The 64th ranked heavyweight in the world is Niall 'Boom Boom' Kennedy, a full-time garda from Co. Wexford - he's been speaking to Off The Ball's Andy Lee.
Last year he won the New England Heavyweight Championship belt, fighting in Connecticut as a massive underdog with his career on the line while his son MJ was in an incubator in The National Maternity Hospital in Dublin.
Not a bad little collection but never forget ur roots #Goreyboxingclub pic.twitter.com/HtWeCs8oHI
— Niall Kennedy Boxer (@niallbaskennedy) January 11, 2018
"He would have still been in the intensive care unit in the neonatal ward. He was in the hospital for 55 days in total," Niall recalls.
Having considered opting-out of the bout, it was his wife Niamh who convinced him to travel to the US.
She spoke to Andy about her memories of that night as she watched the fight from Holles St Hospital:
"I had my iPhone on my pillow, I had the fight on that and I put Coronation St on my iPad and watched Coronation St and every few minutes I’d check over to see if he was still alive. I hate watching it, I really do."
Happy retirement my friend @AndyLeeBoxing nobody more deserving of all the plaudits i hope u receive for the years of enjoyment u have given fight fans a true gent outside the ring and gifted inside #Gentleman best of luck with ur next chapter 👊👊
— Niall Kennedy Boxer (@niallbaskennedy) February 20, 2018
As the ten rounds swung back and forth, Niall thought of his son MJ:
"He had a very good fifth and a very good sixth round. I thought on the way back after the sixth round, this is going away from me. You’ve let yourself down in your amateur career. You’re letting everything slip away again. I had all these demons in my head.
"I got back to the corner and I’d written ‘MJ’ on my two forearms… I bit down on the gumshield and had my best round in the seventh round.
"In the corner, I remember thinking to myself, ‘You’ve made this promise. Don’t have regrets. let your son look at this video in 20 years time and be proud.'"
30 rounds done this week with the boss @packycollins fine tuning everything i genuinely am blessed for d opportunity i hav chasing my dreams surrounded by great people @KenDKM my friends and work mates but mostly my amazing family with d support of best town in ireland #Gorey
— Niall Kennedy Boxer (@niallbaskennedy) February 15, 2018
During his chat with Andy, Niall also discussed his mental health struggles following the death of a close friend who took his own life and his experience sparring with world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
Since that fight, Niall has added another professional win to his record, which now stands at 10-0.
He takes on Aaron Chavers in Connecticut on Saturday night.
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