“He can come in and take digs with me this time” – Carl McDonald planning tribute to late uncle

Carl McDonald [1(0)-0] sadly lost one of his biggest fans yesterday, but is sure he will still have his late uncle’s support come his second pro fight on May 27th.

The Jobstown native says he will bring his godfather into the ring with him when he makes his ‘second debut’ on the Celtic Clash 2 card.

“My uncle passed away yesterday, so I will have his name on my shorts,” McDonald told Irish-boxing.com at today’s media workout.

“He’s a big fan of mine, my godfather, and biggest support. I bring him into the ring with me this time so he doesn’t have to be screaming outside it.”

“I am going to take him into the ring with me. He can come in and take digs with me this time.”

McDonald, whose excitement about just being involved in the Irish pro game is infectious, fights for the second time when he takes on Stefan Sashov [2(2)-11(4)] at the National Stadium later this month.

The Eddie Hyland-trained 27 year old debuted on a MHD show in Belfast last October, but despite being delighted to have achieved a lifelong dream, the super bantamweight has pro debut regrets.

Upon reflection, McDonald wasn’t happy how his pro bow played out, and is determined to rectify things this time around.

“It’s like another debut, it’s a home debut anyway. I want to get it right this time. It was an awful debut, spoiled from the start.”

“The opponent was a terrible opponent, I get another southpaw now. Eddie [Hyland] is doing me a another favour,” he laughed.

“I am going to knock this lad out and put it right. I can’t wait for it.”

Looking back on his debut, McDonald noted how “in the moment I was just happy to get the win.”

“I always wanted to be pro so I happy to have fought as a pro and get the win, but when I looked back on it I was disappointed.”

“There was a lot of holding and I seen things I should have done. I really should have had him out in two rounds.”

“The team were alright with it after, but the more we looked back the more we felt we could have done better. But that’s what those fights are for I suppose, the main thing now is to put it right.”

“You live and you learn. Get this lad out of the way and move on to bigger and better things quick”

The May 27th card, the largest in Irish boxing history, also features Eric Donovan, Jay Byrne, Mike Perez, Stephen Carroll, JJ McDonagh, Sean Creagh, Vladimir Belusjky, Rohan Date, Allan Phelan, Gerard Whitehouse, and Lynn Harvey, as well as debutants Liam Gaynor, John Joyce, Regan Buckley, Johnny Corcoran, Stephen McAfee, and Keane McMahon.

Tickets for Celtic Clash 2 are priced at €15 (Under 15s), €30, €40, €45, and €55 (Premium), and are available from the boxers involved.

Photo Credit: Chris Scott – AMMG Media

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