity
:02:22. > :02:30.over the next two decades with the club bouncing between the lower
:02:30. > :02:34.divisions and only the odd magical cup run to save her -- safer. --
:02:34. > :02:40.savour. Cardiff were just drifting to be honest with you. The chairman,
:02:40. > :02:48.when I signed was Tony Clem enter. He tried his hardest. He done the
:02:48. > :02:53.best he could, kept the club alive. Then Rick Wright took over and
:02:53. > :02:56.pumped a little investment in. All of a sudden, it was like planting a
:02:57. > :03:02.seed and next morning waking up and there was a bean stalk there. It
:03:02. > :03:06.was fantastic. It wasn't really a long-term plan. Cardiff could
:03:06. > :03:11.probably have been in the Premiership, you know, 10, 15 years
:03:11. > :03:20.ago. What's the key to success? What do Cardiff need to do?
:03:20. > :03:26.investment. Cardiff would have to spend probably in the region of �30,
:03:26. > :03:29.�40, �45 million to give themselves an opportunity. If they spent like
:03:29. > :03:33.�20, with the TV money going up next year it will be a struggle.
:03:33. > :03:40.Money has always been an issue at Cardiff. With the dawn of the
:03:40. > :03:46.millennium came a new saviour, leb neen businessman Sam Hamam arrived
:03:46. > :03:52.with a cheque book. Despite being just one more step from the top
:03:52. > :03:56.tier, the foundations below were creeking. The dark days were there
:03:56. > :04:01.just before Sam arrived. He was a lively character and put a spark
:04:01. > :04:05.back in the club. This club has had so many dark days and good days and
:04:05. > :04:10.where we thought this could be it. This is where Cardiff City is going
:04:10. > :04:15.to the next level, but we haven't. Sam put more and more in. He got
:04:15. > :04:20.carried away with the whole scenario. You know, his ego was fed
:04:20. > :04:25.by the fans. They fuelled each other. Then obviously, that money
:04:25. > :04:31.suddenly stopped. It was as if somebody turned the tap off. All of
:04:31. > :04:37.a sudden we had a problem. With the unpopular Peter Ridsdale in charge
:04:37. > :04:42.the club faced reasonable ruin. certainly wouldn't have wanted to
:04:42. > :04:47.be part of seeing the club go to the wall. When I was faced with
:04:47. > :04:52.that decision, do I put my family at risk, my business at risk? Or do
:04:52. > :05:00.I put the football club at risk? You know, it was one massive
:05:00. > :05:03.dilemma. Wind Winding up petitions how close were you to the abyss?
:05:03. > :05:08.I always say the one particular point we were ten minutes from the
:05:08. > :05:13.abyss. Turmoil off the pitch ah, cheefplts on it. Whilst the club
:05:13. > :05:18.fought to survive they enjoyed an FA Cup final and got within a
:05:18. > :05:23.whisker of the Premier League at the 2010 play-offs. It was the
:05:23. > :05:27.worst I've ever felt after a match. It was a big hurt that one. I think
:05:27. > :05:31.this more than makes up for it. There's a lot that's happened in
:05:31. > :05:36.the club. We changed our manager and owners as stuff. I think we've
:05:36. > :05:40.always been up near the top of the league. We've probably been doing
:05:40. > :05:45.really well, although we've always seemed to fail at the last hurdle.
:05:45. > :05:48.It keeps into your mind it might never happen. But no, it's a great
:05:48. > :05:52.feeling to eventually get it done. Realistically I think we would have
:05:52. > :05:56.done it any way, even if we had lost the other night, but you want
:05:56. > :06:02.to do it especially at home, in front of your fans when you have a
:06:02. > :06:05.chance to do it. As I say, a lot of joy and happiness, but after the
:06:05. > :06:09.last few years it's relief more than anything. It's where everybody
:06:09. > :06:14.wants to play and obviously I've got friends who have played there.
:06:14. > :06:17.It's just some are you want to play, want to test yourself and against
:06:17. > :06:21.the best in the world. I'm massively looking forward to it.
