Aaron McKenna will fight Etinosa Oliha for the IBF middleweight world title at the 3Arena in Dublin on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
The Irish boxer has waited two decades for the opportunity, having started in the sport at six years old. Ahead of the bout, both fighters refused to back down during their face-off, while broadcaster Andy Scott interviewed McKenna about the Dublin contest.
McKenna expressed excitement about competing in front of a home crowd. He said that he gets goosebumps thinking about fighting in the Irish atmosphere and noted that 20 years of boxing will come down to Saturday night.
Future Division Plans
McKenna claims that he is the best middleweight in the world and believes victory on August 8 will lead to higher profile fights. He stated that his main goal has always been winning a world title and that becoming world champion will open many doors for his career.
The 6ft 2 fighter outlined ambitious plans for moving through weight classes over time. McKenna said he wants to clean up the middleweight division, become undisputed champion, and eventually win titles in multiple weight divisions, even predicting he could fight at heavyweight before his career ends.
Potential Chris Eubank Jr Fight
Following his match with Oliha, McKenna would welcome a fight against Chris Eubank Jr. The Brighton star, who is the son of British boxing legend Chris Eubank, last boxed at middleweight and is expected to return at 168lbs, but McKenna is 100 per cent convinced a matchup could happen.
McKenna urged Eubank Jr to try to get a win for the Eubank name in Ireland. He referenced the historic fights between Chris Eubank Senior and Steve Collins in Cork on Sky Sports, suggesting they could recreate history with a similar story in Ireland. McKenna added that after the August 8 show, Irish boxing will have a big star that brings massive headlines and a new audience to the sport.
Preparation and Friendship
Outside of his title preparation, McKenna spoke about his unlikely friendship with rapper Kendrick Lamar, whom he met during a training session alongside his brother.
Despite his confidence, McKenna acknowledged the threat posed by Oliha in Saturday's main event. He described Oliha as a very good, strong, and game fighter who will give everything when competing for a world title.
McKenna maintained total faith in his preparation, stating that he knows what he has to do and feels more than ready for the bout. He reiterated his lifelong belief that he would become world champion on August 8.
