MONAGHAN’S CALIFORNIA-BASED PRO boxing brothers Aaron and Stevie McKenna were observed during their Thursday morning training session by another famous face.
12-time Grammy Award winner and widely-anointed ‘New King of Hip Hop’ Kendrick Lamar encountered the Smithborough siblings in the gym this morning, and will reportedly watch Aaron’s sixth professional contest when he returns to the ring this day next week.
The 19-year-old ‘Silencer’, 5-0 with three of his wins quick, will open the television broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes when he faces hard-punching Mexican Abel Reyes, 4-1, all of whose victories have come by stoppage with three in the first round.
The bout at Fantasy Springs in Indio, California, will be McKenna’s first step up to the six-round distance, and a fifth fight of a busy 2018.
The rangey welterweight recently signed a two-year endorsement deal with sportswear giants adidas.
The 8 November card will be headlined by McKenna’s Sheer Sports management stablemate Neeco Macias (17-0, 10KOs) who squares off with 17-year veteran Jesus Soto-Karass (28-13-4, 18KOs).
McKenna’s older brother, Stevie, a former Irish Senior Elite champion, is still awaiting official confirmation on a debut date, but it’s expected that his maiden bout in the punch-for-pay ranks will be announced in the coming weeks.
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