We interview Wexford boxer David ‘Bomber’ Kennedy ahead of his next pro fight

There’s a huge boxing event coming up at the SETU Arena in Waterford on December 7th…

All three of Wexford’s newest pro Wexford boxers will feature on the undercard of the Dylan Moran and Tyrone McKenna bill, all hoping to put on a show and add to their professional records. The Wexford boxers fighting on the night will be Dean Walsh, Dean Gonzalez Furlong, and Gorey town native, David ‘Bomber’ Kennedy.

Along with catching up with Dean Walsh and Dean Gonzalez Furlong for interviews, we also had the opportunity to catch up with David ‘Bomber’ Kennedy as he prepares for his next fight. The Gorey man talks us through his preparation for the fight, how the call came about, and his big Wexford plans for the future to name just a few aspects from the interview.

Just two weeks ago, boxing promoter, Jamie Conlan, had name dropped him in a previous interview – and now, he has been confirmed on the card. Unlike Furlong and Walsh, Kennedy isn’t signed with Conlan Boxing – so we wondered how this fight came about and asked him to talk us through the process.

“It came through my manager being in contact with Jamie and Michael Conlan. He was on to them and the lads were happy to have me, so that’s how it went,” he said.

It was something that he quite clearly had his eyes on too.

In a post-fight interview with Wexford Weekly, just four days after his fight, he said that “obviously to fight on a Conlan Boxing show so close to home would be incredible. The support would be unbelievable down there too.”

Regarding Kennedy’s opponent for the upcoming Waterford card, he’s still unaware at the time of writing. But, that doesn’t mean he can’t put in solid work and get his preparation done. If anything, it’s more of a reason to prepare, not knowing your opponent’s skill-set until close to the fight date. For Kennedy, preparation is well and truly underway for four week’s time.

“Preparations are going great in the training camp. I’ve had some really good spars of late. I’m just ticking all the boxes, going to bed early, and putting everything into training. We’ll see what it’s all about then on December 7th,” he said.

Bomber made a winning start on his pro boxing debut on October 4th, just over three week’s ago. Already, he’s back in training camp preparing for his next fight. With stable-mate Kevin Cronin, who also fights on the Waterford card acting as one of his main sparring partners ahead of the fight, it has definitely worked out. It’s somewhat of the life of a new pro starting off who intends to stay active and get fights – and wins – under their belt.

“Yeah, it was definitely my plan to keep busy. Activity is key at a start of your pro boxing career so that’s what I want – and I hope for a busy 2025 too with a lot of fights coming up,” David told us.

Regarding his pro debut from October 4th, he tells us that he has taken learnings from it and that he’s always trying to improve.

“Dealing with the pressure of the pro game. The cameras, the lights, the crowd. I’ll be taking it all in my stride this time and it won’t phase me as much – but there will be still much of the same. It’s going to be a great show on December 7th; there’s going to be a lot of cameras and a lot of lights there too – but I’m ready for it all,” Bomber told us.

One question that’s not typically asked to pro boxers is simply ‘why boxing’? For many people, the sport is great to watch but they wouldn’t dare hop into a ring with a pro boxer and try to make a career out of it.

“First and foremost, you have to love it. If you don’t love it, you’re in it the wrong game totally. It’s literally a 24/7 job. Even when you’re not training, you’re looking after your diet, going to bed early, keeping on top of your physio and making sure you’re getting the recovery in. It’s so much more than just training. So why boxing? Because I love it!,” he emphasised.

‘Bomber’ will be on the undercard of the upcoming bill in Waterford. An array of top talent such as Dylan Moran, Tyrone McKenna, Dean Walsh, and Kevin Cronin will also feature on the exciting card. For Kennedy, this is “big time boxing” and this is where he wants to be.

With Wexford now having three professional boxers in the ranks, a long-term goal for Kennedy, who is a big Wexford GAA supporter, would be to fight at Wexford Park. With three professional boxers and a newly-revamped Wexford Park, perhaps this isn’t out of the realm of possibility either:

“Wexford Park doesn’t look to be too far in the future. Wexford now has three professional boxers. Myself, Dean Walsh, and Dean Furlong. All we need is the right people on board and these things can happen. Obviously, things have to fall into place too. We’re all very fresh in our careers, but nothing is out of reach,” he said when speaking about the future.

Kennedy knows that he needs to be active and on these cards, and he’s incredibly thankful for those who worked in the background and for Conlan Boxing for giving him the opportunity. The Wexford man is also quick to thank his coaches – both past and present – who have shaped him into the fighter he is today.

“A big thanks to Michael and Jamie Conlan for having me on. It’s sure to be a great night of boxing. Thanks to all who bought tickets so far, I can’t believe how quick they’re selling! Anybody who’s looking for tickets, there’s a limited availability left. You can contact me on Facebook or Instagram for tickets. There will be buses going from Gorey. And as always, if there’s any sponsors looking to come on board, just drop me a message on Facebook or Instagram too,” he said.

There’s no doubt that a huge Wexford crowd will be in attendance on the night to support their own as they all bid to advance their professional sporting careers.

For those interested, tickets for the Waterford card at the SETU Arena from David Kennedy directly via Instagram. It’s an event that’s likely to sell out, so anyone interested, should get their tickets as soon as possible.

In related Wexford boxing news, you can read our previous interviews with Dean Walsh and Dean Gonzalez Furlong here.