McBride\’s Red Sox Inspiration.

Irish heavyweight champion Kevin “The Clones Colossus”McBride (32-4-1, 27 KOs) has drawn inspiration from his adopted hometown’s professional baseball team – 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox – for his monumental fight against former two-time champion “Iron” Mike Tyson (50-5, 44 KOs), June 11th in “Capital Explosion” at the MCI Center in Washington D.C.

“I’m going to shock the world against Tyson just like the Red Sox did last year against the Yankees and Cardinals,” the smilin’ Irishman confidently said. “If Tyson thinks I’m another Peter McNeeley, he’s in for the surprise of his life. This fight means the world to me. I’ve been boxing since I was nine and after I won the Irish heavyweight championship, I told my father that someday I wanted to fight Mike Tyson. He said if I dreamed about it enough it would happen. This is the third time I was supposed to fight Tyson. The first time McNeeley ended up fighting him and the last time it was (Danny) Williams. God sometimes works in mysterious ways. Now it’s my time.”

The 6-6, 260-pound Irish giant was an Olympian at the age of 18 and is the tallest opponent Tyson has every fought. McBride has won his last seven fights in a row, all by knockout, and the Clones native, along with his growing Irish and Irish-American fan base, believe Tyson has given the “The Clones Colossus” an opportunity of a lifetime.

“I’ve always dreamed of becoming the heavyweight champion of the world,” McBride concluded. “Beating Tyson will put me in position for a title shot against one of the world champions. I’m going to prove that I’m a contender not a pretender. When I hit Mike Tyson he’ll think all of Ireland has hit him. I’m going to knock him out.”

Tickets for “Capital Explosion,’ priced at $700, $450, $250, $100 and $50 (plus applicable service charges and a $3 facility fee) are on sale through all Ticketmaster locations, including the MCI Center box office, via Phonecharge at 202-397-SEAT, 703-573-SEAT and 410-547-SEAT, online at www.ticketmaster.com and out-of-town fans can call toll-free at 800-551-SEAT. Accessible seating is available for patrons with disabilities by calling 202-628-3200 ext. 5065. For more information please visit www.mcicenter.com.