"YOU didn't think that was the end of 'The Mighty Celt', did you?" was how Tyrone McKenna responded when asked if it was true he was hitting the pause button on his decision to retire from boxing.

McKenna announced he was hanging them up by way of a social media post on the morning after his 'Battle of Belfast' defeat to Lewis Crocker at the SSE Arena on December 2 but is planning to step through the ropes once again at the same venue in August.

In the build-up to that showdown against Crocker, McKenna had insisted he would retire if he lost. Of course, in the days leading up to any battle there are no shortage of statements and promises, whether heartfelt or outlandish, and McKenna felt he had to stick to his word.

However, in the cold light of day and weeks into his return to civilian life, it became clear he wasn't ready for the pipe and slippers just yet as the desire to remain in the sport was as strong at ever. 

Indeed, fighting a fully-fledged welterweight in Crocker proved too much and outlining a return to his more natural 140lbs is what he realised he really wanted to say. 

Boxing is about much more than trading punches. Yeah, there's the pre-fight build-up in which McKenna thrives, but it's also the hard work in the gym, the discipline, the camaraderie and the structure.

The West Belfast man realised he wasn't ready to give up on it all, so with his family's blessing, the first steps have been taken to get back in shape ahead of a return to camp.

"I was always looking forward to my retirement so I could relax, not have to worry about my weight or go to the gym, but after a month I just thought life is boring without boxing," he confirmed.

"I love boxing and quickly I knew (I would continue). I can be a very impulsive person and as soon as that fight was done, the following morning I posted I had retired. A couple of weeks later I was thinking about why I had done that and instead should just go back to my original weight (light-welter) to have one last go at it.

"That isn't the fight I want to bow out on as I couldn't showcase what I have. Crocker was too heavy for me, but I had as good a war as I could with him. I feel like I'm better then I was that night.

"I'm 34 now, so I'm not really old. My skills haven't diminished and I haven't slowed down. I think it also came down to a lot of the talk leading up to that fight where I said I would retire if I lost, so I felt I pressured myself into it. Looking back, I should have just said I was moving back down in weight."

So, it is a return to light-welterweight and no prospect of having an easy one to get back in the winning column as former foe, Mohamed Mimoune, is firmly in his sights.

McKenna took a unanimous win in the first meeting back in 2020, but the Frenchman was far from happy and initially refused to leave the ring in protest.

McKenna has been reminded of it ever since and feels a rematch to settle the argument once and for all is an itch he must scratch.

"People say to me that I don't want that fight again as it was tough, but to me, it's one I've always wanted to revisit because of all the drama after it," he insists.

"I want the rematch to shut his mouth as all I've heard is him crying about it for four years and people mailing me about it, so I want to put it to bed and I've asked for this fight.

"I'm not interested in easy fights as Tyrone McKenna doesn't do easy. It would be a shame to take easy fights at the end of my career as that's not what I want to be remembered for.

"I don't do warm-ups and although I retired, it was only five months ago and really, I'd have only had one fight since anyway.

"I've been out of action longer as the gap between the Jenkins and Crocker fights was a year-and-a-half, so this is a shorter break."

McKenna has had his own disappointment on the cards on the past, but nothing to what Sean McComb experienced in New York when two of the three judges somehow concluded he was second best to Arnold Barboza - seemingly alone amongst the millions who were also watching.

Perhaps some would look at such events and conclude the effort just isn't worth it, but not McKenna who still has the fire to keep going.

"Sean destroyed Barboza and I had him winning the fight 8-2 (98-92)," he opined.

"He barely had a punch land on him but had it taken away from him on that big stage. Also, the future earnings he will have lost would sicken you.

"I feel like I've been robbed in the past but I still love the sport and miss it, miss the structure and life as a boxer."