February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Jay Mwamba
Irish fists will be flying during St. Patrick’s Day week with three boxing matches lined up between tonight (March 13) and next Thursday for hot lightweight prospect Martin O’Malley, veteran super bantamweight John Lowey, and Dublin upstart Jon O’Brien.
O’Brien, who will be making his U.S. debut after relocating to Woodlawn in the Bronx, will be the first in the ring when he squares of with Washington, D.C., super middleweight John "Chocolate Thunder" Boyd at Yonkers Raceway this evening.
The Dubliner is 2-1-1 in the paid ranks, while Boyd has only two wins in five starts, both by knockout. Doors at the Raceway open at 7 p.m. and advance tickets are available by calling O’Brien at (718) 324-8045.
On St. Patrick’s Day, John Lowey attempts to get his world title hopes back on track when he faces the regarded Oscar Larios in a nationally televised match from Albuquerque, N.M. The bout will be on the undercard of ex-world champion Johnny Tapia’s 12-round contest with Cuauhtemoc "Famosito" Gomez on the Showtime cable network.
Lowey (27-2, 18 KO’s) is a former International Boxing Organization 122-pound titleholder, while the 37-3 Larios is a former World Boxing Council challenger.
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The 33-year-old Belfastman’s last appearance Statesside was a gutsy 6-round decision over Marik McKay, after a 9-month layoff, in Yonkers last summer. Lowey’s two career defeats were both eighth-round stoppages by Erik Morales and Kennedy McKinney.
And Martin O’Malley, 16-0 (14 KOs) and rising in stock value in many circles, takes on the biggest challenge of his young career in the shape of Mexican warhorse Luis Lizarrage (30-23-3, 22 KOs) in the co-feature of a Glen Burnie, Md., show next Thursday, March 22. It’s scheduled for eight rounds. The other main event, at Michael’s, on Eighth Avenue (call (410) 766-7474 for ticket information), pits junior welterweights Manuel Rodrigues (11-1) against Michael Warrick (16-0).
O’Malley agreed to fight Lizarrage, an impressive fourth-round KO winner over highly rated Jermaine Fields on his last visit to Baltimore last September, after his planned debut on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights fell through recently.
Asked if the seasoned Mexican was his toughest opponent to date, O’Malley replied: "Looks to be, on paper."
"He’s fought all name guys, former champs and up and coming fighters. He’s 29 and has been a pro since his teens."
A sleek boxer-puncher, O’Malley, is, however, not daunted by Lizarrage’s vast experience.
"I’m always looking forward to getting guys like this and showing people that I can beat people of this caliber. It should be interesting," he said.
O’Malley, who will have world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis’s cutman, Al Gavin, as one of his cornermen, will spend the week before the fight winding up sparring and studying videotapes of his opponent.
He added that he was keen on putting on a show for the people in Baltimore.
"I can’t wait to fight again, and I hear the people in Baltimore are great boxing fans," he said.
"Hopefully, Baltimore is big enough for two Martin O’Malleys," he added, with a reference to his namesake, Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley.
The 25-year-old prospect last fought two months ago when he outclassed former Ghanaian lightweight champion Awel Abdulai over eight rounds.
O’Malley is steadily moving into contention in the lightweight division in various boxing organizations, including the IBF, WBA and WBC. He hopes to fight for a North American title soon.