Boxing Social Magazine #3 - St Patrick's Day Edition

002 OCTOBER 2020

ST. PATRICK’S DAY EDITION CONTENTS

ISSUE 0O3 MARCH 2021 008-015

004- ANDY LEE -007 GUEST COLUMN 008- CARL FRAMPTON -015 THE LEGACY 016- KATIE TAYLOR -021 CREATING GREATNESS

016-021

022- STEVE COLLINS -025 NO REGRETS 026- MICHAEL CONLAN -031 CHAMPION IN WAITING

022-025

032- BARRY MCGUIGAN -039 MORE THAN A FIGHT 040- IRISH GREATS -045 GREATEST EVER FIGHTING MEN 046- JAMES TENNYSON -051 THE ASSASSIN’S CREED

032-039

054- MCKENNA BROTHERS -055 THE MONAGHAN BOYS 056- PADDY DONOVAN -060 THE NEXT BIG THING

PUBLISHER

EDITOR

DESIGNER

COVER ILLUSTRATION

ROB TEBBUTT GEORGE RIPTON

MARK BUTCHER HARRY G WARD

WRITTEN BY GRAHAM HOUSTON, JOHN A. MACDONALD, MARK BUTCHER LUKE G. WILLIAMS, PAUL ZANON, SHAUN BROWN, CRAIG SCOTT

GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST C

NOTHING GOOD HAPPEN AS A YOUNG MAN, ANDY LEE LEFT IRELAND FOR AMERICA IN PURSUIT OF A DREAM. ON DECEMBER 13, 2014, THAT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DREAM BECAME A REALITY AS HE SPECTACULARLY HALTED MATT KOROBOV IN SIX ROUNDS AT THE COSMOPOLITAN IN LAS VEGAS. IN A SPECIAL GUEST COLUMN, LEE RECALLS THE JOURNEY TO HIS FINEST NIGHT THEN TURNS HIS THOUGHTS TO IRELAND’S RICH BOXING FUTURE FEATURING HIS GREAT PROSPECT, WELTERWEIGHT PADDY DONOVAN

inning the world title gave me some great memories. It was an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction, to set out to achieve something as a young person and to go on and actually do it. Just through sheer hard work and determination, perseverance and some good choices along the way, it happened for me. Nothing good happens without hard work really, anything you want in life you have to work for it. That’s what I

004 MARCH 2021

left home to do at the age of 20, to go to Detroit to become a world champion and to do it almost nine years later, after a lot of ups and downs, it was a great satisfaction.

There were so many things before the Matt Korobov fight that made it feel like this was destiny, synchronicities. I was back in Vegas, a place I’d spent so much time with Emanuel Steward and been at so many of the big fights with him when he worked as an HBO commentator;

Emanuel’s wife got her own flight and fight ticket to come and watch me fight, and that meant a lot. I was also in the place where all those great bouts had happened with Hearns and Hagler, and this was a middleweight championship fight.

I’d been there before as the away fighter against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in 2012. But then I felt like I didn’t have any protection, I was basically out there by myself. Emanuel didn’t turn up until the day of the fight

PHOTOS FROM ALAMY

COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN

S WITHOUT HARD WORK I felt like I could beat Korobov technically.

We didn’t have a strict strategy. My instructions were basically to keep shaking my shoulders, so I was relaxed and not tense and keep stepping the feet so I was I didn’t have much of a team with me then always in constant movement and never and got the run around. All the small tricks too stationery, and just let the things come they applied to demoralise an away fighter and be patient. I knew I hurt him in the - like the hotel, the bad room, a million third and, even though he was winning the interviews the night before the fight. You rounds on points, there was nothing in the leave the weigh in and then they call back rounds. I was gaining control. I could see an hour later and say you have to come it in his eyes, I could see the confidence back to see the doctor. Then there’s no sinking away from him as I was growing. doctor when you get there. The small Then in the sixth round, an instinctual ring, the small dressing room, the no drug punch, coming out of an exchange, testing, all of these things that went wrong changed my life. the first time around when I fought Chavez they went right the second time against It validated all the hard work I’d done. All Korobov. It annoyed me I allowed those of the sacrifices I’d made, keeping going things to affect me against Chavez, but I in the times it would have been easy didn’t give it a chance second time around. to say, ‘That’s it, I’ve had enough. What am I doing here, slaving away in rented Adam Booth and I spoke about it a lot accommodation in the middle of nowhere before the Korobov fight. I told him about chasing a dream that only a fool would the experience I had against Chavez, and think is possible?’ he had dealt with this type of thing before.

I fantasised about the celebrations many He made sure that we were on the ball.

I had an unbelievable team and all these times and it really did live up to what I security blankets left me insulated. I only thought it would be. It actually exceeded it. had to focus on the fight. All of those We boarded a plane in Heathrow to get to things gave me confidence, it enamoured Shannon and the air hostess started to cry me really and I felt invincible. when she saw me board the flight. They due to his commitment to train Wladimir Klitschko and, unbeknownst to me and anybody, he was very sick at that time. He kept it well hidden.

were waiting for me. They had a guard of honour at the airport, the fire engines were out on the runway shooting hoses of water over the airplane. A huge crowd and the media were at the airport. That just carried on for the day. I went to the city hall to meet the representatives of the city, the mayors, and we had a homecoming where I did a speech on the stage. There was a huge crowd there. Then we got in a van, drove to Dublin and went to my now local pub, and we had a few Guinnesses. We all enjoyed it, it was a great, great time. The best time of my professional life. Other than my children being born and getting married, in life there’s nothing really like being able to call yourself a world champion.

That is the past, but I’m not one who likes to live in the past. It was my time and I really, really enjoyed it. I deserved it, I earned it, then when you retire you have to let it go. I’m never one to bring up the past unless people ask me. You know you get some old fighters who only talk about themselves and what they used to do. At that moment, those times were great, but that’s it - they’re gone. I’ll never forget them, I’ll always cherish them, but they deserve to be in that time and now me, living in this time, I have to let go and move on.

MARCH 2021 005

GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST C

didn’t have any intention of getting back into boxing until I saw this young kid called Paddy Donovan in the national stadium in an amateur tournament. I just thought he was sensational, a once-in-a-lifetime talent. He just got me so excited about boxing, about being involved with him and teaching him. I knew if I didn’t do anything, he’d stay in Ireland and probably stay amateur or just get burned out. He needed an opportunity so I used my contacts to get in touch with Top Rank.

I’d built relationships with them over the years, they had one look at him and said, “Andy, we’ll sign this kid up immediately.”

From that instant, I kind of just fell into it, training. Next thing, Jason Quigley asked me to help him out. We didn’t even agree to be trainer and fighter; I just said,

“

I SAW THIS YOUNG KID CALLED PADDY DONOVAN IN THE NATIONAL STADIUM IN AN AMATEUR TOURNAMENT. I JUST THOUGHT HE WAS SENSATIONAL, A ONCE-IN-ALIFETIME TALENT”

006 MARCH 2021

‘Come down to the gym, I’ll help you out’ because I knew what he’d experienced then I got the call from Tyson [Fury] and, when the heavyweight champion of the world calls, you don’t say no! Next thing, you’re a boxing coach!

welterweight. He has a lot to improve on and a lot to work on, don’t get me wrong, but he has shown glimpses of it. Paddy was the No.1 or No.2 amateur in the world so why wouldn’t he be able to do that as a man, once he reaches maturity? I foresee him being in the top five welterweights in I am very careful about who I train the world. It’s maybe two or three years because I have a wife and two young kids down the line but he’ll be there, knocking and they are my priority. Adam Booth has on the door. evolved my style and approach as much as Emanuel did and was a huge influence Top Rank have got the history with Floyd all the same. Adam would say to me, “The Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, the two two things we have in life are time and biggest stars of however many years, and energy and where you spend them is the bringing fighters to top level. They have the blueprint and they are doing it again most important thing.” I always think of and again. I have a very good relationship that when it comes to deciding to work with them. I’ve fought for them and with a boxer or not. against them, and I can’t praise them I really think Paddy has the natural enough and, now as a manager, they talent to mix it with the elite guys at remain a pleasure to deal with.

COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN GUEST COLUMN

rish boxing is in the ascendancy.

There have always been big hopes for Michael Conlan. I know he’s not a prospect anymore, but he’s definitely a star.

I’d love to see him fulfil his potential and win a world title. There are two young brothers from Monaghan - the McKenna brothers Aaron and Stevie. I think Paddy beat them as amateurs but they are doing really well as pros. Obviously, there are big hopes for Jason Quigley to fulfil his potential as well.

We are yet to see the best of him. He’s had a stop-start career so far and it’s been very hard for him to get momentum, but that may have served him as well because he’s only really learning his craft now. He’s made huge improvements in the gym.

Paddy has a young brother called Edward who is a European Junior champion and won best boxer in the tournament. He’s just turning pro at welterweight and he’s one to look out for. A really, really good talent. There is a kid called Tony Browne from Dublin, a very popular young man, light-heavyweight. He’s due to fight Kassim

PHOTOS FROM MTK GLOBAL & ALAMY

Ouma soon, so that’s a blast from the past.

That’s only Tony’s third fight. There’s also Joe Ward and Pierce O’Leary.

They are all coming through this conveyor belt of good amateur competition. When you look at Irish fighters traditionally, Barry McGuigan, Steve Collins. They were always hardy, they had big hearts, they weren’t quitters, but they always lacked the technical ability to match that. But with this new generation it all stems from that amateur background and Ireland’s High Performance Unit. Irish fighters now have the technical ability to go with that heart and bravery and match up accordingly.

Katie Taylor is the true embodiment of that – she is the pure product of the Irish national system. Even though she has improved as a pro so much of it has come from her grounding in the amateur system; to be able to do everything technically as well as having the heart and the courage to go along with it.

Andy Lee was talking to Mark Butcher.

MARCH 2021 007

THE LEGACY 008 MARCH 2021

WRITTEN BY JOHN A. MACDONALD CARL FRAMPTON ISN’T DONE YET. AFTER A MEMORABLE 12-YEAR CAREER THAT HAS EXPERIENCED GLORY ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ATLANTIC, ‘THE JACKAL’ IS AIMING TO WRITE MORE HISTORY AND BECOME A THREE-WEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION WHEN HE MEETS WBO SUPER-FEATHERWEIGHT KING JAMEL HERRING ON APRIL 3 IN DUBAI. FRAMPTON TELLS JOHN A. MACDONALD THAT HE IS DRIVEN BY LEGACY AND WANTS FIGHT FANS TO REMEMBER HIM IN 20 YEARS WHEN THEY ARE DISCUSSING THE GREATS OVER A GUINNESS OR SIX. PHOTO FROM ALAMY

MARCH 2021 009

arl Frampton has never been fond of the concept of destiny. Few things in life are predetermined, especially in boxing. ‘The Jackal’ has upset the odds as an underdog and lost as the favourite. The sport rarely produces fairy tale endings. Few fighters bow out at the peak of their powers, they struggle to accept that their bodies are no longer capable of reproducing the incredible feats that once came so naturally to them. Frampton is acutely aware of this. Yet he is adamant that he will not become the latest in a long line of fighters who have fought on for too long. Such assertions are common, but Frampton has the perfect opportunity to prove that his self-belief is well-founded when he faces Jamel Herring for the WBO superfeatherweight title at Caesars Palace, Dubai, on April 3.

If the Belfast man is successful, it will be a dramatic final chapter to a tale that appeared to have come to an underwhelming close over two years ago. As Frampton (282, 16 KOs) negotiated his way through the catacombs of the Manchester Arena en route to his changing room following his defeat to Josh Warrington, his mind was made up – he was hanging up his gloves.

“

I HAD A BRILLIANT CAMP, BUT I JUST GOT IT ALL WRONG ON THE NIGHT. I ONLY REALLY HAD MYSELF TO BLAME THERE. IT’S NOT AS IF I WAS HAVING A BAD CAMP, GOT BEAT UP IN CAMP, THEN GOT BEAT UP BY JOSH WARRINGTON”

010 MARCH 2021

A spirited display during the middle rounds was irrelevant, the torrid opening nine minutes of the contest were etched into his mind. For the first time in his career, his wife, Christine, had to watch as he endured punishment. He would have to go home and explain to his daughter, Carla, and his son, Rossa, why his face was swollen and bruised.

He believed that it was not just Josh Warrington that had bested him on the night, Frampton was certain he had been defeated by an opponent he knew he could not win against, one he never intended to take on – time.

“In my head, I was a retired fighter, I just hadn’t made an official announcement,” Frampton told Boxing Social as he enjoyed a Sunday afternoon walk with trainer Jamie Moore. “Instantly, that was my reaction with how I performed, I was really unhappy with it. My wife and my kids had to see that and they had to see my face busted up. I didn’t like that.”

It would be simple to dismiss Frampton’s feelings as a knee-jerk reaction immediately after the bitter disappointment of failing to capture the IBF featherweight title, but Frampton had been conscious of the dangers posed by the inability to recognise when it was time to walk away for a number of years. He has seen fighters he admired as a child left without a penny to their name or with their faculties significantly impaired, or in the saddest cases, both. As such, he has always been fiscally prudent and, even at pinnacle of his career, he had devised an exit strategy from the sport.

In 2016, ahead of his rematch with Leo Santa Cruz, Frampton told

Boxing Monthly: “I’m 30 on my next birthday – if I’m still boxing when I’m 34, I’ll be disappointed in myself.” In February, ‘The Jackal’ reached the landmark age and yet he continues to fight.

found a way to win. Against Warrington, he did not. Due to his competitive nature, that fight still irks him, perhaps it always will.

“I don’t think I’m really over my performance,” Frampton admitted. “To get that retirement out of my head, it took me “Things change, don’t they,” he said with a laugh. “I know I’m not a few weeks, really. What I’d done in preparation for the too far away from actually hanging them up and spending time with family, but I’ve just turned 34, so we’ll change that to 36 now.” Warrington fight in sparring was very, very good. I sparred well, I had a brilliant camp, but I just got it all wrong on the night. I Such a reversal in thinking may seem alarming, given that only really had myself to blame there. It’s not as if I was having the powerful allure of boxing is well documented, however a bad camp, got beat up in camp, then got beat up by Josh Frampton was eager to clarify that this decision was well Warrington. It was a bad night and it’s still one that annoys me thought out. because I believe, on my A-game, I could beat Josh Warrington, In the weeks following his unanimous decision loss to I don’t want to be disrespectful to him, but I believe that. Maybe Warrington, Frampton discussed his options with his wife and I’ll completely get over it at some stage in my life. his trainer. Frampton always intended to use several metrics “There’s not many fighters [who] stay undefeated their whole to determine when his abilities were starting to wane, among career. At the high end of sport, you have to be at your best. We those were his showings in sparring. Preparations for his title see shocks in FA Cup football matches where Premier League challenge had gone well; his reactions were not noticeably teams are getting beat by second division teams and stuff. slower; his punch resistance had not diminished. If the aging Things go wrong sometimes and that’s what happened to me process was not responsible for the loss, it left one possibility against Warrington, I believe.

– Frampton had not performed to the best of his ability. In “I just tried to think about things rationally and thought it would many ways, this explanation was harder to accept. ‘The Jackal’ be a shame to [end] what’s been a very good career on a had fallen beneath his own high standards in the past, such as against Kiko Martinez in their first encounter or his battle performance like that when I know there’s more, when I know I with Alejandro Gonzalez Jr, where he was sent to the canvas am better than that. I sat down with my team and my family and said: ‘I still feel like I can do something here’.” twice in the opening round, but on those occasions Frampton

PHOTOS FROM ALAMY

MARCH 2021

011

Bob Arum of Top Rank agreed with Frampton’s assessment and displayed the faith he had in him by offering the ‘The Jackal’ a long-term promotional deal.

height discrepancy was comically large, but Frampton was not overawed or intimated by the height of his rival.

“It’s mad, I don’t know, I don’t really realise how tall people are until I see them in pictures beside me because, in my head, I’m With over 50 years’ experience in the boxing business, Arum not as small as I am, but then I see myself in a photograph and is among the most respected and shrewd figures in the sport.

I’m a fucking midget,” Frampton confessed with a laugh. “I didn’t Arum’s belief in Frampton assured the Belfast man that he had get into the ring and go: ‘Holy shit, he’s massive,’ or anything. made the correct decision.

It’s just another big guy, I’ve sparred big guys before, I’ve fought “Top Rank came calling with a six-fight deal, which is incredible, big guys before and I’ve beaten big guys before. This will be a really,” he said. “It all just kinda clicked for me. Top Rank don’t difficult task, I understand that, I really do, I just believe the way offer me a six-fight deal if they think I’m over the hill and done.

I’ve been sparring and the performances I’ve been putting in – I Bob Arum, even in his old age, knows this game inside out. I was win this fight, I really do.” delighted with everything. Things just started to fall back into On paper, a 5’10” southpaw with a 72” reach is an unusual place again and I tried to think rationally about things. That was choice for a fighter to call out, but Frampton has had the London how I came to the decision to fight on.”

2012 Olympian in his sights from the moment he signed with the In November 2019, Frampton returned to the ring to make his US promotional giants. promotional debut under the Top Rank banner against Tyler McCreary. Frampton was able to exorcise the demons that still It could be argued that of the current 130lbs champions, Herring is the weakest, despite his physical advantages. Frampton could not lingered from the Warrington bout, 11 months previous with a hide the excitement in his voice as he discussed the bout, which composed display that saw him win every round on all three could see him become a three-weight world champion, having judges’ scorecards. previously held titles at super-bantamweight and featherweight.

After the decision was announced, Frampton was joined in the “I believe I can beat this guy,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going ring by Arum and Jamel Herring, after ‘The Jackal’ expressed to be easy, but I’m really up for this one. Although he’s a big, his desire to face the WBO super-featherweight champion. tall, rangy southpaw he doesn’t always use his attributes to the Standing at just under 6 feet tall, the American towered over best of his ability. I think a lot of that is down to [his] struggles at Frampton. To most in attendance and watching at home, the

“ 012 MARCH 2021

TOP RANK DON’T OFFER ME A SIXFIGHT DEAL IF THEY THINK I’M OVER THE HILL AND DONE. BOB ARUM, EVEN IN HIS OLD AGE, KNOWS THIS GAME INSIDE OUT”

the weight. He can say what he wants about the weight, it just isn’t scientifically possible that he makes that weight easy, even though he says it. I’m just up for the fight. The whole prospect of beating someone so big excites me. The pictures you see of me and him in the ring after I fought Tyler McCreary, it just looks like I shouldn’t be fighting this guy, but that excites me; the prospect of going out and beating him. I genuinely believe I’ll beat this guy.”

While fighters always identify what they perceive to be weakness in their opponents ahead of a fight, there is evidence that lends credence to Frampton’s claims. While campaigning at lightweight, Herring was unable to keep the significantly shorter Denis Shafikov at bay. Ultimately, the relentless Russian obliged the referee to halt the contest in the 10th round.

Frampton was also encouraged by Herring’s most recent performance against Jonathan Oquendo (WDQ8). The former WBA ‘Regular’ featherweight title challenger was able to get past the champion’s significant reach advantage frequently. Oquendo was unable to capitalise on the openings, whereas Frampton believes he will be able to make the American pay.

“Shafikov is a different type of fighter to me, he’s a bit more relentless, he’s a bigger guy and a bigger puncher, but there’s a blueprint on how to beat [Herring],” he said. “I’ve seen things when he fought Oquendo in his last fight that I like, and I feel like I can exploit. This isn’t me taking him for granted in the slightest, I genuinely think this will be a hard fight, I genuinely think I’ll need to be at my best, but I’m prepared to be at my best. Things are looking good, just now.

“It wasn’t a brilliant performance. He allowed Oquendo to get close to him from the very start. Oquendo is my height, or maybe half an inch shorter than me, he’s 37-years-old and although Herring was winning the fight, Oquendo caused him some problems and made it uncomfortable for him, at times. Oquendo, to me, was never a world class fighter, he was on the fringes of

PHOTOS FROM ALAMY

MARCH 2021 013

being world class, but that was a while ago and being 37-years-old, he gave Herring more problems than he should have. I’ve had a good camp for this one, so I know I can still perform, and I know I’m still world class. I can beat Jamel Herring, I know it.”

gives me more opportunity to go and rip the title off Herring because I know I need to be at my best.”

Frampton believes that victory will establish him amongst the best boxers that Britain and Ireland have ever produced.

“It’s huge,” he said at the possibility of etching his name into the history books.

“You are breaking records doing that.

You are joining a list of great British While Frampton has been pleased with fighters who’ve done it, as well. When his training camp, his preparations were Current Covid-19 restrictions meant that you compare the people, who’ve done hindered by a hand injury, which forced the fight would have taken place behind it before me: Bob Fitzsimmons, Duke the contest to be pushed back from the closed doors without a crowd previously.

McKenzie and Ricky Burns. I don’t want to original date of March 27. Frampton has Frampton is excited that there is now a do a disservice to Ricky or Duke McKenzie, been extremely unfortunate in the past possibility that supporters may be able but the way I’ve become a three-weight with regards to fights being cancelled: his to attend. world champion is better than theirs. I’ve bout against Andres Gutierrez was called “I prefer this than the BT Studios or an beaten legitimate champions. I’ve never off the night before they were scheduled empty Copperbox Arena,” he said. “I’m still fought for vacant titles or ‘Regular’ titles to fight, after his opponent slipped in the shower; in 2019, Frampton was the victim not sure what the situation is with crowds; or anything like that. I would probably go are we going to have any or not, but this down, and I’d be happy to say it, as the in a freak accident where his hand was greatest Irish fighter of time, but I’ll go damaged by a falling pillar in a hotel lobby. fight deserves some sort of a crowd, I think. I believe I’m going to win this down as one of the best Brits, as well.

Thankfully, this latest incident is not as fight and I deserve a crowd and people That’s the carrot really dangling there, so bizarre or dramatic. watching me, supporting me and be able that’s what I want to do.”

“It’s all good,” Frampton said of the to say in 20 years’ time: ‘I was there the The concept of legacy in boxing is injury. “It’s holding up very well. It’s night Carl Frampton became a threesomewhat unique. In every other sport, nothing serious. People were asking weight world champion’.” if you are good enough, you will face the if it was a reoccurring injury from the If Frampton is successful against Herring, level of competition required to establish operations, or anything, but it’s not. It yourself as the best. In the sweet science, was just a bit of ligament damage and it’s the Belfast fighter will become the first three-weight world champion from the this is not the case. It is possible to completely different. It’s nothing serious, island of Ireland. He will also be the avoid, or be avoided by, the opponents at all. To be honest, I was surprised I was fourth fighter from the United Kingdom to necessary to cement your standing. allowed this kind of extension. I would achieve such a feat. have fought anyway, I wouldn’t have pulled out of the fight, but I think it just

“

The bout was originally scheduled to take place at the Copperbox Arena, London, but it will now be staged at Caesars Palace, Dubai.

IT’S HUGE, YOU ARE BREAKING RECORDS DOING THAT. YOU ARE JOINING A LIST OF GREAT BRITISH FIGHTERS WHO’VE DONE IT, AS WELL”

014 MARCH DECEMBER 20212020

have followed his career. The atmosphere inside the SSE Arena in Belfast when Frampton would box there was widely considered to be one of the best in the UK. His super-bantamweight unification fight with Scott Quigg resulted in thousands of Irish supporters making the pilgrimage to Manchester. His fans made “Recently, I’ve been thinking about it a tremendous sacrifices to follow their hero lot,” he said. “What I’ve done in my career, wherever he was fighting. Ahead of the I’m very proud of, already. I’ve done more first Leo Santa Cruz contest, one fan, than I could have imagined when I turned Keith Dallas, sold the family car so that professional, but I would be disappointed he could afford to make the trip to Las now, knowing I can become a three-weight Vegas. Frampton is extremely proud of the world champion and believing I have the support he continues to receive. ability to beat Jamel Herring, if I didn’t “People do these things and there are succeed and become that three-weight world champion. Really, the last few years some amazing stories, and you create I’ve been starting to think about legacy. It’s memories as well,” he said. “I met an English guy doing security in an Argos something that’s important to me. I don’t want to be a flash in the pan. I want people close to where I live, he talked to me and he says he came over to Belfast to watch to still remember and talk about me in 20 me against Kiko Martinez, when I won my years’ time when they are in the pub with first world title, and he’s been here ever their mates. That’s what I want.” since because he met a bird and got her If Frampton achieves his dream or not, he pregnant and he’s now got a baby from will certainly be a topic of conversation it and they are a happy family. There are for years to come amongst those who some amazing stories.”

