Excited to start again and with the ambition of fighting for the world title at the Stadium of Light.
That is Kiaran Macdonald in a nutshell as he prepares to launch his professional career.
The quality Sunderland southpaw’s debut comes this Saturday in Newcastle, where his city hopes to celebrate its greatest night.
Macdonald will take on a former international amateur opponent, Marius Vysniauskas over four rounds at the Utilita Arena on the Matchroom event headlined by city neighbour Josh Kelly’s bid to wrest the IBF light-middleweight title from Bakhram Murtazaliev.
Kiaran was a top-drawer amateur during nine years in the GB Boxing set-up, winning some heavy medals along the way, and there is no reason why he can’t contend for glory in the pro ranks and pretty quickly too.
“My dream is to win a world tile at the Stadium of Light,” said the ex-Sunderland ABC star, who has joined forces with trainer Anthony Crolla, the former WBA world lightweight champion, in Manchester.
“I know I’ve got to take things one step at a time, but I don’t see why not.”
A move to the pro game was always on the cards for the 28-year-old but it was just a case of when.
Having been a major help to his GB Boxing team-mate and friend Galal Yafai win Olympic gold at Tokyo in 2021, Macdonald’s goal was the Paris games of 2024.
Having won silver medals at both the European Championships and Commonwealth Games in 2022, hopes were high for ‘Special K’, only to fail to come through the minefield of qualifying competitions.
“The Olympics was heartbreaking,” he told punch-lines.
“I won seven of my 10 qualifying bouts, but it still wasn’t enough to make the cut for my weight division.
“I was always one of the best fighters in Europe and the World so to not get through was really hard to take.”
If that was not depressing enough, his entire boxing career was put in jeopardy post-Olympics by a frightening injury experience.
“I was going to get on with going pro and then a lump was found on my neck.
“Worried that it might be something sinister I was checked out straight away and GB Boxing looked after me brilliantly.
“I was taken into surgery but on their way out of the op, they clipped one of my nerves and I was sort of paralysed down one side for a couple of months.
“I wasn’t sure if I would ever get back so that was a really dark time for me.
“But I did get back and I can’t thank Anthony enough for building me back up, piece by piece.”
Punch-lines caught up with Macdonald this week at the Glasshouse in Gateshead where the press conference and weigh-ins were staged by Matchroom in the build-up to Saturday’s huge event at the Utilita Arena.
Crolla was there too and looked on almost like a proud dad as he watched his new signing address the media.
Macdonald has followed his former GB Boxing team-mate, Calum French, in moving to ‘Million Dollar’ Crolla’s gym and believes it is a partnership which will take him to glory.
“Anthony says he knows the talent he’s got with me and he just needs to craft it in the right way,” said Kiaran, who is pictured above with Matchroom CEO Frank Smith.
“He’s been there and done it, he knows what it takes to get to the very top and whatever he says means something and he’d never lie to you.
“He started doing the small shows too, so he knows how hard boxing is, and then went on to win world titles.
“You could not wish for some one better to guide you.
“This is the start of an exciting journey for me and I’m like a new schoolkid learning every day in the gym.”
Given his experience and standing in the amateur game, Macdonald hopes it will not take long to climb the ladder now.
“I think I’ll be moved fast, but I’ll move at the pace Anthony wants me to go at,” he said.
“As long as things go to plan, there is no reason why I can’t be shifted up the rankings as quickly as possible.”
It is a great stage for Macdonald to launch his career.
“What I’ve done as an amateur has propelled me to where I am today and now I’m looking to show what I can do in the professional ranks,” said Kiaran, who will be up against a familiar boxer on Saturday night in Marius Vysniauskas, a Lithuanian he fought as an amateur.
“My opponent is someone I boxed internationally in the amateurs and this is the standard I wasn’t to be boxing at.
“With my amateur pedigree, I believe I was destined for these big shows, this is where I think I deserve to be and aim to show that here.
“I’m hoping to show what I an do and win a promotional contract and my career can springboard from there.”
Macdonald’s last word though goes to those at the English Institute of Sport he has left behind in his bid to find belts and riches.
“I still keep in touch with the boxers, the coaches, the staff and Rob McCracken,” he said. “My nine years at GB were so good. I can’t thank them enough for everything they did for me.”
Words: Roy Kelly PIcture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
