INTRODUCING – Brian Long

Forget birds Brian Long has decided to take out two opponents with one stone and make the very most of a trip to America.

The Cork native made a surprise professional debut in an unexpected setting, stepping through the ropes in Boston and without massive billing last weekend.

A week later and he’s looking to go 2-0 when he fights at Lowell Memorial Auditorium on Saturday.

While most fighters would take time to settle in after their debut, Irish boxing’s newest pro is hitting the ground running — and says the fast start is exactly what he’s been looking for.

“I was looking to stay a bit more busy all year round with fights rather than just waiting for the Nationals to come each year,” he told Irish-boxing.com. “So when this chance came up to fight back-to-back, I jumped at it.

“We were just going with the first fight originally, then Danny Ward came to us with the idea to fight the second weekend,” he explained before stating he’s ready to come through customs with two wins in his pocket. “We’ve put a lot of work in the last few months and I thought that I would be more than ready — so why not come home 2-0?”

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The boxer with a history in MMA and is working with Danny Ward in Boston, took out Douglas Silva in less than 30 seconds last weekend, producing a performance the locals loved.

“It was a great experience fighting stateside. The first fight was in a great venue and had a big fight night feel to it,” he recalled. “I thought the reaction went very well — the crowd got behind me the whole way.”

And while he flashed his power on his debut, this weekend he wants to showcase his all-around game.

“My prediction for this weekend is to come home with another win and put on a good, clean boxing display,” he said. “I already showed I have power Saturday gone — this weekend I’m gonna show my boxing skills.”

Long did enjoy amateur success and was a Novice champion. He believes he will have more success in the paid ranks.

“I think fans can expect exciting fights from me,” he said. “I think I have a style that really suits pro boxing.”

The short-term plan is simple: secure another win, stay active, and keep learning. But Long has ambitions beyond just good performances and decent crowds.

“Short-term goal is just to come back home 2-0 this weekend, have two good performances, and leave a good memory for the Boston fans,” he said. “Long-term, it’s about building a solid record, getting a couple of fights back in Ireland, working my way up the rankings, and hopefully getting a shot at an Irish title or a Celtic title down the line.”