Kye “Mr Frenzie” MacKenzie is on the cusp of the biggest bout of his professional boxing career.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The former Gunnedah pugilist is challenging Toowoomba opponent, Jack Asis, for the vacant IBO World Super Featherweight Title.
“This is going to be massive,” 22-year-old Kye said from his home base at St Marys in Sydney.
“There is nothing I want more than to win this fight.
“It will definitely open a lot of doors if I get it.”
Not only is the rising star undefeated, having won all 14 fights since his professional debut in Gunnedah on September 2012, all but two have been knockouts.
He fought eight last year, more than double of your average competitor, and won all by way of knockout as well.
“Most people only have three fights a year; I had eight,” Kye said.
His new contender, Asis, comes packing formidable record to match at 32 wins (17 knockout), 18 losses and five draws from 55 bouts.
The 31-year-old is also undefeated in his last 12 fights.
“He’s got some good power and he’s got age on me,” Kye said, before describing how he possesses a few favourable characteristics of his own.
“I think I’ll be bigger than him, taller,” he said.
“That will make a difference.
The young talent was meant to fight for the title this month but the other camp insisted on rescheduling to April 11.
It was a setback Mackenzie could have done without but was looking at glass-half-full.
“It’s been mentally and physically hard because of the back date,” he said.
“It’s meant we’ve had to step up our training again.
“But it’s all part of the journey.
“It’s a long road and you’ve got to have the right mindset.”
Kye trains under Lincoln Hudson at UTC Gym and divides his time between twice daily training commitments and earning a wage at a Woolworths warehouse.
Fortunately he’s negotiated a deal via National Union of Workers (NUW) which afforded him a month off work to focus solely on his world title fight preparations.
Kye thanked his trainer, NUW, Empire Clothing and all family and friends for their support.
Kye will fight Asis at Wests New Lambton, Newcastle, on April 11. The night will also feature the IBO Lightweight World Title fight between Chad ‘Hollywood’ Bennett and Martin ‘Bad Boy’ Barboza.
Related story: Stage set for Kye’s debut with boxing’s big guns