The Ballad of Kevin McBride

As pugilists go, he was always a big ‘un,
Though he lived in the shadow of Barry McGuigan.
The second-best boxer to come out of Clones,
The chance to turn pro was a bit of a bonus.

Thirteen long years as a heavyweight pro,
This journeyman boxer took many a blow.
As brave as a lion, his World Title hopes
Were very soon battered and hung on the ropes.

He battled for money, he battled for pride,
Though few knew the name of bould Kevin McBride.
Like Rocky Balboa, he’d not garnered fame
And did not enjoy universal acclaim.

They set him up nicely for one final fight,
A whipping boy, primed for Mike Tyson’s delight,
Another statistic on Tyson’s CV,
Though plenty of cash to be made from TV.

But Monaghan’s hero did not read the script,
By the end of the fifth, Tyson knew he was whipped.
And for Kevin McBride, he achieved lasting fame
As the man who put Iron Mike out of the game.