Dylan Moran ready to meet Tyrone McKenna in the trenches on December 7

Dylan Moran has promised to make the most of his opportunity to impress when he takes on Tyrone McKenna (pictured) in an all-Irish battle on December 7.

They meet at the SETU Arena in Waterford on a Conlan Boxing/ProBox TV show and southpaw Moran, 19-2 (9 KOs), will be fighting in front of his hometown fans. 

“The day you walk into a boxing club, you dream of fights like this. I certainly did. Me and Tyrone McKenna is as big as it gets here,” said Moran.

Neither of Moran’s last two fights have made it out of the first round. He was stopped by Albanian Florian Marku but then, last time out and almost a year on, stopped 13-0 Owen O’Neil.

“That [Marku] happened in September, a punch from the Gods, and as always, I picked myself up and got back in the gym, took care of business with O’Neil, and going into that fight I was told, ‘Whoever wins this gets their own show.’ I got the job done, and I called for the biggest fight available, which was Tyrone McKenna. When I started boxing many years ago, it was always a dream of mine to bring a big event to my hometown, for the city, for the people here, to bring it to their doorstep, and I don’t think it gets any bigger than this. 

“There’s something special about an all-Irish clash. I’ve always wanted to be involved in big domestic dust-ups, and funnily enough I’ve watched Tyrone McKenna for many years. He’s a staple in Irish boxing. He’s been in with some of the best in the world, and when this fight was announced, I think I showed my respect for him, that being said, it’s down to business now.”

McKenna is 34, and has a 23-5-1 (6 KOs) record. The man from Belfast has mixed at a higher level than Moran has, but there is no disguising Moran’s ambition.

“I’m looking forward to it,” the welterweight continued. “We know what Tyrone brings, I know what I bring, and the fans are going to be the real winners. I don’t think Tyrone is bringing anything that I’ve not seen before. I’ve been through the trenches to get here, the gutter essentially, and he’s had his time at the top. It’s the passing of the torch now. Tyrone McKenna doesn’t beat me in Waterford. He’s going to come out and try and make it tough, but he can make it as tough as he wants. I’m ready to fight today and the sooner it comes around the better. 

“I’ve always been a fighter, from as far back as I can remember, boxing for many years, great amateur career. I did kickboxing. I had about 80-90 fights kickboxing and travelled the world, because I was too young to turn professional boxing at the time, and then I turned professional and I’m 20 fights in.  

“I believe I’m an all-round better fighter, sharper, faster, better IQ, better punch selection, that being said, I’m well able to go in the trenches. Tyrone McKenna’s good at that, I’m just as good at that. This fight is gonna catch fire. We all have a game plan going in there, but that can go out the window real quick.”