A stunning win over Mike Tyson six years ago couldn't guarantee Kevin McBride a world title shot, but some five accumulative losses since seem to have done the trick.
This Friday night the "Clones Colossus" gets a crack at the fringe World Boxing Council [WBC] international heavyweight belt in a ten-round contest with undefeated Polish prospect Mariusz Wach at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
McBride, 38 years-old and peaking at 6-foot-six inches tall, will for the first time in his career be the shorter man in the ring. He'll spot Wach, who's ranked 13th by the WBC, nearly two inches and seven years in age.
That, in his estimation, sums up the 24-0 Wach's advantages.
"I've the experience. I've got more knockouts than he has wins," McBride [35-9-1, 29 KOs] told the Echo on Sunday. "I'm in good shape and up to the task and I hope it all comes together on the night."
He talked of having trained hard for five weeks and should probably take consolation from the fact that Wach is a modest puncher as suggested by the 12 KOs on his ledger.
The Krakow native is a bit of a late bloomer, too. Although aged 31, he turned pro just two months before McBride's most famous win - that sixth round TKO of Tyson - in June 2005.
"He better watch out," McBride warned. "I know I'm still the underdog like I was against Tyson, but I feel I have the punch that can be the equalizer against anyone in the world."
On the flip side, McBride has won only five of his last seven bouts since retiring Tyson and is winless against Polish fighters. He was stopped in six stanzas by Andrew Golota in 2007 and is coming off a 12-round unanimous points loss to another Pole, Tomasz Adamek, for the NABO and IBF International heavyweight titles last April.
"Adamek was too fast, this guy [Wach] is 6-foot-seven and a half. He can run but he can't hide," McBride noted.
Bubbling with confidence, McBride talked of challenging fellow Irish behemoth Tyson Fury after dispatching Wach and then going after the Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali who hold all the major world titles.
"I'm saving the fireworks for [July] the 29th," he said. "After I beat him, I'd like to fight [undefeated prospect] Tyson Fury and then take my shot at a world title."
Manager Jerry Quinn gave the "Clones Colossus" the thumbs up. "He's worked real hard. He's putting his heart and soul into this fight."
The stakes are equally high, for the North Bergen, New Jersey-based Wach.
"This fight means a lot to me. It can open a lot of doors, or those doors could be closed," he said. "I've spent the past three months putting in endless hours training. The plan is in place; I just hope he doesn't break my plans for the future."
McBride vs. Wach headlines the "Heat Wave" card presented by Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment & Sports and Global Boxing Promotions.
"This is what boxing needs," Burchfield said. "Someone is going to get knocked out. There is no doubt about that."
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.
SEANIE RETURNS
New dad Seanie Monaghan returns to action this Saturday night against Brian Bernard in a Broadway Boxing show at the Aviator Sports and Events Center at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
Monaghan, a 7-0 light heavyweight last seen decisioning Michael Glenn in Times Square last March, is scheduled to go six rounds for the first time on the DiBella Entertainment promoted card.
"He's 10-8 and got some experience, but no experience fighting anyone like me," Monaghan said of Bernard, a Missouri resident
A 29-year-old Long Beach, Long Island, native whose parents hail from County Meath, Monaghan is dedicating the fight to his new born son, Sammy.
Should he emerge unscathed, Monaghan will fight again in Atlantic City in October.
Tickets for Broadway Boxing card start at $55 and are available from DiBella Entertainment at (212) 947-2577. VIP tables for 10 are also available.
FURY TRIUMPHS
Tyson Fury, the 6-foot-nine heavyweight cousin of Andy Lee, won the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles with a 12-round unanimous points decision over Dereck Chisora in London last Saturday.
The 22 year-old Fury, who was born in Manchester of an Irish traveler family, improved to 15-0 [10 KOs]. He represented both Ireland and England at amateur level.
