Thank You Very Much Mr Hearn – Padraig McCrory looking to exploit Eddie’s mistake
‘The Hammer’ Padraig McCrory is promising to deal Eddie Hearn’s Edgar Berlanga plans a hammer blow this weekend.
The Belfast super middleweight is the second Irish fighter – Jason Quigley being the first – Matchroom looked to use to help the New York Puerto Rican along his procession toward fights with Jaime Munguia and even Saul Canelo Alvarez.
However, McCrory warns Hearn and co have made a big mistake, promising to upset the odds and thus ruin their Berlanga plans when they fight in a DAZN main event at the Caribe Royale in Orlando on Saturday.
In fact, the popular 35-year-old says he is going to steal the 26-year-old’s roadmap and plot his own course toward Canelo treasure.
“Thank you, Eddie, for the opportunity, but you’ve made the wrong decision in picking me,” McCrory told the Matchroom CEO.
“You have big plans for Edgar but unfortunately, I’m going to stop it all from happening. When Katie Taylor comes back to Dublin, put me on there and I’ll fight anyone,” he adds before stating he is about to step onto Berlanga’s career path.
“Winning this fight changes my life for good, anything that’s happened in the past is irrelevant. My life is great, I’m happily married with three kids, and on Saturday it’s going to get even better. This win opens up massive opportunities, the biggest names, like Jaime Munguia, Diego Pacheco or even Canelo Alvarez. He’s the dream fight for everybody, the money fight, and that’s what awaits me after this fight.”
While McCrory is dreaming of fights with Canelo and co, the Dee Walsh trained former Irish Boxing Awards KO of the Year and Fighter of the Year winner is adamant Berlanga is all that is on his mind during the hours he is awake.
He surmises ‘The Chosen One’ can’t say the same of the ‘The Hammer’. The Conlan Boxing fighter believes the former Top Rank and now Matchroom star is looking past him.
“He’s looking past me talking about those guys, he’s not worried about me but that’s a big mistake, he’s in for a nightmare,” he adds.
Pointing out why that is such a mistake he notes how “I’m definitely his hardest fight. I’m a big 168 and he’s never taken anyone’s ‘0’.”
West Belfast’s McCrory also believes Berlanga’s bark is worse than his bite and his perceived confidence is a smokescreen.
“He sounds confident but I think it’s all show. He’s trying to convince himself and on Saturday you’ll see that I’m his biggest test,” he continues before stressing there is a reason the ticket-selling American hasn’t been given one of the big names just yet.
It’s obvious that he has power, he comes with a big punch. Ask anyone and they’ll say he’s strong and has power. I think he is getting a bit better fundamentally, but he isn’t the finished article and I think he needs more time and that’s why they haven’t taken the Munguia fight or the Ryder fight, or any of these big fights. They are trying to get him ready for those big fights and unfortunately, I’m a step too far.”