This fact is not lost on Frampton. Since his first contest with Leo Santa Cruz (W12), he has considered how he will go down in the annals of history. Despite having long since surpassed his initial aspirations, failure to capture a world title in a third weight class would be a bitter pill to swallow.

PHOTO FROM PHOTOS FROMTOP ALAMY RANK

If Frampton can capture the WBO superfeatherweight title, then it is possible there will be at least one more international trip for his loyal fan base. Former WBO featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson is the current mandatory challenger for the belt now in the possession of Herring. Stevenson has not put a foot wrong as a professional to date but has yet to face an opponent of Frampton’s calibre. Another appealing option for ‘The Jackal’ is new WBC champion Oscar Valdez.

Frampton believes that fights against the aforementioned pair would be the perfect way to cement his legacy.

“I think both would be good,” he said. “I think the fight with Shakur has to happen, but obviously, me, Oscar and Shakur are all [with] Top Rank, so there might be ways around that. If you get the chance to unify a second division, that would be incredible. At this stage of my career, it is just one fight at a time and we’ll see what happens. We’ll make a decision after the Jamel Herring fight.”

MARCH 2021 015

CREATING GREATNES 016 MARCH 2021

PHOTO FROM MATCHROOM BOXING

WRITTEN BY PAUL ZANON BRAY SUPERSTAR KATIE TAYLOR HAS WON ALMOST EVERY POSSIBLE ACCOLADE IN BOXING AND HER PLACE AMONG THE GREATS OF IRISH SPORT IS ALREADY LONG GUARANTEED. BUT WITH NEW CHALLENGES ON THE HORIZON, UNDISPUTED LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION TAYLOR IS RETAINING THAT SAME STEELY FOCUS THAT HAS TAKEN HER TO THE PINNACLE OF THE FIGHT GAME AND, TELLS PAUL ZANON, SHE’S FAR FROM FINISHED. MARCH 2021 017

he pressures attached to superstar branding from everyone outside of a boxing ring can often make or break a fighter. Thankfully, Ireland’s favourite fighting daughter Katie Taylor continues to do a sterling job of transcending the hype. “I am who I am and becoming a professional boxer was never going to change that. There’s always lots of talk and hype in professional boxing but the reality is, when all is said and done, people remember the great fights, the victories and the achievements and not what was said in a press conference or on social media before a fight,” Taylor tells Boxing Social.

However, long before raising the historical bar for Irish athletes in the square ring, Taylor was also an accomplished soccer player, representing her country from 2002 to 2011. So who does the two-weight world champion look up to as an Irish sports icon? “Roy Keane. He was a real sporting hero of mine growing up. I just loved his attitude and the winning mentality he took on to the pitch with him each and every time regardless of who the opposition was. He was a no-nonsense player who never settled for second best and I loved that.

the amateur team for a few years and he went on to become world champion as a pro and be involved in some of the most exciting fights you could see. A huge puncher, I could only wish to have some of his knockout reels! An outstanding fighter and a complete gentleman.”

Boasting 18 gold medals as an amateur, including winning the World championships five times, Taylor expressed what it meant to her to win Olympic gold in 2012 and world honours in the pro ranks. “They are both very special for me and it’s hard to compare them really. Winning gold at the 2012 [London] Olympics was the realisation of a childhood dream. But turning pro and unifying the belts was an unexpected joy, unexpected season because it came after my lowest point [Rio 2016]. In some sense, it feels sweeter because it was earned through a season of being diligent when things weren’t going very well for me. It might be surprising for some, but the last few years unifying the division has probably been the most enjoyable for me.”

When Covid-19 wreaked havoc in March 2020, the landscape for boxers, both in training and on fight night, changed. Taylor “We’ve had plenty of great fighters over the years, but Andy Lee explained how she worked with the new dynamic. “Training for me, both as an amateur and pro has been exceptional,” she hasn’t been all that different really. Getting sparring during the says switching from the pitch to the ring. “I trained with Andy on pandemic has been a little more challenging but throughout my

“

YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO HAVE AN EASY NIGHT AGAINST SOMEONE LIKE PERSOON BECAUSE SHE HAS SUCH AN AWKWARD STYLE BUT IT WAS A CLEAR VICTORY AND I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH THE PERFORMANCE”

018 MARCH 2021

career I have basically gone into isolation anyway when I go to training camp. So, from that point of view very little has changed in my preparations.

“The bubbles are a lot different to a normal fight week and you miss simple little things like not being able to go out for a walk and get some fresh air. On fight night, the lack of a crowd makes the ringwalk a strange experience but once the first bell goes it doesn’t really feel all that different in there because you are just focused on what’s happening in the ring.”

As opposed to many world champions who remained inactive, Taylor kept her tools sharp, fighting twice over lockdown. First up was the Belgian, former long-reigning WBC champion, Delfine Persoon. Their first encounter on June 1, 2019, left many believing Bray’s boxing heroine had scraped a win at Madison Square Garden, but the rematch left no doubt as to who rules the 135lbs roost. Taylor explained: “You are never going to have an easy night against someone like Persoon because she has such an awkward style but it was a clear victory and I was very happy with the performance. I think I just needed to be a lot more

PHOTOS FROM MATCHROOM BOXING

MARCH 2021 019

“

I’M INTERESTED IN ANY BIG FIGHT THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE REGARDLESS OF WHO THAT’S AGAINST”

disciplined and stick to my boxing. I was able to control the distance better and boxed a lot smarter overall.”

Taylor dipped her toe into junior welter waters against Greece’s Christina Linardatou in November 2019, claiming the WBO super-lightweight crown. Does the higher weight division still appeal? “I think it would be great if an undisputed champion could emerge at 140lbs as well and then that would obviously be a huge fight for me. Right now, you have four different belt holders at that weight so hopefully they can sort out who the number one is in the division and that’s

020 MARCH 2021

definitely a fight I’d be interested in.”

Another fight that has been in the making for years is against seven-weight Taylor’s former foe, Jessica McCaskill has world champion and Puerto Rican progressed substantially since their clash Amanda Serrano. Taylor expressed her in 2017 and is currently basking in 147lbs concerns about the match materialising. glory as undisputed world champion.

“I think everyone knows how much I Surely a rematch needs to happen? Taylor wanted that fight but I always questioned explained. “I’m interested in any big fight if the feeling was mutual and I think her that people want to see regardless of actions last year in pulling out of the fight who that’s against. We’ll have to see what spoke volumes. It’s a great fight and one happens in the rematch between McCaskill that people were very excited about but and Cecilia Braekhus in March [won by it takes two people to make a fight. I’m McCaskill as this issue went to press] but a not sure if she will ever step in the ring fight against the winner is definitely one I’d with me but it’s always a fight that I will be interested in because it would be two be open to.” undisputed champions fighting each other.”

PHOTOS FROM MATCHROOM BOXING

Closer to home, Chantelle Cameron has been making waves as the newly-crowned junior welter WBC world champion. Taylor discussed her motivations for stepping into the ring with Cameron.

“Money is never a factor for me when it comes to fighting any opponent. Of course, you want the biggest purse possible for any fight but I want the biggest and best challenges out there and I’m willing to step in the ring with anyone. Chantelle’s a great fighter and that’s a fight I’d be more than happy to take.”

What lies beyond boxing for Ireland’s most admired athlete and RTÉ’s 2020 Sportsperson of the Year, when that day arrives? “I’m not sure to be honest, obviously it’s something every athlete has to deal with and I know I can’t go on forever but I certainly don’t plan on retiring any time soon. I have so much more I want to achieve in this sport and that’s what drives me in the gym every day. I still feel like people haven’t seen the best of me but I just focus on one fight at a time.”

“

I HAVE SO MUCH MORE I WANT TO ACHIEVE IN THIS SPORT AND THAT’S WHAT DRIVES ME IN THE GYM EVERY DAY. I STILL FEEL LIKE PEOPLE HAVEN’T SEEN THE BEST OF ME BUT I JUST FOCUS ON ONE FIGHT AT A TIME”

MARCH 2021 021

O REGRET 022 MARCH 2021

WRITTEN BY SHAUN BROWN AS TOUGH AS THEY COME, TWO-WEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION STEVE COLLINS MIXED IT WITH THE BEST IN THE MIDDLEWEIGHT AND SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT GOLDEN ERA OF THE 1990S AND USUALLY EMERGED VICTORIOUS. ONE OF IRELAND’S BOXING GREATS, COLLINS LEFT THE FIGHT GAME AT THE TOP AND, TELLS SHAUN BROWN, HE LOOKS BACK WITH NO REGRETS. PHOTO FROM ALAMY

MARCH 2021 023

“I went to America because the Americans were the best in any associate Steve Collins with a period in boxing where he engaged in physical and psychological battles the world,” recalls Collins. “Marvin Hagler was a fighter who I admired, and I wanted to learn to fight like him. With my style of against British mainstream stars Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn. fighting and my mindset, I thought I’d do better in America by Between March 1995 and July 1997, ‘The Celtic Warrior’ became fighting their guys. I had done well as an amateur, but guys could a pay-per-view fixture and cemented his status as one of the best steal fights from me whereas in a pro ring you had more time, 168lbs fighters of his time. But the WBO middleweight crown he and I could eventually catch up with them and win so I thought won from the often-overlooked Chris Pyatt in May 1994 sparked going to America with their style of fighting would suit my style.” a three-year, two-weight reign including nine world title fights, Early title losses against Mike McCallum (L12) and Reggie Johnson which ended with victory in Glasgow against an overmatched (L12) in 1990 and 1992 did his reputation no harm and merely Craig Cummings in 1997. Collins walked away from the sport cemented Collins’ belief that he would become a world champion. afterwards as an unbeaten world champion but disappointed that he never faced the ultimate test in Roy Jones Jr. “I could have got the wins in those fights, I’m glad I didn’t. What I got was confirmation for myself that I could beat the best,” “It sometimes feels like it wasn’t me, it was another lifetime he says. “It was to my benefit I didn’t win because it led me to ago. Feels like a hundred years ago sometimes,” Collins where I ended up in the UK. Those fights were good learning tells Boxing Social. experiences and, as I say to people, I’m suspicious of the There was a time in Collins’ life before Sky Box Office, Eubank undefeated fighter. An undefeated fighter has never had a true and chasing Jones Jr. From the age of eight, when Collins began test. A true test is being beaten, climbing off the canvas and boxing, the little Dubliner was already in his mind a professional coming back. Then you know if you’re championship material or fighter. Achieving his dreams took longer than expected thanks not. The greatest fighters in the history of boxing have come off to a prolonged stay as an amateur. After an Olympic dream the canvas and won and come back from a loss and won. For me, which wasn’t to be it was America where he would cut his teeth it was a test, part of my education, part of my character-building and realise that the pro game was for him, training alongside the and it just made me a better fighter at the end of my career.” likes of Marvin Hagler in the mid-Eighties. Collins would learn his trade the hard way over the years, which would stand him in However, a push of the rewind button to four years before the Johnson bout gave a night that Collins described as the first good stead by the time he returned to Britain and Ireland to try big win in his professional career on March 18, 1988, at the old and win a world title at the third attempt.

024 MARCH 2021

“

I WOULDN’T MAKE ANY CHANGES IN MY LIFE AT ALL BECAUSE IF SOMETHING DIFFERENT HAPPENED I WOULDN’T BE WHERE I AM TODAY AND THAT’S A GREAT PLACE”

Boston Garden versus Sammy Storey for the Irish middleweight title. Collins says beating Chris Eubank first time around was his most satisfying victory ever but a win over Storey, an old amateur rival, truly kicked off his American dream.

