One is winless in his last two fights and the other last fought two years ago, but light Danny "Little Mac" McDermott and cruiserweight Bobby Gunn have both clinched world title shots next month.
Calling his lucky turn a "huge Cinderella Shot," McDermott will square off with two-time former world champ Mauricio Pastrana for the World Boxing Union crown at the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta, Ga., July 16.
In the main event of that show, Gunn, also known as the "Celtic Warrior" will fight for the International Boxing Union title against an opponent to be named.
"If I win, I will be the first world champion from North Bergen, New Jersey since James J. Braddock," said McDermott last week, evoking memories of prizefighting's original "Cinderella Man." "I'm working with former junior middleweight champion Mark Medal."
McDermott, a 31-year-old with an 8-3 ledger [3 KOs] who traces his lineage to Foxford, County Mayo, has lost his previous two fights. But in Pastrana, he'll be facing a puncher who's only won one of his last nine bouts going back to 2007.
The 38 year-old Colombian, a professional since 1991, is 35-15-2 [23 KOs].
Gunn, meanwhile, returns to the ring for the first time since his fourth round TKO loss to New Jersey based-Pole Tomasz Adamek for the IBF cruiserweight belt in 2009. Adamek, now a heavyweight, defeated Kevin McBride last March.
Gunn, who's 37, has a 21-4-1 [18 KOs] record.
