A BOXING enthusiast has enjoyed a knockout birthday after a special message from a double world champion.

Mckenzie Kearsley-Edmond celebrated turning 11 on June 11 and received a signed picture of Josh Taylor in action.

However, it was a present he could not unwrap that really floored the youngster.

Taylor, 29, took time out from his training regime to film a short video wishing Mckenzie, who hopes to follow in the boxer’s footsteps and join Lochend Amateur Boxing Club, a happy birthday.

His dad Chris Kearsley, who lives in Dunbar, said: “I’ve never seen him so emotional in my life. He was just about in tears of happiness.”

The incredible gift came about through Chris, who is a self-employed joiner, getting in touch with Jennifer Charlton.

The Duns-based photographer has been a regular at Taylor’s fights and was able to not only arrange for a signed picture of the boxer in action against Ryan Martin but also line up the birthday message.

Taylor, from Prestonpans but now living in Haddington, said: “Hi Mckenzie, hi wee man, happy birthday.

“Hope you have a great day and I’ll see you at Lochend [Amateur Boxing Club] one day when it opens back up.

“We’ll do a bit of training together.”

Mckenzie, who is going into P7 at Dunbar Primary School, has been clocking up the miles watching “his hero”.

He has taken in fights in Glasgow and even met Taylor in unusual circumstances before the county fighter lifted the IBF World Super Lightweight title against Ivan Baranchyk.

His dad said: “We were staying at the Radisson RED in Glasgow and got into the lift on the seventh floor.

“The lift stopped on the sixth floor and Shane and Barry McGuigan and Josh all got in and we got a picture with them.”

Mckenzie and his dad even travelled to London in October to see Taylor put his newly claimed world title up against Regis Prograis and his WBA World Super Lightweight championship.

Chris said: “I’ve always been a boxing fan and kept up training for the last wee while.

“We started following Josh and found out he was from Prestonpans.

“We went to watch his fight with Viktor Postol in Glasgow, and Lynne Wilson [an ASN auxiliary at Dunbar Primary School] is Josh’s cousin.

“We started going to Josh’s fights and Mckenzie became interested in boxing.

“He joined the Bronx Boxing Gym in Tranent and was doing a bit of training there.

“We went to all the World Boxing Super Series fights and went to the final in London against Regis Prograis.

“Mckenzie was on cloud nine for a week afterwards; it was a great atmosphere!”