Connal McDonald is determined to pull off an upset against Lucas Roehrig when they clash in their Zuffa Boxing debut on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports. The Scottish cruiserweight believes his amateur pedigree and ring experience give him every chance of derailing the unbeaten prospect.
According to Sky Sports, McDonald has been speaking up ahead of the encounter, drawing on a remarkable amateur achievement that has taken on fresh significance in recent years.
Roehrig, 23, is an exciting prospect being expertly guided towards the top by former world champion George Groves. The unbeaten cruiserweight boasts a 7-0 record with his last two wins coming by knockout, making him one of the most promising names in the division.
Yet McDonald carries credentials that should not be overlooked. He holds the Scottish Area cruiserweight title and brings genuine amateur experience to the ring. Most notably, McDonald won five of his last six professional bouts, with his most recent victory coming against Scott Forrest on May 16, 2026, when he claimed the Scottish Area cruiserweight title.
The standout moment in McDonald's amateur career came in 2014 when he defeated Daniel Dubois in the final of the Great British Youth championships. Both were teenagers at the time, yet Dubois has since become a formidable two-time heavyweight champion of the world.
There was all this talk about his power, even at that age. The win looks great now! But at the time I was very, very confident, borderline cocky.
McDonald reflected on that memorable encounter, recalling the physical contrast between the two young fighters.
I was a very different fighter when I was that age. When Daniel walked out he was massive, built like a superhero. I was 17 and he was either 16 or 17. I had the whole mindset of 'I'm going to smash him'.
I was standing in that ring thinking: 'I'm going to school this guy, I'm going to smash him.'
Despite the physical disparity, McDonald proved too sharp on the night.
It was a tough fight. The one thing I can remember is he was easy to land on. I was landing quite a lot of shots. I definitely thought at the end of the fight, I definitely won but it was one of those things where looking back on it, it was a tough fight.
The Scottish fighter acknowledged the remarkable trajectory Dubois has followed since their teenage clash.
But I never would have thought he would have went on to be [one of the world's best heavyweights]. You're talking Usyk and probably Daniel Dubois now. Just respect to him for what he's done.
Now McDonald is channelling that same confidence and determination into his showdown with Roehrig.
I've come a long way from then, I'm a different boxer but come fight night I'll be treating it the exact same. No matter who's in there I'm going to go in and win.
The Zuffa Boxing 12 card
The Roehrig versus McDonald bout is part of Zuffa Boxing 12, headlined by Chris Billam-Smith versus Cheavon Clarke at London's Copper Box Arena. The event takes place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
