By Matt Bevan

Former amateur standout Padraig McCrory will make his debut in the pro ranks on the undercard to Ryan Burnett’s challenge for the IBF bantamweight world title against Lee Haskins on June 10, live on Sky Sports at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

The 28-year-old is looking forward to his debut in his home city and has put his faith in manager Kieran Farrell to guide his career. McCrory has also joined forces with former Irish champion Dee Walsh and Ray Ginley, who will train him.

McCrory tells Boxing Scene that now he has everything in place, he can’t wait to get underway and is setting his sights high over the next few years and reveals why he made the switch from the amateur code.

McCrory said: “I’m really excited to be making my debut on a good show like this, I’m genuinely buzzing. I know Ryan from Holy Family and he is very talented and come a long way, so it’s great to be on the undercard when he fights for his first world title. It’s hard to believe that I’ve got this opportunity. Before I do anything, I’d like to thank my sponsors, JDM Group and Royle Mac 10.

“I’ve got a great team behind me, with Kieran who has come out and watched me spar and Dee and Ray in the gym, who have different styles, so I’m getting a good mix in training. Me and Dee know each other very well, having grown up together, literally a street away from each other.

“I was going to stay on as an amateur and try and qualify for the next Commonwealth Games in 2018, having missed out in a box-off with Sean McGlinchey last time, but I saw that a couple of guys had gone with Kieran and the time was right for me too.”

Farrell, who is fast becoming a top promoter and manager added that he was more than happy to get his man and after witnessing some sparring sessions, he believes that he has a serious talent on his hands.

He told ‘Scene that he expects Matchroom Boxing to make a few more trips to the Emerald Isle and that it is up to fighters like McCrory to put themselves on the radar with some top performances.

“I first heard about Padraig from Dee Walsh, whose word I take as gospel, so I was heading over there anyway and thought I’d take a look. He looked a quality operator from the get-go. He’s a big lad, light on his feet, but when he plants those feet, he really does look the part.

“There’s an air about him that I really liked. He was going to debut in April but he’d just got married, so I was going to put him on on my card in Manchester in May, before I heard about this card in Belfast. I got in contact with Matchroom’s Head of Boxing and he put him on straight away which is great.

“Providing this is a success, in particular for Burnett, then Matchroom will keep coming back and that means opportunity and the possibility that they will sign some talents. It’s up to Padraig to do the business and put himself out there.”

McCrory plans to fight at super-middleweight, where he believes his attributes will suit him perfectly and he reveals that he doesn’t plan to hang around in his pro career, signing up to his manager Farrell’s beliefs of taking real fights instead of journeymen.

He also added that his rivalry with McGlinchey, who ended up winning the bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, could well rear its head once more, as both have turned over and are both on the books with Farrell’s new Irish enterprise.

McCrory finished: “Super-middle is where I’ll be fighting, where my power and my strength will shine through, as well as being part of one of the most exciting division’s domestically. I’ve been watching a lot of Callum Smith actually, who is very similar to how I fight.

“I want to be challenged, which is why I like Kieran because he wants me to take real fights. Kieran believes that you can’t sell cards on journeymen fights and you see it week in, week out where they are just punchbags and not many people stop them.

“I’m 28, so I’m not hanging around. I don’t want to be 10-0 and fighting Eastern Europeans, I want to be at 3 or 4-0 and moving up in rounds and quality in opponent. If I was offered a 50/50 at that stage for example, I would be taking it.

“Then there is the fight with Sean, which would create some interest. It’s good to have that rivalry. There is no hate between us, it’s a competitive rivalry and as we’re still at the same weight and both good fighters, if it happens again it will be good for us. If an Irish title was up for grabs for example that would give us an extra boost, but let’s get my debut out of the way first on June 10.”