“They have got it wrong” – Geraghty dismisses Tennyson’s sparring stories

With a ring moniker like ‘Pretty Boy,’ you better believe Declan Geraghty [14(4)-0] prides himself on his style.

The housewives favourite however claims a unique style isn’t just something he carries outside of the ring, and warned James Tennyson to be in for a surprise when the pair meet in an eagerly anticipated Irish title fight at the Waterfront Hall tonight.

Tennyson has claimed in the build-up to what is one the best Irish title fights in recent years that he has had perfect Geraghty-style sparring partners throughout the prolonged camp, with southpaws such a Joe Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Clark among others.

However, the 26 year old Dubliner suggests he is so unique that even his famous celebrity impressionist pal Al Foran couldn’t mimic him.

The MTK fighter told Irish-Boxing.com his style is so different that it’s impossible for his March 10th opponent to have had similar styled or like-minded opponents.

“I have the utmost respect for James his team, Mark Dunlop and Tony Dunlop, but they are going about sparring and they have got it wrong. Listen none of the lads they got in have my style. No one out there I know of has my style.”

“Anyone that has sparred me or boxed me has told me my style is so unusual and hard to deal with. He hasn’t had any sparring like me and nothing close if the lads I have heard he is sparring are anything to go by.”

“So, if he is taking anything from that sparring or planning off that sparring, he is in for a surprise.”

Tennyson feels he will prove a different animal at super featherweight than he was weight class lower. The Belfast puncher, who buckled the same Irish title around his waist back when he was still a teen, claims cutting the final few pounds to get to feather took a lot out of him and as a result predicts he will be much stronger as he returns from an unsuccessful British title push.

Geraghty is adamant size doesn’t matter and revealed he requested a ‘Tenny’ fight back when the MHD fighter was at 126lbs.

“He probably was drained for the Walsh fight, but listen I wanted to fight him before that. I asked for the fight well before that so, I don’t look into that.”

“It’s no difference to me how he performed at featherweight or in that fight. I believe in my own ability and I believe I can beat anyone so it makes no difference who he has boxed or who he hasn’t or what weight he has boxed them at. This fight is about what I can do.”

Despite being younger, Tennyson [17(13)-2(2)] is further down the career ladder than former stand out amateur Geraghty. A pro since he was 19, he has won the Irish title, te Celtic title, and challenged for the British strap, but Geraghty believes he will be one who comes out with the career momentum on Friday. Indeed the Dubliner is hoping to build toward topping his own bills in Dublin.

“Win this and hopefully by the end of the year we can do something big maybe in Dublin. I would love to be chief support or to top a Dublin bill myself.”

“I don’t think just the Irish title would be good enough to straight back to top Dublin with, but I want more titles this is just a stepping stone and this will be the start of a big year for me.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

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