THIS YEAR BELONGS TO ME!
Pompey Problem Mikey McKinson extends pro record to 20-0 with superb WBO Global title victory in Gibraltar - and now he has a warning for all his ring rivals ...
Mikey McKinson toasted rising to the biggest occasion of his boxing career and told his welterweight rivals this year will belong to him.
The tricky southpaw triumphed on a unanimous decision to take Chris Kongo's WBO Global title and unbeaten record in Gibraltar last night.
McKinson, nicknamed The Problem, had no issues in front of the Sky Sports Box Office cameras as he collected the fourth belt of his professional career.
It helped the 26-year-old extend his unbeaten pro run to 20-0 and he believes his latest ring victory provides him with a huge launch pad for his future in the sport.
McKinson might be just shy of seven years as a professional but insisted beating Kongo to clinch the WBO Global belt is where his career really starts.
The delight- ed southpaw said: ‘This is my breakthrough year,
2021, my career started last night. ‘I’ve been a pro for nearly seven years but my career started last night.
‘I plan on still fighting twice this year, I plan on making a lot of money this year and taking over - 2021 is the year of McKinson.
‘In boxing now a lot of people are going to give me a lot of credit because I’ve got the best record in the UK as a welterweight.
‘My last three opponents have a combined record of 42 wins and zero losses and they all got dropped in the first round. What does that say about me? I’m a special fighter.
‘Nobody has got a resume like that in the UK, no-one has got a CV like that in the UK, now I’m finally getting the credit.’
McKinson admitted his huge win over Kongo is still yet to 'sink in'.
After years of grinding and making his way up the welterweight ranks, the Pompey Problem did the business on the grandest of stages.
And McKinson felt ‘blessed’ to be able to deliver all he had promised in the build-up against Kongo.
He added: ‘I was really overwhelmed last night. I didn’t really sleep much, I had about two or three hours sleep, it was very overwhelming to be able to do it and prove people wrong on the biggest stage in boxing.
‘Everything I’ve said, it came true last night, I feel blessed.
‘It still hasn’t really sunk in. In the changing rooms I got a bit emotional afterwards.
‘It’s a lot of years of hard work and I’m finally getting my recognition now.’
Nobody has got a CV like that in the UK, now I’m finally getting the credit
Mikey McKinson