Fitting Tribute – McKenna pays homage to a legend of legendary All Belfast clash

Tyrone McKenna goes into one of the most eagerly anticipated Belfast derbies paying tribute to an Irish boxing legend who knew a thing or two about Belfast battles.

‘The Mighty Celt’ will enter the ring for his huge welterweight clash with Lewis Crocker on the Conlan-Gill tonight with a tribute to Hugh Russell on his shorts.

Russell, one of Ireland’s finest ever sweet scientists, passed away in October. Tributes aplenty poured in for the two-weight British Champion, Olympic medal winner, photographer and BBBofC board member at the time – and McKenna will ensure ‘Little Red’ is remembered on the first arena card to come to the famous boxing city since one of it’s favourite boxing sons passed.

McKenna’s shorts for his mouthwatering clash will sport the message ‘RIP Hugh Russell, Little Red‘.

It’s a lovely tribute made all the more fitting by the fact, McKenna competes in an All Belfast fight of note just like Russell did over 40 years ago.

In October 1982, with Barry McGuigan taking a break from the ring, Barney Eastwood matched local boxers Hugh Russell and Davy Larmour in the Ulster Hall in a final eliminator for John Feeney’s British bantamweight crown.

What followed over 15 rounds was an absolute war. Russell was awarded the narrowest of decisions by referee Mike Jacobs in a ring that resembled a butcher’s shambles. On returning to London, Jacobs left his white shirt in to be dry-cleaned. However, when he returned to collect it he was handed a note from CID asking him to report to the local police station.

Once there, Jacobs was asked how his shirt had come to be covered in so much blood. A simple explanation that he had refereed a boxing match in Belfast duly resolved the matter with the police. Russell duly claimed Feeney’s title in January 1983, only to lose it six weeks later to Larmour in a rematch at the King’s Hall.

McKenna and Crocker grab the all-Belfast torch tonight with fans hoping they deliver similarly.