IN CASE you didn’t already know what to expect (surely everyone does by this stage) Stevie McKenna reminded fight fans to get ready for more “violence and pure mayhem” when he takes on Lee Cutler in Liverpool on Saturday night.
McKenna, from Smithborough in county Monaghan, recorded his 14th knockout win in 15 fights when he took out local favourite Joe Laws in a Fight of the Year contender at Barnsley FC’s Oakwell ground in August.
Hammer-handed McKenna had Laws down early but in trying to finish the job he walked onto a left hand from the Englishman later in the first round and was down himself for the first time in his career. After a few nervous moments he regrouped and stopped Laws off in the third.
“I’m in the shape of my life,” said dedicated McKenna, who returned from a training camp in Las Vegas last week.
“I’m stronger than ever and hitting harder than ever so I’m excited for the weekend. I’m building into a massive 154lb fighter and I can’t wait to go in and perform.
He banked a lot of lessons from the Laws fight and, since it was live on Sky Sports, his profile shot through the roof.
“There were a lot of eyes on it and a lot of talk about it,” he said.
“People were saying it was Fight of the Year and comparing it to Hagler-Hearns and all that so it’s always good to get a fight like that. Joe Laws was a mouthy guy and it built up well.
“It was a shock alright (to get put down) but I bounced back well, I got up and said: ‘Let’s go’. It was a great fight to have under my belt, to come through.
“It (getting put down) didn’t phase me at all. I went back to my corner and I told them: ‘I’m going to get this guy’. My dad (Fergal) told me to keep my hands up and stay focussed because I just got a wee bit too excited with the knockdown. You learn from these things and once I stuck to my boxing and took my time it was a lot easier for me and I dropped Laws four times in three rounds so I was happy to come through it and come through a three-round war and win in style.
Cutler (14-1) is another genuine test for McKenna who goes into the fight “looking to do the same again”.
“Anytime I fight people watch because I am one of the most exciting fighters in world boxing,” he said.
“I have a wild style of fighting, I like to mix-it and I like to entertain and this fight is going to be no different, I’ll go out to make a statement and Cutler is just another stepping stone in my career and winning will lead me on to bigger things. I want to be mixing with the best fighters in the world and looking for a world title shot next year.
“I’d like to be out early next year, I want to be active and busy and move up the rankings. I want the big fights, I’m in the prime of my career now and I’m looking to move to 16-0 at the weekend and bring the big fights back to Ireland.
“It’s all on the horizon and I’d say to fans to expect pure mayhem and violence every time I get into the ring. That’s what I’m about and I’ll be looking to finish off Cutler in devastating style.”
TYRONE McKenna reminded everyone of his box office appeal with an astonishing performance in Waterford last Saturday night to stop local favourite Dylan Moran in Waterford.
Moran, who made short work of Owen O’Neill in Belfast earlier this year, was dropped in the first by a McKenna left hand but he fought back furiously and had ‘The Mighty Celt’ in some trouble in the second.
McKenna attempted to hold but Moran shrugged him off and went in for another attack late in the round only for the Belfast man to take a step back and nail him with a sweetly-timed right hand that finished him off. McKenna, who went into the fight following back-to-back losses, moved to 24-5-1 and remains box office. Meanwhile, Moran has some thinking to do after two defeats in his last three.
![Cahir Gormley [blue] of Illes ABC and Charles Mcdonagh of St John Bosco Belfast abc during the 67kg bout at the Ulster Elite semi finals at Girdwood community hub in Belfast. Gormley went on to win the bout. Picture Mark Marlow](https://www.irishnews.com/resizer/v2/K56ADO3DXJCE5FS4QZKACYT34E.jpg?auth=00d74b213906c56080db71502e098e7c3ddda5902e5f7c2270ad33c4021180fc&width=800&height=596)
RYAN Burnett-trained Dungannon lightweight Charles McDonagh made his professional debut in Glasgow in October and now the Tyrone southpaw is looking forward to building his career, and his fan base, on BBC Northern Ireland’s coverage of the February 1 fight night from the Ulster Hall.
McDonagh, Teo Alin and Jack O’Neill are three of the up-and-coming fighters on the bill which will also feature Colm Murphy, Tommy McCarthy and London-Irish super-featherweight John Cooney.
The BBC has been out of professional boxing for years now and the return of free-to-air coverage is a huge boost to the sport and should work wonders for the profile of the fighters on the MHD Promotions card.
Burnett, a former WBA and IBF bantamweight champion, encouraged McDonagh to enjoy himself in the ring at the St Andrew’s Social Club and that’s what he did.
“For my amateur fights I used to be very nervous – I would have got the really bad butterflies,” said McDonagh.
“I felt excited and more relaxed for my pro debut – no butterflies - and having more rounds suited me a lot better. This will be a home debut for me in Belfast and I’ve sold a lot of tickets already.
“The history of the Ulster Hall - the fights that have been in it in amateur boxing and professional… It’s a great opportunity for me to show what I can do and I’m really grateful for it.
Burnett, who had spells as a fighter with Ricky Hatton and his most successful stint at Adam Booth’s London gym, is also training Conor Quinn and Armagh middleweight James Freeman these days.
McDonagh’s debut was his coaching debut.
“The knowledge Ryan has is just unbelievable,” said McDonagh.
“He’s been there and done it at such a high level so you’re learning every day both in boxing and life. My first fight I still had that amateur style and he’s getting me to sit down on my punches and be a bit more nasty so you can expect to see that in February.”