http://www.britishboxing.net/news_3862- ... table.html
Hayemaker Boxing have announced the acquisition of Liverpool's Joe McNally to their ever-expanding roster of professional boxers.
The ambitious 23-year-old light-middleweight signed for Hayemaker last week and has been pencilled in to make his bow for the team on November 15 at The O2 in North Greenwich, London.
Currently 5-0 (1 KO) as a pro, McNally was a former Junior Olympic bronze medallist and Senior ABA finalist as an amateur. Boasting over 50 bouts in the unpaid game, southpaw McNally has now been punching for pay since March 2007. Following a stop-start beginning to his pro career, McNally is overjoyed to have landed under the wing of David Haye and Hayemaker Boxing.
“I'm just delighted to have signed with Hayemaker,” admits the chirpy Liverpudlian, one of the most sought after young pros in Britain. “The sky's the limit for me right now. There were other offers on the table, but I decided Hayemaker were the ones who could give me exactly what I wanted. The thing that attracted me to Hayemaker above all the rest was their willingness to put the power back into the boxers' hands and also put on fights that have value for money.
“David's (Haye) taken his career in his own hands and that's how it should be. Promoters shouldn't be getting the big chunk. They're not the ones getting punched and risking their health. David has given boxers the power back.”
Despite only claiming five pro bouts to his name, the in-demand McNally fights and speaks with maturity beyond his years and number of fights. “I want world titles,” he says. “I like to do it the old-fashioned way – British, Commonwealth, European and then the main world title. I know, talent-wise, I'm British, Commonwealth and European title level now. It's only experience and the fact that I need to grow into the twelve-round distance that is stopping me. The only thing most of these guys in Britain have got over me is experience.”
McNally continues: “I don't want to be WBU or WBF champion. Who's going to remember that? I'd rather have the British title and do things the right way. I'd rather go down fighting than go along doing nothing – taking no risks and never knowing how good I could've been.”
Sharing a similar go-getting attitude to Haye, McNally feels more than at home with his new promoter. “I was with Young England back in 2001 when David went to the World Championships,” he explains. “I was training down in Crystal Palace at the time and watching David's progress through the tournament was an inspiration. Seeing someone from your camp go that far was amazing. Since then he's become WBC, WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine cruiserweight champion of the world. He's shown that it can be done. He's my idol. I couldn't be with a better person.”
On November 15 at North Greenwich's magnificent O2 Arena, McNally and Haye will both share a bill. While Haye will be looking to kick-off his heavyweight assault in fine style against Monte ‘Two Gunz' Barrett, McNally will be looking to score his sixth straight pro win.
“I can't wait to box on David's undercard,” beams Joe, a gym-mate of Derry Mathews and brothers Paul and Stephen Smith. “I'm ready to fight now. I've got seven weeks to fine-tune everything and hopefully I'll come out and get the knockout and impress everyone on the big bill. It's just incredible to be given the chance to fight on such a stage. What more can you ask for?”
Finally, for those yet to see the skilful southpaw in action, McNally gives the uneducated a quick lesson in his own self-assured style. “I'm a strong southpaw who can punch,” says McNally. “I've got speed, I've got talent and I can box going forwards and backwards. I'm going to be really hard to beat. I just can't wait to show people how good I can become. I know David (Haye), Adam (Booth) and Dave Coldwell have made the right choice.”
McNally's first fight under the Hayemaker banner takes place at The O2 on November 15. Headlining HAYEMAKER 2: ‘One Hayemaker vs. Two Gunz' will be the heavyweight collision between David ‘The Hayemaker' Haye and Monte ‘Two Gunz' Barrett. For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact the Box Office on 08448560202 or visit http://www.hayemaker.com/ for details.
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