Aaron McKennaFacebook/Aaron McKenna
A young teenage boxer from Monaghan will make his professional debut at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 2.
Aaron McKenna, a 2014 European Junior silver medalist and eight-time national champion in the underage ranks, will fight on the undercard of Miguel Cotto’s farewell bout with Sadam Ali and will open the RingTV.com live stream, The Irish Post reports.
The 18-year-old signed a promotional deal with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions in September, becoming Ireland’s youngest pro boxer and the youngest fighter signed to Golden Boy.
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McKenna, “The Silencer,” accrued a record of 152-9 during his amateur career, While based in Ireland, he fought out of the Old School Boxing Club in Smithborough. He trains now alongside his father, Fergal, at Santa Monica’s Iron Gym.
Newley signed to #GoldenBoy! 🇮🇪 Ireland's #1 ranked amateur boxer @aaronmckenna99 "Silencer" makes his anticipated pro debut Dec 2 @thegarden #CottoAli opening the https://t.co/MzhColIR2L livestream 7:00pm ET pic.twitter.com/37kWxNrqjy
— Golden Boy Boxing (@GoldenBoyBoxing) November 16, 2017
“All the training and hard work has paid off, and it feels great to finally say I’m a pro boxer. I can’t wait now to have my first fight,” he said in September, according to The Irish News.
“Since I was young I’ve always wanted to be a pro, I always wanted to win a world title and that’s my ambition – to win a world title and become Ireland’s greatest-ever boxer.
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“It’s a dream come true, when you look at the names on their roster – ‘Canelo’, Cotto, guys like that – you just realize how big it is. When I spoke to Oscar, he said he was very excited to see me box.
“You see the way Canelo’s career has been managed and it can be done after starting young. Mike Tyson was young too when he burst onto the scene.
“I’m well suited to the pro game, I’m not afraid to get in with anyone.”