[caption id="attachment_67939" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Sean Monaghan."]
Sean Monaghan returns to Madison Square Garden Dec. 3 for a six-rounder against Santos Martinez on the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito undercard. The fight will be in the Garden's main arena.
Also scheduled back in the ring Dec. 1 is heavyweight Thomas Hardwick in a four-round contest at the Paradise Theatre in the Bronx.
Monaghan, a 10-0 light heavyweight with seven KOs, and Hardwick [3-0, 2 KOs] sparred seven rounds with each other at the New York Sports Lab in mid-Manhattan last Thursday and were both pleased with the workout.
"I wanted eight rounds but they [the promoters] said no," Monaghan said of his upcoming match. "I'm in good shape and [trainer] Joe [Higgins] has me working hard."
In Martinez, the wildly popular Long Beach, Long Island, resident with County Meath roots faces a 34-year-old late bloomer out of Adrian, Mich., with a 2-2 record.
Monaghan scored a fifth round TKO over Anthony Pietrantonio in the Garden's WaMu Theatre last month. He said his appearance in the main arena this time would be special and not for boxing reasons.
Dec. 3 marks the seventh anniversary of his friend best Bobby Calabrese's death and Monaghan, who dedicates all his fights to the slain Calabrese, said this one would be a special dedication.
"It's a very big deal for me, personally," he added.
HARDWICK TEST
Hardwick, meanwhile, is up for another test on his first venture into the Bronx for his fourth pro contest on December 1. His opponent will be announced later.
"I'm looking forward to it - I've got my eye on the prize," said Hardwick.
He's specifically eying a Jan. 21 show at the Roseland Ballroom should he get past his next foe.
The Dubliner is training six days a week under new trainer Matthew Sykes who's led his boxer wife Eileen Miyoko, aka "The Hawaiian Mongoose" to two world flyweight titles.
Sykes replaces Grant Selig.
"I'm getting him in shape. We're working on the fundamentals. He has so much power [so] I'm cleaning him up for the next fight and he'll be good to go," Sykes said.
