Allan Phelan – “The pressure will make me rise”
Allan Phelan [6(4)-2(1)-1] will at last make his Irish debut this month, and the Kildare super featherweight welcomes all the pressure which accompanies that.
As all of his fights thus far have taken place in America, the majority of his family and friends have never seen him box professionally. Add to this a 27 month absence from the ring and a strong comeback opponent, and it would be understandable if Phelan was feeling a tad nervous ahead of his Irish debut at the National Stadium on Saturday February 25th.
Instead the opposite is true, and Phelan explained to Irish-Boxing.com that “I don’t mind pressure. The pressure’s always going to be there. I fought in front of big crowds in America, so it’ll be something similar. The family and all, no one had seen my box over in America so it’s a small pressure on my to show the skills and ability, and to shine bright under them lights, but I know myself I can do it.”
“The pressure will make me rise and stand out a lot better.”
The excited Lilywhite is itching to finally get back in the ring, and described how “I feel good, weight’s coming down nicely, it’s the best weight cut I’ve had in a long time even since when I was in America. I’m feeling good, body’s in good shape, I’m getting good sparring up in Paschal’s gym.”
“I’m feeling really, really good and I’m looking forward to getting back on track. Actually getting in and showing people what I have. It’s been a long time out of the ring so I just want to get in and break all the rust off.”
“I can’t even remember my last fight at the Stadium, it was as an amateur anyway. I would have been 17 or 18 the last time I fought on the canvas in there.”
Phelan’s opponent on the Red Corner Promotions ‘Unfinished Business’ bill will be Nicaraguan Edwin Tellez who represents a surprisingly strong comeback foe. The 25 year old Newbridge boxer sees this bout as the first of many following a frustrating period of injury and inactivity. He outlined how “I don’t know much about him [Tellez] to be honest, I just let the boys do their homework. I’ll have a look at him over the next week or so. I’ll just get in and do what I do best – work from when that bell goes.”
“This is the first of many more. I’ll try stay busy this year. My manager Kevin Crowley is going to try get me as many fights as possible this year, try keep me busy, and try build me. Hopefully I’ll get a couple [of fights]here and a couple of fights over in America. I’ll fight anywhere if the fight makes sense.”
Also featuring on the Luke Keeler v Lewis Taylor undercard in Dublin will be Lynn Harvey, Eric Donovan, Chris Blaney, Craig O’Brien, Stevie Collins, Connor Coyle, Jay Byrne, Steve Collins Jr, and debutant Thomas Finnegan.
Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)
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Tickets for ‘Unfinished Business’ cost €40 (unreserved) and €60 (ringside) and are available from the boxers involved on the bill.
