Monaghan Native Aaron McKenna Advances to $1 Million Semi-Final with Dominant Win in Japan
Monaghan native Aaron McKenna delivered an outstanding performance Sunday night, securing a spot in the semi-final of the $1 million Prizefighter series with a dominant victory over Jeovanny Estela in Osaka, Japan.
McKenna outclassed his Puerto Rican opponent, controlling the fight from start to finish. The referee eventually stopped the bout in the final moments of the 10th round, though it could have ended earlier. With this win, the 24-year-old McKenna remains undefeated at 19-0 and is set to face England’s Kieron Conway in the semi-final this October, also in Japan.
Despite Estela’s strong start, landing a solid shot in the opening round, McKenna quickly took over, dismantling his opponent methodically. The fight was halted with just over a minute remaining, earning McKenna a share of a $100,000 bonus.
“I feel unreal. I feel very happy now, especially to get the knockout with the bonus,” McKenna told DAZN after the fight. “I knew every round he was slowly gassing. Come the 10th round, I knew it was end game and got it. Every fight I want the knockout bonus, this is the first one of three. I’m very happy to get it. You can see it makes the fights very exciting.”
McKenna plans to use the bonus to prepare for his next camp, investing in world-class sparring. “I’ll go wherever the sparring is. I’m very happy to fight in Japan in front of all the Japanese fans, and thanks to all the Irish at home for supporting me and getting up early to watch me. I appreciate it,” he added.