:06:21. > :06:24.Obviously it's going to be very, very difficult. But I'm sure with
:06:24. > :06:32.the manager and the staff have got in place, we'll give it a good shot
:06:32. > :06:36.and hopefully we can stay there for a few years. Right, in a moment,
:06:36. > :06:40.I'll be joined by Wales international Sam Ricketts, but
:06:40. > :06:44.first, what of the last few days -- what have the last few days ln like
:06:44. > :06:50.for the man would got Cardiff City into the Premier League and how is
:06:50. > :06:54.he preparing for life in the top flight? Ian Hunt caught up with the
:06:54. > :07:00.Cardiff City manager, Malky Mackay. We are going up, say, we are going
:07:00. > :07:04.up! Great to see you. I wonder, how are you feeling? Is it all
:07:04. > :07:07.beginning to sink in yet? Gradually. I think the local newspapers
:07:07. > :07:10.yesterday, and walking around yesterday you see a lot of happy
:07:10. > :07:15.faces, the emotion of everyone on the pitch and a good night for the
:07:15. > :07:20.club. I think as the days have gone on you start to reelise the
:07:20. > :07:30.magnitude of where the club is now. Is your head still racing, are you
:07:30. > :07:35.
:07:35. > :07:40.still thinking? You didn't bother going to bed? No, we are still
:07:40. > :07:43.planning for the next three games. You're not having nightmares
:07:43. > :07:50.already of how to deal with the likes of Percival and the players
:07:50. > :07:56.you will come up against? I will find out from Brendan Rogers how to
:07:56. > :08:02.deal with Schwarzer. No we'll leave that to a -- suarez. No we'll leave
:08:02. > :08:10.that to a later poipbtd. You are apparently going to get �25 million
:08:10. > :08:19.to spend on players. If figures are to be believed, Reading spent �5,
:08:19. > :08:24.West Ham �19 and West Ham it's 27 - - if you can get the best players
:08:24. > :08:28.for as cheap as you can to improve the squad. Do you do what Swansea
:08:28. > :08:36.have done and go to the spinnish market, somebody said you might
:08:36. > :08:41.need 12 Michu's in the summer? think most of the Premier League
:08:41. > :08:45.was looking for Michu! You're never going to have a sure thing. There
:08:45. > :08:50.will be one or two that we get wrong or doesn't work. It's about
:08:50. > :08:55.hard work. It's about sifting through long hours of videos and
:08:55. > :09:00.dossiers and documents. And having our scouts to watch games far and
:09:00. > :09:06.wide and myself to go and do that with the staff as well before we
:09:07. > :09:11.decide to spend any money. Every penny that we have, up to this
:09:11. > :09:14.point, there's a reason it has been spent. He wants a reason that it's
:09:14. > :09:18.been spent. It's about why money needs to be spent and it's up to
:09:18. > :09:23.him to decide whether to authorise that. In the main, he's given mef
:09:23. > :09:27.great backing as far as that's concerned. For the fans, the South
:09:27. > :09:31.Wales derby back in the Premier League, what will that mean to the
:09:31. > :09:36.supporters? It's something that we have spoken about. On day one, when
:09:36. > :09:41.I came to the job, to have Cardiff City and Swansea City both in the
:09:41. > :09:44.Premier League and to be playing in a derby against them, I'm sure the
:09:44. > :09:48.two games will be interesting to say the least. They'll not be a
:09:48. > :09:55.ticket to be had. That can only be good for South Wales. Have you
:09:55. > :09:57.spoke ton Sir Alex or any of the other top managers as to how you
:09:57. > :10:03.survive in the Premier League? got a nice text from him before and
:10:03. > :10:11.after the game. That was really nice. There'll be a point where I
:10:11. > :10:15.go and have a cup of tea with him beforehand. I've had four or five
:10:15. > :10:19.others from the Premier League texting me, good luck and I'll be
:10:19. > :10:23.giving them calls.Ive spoke to Brendan Rogers last night. We'll be
:10:23. > :10:28.tying up as well. I've always said the Premier League will be a better
:10:28. > :10:33.place with the two Welsh teams in there. It will prove that next
:10:33. > :10:37.season. As I said, it's a brilliant achievement by Malky Mackay. I'm so
:10:37. > :10:40.pleased for him. He's a good guy. I've known him a while now. You
:10:40. > :10:44.have to earn your right and chance to come into the Premier League as
:10:44. > :10:50.a manager and coach. He's done that. It's about taking as much advice
:10:50. > :10:52.from as many good people as I can as to how to manage to keep Cardiff
:10:52. > :10:57.City in the league for as many years as possible. It's something
:10:57. > :11:05.that won't be done through lack of effort and hard work. And
