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Boxing Roundup: A pair of knockout debuts

February 17, 2011

By Staff Reporter

The 27 year-old Moore decked Ecuadorian Gabriel Garcia three times en route to a second round TKO in their light middleweight contest at the Manhattan Center.
Macklin, meanwhile dominated one-time John Duddy victim Leo Laudat for three rounds before the referee called a halt to the mugging at the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City. There were no knockdowns.
Cheered wildly by a good Irish turnout a stone’s throw from Madison Square Garden, Moore fended off a quick start by Garcia to score the first knock down of the scheduled four-rounder with a booming overhand right midway through the opening stanza.
Another right dropped the South American to his knees before the end of the round as Moore’s vast ring experience accrued in the amateurs came to the fore.
There was no respite for Garcia in the second heat as Moore came out working behind a left jab. He wobbled his man with a thudding right and jumped in moments later with a body assault that put Garcia down for the third and last time.
Referee Steve Smoger stopped the fight at 1:23 of the round.
“My plan was to use the left hand to find him and then let the right go. I was setting him up and landing my big right hand,” the elated Moore explained in his locker room after opening his professional account in grand style.
“It was even better than I expected. That’s my first fight so I should only get better,” he added before taking off to phone his trainer dad, Jim, on tour with an Irish junior boxing team in Estonia.
Trainer Harry Keitt gave Moore, one of Ireland’s most decorated amateurs in recent years with three Senior titles and a bronze medal from the 2001 world championships, a “B” for his performance.
“I think he’s promising,” Keitt said. “There’re some things he’s
got to work on. He’s been fighting for a long time and so (things) are habit-forming. I consider him an 8-0 pro because he’s got so much experience.”
Eddie McLoughlin, Moore’s chief handler in the Irish Ropes stable, was relieved that his second Irish charge after Duddy had cleared his first obstacle with flying colors.
“You are always nervous with the first (fight),” noted McLoughlin noted. “He executed great once he had the guy in trouble. He’s very advanced. I think we’ll move him to six rounds.”
That could come as early as Aug. 26 in White Plains, New York.

MAULER MACKLIN
Macklin did all but drop Laudat in improving to 14-1 (10 KOs) in his maiden U.S. appearance.
Fighting at light middleweight, the 23-year-old stalked the elusive Laudat, frequently landing lead left hooks.
The end came at 1:44 of the third round after Macklin connected with a left-right combination that sent Laudat to the ropes. The Irish champion then opened up forcing the referee into action.
Said Macklin: “You haven’t seen the best of me yet. I tried too hard to knock him out, so I didn’t have the snap on the end of my punches. He was an awkward fighter, so my plan was to relax and get some rounds in.”
Laudat, who floored Duddy but kissed the canvas three times himself in a first round KO loss to the middleweight sensation two years ago, dropped to 7-9 (7 KOs).
Matt’s Roscommon-born father, Seamus, who flew in from England to watch the fight, was impressed by son’s showing.
“I thought (Matt) looked good, maybe a bit apprehensive in the first round, but he totally outclassed the guy. I don’t think the guy landed even one punch,” he said.

CLANCY DECISION
Mark Clancy, the younger half of the Boston-based Clancy brothers, eked out a majority points decision over Bronx resident Duane White in a four-round cruiserweight match at Foxwoods Casino last Friday.
Two of the three judges scored the bout 39-37 for the County Clare native, while the third official had it a 38-38 draw.
“He was a tough kid,” said Clancy, who upped his ledger to 3-0-1.
“I didn’t know anything about him and was surprised to find that he was a southpaw when we got in the ring. I trained to fight a right handed (opponent).”
Apart from White’s awkward stance, the 6-foot-two Clancy also spotted the New Yorker an inch.
“He was good, very athletic, very muscular, but I boxed well,” the 29 year-old observed.
Clancy’s older brother, James, a heavyweight, was supposed to be fight on the same card, but pulled out after bursting his eardrum sparring with Mark.

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