Kevin McBride welcomed home following his win over former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
Cherry Park in Clones, County Monaghan, is home to Irish professional boxer Kevin McBride, who hopes to become the first Irish born heavyweight champion of the world. Kevin McBride, known as The Clones Colossus, defeated former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on 11 June 2005 in the MCI Center in Washington, DC.
Kevin McBride is proud to have beaten Mike Tyson. He also got to meet the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, who told him,
I'm the greatest, you're the latest.
In June 1985, Clones celebrated the return of boxer Barry McGuigan, known as the Clones Cyclone, when he won the world featherweight title. Sarto Quigley cannot say why the small border town is so successful at producing world-class fighters. He is convinced Kevin McBride can become world heavyweight champion.
Kevin McBride's former coach Gerry Rehill is also confident the boxer can go all the way.
There's no man too big, too small for him.
Clones Town Council, Monaghan County Council and Clones Festival Committee host a special civic reception for Kevin McBride who travels through the town an open top bus. Thousands of people cheer him on and gather on the Clones Diamond for the homecoming.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 28 June 2005. The reporter is Gareth O'Connor.
