Dylan Moran’s boxing career is a storied one to say the very least.
Life in the ring has brought ‘The Real Deal’ to all corners of the world - from Manchester to Mexico, on to New York, Austria, Germany and Spain - back to Belfast, and the circle has now completed, on home soil for ‘War in Waterford’.
Turning 30 this Wednesday, years on the road haven’t begun to show for ‘The Real Deal’ just yet, but he knows better than anybody that this Saturday is the realest deal yet.
The Ballybeg boxer comes up against Tyrone ‘The Mighty Celt’ McKenna at the SETU Arena on December 7th, as their All-Irish domestic dust-up headlines a ProBox TV Conlan Boxing card stacked with some of the very best of Irish talent - including Waterford’s Craig McCarthy and Dean Walsh.
There’s a calm assurance about Moran this time around, seemingly never more convinced by his own abilities and his own destiny. He simply cannot wait to get into the ring, in front of a hostile home crowd.
“This is the one”, he says with a smile on his face. “Lone behold - it’s taken time, but it’s here. It’s just a matter of time now, I’m ready to go. I’ve done two camps back to back. I’m feeling the benefits, my fitness is through the roof and it’s just a matter of getting to the finish line now. For many years, this has always been what I’ve wanted and it’s turned out to be even bigger than what I ever anticipated. Me and Tyrone McKenna is a huge fight and to bring it home and put it on the doorstep for the people of Waterford - that means so much to me.”
Moran’s last two bouts haven’t seen the other side of the first round, but are two contrasting tales to say the least. His last escapade saw him go into the lion's den in Belfast and take less than a minute to undo the unbeaten record of home favourite Owen O’Neill, while preceding that was a night to forget in Manchester at the hands of Florian Marku.
Lessons learnt and bridges burnt, none of that matters anymore come the sound of the bell in Carriganore - and while he has the utmost respect for his opponent, Moran believes there can only be one outcome - him putting on a show for the people that matter most.
“This is my everything - as selfish as it sounds, nothing else ever mattered to me. All along, the last few years it was just about making a night like this happen in Waterford. A lot of the time it looked like it was never going to happen but I’ve stuck with it and seen it through. September 2nd last year after the Marku fight, it wasn’t as crowded around as it is now. I’ve put my whole life into this. It’s big time boxing in Waterford - I’m really looking forward to getting in there. I couldn’t ask for a better fight or opponent, whoever’s at the arena or tuning in that night is in for a treat.”
Mutual respect
McKenna comes into the fight with a record of 23 wins and 5 losses, having fought against big names all over the globe. Moran has a huge level of respect for the man in the opposite corner.
“He’s a staple in Irish boxing. I’m a fan of his, I’ve watched him for many years. Tyrone has been in there with some of the best on the planet. I don’t care about Tyrone or anyone else though, it’s strictly business for me on the 7th of December. I’m looking forward to hearing the first bell - there’s no denying Tyrone’s credentials and he probably has one of the best chins in boxing. I tip my hat to guys like that, but when that bell goes, you have two proud Irish men that are going to be leaving it all in that ring.”
Endurance may come into question but with less mileage on the clock, Moran believes if push comes to shove - then it’s him in the driving seat.
“Tyrone’s got a lot of mileage but I’m going into this brand new. I’ve been waiting for a fight like this and it just happens to be that Tyrone is the guy who’s going to get it. You don’t come out of some of the fights that Tyrone has been in, the same guy you were before. I hope it’s the best Tyrone there’s ever been - he’s going to need it. 15, 20, 30 rounds - it won’t make a difference.”
22 professional fights will be in the history books come the stroke of midnight on Sunday December 8th - but hail rain or shine, Dylan Moran won’t ever forget where it all started.
“I’ve just got such a good group of people around me. We all just want the best for each other. We’re all just pushing for everyone to be at their best, a lot of the time people can forget who to keep around them and make mistakes but I’ve never done that. The people around me deserve to be here more than I do. I just feel this is all meant to be. The good days in boxing are few and far between - but when it’s good, it’s really good. I think December 7th is going to be a good day for me.”
The other side
As for McKenna, confidence is through the roof for the Belfast man as he has locked himself away in Germany for the past few weeks. While he admires Moran’s ambition, he himself says that when it comes down to logic - there can only be one winner.
“He’s a decent level fighter - but I don’t think he’s anywhere near me. He talks about creating a perfect game plan and training the right way for me - what is his game plan? He knows and I know that I’m a better boxer than him. My amateur career says that. He knows and I know, that he can’t go to war like me. My pro career tells him that. What actually can his game plan be to beat me? He can’t have a game plan to beat me.”
2 December 2023; Tyrone McKenna during his WBA Continental Europe welterweight bout against Lewis Crocker at the SSE Arena in Belfast. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Coming into the fight off back-to-back losses at the hands of Mohamed Mimoune and Lewis Crocker, some feel McKenna might have a point to prove. He says there’s only one point that will matter on the night in question.
“I am better than Dylan Moran at every aspect of boxing. I like Dylan - but he doesn’t compare, I’ve fought world champions, two-time world champions. I’ve fought high high-level fighters and I have the experience of the big nights. Look at the wins that I’ve had! I believe that I’ve beaten better people than Dylan actually is. I’ve fought and beat people that are better than Dylan. Going into this fight, I’m very very confident - I don’t think I’ve ever been as confident going into a fight. He’s just not good enough to beat me. I am fully confident that I am beating Dylan Moran.”
‘War in Waterford’ takes place at the SETU Arena on Saturday December 7th - in what promises to be a memorable night for Irish boxing. Boxing has brought Dylan Moran on a roundabout journey, but now is the time to complete the circle.
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