“I used to say to people I know I can beat him; I have the beating of him. He was the big name. I was basically a raw novice who only had seven fights under my belt, but I told my managers to make the fight and I guarantee I’ll beat this guy. It was a real boost for my career, and it got me in line for a United States title shot afterwards.”

As the years rolled on so did the opportunities.

Collins did initially fall short at world level and for the European title against the avoided Sumbu Kalambay but just like his idol Hagler, Collins knew he would get that world title one day and like ‘Marvelous’ he wouldn’t let go of it.

The 56-year-old now has a farm where the graft never stops. “The grass still grows, the animals still need to be fed. They don’t get locked down or time off, they rely on you,” he says.

The former boxing life of limelight and fighting is now a private one spent far removed from the sport and its luxuries. Sure, Collins likes to look back on that old life through interviews, but boxing seems a million miles away from his mind nowadays. He passes on his wisdom around Ireland occasionally, showing the new crop a trick or three in gyms but life on his farm is where it’s at. Home is where his heart is and where his happiness resides.

“I’m a very lucky person. Life’s been good to me. I’ve got very healthy children, very happy where I am in life today,” states Collins. “People say to me, ‘What regrets do you have, what would you change?’ I wouldn’t make any changes in my life at all because if something different happened I wouldn’t be where I am today and that’s a great place. Something different could have prevented where I am today. I have no regrets and I don’t wish anything different. I got the best possible fights. It’s all been good; it’s all been positive.”

And, if you’re an amateur fighter reading this story and considering turning professional, here’s some advice from a man who knows what it took to make it anywhere.

“When you turn pro give everything 100%. At the end, you want to say I gave 100% and achieved the level you achieved. I got the best out of myself and I can live with that. When you don’t give 100%, that’s when you have regrets. When it’s over, if you’re successful, it’s a bonus. Never stop trying something new. You never stop learning, never stop trying and always give 100%.”

PHOTOS FROM PRESS ASSOCIATION

MARCH 2021 025

C H A M THIS YEAR SHOULD BRING AN EAGERLY-AWAITED WORLD TITLE TILT FOR FORMER AMATEUR STAR MICHAEL CONLAN AS THE WEST BELFAST MAN SEEKS TO UNDERLINE HIS CONSIDERABLE POTENTIAL IN THE 122LBS DIVISION. THE UNBEATEN CONLAN TELLS LUKE G. WILLIAMS THAT HE WANTS TO PROVE HIS CREDENTIALS AGAINST THE VERY BEST AS HE CHASES A DREAM WORLD TITLE CORONATION IN FRONT OF A PASSIONATE HOME CROWD AT FALLS PARK. WRITTEN BY LUKE G. WILLIAMS

I N 026 MARCH 2021

WA

P I O N

I T I N G PHOTOSFROM PHOTO FROMALAMY XXXXXXXX

MARCH 2021 027

he Michael Conlan story is one of most compelling in the proud pugilistic history of Ireland, and the 29-year-old is hoping that 2021 is the year the chapter entitled ‘Professional World Champion’ will finally be written.

misspent teenage years might easily have led to a life of criminality.

It’s a cliché, but it was boxing that offered a way out. A path to salvation.

“Boxing means the world to Belfast,” Conlan reflects. “It’s a fighting city. Within “It looks like I’ll be fighting in mid to late two miles of my house there were around April or the first date in May,” Conlan tells 15 boxing clubs. It’s crazy. Boxing’s saved Boxing Social. “Then I’m hoping to fight for so many lives and changed so many the world title later this year. That seems to people - it’s unbelievable.” be the plan and I do think it will happen.”

Brother Jamie – who challenged Jerwin The rocky journey to boxing’s summit Ancajas for the IBF super-flyweight title began for Conlan in and around the streets in 2017 - was always a key figure and of West Belfast. Despite being surrounded influence. Michael kept his teenage by a stable family unit, comprising Dubliner indiscretions hidden from his older brother father John, Belfast-born mother Teresa for fear of being given a hiding, but by and brothers Brendan, Jamie, Sean and eventually following his sibling’s example he Paul, the classic tropes and temptations of got his life back on the straight and narrow. the inner cities were a constant distraction “The person who provided me with the when Michael was a teenager. most inspiration was my brother, Jamie.

For a while he succumbed, and those He’s the only reason I’m boxing today if

028 MARCH 2021

I’m honest. He was the guy. I looked up to him. If he hadn’t have boxed and been involved in boxing, I wouldn’t have been involved in boxing. That’s the truth. I’m very lucky to have him in my life and still have him involved in my career managing me. He was my biggest inspiration.

“Of course, there were also the local guys I looked up to, such as Carl Frampton. I was getting on as an elite amateur by the time he was winning world titles but he was always an inspiration because of what he was doing and because the shows he was putting on in the city were unbelievable.

“Then there were the likes of [featherweight] Martin Lindsay – he was from West Belfast, too. He was British champion and stuff. He had so much ability – he was so much better than the level he reached. His talent could have brought him much further than where he went.”

Conlan’s decision to cite the under-achieving Lindsay is instructive of his own ambitious mindset and the familiar traps attached to boxing fame that he has worked so hard to avoid. Despite a glittering amateur career – that included Olympic bronze in 2012 and World Championship gold in 2015 – it is clear Conlan’s hunger for success is far from sated.

Indeed, the Irishman is the sort of fighter who wants to wring every possible ounce of success out of his talents. His competitive spirit even extends to his leisure time. If he isn’t with his wife Shauna, daughter Luisne and son Michael Jr, all of whom he dotes on, then you’ll probably find him online playing the iconic ‘first-person shooter’ video game ‘Call of Duty’.

“I think I’m the king [of ‘Call of Duty’],” he chuckles.

“No one’s really challenged me. If I’m honest, ‘Call of Duty’ has often been a saviour in terms of when I’m in training camp. It keeps me occupied while I’m away from my wife and family.

“People say if you’re playing games you’re wasting your time, you’re a waster gamer and all that kind of stuff, but there’s a social side to it, too - playing with your mates and chatting away.

“

BOXING MEANS THE WORLD TO BELFAST, IT’S A FIGHTING CITY. WITHIN TWO MILES OF MY HOUSE THERE WERE AROUND 15 BOXING CLUBS. IT’S CRAZY. BOXING’S SAVED SO MANY LIVES AND CHANGED SO MANY”

PHOTO FROM ALAMY

“Being able to play a game with people in another country is great. I love it! I’ve played some good guys from the boxing world, the likes of Sunny Edwards and Shakur Stevenson. I rate myself very highly so I’d say I’m better than them all! But they’re good guys, good players.”

It’s this competitive spirit that has propelled Conlan’s pro career along at a good pace since he famously held his middle finger up to the unpaid ranks in 2016 in the wake of his bitterly contested points defeat against Vladimir Nikitin in the quarter-finals of the Rio Olympics.

Conlan fought five times apiece in 2017 and 2018 and three times in 2019. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and a serious injury to his right ankle sustained in training in October checked his charge towards world honours last year and, as a result, he fought just once in 2020 – a stoppage victory against Sofiane Takoucht behind closed doors at York Hall in August.

“I think it was my best performance to date,” he reflects of that bout. “I went in there and put on a great show, beating a guy who had fought for a world title in his last fight against Josh Warrington.

MARCH 2021 029

“I know Warrington done him quick [stopping him in two rounds, while Conlan stopped him in ten] but I think I would have done him a lot quicker if it hadn’t been for the warnings and stuff [Conlan was deducted points for low blows in rounds four and five].

The final push towards 122lbs came - strangely enough - during the first national lockdown when, despite spending much of his time learning to bake and eating what he did bake (banana bread being a particular speciality), Conlan somehow managed to lose weight.

“But yeah, listen I was really happy. I went in there aggressive to get the finish and I got the finish so it was a good night for me, a good performance.”

“I don’t know how I did it because I was baking and eating cakes all day,” he laughs. “But me and [trainer] Adam [Booth] have always talked about me moving to super-bantam anyway. It’s always been a thing that I’ll go to super-bantam. I’ve talked about it loads of times.

Conlan also reports that his recovery from the subsequent ankle ligament injury, which ruled him out of a planned December return, has healed well.

“I’m doing alright. I’m recovering well, thank God,” he says. “With things like that it takes time for recovery. But I’m not just sitting around on my arse and that. I’m back training and stuff. There’s still a few things I’m not able to do but most stuff I’m able to do but I’m happy enough. I’m back sparring already.

“Now after lockdown we’ve seen how well my weight comes down and you know what? It’s really realistic for me to be at this weight. It’s not inconceivable, so why not make the jump now?

“We’ve been talking about it for so long and Adam’s always said I’m a natural super-bantam so why not do it? So that’s what we’ve done.

“There’ve been no problems. The injury was devastating because I’d been in the best shape of my life. But I’m working away and my weight and everything is great.”

“I also think super-bantam is a fantastic division. Featherweight is fantastic, too – but super-bantam I think is very deep and very evenly spread.”

Although he has fought as a featherweight for 11 of his 14 pro fights, it is at super-bantamweight that Conlan is expecting to campaign for the foreseeable future and where he is expecting to challenge for a world title.

Conlan is ranked the WBO No.1 contender at 122lbs and, as such, is on the verge of a contest against current title holder Stephen Fulton.

030 MARCH 2021

PHOTOS FROM ALAMY

“

I ALSO THINK THAT SUPER-BANTAM IS A FANTASTIC DIVISION. FEATHERWEIGHT IS FANTASTIC, TOO – BUT SUPERBANTAM I THINK IS VERY DEEP AND VERY EVENLY SPREAD”

“I think he’s a fantastic fighter,” Conlan enthuses of the classy American. “He put on a fantastic performance [in winning the title from Angelo Leo in January]. A championship performance - that’s how I would describe it. He went there, defeated the champion and beat him at his own game.

“He fought at a mad pace and he looked fantastic. That was a pace he’d never fought at for his whole career but he did it so comfortably. He was brilliant. He put in a performance he could be proud of and became a deserved champion.

“If you look at his record and the guys who he’s fought, he’s fought loads of undefeated guys and beaten them. I think that says a lot about the type of fighter he is.

“If I’m to face Stephen then I’m going to be preparing to face an unbelievable fighter and one I’d be delighted to face because he’s a legit champion.”

Such is the strength at 122lbs, however, that Conlan does not rate Fulton as the premier talent in the division.

“No, no, no, I think MJ [WBA and IBF champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev] is the strongest. He’s a unified champ. He’s beaten some really good fighters. He beat Danny Roman, another champion and unified belts after only eight fights.

“That says a lot about MJ. He’s physically really strong. He punches really hard and all round I think he’s the best of the bunch. Fulton would be second for me.”

To fight for the world title on home soil would – Conlan admits – be the dream scenario.

“It would mean the world to me,” he admits, his voice warm with excitement. “I love fighting in Belfast. The last time I fought in Belfast [against Diego Alberto Ruiz in August 2019] it was a fantastic night, a fantastic show. The fans loved it. Hopefully, we can do it again this year. We wanted to do it last year but because of Covid we couldn’t.

“There’s a big push for me to fight there, there’s a lot of things that can be done for me to fight there and I know that everyone behind the scenes wants to get it done. I’m fortunate to have a great team behind me – Top Rank and MTK and that. In terms of fights and shows, I have plenty of options. They have great connections all over the place.

“I definitely can see it happening this year. I just hope that when it happens we have fans. [Watching Joseph Parker vs Junior Fa in front of a live crowd in Auckland] it was unbelievable how enjoyable it looked. It was class.

“That’s something I want to be a part of. To get back into it and have everyone there going crazy, enjoying themselves and having a great night. I definitely think it can be done, especially with these new restrictions and everything being eased off for the summer time. It’s definitely there to be done for Falls Park.”

