One of boxing’s biggest crowd-pleasers Tyrone McKenna, 23-4-1 (6), officially retired from the sport on December 3, 2023. The announcement came the day after his last fight, an all-Belfast clash against Lewis Crocker. McKenna, who also co-hosts the podcast Whiskey & White with Tommy McCarthy, spoke to Boxing News about his decision to retire, the highs and lows in his career, and what the future now holds for him.
Interview by Shaun Brown
BN: Why have you retired?
TM: I think it’s the right time. I’ve given a lot to my career and the sport. I’ve had some amazing nights. With my kind of style, I can’t really take more punishment. I want to keep the last remaining brain cells that I have. I think it’s wise to hang up the gloves. I love the sport; I love fighting but I’ve been away from my family enough. I’ve missed a lot for boxing, sacrificed a lot for boxing, now it’s time to chill with my family and enjoy life.
BN: Did you know you were going to retire before fighting Crocker?
TM: I’ve known for a while. I said to myself, “Next defeat is when I’m gonna hang up the gloves.” It’s a tough fight to go out on because I don’t know if I got to showcase my skill. It was a hard fight. But to go out in front of my fans in a Battle of Belfast, in a massive fight… Even thought it wasn’t the biggest fight, name-wise, it was probably my biggest fight that had the city buzzing. It was a massive day for Belfast.
BN: What was it like fighting him?
TM: Not good! I felt the difference in weight class. Welterweight isn’t my weight; light-welter is. I felt a huge difference. My punching wasn’t doing much to him and he’s a heavy-handed welterweight. His punches were taking their toll on me, and I couldn’t do what I wanted to in the ring. He was able to do what he wanted, basically.
BN: How far can he go?
TM: I think he’ll be a world champion. I’ve been in with world-class fighters and world champions and he’s right up there. He hits hard, he’s fast, he’s very good. He’s much better than I thought he was. During his career he didn’t put in what he needed to in training. Sometimes he looked a bit off and a bit unfit, but he had a big opportunity there and he give it his all and you could see how good he actually can be. He could go all the way if that keeps up.
BN: Have you started to feel any effects from your career?
TM: I’ve certainly noticed it. I’ve started slurring my words, but other than that I don’t feel like I was losing my skill or getting old that way – or that the punches were slowing. I still thought I was the best that I could be. Health’s the wealth and I’d had too many wars – and I can’t put my family through that much more. It only takes one punch for something really bad to happen. I think I’ve done what I could with my career. I don’t think it would get any better than what it has so I think that’s a good time to see it out.
BN: Since you made your decision have you had a chance to look back on it all?
TM: I have been. It is sad to hang up the gloves and I have so many good memories. I’ve been all over the world, I’ve had massive nights, I’ve fought some of the best, and I have the best fanbase in the world. I love my fans. It’s sad to hang up the gloves but I have had a great career; a career I didn’t think I would ever have. When I was in Philadelphia, if you’d have told me this is what my career was going to be, I would’ve laughed. I didn’t think I’d get as far as I did or have the big nights that I did. I’m proud of my career.
BN: If I was to ask you for one standout moment in your career, what would pop into your head?
TM: One of them was my first defeat against Jack Catterall. I absolutely loved that even though I got beat. It was kinda my breakthrough moment. No-one really knew me beforehand, and no-one expected me to do anything with Catterall. I got dropped twice and lost a one-point decision (on two of the cards). I think I got a lot of fans off the back of that performance and I showed I’m a warrior. That was the start of the career of being the hardest man in Ireland. I think that fight and the fight at Falls Park against Jose Felix was maybe my favourite win. Obviously, he’s a massive puncher. It was the first event after Covid with fans. Eight thousand in there packed, five minutes from my house, and it was an unbelievable fight to watch. I also picked up the WBO Inter-Continental [belt]. Them two moments were probably the highlights of my career.
BN: What can you remember of August 18, 2012, your pro debut in Atlantic City?