:11:05. > :11:09.understanding of the task that's at hand in front of us. A very proud
:11:09. > :11:13.Malky Mackay there. I'm joined now by Wales' international Sam
:11:13. > :11:16.Ricketts. Sam, how important has Malky Mackay been in Cardiff City's
:11:16. > :11:21.success? He's brought changes to the team and the set up probably
:11:21. > :11:24.behind the scenes as much as anything. They have the consistency
:11:25. > :11:29.this year which they haven't had in the past. A fantastic start as
:11:29. > :11:35.always, like they have for the last four, five years. This year they've
:11:35. > :11:38.maintained it to the end. Vincent Tan said he doesn't want to spend
:11:38. > :11:41.what �25 million, does that sound about right? Going off what the
:11:41. > :11:46.teams have spent this year, I think that's a fair amount. I don't know
:11:46. > :11:49.if you need to spend that much. He'll need to be careful not to rip
:11:49. > :11:52.the side apart. There's been reports about the side needed
:11:52. > :11:58.strengthening, every position. I don't really believe that. If you
:11:58. > :12:00.look at QPR, a side who has spent a phenomenal amount of money to stay
:12:00. > :12:04.in the Premier League and are struggling. It looks like they're
:12:04. > :12:08.going to go down. Swansea maintained nearly lay side,
:12:08. > :12:11.certainly players from League Two that they've accumulated through
:12:11. > :12:15.the league. The team spirit which got Cardiff there, you need to be
:12:15. > :12:18.careful and protect that and give the players a chance to got the
:12:18. > :12:22.club promoted. What players come to your mind, when you think, oh, that
:12:22. > :12:27.would be ideal for Cardiff City? Phil Neville, someone with
:12:27. > :12:30.experience. You need two or three players to add experience. You have
:12:30. > :12:34.Craig Bellamy there. Add Phil Neville to the mix. And then you
:12:34. > :12:37.need young players who are hungry to prove themselves in the game, a
:12:38. > :12:41.bit like the Michu effect. He was hung Troy prove himself in the
:12:41. > :12:44.English football style and he's come in, along with the other
:12:44. > :12:49.Spanish players. It's a real mix to keep the team spirit is the most
:12:49. > :12:54.important thing. Can they stay up? Definitely. I don't really see any
:12:54. > :12:57.reason why they should be scared. They've obviously enjoying the
:12:57. > :13:01.promotion party at the minute and rightly. So it's been a long ten
:13:01. > :13:04.months for them. When the season starts next season, they'll have
:13:04. > :13:11.the euphoria of being in the Premier League for the fis time.
:13:11. > :13:17.The fans will be fantastic every week. Don't go anywhere. We'll turn
:13:17. > :13:20.our attention to boxing now. And to a very big night in the Welsh
:13:20. > :13:25.amateur boxing calendar. Sport Wales cameras went along to catch
:13:25. > :13:29.the action. Boxing was a key part of the
:13:29. > :13:36.British success at last year's London Olympic Games. It provided a
:13:36. > :13:39.boost for Welsh amateur boxing when Fred Evans won a silver medal in
:13:39. > :13:45.the welterweight final. Last weekend some of our hopefuls for
:13:45. > :13:52.Rio 2016 were on show at the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association's elite
:13:52. > :13:57.finals. It's the pinnacle of the year really. It's the ultimate for
:13:57. > :14:01.our up-and-coming boxers who are going to go forward hopefully in
:14:01. > :14:09.boxing, European Championships and limb Bic Games. This is the scene -
:14:09. > :14:18.- Olympic Games. This is the scene it's set on. Nicola Adams Gold
:14:18. > :14:21.Medal performance was a stand-out moment of the Games. This year, the
:14:21. > :14:26.lightweight effort, Jones in the blue vest proved far too powerful
:14:26. > :14:33.for ef ans on the night winning the tightal -- title by a points margin
:14:33. > :14:37.of 25-8. I've worked hard for it. I think I
:14:37. > :14:41.deserved that. How much inspiration was Nicola Adams to you last year?
:14:41. > :14:48.Amazing inspiration. It's got me more determined. It makes me work
:14:48. > :14:52.harder as well to chase my dream. In the flyweight division Jayme
:14:52. > :14:58.Beasley gained a narrow points decision over Ben baker. Wins for
:14:58. > :15:04.an yell Evans in the welterweight division and the experienced Jayme
:15:04. > :15:08.Evans proved too strong for Aaron Bird at middleweight. One of the
:15:08. > :15:15.best success stories in Welsh amateur boxing in recent years is
:15:15. > :15:23.St Joseph's gym in Newport. It's home to the Olympic Silver Medalist
:15:23. > :15:26.Fred Evans. McGold Rick's fight had to be cancelled at the last minute.
