Brisbane: It is time for Max McIntyre to put his money where his mouth is.
For the first time in his young 10-0 career, the highly touted 21-year-old will be the headline act on a major boxing card when he enters the ring against Diego Ramirez on Friday night.
Max McIntyre in Brisbane. Sam Worthington
The WBC Australasian super middleweight title is at stake at Fortitude Music Hall, a famed and intimate venue that has hosted Crowded House, The Pixies and George Clinton.
And so is McIntyre’s reputation as one of the country’s best boxing talents.
“My first main event in my home town, so this is massive,” McIntyre told nine.com.au after staring down Argentina’s Ramirez at Thursday’s weigh-in.
“Got all my friends and family coming to watch me, so this is what dreams are made of. It’s going to be pretty sick.”
McIntyre’s 90 per cent professional knockout record has made him well known to lovers of pugilism, but he is an unknown for most Aussie sports fans.
He grew up idolising his older brother Will Moses – a fine amateur boxer – and his ‘Money Show’ moniker comes from, you guessed it, Floyd Mayweather.
“Obviously Mayweather is the GOAT, but I also love Jaron Ennis and Gervonta Davis,” McIntyre said.
“Before I was a professional boxer, I always said it, and it was sort of a joke that I was Max ‘Money’ McIntyre. And then it stuck, and it’s taken off now, so it’s all worked out.”
Floyd Mayweather Jr as a 21-year-old. Getty
McIntyre didn’t just take inspiration from Mayweather’s nickname.
He truly fell in love with boxing as a fresh-faced 14-year-old when a 21-year-old challenged him to a ‘doghouse spar.’
The term comes from the Mayweather Boxing Club where fighters controversially, and continuously, spar without regular round limits or breaks.
Brutal is an understatement.
“Once I had my first doghouse spar, I realised I f—ing love punching people in the face,” McIntyre recalls.
“I was never academic at school, but I wanted to be a superstar at something. When I found boxing, I realised that’s what I wanted to be a superstar at, and I wanted that to be my career.
“I told everyone I was going to be a professional boxer, and not many believed it…
“There were some punch-ons at school. I brought the gloves to school and had some, but thankfully I found my home in the gym.”
McIntyre reckons he was rubbish at other sports but caught the boxing bug while mucking around at the Shape Up gym while watching big brother train.
“I was just swinging around on the bags and using it as a playground,” he says.
“When I found out I was talented I just started working hard. It probably took 2-3 years for me to actually pick up stuff and then, I realised that I f—ing love doing this shit.”
McIntyre was originally slated to fight Bohdan Sobol in the next step of his promising career, but the Ukrainian withdrew through injury.
Southpaw Ramirez is a former world youth champion and proudly wore a Lionel Messi shirt to the weigh-in.
Diego Ramirez celebrates beating Bradley Skeete. Getty
The 31-year-old holds a 28-14-1 record.
McIntyre doesn’t just want to win, he wants to do it in style.
“Entertaining people is just something I love doing. Showing everyone how good my skills are and showing how much I’ve levelled up, every single fight,” he says.
“You’re going to see a different fight every time, more showmanship, more showboating. I like pressure, but when I’m having fun is when I perform at my best. When I’m taking things too seriously, it’s hit or miss.”
As for a prediction? He promises the 10th KO of his fledgling career.
“I believe I can take over Australia. When I’m having fun, no-one can stop me,” McIntyre said.
“The power’s always been there. I don’t know where it came from, but f— it, I, I have a taste for it now, and 90% knockout ratio. I’m getting another one on Friday night. But also my defence is pretty underrated, I think.
Max McIntyre punches Jed Morris during the WBC Australasian super middleweight Title bout. Matt Roberts
“They just see the knockouts, but they don’t see the setup in between. Most of my knockouts are from my right hand, but I haven’t been able to show the left hook yet. Hopefully, a guy that’s experienced like this will bring more out of me.
“You’re going to see a whole another level of Money Max. We take every fight as a world title fight and we prepare accordingly. We just stick to the plan and search and destroy.”
The co-main event features Danny Keating against Jyl Wright.
Irishman Keating is the hot favourite.
“It would take a good man to beat me, I can promise you that,” Keating said.
Coverage on Stan Sport starts at 6.30pm AEST and is free for all subscribers,
THE MONEY SHOW FIGHT CARD
Where: Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane
When: July 10, from 6.30pm AEST
Watch: Live and exclusive in Australia on Stan Sport
Odds: McIntyre $1.03, Ramirez $15
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