When the final bell sounds, Saturday’s historic Croke Park event card may wistfully be remembered as Katie Taylor’s swan song after a glorious ring career. But for another veteran on the card, there are hopes of a new beginning.
Tyrone “The Mighty Celt’”McKenna, who at age 36 is nine years Paddy Donovan’s senior, is promising an “all-out war” and lots of blood when he meets ‘The Real Deal’ in the 10-round co-feature to Taylor’s retirement fight with unbeaten Frenchwoman Flora Pili [12-0, 2 KOs]. Taylor is 25-1 [6 KOs].
“I’m going war mentality,” the former WBC International super light titlist told Irish-boxing.com. “There’s going to be blood scattered all over that ring. I cannot wait. Paddy’s an unbelievable fighter, but I am coming for the win.
“People are saying I’m just showing up for the money. I’m not. I’m showing up because I want to win. This is a life-changing opportunity. I’m training for a historical event, and I’m going to put on a show.”
The welterweight did some of his training for the fight at Bozy's Dungeon in Philadelphia under the tutelage of the legendary Derek ‘Bozy’ Ennis Sr., whose son, two-division world champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, is considered one the best in the sport today.
“I can guarantee I’m going to come and put on the best I could ever,” McKenna [25-6-1, 8 KOs] told the web site.
With Croke Park sold out for the event, McKenna said he was going to let the fans go home and have a memory of his fight for the rest of their lives.
“I was in Croke Park last year for Oasis and I looked around and I was like, ‘This place is huge. It’s insane, and I never thought that a year later I’d be fighting there. It blows my mind when I think about it, 80,000 people in that arena.”
Despite the nine-year age disparity, McKenna and Donovan are no strangers in the ring.
“When I started my professional career, when he was in his prime -- maybe 2019-2020 -- we did a lot of rounds [sparring] together,” Donovan told the Echo. “We did hundreds of rounds together. So, we know each other, you know. He’s at the winter of his career, but he's still a dangerous fighter.
“He's doing his training camp in Philadelphia with Jaron Ennis and his dad. [Jaron’s] dad is coaching him for this fight, so he's taking the fight quite seriously.”
Aware of the challenge McKenna poses, Donovan said: “[McKenna] he has not lost to anybody outside the number one or #2 [in a division]. So, he's very, very experienced. Yeah, he brings a lot to the table. So he's a proud Irish man. He's got a good heart and he's the so-called the toughest man in Ireland. So, it's a good challenge. “
As professionals, McKenna and Limerick native Donovan have one common foe. It’s McKenna’s fellow Belfastman Lewis Crocker.
In December 2023 in Belfast, Crocker pretty much shutout McKenna in their 10-rounder, winning all 10 rounds on two cards and eight rounds on the other to score a unanimous points decision.
In March 2025, Donovan was ahead on all three cards after eight rounds when he was disqualified for flooring Crocker after the bell.
Their rematch six months later – thanks to Donovan’s co-manager, Manhattan attorney Keith Sullivan, was for the vacant IBF world welterweight title. Donovan dropped a split points decision.