MARCH 2021 031

MCGUIGAN VS PEDROZA:

M O R E T H A MORE THA

032 MARCH 2021

WHEN CLONES’ BARRY MCGUIGAN BID TO BECOME THE NUMBER ONE FEATHERWEIGHT ON THE PLANET BY CHALLENGING THE GREAT EUSEBIO PEDROZA ON JUNE 8, 1985, ALL OF IRELAND WAS WATCHING. MCGUIGAN RECALLS A SPELLBINDING NIGHT WITH MORE THAN BOXING AT STAKE, IN CONVERSATION WITH MARK BUTCHER.

N A F I G H T AN A FIGHT

WRITTEN BY MARK BUTCHER PHOTO FROM ALAMY

MARCH 2021 033

arry McGuigan vs Eusebio Pedroza was much more than a fight. It was a lasting monument to the pedigree of Irish boxing and a beacon of light in troubling times.

Fighting has always been deeply imbued in the Irish DNA, but no more meaningful boxing match has taken place involving one of Ireland’s favourite sons than McGuigan’s epic triumph over Panamanian great Pedroza at Loftus Road on June 8, 1985.

At that time, ‘The Troubles’ loomed over all. It was a time of great darkness, disillusionment and untimely death, but then a whirlwind of a featherweight emerged from the shadows to restore hope to an embattled isle.

In an era when murder and dispute had become a daily occurrence, a brief calm was restored whenever McGuigan fought. Mortal enemies became unlikely comrades for one night only. Packed to the rafters with feverish Irishmen on either side of political and religious divides, Kings Hall crackled in unison for McGuigan with an atmosphere that tingled every vertebra simultaneously. Divisions miraculously healed when McGuigan laced gloves with the featherweight phenomenon and manager Barney Eastwood viewing fight night as an unlikely but welcome safe space in times of social carnage.

“It was a terrifying place, even for me,” McGuigan told Boxing

Social. “People were dying every day. Right outside Barney Eastwood’s gym in Belfast was the stop check where the army would stop people going into the centre of town, check their bags for explosives, searched them, let them through. They were tooled up, they had rifles, sub-machine guns. It was a real war zone, right in the middle of it, car bombs, people getting shot, kidnapping, it was awful. It was a terrible, terrible time. We were trying to act if life was normal. You think back about it and say, ‘How did we get through all of that?’ But we did and I did contribute to a sense of pride from people of all sides, both sections of the community, where they would travel together. Normally these guys wouldn’t be seen dead with one another but they were travelling on the plane together [to watch me fight], having a drink together, celebrating together, so that was very unique.

“When you went to the Kings Hall, you would never forget it. It burns into your memory, the atmosphere. It was unbelievable.

For the [WBA title] defence against Bernard Taylor, Harry Carpenter said: ‘I can’t even hear myself think! I can’t even speak, it’s that noisy.’ There was something about ‘The Troubles’ [that added to the atmosphere]. There was such sadness and such bitter rivalry and yet, when I fought, they were together for me. For my opponents, it must have been absolutely terrifying to walk into the ring because, the noise, you could cut it with a

“

THE PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY STOP THE HOSTILITIES WITH THE OPPOSITE RELIGION IN ORDER TO GIVE ME THEIR SUPPORT AND TO HAVE THAT UNITY. MAKING THAT COMMITMENT TO ME WAS SOMETHING THAT MEANT AN AWFUL LOT TO ME”

034 MARCH 2021

knife. It was just incredible and we brought that to London for Pedroza. We had 27,000 and the rest in Loftus Road and the noise was just crazy.”

In supporting McGuigan, the Irish were seeking escapism from a waking nightmare but perhaps also a validation of their identity and fighting tradition. They were typically passionate but expectant and McGuigan had no choice but to deliver in the ring.

It seemed an incredible burden but one he took on willingly.

“That was almost more suffocating than being the champion itself,” reflected McGuigan. “It goes with the territory and, if you take great pride in bringing people together, then you invariably bring on that pressure. And, of course, I was aware of that but I was also extremely proud of it. The people would actually stop the hostilities with the opposite religion in order to give me their support and to have that unity. Making that commitment to me was something that meant an awful lot to me. In my quiet moments I was going, ‘I can’t lose, I’ve got to win for these people’ but outwardly it wasn’t a pressure. I genuinely think it was more beneficial than trying.”

A proud Irishman, McGuigan became a symbol of unity and wore a dove on his shorts to represent a more peaceful horizon.

A catholic married to a protestant, Sandra, McGuigan used his grandparents’ heritage in County Tyrone to apply for dual

PHOTOS FROM ALAMY

MARCH 2021 035

“

WHAT A FIGHTER HE WAS. I’VE GOT GREAT RESPECT FOR HIM. I LOVED 15-ROUND FIGHTS BECAUSE THAT WAS MY THING. I HAD GREAT STAMINA”

citizenship so he could fight for the British title in another conciliatory career move.

But in the gym, British sparring partners couldn’t live with his frenetic pace and noholds-barred approach to training, with South Americans especially flown in for their inherent toughness.

“I lived in a border town full of IRA men – Clones is notorious for having a large Republican support so it was a dangerous thing to do [apply for dual citizenship] but it was the sensible thing for me because the British title had such gravitas,” said McGuigan. “I am an Irishman and very proud of my Irish heritage but have no issues with the British people. I felt that it was an important thing to do to help stop the hostility in any way I could, impact on

036 MARCH 2021

the amount of people who were dying and the amount of bitterness. It was terrible, it was so bad, so bitter and caustic. If there was anything I could do to create some kind of harmony there…. There were nogo areas but I wanted to create an area where everybody could go and feel safe and be able to celebrate together.”

unthinkable in this era of hundreds of channels and numerous distractions.

With Irishmen literally blocking the aisles and a path to the ring rendered impossible, McGuigan’s ring walk was forced to take a more scenic route through the seating area. Manager Eastwood employed a jaunty little person, sporting a green bowler hat and matching attire, to With the fighting capital of Belfast a cast ‘leprechaun dust’ in Pedroza’s corner cauldron inside and outside of the ring, before McGuigan’s father Pat, a former long-reigning WBA champion Pedroza understandably didn’t fancy defending his Eurovision Song contestant, embarked on crown in a bear pit of noisy Irishmen so the a typically stirring rendition of ‘Danny Boy’ fight took place in London before an official as all of Ireland stood as one.

27,000 fans at QPR’s Loftus Road but The pageantry was over and then with many more crammed in by unofficial the punching began. McGuigan set a means. A record 19 million viewers would monstrous pace, as was his wont, but watch the fight live on BBC – an audience lineal champion Pedroza didn’t wilt in the

PHOTOS FROM ALAMY

20th defence of his seven-year reign. The cultured Panamanian was at his brightest in the early stages before McGuigan’s relentless assault altered the narrative.

A seventh-round knockdown brought jubilation in the stands and around the television sets back home in Ireland, but McGuigan knew the canny Pedroza was far from done.

“I knew when he got up I hadn’t hurt him badly enough,” said McGuigan. “I went to the corner as they were counting and I was thinking, “What am I going to throw here now?’ I used to use the jab, then I’d step to the left, step to the right, load up with my right hand and throw a sweeping right hook. I did that, step, step, bang and I went to throw it and he just pulled his head back and it sailed past his nose. ‘Oh, he’s not that badly hurt’. I knew he had all his wits about him. I hurt him more badly in the ninth round. I hit him with a right hook, I stepped across, stepped under a left hook and I came back with the right hook and hit him on the temple and his legs went to jelly. I swung a couple more shots but I didn’t catch him. I had him out on his feet in the ninth. I had him hurt again in the 13th but I knew I wasn’t going to get rid of him so I started boxing him in the 15th, rather than trying to take him out.”

There was no path of least resistance in these times, no ‘Regular’ or ‘Interim’ options to claim a world championship via the backdoor. With a maximum of two

established champions (the IBF was only launched in 1983), an aspiring challenger usually had to defeat a near beast to earn world championship status. McGuigan would need to topple a great to become champion, right at the end of the 15-round era. The high-octane McGuigan didn’t reel from the extra three rounds, he relished them. Pedroza had been hurt in the ninth and out on his feet in the 13th but survived with his formidable guile.

“If you look at his history and him as a fighter – what a fighter. One of the all-time great featherweights, my record pales in comparison to his,” said a respectful McGuigan. “I understand that but what a fighter he was. I’ve got great respect for him. I loved 15-round fights because that was my thing. I had great stamina. I loved to fight at a pace. I could crack guys because they could not stand the pace I could fight at. That was the gift that god gave me as well as an assiduous approach to training. I would not be denied.”

When McGuigan’s coronation was confirmed, delirium broke out in the hearts and lungs of all Irishmen. A jubilant crowd filtered out into the night, many walking in a steady procession towards London’s West End. Departing Loftus Road would prove just as arduous for McGuigan and his team, driving through the hordes in a Volkswagen van with his supporters banging the side of the vehicle, hoping to be let in to share the camaraderie.

MARCH 2021 037

McGuigan would arrive home to a hero’s welcome with an estimated 75,000 crowding the streets of Belfast before a return to his hometown of Clones (a population of 2,000 had been boosted to around 35,000 inebriated revellers on a two-and-a-half day bender, according to McGuigan) with those scenes later replicated in Dublin with in excess of 100,000 showing their support. He had brought a conflicted island together with an appeal that extended beyond Ireland, with McGuigan winning the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award in 1985 and also earning the approval of fans Stateside.

Time bends and breaks mortal men, but history will never forget. When McGuigan turned 60 in late February, he was surprised by his sons with the belated award of the Ring Magazine belt, a prize he’d never received for defeating lineal champion Pedroza almost 36 years earlier.

That night, McGuigan (32-3, 28 KOs) hit the heights for Irish boxing and paved the way for the stars to come. One of only four Irishmen to hold a lineal title, his fighting exploits were etched into Irish sporting immortality before entering the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005. His remarkable win will never be forgotten while Irishmen frequent bars and reminisce over the great fights. The achievement is everlasting.

“

“I want to be remembered as someone who could fight. I could really fight. I could do it at the highest level,” mused McGuigan. “I made myself an exciting fighter. I always wanted to be someone who would put bums on seats then not keep the bums on seats because they’d be jumping up and down. I fought in a style that was exciting, I was relentless and I beat some really, really good fighters. I probably should have moved up in weight after I won the featherweight world title, you live and learn. But not an ounce of regret, I wish it could have lasted. I had stop-start issues for obvious reasons, if I had the continuity I know I would have won the super-featherweight world title.

Too small for lightweight but would have won the super-featherweight world title.

No doubt about that.

“I look at Juan Laporte, I look at Bernard Taylor, I look at Eusebio Pedroza, the defence against Danilo Cabrera and my fights against the likes of Jose Caba, I had a very good career. And, to be honest, my style was never going to be a style where I was around for a long time. It was always going to ephemeral. I knew and I understood that. I was trying to make as big an impact as I could whilst my career was on a high and I did that. I am very, very proud of what I’ve achieved. I just tried my best and I still love the game.”

I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO COULD FIGHT. I COULD REALLY FIGHT. I COULD DO IT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL”

038 MARCH 2021

PHOTO FROM ALAMY

MARCH 2021 039

IRELAND’S GREATEST EVER FIGHTING MEN

1-10 The term: “He would have been a world champion had he been boxing today” could be applied to many fighters of the 1950s.

It surely applied to Derry’s Billy “Spider” Kelly, who was British and British Empire featherweight champion and almost won the European title.

KELLY

NO-10

Katie Taylor would obviously merit inclusion in the wider sporting context: Olympic and World gold medallist, women’s pro world champion. But women’s boxing doesn’t have a long history for comparison. So, for the purposes of this Top 10 and consistency, we focus on male Irish boxers.

BILLY ‘SPIDER’ KELLY

IBHOF INDUCTEE GRAHAM HOUSTON CASTS HIS EXPERT EYE OVER A RICH HISTORY OF IRISH BOXING TO SELECT AND CELEBRATE THE ISLE’S GREATEST EVER FIGHTING MEN.

