“WHAT A WAY to start,” said Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions’ first bout to be broadcast live on Facebook at Hollywood’s Avalon Theater.
And Monaghan teenager Aaron McKenna, Ireland and Golden Boy’s youngest professional boxer at 19, appeared to enjoy his high-octane clash with Rolando Mendivil in Tinsel Town.
‘The Silencer’ from Smithborough, Co. Monaghan earned a 40-36 x3 unanimous decision victory over the game Mexican following four explosive rounds on Saturday night.
The eight-time Irish underage amateur champion moved to 5-0, 3KOs with an accomplished display, losing his mouthpiece in the third round of what was an enthralling if ultimately one-sided affair on a major night for his promotional banner and, more pertinently, his fledgeling professional career.
McKenna planted a precise left hook on Mendivil’s chin in the opening minute, finishing the first round strongly as he marched the Mexican back toward the ropes with sustained and concise pressure.
No sooner then the bell beckoned them out for the second did the two fighters trade with abandon, but the brave Mendivil – who entered the ring with a respectable record of 10-4, 3KOs – was stung on a couple of occasions by the marauding Monaghan man, who smashed him with an old-fashioned one-two to close an entertaining sophomore stanza.
Mendevil, a career-best test to date for the Irish teen sensation, came out firing to begin the third, and sneaked a thudding right uppercut through McKenna’s guard to catch his attention.
The Smithborough welterweight lost his mouthpiece moments later as the 22-year-old ‘Indio’ found further success. Typically, the action would have been halted here but, upon Mendivil’s suggestion to that very effect, McKenna shrugged and let loose to the admiration of the sizeable Hollywood crowd, unfurling a barrage of punishment upon his sporting opponent — albeit with fair warning.
‘The Silencer’ finished the penultimate round in charge, detonating a jab-straight-right combination at the bell before strutting to his corner.
The final round was his most emphatic: McKenna found the target almost immediately with two hurtful overhand rights before steering his own sharp uppercut through Mendivil’s guard. The Mexican journeyman was wobbled by another huge right over the top before swallowing a sequence of solid jabs as the final bell beckoned.
#USA #Boxing Card by @GoldenBoyBoxing with Prospect Aaron Mckenna @Aaronmckenna99 5-0 who defeated Mendivil Saturday:https://t.co/VKA4ZYz544
— the13thround.com (@the13thround) August 12, 2018
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If he had another couple of minutes, McKenna likely would have gotten his fourth career stoppage, but a fifth victory overall wasn’t a bad return for a tough but educational 12 minutes’ work.
He took a couple of concrete shots from a non-puncher – the type which he and head trainer Courage Tshabalala will seek to iron out over the coming months and years before they meet someone meaner.
However, the red-hot Irish prospect’s dominance was perhaps best captured by the punch stats: McKenna landed 136 of his 362 punches to Mendivil’s 70 from 324.
‘The Silencer’ aims to fight at least twice more in 2018 and is expected back in the ring next month.
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