TM: I was the opponent in the debut. I wasn’t even supposed to win. I was over in America, working away, wanted to turn professional and was offered a fight against a Philadelphia guy (Anthony Morrison). He was the prospect at the time. I was the journeyman for the day. I was getting my medicals done with the journeymen. No-one was expecting me to win. They all thought I was going in there to get beat. They didn’t actually know if I was good or bad; they thought I was there as a journeyman. I went in there and got the win and I think I upset a lot of people (laughs). That was the start of my career, and it was a great time.
BN: How do you look back on your experience in America?
TM: Over in the States I stop-started my career. I wasn’t getting enough fights. I wasn’t getting pushed and wasn’t active enough. But I wouldn’t change it. I loved it. I loved training with Jaron Ennis’s father Bozy. There was a lot to learn in the States. It was great.
BN: What are your memories of winning your first title, the BUI light-welterweight, against Sean Creagh?
TM: That was my first time feeling the pressure of fighting someone from the same country as you. It was my first time I ever had beef on social media slagging each other. I remember having a lot of nerves and pressure. I knew I was going to beat this guy. I knew I was better than him but there was still a doubt in my mind – what if this guy does beat me? I just remember feeling a lot of pressure in that fight and then going out. It was a very enjoyable night. I boxed brilliantly and it was on TV as well. I stopped him in the fifth. There was a lot of relief after that fight.
BN: Who is the best guy you’ve faced?
TM: [Regis] Prograis. He’s a different level. See when I got in there with him, he hit me with a jab in the first round and you see my face going: “What? I’d hate to feel his backhand.” And in the second round he did. I woke up on the canvas. Compared to every single person [I’ve fought], he’s just different level. You feel how relaxed he was in the ring; how fast and powerful and smart. He had absolutely everything. He is by far the best.
BN: What was the most satisfying win you had in your career?
TM: Probably the one against [Mohamed] Mimoune. Obviously, that was a very close fight. I’ve watched it back a few times and I do genuinely think I won, but I can see why people think I got beat. It was a tough fight; a non-stop gruelling war. He was hitting me; I was hitting him. One half of the crowd at York Hall was French and the other half was Irish and they were going at each other during the fight. The whole week of that fight was brilliant. A great fight. I think the win got ruined because of the controversy. I didn’t get to enjoy it afterwards. But that fight was unbelievable. One of my favourite fights just because it was back and forth, so close, enjoyable. Once I heard my name getting called [as winner] I’ve never been happier.
BN: What was the lowest point of your career?
TM: The defeat against Ohara Davies would be the most depressing time I had. There was so much build-up. Me and him were going at it for years and years. I sort of boxed the perfect game plan. There was no crowd, so I didn’t fall into the trap of getting into a war for the crowd. I listened to my corner, and I boxed. I thought I won the fight handy enough. To get beat was soul destroying; I was gutted. I felt a lot riding on it. It could have propelled my career. I remember going out in the eighth round and (trainer) Pete [Taylor] said, “This could be level, so you need to win these last two rounds.” I fought the best two rounds of my career. I don’t think a punch landed on me in those rounds and those rounds cost me the fight. It was frustrating. After that I decided I’m never going to box again. I’m just going to go to war every time.
BN: Any regrets?
TM: I wouldn’t say regrets. I think I could have been smarter and taken easier fights sometimes, but I wouldn’t call it a regret. I’ve always said I fight for my fans, and I love my fans, and I’m going to give them the best possible nights they could have from the fights I could get. That’s what I did. It might have been my downfall sometimes, but I’ve had a great career, and I wouldn’t have changed anything for it.
BN: What happens now?
TM: I become a podcast king (laughs). All my focus will be on the podcast. It’s doing well. Now I’m out of boxing I can really focus on it more. Hopefully, it grows and grows. Now I don’t have to get punched in the face for a living, I’ll be able to laugh for a living.