Commonwealth super bantamweight champion, Dennis McCann (14-0-1, 8 KO’s), has announced that he will now be training with Ricky Funez and Joe Goossen at the Ten Goose Gym in Los Angeles.
The 22 year old has been training with Alan Smith and Eddie Lam at the iBox gym in Bromley since he was in his early teens but, after battling to a tough technical draw with Ionut Baluta in August, McCann has decided on a total change of tack . He will join his promotional stablemate, Hamzah Sheeraz, in California.
McCann was a teenage prodigy, winning multiple junior and youth amateur titles including nine national championships. Rather than chasing an Olympic dream, McCann chose to turn professional and, in 2019, made his debut as a baby faced 18 year. He marked his arrival on the scene with a sensational first round stoppage and produced some spectacular, eye catching knockouts on his rise, his style drawing comparisons to a young Prince Naseem Hamed.
McCann’s star power dimmed slightly as he settled down and began to work on his boxing but over the past year he seemed to have rediscovered the electricity that made him so exciting. He stopped the solid James Beech Jnr in eight rounds to win a WBC International title last July and picked up the Commonwealth belt by outclassing the decent Joe Ham, forcing another eighth round stoppage.
The fight with the excellent Baluta was seen as a gamble by many in the industry and although the thrilling fight made for tremendous television, McCann was slightly fortunate to escape with a technical draw. A clash of heads opened up a severe cut on McCann’s forehead and after nine of the ten scheduled rounds, the fight was stopped. Baluta was in the ascendency when the action was halted and if the fight had been allowed to continue, he would in all likelihood have left London with a decision victory.
Those are all ifs, buts and maybes. McCann remains one of the most naturally gifted fighters in Britain.
McCann will be hoping the move to Los Angeles will be the catalyst for an assault on the world scene.
In a statement on his Facebook page, McCann said;
“Happy To announce I have now Teamed up with Ricky Funez & the watchful eye of Hall of Fame trainer Joe Goossen Who Trained many World champions.
“Want say massive thank you to Eddie Lam Alan smith & Paul Taylor who was like an uncle to me Since I was 16 Years old
“Also big thank you to all my sponsors & Promoter Frank Warren for backing me all the way
“Chapter 2 of my career Road to World Champion.”