Padraig McCrory planning to steal show on Belfast bill

Padraig McCrory [5(3)-0] is planning a second successive show-stealing performance on Friday night.

The Belfast super middleweight grabbed the headlines the last time he fought at the Titanic Exhibition Centre when, on 24 hours notice, he defeated former amateur rival Sean McGlinchy in an entertaining match-up.

‘The Hammer’, who also stood out with a potential KO of the Year on a Devenish show in February, is now looking to do the same on one of two Irish shows scheduled for Friday night.

“At the last show I was the most talked about boxer afterwards,” he told Belfast Live.

“The circumstances of the fight against Sean McGlinchey, our previous history, and the impressive way I won – I earned a lot of plaudits that night.”

The likeable big-punching Belfast prospect faces another late replacement on a card topped by a Conrad Cummings WBO European middleweight title fight.

Gabor Detre comes in for Belfast-Angolan Julio Cesar. The Hungarian has five wins to his name – all in his homeland – but has been stopped before and McCrory believes he may be on course for a third career KO. 

“I don’t know why there has been a late change of opponent, but I don’t care,” said McCrory who steps up to six rounds on the ‘King of the Celts’ bill.

“I will fight whoever is in front of me, and this will be a good test.”

Detailing his opponent preparations, the St James’s favourite notes how “I had been planning for Julio Cesar who is tall and rangy. Now I am fighting Detre who is more of a fighter.”

“He has five wins under his belt in just nine outings as a pro, and he won his last fight. He will be confident and he will be coming to Belfast to win. And that makes for a good fight.”

“He is quite similar to most of the guys I have fought so far, apart from my debut opponent. But I can adjust to any style.”

While the bill has been ravaged by pull-outs, McCrory is promising an entertaining evening of action.

“It should be a great night,” he said. “I can’t wait to get in there and prove myself once again.”

“There are some quality boxers fighting on Friday night, including the likes of Sean McComb and Paddy Gallagher. You also have Gary Cully, Phil Sutcliffe Jnr and others.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)