Tyrone McKenna v Regis Prograis (Dubai, Saturday, live on Eurosport 2 from 5.30pm)
 
GOING the easy route does not come naturally to Tyrone McKenna and he has absolutely no intention of playing it safe when he tangles with former world light-welterweight king Regis Prograis at the Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai on Saturday.

‘The Mighty Celt’ could have taken a much less dangerous assignment against Sam Maxwell next month, but once the call came with an offer to tangle with ‘Rougarou’, there was only one answer.

The Lenadoon man turned 32 recently so the chance to take on one of the division’s best could not be turned down and even though he will walk to the ring as a huge underdog, his noted self-confidence is not dented one bit.

McKenna was been consistent in his calls to face the best and he gets his wish.
The former St Oliver Plunkett amateur is a fan-favourite due to his blood and guts approach in the ring and simply does not do boring, so he has promised more of the same this weekend.

“I’ve always said I want the hardest fights possible,” he said.

“I’m a man who fights for the fans so when I look for opponents, I want ones that are fan-friendly and will excite the fans.

“Prograis came up and I took the offer with both hands, so I’m excited to have a war with one of the best in the world.

“The plan for the fight is to stand and trade with him, so it will be entertaining and I’m excited for it. I’m ready for it, I’m fit, sharp and ready for war. It’s the fittest I’ve ever been so there will be no excuses.”

While he will enjoy height and reach advantages over his fellow southpaw, whose sole defeat in a 27-fight career came in a thrilling battle against undisputed champion Josh Taylor in the final of the World Boxing Super Series back in 2019, he intends to meet fire with fire.

Prograis rebuilt from losing his WBA portion of the 140lb titles with a pair of impressive outings so seems to be still at the peak of his powers, but McKenna will not be looking to negate the New Orleans native’s strengths this week, instead promising to meet him in the middle of the ring for a war.

“I’m not conventional,” he admitted.

“I’m a six-foot-one southpaw who loves to go to war, dig deep and get into the trenches. That’s who I am and I can’t change it - I enjoy it.

“I’m there to have fun and fun for me is to have blood all over my face and to go for it so I can entertain the fans. It’s not everybody’s idea of fun but it’s certainly mine.”

McKenna has had very decent sparring in preparation, sharing rounds with Paul Ryan, Gary Cully, Paddy Donovan and also Jack Catterall, a former opponent who he tasted defeat against for the first time back in 2018.

Catterall recently fell victim to a hotly disputed defeat to Josh Taylor, proving his worth as a top light-welterweight, but McKenna narrowly lost that fight to Catterall with two judges scoring it 94-93, meaning had the Belfast man went down just once instead of twice, he would have taken a draw.

That has given him added confidence as it has shown he’s not far away, so this weekend he gets the chance to prove as much against Prograis.

“Everyone knows the way my fight went with Jack Catterall and how close it was. Even the sparring with him was close, so it shows the level I am,” he insists.

“I have taken a lot of confidence from those spars.

“The fight against him, I always look back at the knockdowns and the first body shot.

“I was against the ropes and didn’t have to go down, but I was open to the head and thought it better to go down then that maybe getting properly hurt, but then as soon as I touched down the bell went.

“Had I stayed on my feet a second longer, I could have come out with a draw, but that’s boxing.”

While it is still to be confirmed, it seems that Taylor will move up to welterweight and therefore, the four title belts will scatter.

Catterall is all but certain to fight for at least one given the furore over the decision that went against him in Glasgow, but there is also a very real possibility the winner on Saturday will get their shot at a vacant belt next.

McKenna has dreamed of claiming world honour since first lacing up the gloves and a shock win this weekend would leave him in pole position to fight for one next, so the stakes couldn’t be higher and he has prepared accordingly.

“I think the winner of this will get the world title shot so it’s the biggest fight of my career,” he agreed.

“It’s the biggest name I’ve faced and with Josh Taylor probably about to give up all those belts, it’s been extra motivation for me.

“I’ve always wanted to win a world title and I said at the start of the year that 2022 would be the best year I’ve had in boxing, so this is make or break.”