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Tyrone McKenna promising change ahead of ring return


“For the sake of longevity in his career he can’t keep having hard nights like that.”

“I hope he learns and goes on for a bigger test in 2019.”

That was the message Carl Frampton had for fellow Belfast fighter Tyrone McKenna [17(6)-1(0)-1] after he was involved in yet another entertaining brawl against Lewis Benson last November.

McKenna had scored a one-point win in Glasgow following a gruelling fight – in what was his comeback from an up-and-down war with Jack Catterall and friend and stablemate Frampton was worried.

It seems ‘The Mighty Celt’ has paid heed to the former two-weight world champions words of wisdom and claims he has been working on showing his skill rather than will from here on out.

Indeed, McKenna has promised ‘big improvements’ in a bout he claims will prove to be a warm-up for a light welterweight title assault at the Ulster Hall on March 29th.

“I’ve been working very hard with Danny Vaughan in the gym. You’ll see big improvements in my next fight and I can’t wait,” said McKenna. 

However, a more tactical approach won’t mean less entertainment for the fans claims the rangy Lenadoon southpaw.

The former child actor is always keen to please and he assures that won’t change moving forward – even if he is taking less punches

McKenna described how “I’m an entertainer and boxing is an entertainment business. If you aren’t entertaining then you’re doing it wrong. I always want to please my fans.

“That being said, you’ll see more of the skills I used in my amateur days. I’ll box smarter but I’ll always want to entertain my fans.

“That’ll always be my style and people love me for it, so why change something that’s not broken?”

McKenna has enjoyed some high profile fights of late, but is now eager to win titles and claims something ‘huge’ is around the corner.

There’s the long-mooted Ohara Davies fight, the twice-cancelled Phil Sutcliffe bout, another domestic spat with Darragh Foley, while Benson and Anto Upton have been continually calling for rematches.

McKenna is looking forward and outlined that “this next one will be a warm-up fight for something that’s hopefully going to be huge.”

“I’m with the best management in the world so I’m excited for 2019. I’ll bring the fans the fights they want to see me in.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

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Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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