In compiling this Top 10 we took the view that if a boxer was born in Ireland, he’s Irish. Thus we include Jimmy McLarnin, who was born in Belfast, raised from a young age in Canada and did most of his fighting in the US. We also include Mike McTigue, who was born in County Clare although a US resident in his ring career.

One contemporary reporter described McTigue as a “stouthearted son of Erin”. That’s good enough for us.

Kelly, a fast boxer with a beautiful left jab, won the Empire title by outscoring Ghana’s formidable Roy Ankrah at the King’s Hall, Belfast, on October 2, 1954 and he won the British title with a surprisingly comfortable points win over favoured Londoner Sammy McCarthy, also at King’s Hall, on January 22, 1955. The win over McCarthy made for an emotional evening as Billy’s father, Jim “Spider” Kelly, had won the British title in the same ring 17 years earlier.

Twice Kelly was the victim of what seemed to be hometown decisions in reverse. He lost a highly controversial verdict to the fine French fighter, Ray Famechon, in a European title challenge in Dublin on May 27, 1955, and he lost the British title to the Scot, Charlie Hill, in another disputed decision at King’s Hall on February 4, 1956. Each of those verdicts resulted in a riot.

Kelly defeated future world champion Hogan “Kid” Bassey in London in 1953 and was dominating the rematch, an Empire title defence at King’s Hall, when the Nigerian boxer scored a boltfrom-the-blue KO in the eighth round. At the time of the truly stunning ending Kelly “had the fight in his pocket” according to Pathe News.

040 MARCH 2021

NO-10

PHOTOS FROM ALAMY

MCAULEY

DAVE MCAULEY

NO-09

Gutsy flyweight McAuley had a relatively brief career, just 23 bouts (18-3-2, 8 KOs), but he was 6-3 in world title fights. The crowd-pleaser from Larne in Northern Ireland provided thrilling entertainment for the fans in give-and-take fights, especially the first of his two meetings with the Colombian, Fidel Bassa, for the WBA version of the flyweight crown.

McAuley was leading on the judges’ cards in the dramatic initial meeting with Bassa when, bloodied from an assortment of cuts and desperately tired, he was knocked out in the 13th round.

Yet McAuley almost won the fight in the ninth round when he dropped Bassa twice. “You’ve never seen a fight like it in your life!” Harry Carpenter exclaimed in the ninth round of the BBC TV commentary. “The pair of them can hardly stand up.”

Bassa won the rematch on a unanimous decision, this time in a 12-rounder, but McAuley had him hanging on in the 10th round.

However, McAuley became a world champion at the third attempt when he won a unanimous decision over London’s Duke McKenzie to take the IBF title in June 1989. McAuley went on to make five successful title defences before losing to the Colombian Rodolfo Blanco at Bilbao, Spain, in June 1992. McAuley had previously defeated Blanco on a controversial decision in Belfast.

The rematch was closely contested — “In all honesty, I wouldn’t like to say which way that has gone,” Sky Sports commentator Ian Darke confessed at the bout’s conclusion. Blanco had a point deducted in the ninth round for persistent low blows but the judges unanimously had him ahead at the finish, two by a margin of one point. It was McAuley’s last fight.

NO-09 CALDWELL

JOHNNY CALDWELL

NO-08

The writers of the day dubbed Caldwell the “Cold Eyed Killer”.

I’m not sure such a nickname would fly in this day and age.

A bronze medallist at the Melbourne Olympics, Caldwell was probably at his best in the flyweight division although he won European recognition as world bantamweight champion by outpointing France’s Alphonse Halimi at Wembley Pool in May 1961, knocking down Halimi in the 15th and final round to cement his victory.

As a flyweight, Caldwell was one of the best in the world. He impressively knocked out Spain’s former European champion, Young Martin, in the third round and easily outpointed Finland’s Risto Luukkonen, who succeeded Martin as champion, in a nontitle bout just three weeks later.

Caldwell won his first 25 bouts but was stopped in the 10th round by the great Brazilian fighter Eder Jofre in a fight for the undisputed bantamweight title in Sao Paulo in January 1962. In October of that year, Caldwell lost due to being severely cut over both eyes in a fierce all-Belfast battle with Freddie Gilroy and he was never quite the same although he did win the British title before retiring.

NO-08 MARCH 2021 041

GILROY

FREDDIE GILROY

NO-07

Belfast southpaw Freddie Gilroy probably should have been a world champion. Although suffering a knockdown in the 13th round, he seemed to have done enough to defeat Alphonse Halimi, of France, in a thrilling 15-round fight at Empire Pool, Wembley, on October 25, 1960. But the referee and sole arbiter Philippe de Backer, of Belgium, made Halimi the winner. “The ringside pressmen were unanimous in the opinion that Gilroy was the better man,” author Patrick Myler noted in The Fighting Irish.

Hard-hitting and aggressive, Gilroy boxed for Ireland in the Melbourne Olympics and stormed to 21 consecutive wins as a professional, winning the British and Empire bantamweight titles by stopping Glasgow’s former world title challenger Peter Keenan in the 11th round and capturing the European title by outpointing Italy’s Piero Rollo. He also won a 10-round points victory over the Italian deaf-mute Mario D’Agata, a former world bantamweight champion. It was considered a major upset when Gilroy lost his undefeated record to the Mexican southpaw, Ignacio “Zurdo” Pina.

In his last fight, Gilroy won on a bloody TKO against Belfast rival and Olympic teammate Johnny Caldwell at the city’s King’s Hall in October 1962. Caldwell, cut over both eyes, was retired by his corner after the ninth round. “I swear I have never seen more action, more gumption, more speed or more spirit packed into a ring than the twenty-seven minutes of fire-cracker fury offered us by King Freddie and Prince John,” veteran reporter George Whiting noted in his book Great Fights of the Sixties.

NO-07 MONAGHAN

RINTY MONAGHAN

NO-06

Belfast’s Monaghan serenaded fans with When Irish Eyes Are Smiling after his big wins. He captured the world flyweight title by outpointing Honolulu’s Dado Marino at London’s Harringay Arena in October 1947 and successfully defended the title by knocking out former champion Jackie Paterson, of Scotland, in the seventh round and outpointing European champion Maurice Sandeyron, of France, both bouts taking place at King’s Hall, Belfast. Paterson had won and lost against Monaghan in previous meetings but his career was in decline when they boxed for the title.

Monaghan’s last fight saw him box a 15-round draw with an old rival, Londoner Terry Allen, in a title defence at King’s Hall in September 1949. He had stopped Allen in the first round in the initial meeting but Allen won points in an eight-round rematch.

Monaghan was diagnosed with bronchitis and retired as undefeated champion in 1950. He was Belfast’s first world champion and a statue in his honour was unveiled in Belfast city centre in 2015, showing Monaghan with microphone in hand and right fist raised in triumph.

NO-06 042 MARCH 2021

MCTIGUE

MIKE MCTIGUE

NO-05

McTigue is famous for having won a 20-round decision over Battling Siki — the “Singular Senegalese” — to win the lightheavyweight title on St. Patrick’s Day, 1923, in Dublin. With the old-time champions it is difficult to know how good they really were. Contemporary reports describe McTigue as a skilful boxer.

What is beyond dispute is that McTigue boxed the best fighters of his day, including legendary champions such as Harry Greb, Mickey Walker, Tiger Flowers and Jack Delaney. Perhaps his finest win, certainly the most dramatic, was a fourth round TKO over Paul Berlenbach, the fighter who took the light-heavyweight title from him, in a rematch in January 1927.

The Associated Press news agency described Berlenbach as “one of the most feared fighters in any division” but McTigue simply overwhelmed him. “Throwing caution to the four corners of Madison Square Garden, McTigue heretofore a cautious fighter although a superlative boxer, ripped into Berlenbach from the tap of the opening gong,” AP reported. “McTigue smothered him at close range and whipped that slashing right hand to the head at every opening.”

NO-05 FRAMPTON

CARL FRAMPTON

NO-04

These words were written before Frampton’s April 3 fight with 130lbs champion Jamel Herring. A win would see Frampton become Ireland’s first three-weight world champion, having held titles at 122 and 126 pounds.

Frampton has prevailed away from home and he’s got off the floor to win. He proved he was elite level when stopping Kiko Martinez in nine rounds to become European 122lbs champion in February 2013. Martinez went on to win the IBF title, and Frampton outboxed and outpunched the dangerous Spanish fighter to become champion at 122 pounds in 2014.

After two successful defences, Frampton won a unanimous decision over the unbeaten Scott Quigg in a big domestic showdown between world 122-pound champions before moving up to 126 pounds.

Frampton’s 12-round majority decision over Leo Santa Cruz in Brooklyn, New York, to win the WBA ‘Super’ 126lbs title in July 2016 was a tremendous result. Santa Cruz was undefeated in 33 bouts and he was the favourite, but Frampton rose to the occasion.

Santa Cruz won the rematch on a desperately close, majority decision at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, in January 2017 and then Frampton failed in his bid to recapture a featherweight belt when Josh Warrington outpointed him in a rousing battle in December 2018.

NO-04

Now Frampton seeks to grab championship glory in a third weight division. It would be one of the great achievements in Ireland’s proud ring history if Frampton pulled it off.

PHOTOS FROM ALAMY

MARCH 2021 043

MCGUIGAN

BARRY MCGUIGAN

NO-03

“Clones Cyclone” McGuigan electrified Britain and Ireland when he defeated Panama’s Eusebio Pedroza on a unanimous decision to win the WBA featherweight title at Queen’s Park Rangers’ football ground Loftus Road on June 8, 1985. McGuigan knocked down the long-reigning champion in the seventh round and had him wobbling (and probably saved by the bell) in the ninth. “What excitement! What a night!” Harry Carpenter exclaimed in the BBC TV commentary.

McGuigan made two successful defences of the title before losing to Steve Cruz, of Fort Worth, Texas in a huge upset outdoors at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. The fight opened the PPV show at shortly after 6pm and although McGuigan piled up points in the early rounds he seemed to wilt in the desert heat.

Cruz knocked down an exhausted McGuigan in the 15th and final round to clinch the victory. In a 12-rounder, McGuigan would have won.

Apart from beating Pedroza, McGuigan won a 10-round decision over the tough Puerto Rican Juan Laporte, a former featherweight champion, in another outstanding performance.

NO-03 COLLINS

STEVE COLLINS

NO-02

Dublin’s rugged Steve Collins lived up to his “Celtic Warrior” tag. Collins wasn’t the classiest of boxers but he provided uncompromising, hard-working aggression. He was also a twoweight champion, winning titles at 160 and 168 pounds.

Outpointed by superior craftsman Mike McCallum and smart southpaw Reggie Johnson in middleweight title bouts, Collins became champion at 160 pounds at the third attempt when he stopped Chris Pyatt in the fifth round in May 1994. And in his next fight, Collins won a unanimous but close 12-round decision over Chris Eubank in County Cork on March 18, 1995, to become champ at 168 pounds. Collins won by split decision in the rematch.

In the first fight with Eubank, Collins scored a knockdown in the eighth round when a long right to the body caught Eubank in a squared-up posture. Eubank scored a more emphatic type of knockdown when he dropped Collins with a right hand in the 10th round, but the tough Irish fighter smiled to his corner that he was okay. And Collins showed he was more than a brawler when he used the left jab to good effect in the 11th round. “An unbelievable night. An unbelievable fight,” Glenn McCrory noted in the Sky Sports commentary. Collins went on to make six successful title defences, including two wins over a diminished Nigel Benn.

NO-02 044 MARCH 2021

PHOTOS FROM ALAMY

JIMMY MCLARNIN

NO-01

MCLARNIN

McLarnin was born in Belfast (actually Hillsborough, 12 miles from the city) but his parents emigrated to Canada. McLarnin made his pro debut as a 16-year-old flyweight, winning on a first-round KO in Vancouver in December 1923. By 1924 he had moved to California, where he was handled by legendary manager Pop Foster.