:15:26. > :15:30.I'm really disappointed. I'm not fighting tonight. That's just the
:15:30. > :15:36.way it goes. The European rgs World Championships coming up. I need to
:15:36. > :15:39.be on top form. I feel I'm in good form. Hopefully I'll get
:15:39. > :15:44.transferred to the Europeans which is first, at the epd of May. That's
:15:44. > :15:50.what's next. Another of St Joseph's rising stars
:15:50. > :15:58.was on show in the 60kg lightweight division. Former Welsh champion Joe
:15:58. > :16:03.Cordina. Over the moon. I've put in hard
:16:03. > :16:09.work over the last couple of weeks and months. Tonight it came off.
:16:09. > :16:14.It's like sleeping to me, boxing. Yeah, it's, this is like playing
:16:14. > :16:20.football to like Ronaldo or Messi. In the 81kg light-heavyweight
:16:20. > :16:30.division another hopeful Morgan Jones had a very tough encounter
:16:30. > :16:33.with Nathan Thorley. Then it was on to the big boys. In the heavyweight
:16:33. > :16:40.division Callum Evans was give ago way a height advantage against Tom
:16:40. > :16:49.King. It was Evans who took the title after one of the most
:16:49. > :16:56.exciting fights of the evening. In the superheavy weights saw Phil
:16:56. > :17:01.Davies scoring an emphatic points victory over Rhys Tom Williams. The
:17:01. > :17:07.most dramatic performance came from another very well thought of young
:17:07. > :17:13.boxer and member of the Great Britain squad, Zac Davies. In his
:17:13. > :17:23.light welterweight bout against Jordan Fisher.
:17:23. > :17:23.
:17:23. > :17:27.Started off quite good. I got in a few good shots. I finished him.
:17:27. > :17:31.This year is busy. I have the Europeans in May. And the World
:17:31. > :17:38.Championships at end of the year. Hopefully medal in one of them now
:17:38. > :17:42.and try to make my mark on boxing. For a small country we are punching
:17:43. > :17:45.above our weight and I'm sure before the next, before the Rio
:17:45. > :17:50.Olympics, there'll be a few more Welsh lads up there.
:17:50. > :17:57.Remember, still to come: We pound the streets with Nathan Cleverly as
:17:57. > :18:02.he prepares to defend his title against Robin Krasniqi.
:18:02. > :18:05.Well as Cardiff City make plans for life in the Premier League, there's
:18:05. > :18:11.strong speculation that Swansea City will look to Spain once again
:18:11. > :18:14.this summer to strengthen their squad. Can they find another star
:18:14. > :18:19.like Michu perhaps? Well, Ian Hunt has been speaking to an expert in
:18:19. > :18:24.the field as well as two current members of Swansea's Spanish
:18:24. > :18:28.contingent. Their faith in the virtues and
:18:28. > :18:37.products of Spanish football has been rewarded this season.
:18:37. > :18:42.Michu, you know the rest. After raiding the Spanish league's for
:18:42. > :18:47.Michu and three others last year, how many more Spaniards will
:18:47. > :18:51.Swansea snap up this summer? How much more Michus might there be
:18:51. > :18:56.undiscovered? There's no more Michus. Michu is a guy that has
:18:56. > :19:00.come in, has adapted really well, has a fantastic first touch, is a
:19:00. > :19:04.goal scorer. He doesn't need to play the ball that much. He affects
:19:04. > :19:08.teams. Like Michu, none. You talk about bargains though, players that
:19:08. > :19:14.have quality for the Premier League, you've got a dozen there. People
:19:14. > :19:24.that are actually, I would say desperate even, to leave their
:19:24. > :19:27.
:19:27. > :19:32.clubs. There's lots of names linked with Swansea, can you see some of
:19:32. > :19:35.them turning up here? If you follow regularly La Liga in England, you
:19:35. > :19:39.would know some of those names are regular in their teams. We've seen
:19:39. > :19:43.them play. Some of them will be here. How did Swansea get Michu?
:19:43. > :19:47.How did they get him ahead of all the other Premier League clubs, who
:19:47. > :19:50.were supposedly looking at him? lot of clubs were looking into it
:19:50. > :19:55.and they thought no, he's a number nine that probably is tall but
:19:55. > :19:59.doesn't head the ball well. He's in the a midfielder that passes the
:19:59. > :20:04.ball, so what is he? While they were trying to find an answer,
:20:04. > :20:09.Swansea said come to us. I can tell you, there's been investigations
:20:09. > :20:15.within clubs, big clubs, in the Premier League to find out why they
:20:15. > :20:25.missed Michu. How could you think that for �2.5 million, somebody who
:20:25. > :20:25.
