McBride sets up date with 'the Beast'
Boston-based heavyweight Kevin McBride was due to face the man who many called the best pound-for-pound fighter of his generation at the end of the month. Now due to a disagreement over the Ulsterman's share of the purse, he will meet 'the Beast'.
31-year-old McBride has set up a July 24 shot at Russian Nicolay Valuev, touted as 'the Beast from the East' and the WBA international belt in Frankfurt, Germany, but still has his eyes on a meeting with Mike Tyson, the man he feels jilted by.
The Ulsterman pulled out of a July 30 bout with Tyson in Louisville, Kentucky, due to a monetary disagreement, but is confident he will have his night in the ring with the ear-biting former champ.
"I'm still hoping that down the line I can get the fight with Tyson. Once he gets past Danny (Williams) then maybe I can get a fight with him," said McBride, who puts a 31-4-1 record on the line against St Petersburg's Valuev.
"One minute I had the fight and the next it was gone. They wanted me to take less money and my promoter wouldn't accept that."
McBride, for once, will be beaten in the height stakes by a clear five inches, with Valuev a 6'11" 323-pound orthodox fighter, in the mould of the Klitschko brothers.
The Russian has had an unbeaten run of 36 fights, but most of those were against lowly-rated and lighter compatriots.
