Brett McGinty: ‘Make the sacrifices. It will all be worth it’

Brett McGinty

When and why you started boxing:
I started boxing when I was nine years old. I initially did it just to lose weight and get fit for football. I come from a big footballing family.

Favourite all-time fighter:
Gennady Golovkin is my favourite fighter. I love everything about his style of fighting.

Best fight you’ve seen:
Jamie Conlan vs Anthony Nelson was a crazy fight.

Personal career highlight:
My proudest achievement so far was being the Irish team captain at the 2016 Youth World Championships in St Petersburg, Russia.

Toughest opponent:
I boxed an Armenian fighter, Gurgen Madoyan, in two European quarter-finals – the Schoolboys in 2012 and the Youths in 2016. Both were very tough fights and we won one each.

Best and worst attributes as a boxer:
I’d say that my best attribute is my engine. My worst is that I can be complacent with my defence at times.

Training tip:
Make the sacrifices in the gym and it’ll all be worth it on fight night.

Favourite meal/restaurant:
I like to get the Bentley 50/50 – steak and chicken – from the Bentley Bar in Derry.

Best friends in boxing:
My best friends in the sport are all of the lads that I train with every day.

Other sportsperson you would like to be:
I’d be Sébastien Ogier because he’s a seven-time World Rally champion.

Last film/TV show you saw:
I recently watched Run on Netflix. It’s a very good film.

Who would play you in a film of your life:
It’d have to be the main man, Gerard Butler.

Have you ever been starstruck:
I felt starstruck when I met “Irish” Micky Ward on a boxing trip in Boston a few years back.

Last time you cried:
It was probably when Steven Gerrard slipped against Chelsea – bad memories for any Liverpool fan!

Best advice received:
Everything happens for a reason.

Worst rumour about yourself:
That I’m angry. The lads in the gym call me Mr. Angry to wind me up, but it’s all a lie!

Something not many people know about you:
I’m a big motorsport fan.

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