‘That’s it for the Mighty Celt’ – Tyrone McKenna retires
Tyrone McKenna fought his last fight in Belfast last night.
‘The Mighty Celt’ this morning revealed he has retired from the sport of boxing.
Rumour over the last six months suggested the 33-year-old would call time on a unique career before 2024 started – and the rumour mill was proved right this morning.
Just over 12 hours from his points reverse to Lewis Crocker, McKenna confirmed he was exiting stage left.
Speaking online he revealed his gloves were going up on the hook and he won’t fight again. The Belfast entertainer reflected on some amazing nights and revealed he achieved more than he thought he would in the game on a statement t online.
“Thats it for the Mighty Celt people,” he confirmed on social media.
“I’ve give alot to this sport and got way further than I ever thought possible when sleeping on the floors in Philly. [I] never thought I’d be in some of the huge nights I was part off… I set out to try and become the most entertaining man in Ireland, always taking the hardest fights put to me even when I didnt have too. I had some amazing nights with you all win lose or draw I hope I did you all proud. The one title no one will take any time soon is the hardest man in Ireland…I can take a shot like no other man on this Island.
“Appreciate all my coach from the legend Patsy as an amateur right through to Pete Taylor and everyone at the gym in Dublin and in-between. But now it’s time to chill with the family and push Whiskey and White podcast to stardom. So if your not subscribing get subscribing and get buying tickets to the live show.”
McKenna’s career seems to have spanned eras. The Oliver Plunkett’s man began in Philadelphia in 2012, he was then part of the Emerald Boxing era and part of a stable that included Willie Casey, the Ginley brothers and Anthony Cacace.
He was then one of MTK’s main men on the island of Ireland before finishing with Conlan Boxing and Jamie Conlan as his manager.
It was also a career about fan favour rather than trinkets. Titles meant less to McKenna than entertaining the fans and he always looked for tough fights and deliberately negated his skills and physical attributes to ensure he went to war in the ring. He brought that eye for fun and flair to out-of-the-ring proceedings too and as a result quickly became a fan favourite.
As well as a fun the fighter who fought everyone from Sean Creagh and Jake Hanney to Jack Catteral, Darragh Foley, Jose Felix Jr and Regis Prograis was tough and brave. Indeed, possibly too brave for his own good on occasion, hence while many are very sad to see him go you won’t see many begging him to stay.
We here at Irish-boxing.com would like to wish McKenna well in retirement. We would also like to thank him for the entertainment, of which there was plenty, and the access he was always so kind to give us over the years.
