Big Kevin McBride ready for action Saturday, pictured here with his daughter GrainneKevin McBride back in the ring Saturday night
in Chicago against Mike Mollo
The McBride story to-date
It turned out that the third time was the charm for Irish heavyweight champion Kevin McBride when he met Mike Tyson on June 11 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C.
Failed negotiations concerning Kevin’s purse negated the first two opportunities McBride had against “Iron” Mike. In 1995, 17-0-1 McBride was supposed to be Tyson’s first opponent in his comeback after serving four years in prison. Peter McNeeley eventually replaced McBride. Last year, Kevin was offered a match against Tyson, but once again purse negotiations broke down, and Danny Williams fought Tyson.
When the fight did finally happen, McBride made the most of his opportunity. Although he was a 20-1 underdog, he told everyone he knew to bet on him. He ran six miles every day leading up to the fight, and sparred every afternoon to whip himself into the best shape possible.
McBride’s plan was to absorb Tyson’s usual early barrage, then wear down the best fighter by far he had ever faced with his big frame. That was plan A. The good-natured Irishman and his manager Pascal “Packie” Collins had other plans.
“Plan B was we had a sniper in the arena,” joked Collins. “Plan C,” McBride said, “was to get the electricity pulled, hit Tyson with a sledgehammer, then put the lights back on.”
As it turned out, plan A was enough. McBride surprised Tyson from the outset. He stood his ground, weathered Tyson’s assaults and kept returning fire. So frustrated was Tyson that he resorted to head-butts (opening a cut over McBride’s left eye), twisted his arm and even bit his nipple.
After McBride pushed Tyson to the mat after an exchange in round six, Tyson decided he was done with the fight. Kevin McBride had retired Mike Tyson.
“All the disbelievers who said I’d never do it,” McBride said, “I hope they take their hats off to me now.”
McBride started boxing at the age of 9 as a means of defense from neighborhood bullies that were picking on him because of a speech impediment. Originally a member of the Clones Amateur Boxing Club, Kevin switched allegiances two years later to the Smithboro Boxing Club of County Monaghan. Under the coaching of Frank Mulligan, who trained Kevin throughout his amateur career and first 17 pro bouts, McBride captured three All-Ireland titles, highlighted by the 1992 Senior Super Heavyweight crown that qualified him for the 1992 Olympic Trials in Denmark, where earned a position on the Irish Olympic Boxing Team. Mulligan, incidentally, coached another Clones fighter, 2005 Boxing Hall of Fame inductee and former world featherweight champion Barry “Clones Cyclone” McGuigan.
At 18, Kevin became the youngest super heavyweight to compete in the Olympics and although he didn’t medal at Barcelona (Spain), he was part of Ireland’s most successful Olympic boxing team, including gold-medal winner Michael Carruth and silver medalist Wayne McCullough, who later became world bantamweight champion as a professional.
In 1992, McBride turned pro, signing with British promoter Frank Warren and later with British promoter Panos Eliades and manager Frank Maloney, the management team behind world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. Kevin fought to a four-round draw with Gary Charlton in his pro debut (Dec. 17, 1992) and then went on to win his next 19 fights.
His first loss was in 1997 to Louis Monaco. Two fights later (June 2), McBride captured the vacant All-Ireland heavyweight title via a fifth-round TKO of Paul Douglas in Waterfront Hall in Douglas’ hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
McBride suffered a loss to world heavyweight contender Axel Shulz in 1997 and two years later, thanks to his friend (former WBO super middleweight champion) Steve “Celtic Warrior” Collins, Kevin relocated in Boston and started training with Goody Petronelli, who had previously trained Collins as well as undisputed world middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Shortly after, Kevin recorded his most significant victory up to that time, a unanimous 10-round decision versus 19-1 Willie Phillips.
In 2002, McBride suffered his last loss when he was stopped by future world-class heavyweight (12-1) DaVarryl “Touch of Sleep” Williamson in five rounds due to McBride’s cuts.
McBride won seven fights in a row, all by knockout, before facing Tyson: (25-7) Gary Winmon (TKO2), Bahamian champion (16-11) Reynaldo Minus, (23-11-1) Craig Tomlinson (KO3) for the vacant IBC Americas heavyweight belt, (18-4-2) Najee Shaheed (TKO9) in an IBC Americas title defense, (14-26-3) Lenzie Morgan (KO1), (29-22-1) Marcus Rhode (KO3) and (15-2-1) Kevin Montiy (TKO5) in his last ring action (March 18, 2005).
The Luck of the Irish hasn’t always been in the corner with “The Clones Colossus.” Beside the first two failed proposals to fight Tyson, Kevin lost out on an opportunity to fight Danny Williams, who had defeated Tyson (July 30, 2004) as McBride’s replacement. Late in 2004, Frank Warren’s Sport Network reportedly presented McBride a six-figure offer to fight Williams at the Excel Centre in London. Unfortunately, at least for McBride, Williams instead opted to unsuccessfully challenge WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko for $1-million.
In December 2004, McBride, who had been ranked as high as No. 27 by the World Boxing Council, was dropped from the WBC ratings due to inactivity resulting from the time spent negotiating for the aforementioned Tyson and Williams fights.
McBride has learned from sparring with Lewis, former WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz, IBF heavyweight title-holder Chris Byrd, Williamson, hot prospect Calvin Brock and others.
After the win over Tyson, McBride signed with legendary Don King. His head trainer is Goody Petronelli.
