A hit like the Hitman – Brett McGinty promises enertainment

Brett McGinty wants to entertain Ricky Hatton style.

The Donegal middleweight fights for the fourth time as a pro in Coventry tonight and is keen to put on the kind of show his coach did.

Hatton’s fan-friendly style and everyday joe persona helped him grow into a British fight legend and probably the best supported British fighter of the modern era – and McGinty wants to follow suit.

The Oakleaf graduate has always been entertaining to watch and has been labeled a ‘suited to the pros’ amateur from a young age. The North West favourite has also shown he has ticket selling capabilities bringing loud fans to Coventry last time out.

Now the 22-year-old is being moulded into a bodyshot specialist like his mentor and believes he can reproduce the sort of nights Hatton will always be remembered for.

“It doesn’t matter where or who I am fighting, I will always entertain you,” he said.

“I’ve just got a crowd-pleasing style. I always had it in the amateurs. I’m a come-forward fighter and am never, ever on the back foot. You will always see me in an exciting fight.

“I am always there, right in front of them, and I am willing to give one and willing to take one. Anybody tuning in to watch me is definitely going to get an explosive performance.”

McGinty is now based in Manchester to work closely with Hatton the trainer.

The marauding middleweight admitted he was a little star-struck when he first met the former world champion. Hatton turned up in his Rolls Royce with a personalised number plate, but it didn’t take long for them to hit it off.

He may have been too young to fully appreciate the famous 2005 night that saw ‘The Hitman’ crowned world champion in his home city, or his fans invading Las Vegas when he challenged Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, McGinty is wise enough to listen to one of the best.

“I really do like it in Manchester and working with Ricky is unbelievable,” he said.

“He’s passing all the knowledge he’s experienced in his career and all those world title fights, and you couldn’t really ask for anyone better, someone who has been there and done it all.

“There’s actually a couple of things we have in common in the ring. We are both aggressive fighters and he was obviously a brilliant body puncher and that is one of my strong points as well.

“We’ve been working quite a bit on that, finding the right gaps, not just letting the shots go, making sure they get through and making my shots sink in.

“I was quite successful in the amateurs and obviously trained hard but the difference in intensity was tough to start with.

“Ricky makes sure you put everything into it, but you know it is all good stuff that is going to help you, improve you in the ring and take you forward.”