A big Irish night in the ring

The putative main event is scheduled for Washington, D.C. where Kevin McBride gets his shot at glory against the once feared Mike Tyson in a pay-per-view bout on Showtime ($44.95, start time 9 pm) that has raised enough interest to sell over 12,000 tickets at the MCI Center.
At New York’s Madison Square Garden on the same night, middleweight sensation John Duddy goes for his 10th straight KO in as many pro starts against Nebraska import, Patrick Thompson.
Preceding Duddy in the ring will be Jersey City lightweight Danny McDermott in his second contest as a prizefighter. The scion of County Mayo immigrants squares off with Alex Metos from upstate Rochester in a four-rounder.

DAVID vs. GOLIATH

McBride-Tyson has the feel of a David vs. Goliath showdown about it with David in this case being a 6-foot-six slugger and Goliath, 5-feet-10 inches of explosive power.
In his prime, Tyson, the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title, was a ring terror who turned pulverizing opponents, regardless of shape or size, into an art form. But legal problems and stints in jail would erode his skills, while defeats to Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis would shatter the myth of his invincibility long before the stunning loss to English journeyman Danny Williams last year.
Tyson is eleven months removed from that debacle and questions linger on what he has left in the tank. The simple answer here is power. It’s a well-known boxing truism that the last thing an aging fighter loses is his power. And Tyson (50-5, 44 KOs) has always had plenty of pop.
In McBride, Tyson, at 38, six years older than the 32-4-1 (27 KO) All-Irish and IBC Americas heavyweight title holder, faces his tallest opponent. Suffice it to say, it will once again chin-check time for the “Clones Colossus.”
Undefeated since January 2002 when he was halted in five rounds by DaVarryl Williamson in Las Vegas, McBride’s four losses have all been on TKOs against nondescript opponents.
A 9-1 underdog in some betting parlors, McBride remains bullish about his chances, especially with the promise of a world title crack at WBA holder John Ruiz if he wins.
“I’ve always dreamed of becoming the heavyweight champion of the world,” he said last week. “Beating Tyson will put me in position for a title shot against one of the world champions. I’m going to prove that I’m a contender not a pretender.”
Assistant trainer Paschal Collins said McBride, last seen pummeling Kevin Montiy into submission on ESPN2 in March, is in the best shape of his career. He’ll need to be to survive the early torrid rounds against the former two-time world champion.
The colossus’ best chance of victory lies in stretching Tyson into the latter rounds where “Iron Mike” tends to lose focus, steam and fights.

THE REPLACEMENT

What’s a John Duddy fight without a late change of opponent?
Duddy, 10-0 (10 KOs), got a new foe last week in Patrick Thompson (9-4-1, 4 KOs) after his original opponent, Texas State champ Victor Lares (10-1, 3 KOs) was reportedly injured in training.
“No problem, not at all. I’m ready for any body,” the Derry Destroyer, typically unfazed, said last Saturday.
His mind was more on a tooth that he’d had extracted earlier on the day, although he was assured by his dentist that he’d be ripe and ready to go against Thompson.
Coming off a dazzling national television debut that saw him starch Leonard Pierre in 83 seconds on ESPN2, Duddy said he was in great shape and raring to stamp his mark on the fabled MSG.
Eddie McLoughlin called Thompson, a 32 year-old out of Lincoln, Nebraska, a credible opponent.
“He’s been the distance with Sechew Powell,” McLoughlin noted.
Powell, who holds an amateur victory over Duddy, is a promising 154-pound New Yorker.

CAMP OF CHAMPS

Danny McDermott arrived in New York on Monday after wrapping up a week long camp in Vero Beach, Florida, with WBC junior welterweight titlist Arturo Gatti and former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver.
The 25 year-old declared all systems go for his Garden debut against the debuting Alex Metos.
Both Duddy and McDermott will appear on the undercard of Miguel Cotto’s WBO light-welterweight defense against Mohamad Abdulaev. For tickets ($50, $100) call Jim Celebirti at (212) 465-6089 between 9 am and 5 pm.