Pádraig McCrory grabs debut win on Belfast Boy card

Pádraig McCrory quickly adjusted to the paid ranks tonight on his professional debut.

The Belfast super middle made his bow on the big Matchroom bill in the city at the SSE Odyssey Arena, taking on tough English southpaw Jacob Lucas over four.

Trained by Ray Ginley at the Immanuel Boxing Academy, there are high hopes for the 28 year old former Ulster amateur who got up and running with a points win

A ball of energy, McCrory would be caught with a few shots early on in the first round, but would delight the noisy support from St James’s with a knockdown in the closing seconds, sending Lucas to the floor with a well-timed right hand counter that had the Englishman hurt,

With the knockdown perhaps settling him, McCrory went about breaking down Lucas in the second. The journeyman’s legs would be jellied again with another counter right.

It was controlled domination from the home fighter in the third as the back of Lucas became well acquainted with the ropes on all four sides of the ring.

To his credit, Lucas came out looking to mix it in the fourth and final round, but he would soon be overwhelmed by the activity of McCrory who exhibited a lovely left hook to the body.

Going to the scorecard in no doubt, McCrory was handed a 40:35 win.

The distance win sees McCrory’s brand new professional ledger start off at 1(0)-0, while Lucas falls to 0-9(2)-2.

Next up, most likely, for McCrory will be an appearance on the next Kieran Farrell Promotions show in Belfast, expected to take place this Autumn.

LISTEN: Gavan Casey and Joe O’Neill speak to Luke Keeler and Paddy Barnes on Episode 6 of The Irish Boxing Show: