February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Jay Mwamba
Martin O’Malley says he’ll step it up a notch when he faces New Jersey’s Damian Brazoban in an eight-round lightweight contest at the Elk’s Club in Queens next Friday, Sept. 8.
"Everything is going good and I’m in pretty good shape," the 25-year-old sensation said last week.
O’Malley, who improved his professional ledger to 14-0 (13 KOs) with a first-round TKO over John Scalzi in his New York debut last month, said he was prepared to go the distance against Brazoban, on the Rockall Promotions’ "Big Apple Fight Night" boxing card. Brazoban has never been stopped.
"I hear he’s a boxer and that he’s never been stopped," noted O’Malley, who was born in Edmonds, Wash., and raised in County Wicklow. "I need experience fighting guys like that."
A boxer-puncher himself, O’Malley has never gone beyond six rounds. "But I’ve been sparring up to eight rounds, so even if the fight goes the distance, there’s no fear of me running out gas," he said.
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The young prospect has won his last eight bouts via the short route, and has fought 36 consecutive rounds as a professional without losing a round on a judge’s scorecard.
"We had our first promotion last month and it was a great success. People love to see talent and Martin O’ Malley is pure talent," said Rockall spokesperson Martin Somers.
"Brazoban will be a good test for Martin. He has never been stopped, so we’ll see if he can take Martin’s body punching."
Rockall Promotions’ immediate goal for O’Malley is the North American Boxing Federation lightweight title. O’Malley is ranked No. 15 by the NABF.
Also on the "Big Apple Fight Night" show will be 1996 Irish Olympian Cathal O’Grady, a 13-2 (10 KOs) light heavyweight from Kildare, in his maiden U.S. appearance as a pro against New Englander Darren Whitley in a bout scheduled for six rounds.
O’Grady is a hard-punching ex-European junior heavyweight gold medallist who won 10 Irish National titles as an amateur.
"I’m just looking forward to getting in there and giving a good account of myself," he said.
In the co-feature, unbeaten heavyweight Tim Williamson (8-0, 7 KOs) squares off with George Holder (9-3, 7 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
The rest of the undercard features former Irish Ropes amateur Fari Caba (1-0) in a four-round featherweight match against Kenny Davis (1-1); and super middleweights Carmine Tufano (15-0) vs. Carlton Holland over eight rounds, John Vargas (6-0) vs. Sam Duggins (3-6) in a four-rounder, and Joey Paladino (10-2) vs. TBA.
Tickets are available on-line through celticwarriors.com or by calling (718) 318-2727 or (800) 474-7480. Charges are $30 general admission and $50 for VIP seating.
Doors open at 7 p.m., and the first bout begins promptly at 7:30.