Former Idris Virgo water fight opponent next for Brett McGinty

Brett McGinty [1-0] will face the journey man somehow dragged into the spotlight by the controversial Idris Virgo last summer.

The Donegal middleweight returns to the ring on his promoter Mick Hennessy’s show at the Coventry Skydome Arena, headlined by Sam Eggington and Carlos Molina, live and free on Channel 5.

Providing the opposition will be Josh Hodgins, a fighter known more for the public spat and water fight he had with Love Island star Virgo last August, than his fighting skills.

Virgo stopped Hodgins in the first round of his seventh pro fight if the Ricky Hatton-trained Irish prospect can manage to trump that in just his second bout allows for a positive comparison. Not to mention – if it’s an avenue he wants to take – it gives him the beginnings of a Virgo call-out narrative.

McGinty caught the eye in his debut after a highly entertaining six rounds with Jan Ardon.

After such a hard and testing pro bow the Commonwealth Youth and European schoolboy medal winner may want some less hard-fought learning later this month.

Admittedly McGinty wasn’t expecting such a battle come debut time, but in hindsight, after entertaining his way to victory in such a tough fight he was pleased.

“I think it will stand to me having that fight so early,” he told Irish-boxing.com.

“A lot of people have said to me there used to seeing fighters have a test like that eight or 10 fights into their career and I had it on my debut, so thankfully it paid off and I hope it stands to me for the future.”

His coach, the legendary Ricky Hatton took a similar view and was impressed with how his young charge copped and performed.

“Ricky was really happy with my performance. He said ‘you showed your ability and a lot of courage in your debut, which is something a lot of fighters don’t have to do’.”