Boxing will experience the luck of the Irish when the Golden Boy Live! series heads to Boston for a St. Patrick’s Day celebratory night of fights on Monday, March 17. Golden Boy Promotions is teaming up with Murphy’s Boxing U.S.A. and Back East Promotions to bring boxing back to Beantown for a stellarfight card at the House of Blues that will air live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes.
In the welterweight main event scheduled for 10 rounds, local hero Danny O’Connor takes on Virginia’s Andrew Farmer and the co-feature will see one of Ireland’s favorite sons, Dublin’s Jamie Kavanagh face off against an opponent to be named in an eight-round lightweight bout.
The card will feature a host of New England’s top talent including undefeated heavyweight Alexis Santos in the six-round televised opening bout against an opponent to be determined, debuting 2012 Irish Olympic Silver Medalist John Joe Nevin, as well as Ryan Kielczewski, Billy Traft, Rashidi Ellis and others in non-televised action.
“I can’t imagine there can be a better place to have a boxing event on St. Patrick’s Day than in Boston,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “We’ve partnered with Ken Casey and his company and we’re going to bring the great boxing fans of this city the fights they want and deserve. On March 17, the only place to be in Boston is at the House of Blues.”
“There has been a huge resurgence of boxing in Boston and it’s exciting that a global promotional company like Golden Boy Promotions has taken notice and is coming to Boston to partner with us,” said Ken Casey, founder of Murphy’s Boxing U.S.A. and Back East Promotions, as well as a founding member of the legendary Irish punk band the Dropkick Murphys. “St. Patrick’s Day in Boston is the perfect way to kick off this new partnership and this will hopefully lead to bigger and better fights here in Boston, home to some of boxing’s most loyal fans.”
Southpaw Danny O’Connor (23-2, 7 KO’s) is one of New England’s most popular fighters and the 28-year-old is more amped up than ever to put on a show on St. Patrick’s Day for his fans. A professional since 2008, O’Connor has won nine of his last 10 bouts, with the only loss coming via a highly-controversial split decision defeat to former World Champion Vivian Harris last October. On March 17, O’Connor will look for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and live up to the St. Patrick’s Day hype in his hometown.
Front Royal, Virginia’s Andrew Farmer (17-2, 7 KO’s) has no problem traveling into O’Connor’s backyard and after winning 13 of his last 14 bouts, the 28-year-old has confidence that when the bell sounds, he’s got the goods to upset the hometown favorite.
Twenty-three-year-old Dublin native Jamie “The Nuisance” Kavanagh (15-1-1, 7 KO’s) returns to the ring since suffering the first loss of his career against Daniel Ruiz last December. Now, he’s excited to be back and making his Boston debut on St. Patrick’s Day, when his loyal fans will undoubtedly be out in force to cheer him on.
In the Golden Boy Live! televised opener, it’s a six-round heavyweight bout, with Lawrence, Massachusetts’ 24-year-old Alexis Santos (12-0, 10 KO’s) looking for his seventh first-round knockout when he meets up with an opponent to be determined.
In undercard action, Mullingar, Ireland’s John Joe Nevin, a 2012 Olympic silver medal winner for Ireland, makes his highly-anticipated pro debut in a four-round bantamweight bout against San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Alberto Candelaria (3-0-1, 2 KO’s).
A full lineup of Massachusetts’s natives will feature Quincy’s Ryan Kielczewski (18-0, 4 KO’s), who puts his unbeaten record on the line in his six-round junior lightweight meeting with an opponent to be named. Super middleweights collide in a four-round bout when Dorchester’s Billy Traft (3-0, 1 KO) faces Marion newcomer Mike Schneider. Somerville’s Rashidi Ellis (3-0, 2 KO’s) takes on Schenectady, New York’s Bryan Abraham (6-18, 6 KO’s). Also scheduled for four rounds in the welterweight division Stoneham’s Greg Vendetti (4-1-1, 2 KO’s) meets Akron’s Damon Antoine (11-52-2).
O’Connor vs. Farmer, a 10-round welterweight bout is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Murphy’s Boxing U.S.A. and Back East Promotions and sponsored by Corona and O’Reilly Auto Parts. The House of Blues doors open at 5:00 p.m. ET and the first fight starts at 5:30 p.m. ET. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Tickets, priced at $150 (reserved seating), $100 (reserved seating) and $40 (general admission) are available for purchase now at the House of Blues Box Office, the Orpheum Theater box office or online at http://m.concerts.livenation.com/event/01004C389CC1B5BE, www.murphysboxingusa.com or www.backeastpromotions.com.