:20:25. > :20:31.scored in double figures could not work with your boss. Defenders
:20:31. > :20:34.Angel Rangel and Chico Flores were at a news conference. Do you enjoy
:20:34. > :20:38.public speaking then? I prefer to be kicking the ball in front of
:20:38. > :20:43.probably as many thousands people as you want. If I have to do it,
:20:43. > :20:47.it's part of your job as well. It's not my best, but I try it. As the
:20:47. > :20:50.longest serving Spaniard here, are you kind of the leader of the
:20:50. > :20:54.group? I found it difficult at the time when I came here, but now I
:20:54. > :20:58.see the new comers coming and it's the same. I am trying to make it
:20:58. > :21:03.easier for them, help them with everything on and off the pitch.
:21:03. > :21:07.It's a guider trying to help them and make them feel comfortable and
:21:07. > :21:15.I'm enjoying the life in South Wales. Chico, you're learning
:21:15. > :21:19.English, how's it going? A little bit English. He's saying that he's
:21:19. > :21:24.been here for about nine months and he's found it difficult to learn
:21:24. > :21:26.English, but it is improving. He doesn't think he's ready for TV
:21:26. > :21:30.interviews yet. His English is OK but sometimes it's a lot of
:21:30. > :21:40.pressure. He's happy I'm here to help him out. Getting a reputation
:21:40. > :21:42.
:21:42. > :21:46.as a tough tackling player? English game is a lot different and
:21:46. > :21:52.the Italian game, so obviously he remembers attacking when he got a
:21:52. > :21:56.red card. He thinks if he had done that in Spain, he wouldn't have got
:21:56. > :22:00.as many games ban. He works hard and tries to improve all the time
:22:00. > :22:03.and for him that was a lesson. He knew he made a mistake that day.
:22:03. > :22:08.He's learned from that. You can see he's a better player and enjoying
:22:09. > :22:14.it more. In terms of the season, what is the target for Swansea? Is
:22:14. > :22:19.it to ensure you finish in the top ten? We won the cup. We're in the
:22:19. > :22:23.top ten. With six games to go that is the biggest achievement Swansea
:22:23. > :22:28.can get. Hopefully if we stay in the top ten that would be a mass a
:22:28. > :22:31.chee. For the club. It's not over yet. We have to work for 18 points
:22:31. > :22:37.and hopefully we'll get as many as we can. Beating Southampton
:22:37. > :22:44.tomorrow is key to the top-ten target. Could the architect of
:22:45. > :22:50.Swansea's success be seduced to Spain? Just after winning the cup
:22:50. > :22:54.and 70-odd per cent of fans want him to replace Mourinho if he
:22:54. > :22:57.leaves. But he's signed a new contract. I know Brendan Rogers did
:22:57. > :23:02.that as well but a different situation. This is a man who has
:23:02. > :23:06.been in the elite. He has been at Real Madrid, Juventus. He's seen it
:23:07. > :23:10.and done it. He just wants to be happy at what he does. Heefz happy
:23:10. > :23:14.at Swansea, at a club he's taken to Europe and with a possibility of
:23:14. > :23:17.making the squad better. Sometimes it's not about getting to the top,
:23:17. > :23:20.and then you sign for Barcelona or Real Madrid and six months later
:23:21. > :23:25.they sack you. What kind of enjoyment is that? I think Liam
:23:25. > :23:29.McLeod is looking for happiness and he's -- Michael Laurup is looking
:23:29. > :23:34.for happiness and he has it here. We saw them there, the Spanish boys
:23:34. > :23:39.at the liberty, what or who will this summer bring to the Liberty?
:23:39. > :23:43.I'm expecting a few more astute signings by Michael this summer,
:23:43. > :23:48.given the business model that Hugh Jenkins has installed at Swansea
:23:48. > :23:52.I'm not expecting fanfare arrivals. Pretty much more of the same. If
:23:52. > :23:57.they can add another Michu to the squad I'm sure they will try to do
:23:57. > :24:04.that. The fact they have silverware now and the name Michael McLeod
:24:05. > :24:09.does that make the club more attractive to bigger names? --
:24:09. > :24:12.Michael Laurup. More than that it's the way Swansea play their football.
