Stevie McKenna: record, next fight and profile →
Stevie McKenna, the California-based Irishman, made short work of Gary McGuire, stopping him in just 73 seconds of the first of a scheduled welterweight six-rounder in the off-TV undercard fights on the Samir Ziani-Alex Dilmaghani bill in Yorkshire.
It’s easy for any 23-year-old to get taken in by the bright lights of Los Angeles, and while junior welterweight prospect Stevie McKenna hasn’t shown any signs of being the type to get dragged off the path he’s traveling to world championship glory, it probably didn’t hurt that the COVID-19 pandemic came along and forced him and his younger brother Aaron to go back to their roots in Smithborough, County Monaghan, Ireland.
Promoter Mick Hennessy revealed that undefeated prospect Stephen ‘Hitman’ McKenna, will make his UK debut on his 5th September show, live on free-to-air Channel 5. McKenna will feature on the undercard of Alex Dilmaghani’s European super featherweight title challenge against champion Samir Ziani. His opponent will be Gateshead’s Kris Pilkington in a six round contest.
Unbeaten prospect Stevie McKenna believes Olympic gold medal winner Luke Campbell will defeat rising star Ryan Garcia. The World Boxing Council has ordered Campbell and Garcia to face each other for the vacant WBC interim-lightweight title. The negotiations have continued to play out, with both sides pushing to have the contest take place in 2020.
Aaron and Stevie McKenna have teamed up with one of the most respected and well known trainers on the planet. The Los Angeles-based Irish siblings have joined the famous Wild Card Gym and will work under Freddie Roach moving forward.
Former amateur standout Stephen McKenna was victorious in his pro debut Saturday night knocking out Trey Branch in the opening round at the Sports Arena in Rico Rivera, California. The shorter Branch was on the attack from the opening bell, but McKenna forced him to fight defensively by ripping several hooks and right hands to the body.
Go west, young man. They didn’t tell the McKenna brothers, Aaron and Stevie, just how far west, but ultimately the lads from County Monaghan in Ireland found their way to Southern California to chase boxing glory far from the Emerald Isle.