In his last appearance on April 1 in Cleveland, McBride disposed of Byron Polley with fourth-round technical knockout.
Failed negotiations concerning Kevin’s purse negated the first two opportunities McBride had against “Iron” Mike. In 1995, 17-0-1 McBride was supposed to be Tyson’s first opponent in his comeback after serving four years in prison. Peter McNeeley eventually replaced McBride. Last year, Kevin was offered a match against Tyson, but once again purse negotiations broke down, and Danny Williams fought Tyson.
When the fight did finally happen, McBride made the most of his opportunity. Although he was a 20-1 underdog, he told everyone he knew to bet on him. He ran six miles every day leading up to the fight, and sparred every afternoon to whip himself into the best shape possible.
McBride’s plan was to absorb Tyson’s usual early barrage, then wear down the best fighter by far he had ever faced with his big frame. That was plan A. The good-natured Irishman and his manager Pascal “Packie” Collins had other plans.
“Plan B was we had a sniper in the arena,” joked Collins. “Plan C,” McBride said, “was to get the electricity pulled, hit Tyson with a sledgehammer, then put the lights back on.”
As it turned out, plan A was enough. McBride surprised Tyson from the outset. He stood his ground, weathered Tyson’s assaults and kept returning fire. So frustrated was Tyson that he resorted to head-butts (opening a cut over McBride’s left eye), twisted his arm and even bit his nipple.
After McBride pushed Tyson to the mat after an exchange in round six, Tyson decided he was done with the fight. Kevin McBride had retired Mike Tyson.
“All the disbelievers who said I’d never do it,” McBride said, “I hope they take their hats off to me now.”
McBride started boxing at the age of 9 as a means of defense from neighborhood bullies that were picking on him because of a speech impediment. Originally a member of the Clones Amateur Boxing Club, Kevin switched allegiances two years later to the Smithboro Boxing Club of County Monaghan. Under the coaching of Frank Mulligan, who trained Kevin throughout his amateur career and first 17 pro bouts, McBride captured three All-Ireland titles, highlighted by the 1992 Senior Super Heavyweight crown that qualified him for the 1992 Olympic Trials in Denmark, where earned a position on the Irish Olympic Boxing Team. Mulligan, incidentally, coached another Clones fighter, 2005 Boxing Hall of Fame inductee and former world featherweight champion Barry “Clones Cyclone” McGuigan.
At 18, Kevin became the youngest super heavyweight to compete in the Olympics and although he didn’t medal at Barcelona (Spain), he was part of Ireland’s most successful Olympic boxing team, including gold-medal winner Michael Carruth and silver medalist Wayne McCullough, who later became world bantamweight champion as a professional.
In 1992, McBride turned pro, signing with British promoter Frank Warren and later with British promoter Panos Eliades and manager Frank Maloney, the management team behind world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. Kevin fought to a four-round draw with Gary Charlton in his pro debut (Dec. 17, 1992) and then went on to win his next 19 fights.
His first loss was in 1997 to Louis Monaco. Two fights later (June 2), McBride captured the vacant All-Ireland heavyweight title via a fifth-round TKO of Paul Douglas in Waterfront Hall in Douglas’ hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
McBride suffered a loss to world heavyweight contender Axel Shulz in 1997 and two years later, thanks to his friend (former WBO super middleweight champion) Steve “Celtic Warrior” Collins, Kevin relocated in Boston and started training with Goody Petronelli, who had previously trained Collins as well as undisputed world middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Shortly after, Kevin recorded his most significant victory up to that time, a unanimous 10-round decision versus 19-1 Willie Phillips.
In 2002, McBride suffered his last loss when he was stopped by future world-class heavyweight (12-1) DaVarryl “Touch of Sleep” Williamson in five rounds due to McBride’s cuts.
McBride won seven fights in a row, all by knockout, before facing Tyson: (25-7) Gary Winmon (TKO2), Bahamian champion (16-11) Reynaldo Minus, (23-11-1) Craig Tomlinson (KO3) for the vacant IBC Americas heavyweight belt, (18-4-2) Najee Shaheed (TKO9) in an IBC Americas title defense, (14-26-3) Lenzie Morgan (KO1), (29-22-1) Marcus Rhode (KO3) and (15-2-1) Kevin Montiy (TKO5) in his last ring action (March 18, 2005).
The Luck of the Irish hasn’t always been in the corner with “The Clones Colossus.” Beside the first two failed proposals to fight Tyson, Kevin lost out on an opportunity to fight Danny Williams, who had defeated Tyson (July 30, 2004) as McBride’s replacement. Late in 2004, Frank Warren’s Sport Network reportedly presented McBride a six-figure offer to fight Williams at the Excel Centre in London. Unfortunately, at least for McBride, Williams instead opted to unsuccessfully challenge WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko for $1-million.
In December 2004, McBride, who had been ranked as high as No. 27 by the World Boxing Council, was dropped from the WBC ratings due to inactivity resulting from the time spent negotiating for the aforementioned Tyson and Williams fights.
McBride has learned from sparring with Lewis, former WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz, IBF heavyweight title-holder Chris Byrd, Williamson, hot prospect Calvin Brock and others.
After the win over Tyson, McBride signed with legendary Don King. His head trainer is Goody Petronelli.
In his last appearance on April 1 in Cleveland, McBride disposed of Byron Polley with fourth-round technical knockout.
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