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‘Let’s have a knock’ – Keane McMahon’s team want September Irish title fight


“The door is open to anybody. Let’s have knock for the Irish title.”

The message is clear, simple and pure Dub from Team Keane McMahon.

McMahon [6(3)-1(0)] wants to fight for the Irish welterweight title in September and is open to trading leather with any domestic puncher at the weight according to manager David Murphy.

‘The Iceman’ was, like Jake Hanney and Jay Byrne [who both agreed only to pull out], offered the chance to challenge for the highest domestic honour on last weekend’s Leeside Revolution card, but had to decline through injury.

Noel Murphy, the fighter making the offer, was vocal with regard to his disappointed no one stepped up to the plate and with what he called an ‘unprofessional’ approach from his Irish rivals.

However, manager Murphy points out a hand injury forced the Dub’s hand but, now it’s healed, he is more open to the fight in September.

“We are willing to fight Noely in September,” Murphy told Irish-Boxing.com.

“We would love that to be for the Irish title. We were offered the fight here [Cork] when Jay Byrne pulled out but unfortunately we had to turn it down. Keane suffered an injury during the defeat in Scotland to [Dean] Sutherland.”

“We didn’t avoid Murphy. We said we’d take the fight providing his hand was right and his hand was not right.”

“We were also offered a fight in York Hall against Chris Kongo over six rounds, but we had to turn that down too with the hand injury. He is back now, he had the hand injury worked on, he is back in camp since last Monday and we want the Irish title fight.”

Cork fighter Murphy – who by virtue of being ratified to fight for the strap last weekend is in domestic title pole surmises his namesake and manager of his potential rival – remains Irish title keen, but didn’t seem overly open to returning home from New York again to fight for it in the Autumn.

Speaking after victory over Adam Mate on the top of the first pro show to play out in Cork in 10 years the Macrom puncher expressed a fear of suffering the same fate as last week. 

However, the Smithfield fighter’s plans don’t revolve around those of the Rebel County man. Team McMahon are willing to face anyone for the strap.

“We applied with the BUI to fight for the Irish title. Noely Murphy is obviously in the driving seat, Dylan Moran might be next in line, we don’t know, but we’d fight either of them for the title. We’d fight [Dylan] Moran, Murphy, Jay Byrne, whoever for the Irish title in Dublin in September.”

“No more journeymen for Keane now we want another big fight. Let’s get it on and see what happens,” continues Dave Murphy.

The injury that prevented McMahon from fighting for the Irish title at the Neptune Stadium was picked up in a narrow BUI Celtic title defeat to Sutherland in Scotland in May.

The 25-year-old and his team underestimated the challenge the Scot presented having gone to watch him in the fight previous and claim lessons have been learnt from the whole experience.

“We were caught short in the fight. A different Sutherland to the one we saw the first time turned up.  We underestimated him to be honest, but Keane has taken loads from that. We won’t make that mistake again.”

“Keano also knows what he did wrong in terms of the fight.  The better boxer won on the night and we wish him the best of luck moving forward. Lets see where he goes the higher he climbs the better it is for Keane’s stock.”

“The was no pointing in winning 11 fights against nobodies. That defeat taught Keane a lot and we have seen how he has taken it and comeback. He is hungrier now, he is a better man now and a better fight.”

dpg

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Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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