Tyson Fury teaches Stevie McKenna tricks of the trade

Stevie McKenna [7(7)-0] goes into action tonight with some Tyson Fury tricks up his sleeve.

The Monaghan prospect fights live on Channel 5 as chief support to Sam Egginton and Carlos Molina’s ranking title fight, taking on Damian Haus [3(3)-5(3)] over six rounds.

A lot has been made of the fact the knockout artist has sparred Josh Taylor in his most recent camp and has previously shared the training ring with the other half of the undisputed light welterweight title fight, Jose Rameriez.

However, the older brother of Golden Boy prospect, Aaron McKenna also spent time with Tyson Fury in camp. The fighter, who pretended to southpaw to get some rounds with Vasyl Lomachenko and claims to have got the better of Ryan Garcia in a spar, moved around with the heavyweight champion of the world earlier this month – and claims he took a lot from the session.

He [Fury] called me into the ring and showed me a few things,” McKenna told Sky Sports. “I got to learn from Tyson.

“He’s a great man and it was unbelievable, sharing the ring with him, and him teaching me some new things.

“He was telling me to use my long reach and keep the lead hand out to distract the opponent and keep them off you. A bit [like] what he does. When he’s out of range, keep his lead hand out.”

McKenna was also got to move around with the WBC belt holder and the last man to hold the Irish heavyweight title.

“Straight after I’d sparred, I was on the bag and he called me. He wanted to do some work with me, some sparring. We just did some body sparring. He can take a good punch too.

“I didn’t let them in fully, but I was putting them in good and hard and he would take them. He just told me to keep doing what I’m doing and I’m going to go the whole way.”

Learning from the Champ @Tyson_Fury 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tFxxYZXBVR

— Stevie McKenna (@stevie_mckenna) May 1, 2021

Where ever ‘The Hitman’ is going he is taking the direct route. Each of his seven opponents have been stopped inside the distance with four falling before the end of the first round.

The 24-year-old assures it’s an approach he will bring into his TV appearance tonight.

“It’s my style of fighting. I always go out aggressively and I have an aggressive fighting nature. It’s in my mind to knock these guys out. I don’t like messing around, anything can happen in a fight, you can be winning a fight and then get a cut. I don’t like to take any risks so if I see the opportunity I get them out of there.

“I love entertaining fans and I love going for the knockout. I can box on the back foot as well. I have a lot of different styles of fighting, I can adapt and change but I’m always an exciting fighter,” he adds before explaining there is more to him than raw aggression and power.

“You haven’t seen the half of yet. I haven’t really had the opportunity to show what else I can do in there. I have been getting great work in the gym, sparring with world champions. I have been in the ring with the best fighters in the world. When I go into the fight I go for the knockout. When I see it I’ll take it.”