KICKBOXING: Irish champ Micheal wants '˜Morrow' the same

The 31-year-old Slievemore Park resident earned a split decision victory over Galway’s Tom Scarry to clinch the WRSA 90 kgs. strap on the ‘Walled City Warriors’ Show in the Maldron Hotel recently.

It was a bruising battle against the current IKF super cruiserweight champion representing Galway’s highly respected Black Dragon Kickboxing Club.

And after weathering the storm in the first round, Morrow, who works in security at Foyleside Shopping Centre, used his jab and kicks to great effect to earn the decision from two of the three ringside judges in front of a sell-out crowd at the Butcher Street venue.

And having emulated his Westbank Kickboxing Club coach, China Coyle, who won the All Ireland Veterans’ title the previous week, Morrow is determined to keep the momentum going and is looking at the possibility of fighting Scarry again with the Galwegian’s IKF belt on the line.

“It’s a great achievement being All-Ireland champion,” said Morrow. “That’s two of us from the same club in the space of a week winning All-Ireland titles.

“And I want is more honours, so I’ll keep the hard work up and hopefully it pays off. Maybe I’ll get a chance to fight him (Scarry) again and unify the two belts and become the unified Irish champion.”

And Morrow has no problem travelling to fight if neccessary with the possibility of fighting for English and British titles also available in the near future.

“I’ve no bother travelling to fight whoever, anywhere if that’s what it takes. There’s a few other options with the WRSA because they’re well established in England so I could go and fight for the British or English title over there. And you never know after that. I’ll keep my head down, keep focused and see how far I can march on.”

Morrow had to dig deep to claw out the win and he paid tribute to the work from his corner man and coach, China Coyle, whose intructions proved instrumental during the fight.

“It went the five rounds,” he explained. “He came straight out guns blazing. I managed to weather the storm for the first 40 seconds until I got my head right and started working my jab and my counters and bringing my kicks into play.

“Fair play to China because he called it spot on after every round. He told me when to throw my kick and when to throw my combinations.

“It was tough for the five rounds and I had to bite down on my gumshield a few times and just go for it.

“I wasn’t leaving the ring without the belt. I put so much into it. The early mornings twice a day which was tough going.”

And he said the vocal support in the Maldron Hotel also played a big part in the latter rounds.

“At times you can feel yourself dipping but with the crowd shouting your name, it definitely gives you an extra push, an adrenaline rush and an extra wee incentive to work harder.

“It was a great night and it was good to see some young talent coming through as well.

“With two All-Ireland champions now at Westbank, it just shows you all the hard work China puts in is paying off now. He called my fight perfectly. Even when I was starting to doubt myself. I thought at one stage I was too tired but he told me it was all in my head and to keep the jabs and kicks coming and once I heard that I just bit down and went for it,

“He went through it himself the week before he went five rounds against a well established fighter so he knew exactly what way to call it. It’s great having someone whose been there and done it and knows how hard it is. I had to grind it out and it was brilliant. “

Brian Crossan from Letterkenny Kickboxing Club was also taken the distance in his WRSA N. Ireland middleweight title fight by Stevie McNutt from KCAM Kickboxing in Dungannon but the Co. Donegal man came out on top after another tough battle.

There was some fantastic undercard fights with the Juniors setting the tone.

“We had a mixed bag of results for Westbank,” said Coyle. “I’m happy with that as it shows the lads were well matched. Win, lose or draw I’m always proud of my fighters as long as they give it 100 per cent.”