Kingdom Come- Kevin Cronin believes it’s time for Kerry fight night

The gates of the Kingdom are open, ready to welcome in a boxing show according to Kevin Cronin.

The Kerry fighter has been ‘begging’ his promoters, Boxing Ireland to put him on top of a Kerry bill for some time now.

‘The Kingdom Warrior’ hasn’t had his wish granted as of yet but believes after adding to his win column in Luxembourg on Saturday and competing in a six-rounder, he feels the time is now right.

And if Boxing Ireland were to invite the boxing family to the Munster county neither would be disappointed promises the light heavyweight prospect.

The Jonathan Lewins trained fighter predicts a sold out INEC and an atmosphere the likes of which hasn’t been seen in Ireland.

“The INEC is something I’ve been begging Boxing Ireland to look in to,” Cronin told Irish-boxing.com.

“I think after my fight the last day it is definitely a lot likelier. I think I really impressed a lot of people and selling that place out wouldn’t be an issue either, the problem would be trying to get tickets for it if it happened.

“I’ll pack that place with the loudest crowd ye will have seen in a domestic show if I’m given the opportunity.”

Boxing Ireland are hoping to run a show in Belfast over the summer and will provide the boxers for the boxing element of the proposed 3Arena fight night later in the year. There has also been talk of a possible Katelynn Phelan topped show in Kildare around December time. Whether there is room for a Kerry show remains to be seen.

Regardless of venue Cronin feels ready for a step up and has been linked to Taylor McGoldrick and Robert Burke. The prospect wasn’t in the mood for name-dropping after improving his slate on the continent, putting his future in the hands of his team. The Kerry puncher also let it be known he has aspirations beyond domestic level.

“What’s next is up to my team, that’s really a question for Stephen Sharpe, Leonard Gunning and my coach Jonno. I think as you can see I’m game and putting the work in but as I said that’s down to what the lads think. Maybe they might think I need some more fights before McGoldrick or the likes I don’t know?

“I’ll chat with them next week after I rest up a bit. Look whatever is next for me I’m always gonna’ be more than comfortable with the extra rounds, my engine will go all day. I was doing 10 Rounds sparring two weeks out from the fight at a high pace and I was asking to get the fight upped to an eight-rounder but obviously, my team wanted me to do a six rounder first.”

Cronin managed to take the short route to victory on the Back to Business card on Saturday and despite highlighting he has hurt every opponent he has faced to date, the 24-year-old would have preferred more rounds.

“I’m very tough on myself after fights and I was hoping I would get dragged into the later rounds, as I had so many gears left to go through. To be honest I felt comfortable in there. I thought I timed the shots nicely and I picked up the pace at the end of the second and upped it again in the third a small bit. I felt fresh, I would have gone at that pace for all six rounds,” he continues before reflecting further.

“I was timing shots nicely and had planned to sit down a bit more into the shots in the second half of the fight but obviously I had the damage done. I had picked him apart with just the boxing already. It’s a pity I didn’t get the six rounds because as I said I had so many gears to go and when I clipped him to the body on one side of the ring I barely stepped it up and put him down with a short right hand.”

Cronin believes he can go through the levels as well as the gears as he progresses adding: “Everyone I have faced so far has ended up on the canvas once I put a few shots together, so I think as the fights go on and I build more experience I’ll be more dangerous. I think people are realizing I plan to go a long way, I ain’t just looking at the domestic scene, I’m gonna make a name for myself.”