In this Business Blast podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner introduces the show’s sponsors—Anchor for podcast hosting and Authors Unite for book publishing—before interviewing New York City boxing trainer Ricky Ray Taylor, president of BoxerDRILLZ Corporation and author of the memoir Punches and Prayers. Taylor shares a formative story about being denied a spot on a baseball team in 1982, which redirected him to a boxing ring and ultimately led to a full‑ride boxing scholarship funded by the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He notes his father’s invention of the boxing time‑clock, highlighting how unexpected setbacks can become divine positioning. Throughout the conversation Taylor emphasizes universal principles: maintaining hope, continual prayer, and the economic adage “there ain’t no free lunch.” He offers personal spiritual counsel—believing in God, repentance, and faith in Jesus—as the key to happiness and life purpose. Taylor recommends two boxing‑focused books, The Gloves by Anassi and Teddy Atlas’s autobiography, and shares his favorite quote, “Preach the gospel at all times, use words when necessary.” The episode concludes with a prompt for listeners to find Taylor online.
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Thank you for listening to the Business Blast podcast. So for all my listeners out there that have been wanting to do your own podcast, I'd like to introduce to you Anchor. Anchor is a one-stop shop for recording, hosting, distributing, and monetizing your podcast. So before I found Anchor, I had never actually done a podcast because all the research that I had gathered made it seem very complex. Then I found Anchor, and Anchor makes podcasting extremely simple. So if you want to do your own podcast, go to anchor.fm/start. I can't wait to hear your podcast.
Welcome to the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with the support you need to finish your book. Best part is, after you finish your book, they take care of the entire publishing and marketing process 100% for you. So if you want to become a successful author, make sure to check out AuthorsUnite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
Alright everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have a New York City boxing trainer named Ricky Ray Taylor who is the president of Boxer Drills Corporation and author of Punches and Prayers, which is a colorful memoir about his crazy life. So welcome to the show, man.
All right. Thanks for having me, Tyler.
Of course. Grateful to have you on. So, Ricky, the first one I got for you is what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
You know, Tyler, it's funny how trivial acts by people, people will probably only meet once in our lives, can be so significant. I mean, look, here's my neighbor friend and I. We're a week late, just a week late for baseball tryouts. They haven't even played a game yet. At the local JCs back in '82, the old boy sitting behind the desk with his baseball cap pulled down over his face, he wouldn't budge, period. He just would not budge. So no matter how much the three of us pleaded with him, we weren't going to play baseball that summer. So 15 minutes later, Plan B emerged from my dad's head, and I'm in a boxing ring. 5 miles away, fighting for my life in my first ever sparring session. I had no idea— this is funny because I had no idea that the guy sitting behind that desk at the baseball field who kept shaking his head no was unknowingly catapulting me, realigning things, if you will, exactly where God wanted me to be. So then I'd ultimately become the second person in America to graduate college on a full-ride boxing scholarship. Funded entirely by the U.S. Olympic Training Center. And my dad would end up inventing the boxing time clock that's used in boxing gyms on fight cards all over the world, all from the stranger's decision not to let me play baseball. But, but you know, Tyler, sometimes tragedies are really just God's hands maneuvering pieces into place within our lives.
Very cool story. Thank you, dude. That's interesting. I like that.
It's crazy.
Uh, the next one I have for you is, what is the What's the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
Man, you know, just keep having hope. I mean, it's so universal, but don't lose hope. Keep praying, keep praying. I mean, it's on every field, man.
And what is your best piece of overall business advice and not necessarily industry-specific?
Keep praying, keep praying. It's just, but probably really I'd say Look, in my very first college class, Jeff Davis Junior College in Gulfport, freshman year, the very first thing that came out of my economic professor's mouth— this is a class that I very soon dropped afterwards, by the way— but the first thing he said is, it's him standing before the class, he said, "There ain't no free lunch." And he was right on time with those words. Now, you know, when he first said it, it sounded like a bunch of hot air. But man, you know, it's 30 years later and he's right on time with that. There ain't no free lunch, man.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
Believe in God. Stop fighting. Repent and be saved. It's really that easy. I mean, I made it hard by my enormous amount of time that I'd invested fighting against that advice, I guess.
And then kind of going— well, not really down a different path, but in your opinion, what is the key to happiness?
This is on the same path, man. It's faith in Jesus, man. I have an incredible treasure waiting for me. Me, Tyler, when I get to the other side. And it makes me happy each time I think about it.
Ah, I see. Okay. And then, um, I think I might know, but what is the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from it?
What's that? Probably a book called The Gloves by a guy, his last name was Anassi, and we exchanged emails many years ago right after I'd read it. He probably doesn't even remember, but, but I point all my white-collar boxers to this book. Because the people that may want to consider becoming a competitive amateur boxer. And Nasty did a really great job at unveiling a lot of the twisted mentality in this crazy sport. Teddy Atlas autobiography, that's also a great read as well.
And what is your favorite quote and why?
Preach the gospel at all times, use words when necessary. I think this pertains to anyone at any time who's ever done or said anything. I love that. That's cool, man.
Dude, thank you so much for coming on. The last one I have for you before we let you go is where can our audience best find you online?
Boxerdrills.com, Ricky Ray Taylor on Facebook, Instagram, or better yet, better yet, search Punches and Prayers on Barnes Noble, iTunes, preferably on Amazon.com so you can write and leave a review. Again, that's Punches and Prayers. That's the name of the book. Thank you again. Thank you, sir. You're a legend.
