Prepare to be shocked – Pete Taylor reveals Tommy McCarthy has a surprise ready

People are going to be shocked by Tommy McCarthy’s performance in Manchester tomorrow [Saturday] night, predicts coach Pete Taylor.

‘The Mack Attack’ puts his European cruiserweight title on the line against Romanian Alexandru Jur [19(7)-2(1)] at the AO Arena on this weekend’s Matchroom card – and Taylor is backing him to impress.

In fact the busy trainer expects the Belfast big man to standout to such a degree he is going to raise eyebrows.

Taylor argues, that champion McCarthy [17(8)-2(1)] is much fitter than when he won the title and has been refining his style to such a degree it will make him a more exciting fighter.

“I am looking for a big performance off Tommy,” Taylor told Green Blood Boxing.

“The way he was sparring I’d say he is three levels above the condition he was in for the Bilal [Laggoune] fight. I am pretty confident in Tommy. I think he has bundles of talent. I think he is going to shock people in this fight. I think we are going to see a different Tommy Mac.”

While the context of a broken hand needs to be taken into account, McCarthy did come under some fire for being a little lethargic in winning the EBU strap Bilal Laggoune and the criticism seems to have hit home.

Ryan Burnett and Carl Frampton have urged the Oliver Plunkett’s graduate to be more aggressive and Taylor has previously revealed he wants the natural talent to be more proactive.

The coach, who also looks after the likes Tyrone McKenna, Luke Keeler, Gary Cully and Tyrone McCullagh, admitted the new style is more exciting but explains it’s built on the basic fundamentals that have served ‘Big Tommy’ so well to this point.

“He has been criticised for being laid back or lazy but that’s just Tommy’s nature. We have changed that now, he is going to be exciting. Exciting without losing what he has , you don’t want to change too much.”

Picture credit Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing.