A huge overhand right in the third and final stanza by the nationally ranked Carmine Gentile ended Timmy Egan’s run in the MSG Ring Masters’ 165-pound Elite division in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn last Friday. Egan’s KO loss, his first defeat in the tournament over two years, came in the second of his two semi-final encounters in the double-elimination format.
Earlier in March, the Dundalk native had outpointed Gaetano Di Chiara for the second time in four months to secure the last four showdown with Gentile, a 20-year-old Staten Island resident ranked eighth nationally. Gentile, on the other hand, had beaten fellow nationally ranked middleweight Jaden Harvey to reach the last four.
“It was a huge overhand right that was the knockout,” said Donal Ward, Egan’s trainer. “Carmine was controlling the fight from the start. Timmy moved well but struggled to land anything really significant, and as it went on Carmine started to pick his shots. Timmy had some success with the [left] hand in the second round but struggled to follow up with more. Carmine’s experience controlled the fight.”
Egan’s record dropped to 11-5, while the vastly experienced Gentile is now 42-22.
Egan, who’s 31, won last year’s Ring Masters 165-pound Novice title and was bidding to become the first Irish-born boxer to become a two-time Ring Masters champion.
“Timmy put in a lot of effort and now knows competing at open level against experienced fighters requires a lot more. That’s something every boxer has to learn as they step up,” said Ward, whose Astoria, Queens-based Bua Boxing Egan represents. “From my side, we’ll take a bit of time now, reset, and then decide if he wants to keep going.”
Egan’s other win in this year’s Ring Masters was over Fabian Cordero in January.=
FEARLESS FEARGAL
In his debut fight under a new promotional banner, New York-based Tyrone super featherweight “Fearless” Feargal McCrory takes on former world champion Mark Magsayo at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on April 5. The scheduled 10-round non-title fight at lightweight will be streamed live on Paramount + .
The once-beaten McCrory [17-1, 9 KOs] will be returning more than a year after an impressive eighth round KO of Keenan Carbajal at Madison Square Garden. He’s signed a three-year promotional contract with Vegas-based Zuffa Boxing, co-founded by Dana White, who also promotes Cork middleweight prospect Callum Walsh.
“I was offered the fight with Mark Magsayo [28-2, 18 KOs] and I accepted it,” said McCrory. “He's a good fighter. He's a former world champion. He's very experienced. He hits very hard. But I'm confident of getting the job done. The reason I'm in this sport, the reason I came to America to pursue my career and my ambitions was to get the biggest fights. And this is a big fight.
“It's a fight that excites me. It's a fight that I think we'll take out the best in me and it's a fight that I have to win.”
RYAN O’ROURKE
On April 17, Dubliner Ryan O’Rourke [13-0, 3 KOs] meets his Star Boxing stablemate Alex Vargas [14-0, 5 KOs] at Madison Square Garden’s Infosys Theater in a battle of undefeated junior welterweights.
Their scheduled eight-rounder will be on the undercard of a Most Valuable Promotions [MVP] card to be broadcast live on ESPN and the ESPN App.
Dubbed “The Silent Assassin,” the 26-year-old O’Rourke is a rangy 5-foot-11 prospect who will be making his sixth appearance States-side.
In Vargas, who fights out of Bellport, New York, he faces a once decorated amateur who bagged two Junior Olympic titles and was a New York Golden Gloves finalist. Nick-named “El Toro” [The Bull], the compact Vargas will be giving away three inches in height to O’Rourke.
“This is the sort of opportunity I’ve been waiting for. Big thanks to Joe DeGuardia, Sheer Sports and MVP for giving it to me,” said O’Rourke. “To come all the way from Ireland and fight in such an iconic venue like MSG is a dream come true, but these are the sort of cards and venues I've always seen myself boxing on, so on Friday, April 17, I’m coming to put on a standout performance and announce myself on the big stage.”
Vargas, known as a slick and technically skilled boxer with sharp footwork and ring intelligence, is up for the challenge, too.
“I’ve been doubted my entire career, but that’s what motivated me,” said Vargas. “Fighting at Madison Square Garden is a dream, and on Friday, April 17 it’s time to beat another undefeated fighter and prove I belong here.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity for both fighters,” said Star Boxing CEO Joe DeGuardia. “Alex and Ryan are both undefeated, hungry, and looking to prove themselves on a big stage. Fighting at Madison Square Garden is every fighter’s dream, and this matchup has all the ingredients to be a tremendous fight for the fans.”
Headlining the card is unified super featherweight world champion Alycia Baumgardner in a title defense against Bo Mi Re Shin.
Tickets are available from Ticketmaster here.
