McCue suffers his first pro loss
Supermiddleweight drops unanimous decision
Jordan McCue chalked up his first professional boxing loss to a learning experience.
The Curve Lake supermiddleweight lost a six-round unanimous decision to Mponda Kalunga at Brampton’s CAA Centre on Saturday night. McCue’s record dips to 3-1 with one knockout. Kalunga, a native of Egypt who now calls Toronto home, improved to 7-2 with three knockouts. The bout was part of a United Boxing Promotions card which featured former world title challenger Brandon Cook of Ajax. McCue’s trainer/manager Kerry Hendren, head coach of the Scrapyard Boxing Club, said prior to the bout if McCue could catch Kalunga he’d win, if he couldn’t he’d lose. The two fighters had sparred in the past, so they were familiar with one another. Hendren said Kalunga got on his feet early and McCue wasn’t able to catch him enough to swing the tide his way but he said McCue won over new fans by trying to make it an exciting fight.
McCue, 27, said he was disappointed but not discouraged by the result.
“I kind of felt like he had the hometown advantage being a hometown fighter out of Brampton and training there,” said McCue. “I went in there and fought all six rounds coming forward. There wasn’t one second where I was backing up on him. He would get the odd flurry off and then start running again.
“There is a lot I can take in from this and go back to the gym. I’ll come back more resilient and be prepared for my next opponent.”
It was McCue’s first six-round fight and he said he felt like he could have gone a few more rounds, so he learned a bit about his stamina and fitness. He also learned he has lots to learn.
“I’m going to have to work more on volume and work on strategically getting them to where I want them in the ring to catch them with my combinations. Not give them the space to run and do the points system style of fighting.”
He was not surprised by Kalunga’s strategy to hit and run.
“He started running in all directions and I had to cut down the angles and wait patiently to get him where I wanted him but he was slippery,” said McCue, a cut lip and shiner under his left eye illustrating Kalunga landed some solid shots.
“I caught him with some big shots,” said McCue, “and took it to him all six rounds coming forward. He emerged victorious and was the better fighter on the night. I knew going in I was the underdog coming into the guy’s hometown environment and how his style was going to be.”
McCue also sensed he won over some fans with his style of fighting.
“I’ll fight all the rounds and I don’t buy into too much hype or what their background or record is,” he said. “I show up to fight and I think I showed that tonight with how I kept my relentless pressure up and didn’t back off.”
McCue will take a couple of weeks off to heal up and then he’ll be back in the gym.
“I knew I was taking a step up and it wouldn’t be an easy fight. That’s what I want to do. I want to show I can stand in there with some top level guys and fight,” he said. “I’ll get back in the gym and look at the drawing board and see what I have to work on.”