February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The former tough man, who turned 29 in January, has decided to test his prowess as a prizefighter with nary an amateur background in his County Mayo past.
Timlin was over the moon on Feb. 28 when his pro debut at the Lewiston Multi-Purpose Center in Maine lasted less than two minutes. To cap it all for the 6-foot-1, 240-pound heavyweight, the Lewiston Sun-Journal captured his victory with a photo reminiscent of the famous image from Ali-Liston II there 40 years ago of the young Muhammad Ali taunting the fallen Sonny Liston.
In the Sun-Journal’s March 1 sports pages was a dramatic shot of the muscular Timlin towering over his felled victim, Vinny Donatelli, beckoning him to get up.
A 39-year-old local restaurateur making a comeback after seven years out of the ring, Donatelli was dispatched with a three-punch combination: a right uppercut, left hook and overhand right.
Timlin made a big enough impression to receive an invitation from promoter Joey Gamache, the former world junior welterweight champion, to fight in another four-rounder there on March 27.
“I hope to be fighting once a month from now on,” the Queens carpenter said last week. “I really don’t mind who I fight, it’s just a (matter) of getting some ring experience.”
The big question, though, is, why the late start?
“It’s something I had in my head for a while,” he said of his decision to turn professional at age 29. “I had the opportunity to do it and I took it.”
It might even have been a logical move for a man with an old penchant for the fighting arts.
Timlin was a kick boxer in Ireland, practiced jujitsu and dabbled in boxing, though he had no competitive fights in the ring. He moved to the United States seven years ago and engaged in what he terms “no holds barred” competitions, basically unsanctioned contests in which participants wore 2-ounce glove.
“To protect their hands more than anything else,” Timlin recalled.
He fought for money, anything from $300 to $3,000 per bout, depending on his negotiation skills. To improve his hand skills, Timlin started boxing training in 2002. He liked it so much that he stuck to it.
“Once I got into it I liked it. Boxing is more of a mind game and involves more thinking than ‘no holds barred,’ ” he said.
He’s been training at Gleason’s Gym under the watchful eye of Orlando Carrasquillo, a 21-year coaching veteran with names such as former world champions Mark Breland, Junior Jones and Pernell “Sweetpea” Whitaker on his resume.
Carrasquillo calls Timlin an eager student and compliments his power, while quickly noting the work that needs to be done.
“I’ve been working with Declan for three to four months and he’s a dedicated guy in the gym,” Carrasquillo said. “He’s a good puncher and physically strong. He’s one of the strongest guys I’ve worked with.”
According to Timlin, he has assets in both hands. “I have a very good left jab and a very good right hand,” he said.
He also rates his chin highly, pointing to the fact that he took some heavy shots in his previous fighting career.
It stood up to the initial test in the ring as well, against the 271-pound Donatelli.
“He caught me twice with two decent right hooks. I shook them off,” Timlin said.
At any rate, Timlin hopes that his punching power and strong chin will keep his boxing adventure going for as long as possible.