Dublin UFC star Kiefer Crosbie targets boxing bouts

Kiefer Crosbie fancies dipping his toe in boxing, particularly if the UFC are to come to Ireland regularly. 

Dana White was in Dublin last weekend in his guise as a backer and massive supporter of Callum Walsh, and has both declared ‘I’m in’ when it comes to boxing promoting and that he will be back with the Irish light middleweight prospect. 

When he returns one of his MMA names wants on the bill. Crosbie said he would be willing to lace up 10oz gloves and disregard kicking and wrestling in a fight. 

The 34-year-old veteran of 15 MMA bouts says if given notice he’d happily compete under Queensbury rules and would even consider flirting between the two codes moving forward. 

“I’d love to do something like this. [The UFC] are going to have more boxing shows and I’d love to be involved,” he told Irish-boxing.com during Callum Walsh homecoming fight week.

“For me, you can do boxing as well as having an MMA career. You can do a bit of both. I boxed three or four times a week anyway, so if I got about a six-week stint of just purely boxing I’d do it. I’d be interested for sure,” he adds.  

The Inner City Dub did compete in the squared circle previously, boxing on a Kingpins show at the 3Arena defeating Aaron Chambers. 

“I grew up boxing. I grew up in boxing gyms and I had fight last year. I’d do it again, absolutely. I’d love that my heart is with martial arts I love martial arts but I f*cking love boxing you know what I mean?” 

Crosbie is around the sport and trains alongside Dublin heavyweight prospect Thomas Carty a lot. The pair are friends and go back a long way.

“I don’t spar him,” he happily points out when asked about their working relationship. 

“He’s a heavyweight yeah He weighs about 50 kilos heavier than me but we train together a lot. We train in Celtic Warrior Gym as well and we train in the Irish Strength Institute. 

“I introduced him to my strength coach and since then he’s come on leaps and bounds on the athletic side of things. I’m friends with Thomas a long time. He only said to me earlier I was his first ever martial arts coach back in the day and then he made the jump to boxing.”

‘BKB’ was part of Carty’s team as he made it three consecutive 3Arena knockouts live on UFC Fight pass last Friday night and is delighting in the big man’s progression.

“It’s just been a pleasure to watch him grow in his career.”