February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
After a first round spent feeling out the taller Burke, McDermott hurt his man with a right hand early in the second heat then opened up with a barrage of shots to the body. Trapped on the ropes, Burke turned away but was pounded with a succession of rights that forced the referee to stop the lightweight match.
McDermott, a 26-year-old from Jersey City with Co. Mayo blood in his veins, improved to 3-0, while Burke, who’s also 26 and fights out of Columbus, Ohio, remained winless in eleven scraps now since turning pro in June 2003.
“I got him two days before the fight,” McDermott explained. “There were a couple of names out there that didn’t come through.”
“I feel good and there’s talk of (me) fighting on Nov. 4 at the Hammerstein Ballroom,” he added, referring to the Manhattan card on which Irish Ropes prospects middleweight sensation John Duddy and light middleweight James Moore, are scheduled to appear.
“It will be fun to be on the same show again with John.”
McDermott and Duddy last shared a card on June 11 when both won impressively on points at the famed Madison Square Garden.
DUDDY HONORED
Meanwhile, Duddy, of whom much is expected in the ring, has picked up the first of what could be many honors in prizefighting.
The undefeated Derry sensation (12-0, 11 KOs) was at the weekend named the first recipient of the Al Gavin Memorial Award for Fighter of the Year.
The award was recently established by the Al Gavin Memorial Committee in honor of the legendary cutman who died in the summer of 2004 at age 70. Gavin, whose father was born in Co. Wicklow, worked with some of boxing’s top fighters, including former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and counted Duddy among his clients.
According to “Big” George Mitchell, current president of the Al Gavin Memorial Committee, Duddy has been recognized for his explosive exploits in the period between September 30, 2004 and September 30 this year.
“It’s based on his performance and quality of opposition. He beat a 16-0 guy and he beat (a) 7-0 guy,” Mitchell said in Atlantic City, noting the middleweight’s stunning first round wins over Lenord Pierre and light heavyweight Victor Paz in the past year.
Duddy was equally stunned when he heard the news on Sunday.
“That’s fantastic!” he exclaimed. “I’m sort of shocked. It’s an honor. Al Gavin was a great influence and inspiration for me. I was hoping to have him in my corner for my first world title fight,” Duddy added.
He will receive the award at a ceremony to be scheduled soon.
Duddy, who knocked out Joseph Brady in 61 seconds in Mansfield, Mass., two weeks ago, returned to the gym this week to prepare for the Nov. 4 show in Manhattan.