RYG: What makes a good match report?

KM: It needs to take the reader to the event, and bring it alive. It needs to be more than 'So and so passed to so and so, and he scored in the corner.' The best journalism gives the reader a sense of what it's like to be there. That's the real skill of live journalism.

RYG: Has there ever been a time when you've thought 'I can't think of anything to write'?

KM: No I've never had that. I don't know why. I know writers that it has happened to. I think they get overwhelmed by anxiety. You need to stay as relaxed as possible. I'm not being boastful, it's just never happened to me. It might not always be grade A copy that you produce, but I've never felt that I'm not going to do it.

RYG: When you're writing a piece, is there a standard pattern that you follow?

KM: I try not to, otherwise it becomes routine. There are things that you have to do. You have to record what happens - the scores and that sort of thing, but you try not to follow a pattern. You try not to fall into the trap of going there with a preconceived idea of what you might write.

You can be describing a fight where the favourite is doing really well, you've got the intro in your head and you've started to think about what his next fight is going to be. Then, all of a sudden, the other guy lands a punch on him and the favourite is flat on his back. All your preconceptions go out of the window straight away. You shouldn't really have that view of writing about sport, you should just go there, soak it up, and do it.

RYG: Do you write any notes beforehand?

KM: I do some research. I look at statistics that might be relevant, like if someone is approaching the 1000 point mark. You're aware of those things, but you shouldn't rely on it too. It's more important to write something that people will view as a witness version of what they saw at the scene of the crime. That's the most important aspect, otherwise you might as well sit at home and watch it on the TV.

RYG: Which writers inspire you?

KM: Eddie Butler is amazing. When Eddie does his TV stuff and his match reports, I don't know how he does it sometimes. I was lucky enough to work with Hugh Mcllvanney of the Observer, who was inspirational. I like reading people like Damon Runyon, Reg Smith and all the obvious ones. A. J Liebling wrote some great things too.

I've got a lot of respect for local radio writers and journalists. They go along to their local football and rugby matches and they just rattle it out. They have to know every single player by sight and not make any mistakes. I've seen those guys operate and they are fantastic.

Some tabloid journalists go way over the top and have a lot to answer for, but some of them go out there and get stories that some of us don't ever bother chasing up. There are many schools to admire in journalism, not just the great writers.

RYG: What constitutes bad sports writing?

KM: Writing that's irresponsible, untruthful and knowingly exaggerated. I think it's terrible, vendetta journalism. Some journalists will take a view of someone, and stick with it regardless. They're not true to their profession. It's avalanche journalism, where everyone goes the same way.

People don't stand back and say 'That bit's true, but that bit's not true.' The herd instinct takes over, but that's not what journalism is about. Journalists should be encouraged to say exactly what they think. If no-one else says it, it doesn't matter. The most important thing is to say what you think.

RYG: What's the best job you've ever been given as a journalist?

KM: I've been to quite a few really good fights that have had lots of drama. I'd have to pick the night Tyson bit Holyfield's ear. That was just a bizarre night. I wouldn't say it was the most edifying spectacle, but it was so unbelievable when it happened. Nobody at ringside could believe what they'd seen. It was a surreal experience.

RYG: How do you write about something like that?

KM: You have to get it all in context and try and work out what it all means very quickly. It's so easy to get carried away in the moment. Nobody actually realised what had happened at the time. Even people very close to the ringside couldn't believe that somebody would do that. It was more than a sporting event - it was an unravelling of somebody's psyche in front of you. That was a very sad thing to see in retrospect, but also incredibly dramatic. It was an event that was beyond sport.

RYG: Do you think young people can learn important lessons from sport?

KM: Absolutely. You make the most of what you've got - and if you lose, you lose. Be sad about it, but remember it's not a tragedy. Everybody comes up against grief - no-one has a smooth life. Sport teaches you how to deal with disappointment and move on. That's an important lesson.

RYG: What is it about boxing that makes it so special?

KM: I love the drama of individuals putting everything on the line. It's such a tough game. It's probably the toughest sport physically, tactically, and in terms of skill. Boxing is so hard to do well. You see quite a few ordinary boxers, but to do it really well is amazing. There's just the ring and the two boxers putting their dignity, their reputation, their commitment and their talent on the line.

As Joe Louis said about his fight with Billy Cohn 'You can run, but you can't hide.' In a rugby or cricket match you might be able to rely on someone else to get the runs or take the wickets. If you drop a catch someone else will catch it. In boxing you can't do that. It's a beautiful sport too. The movement is extremely graceful when it's done brilliantly.

RYG: If somebody came to you and said 'I desperately want to do what you do', what's the best advice you could give them?

KM: If you want to be a sports writer and you love sport, go out and start writing about it. If you're a good writer people will use it - that's the bottom line. If you can do it, you'll get recognized. We get lots of people writing into the paper saying 'I'd love to be a journalist.' If you really want to do it, and if you can write, you'll find a way. Keep knocking on doors, that's what it takes.