Grief is the last thing any fighter wants to carry into fight week, yet it’s the weight Sean McComb has been forced to shoulder.
While the Belfast southpaw settled into unfamiliar surroundings in Monaco ahead of Saturday night’s clash with unbeaten home favourite Hugo Micallef, his family were gathering to lay his grandmother Jean to rest.
The 33-year-old arrives in Monte Carlo with emotion sitting beside determination. The man known as ‘The Public Nuisance’ insists the fact he missed his beloved grandmother’s burial is proof of just how determined he is to win on this weekend’s Matchroom bill.
“My family is burying my grandmother today,” he said quietly at Thursday’s press conference. “This is what I have trained for. This is the opportunity that I want.”
Opportunity has not always been straightforward for McComb. His second career defeat—a widely debated split decision loss to Arnold Barboza in New York in April 2024—left him sitting on the sidelines for over a year, as the risk of fighting him outweighed the apparent reward for many contenders.
After finally regaining momentum with two wins earlier this year against Ben Crocker and Alexis Torres, he is now presented with the opportunity to set up a big 2026.
5 December 2025
Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
The Belfast southpaw is a massive bookies’ favourite but he knows it won’t be plain sailing in the land of yachts.
“The Monaco Boxing Federation obviously have high expectations of Huge Micallef and what he brings to the table. I have full belief and full trust in my own ability to overcome any challenge. Even if it is in someone else’s back garden. .This is the opportunity that I want and we’re ready for it. “
And even in Monaco, McComb expects the fight to play out to a familiar backing track. “The Irish always travel well. They travel in numbers. They can outnumber people with the noise they carry. That’s something special with Irish support. It’s great to give them the opportunity to come out here to a place like Monaco.”