Steven Cairns shares ‘best ever’ goal ahead of York Hall bout
Steven Cairns has ‘greatest ever’ aspirations.
The Cork prospect plans to live up to his ‘Irish Takeover’ ring moniker and reach a level where he is deemed Ireland’s greatest boxer.
“I want to take over. I want to take over fight by fight. I want to bring all of Ireland together. I want to show other Irish boxers, the younger generator that it can be done. I want to be the best boxer to ever come out of Ireland. That’s my plan,” the fancied Queensberry prospect said.
The well-traveled 22-year-old will look to take the next step along the road to the top when he fights over six rounds in York Hall tonight [Friday, September 6].
The Rebel County man takes on Ezequiel Gregores in his ninth pro fight, a durable Argentine who he’d be expected to beat but one he predicts he’ll stop.
“You can expect a high boxing IQ along with some heavy hands. When two of them mix I think it’s knockout, that’s what you can expect.”
Cairns showed Irish fans just what the hype is about last time out.
Fighting for the first time in Ireland the Cork fighter had Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira gone in less than 60 seconds.
The Marajoara Monster came to Belfast with a reputation for being extremely tough, having tested prospects across Britain since relocating to Europe from Brazil.
Indeed, he gave Olympian Kurt Walker a real workout in Galway last year, albeit down the scales.
He was meant to give the ‘Irish Takeover’ rounds at the very least, although it didn’t play out that way.
“Last time out big show live on tv and it lasted a couple of seconds but he wasn’t loading up. He was just following instructions and did what we do and he got rid of someone who isn’t very easy to get rid of,” coach Dave Coldwell said.
The British trainer wouldn’t mind another stoppage on TNT tonight but hopes it doesn’t come too early. Coldwell wants the former underage Irish amateur standout to bank rounds and show the fight fraternity his full array of skills.
“So Ideally for me he gets the stoppage five and half rounds he gets the stoppage,” he adds before discussing Cairns’s progression.
“The thing that has impressed me most over the last 18 months is the development of his IQ. He can punch, he’s always been able to punch when he came to me as an 18-year-old kid he could punch, but it’s a refinement. Now he has setups, intelligence, punch-picking and maturity. He’s only a young kid, so I’m not in a rush with him. I want him to develop, soak up the big fight experience.”