A fierce puncher but troubled by hand injuries, McLarnin moved up through the weight divisions and won the world welterweight title with a split-decision victory over the great Barney Ross in 1934. His rivalry with Ross produced one of the outstanding rubber-match series in ring history, Ross leading 2-1. McLarnin was a huge attraction in his day, attracting a Depression-era crowd of 18,000 to Madison Square Garden in May 1931 when he won a unanimous decision over dangerous left-hooker Billy Petrolle to avenge a previous loss. “McLarnin waged a cool and calculating fight, designed to frustrate the rushes of Petrolle,” Associated Press reported.

Boxing was characterised by ethnic rivalries in McLarnin’s era, and he defeated a number of leading Jewish boxers, including a knockout over faded former lightweight champion Benny Leonard although Barney Ross bested him in two of their three meetings. McLarnin was described as Irish all through his career, with an Associated Press article in 1934 identifying him as “the boy with a right hand like a shillalah and a grin like St. Patrick’s”.

NO-01 MARCH 2021 045

046 MARCH 2021

PHOTO FROM MATCHROOM BOXING

THE ASSASSIN’S CREED WRITTEN BY LUKE G. WILLIAMS

A FORMER WORLD TITLE CHALLENGER WHO STRUGGLED WITH THE SCALES AT 130LBS, WEST BELFAST BANGER JAMES TENNYSON HAS BEEN REJUVENATED SINCE MOVING UP TO LIGHTWEIGHT, REELING OFF SIX STRAIGHT STOPPAGES. WITH HIS HEAVY HANDS AND WRECKING BALL APPROACH, ‘THE ASSASSIN’ GUARANTEES DRAMA IN A BOXING RING AND TELLS LUKE G. WILLIAMS HE IS READY FOR THE BIG NAMES IN A RED HOT 135LBS DIVISION. MARCH 2021 047

“

I COULDN’T SEE THERE WAS ANY WAY I COULD LOSE THAT FIGHT, BUT ONCE WE WERE OUT IN AMERICA, AND MY WEIGHT WAS COMING DOWN, I COULD FEEL MYSELF SORT OF SLIPPING”

hile many boxers have struggled with the rigours and restrictions of lockdown and the surreal experience of fighting behind closed doors – if they have fought at all – James Tennyson has taken it all in his stride and managed to keep his career on a determinedly upwards trajectory.

Successive lockdowns have enabled the 27-year-old lightweight contender from West Belfast to spend plenty of time with his two-year-old son, in between training hard and fighting twice in 2020, beating Gavin Gwynne for the British title in August and defeating Josh O’Reilly in a WBA title eliminator in December.

“I’ve been very fortunate and I’m very thankful for the team I have around me that have kept me on the move and kept things coming for me when most of the world has come to a standstill,” Tennyson tells Boxing Social.

“And do you know what? Fighting behind closed doors hasn’t affected me at all. Most of my fights for the last few years have been on the road in England, London, Liverpool and so on.

“When I go away, I like to relax, chill out in the hotel and do my training. I don’t go out much. I like to just rest, recover, get the weight right and get ready to fight. So for me being in the bubble gave me the chance to do just that - there wasn’t anything else I could do. It suited me.”

After losing to Tevin Farmer in a 2018 tilt at the IBF super- featherweight world title, Tennyson subsequently moved up to 135lbs.

It’s a move that has paid rapid dividends. As well as fighting twice last year, he fought four times in 2019 and has won all six of his contests at lightweight via stoppage.

“You know what – the Farmer fight was a lesson learned not to murder myself to make the weight,” Tennyson reflects. “All the way through training camp, the way I was sparring I was very confident. I couldn’t see there was any way I could lose that fight, but once we were out in America, and my weight was coming down, I could feel myself sort of slipping.

“It was probably making the weight that beat me in that fight.

So it was definitely a lesson learned that day. It put a bit of a bad look on me and it was a learning curve.

“I’ve settled into lightweight absolutely brilliant. For the first time in years, I’ve been comfortable making the weight. I haven’t been murdering myself the day before the weigh-in and stuff.

I’ve been able to eat, which I never used to be able to do before because I was doing crazy cuts before weighing in.

“I used to be flat. Now I’m bouncing through camp. I don’t need to worry about cutting weight. I’m strong throughout training

048 MARCH 2021

“

WITH EDDIE HEARN SPEAKING HIGHLY OF ME I’M EXPECTING BIG THINGS TO COME FROM THIS LINK-UP. I’M VERY EXCITED THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING WELL SO FAR. I’VE GOT HIGH HOPES”

and the fight. It’s benefited me massively the move up. I’m very, very confident right now and things have been going from strength to strength for me.”

The busy schedule that Tennyson has been able to keep has – he argues – been a huge plus. “It’s very important for me to be as active as possible,” he explains.

The chatter at the moment is that Tennyson’s next outing may be a high-profile clash with Scotland’s former superfeatherweight, lightweight and super-lightweight world titlist Ricky Burns. The 37-year-old from Coatbridge has never been stopped in a distinguished 43-8-1, 16 KOs career and such a contest would offer an intriguing test of the undoubted punching power Tennyson has demonstrated in securing 24 stoppages in 28 pro victories (against three losses).

“As a boxer you go through camp after camp and it’s good to have a fight at the end of it. It keeps the fire burning, it keeps It’s a contest that Tennyson would readily welcome. “I’ve your head in the game. The pandemic hit when my career was been told there’s a good chance of it happening,” he says. on the rise but two of the biggest fights of my career – the British “Eddie Hearn mentioned on Instagram about me fighting him. title and the WBA eliminator - happened during the pandemic.”

Fingers crossed, it would be a really good fight so I’m hoping Tennyson has benefited from the canny and tireless guidance it materialises. of manager Mark Dunlop, who has shepherded his career since “I feel I’m at the stage now where I’m ready for the big names. the ‘The Assassin’ turned pro aged just 19 in 2012. In January I’m just hoping that the big opportunities are going to come last year, Dunlop manoeuvred Tennyson into a multi-fight because I know I’m ready. It’s just a matter of getting the fights promotional deal with Matchroom, which has further risen his signed and sealed. All being well, we’ll get that sorted. charge’s profile.

“I’m hoping to get out again in April or May time and I’m ready “Matchroom have been leading the way for a long time now and for anyone. I’m always training and in the gym. I’ve been down for many years,” Tennyson says. “For me to be among the big in Dublin sparring rounds and stuff. When the day comes, I’ll be fights they are making has been great. It’s been benefiting my ready. I’m just waiting for the phone call.” career massively and with Eddie Hearn speaking highly of me I’m As well as being matched often, a further characteristic of expecting big things to come from this link-up. I’m very excited Tennyson’s career has been a willingness to be matched that things have been going well so far. I’ve got high hopes.”

PHOTOS FROM MATCHROOM BOXING

MARCH 2021 049

tough. For example, as well as having challenged for a world crown and having won European, Commonwealth and British titles, he also fought for – and won – the Irish title in just his sixth pro start against Mickey Coveney.

“It was huge for me at the time,” he recalls. “I’d actually fought Mickey Coveney earlier on in my career as well, but the Irish title fight was my first time topping the bill on a big show.

“St. Kevin’s Hall, where I won the Irish title, was also where I won my first Antrim title in the amateurs. It’s actually been knocked down now but fighting there for my first big title as a professional was great for me.”

Tennyson is, of course, one of the latest in a long and prestigious line of significant fighters to hail from Belfast, a lineage which also includes former world champions such as Wayne McCullough, Carl Frampton and Ryan Burnett. Boxing’s proud tradition in the Emerald Isle both south and north of the border - of welcoming and embracing fighters from all faiths is something Tennyson - whose father is Protestant and mother is Catholic - is proud of and values highly.

“The Irish fans speak for themselves,” he enthuses. “Within Ireland there’s

050 MARCH 2021

obviously a mixture of British and Irish or whatever but come fight night the whole of Ireland gets together and the communities mix to pack out the arenas.

“Boxing means a lot to the boxers and to the fans. For me, it’s kept me on the right path throughout my life. It’s kept me on the straight and narrow. Boxing gives you a whole new outlook on life, dedicating my time to boxing rather than running around on the streets has kept me right.

“Years ago coming up, I followed Jim Rock, Eamonn Magee, Martin Rogan and guys like that. I knew those guys growing up. I used to go down to the Balmoral hotel when the public could meet them.

“I’ve helped Carl Frampton out with camps and sparring on a number of occasions. I’ve sparred Carl down at his gym in Tigers Bay a few times and Carl took me over to London before the Scott Quigg fight.”

If Tennyson is to emulate the likes of Frampton by becoming a world champion, he will have to do it the hard way, by winning a title in arguably boxing’s toughest and hottest weight class.

He admits it is a tall order as he runs the rule over some of the division’s big guns, but by the same token he would back

“

THE IRISH FANS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, WITHIN IRELAND THERE’S OBVIOUSLY A MIXTURE OF BRITISH AND IRISH OR WHATEVER BUT COME FIGHT NIGHT THE WHOLE OF IRELAND GETS TOGETHER AND THE COMMUNITIES MIX TO PACK OUT THE ARENAS”

his chances against anyone you care to put in front of him.

“You have to rate Teofimo Lopez very highly after what he went and done by dethroning [Vasiliy] Lomachenko. He’s quality and he showed that against Lomachenko. He outboxed and he outfought him. Obviously, Lopez is in the position that we all want to be in - he’s considered the top dog.

lot of problems for a lot of people in the lightweight division. I don’t think Lomachenko is done yet.”

Then there’s Gervonta Davis, the Baltimore sensation who Johnny Nelson on Sky TV backed Tennyson to beat. With typical level headedness, the Poleglass puncher is unconcerned about the scepticism with which Nelson’s claim was greeted.

“I was very impressed with Ryan Garcia [against Luke Campbell]. He hits hard, everyone’s seen that. Working with Canelo’s team he’s shown a lot of improvements. I rate Garcia. He’s got a lot of potential.

“Listen, Johnny Nelson took a lot of stick on social media and I got a bit myself but I don’t pay too much attention to that. That’s just how it is.

Fights and opportunities like that are what I’m in boxing for.

“Lomachenko? You know what, I still think he’s got a lot left in him. Obviously, after the Lopez fight, he underwent surgery. I don’t know how much that affected him in the fight - I know he said he had the injury throughout his training camp.

“Johnny Nelson making a few comments like that could easily help me get some big fights. And it’s great to hear someone like Johnny Nelson give me compliments like that - obviously I’m doing something right.”

“But I think he’s still got a heck of a lot left in him. I think he can cause a

PHOTOS FROM MATCHROOM BOXING

MARCH 2021 051

WRITTEN BY CRAIG SCOTT

THE MONAG

052 MARCH 2021

GHAN BOYS HAVING UPROOTED FROM COUNTY MONAGHAN TO BASE THEMSELVES IN THE FIGHTING HUB OF LOS ANGELES, THE MCKENNA BROTHERS AARON AND STEVIE SEEM DESTINED TO TAKE LEADING ROLES IN THE FIGHT GAME AFTER MOVING OVER TO ESTEEMED TRAINER FREDDIE ROACH’S WILD CARD GYM IN HOLLYWOOD. CRAIG SCOTT CAUGHT UP WITH THE TALENTED SIBLINGS PLOTTING A PATH TO THE SUMMIT OF THE SPORT.

PHOTOS FROM VALENTIN ROMERO

MARCH 2021 053

here isn’t anything dramatically Hollywood about County Monaghan, Ireland. Its rolling hills and rural castles are aesthetically pleasing, but you’re not likely to stumble upon million-dollar mansions, super hotels or iconic production studios. Yet, as boxing attempts to free itself of the Covid-19 pandemic’s firm, disruptive grip, the little town of just 8,000 locals is revelling in the progress of two of their generation’s leading men, brothers Aaron and Stevie McKenna.

The McKenna brothers – accompanied by their father, Fergal – have been a regular fixture Stateside. They joked, discussing the need for a high-protection SPF lotion as two Irishman basking in the punishing sunshine of the Hollywood Hills. Aaron, the younger of the two, has been making regular trips since his decision to turn professional with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions back in 2017.

