‘This will kickstart my career’ – Ciaran McVarnock excited by ring return

Ciaran McVarnock [10(3)-0-1] is ready to start moving through the gears once he returns to action on May 28th.

‘Bunty’ returns to the ring against a yet to be confirmed opponent in Sheffield next month.

It’s the first time the Belfast man will step through the ropes in two years and only the second time he will trade leather in just under four years.

There is a lot of time to make up for and McVarnock is ready to get going. He has been promised fights by new manager Kevin Maree and is keen to get active.

“This will 100% kickstart my career,” McVarnock told Irish-boxing.com.

“Kevin has always promised to keep me busy. In fairness, he has secured me slots on shows over the last year but because of COVID, they all fell through. My manager is the busiest matchmaker in Britain and he is in there with all the big promotors and the big shows, so I will be kept busy and he has assured me that.”

The Manchester based operator has been, like most unfortunate with regard to fight dates during the pandemic, but was on a voluntary sabbatical prior to that to help his partner battle illness.

Now with the difficult period behind him he is delighted to be back and have a fight date on the horozion.

“It’s amazing to be back again. After what I have been through the last two years with boxing, getting dates for big shows and covid ruining them, and of course, personal things with my partner, that everyone knows about, it’s been a really really hard period. I’m grateful to be in this position to fight again.”

With two years out, McVarnock expects ring rust to evident when he fights on the Dennis Hobson show. Although he claims he is rectifying that somewhat through sparing.

“There is ring rust there. I would be telling lies if there wasn’t. I have been two years out of the ring and just doing my own training of course there is going to be a lot of ring rust. Although I am getting rid of that with the sparring I am doing, so come fight night most of the ring rust will be gone.”

Oiling that ring rust and dusting the cobweb’s off is new coach Steve Maylett. McVarnock is happy with what he is learning under the coach who helped Terry Flanagan to world title success – and was content to see his return delayed so he could get more time under the coach.

“I was meant to fight on May 7th but it got pushed back to the 28th, so the excitement has been there for a while now. I didn’t mind it getting pushed back because it just gives me more time to learn and adjust to new things with my trainer Steve. I’m loving that I’m actually learning in this training camp,” he continues before discussing his opponent.

“I don’t know what I am expecting opponent-wise. As per usual I find out late who I am fighting. It doesn’t bother me though they all have two arms a head and a body. I just focus on myself and what I have got to do. I can’t see myself getting an opponent that is just going to fall over. I need rounds and a tough guy that’s going to last.”