Coronation Delay – Aaron McKenna’s WBC Youth title tilt pushed back
Aaron McKenna [12(7)-0] will have to wait before trying to emulate the likes of Saul Canelo Alvarez after his proposed WBC Youth World title fight was postponed last minute.
The middleweight ace kicks off his new Hennessy Sports deal when he features on a triple-title extravaganza’ on Saturday at the Coventry Skydome Arena, live and free on Channel 5 in the UK and Ireland.
The Monaghan native was to challenge for the first title of his career and contests for the WBC Youth ‘World’ middleweight title in a battle of the punchers against Ghanaian hard-hitter Edem Bika [10(8)-1(1)].
However, the title fight has been postponed. McKenna will still appear on a card that also includes fights for Brett McGinty and his brother Stevie McKenna, just not against the Ghanaian and not for the title.
The title fight also remains in the plans and is postponed rather than cancelled. The 22-year-old prospect will now look to get coronated at a palace, Crystal Palace in London on December 10.
Previous prospects who have won a WBC Youth crown have gone on to great things including the World’s current best pound-for-pound fighter Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez – who McKenna aims to face and dethrone within the next few years. From an Irish perspective it’s a title Katelynn Phelan won to
Mckenna still appears on Saturday’s TV card but now fights Gabor Gorbics [26(16)-21(6)-2] over eight. It’s still a decent fight for the former Golden Boy prospect. The Hungarian comes to the ring with a winning record and has taken the likes Hassan N’Dam and Spike O’Sullivan the distance.
Weigh-In done✅But unfortunately the WBC youth world title won’t be on the line due to my opponent having medical issues. But the good news is I am still fighting tomorrow night and even better news I will still be boxing for the WBC belt on December 10th in Crystal Palace London pic.twitter.com/uu9Zfe0G56
— Aaron McKenna (@Aaronmckenna99) November 12, 2021
While there may be initial upset for McKenna, upon further reflection he may delight in the new arrangement. A fighter who loves nothing more than to be active and suffered inactivity over the pandemic, now gets the chance to win and title and get two fights in before Christmas.
The Smithborough hotshot has impressed since turning pro following a solid amateur career in December 2017 in Las Vegas.
Campaigning almost exclusively in the United States, McKenna has amassed an immaculate twelve-fight record with 7 KO’s as he marks himself out as one of the very best young standout prospects in World boxing.
He has featured on Hennessy shows in his last two fights; last December in Redditch when he halted Jordan Grannum – who hadn’t been stopped in 79 fights – with a savage body shot in the second round and Grannum didn’t come out for the third and last month he outclassed Croatian Ivica Gogosevic in Coventry.
