“I just want Ohara Davies. Now more than ever.”
That was Tyrone McKenna speaking at the beginning of 2019 preparing for a fight in Belfast two months later. Tonight, in the final of MTK’s super-lightweight Golden Contract tournament, McKenna finally gets his hands on a man he has been trying to tempt into a fight for four years.
It was a rivalry that was born on social media with McKenna trying to make a name for himself during the height of Davies’ success while promoted by Matchroom (who eventually released him from their books). As Davies’ stock dropped after being manhandled by Josh Taylor, which settled their own fiery feud in July 2017, the controversial Londoner soon found his ascent to the top troublesome while McKenna took small steps to home in on his target. The Golden Contract has ensured they are now on a level playing field and the stage is finally set.
Speaking to Boxing Social, the 30-year-old McKenna (21-2-1, 6 KOs) said, “What’s he [Davies] going to do when he wakes up on October 1 and a bum, in his words, has just beat him? He’s going to have to retire.
“Now we’re on the same kind of level, not skill wise because I am better but notoriety wise. It’s changed from me calling him out and, after years of calling me a bum, it started to get a bit more serious and it went back and forth. Then we had that wee quarrel last year, which could have escalated, and that really kicked it off. I’m excited about putting it all to bed. I’ve said I’m going to beat him for four years. I truly believe I’m going to beat him. I’m super confident going into this fight. All the pressure is on him because he’s called me a bum for the last four years.”
Photo: MTK Global.
McKenna once lacked the opportunities that Davies got but lacking in confidence is something where the Pete Taylor trained 140-pounder has never been found wanting. His unyielding belief that he can beat tonight’s opponent wasn’t associated with the trash talk when he first sought a fight with Davies, nor has there ever been a light bulb moment where he saw something in ‘Two Tanks’ that he thought he could exploit. Call it bravado, call it promotion and the usual things a fighter says. McKenna, as long as he listen’s to Taylor’s gameplan, does not see how the long-armed power-punching Davies beats him.
“I’ve thought [that I could beat him] from day one,” McKenna said. “I’ve had a great amateur background. I’ve been around the world as an amateur, I’ve seen a lot of fighters and I’ve done a lot of things. I believe in myself and I’ve always been very confident in my skills. When I’ve seen Ohara, I can read the game and I can read a fighter, I could see how many flaws he possesses. He does have long arms and he does have big power and he is an awkward fighter, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I’ve always believed I could beat him comfortably using my skills and the boxing IQ I have.”
A crucial factor will be the level of McKenna’s discipline to the task at hand should he and Davies get involved in a shoot-out. Not having an audience baying for blood and haymakers should stand McKenna in good stead.
“I’m a completely different fighter from the fight against [Mohamed] Mimoune [the Frenchman who many felt was unlucky to lose to McKenna over 10 rounds in February’s semi-final]. I thought it was a brilliant fight and a hard, hard fight. There [were] three rounds where he was all over me and I couldn’t keep him off me. At that time, I had only been working with Pete for seven weeks. I’ve been working with him now for eight months.
“Not only have I learned but Pete has changed how I box. He’s corrected a lot of things in the past eight months. He’s got me boxing the way I should be boxing. The way I’m boxing is the way I believe I should have been boxing since the start, but I like wars and entertaining people too much. Without a crowd, I won’t be goaded into a war. My biggest downfall is listening to the crowd and getting into fights and entertaining them. My downfall is what I love the most. Without that, I think I’m going to box unbelievable and stick to a gameplan and stick to what I need to do.”
Photo: MTK Global.
While the names and personalities of Davies and McKenna have sold the build-up, it has been easy to forget, perhaps amidst all things Covid-19, that there is a big prize awaiting the winner. A multi-fight deal with a top-level promoter and fight purses that will make all the grind and toil very much worth it for the victor. McKenna admitted it is all he has been thinking about because it is a chance to change his family’s life and his own.
“It’s insanely life-changing,” he commented. “It’s mental. I’ve thought about it every day, every night before bed. I’ve thought how this is going to change my life and my family’s life. It’s getting me up in the morning, it’s getting me to work harder, it’s getting me to spar harder and to diet as strict as possible. It’s insane how much this fight changes my life. On Wednesday, I’m fighting for the winning lottery ticket because it’s going to change my life.”
Photo: MTK Global.
Main image and all photos: MTK Global.