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Rapper Kendrick Lamar's unlikely boxing friendship revealed
25 Jun
Summary
- Kendrick Lamar watched Aaron McKenna spar in Los Angeles in 2018.
- Lamar attended McKenna's fight and later visited his dressing room.
- McKenna is now challenging for a world title in Dublin.
In 2018, Irish boxer Aaron McKenna's training sessions in Los Angeles took an unexpected turn when rapper Kendrick Lamar became a ringside spectator. McKenna, then a teenager with few professional fights, recalled the competitive edge that emerged during sparring with his brother while Lamar watched.
Lamar, who frequented the same gym, developed a rapport with McKenna. The rapper's support extended to attending McKenna's fight at Fantasy Springs casino, traveling over four hours from Los Angeles. He personally visited McKenna's dressing room to offer good luck wishes just before the bout.
McKenna eventually secured a second-round knockout victory that night. He remained in contact with Lamar until returning to Ireland with his family during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2025, Lamar achieved significant success, earning five Grammy Awards and headlining the Super Bowl halftime show.
Now 26, McKenna is preparing for his own major career milestone. He will challenge for the vacant IBF middleweight world title against Etinosa Oliha in Dublin in August. McKenna views this as his entry into his prime, with his career now reaching a significant stage.
