February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Scheduled for eight stanzas at the Plattduetsche Park Restaurant in Franklin Square, the outcome of the light middleweight contest was never in any doubt from the second round when Moore had Aguirre on his knees from an overhand right.
Aguirre tried to make a fight of it early in the third, engaging Moore in a brief exchange before the Arklow transplant landed another right on the chin. Aguirre went down and although he beat the count on unsteady legs, was saved from further punishment by referee Tony Chiarantano.
It went down as a TKO at 1:40 minutes of the third, Moore’s eighth win via the short route as he improved to 10-0. Aguirre, a 29-year-old Greensboro, NC, resident with Mexican roots, dropped to 12-6-1.
Moore boxed superbly and punched with more authority – continuing the steady improvement he’s shown in every fight since his debut in August 2005.
“More control,” he explained. “I felt that I showed more ring generalship. I feel (that) I’m improving all the time.”
Moore put in seven and a half weeks of work preparing for Aguirre, sparring with middleweights and super middleweights and studying videotapes of his opponent.
“We noticed that after he throws the (left) jab he dropped it to his waist,” Moore pointed out, disclosing why he was able to connect frequently with the right.
Moore, who returns to Vero Beach, Fl., to train with John Duddy, was still disappointed that it ended so early.
“I was hoping to do the full eight rounds,” he complained. “My fitness was super and I wasn’t breathing hard at the end. I’m looking for a challenge — I want to step up in class.”
TOP CLASS
Moore’s trainer Harry Keitt gave his charge an ‘A’ plus for his performance, considering that he was coming off a five-month layoff.
“He had a long layoff and still looked good,” Keitt noted. “He had a tough guy, the guy was a survivor but James gave it his all. He was sitting down on his punches, taking his time and not winding up. He’s getting used to American type of boxing.”
PROUD COUSIN
Patrick Goff, Moore’s cousin and one of over 1,100 fans that crammed the Plattduetsche Park Restaurant to watch the light middleweight prospect, gave his kinsman two thumbs up.
“James is a winner and he’ll always be a winner!” declared the Woodlawn resident and construction worker.
FAGAN CHALLENGE
In the biggest fight of his career, Oisin Fagan, the Oklahoma City-based Irish junior welterweight titlist, takes on undefeated Paul Spadafora, an ex-IBF lightweight titlist, in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., on March 9. The non-title bout is scheduled for 10 rounds.
Spadafora (39-0-1, 16 KOs), is making a come-back after serving a jail sentence for shooting his girlfriend.
The feisty Fagan (17-3, 10 KOs) dismissed Spadafora’s tough guy reputation, saying: “No man intimidates me. I’m from Dublin.”
Tickets are available at the Soaring Eagle Casino box office (1-888-726-9633) or by calling Star Ticket Plus at 1-800-585-3737.