Shelving plans to retire, Kevin McBride is scheduled back in the ring, July 29 to battle undefeated Polish giant Mariusz Wach for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) international heavyweight title at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
At 6-foot-6 inches, the "Clones Colossus" will for the first time in a checkered career dating back to 1992 be the smaller man. He'll be an inch and a half shorter than the North Bergen, New Jersey-based Wach but will have a decided edge in experience over his 31-year-old opponent.
McBride is 35-9-1 with 29 KOs, including that famous sixth round stoppage of Mike Tyson six years ago that ended the former ring terror's career. Wach, seven years the Irishman's junior, is an impressive 24-0, with 12 KOs.
Nicknamed "The Viking," the Krakow native conceded that McBride would be his biggest test in a six-year pro career spent mostly in Europe. But that won't stop him from emulating his countrymen Andrew Golota and Tomasz Adamek and defeating the "Clones Colossus."
"I will be looking to make a statement in this fight that not only am I here to make noise now but I'm here to take over the [heavyweight] division," Wach said last week. "It's not usual that a man I'm about to fight can stare at me in the eyes, but the more dangerous my opponent is, the more dangerous I become."
McBride, who fights out of Brockton, Mass., lost to Golota, one of Wach's heroes, via sixth round TKO at Madison Square Garden in New York back four years ago. He dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Adamek in Newark, New Jersey, last April.
McBride vs. Wach is scheduled for ten rounds. It will be the co-feature on a Classic Entertainment & Sports [CES] and Global Boxing "Heat Wave" card.
Tickets are $40, $65 and $105 and are available by calling CES at (401) 724-2253 or 2254 or from Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Fans can also purchase tickets online at www.cesboxing.com, www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
HARDWICK BOUT
Yonkers heavyweight Tom Hardwick is gearing up for his second professional fight July 16 at Resorts Atlantic City. His opponent will be announced this week.
"We're looking at a few people," Hardwick said last Sunday, looking forward to fighting in the one-time boxing Mecca.
A cut suffered over his right eye in his debut last May - a third round stoppage of Derek Walker at Manhattan's Roseland Ballroom - had sidelined the Dubliner for several weeks.
"The cut has healed completely and I've been sparring again. I'm in good shape," Hardwick said.
He recently sparred several furious rounds with former two-time world champ Oleg Maskaev at Gleason's Gym and more than held his own.
"He was definitely out to knock me out - we battled," Hardwick noted.
Manager Jim Foley said Hardwick was in great condition and they were excited over his forthcoming matches.
Foley's Old World Boxing will be hiring buses for Irish fans wishing to watch Hardwick's Atlantic City bout. They will leave from Yonkers.
Tickets, meanwhile, range from $45 to $100. Call Foley at (917) 710-5388 or visit oldworldboxing.com for more information.
