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Take It From Us with Kent Johns

Take It From Us with Kent Johns

Shane Cameron thought he was a dumb kid. Boxing was his answer.

Sep 3, 2026 · 50 min · 11 segments

Shane Cameron spent 17 years as a professional heavyweight boxer — a Commonwealth Games bronze, a world title shot and the 2009 fight against David Tua that ended with him in an ambulance. He didn't…

Shane Cameron spent 17 years as a professional heavyweight boxer — a Commonwealth Games bronze, a world title shot and the 2009 fight against David Tua that ended with him in an ambulance. He didn't watch the footage back until last year. In this episode, Shane talks to Kent about the memory loss, anger and mood swings he now lives with day to day, and what happened when he asked to be tested for brain damage: a neuropsychologist told him CTE can't be confirmed until after death. He also opens up about being diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD as an adult, the toll boxing took on the people around him and why he's trying to be a different kind of father this time around. You can buy Shane's autobiography *Mountain Warrior* here. We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text or a voicemail by clicking here. **If you need support, here are helpful links, phone numbers and resources:** https://ember.org.nz/resources/in-a-crisis/

Shane Cameron spent 17 years as a professional heavyweight boxer — a Commonwealth Games bronze, a world title shot and the 2009 fight against David Tua that ended with him in an ambulance. He didn't…

Speakers: Shane CameronGuestKent JohnsHost

Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Website

Top entities: Shane Cameron×46 David Tua×9 Dancing with the Stars×4 chronic traumatic encephalopathy×5 Seven Sharp×2

Show signals: SuitabilityLimitedBiasNot politicalAudience≈1k followers

Retiring from Boxing1:21 – 5:09

1:21

Shane Cameron, thank you so much for talking to Take It From Us.

1:25

Appreciate it.

1:26

Pleasure, Kent.

1:27

Good to be here, mate.

1:29

How would you describe yourself these days when people ask you what you're up to?

Shane CameronGuest

1:34

Oh, I don't really know.

Shane CameronGuest

1:36

Some people ask if I'm still fighting or they go, when's your next fight? I'm like, oh, man, no, I haven't fought in 12 years.

Shane CameronGuest

1:43

You know, or 11 years or 10 years.

Shane CameronGuest

1:45

I'm like, oh, yeah, I don't know.

Shane CameronGuest

1:47

So I don't know why they throw that out there, but maybe it's just an icebreaker.

1:52

Well, I mean, you were – We're going back a few years now.

1:55

I mean, the fight with David Tua, I can't believe this, was 17 years ago.

1:59

So at the time, yourself and Tua would have been two of the most high-profile sports stars we had in New Zealand.

2:06

I'm wondering whether people still asking you about your career are just hanging on to those connections that they had with you.

Shane CameronGuest

2:14

Yeah, yeah.

Shane CameronGuest

2:15

It was such a huge fight.

Shane CameronGuest

2:18

So then there's people going, oh, when was your last fight? Was it against David Tua? I'm like, uh, no.

Shane CameronGuest

2:24

You know, so I had some good fights after that.

Shane CameronGuest

2:27

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Shane CameronGuest

2:28

So that sometimes, it might have just captured them.

Shane CameronGuest

2:31

And they might not have watched boxing before.

Shane CameronGuest

2:34

You know what I mean? It might just have captured the nation for that particular time or fight of the century.

Shane CameronGuest

2:39

You know, biggest fight ever to happen, pay for views and all that.

Shane CameronGuest

2:42

Those numbers were, no one can gauge it against anything else.

Shane CameronGuest

2:46

You know, so...

