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“He won’t get near me” promises Kelvin McDonald ahead of Kenna clash


“Aye, it’s already hard to listen to,” admits Kelvin McDonald [1(0)-0].

The Larne super featherweight has been on the receiving end of a multi-pronged trash talk assault from his next opponent but McDonald remains calm, almost confuse by the whole situation.

The 19-year-old boxes on the ‘Clash of the Titans’ card at the National Stadium in Dublin on Saturday March 30th, live on TG4, where he will renew his rivalry with ‘Dollar’ Dec Kenna.

McDonald boxed and beat the same opponent on a Prizefighter-style night last year on the unlicensed scene before moving into the pros – where he has been followed, with vigour, by Kenna.

There was an online campaign from the Tallaght fighter to get the rematch, a verbal tirade at the press conference last month, and plenty of memes on social media since.

The four rounder is one of numerous domestic clashes on the bill and McDonald feels it was a no-brainer to get in on the act, believing himself to be several levels above the Drogheda-based MMA promoter.

It’s not a fair fight in McDonald’s eyes who tells Irish-Boxing.com that “he won’t get near me.”

“I had multiple people telling me not to take – and others saying ‘why not?’ – but at the end of the day, he doesn’t have the boxing experience of me, my boxing superiority will show.”

“It was more a case of when – whether it would be on this show or a later one. I wanted it as soon as possible. It’s a bigger platform, a bigger show.”

Their first fight, fought over three two-minute rounds, is recalled by Kenna as having had a pattern of him pushing the action and McDonald ‘running away’.

‘Boom Boom’ sees it differently and is looking to end the debate in front of Kenna’s large fanbase at the end of the month.

McDonald argued that “when it comes down to it, it’s boxing, it’s hit and not get hit. You have to do what you have to do to win.”

“I watched the fight a couple of times and he actually was on the back foot more than I was! I was pushing him back.”

“The fight with him, I always wanted it in Dublin – just to prove that the crowd doesn’t bother me, I like going into someone’s territory to prove them wrong, taking the excuses out off their hands.”

The teenager is a cool customer and believes that Kenna, who is making his professional debut, may find the occasion tough to deal with.

“He’ll be nervous, I’ll not be nervous,” mused McDonald.

“My first fight against Alec Bazza was an Ulster derby, in Belfast, his home show, his promoter, there was pressure on that one and I have that experience.”

“There’s no pressure on me now, it will all be on him.”

Photo Credit: Ricard Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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