Emmet Brennan: 'Professional boxing is a cutthroat business'
Michael Bolton
Dublin boxer Emmet Brennan says he fought most of 2024 with one hand as he prepares for his highly anticipated rematch against Kerry’s Kevin Cronin.
Brennan defeated Cronin via split decision back in September at the 3Arena—a result disputed by many, including UFC president Dana White.
To settle the score, Brennan and Cronin will meet once again, this time at Madison Square Garden on March 16th, on the undercard of Callum Walsh.
Speaking to BreakingNews.ie ahead of the bout, the Tokyo Olympian made it clear he wants victory beyond doubt when they clash again.
“For me, I don’t care how I win—it’s about winning,” said Brennan.
“As for how I think this fight will go in March, we know what he’s going to bring. He’s going to bring a lot of pressure, he’s going to try and make it scrappy, similar to what he did in the first fight.
“He can’t really do something different because, without being bad, if he does, I’ll just completely outbox him.
“For me, it’s about winning, but I want to win without any controversy—without anyone saying ‘robbery.’”
Brennan won all three of his fights in 2024, but the year came with its struggles.
Despite winning the Celtic Super Middleweight title against Cronin, an injury made fight preparations difficult.
“When you’re actually in the game, nothing is ever easy, and nothing is ever free-flowing.
“I fought the whole of 2024 with a hand injury. I fractured my hand last January and had to pull out of a very big show just weeks before it.
“Then I fought in March and injured the hand again in that fight. I fought Kevin in September and again in December, but my hand wasn’t right for any of those fights.
“Once I connected in the fights, my hand was going straight away. I fought three fights in 2024 with one hand—I was throwing the right hand in agony.
“Although it looked like things were going great, they weren’t. The hand is perfect now—I got it fixed.
“Hopefully, this is where I start to pick up momentum.”
Despite being only five fights into his professional career, the Dublin boxer knows that, at 33, time is not on his side.
Not looking past his fight against Cronin, Brennan is taking his professional career one step at a time. After a difficult road from amateur to professional boxing, he understands just how brutal the sport can be.
“Professional boxing is a cutthroat business. It’s a business—it’s not a sport.
“It’s not always the best fighter who gets the opportunities. Having this little bit of experience, age on my side, and probably life experience, has helped me in the pro game.
“My eventual goal is to go into management when I retire in a few years, and right now, I’m basically doing my apprenticeship in professional boxing management.”