Molly McCann was making her boxing debut after switching from the cage to the ring – but she must have felt like she was back in MMA
Molly McCann made her boxing debut on Saturday night after switching from MMA – but it was she who WAS kicked during the bout.
McCann enjoyed a successful stint in UFC but accepted she was not going to become world champion and made the move to the ring, signing with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom outfit. McCann made her debut on the undercard of Paddy Donovan’s world title rematch with Lewis Crocker at Windsor Park.
McCann enjoyed a dominant first round and was on top at the start of the second, with opponent Kate Radomska pinned in the corner. And the Irishwoman, herself a former kickboxer, reverted to controversial tactics, landing a right kick in McCann’s midriff.
But the move didn’t distract McCann from her task as she dropped Radomska in the fifth round before stopping the home fighter in the sixth and final session to make an impressive start to her new career.
McCann said: “It’s been a brilliant week; I’ve had fun and learned valuable lessons. I had to relax a little, I’ve gone 18 months without a win so there was pressure on me. But in every round I started to relax and sit down on my shots. It’s getting used to being a pro and not elbowing and kicking… I took a little kick in there and i could have got a stoppage earlier.”
Asked what went through her mind when she was kicked, McCann said: “The cheeky…. but I’m here to honour the Queensberry rules and fight boxing, I left that a couple of months ago. I’d like to get out as quick as possible and keep learning. It’s a lot nicer [than MMA], taking the shots is not as bad as getting done with knees and kicks and chokes.
“I started to believe in my shots and trying to be like Tony Bellew! All I can do is watch it back, apply it to my training, be faster and get my feet going.”
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Promoter Hearn added: “I’m just pleased Molly didn’t do some sort of spin-round elbow! She was fuming at the end of the round. I don’t know what Radomska was doing; the pressure was on her.
“Regardless of the MMA experience, that was her first professional boxing fight so she needs to keep the activity. She punches hard and is always dangerous with the right hand. She put a lot of pressure on herself but I said not to worry about everyone, focus on yourself and what you can do.”