Our latest Industry Insider sees us venture back into the world of boxing as we sit down with Matt Lenihan, one of the lead reporter and content creators for the Boxing Social.
Tell us about yourself, what is your current role and what roles have you done previously?
My name’s Matt Lenihan, I am currently one of the lead reporters & content creators for media outlet Boxing Social. I have also worked as a Content Manager for ‘Intu Boxing’ and as a reporter for ‘Behind The Gloves’.
What do you do in your current role?
I interview the leading names in the sport of boxing & create unique content for ‘Boxing Social’. I attend fight weeks regularly & travel around the world providing a behind the scenes look at Boxing.
“Normal” isn’t a thing in sport so what does an “average” week look like for you?
It could range from attending a fight week, to going to gyms or taking a plane to a different country. My role involves being on the move & trying to be as proactive as possible in gaining interviews with some of boxings high profile names.
How did you end up where you are right now? When did you know you wanted to work in sport?
I was fortunate enough to be given an opportunity to work part time for Behind The Gloves thanks to Michelle Joy Phelps. From there I was offered a full-time role at Intu Boxing / Boxing Social. I have always wanted to work in sport from young and I’m grateful I am able to do it.
What is your number one focus when it comes to your work?
My number focus is to make sure I produce the best content I can given the situation and to make the subject feel confident enough that they will get an honest and fair interview.
Can you tell us about a time you failed and what you learned from it?
There’s not one specific moment that comes to mind but I’m always learning & trying to develop my own skills to become more efficient.
What are you excited about in your industry at the moment?
The opportunities. There are so many different opportunities to interview a variety of people from all parts of the globe. I was also given the opportunity to host a press conference & take part in on screen content which is something I am keen to do more of.
If you could change one thing about your Industry, what would you change?
In the sport of boxing I would like to see zero tolerance in regard to failed drug tests. The sport is far too dangerous to have people cheat to gain an edge.
Sport is a hectic industry, what do you do to switch off?
I would say go on holiday with my family. That’s probably the time where I have the chance to take a break and get some space, but you never fully switch off. There are moments where you can have some downtime but the news never stops & there’s always an opportunity to capitalise.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to someone wanting to work in the sports industry?
Don’t half ass it. Make sure you do it because you love it. One thing people won’t always see are the 4am shifts several times a week to try and edit content or the hectic travel schedule due to the nature of the job. This means lots of time away from family on a regular basis, so it must be something you’re comfortable with and that you’re passionate about.
How to follow Matt Lenihan…
@mattlenihan_ on Instagram
@MattyLenihan on Twitter
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