Fireman Kevin Cronin eager to climb the ladder following Spanish sprint
Four rounders can be tricky for a pro boxer – especially ones who start slowly, and especially ones who have had imperfect preparations.
That was the issue for Kevin Cronin [4(2)-0] in on Saturday night as he defeated Daniel Borisov on a majority decision in the Celtic Clash 11 show opener.
The one drawn card can be put down to questionable judging, but Cronin was more disappointed with his performance rather than the officiating.
A fireman by trade, a training course heavily disrupted the Kerry light heavyweight’s preparations and he acknowledges that this is perhaps the reason he was not at his very best in Alicante.
“Look,” he told Irish-Boxing.com, “I’ve no reason for excuses because I got the win but I’ve literally been training for just over three weeks for this fight with three spars as I was away with work but that was no one’s fault only my own, so it’s not an excuse or anything it’s just something that won’t happen again.”
“I’ll be back sparring three times a week from next week on and get myself back into good condition and ripped. No more cruiserweight!”
Time to whip myself back into Shape for the Next one & no more Short Camp’s coming in with shite Condition😅👑⚔️
Ireland next?🤔
Thank you to my Sponsor’s & Cheers to the Team for getting me out so soon again @LoveIrishBoxing
8 Rounds Next! pic.twitter.com/EH9nzRqHVj— Kingdom Warrior (@KevinCronin1996) June 28, 2021
While downbeat immediately after the contest, Cronin is more reflective a few days on.
“You know what?” he muses. “Sitting down and watching it back, my performance wasn’t bad. I boxed okay, a bit scrappy and timing a bit off just. “
“It’s not that I thought my performance was bad, I was more upset with myself because I know I’m far better then that and that wasn’t even 10% of me.”
“Like, at my best I would have played with that guy but you know what? It’s no harm that I got a bit of a gritty fight because that will stand to me – and some people that have messaged me saying it was my best performance yet once I got going so that kinda makes me more confident because if they think that was my best so far they’ll be shocked when I’m actually boxing at my best.”
Indeed, ‘The Kingdom Warrior’ can see plenty of benefits to having a tough fight and explained how “I’m still finding my rhythm and a fight like that will be worth so much more than stopping four or five guys in first and second round. Yes it was good to learn in that fight but at the same time if that was a title fight I’d have prepped a way better and been far better in there!”
“It’s great to be back out again, happy or not with my performance, it’s a very valuable four rounds under my belt now I’m just excited to get into the longer rounds again where I can show my best and where I belong.”
Longer fights, Cronin feels, is where he will show his true worth.
“An eight rounder, that’s what’s next,” he outlines.
I’m banking the experience now, I had a six rounder [in Luxembourg] even though it didn’t go the distance with a full camp everyone was impressed with my tank and engine.”
“I’m not a four-round fighter and it’s obvious, I get better from round three and better every round. “