:24:13. > :24:15.They've gained a reputation for playing attractive football.
:24:16. > :24:19.There's admiring eyes not just in this country, but abroad now as
:24:19. > :24:26.well. As players, you want to be part of a team that plays like that.
:24:26. > :24:30.I think that plays as much a part of the fact that they're now the
:24:31. > :24:34.League Cup cluns. Fans will wonder what will next season bring for
:24:34. > :24:39.Swansea fans, what's the next goal, do you think? I'm not sure how far
:24:39. > :24:42.Swansea can go. They keep surpassing expectations every year.
:24:42. > :24:46.They've got better and better for the last six years. It's the case
:24:46. > :24:51.of doing the same thing and possibly trying to nick a European
:24:51. > :24:55.place. As a former swans yip player, can you imagine what that South
:24:55. > :24:59.Wales derby will be like next year? It's already been spoken about not
:24:59. > :25:05.just by me, but anyone I speak to now is looking forward to the derby
:25:05. > :25:09.next year and what it's going to do for Saj Wales. Sam Ricketts, thank
:25:09. > :25:14.you for -- South Wales. Ricketts, thank you phwoaarr
:25:14. > :25:19.joining us. Tomorrow night Nathan Cleverly will make his fifth
:25:19. > :25:25.defence of the heavyweight title against Robin Krasniqi, a fiegtder
:25:25. > :25:30.that's described as -- fighter has described as the best he's ever
:25:30. > :25:35.faced. Nathan made time to speak to Sport Wales ahead of the big fight.
:25:35. > :25:41.Boxing is part of me. It's in my DNA. It tests you mentally,
:25:41. > :25:48.physically and phylosophically like no other sport. You need dedication,
:25:48. > :25:53.mental strength and the will to win. I box because the buzz of boxing,
:25:53. > :25:56.the adrenaline it gives me. It's an incredible feeling. For my
:25:56. > :26:00.background as a kid I was very competitive. I found myself
:26:00. > :26:07.involved in a lot of street fights on street corners. Boxing wagz a
:26:07. > :26:11.way out for me. It provided me with discipline and a vision. I love the
:26:11. > :26:18.fear. I love just charging towards it. I feel that's the best way to
:26:18. > :26:23.overcome fear. Take it on head first and just destroy it. I knew
:26:23. > :26:29.right from day one, even before I stepped in the boxing gym, that I
:26:29. > :26:34.would become world champion. My fifth defence of my world title has
:26:34. > :26:38.come around so quickly. I'm looking forward to it. Just like every
:26:38. > :26:47.other defence, just embrace it and being world champion and enjoying
:26:47. > :26:51.the moment. Krasniqi is a very credible opponent, very tough.
:26:51. > :26:57.Knocked out his last four opponents. This is a tough fight. He's coming
:26:57. > :27:00.in with a great deal of confidence. He's a hungry fighter, they're
:27:00. > :27:07.danger fighters. I have to be on the ball for this fight. He will
:27:07. > :27:13.give this everything to rip this world title from me. Training has
:27:13. > :27:16.gone very well. I love pushing my body hard, physically feeling in
:27:16. > :27:22.great shape. More importantly mentally I've been focused. I have
:27:22. > :27:26.to take this guy on. I'm going to prove I'm a true world champion.
:27:26. > :27:32.Natural ability is something that you must have to reach the top in
:27:32. > :27:37.boxing. But the majority is the will to go through the work, the
:27:37. > :27:42.training, the work edgic that's got to be -- it's got to be extreme.
:27:42. > :27:51.You get to a stage in the fight where your body can go into a kind
:27:51. > :27:56.of trans, where you're so tired and exhausted, your legs, your arms,
:27:56. > :28:05.your lungs, they get so tired that you kind of end the transstage
:28:05. > :28:11.where you just are working on instinct. When you've prepared your
:28:11. > :28:19.body to do that, it becomes much easier in the fight to go through
:28:19. > :28:27.that, that threshold.. Still the world heavyweight champion, Nathan
:28:27. > :28:33.Cleverly. Two individuals in that boxing ring
:28:33. > :28:40.fighting like two gladiators who've trained and prepared religiously to
:28:40. > :28:43.win in battle, it's definitely the toughest sport of all. And let's
:28:43. > :28:49.hope that Nathan Cleverly can keep the Welsh sporting success going
:28:49. > :28:53.tomorrow night. You can listen to the fight live on both BBC Radio