Kelvin McDonald pleased by impressive pro debut display

Kelvin McDonald [1(0)-0] promised he would make a statement on his debut and he definitely did.

The Larne super featherweight made his pro bow on the ‘Back in Belfast’ card at the Shorts Sports and Social Club and was involved in one of the most entertaining fights of the night.

Facing Belfast favourite Alec Bazza, McDonald dropped the game journeyman in the opening round before showing skill, grit, and a bit of showboating to claim a 40-35 win after four competitive rounds.

“It was tough, aye,” he told Irish-Boxing.com afterwards.

“I showed my boxing starting off, got a knockdown, maybe got involved a wee bit too much. I was going to war when I knew I had the skills to outbox him.”

“I’m happy, though, that I showed everything. I think it was a good performance.”

“I try to entertain in every fight, there’s sometimes a bit of messing, the usual,” he added, in referece to a ‘Billy Joe Saunders’ thrown in at one stage after he evaded a wide shot

While he is onlyh 19, McDonald was happy to get a tough fight to start off and he credited Bazza for the challenge

McDonald noted how “he’s one of the ones that comes, with experience, and makes it hard for you.”

“You don’t want the easy fights, you want guys where you hit them and they still come back. You don’t want to have to go around the ring looking for them – he came looking for me.”

“He was a lot bigger and heavier but I felt I was the stronger out of the two of us, I was able to throw him about.”

“Four rounds, your pro debut, all the nervous energy kicking in – you do get tired but I always had that little bit extra in the tank to push on.”

Before he debuted, McDonald had spoken of his desire to face fellow new pros Ruadhan Farrell and Jamie Douglas.

This desire still remains but ‘Boom Boom’ kept respectful following his first win.

McDonald outlined how “I’ve got a head start now on them but I won’t take anything away from them, they’re two talented kids and hopefully we meet down the line.”

“I’m hoping to be out pretty soon, I didn’t take too much damage which was the main aim. I’ll be out again soon.”