Now undefeated in 11 fights, boasting seven knockouts, the 21-year-old super-welterweight spoke of their growing relationship Extremely humble and comfortably unbeaten as professionals, the pair spoke to Boxing Social about life in Los Angeles, sparring with famed trainer of Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach: “We’re set up in the Wild Card now and that’s the key, to keep improving some of the sport’s biggest names and returning to Monaghan with every fight. Whenever we can [travel], we’ll be back there. It’s for some fishing on the River Blackwater. While hundreds of a great gym and the atmosphere is unbelievable. Every day you fighters were left starved for action during 2020, the brothers go into the Wild Card, it just gives you that extra boost with your were fortunate enough to feature on British terrestrial television, training and the sparring is just incredible. Also, having Freddie starring with Mick Hennessy’s promotion on Channel 5.

Roach behind you in the corner is just brilliant. He is a world class “We were staying ready, and then I got the opportunity in coach and he’s only gonna bring us on leaps and bounds with the September to fight on a Hennessy Sports show,” explained superamount of world champions he trains, and hopefully we’re next. lightweight Stevie (7-0, 7 KOs), now signed to the British promoter.

“I took the fight and got a first-round knockout. I then had two back- “The experience is showing as well, I’m learning a lot with every to-back fights at Christmas there, with another two knockouts. I was fight and I like to select my shots carefully, too. As you can see in very happy to get them. It was just good to get back into the ring. I my last fight with Jordan Grannum, I landed a good body shot on was really excited because it was a long lay-off; it was nearly a year him and I was the first person to ever put him down. He’d never been stopped or put down in like 80 fights.” since my last fight in America, so it was just great getting back.”

“

054 MARCH 2021

WE BOTH HAVE THE SAME GOALS AND HOPEFULLY WE BOTH BECOME WORLD CHAMPIONS. WE BOTH WANT TO BRING THOSE WORLD TITLES BACK TO MONAGHAN”

Despite Stevie’s contract with Mick Hennessy and his promotional outfit Hennessy Sports, he still intends on returning to Los Angeles, after securing sparring with premier talent such as former, current and future world champions: Vasiliy Lomachenko, Jose Ramirez and Ryan Garcia. And he intends on continuing the family’s close bond with sports management company, Sheer Sports, who picked the boys up as amateurs from a young age.

The quiet 24-year-old managed to stick in Garcia’s craw, upsetting the Disney prince with comments that followed a sparring session and gaining plenty of traction on social media.

McKenna admitted that Garcia has a less than wholesome personality, but praised it, claiming, “You need that nasty side if you’re gonna succeed in this game.”

“I’m ready for anyone. I look forward to fighting Ryan Garcia in the future,” he told Boxing Social. “He didn’t like comments that I made about him, and he sent a few nasty private messages to me. We like to do our talking in the ring. Once we are in there, we have this attitude which means we’re looking for the knockout – it’s always about the KO. We want to take them out of there when we get the chance, and we’ll not stop until we win world titles. We’re on a mission to do it.”

With that, the conversation turns to steely determination and a desire to remain on script. The two young brothers – emerging from a town near to Irish hero, Barry ‘Clones Cyclone’ McGuigan – have dreams of staging dual world title fights in Monaghan. It seems further away to observers or fans than it does to Stevie and Aaron; but they believe it’s already written.

It seems fascinating that both brothers are following promotional

PHOTOS FROM VALENTIN ROMERO

paths on different sides of the water; Aaron continuing to build his profile with Golden Boy and with the backing of former multiweight superstar Oscar De La Hoya; Stevie, focusing on exposure nearer Irish soil with the man responsible for guiding the early careers of British world champions Carl Froch and Tyson Fury.

But for either brother’s pros and cons, their focus remained the same – do the business and do it in exciting, explosive fashion.

Stevie wants to emulate Tommy Hearns, the rangy Detroitbased icon, and his little brother wouldn’t complain with that comparison either.

Aaron explained: “If you can make people want to watch you, I think that’s the boxer that shines the most. That’s the way we want to do it. That’s the objective – make people want to watch you, make it exciting. That’s the main thing and that’s what we do.

Over in America, I’m still getting good support. Once you get to the top, no matter where you are, the Irish will always get behind you anyway. We’re both of the same mindset, we both have the same goals and hopefully we both become world champions. We both want to bring those world titles back to Monaghan.”

Stevie explains he’d fight Ryan Garcia “tomorrow”; Aaron talks of fighting for a world title “tomorrow”. There’s no doubt their ambition matches their ability, though it might be a bit much for an otherwise quiet Sunday in March. For now, with progression restricted, they continue cycling and fishing, enjoying tranquillity away from the ferociousness of training as talented, competitive siblings.

County Monaghan still waits for its own red-carpet experience – but you get the sense it won’t have to wait much longer.

MARCH 2021 055

056 MARCH 2021

P A D D Y

D O N O V A N

THE NEXT BIG THING WRITTEN BY JOHN A. MACDONALD

BIG THINGS ARE EXPECTED OF WELTERWEIGHT PADDY DONOVAN WITH THE LIMERICK SOUTHPAW WIDELY TIPPED AS IRELAND’S NEXT BOXING SUPERSTAR. TRAINED AND MANAGED BY THE RESPECTED ANDY LEE, WITH THE PROMOTIONAL PUSH OF TOP RANK BEHIND HIM, DONOVAN TELLS JOHN A. MACDONALD THAT THE WEIGHT OF EXPECTATION DOES NOT CONCERN HIM ONE BIT AS HE THRIVES ON THE PRESSURE. rom the moment Paddy Donovan became a professional fighter, he was earmarked for greatness. A glittering amateur career, with the promotional clout of Top Rank and Andy Lee in his corner, added credence to the claims. The hype has continued to increase with each dazzling performance.

While the weight of expectation would be a heavy burden to some young boxers in the infancy of their career, Donovan (6-0, 4 KOs) relishes it as he not only looks to achieve the lofty targets that have been set for him but surpass them.

“I absolutely thrive off it,” Donovan told Boxing Social. “I absolutely love it! I love the attention, I love people talking about me, I love being in good fights, I love showcasing my skills. I love boxing, man. I love doing everything that comes with it.

“If I can’t handle the pressure, people talking about me, there’s no point me

PHOTO FROM MTK GLOBAL

doing it. I’m here to be very successful and to accomplish a lot in boxing, that’s my aim and I won’t stop until I do it. If that means people talking about me and saying I’m a good prospect and that I’m going to be something, well, that’s what I want to be.”

even better,” he said. “I have talent, I know that, I’ve known that from a young age, but talent isn’t much if I’m not working hard and ticking all the little boxes at home.”

While many fighters succumb to temptation when they are out of the ring, Donovan keeps his eyes firmly on the prize. Perhaps, it comes easier to ‘The Real Deal’ as boxing is all he has ever known. His father, Martin, was a talented amateur boxer in his younger days. When he retired, he set up his own gym in Limerick. At four years old, Donovan and his younger brother Edward (now a professional signed to Queensberry Promotions) were taken to the gym. Ever since, the sport has become Donovan’s life.

Such attention is nothing new for the 22-year-old. Throughout his time in the unpaid ranks, he was regarded as one of the best prospects in Ireland.

Having amassed a record of 161-5 as an amateur, picking up 13 junior national titles and a silver medal in the World Junior championships, Donovan knew he possessed the ability to go far in the sport. However, don’t misconstrue his deep-rooted self-belief for arrogance, Donovan has extra motivation to the southpaw is acutely aware that talent persevere with the rigours of training, as alone will only take him so far and believes he hopes to secure the financial future he has the dedication to match his skill. of his wife Ellie and daughter Una. At present, he does not get the opportunity “I am kinda used to people saying how good I am, but I want to prove that I can be to spend as much time as he would like

MARCH 2021 057

058 MARCH 2021

with either but is certain that it will all be worthwhile.

“It’s been tough,” he said of the time away from his family. “But I have to make these sacrifices to achieve my goal. It’s not easy, but it is the only way I can support my family; the only thing I really know how to do is boxing. I’ll do it over and over again, as long as I make a living from it, I’ll continue to do it. The only thing I have in my head is work hard. I’ve dedicated my life since [I was] four years old.”

As a child, Andy Lee was one of Donovan’s sporting heroes. The former WBO middleweight champion is a traveller from Limerick, as is Donovan.

The first professional bout Donovan saw live was Lee’s decision victory over Affif Belghecham. Lee and Donovan have known each other for over a decade now.

Lee’s brother, Roger, assisted with training Donovan for two years, as an amateur.

When Donovan discovered that Lee was willing to train him, the news elevated his belief in his own abilities.

“It was absolutely brilliant when I heard he was interested,” he said. “Then, in my heart I really knew that I can make it in boxing when Andy came looking to get involved. He was successful and he made a lot of money from boxing, but he was going to give his time and invest in me.

I’m sure he’s not doing that for the fun of it, there’s a purpose to it. He’s done all the right things to get me in place, it’s up to me now to do the rest.

“Me and Andy want this for the long-term, we don’t want to be a flash in the pan where he trains me for a couple of fights and finishes. We are here for the long run.

We want to be a team until the day I retire.”

The partnership has already become a successful one. In just six fights together, Donovan has produced several eyecatching performances. In his most Given that Lee had earned a good living recent contest, he faced the biggest test from boxing and not squandered his savings, there was little need for him to of his career to date when he took on Siar Ozgul. The London-based Turk had return to the sport as a coach. With two young children of his own, Lee would have previously taken established fighters been forgiven eschewing boxing in favour such as Viktor Postol and Anthony Yigit of quality time with his family. However, the scheduled distance. Donovan made Lee knew that the opportunity to guide a statement by forcing Ozgul to retire a skilful fighter with power in both hands at the end of the fourth round. While may only come along once in a lifetime. most observers were impressed by the

“

ME AND ANDY WANT THIS FOR THE LONG-TERM, WE DON’T WANT TO BE A FLASH IN THE PAN WHERE HE TRAINS ME FOR A COUPLE OF FIGHTS AND FINISHES”

PHOTO FROM MTK GLOBAL

MARCH 2021 059

welterweight’s performance, Donovan, ever the perfectionist, believes he is capable of better.

Donovan is certain he has the ability to match the achievements of the four aforementioned lightweights. Within two to three years, Donovan believes he can win a world title. That strap, he hopes, will be the first of many. He is sure he can ultimately become a four-weight world champion. If Donovan is as good as his word, he will prove his moniker is apt and that he is, in fact, the real deal.

“Considering it was a step up, he had 20 fights and a lot of experience and was in with some big names, it was a brilliant performance,” he said. “The result was brilliant for me, but there were a lot of things I didn’t get right, didn’t showcase. I could have done a lot more, I’m a bit critical of myself. I picked up a little injury on the left hand, in the first round, so that kind of changed “I get a little bit jealous of the Garcias, the Haneys, the Tanks, all around my age and them being world champions,” he said. my mood a little bit. Overall, it was a great win. I’m happy with it.

“That’s where I rate myself. I can do things like this. I know it’s “I know how good I can be and sometimes, when I really turn up, going to be a lot longer, a couple more years I’ll have to wait, but I can be exceptional. Even on my bad days, I can get a win, so I I believe I can win a lot of world titles. can’t be too critical on myself.”

“I can be a multiple-weight world champion. I can go down In his next bout, Donovan will be stepping up to the eight-round to light-welterweight right now. Sometimes, I weigh-in on the distance for the first time and has his sights set on a youth title scales at 65kg (143lbs) for a fight. I can fight light-welter, I can by the end of the year. Donovan is being progressed quickly handle middleweights. I’m going to be moving up and down for a fighter who turned professional less than 18 months ago. weights once I get my hands on a welterweight world title. I’ve However, ‘The Real Deal’ casts an envious eye towards Teofimo sparred middleweights, guys 10, 15 kilos heavier than myself and Lopez, Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis, who destroyed them. I don’t lose many spars at any weight and I can are of a comparative age and all hold world titles – to varying hold my power if I move up or down. As long as I stay out of the degrees of legitimacy. way of shots, no one can beat me.”

060 MARCH 2021

PHOTO FROM MTK GLOBAL

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED! BOXING-SOCIAL.COM

@BOXING.SOCIAL BOXINGSOCIAL

BOXING SOCIAL @BOXING_SOCIAL