Expect More Knockouts – Brandon McCarthy continues KO promise

It’s still early days but ‘expect knockouts’ is fast becoming Brandon McCarthy’s catchphrase.

Seemingly aware he’s known for a fleet-footed stylish approach that secured him 16 Irish titles across a stellar amateur innings, Kilkenny’s only pro boxer wanted people to know he comes to pro boxing with more lethal intent.

Before his debut in San Francisco in March, he assured he was coming to take people out and told fans to ‘expect knockouts’.

He delivered on that promise as he dropped and stopped David Minter at the Fox Theater.

Going into his second pro fight against Ryan Schwartzberg in Florida on Wednesday night he once again had no problem issuing a knockout prediction.

” I’m expecting another KO and another big performance I feel I’m settled down even more than my debut and looking more like a pro now too so once I go out and show that the rest will take care of itself.

The 23-year-old goes into his second pro fight with more confidence in his power game on the back of learnings he made in his debut and the training he’s down at the Matchroom Gym in LA.

“I learnt a lot from my debut from little things inside the ring like slowing the pace, and sitting down on my punches. In the amateurs, it’s 9 mins all out whereas now I can use one or two rounds to just figure out my opponent.”

The St Michaels Athy graduate has more time and room to figure his opponent out tonight, as he moves up to six-rounders.

Progressing from four so early in a career isn’t the norm and may be deemed a risk in some quarters. McCarthy certainly doesn’t see it like that, in fact, he thinks quite the opposite he argues the two extra rounds lessen the chance of an away corner upset.

“I was actually trying to get 6 rounds for my debut but couldn’t,” he continues.

“I’m glad I’m up to 6 rounds now I’ve had enough amateur experience to jump into a 6 rounder and opponents out here in the US come to win so having the 6 rounds gives me a bit extra to figure them out, whereas with a 4 rounder it’s very risky. If you’ve an awkward opponent and you struggle for the first 2 rounds, you’re down to a draw at the minimum then.”

The clash is the prospects second in America and while domestic titles appeal he feels he will build across the Atlantic for now.

“Irish boxing is picking up big time back home on the professional side and it’s great to see, more domestic fights, more 50/50 titles fights back home. I’m not sure what the plan is yet but I’d probably build up my record and my profile here and when I do go back to Ireland to fight it’ll be bigger and better,” he adds before reflecting further on his debut.

“The debut went very well, I was happy with my performance and the buzz from making it on St. Patrick’s weekends in San Francisco was amazing with family and friends who came over to watch.

“The whole experience was all new to me it’s like nothing I’ve been to in the amateurs. It’s all professionally run from weigh-ins, interviews and media stuff to the actual fight night. It’s a big change from driving up and down to Sport Ireland every week to redirecting my whole life to the US now to chase my dream.”