Boxing Roundup: O’Malley to end 9-month hiatus against rugged foe

Born in Edmonds, Wash., and raised in County Wicklow, O’Malley (21-3-1) is coming off a second-round TKO loss to Texas phenom Juan Diaz, who after drilling the Irish-American last April went on to win the World Boxing Association lightweight crown three months later.
O’Malley’s clash with Ortiz should be just as explosive, regardless of the outcome. Ortiz, who hails from Oregon, has won all his fights on his 9-5-1 record by knockout, while O’Malley won 14 of his 21 victories via the short route.

DUDDY OPPONENT CHANGE
John Duddy has a new foe on the Feb. 4 Northeast Promotions card in White Plains that the Derry Destroyer will headline.
Out goes Atlanta middleweight Chris Troupe (7-2), whose manager reportedly got cold feet after garnering more details on Duddy, and in comes 32-year-old Tampa, Fla., resident Oscar Gonzalez (8-2, 2 KOs).
“When his manager found out more information than he initially had on John, he pulled Troupe out,” said Duddy handler Eddie McLoughlin, who didn’t rule out another switch before Feb. 4.
Gonzalez has had a low-profile career since turning pro nearly a decade ago. He won his debut in October 1995 but was inactive for the next five and a half years.

DUNNE HOMECOMING
Undefeated featherweight Bernard Dunne, back in Dublin after a two-year stint in Los Angeles, is scheduled to meet former British and Commonwealth title challenger Jim Betts in a scheduled 10-round bout at the National Stadium on Feb. 19 in his first pro contest on Irish soil.
Dunne (14-0) is gunning for the European title held by Nicky Cook and told a Dublin press conference last week that he’d like that to happen before the end of summer.
“I would like this fight [Betts], one other and then Cook,” the 24-year-old was quoted as saying. “If they asked me to fight Cook now I’d take it, but would Cook? I don’t think he would be keen on fighting me.
Banking on his American experience, Dunne said: “I have sparred with some of the best fighters in the world, like Shane Mosley before he fought Oscar De La Hoya, Johnny Tapia, Manny Pacquaio, and even James Toney, so I don’t fear anyone in this division.”
The hard-punching Dubliner was part of the Sugar Ray Leonard stables before the promotional group folded last fall. He trained under Freddie Roach, who’s now working with McCullough.
The card will also feature the professional homecoming of Francie Barrett. Barrett, a Traveler from Galway, has been boxing in London in recent years since turning professional.
Also boxing on the undercard will be Jim Rock, who will be fight for the Irish middleweight championship.
The show is being sponsored by the Irish Daily Star on Sunday and promoter Brian Peters.