Michael Gallagher makes his pro debut this Saturday night when he squares up to Polish fighter Mateusz Rybarski over four rounds at the Celtic Clash 3.
The Kinletter cruiserweight, under the direction of coach Conor Quigley, has had a break from the sport, but will go against Rybarski at the National Stadium.
Rybarski is a 27-year-old, who has fought three times, winning one and losing twice, including to Dublin’s John Corcoran in May.
Gallagher is ready for the step into the pro ranks.
“I trained twice a day, every day, and I got a lot more sparring. It’s been ten weeks of hard training,” Gallagher said.
“I’d been sparring professionals for a while, so there as nothing new. Just the fight part will be different.
“It wasn’t the intensity that went up, it was the consistency, doing it twice every day rather than once. You were doing it and doing it and doing it, day-in day-out, for weeks.”
A big crowd from Ballybofey and the surrounding areas will be in the capital to roar on the hammer-handed Gallagher.
He said: “It’s gone very well. Everyone’s looking forward to it. It’s not only myself, it’s my family, my friends.
“There’s a bus going, there’s going to be a lot of my family. We’re all staying up and it’ll be a good night!
“It’s exciting, I wouldn’t take it as pressure or anything else, I’ll use it in a positive way. It’s a new step now in my life.”
Gallagher scooped eleven underage titles and won a Youth Olympic bronze during his time with the Finn Valley ABC.
This year, he signed up with Leonard Gunning’s Boxing Ireland Promotions.
On his style, Gallagher added: “There’s a bit of power there, and speed as well, but there’s a lot more to come over the next four or five years. I’m going to take my time and take even every training session as it comes.
“The longer rounds will suit me. The amateurs are more and more like the pros now anyway.”
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