Tyrone McKenna Secures IBO World Title Shot
Tyrone McKenna is the latest Irish fighter to have secured a shot at an IBO world title.
‘The Mighty Celt’ will fight Nicholas Esposito for the welterweight version of the strap.
The fight with the Italian champion will feature prominently on Conlan Boxing’s Dublin show on September 16, which no longer looks likely to play out outdoors in Lucan but in an exciting venue within the city.
The Pete Taylor-trained war lover hasn’t fought since last summer’s blood and guts Fight of the Year contender with Chris Jenkins but returns with a bang in just over a month’s time.
Although they do deserve credit for doing a lot of things right the IBO strap isn’t one of the big four, so victory won’t see the entertaining star join the list of Irish world champions.
However, it’s still a big fight that can propel him toward a WBC, WBA, IBF or WBO shot. It’s also another bout of real note in the storied career of the Conlan Boxing boxer, who has entertained in fights with Regis Prograis, Jack Catterall, Chris Jenkins, Jose Felix Jr, Jake Haney, Ohara Davies and more.
The IBO has shined spotlight on three deserving Irish fighters of late in Dennis Hogan, Anthony Cacace and Padraig McCrory – and McKenna seems to fit the remit with regard to how those wins were celebrated by Irish fight followers.
Like the aforementioned, the ‘Whiskey and White’ Podcast host hasn’t always had things all his own way and despite managing to stay relevant and continually contesting fights fans got excited about, he never secured a world title shot, until now.
