Tyrone McKenna tells Vocal Doubters they’re Missing One Key Point
It’s safe to say the reaction outside of Ireland to news Tyrone McKenna [22(6)-2(0)-1] would fight Regis Prograis [26(22)-1(0)] wasn’t what Probellum had hoped for.
Viewed through green-tinted glasses it’s a well-deserved big fight for the one fighter whose sole boxing mission is to entertain.
However, while McKenna followers know he will add serious value to fight week and will go to war once he steps through the ropes, those who not up on the Belfast light welterweight’s career don’t appear to be expecting much.
That disappointment was amplified through the cruel prism of Twitter. The go-to ‘Tyrone Who’ surfaced a number of times, more argued signing to fight McKenna was proof the former pound-for-pound top 10 fighter was ‘wasting his career’ and the American’s management team was questioned over and over.
It’s criticism McKenna saw but not criticism that hurt him. In fact, he welcomes the doubters and naysayers, according to him they only serve to fuel him.
Plus ‘The Mighty Celt’ claims there is one thing they are not taking into account – the Belfast element.
McKenna claims the city of Belfast gives fighters something special, something no amount of training can instill in a boxer.
“I’ve seen the comments,” he tells Irish-boxing.com.
“There are a lot of doubters out there, but I feed off that sh*t, all the pressure is on him, the boxing world seems to think he’s won the fight already. But as I’ve said before don’t doubt the toughness of Belfast fighters we’re built differently. I love being the underdog. This is my kinda build-up.”
2022 is the year of the celt pic.twitter.com/IW7vAmETgY
— TyroneMcKenna (@Tyronemck) January 25, 2022
Considering Prograis’s resume, McKenna says it’s silly to ask if this is the toughest fight of his career. The southpaw knows he is up against it and is delighted that is the case, he faces exactly the kind of test he asked for.
“He’s number 2 in the world, 13th in the P4P rankings, of course, he’s the best I’ve agreed to fight. But I’ve said it after every fight I want the toughest fights possible – and this is it, so I’m getting what I want,” he adds before revealing it was touch and go up and until recently as to whether the fight would happen or not.
“It was dead in water a few weeks ago. It didn’t look like it was going to happen, then a few days ago I got a call from my manager letting me know it was signed and confirmed. It’s a fight I wanted and have been goading him since before Christmas, so I’m delighted it’s confirmed.”
