Ricky Hatton-inspired Brett McGinty targeting Katie Taylor homecoming

Brett McGinty admits that every single professional Irish fighter will now be eying up a spot on superstar Katie Taylor’s homecoming bout at Croke Park. 

Matchroom Boxing’s head honcho Eddie Hearn, who represents Taylor, the undisputed lightweight champion of the world, said this week that negotiations to secure the famous Jones Road venue continue to advance in the right direction. 

No professional boxing events have been held in the Republic of Ireland since a gangland shooting at a weigh-in in Dublin back in 2016. But if it is Taylor and Hearn that bring that curtain back up, McGinty says it will be looked at as an historic occasion in more ways than one.  

“I’d love to be a part of that - every Irish fighter would be eyeing that occasion up,” said McGinty. “Every spot on that card would be viewed as a golden ticket. Maybe I will be one of those lucky ones, maybe I won’t. 

“But if I was fortunate enough to get the nod there it would be an absolute dream come true. If the Katie Taylor homecoming fight does happen at Croke Park, and it looks like it will; then it’ll be an historic night for Irish boxing.

“To be involved would be amazing but, either way, it would still be great just to see it come together and happen.”

McGinty is, of course, guided by the legendary Ricky Hatton. And the former world champion returned to the ring to face fellow boxing great Marco Antonio Barrera, in an exhibition bout, last Saturday night.

The ‘Hitman’  - who has been open and candid about his battles with addiction and depression in the past - shed an amazing four stone in the lead-in to the weekend. And McGinty admits he was blown away by that transformation. 

“I have to say, I’ve been with Ricky for a few years. You almost forgot just how big of a draw he was and how loved he is. Seeing all that once again around the gym, the amount of TV cameras that came in was crazy. 

“To then see the actual spectacle on Saturday night was crazy. He is an inspiration and what he’s done over the last number of weeks will have inspired and motivated so many people. 

“I was looking at a video of us from a fight this time last year and it was of us warming up. The weight he’s shifted since then and the condition he’s got himself in is unbelievable. 

“Ricky’s issues were well documented, the mental health ones especially. And there is absolutely no doubt he’s given others hope with how he’s handled all of that. There was a real feel good factor attached to the entire process and the fight itself, the exhibition, was also enjoyable.”

Meanwhile, McGinty will fight in Ireland for the very first time as a professional this Saturday night.

The St Johnston native (5-0)  steps out at the National Stadium in Dublin to take on Italy’s Alessandro Ruggiero (6-10-2).

McGinty last fought back in May when he claimed a points win over Genadij Krajevskij in Doncaster.

A shoulder injury prevented him from returning to action earlier in 2022 and now the former Oakleaf ABC amateur ace is ready to go again.

“It was a frustrating time,” McGinty admitted. “I started this year injured, I’d a bad tear on my shoulder towards the end of 2021. I didn’t really get back into full training until last March. 

“I had my first fight after the injury back in May. Ideally, I would have liked to have had one if not two fights between now and then but it just didn’t work out that way. 

“That’s boxing. But the silver lining in all of that is that I’ve had that extra time to just keep building the area up. And now, I’m looking forward to my first fight at home, in the National Stadium.  

“It’s really exciting. I’ll not lie - I would have liked to have been more active. But the hope now is that this really is the start of it. It’s unlikely that I will fight again before the end of the year. 

“But, like I said, this will hopefully set me up for bigger things now in 2023.”

Meanwhile, McGinty is expecting a large crowd from both St Johnston and OakLeaf ABC to make the journey to the capital at the weekend. 

“It’s brilliant to be looking forward to a home pro debut in a venue I’m already so familiar with and have had success in. There are a couple of hundred of them going up the road. And I really appreciate that support. It will be a special night for me.”