Don’t call it a comeback – It’s a chance of redemption for McShane

Don’t call it a comeback – it’s much more than that for Daniel McShane.

McShane returns to the ring after a three-year absence when he trades leather at the Europa Hotel on February 3rd.

After such a sabbatical most would fighters would be handed a relatively meaningless fight with the sole purpose of oiling off the ring rust.

However, McShane’s opponent on the MHD Promoted show is one that holds huge significance for the man they call ‘Insane’.

Zoltan Horvath might seem like your run of the mill journeyman and although the regular to Ireland is respected he is never deemed as a real threat to the early doors prospects he usually faces.

Yet he represents something different to the returning Belfast ticket seller.

McShane is on a revenge mission and believes victory \t the Europa Hotel will bring redemption. The Hungarian managed scored a shock win over the 24-year-old in late February of 2015 and the reverse-which came as a result of a dislocated shoulder – has haunted the vocal fighter since.

Indeed, McShane admits a dark time followed and is determined to take the chance to put the record straight.

“After the dust settled I was pretty down. I’d just had a newborn son and with one arm I couldn’t lift him for more than 5 minutes. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t think proper, I was lashing out at the ones I love and it was a pretty dark time for me and the ones closes to me,” the ever honest McShane admitted to Irish-Boxing.com. 

“This is the only chance I’ll ever get to put this behind me. If I slip up this time I will have to live with this defeat for all my life and trust me I don’t want that. Trust me for him to get a win this time round he will have to kill me. This fight will never ever happen again so I will show the boxing world last time round was a fluke.”

Horvath certainly isn’t the most exciting of opponents. The 42-year-old does exactly what his record suggests, he gives prospects rounds and a good work out. However, this is personal for McShane and he revealed a chance to put the record straight against the miniature hardnosed veteran was something that tempted him to return.

It appears promoter Mark Dunlop sold the man with one of the most entertaining ring walks in boxing a revenge mission when the pair met about a possible return.

“As you know I’d parted from Mark a few years ago but when I got back on track we met for food a coffee, and Mark said to me ‘Dan you need to get back, I’ll get you this wee guy who you got injured against. We can set the record straight once and for all and then we can move on to bigger things, but first it’s one fight at a time’.”

“When he said those words my eyes lit up and I couldn’t refuse. I know Mark works extremely hard and I know this was no bullshit it was serious. So the next day I got in contact with my coach Tony [Dunlop] and I was back in full swing.”

Full swing was not something McShane was in when he last prepared to fight his February 3rd opponent.

After working his way to 9-0 the Belfast Kronk fighter was a bit underwhelmed by the opponent given to him for the Anderstown Leisure Centre hosted fight and as a result he didn’t train accordingly.

“I’ll tell you the truth and this isn’t a word of a lie, the last time I got told I was fighting this guy I was like ‘ahh for God sake, not another guy like this’. I was thinking it would be a walk in the park. So I didn’t train I didn’t care about weight, I didn’t go running when I was meant too. I just wasn’t dedicated at all and I was wrong of course.” 

That attitude hasn’t reared it’s head this time around. With weight and rust to lose McShane has had to put in an extra long camp and seems to be enjoying being back.

“I’m training now about 12 weeks solid. I’m now in the gym these days two or three times per day and now I’m getting some great sparring with my team-mate and world number four James Tennyson and one of the fittest men I know in boxing Ronnie Clarke, so I can’t complain about that.”

“I train in the best club in Ireland with one of the best coaches in the world and managed by one of the leading managers-promoters on this island and in the UK. I’m enjoying every second of training nowadays.”