Shane CameronPersonNew Zealand professional boxer
98%46 mentions
David TuaPersonSamoan-New Zealand former professional boxer
95%9 mentions
Dancing with the StarsTV SeriesNew Zealand television series
91%4 mentions
chronic traumatic encephalopathyEntityDisease
88%5 mentions
Seven SharpTV SeriesNew Zealand TV show
84%2 mentions
traumatic brain injuryEntityInjury
80%1 mention
2002 Commonwealth GamesEventMulti-sport event
77%1 mention
North IslandEntityIsland in New Zealand
73%1 mention
New ZealandCountryCountry in Oceania
68%5 mentions
David HayePersonBritish former professional boxer
68%1 mention
LondonCityCapital of England
63%1 mention
Commonwealth GamesEntity
59%3 mentions
Parkinson's diseaseEntityDisease
55%2 mentions
Kali MeehanPersonAustralian professional boxer
52%1 mention
CanadaCountryCountry in North America
48%1 mention
FatherEntity
45%3 mentions
Brian MintoPersonAmerican former professional boxer
41%1 mention
Coca-ColaProductCarbonated soft drinks
38%1 mention
ChinaCountryCountry in East Asia
32%1 mention
PakistanCountryCountry in South Asia
32%1 mention
Mike TysonPersonAmerican former professional boxer
27%2 mentions
AucklandCityCity in the North Island, New Zealand
23%1 mention
The Coca-Cola CompanyCompanyDrink company
20%1 mention
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
16%1 mention
RotoruaCityCity in the North Island, New Zealand
13%1 mention
GodEntitySupreme being
9%1 mention
Floyd Mayweather Jr.PersonAmerican professional boxer
5%1 mention
Danny GreenPersonFormer Australian professional boxer
2%1 mention

Personal DevelopmentSociety
Mental HealthHealth
Counterpunch BrandBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Sports Equipment
E-commerceBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Sports Equipment > Counterpunch Brand
Cognitive ChallengesHealth > Mental Health > Dyslexia > ADHD
Fitness ProgramsHealth > Parkinson's Disease
Counterpunch Parkinson'sHealth > Parkinson's Disease > Fitness Programs
Community SupportHealth > Parkinson's Disease > Fitness Programs > Counterpunch Parkinson's
Society
BoxingSports
ResilienceSociety > Personal Development > Motivation
AthletesSports > Boxing
Parkinson's DiseaseHealth
ADHDHealth > Mental Health > Dyslexia
DyslexiaHealth > Mental Health
MotivationSociety > Personal Development
Sports EquipmentBusiness > Entrepreneurship
Life LessonsSociety > Personal Development > Motivation > Resilience
Sports
Health
Business
EntrepreneurshipBusiness
Shane CameronSports > Boxing > Athletes
Career HighlightsSports > Boxing > Athletes > Shane Cameron

Retiring from Boxing1:21 – 5:09

1:21

Shane Cameron, thank you so much for talking to Take It From Us.

1:25

Appreciate it.

1:26

Pleasure, Kent.

1:27

Good to be here, mate.

1:29

How would you describe yourself these days when people ask you what you're up to?

Shane CameronGuest

1:34

Oh, I don't really know.

Shane CameronGuest

1:36

Some people ask if I'm still fighting or they go, when's your next fight? I'm like, oh, man, no, I haven't fought in 12 years.

Shane CameronGuest

1:43

You know, or 11 years or 10 years.

Shane CameronGuest

1:45

I'm like, oh, yeah, I don't know.

Shane CameronGuest

1:47

So I don't know why they throw that out there, but maybe it's just an icebreaker.

1:52

Well, I mean, you were – We're going back a few years now.

1:55

I mean, the fight with David Tua, I can't believe this, was 17 years ago.

1:59

So at the time, yourself and Tua would have been two of the most high-profile sports stars we had in New Zealand.

2:06

I'm wondering whether people still asking you about your career are just hanging on to those connections that they had with you.

Shane CameronGuest

2:14

Yeah, yeah.

Shane CameronGuest

2:15

It was such a huge fight.

Shane CameronGuest

2:18

So then there's people going, oh, when was your last fight? Was it against David Tua? I'm like, uh, no.

Shane CameronGuest

2:24

You know, so I had some good fights after that.

Shane CameronGuest

2:27

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Shane CameronGuest

2:28

So that sometimes, it might have just captured them.

Shane CameronGuest

2:31

And they might not have watched boxing before.

Shane CameronGuest

2:34

You know what I mean? It might just have captured the nation for that particular time or fight of the century.

Shane CameronGuest

2:39

You know, biggest fight ever to happen, pay for views and all that.

Shane CameronGuest

2:42

Those numbers were, no one can gauge it against anything else.

Shane CameronGuest

2:46

You know, so...

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