Boxing News Boxing News
For now, at least, Irish heavyweight champion Kevin “The Clones Colossus” McBride is best known as the fighter who knocked “Iron” Mike Tyson into retirement. McBride, however, can change his legacy if he defeats Andrew Golota on October 6, and then eventually attains his nearly lifelong dream of becoming the first Irish-born heavyweight champion of the world.
McBride (34-5-1, 29 KOs), now 34 and living in Boston, believed he’d get his world title shot after stopping 20-1 favorite Tyson in the sixth round of their June 11, 2005 fight.
The 6-6, 280-pound Irishman thought he had fights lined-up against then world heavyweight champions John Ruiz and Lamon Brewster, but promotional problems and a series of questionable business decisions by his advisors cost McBride a chance to cash-in on the worldwide fame he had gained after beating Tyson.
Ten months after the Tyson fight, the now Don King-promoted McBride defeated Byron Polley and then, tapped out and desperate to get back in the ring, he took an ill advised fight against Mike Mollo, who knocked out McBride on national television in the second round, and Kevin’s once promising career suddenly was on the ropes.
“I beat my idol, Tyson, and by beating a name fighter like him, it got me in the picture,” McBride said. “I was supposed to get title fights but nothing materialized. I won my first fight (after the Tyson fight) but didn’t look good and then lost my last fight which I never really should have taken.
Now, I have a new team and my manager, Jerry Quinn, is pulling no punches to get me my world title shot. I’m back with the strength-and-conditioning coach I had when I fought Tyson, Radovan Serbula. Jerry also hired a coach in the Boston area to work with me (Arsen Sarkisov), and then he brought in a world-class trainer to handle me, Buddy McGirt. I’m delighted with our whole new team that Jerry has put together.
“I have the ability to be world champion. I’m going to beat Golota and redeem myself. It will get me back in the picture for a world title fight. I’m not looking past Golota. I’m going in against him with one thing in mind – win at all cost. October 6th is going to open the door or shut it.
“One way or the other it’s going to be exciting. I started boxing at nine and that’s when I first dreamed of becoming the first Irish-born heavyweight champion of the world. Now, thanks to Jerry, I have another chance to fulfill my dream.”
Quinn, a well known national philanthropist and successful businessman, who owns the Kells of Boston restaurant/bar, has been a good friend and sponsor of McBride’s for the past six years. Born and raised in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland, Jerry immigrated to the United States in 1972.
“After his devastating loss to Mollo, McBride was left for dead, boxing wise, but Quinn put his money where his mouth is, becoming Kevin’s manager and undisputed leader of the New Team McBride.
“I always saw great potential in Kevin and believed he would be world champion after he defeated Tyson,” Quinn explained. “I still do. I made a proposal to him, a package that included a weekly salary, car, paying for his training, etc. But I wanted total control because it’s the only wait it could work.
“I knew that he wasn’t getting the proper training and guidance after the Tyson fight. I had a vision. I wanted to change his whole team, but Kevin wouldn’t accept it at the time, and he shot me down. He was committed to his old team and persuaded by them.
“Three weeks after his last fight, I made a similar presentation to Kevin, and he accepted. I make all of the business decisions now, working with my associate, Bob O’Guin. I sent Kevin back to Radovan and he works out with him six days a week. I hired a Russian trainer, Arsen Sarkisov, whose family has been in boxing for years. Kevin trains with him five nights a week in the Boston area. Back in April, I contacted Buddy McGirt and we went to his gym in Vero Beach (FL) for a week.
“Buddy was a great champion and he’s one of the best trainers in boxing today. There was immediate chemistry between Kevin and Buddy. He agreed to train Kevin, who heads back to Vero Beach around September 1 for a month of training camp. My job is to give Kevin the tools to become world champion; his is to train hard and fight. I still believe that he will be the heavyweight champion of the world.”
McBride represented Ireland in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona as the youngest super heavyweight ever. He was eliminated in what was only his sixth match and he then turned pro. Kevin fought a six-round draw in his pro debut against Gary Charlton in London, and then won his next 19 fights.
In 1999, he relocated in Boston and his roller coaster like career has taken him to the heights of slaying Tyson to the depths of despair in his last bout.
With a new team in his corner, McBride continues his journey to become the first Irish-born heavyweight champion of the world. To get there, though, “The Clones Colossus” needs to get past Golota on Oct. 6 in a must win situation at the famed Madison Square Garden.
The green dream continues for Kevin McBride, thanks in large part to his new manager, Jerry Quinn. Winning the world title may be longshot for the likeable McBride but, then again, how many people honestly thought he’d beat Tyson?
