Irish Ricky Hatton prospect happy to take on out spoken American Matchroom ‘star’

He has yet to debut but Brett McGinty already has a named rival and big fight in mind.

The Donegal native with a strong Derry following announced he was pro bound late last year, signing a managerial contract with Sheer Sports and teaming up coach Ricky Hatton.

The current pandemic has meant the 21-year-old, like over 10 new Irish pros, has yet had the chance to trade leather in the paid ranks, but that hasn’t stopped him plotting big early fights.

The Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist holds an amateur win over Nikita Ababiy, a prospect with six knockouts in eight fights highly fancied and signed to Matchroom.

It’s a win McGinty would love to repeat in the pros and he has his sights set on the American, who upset Derry’s Tyrone McCullagh by ‘stealing’ his ‘White Chocolate’ ring moniker.

“I would love to meet him, to be honest,” said McGinty when speaking with Sky Sports. “He seems to be making waves for himself there in America.

“Me and him fought, I think it was St Patrick’s weekend two years ago in the seniors. He’s making big claims about world titles at this stage of his career already. Hopefully we’ll meet at the top and I would definitely fancy that fight, every day of the week.

“It was in his own backyard I beat him. We were over with the Irish team fighting the USA. He wasn’t very happy, in front of his home crowd, but I think, to be honest, he knew himself he lost the fight.”

The fact Sky are writing about the fight suggests it’s one Matchroom are looking at.

Irish-boxing.com’s Joe O’Neill has always argued the fighter, who like Navan’s Chris Blaney, is perfect for Matchroom USA and would be one to capture the attention of what is increasingly becoming a more important Irish American.

It’s quite possible Eddie Hearn and co could build the Ababiy fight by putting McGinty on the same American cards and a victory over a ‘future star’ would propel the Ulster fighter to the next level.