Aaron McKenna’s breakthrough win over Liam Smith earlier this year has left the unbeaten Irish middleweight eager to prove himself again on the big stage. Now 20-0 (10 KOs), the 26-year-old is waiting for confirmation that he’ll feature on the November rematch between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn.
McKenna’s manager, Mick Hennessy, has been vocal about his fighter’s readiness, insisting that McKenna will face any of the champions at 160 pounds – from Erislandy Lara to Carlos Adames, or even WBO titlist Janibek Alimkhanuly. At 6’3”, Hennessy says McKenna could also step up to super middleweight if a major fight presented itself. “Aaron’s an old-school, no-nonsense fighter,” he said. “He’s great TV and one of the few fighters that will fight anyone.”
The performance against Smith – highlighted by a knockdown in the final round – underlined what Hennessy has long believed about McKenna. A decorated amateur who once shared a ring with Devin Haney at the Ringside World Championships, McKenna has also tested himself against top names in sparring, even traveling to Jaime Munguia’s camp in Mexico in search of challenges. “This kid doesn’t get the credit he deserves,” said Hennessy.
Yet despite ranking inside the top 15 of all four sanctioning bodies and as high as No. 7 with the IBF, McKenna finds himself struggling to secure opponents. Hennessy believes it’s because he’s seen as too high-risk. “He won’t get fights unless people have no choice,” he explained. “But if he gets the chance, I believe Aaron can beat them all and become undisputed.”
With Eubank-Benn II shaping up as one of the biggest nights on the British boxing calendar, McKenna hopes the call comes soon. For now, he remains ready and waiting – a dangerous contender knocking on the champions’ doors.
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