Johnny Nelson
Success and Failure: Same Coin Johnny Nelson shares how he earned his stripes inside and outside the ring.
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ports broadcasting and media is a field brimming with former athletes turned journalists, analysts, consultants, and television personalities. The transition is a natural one considering these individuals have in-depth knowledge of their respective sports as well as connections to the competitors, teams, organizations, and movers and shakers within their former discipline. Johnny Nelson is one such example. Johnny is a British former professional boxer and
currently the longest-reigning world cruiserweight champion, having held the WBO title from 1999 to 2005 and defended it against thirteen other boxers. An inspirational figure, Johnny has undergone the hardships of a sports professional and used this experience to inform his second career as a boxing analyst, Sky Sports pundit, and overall role model for aspiring athletes and sports enthusiasts everywhere. “I fell onto my path of sport. I had to learn on the job when it came to success and self-belief. It wasn’t until I believed I was good that the penny started to drop. I mistook nerves for fear so my thought process was upside down in almost everything, in how I performed, how I approached it, how I fought… Once I understood that [I mistook nerves for fear], I realized it was a transferable skill. Once I finished being a professional sportsman, I was asked to be a guest on two shows. We’re so self-conscious of the information that comes out of ourselves, how we look, that we don’t give the best version of ourselves. I was brought up in an environment where from the age of 14, I learned to speak and feel comfortable in my skin - not to be afraid of stepping out my lane,” said Johnny.
Business Enquirer Magazine · Issue 106
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