The wait is finally over for Timmy Egan in the MSG Ring Masters tournament. He climbs into the ring against Gaetano Di Chiara at the Brickhouse Boxing and Fitness Club in Yaphank on Long Island this Saturday, with a place in the 165-pound Open final awaiting the winner.
Four months ago, the Dundalk native defeated the teenager on points at Gaelic Park in the Bronx. He’s plotting another victory.
“I have a very good idea of how he fights and I have a good game plan coming up against him,” Egan, who represents Bua Boxing Club in Astoria, Queens, told the Echo earlier.
”We hope it’s a repeat of the first fight. We know the guy he’s fighting is a very aggressive, come-forward fighter, so we gotta be ready. We gotta be sharp," trainer and Bua proprietor Donal Ward chimed in. "Hopefully, we can make him miss and pick off clean shots. So, I think if Timmy sticks to the game plan, he should have a good chance.”
The Egan-Di Chiara winner will meet the victor of the other semi-final between teenagers Jaden Harvey and Carmine Gentile in April's final.
Last year’s Ring Masters 165-pound Novice titlist, Egan, who’s 31, wants to become the first Irish-born fighter to become a two-time Ring Masters champion. The tournament is the successor to the New York Daily News Golden Gloves – one of the world’s most famous amateur competition that was held from 1927 to 2017.
Brickhouse Boxing and Fitness Club is located at 84 Horseblock Road, Yaphank, NY 11980. Call
(631) 775-0303 for more information. The bouts start at 5 p.m.
BATTLE OF THE BADGES
This year’s Irish first responders versus FDNY showdown on the International Battle of the Badges card at Madison Square Garden on March 6 features one of Ireland’s most accomplished amateurs in cruiserweight Paddy Clavin of the Tipperary Fire and Rescue. The two-time World Police Fire Games Gold Medalist is matched against Kyle McGrath of the New Rochelle Emergency Medical Services in a three-rounder.
“I’ve been boxing for close to 20 years [and] I’m grateful to the Fire Department of New York for the opportunity to box at Madison Square Garden,” said Clavin, who won the second of his World Police Fire Games Gold Medals last summer.
In McGrath, he faces a seasoned foe who has stepped up from the light heavyweight division and kept busy by competing in this year's MSG Ring Masters tournament.
Clavin, who also represents Templemore BC in Tipperary, is the founder of the Irish Firefighters Boxing Club.
In a heavyweight scrap, Clavin’s Tipperary Fire and Rescue compatriot Dean Griffin, a newcomer to the sport, meets debutant Jason Bergrin of FDNY Lad. Co. 5. A southpaw, Griffin is at age 36 a year older than Bergrin. He’s also won the one amateur fight that he’s had.
Flying the Garda banner once again in New York, middleweight Daragh Gilroy will be shooting for another win over Staten Island’s Sean Dillon in a rematch of their summer clash in Rockaway, Queens, last year. The speedy Gilroy bested Dillon, a third generation fire fighter, then on the “Thrilla in Camilla” card.
In another middleweight bout, Garda member Eoin O'Connor squares off with Oliver Patrouch from FDNY Eng. 50. “He’s new to the FDNY ranks but no stranger to the ring,” noted Bobby McGuire, FDNY club president. “Oliver is excited to see what the Emerald Isle has to offer inside the ropes and under the lights at Madison Square Garden.”
The show includes other FDNY fighters in action against first responders from other cities. Following is the bout sheet [FDNY boxers listed first]:
Welterweights - Nicole "The Bull" Malpeso vs. Meg Kilroe [nurse, Boston, Mass.], and Jimmy Howell vs. Gary Nieves [DSNY]; middleweight Chris Paladino vs. Carlos Sandoval [Texas PD]; and light heavyweights - James Gennari vs. Mikael Stone [Atlanta PD], and Gavin Conner [Denver FD] vs. Dominik Burridge [LFD].
Cruiserweight - Sam Kelly vs. Shane Mendoza [LFB]; Rich Weinstein vs. Craig Serino [Massport Fire]; heavyweight - Chris Puch vs. Kristian Latiker
[Atlanta PD], and Jonathan Bermeo [DSNY] vs. Obi Nwachuwu [Texas PD].
Tickets, pegged at $50, $70 and $120 for ringside, are on sale at http://www.fdnyboxing.org
Call 917 282-8727 for corporate or business sponsorship opportunities, or email Bobby McGuire at fdnyboxing@gmail.com.
