Matchroom Boxing: McBride Regains The Hunger For Prizefighter

Kevin McBride says there is plenty of life left in his career – starting with victory in the Prizefighter Heavyweights IV at York Hall on Saturday October 9.

The Irishman, who lives in Boston in the United States, made his comeback against Zack Page in New York in July, fighting for the first time since October 2007. The 37 year-old lost the fight to Page by unanimous decision but said he believes he still has what it takes to win the sold out show live on Sky Sports.

“I lost on my comeback but I’ve still got the desire and hunger to achieve something big in boxing – they said the curtains would come down after the last fight (against Andrew Golota in 2007) but I still have that dream I had as a kid to be the first Irish-born Heavyweight Champion of the World and winning Prizefighter would be a great stepping stone to that goal,” said the Clones Colossus.

It’s the 14th edition of the Prizefighter tournament – the fourth time for the Heavyweights – with eight fighters gunning for the £32,000 winner’s cheque in a knockout format over three rounds, with four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final in a breathless night of action.

The event has both launched careers and resurrected them, with the most famous example of the latter being Audley Harrison who won the last Heavyweights night in October 2009 and used that as a springboard to land a World title fight with David Haye in November.

“Boxing is a beautiful sport because one punch can change anyone’s chapter and I’ve got three punches in me that can change my life at York Hall,” said McBride.

McBride’s greatest claim to fame in the sport is his victory over Mike Tyson in Washington DC in June 2005. The Irishman was a massive underdog in the fight but Tyson quit before the seventh round, and it proved to be the last time Iron Mike would fight competitively.

“When I fought Tyson I was probably the biggest underdog of the decade but it just showed that if you work hard enough, stick to your plans and believe in yourself anything can happen,” said McBride.

“It was great to meet the man and on the night I also met Muhammad Ali, since I was nine I had always wanted to meet him and he was there because his daughter was fighting. I said to him ‘this is the greatest night of my life in boxing, after beating a legend I’m meeting another one,’ and he said to me, ‘I’m the greatest, you’re the latest’ which was just brilliant.

“Everybody said to me that I only beat Tyson because he was at the end, but every man in the ring with two hands is dangerous – and that’s the same in Prizefighter, as it’s so explosive and all eight fighters will believe they can win it. I know I can win it that’s for sure – I may have lost a few fights but the desire is there and these fights could be over with one big punch, and I have The Equaliser in my armoury.”

Prizefighter Heavyweights IV Draw

Matt Skelton v Ali Adams
Kevin McBride v Franklin Egobi
Michael Sprott v Danny Hughes
Declan Timlin v Shane McPhilbin