WATERFORD – The pressure is on Irish welterweight Dylan Moran leading into the biggest fight of his life.
Not only does he fight Tyrone McKenna, his best opponent to date, on Saturday, but he is doing so in the hope that it will set up a run for him to make South East Ireland his fighting base for the foreseeable future.
The popular southpaw, 19-2 (9 KOs), however, is not feeling the pressure of being at home or the weight of his local fanbase on his shoulders ahead of his ProBox TV debut on Saturday night.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s been years in the making, but it’s going to be a special night for me on Saturday night. I’ve always aimed to bring a big night like this to Waterford,” Moran said.
“We had one previous [victory over Mauro Godoy]. It wasn’t what I’d planned, but this is, and I’m looking forward to it.”
McKenna has been around, boxing the likes of Ohara Davies, Regis Prograis and Jack Caterrall, but rather than big names, it is the all-Ireland derby aspect of the fight that is appealing to Moran.
“That’s the special thing about it. I’ve always wanted to bring big domestic fights back home and I don’t think there’s a bigger fight than me and Tyrone McKenna,” Moran added. “You can see the way it’s been received. I have a lot of respect for the guy. I’ve followed him for many years, and I’m looking forward to getting in the ring with him on Saturday night.”
McKenna is a veteran. He tried to get into Moran’s head today at the press conference in Waterford’s town center, and while there were some hostile exchanges, Moran is an admirer of McKenna’s career.
“Tyrone is good, ridiculously tough, one of the best chins I’ve ever seen in boxing, a lot of heart, but I don’t think there’s anything he does in a boxing ring better than me,” Moran continued. “I’m too sharp, too fit, too strong. I’m also too hungry. He’s been there. I’m trying to get there. And a win Saturday night does just that.”
Moran was stopped in a round by Florian Marku last year, and suffered a third-round loss earlier in his career, and McKenna has used that as ammunition, talking about Moran’s punch resistance. However, Moran says the losses have only been lessons.
“I think it was all meant to be,” he said, reflecting upon the Marku defeat. “Had that not happened then I wouldn’t be sat here. This is all I’ve ever wanted. And I also think that what I went through, them months, them weeks, has made me who I am today and I need to be that person to get through Tyrone McKenna. I know it’s not going to be easy. I know I’m going to have to go to the well and because of situations like that, I’m more than able to do that.”
And Moran bounced back from his one round loss to 12-0-1 Marku with a one-round stoppage of 12-0 Owen O’Neil.
“The chances of that are slim to none,” he said of those consecutive first round results. “I wasn’t expecting that. I knew I was going to beat O’Neil and I knew I needed to make a statement considering what happened previously, and I done just that.”
But he’s not taking anything for granted against the 34-year-old McKenna. Moran wants revenge against Albanian Marku, and Harlem Eubank might be in town looking for a future opponent on Saturday. And if Moran does it, he will be beating the best man he’s faced.
“Definitely,” he agreed. “And there’s no better place to do it than Waterford. I’m bang up for Saturday night. I can’t wait. I’ve been longing for this fight. We know what Dylan Moran’s about. Unfortunately the world hasn’t really seen it yet, but Tyrone McKenna’s gonna get to see it Saturday.”
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