February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
A fundraiser for the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens, the show is co-promoted by Ron Lovell, former heavyweight contender Gerry Cooney, and NYPD boxing coach Lee Packtor.
Conlon, 46-6 as a senior amateur following last week’s defeat, will renew acquaintances with St. Saviour’s Andrew O’Neill in a 152-pound contest, said Packtor, who is a cousin of Conlon’s.
“They know each other from Dublin,” he added. O’Neill, at 27 two years older than his Queens-based opponent, has a 15-15 record.
Conlon, who has previously represented the Garda against New York’s Finest and now fights for Lost Battalion Hall in Rego Park, is one of two vanquished Gloves fighters included in the police team. The other is Webster PAL’s nationally ranked Alvin Acosta, who squares off with Kevin Cumiskey.
Acosta, the 2002 Gloves champion at 147 pounds, was also beaten in the 152-pound open quarterfinals at the Elks Club last Thursday. His bout with Cumiskey will be a rematch of their fight last summer which the former Irish champion won, said Packtor.
Also of note on Friday will be the clash at 140 pounds between teenagers Keith Boyle, who’s 16 and an All-Irish titlist, and 15-year-old Michael Cunningham, an Irish-American from Albany.
“He’s an excellent boxer,” Packtor said of young Cunningham.
The rest of the match-ups are (St. Saviour’s boxers first): 140 pounds, Cormac O’Connaire vs. Brian O’Neil; 147, Clyde Moran vs. Francis Jourdian; light heavyweight, Gerry Hussey vs. Angelo Maddox, and heavyweight, Paddy Gallagher vs. Tommy Delvecchio.
Hussey is the light heavyweight replacement for Sean Og O’Grady, whose brother Cathal O’Grady is the manager and St. Saviour’s delegation leader. Sean reportedly broke his hand in training last week.
By press time, Packtor was still looking for opponents for Olympic prospect and European Championship 118-pound bronze medallist Dean Murphy, and St. Saviour’s 12-year-old 80-pounder, Keith Doddy.
Proceeds from the show, whose doors open at 7:30 p.m., will go toward supporting boxing in Long Island.
For ticket information, please call (631) 689-7794.