February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Referee David Irving, the sole arbiter of the 10 round contest at the National Stadium, scored the match 96-94 for Dunne, who was fighting on home soil for the second time in three months.
The 25 year-old featherweight, now 16-0 (9 KOs) in the paid ranks, was headed for a hard earned but uneventful points decision in the last stanza when the rugged Voronin, who’s 31 and ranked seventh (23-4-1, 17 KOs) in Europe threw a desperation left hook that landed flush.
Dunne was buzzed and spent the remainder of the round running away from Voronin until he’d regained his senses.
“I thought I dominated for nine rounds but credit to him he came on strong in the last,” Dunne later acknowledged. “He caught me round the back of the head and that sent me off balance but I survived and went on to win the fight and that’s what this business is all about.”
“This guy would be a hard night’s work for anyone in the world. He was number seven in Europe so by beating him I’ve secured a place in the rankings,” he added.
Based in Los Angeles until last fall, Dunne could return States-side for his next fight.
“We’ve been asked to go back there and I’ve always said if the right fight comes up over there I’d love to go back so we’ll see what happens,” the fighter said.
PHILLY-BOUND
Newly crowned Irish middleweight champion Matt Macklin, a one-time hurling star out of Ballingary, Co. Tipperary, and via Birmingham, England, is the latest Irish pug to try his fistic luck in the United States.
Macklin, who celebrated his 23rd birthday last Saturday by starching Michael Monaghan in five rounds for the vacant 160-pound Irish crown on the Dunne-Voronin undercard, has joined Irish-American handler Tom Moran’s stable in Philadelphia. Moran’s star pupil is IBF world junior middleweight titlist Kassim Ouma, the former child soldier from Uganda.
“I’ve trained at Shuler’s in Philly and really like the atmosphere, the fighters and the sparring,” said Macklin. “They have a team thing going like we do in Manchester at Billy Graham’s Phoenix Gym, the home of Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton.”
Macklin (13-1, 9 KOs) will continue to work with Graham.
Said Moran from Las Vegas: “He’s worked with us before in Philly and we look forward to having him (again). It’s a good family situation.”
Growing up in Ballingray, Macklin was a two-sport standout, excelling in hurling at representative level alongside All-Ireland ace Owen Kelly.
REA RELOCATES
Fleeing the distraction of heavily Irish Boston, knockout specialist Joe “Sugar” Rea (4-0, 3 KOs) has relocated to the relative solitude of Manchester, Conn., to pursue his professional career.
“I felt that I needed to make a switch and leave Boston where I had lots of friends,” Rea, who’s 21, said. “I’m more focused here.”
Abandoning the hub meant parting with octogenarian trainer Goody Petronelli, renowned for guiding the careers of world middleweight champs Steve Collins and Marvelous Marvin Hagler. But the Ballymena prizefighter said he’d found an equally good mentor in John Scully, a 38 year-old former cruiserweight whose last professional fight was four years ago.
“I’m learning better things everyday,” said Rea. “It’s the best move I’ve made.”
He’s coming off back-to-back KO wins over light heavyweight Jerald Lowe and super middleweight Cory Phelps, and hopes to keep his busy schedule going with another fight on May 28 in Cape Cod.
“I also have a fight scheduled for June 17 in Rhode Island and July 8 on ESPN2,” he disclosed.
The latter bout will be in New Hampshire.
THORNTON HEARING
Martin Thornton, the Galway-born prizefighter who was charged with armed assault with intent to commit robbery when he was arrested in Quincy, Mass., on March 11, is scheduled to appear in court for probable cause this Friday.
Jean Alexander, an assistant clerk in the Quincy District Court, said last Friday that the fighter has surrendered his passport pending his court date.
The 26 year-old Thornton, who goes by the nickname “The Irish Assassin,” is alleged, while armed with a gun, to have assaulted Jakub Ziajz with intent to rob. Bail was initially set at $10,000 and he was ordered to stay away from Ziajz.