Boston’s Keane prevails

By Jay Mwamba Boston light heavyweight Colm Keane won a four-round decision over Atlantic City’s Manu Ntooh at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester, Mass., last Thursday to improve his pro record to 4-0. Keane and his previously undefeated opponent went at it for the entire four rounds, to the delight of some 1,500 fans in the Theatre, but it was the 22-year-old former Irish regional titlist who came out tops. "He was a tough kid, he came to fight," said Keane. Keane, who entered the ring at 178 pounds, credited his superior conditioningfor the victory. "It was a battle from start to finish, and there was no backing away. But I trained hard." The Galway native, nonetheless, gave Ntooh, an African, props for his skills. "He looked like he had a lot of amateur experience," Keane said. Trained and managed by fellow Galwayman Martin Grealish, Keane is a promising 6-foot-2 prospect promoted by Duva Boxing. He made his New York debut last summer with a first round TKO over Kurt Shaka at Yonkers Raceway. A construction worker by day, Keane had an 89-10 amateur career, during which he picked up three New England Golden Gloves titles and four Irish regional championships. "He’s a great prospect and it’s a matter of time before he’s ranked in the light heavyweight division," promoter Lou Duva, who’s worked with some of the best fighters in the world, said.