‘Up against it my whole life’ – Graham McCormack feels at home being the underdog
Such has been his storied life that Graham McCormack feels at home being the underdog.
The Limerick southpaw had been written off long before he was in a position to join pro boxing. The 37-year-old had to battle addiction and demons before he could even contemplate battling fighters of note in the ring.
Life didn’t even throw ‘G Train’ lemons, he got pips, but he still managed to make lemonade, turning his approach around to become a respected family man, an entertaining fighter and one of the best characters on the Irish boxing scene.
Again, Graham McCormack is at home being the underdog, so when people write him off ahead of his fight with talented Matchroom prospect George Liddard on the Taylor-Catteral undercard in Leeds this weekend, he sits back, puts his feet up and smiles.
“Yeah I’m up against it, but I’m always up against it,” he tells Irish-boxing.com.
“I’ve been up against it my whole life that’s not going to change now. So f**k it I’ve nothing to lose. I’m going over here on Saturday night with nothing else on my mind but winning.”
If Liddard is as good as they suggest it is a tough ask for the former BUI Celtic title holder.
There may have been perceived ‘easier’ fights out there, indeed he was close to BBBofC Celtic title fight with Kieran Gething, but the IGB boxer points out he isn’t one to shy away from a challenge.
Indeed, it appears running scared would hurt him more than any defeat.
This fight was offered to my manager [Ian Gaughran] when the other fight fell through. I was like ‘this is a huge opportunity, we can’t turn it down’ so we took it straight away.
“This is boxing. If you’re not going to take the opportunities when they were given to you then why are you in this game?
“If you look at my record, yes I’ve three losses but my three losses have come in title fights, good fights where I’ve taken chances.
“I’m not one of those boxers who won’t take chances. When I look back at my career I want to be able to say ‘I took every opportunity and chance that was ever given to me’. “
McCormack has taken a chance and in a fight or flight position, he says he’s coming to do what he’s done all his life.
“I’ll tell you what’s going to happen, I’m going to do what I always do and that’s go over here and have a fight. I’m going to go to war. I’ve looked at him, my coach has looked at him, he’s a good fighter, he’s a very good boxer. There is no point in saying he is not or burying your head in the sand but I’ve put in an unbelievable camp, my fitness is through the roof, I’m strong, I’m healthy so I’m going to go over and do what I do best and that’s have a fight.”
