by Adam Moynihan

“Some good news, thank God. It’s about time, isn’t it?”

You can hear the relief in Kevin Cronin’s voice. It’s a good job he’s a fighter because the Milltown native has really had to scrap through the pandemic. Fights called off. Opponents backing out last-minute. Expensive foreign bouts just to keep the show on the road.

Now, three years on from his first professional fight on Irish soil, the Kingdom Warrior is preparing for his second. On April 2, he will try to improve upon his impressive professional record of 4-0 when he appears on ‘The Beginning’ card in Cork. In a word, Cronin is buzzing.

“I’m excited to get back fighting on Irish soil and also delighted to get an eight-rounder. It will be an Irish title eliminator as well so I’m buzzing for that,” the 25-year-old told the Killarney Advertiser.

“Having a home crowd will probably take bit of getting used to. I haven’t even fought in front of a crowd for three years - it has all been behind closed doors. It’s going to be a nice buzz, and it’s even nicer that it’s in Cork rather than Dublin or Belfast or anywhere else. It’s nice and close to home.”

WILL

Going three full years without properly experiencing the thrill of competitive action would test the resolve of any athlete. Cronin accepts that it was a trying time for him, but he never lost the will to carry on.

“It has been tough. Lockdown has everything to do with it. There have been no fights. I’ve had to travel to get fights. It has been costing a fortune. But in terms of motivation, I obviously do have the motivation if I was able to get through what we’ve been put through. Only the tough last through that. There has been a lot of people retiring just because it has been costing too much, and they weren’t getting the fights.

“But for me, the motivation has always been good. I always knew that things would come back to this stage. I got myself eligible for titles during lockdown and here I am, one fight away from fighting 10 rounds for an Irish title. I would be the first to ever do it from this part of the country, and the first to ever win it.

“To be honest with you, seeing that opportunity in front of me, motivation is at an all-time high.”

The Kerryman’s next appearance is made all the more intriguing by the revelation that he will be dropping down a weight division, from light heavyweight to super middleweight. The decision is a tactical one. 

“I wanted to try super middleweight at some stage anyway but there’s a title fight at super middleweight on the card in Cork so I’m chasing down the winner. The winner of that fight will be fighting for the Irish title and I want to be there, standing in front of them.

“I’m going to go down and get myself eligible at 168 pounds, and take the strap off them.”

Cronin’s opponent on April 2 will be revealed in the coming weeks but, having experienced the uncertainty caused by late card changes in the past, he is determined to not let their identity affect his preparations.

“I have to prepare for whatever opponent comes my way. We don’t know who it’s going to be yet and I don’t care really. I’m not asking questions about opponents anymore because I’ve seen the way they pull out.

“The camp kicked off this week so I was sparring last night and I’ll be back up to Dublin for more sparring tomorrow, and then Cork on Saturday for more sparring. So it’s all picking up from here on out. It’s going to be a heavy seven or eight weeks ahead of me.”

Interest in the event is expected to be high. Cronin has already sold his batch of tickets, although he has been assured that more are on the way. The venue is set to be changed from Glen Rovers GAA grounds so that’s another variable to potentially cause a distraction. But the big hitter from Mid Kerry is unbothered. He has waited too long for this moment.

“I have enough on my plate, training for an eight-rounder. It’s going to be the biggest fight of my career. There’s no doubt about it.”