Kevin Cronin proves power in dream debut

If you were to plot the perfect debut, Kevin Cronin had it.

Big support – check.

Rounds in the bag – check.

Big knockout – check.

The Kerry light heavyweight kicked off the ‘Clash of the Titans’ YouTube stream on Saturday night and showed everything.

Cronin stopped Mateusz Lisiak in the fourth and final round of their fight at the National Stadium, a crunching uppercut knocking the fight out of the game Pole.

The Milltown man looked the part and was happy with his showing.

“It was about staying composed until the end,” he told Irish-Boxing.com immediately afterwards.

“I wasn’t going to go looking for the knockout, when it came, it came. I did see the weaknesses and the openings more so in the fourth round and I let the shots go and took him out.”

“What more can I say? He was a tough opponent and, in fairness to him, he gave me a tough three and half rounds but, look, when you get caught clean by me you ain’t staying on your feet!”

Trained by Jonathan Lewins, Cronin did feel the difference between the pros and the amateurs where he campaigned at super heavyweight.

The 22-year-old noted how “there was a different pace to it. I was a bit excited and I had to try and calm down in the first two rounds, but I got the win and the stoppage what more can I ask for?”

“In the ring it’s about getting more experience and getting to the fourth round tonight is no harm.”

“It was a good crowd and I have savage sponsors. All the local crowd are getting behind me. You have to give it to the support, they give you that bit extra.”

Still young and inexperienced, Cronin is not one that is calling for immediate domestics or early jumps up in rounds.

The well-supported ‘Kingdom Warrior’ is keen to build and outlined that “I am not going to look to far ahead. I got the win tonight and that’s the main thing.”

“I will talk to Leonard and Stephen [Gunning and Sharpe, Boxing Ireland Promotions] and we will see [what’s next].”

“That gang I have there will be there from start to finish and we are on a journey. I know I have to build from that base fan-wise.”

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