[caption id="attachment_66646" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Kevin Rooney has Elmer Vera on the back foot in their recent bout. "]
Kevin Rooney's hurricane-delayed third bout is now scheduled for Sept. 23 at the Cordon Bleu in Woodhaven, Queens.
The light middleweight son of former Mike Tyson trainer Kevin Rooney, Sr., joins Dublin-born heavyweight Thomas Hardwick and Joe Smith, Jr., a 7-1 light heavyweight with Derry roots, on the Celtic card in recent years.
Rooney, 2-0 with one KO on his young ledger, was scheduled to fight the debuting Carlos Perez August 27 in Atlantic City but the show was canceled because of Hurricane Irene.
He said on Monday that efforts were being made to secure Perez for September 23 and if not him, then another opponent for a four-rounder.
Rooney, who's 26, debuted in April with a four round unanimous points decision over David Navarro. In his second outing last July, the 154-pounder starched Elmer Vera in the first round.
HARDWICK READY
Hardwick, 2-0 as well since joining the paid ranks in May, doesn't have a clue either on who he'll face at the Cordon Bleu but says he'll be ready.
"Training is going great and really enjoying it. I'm working out six days a week," said the Yonkers resident.
The Hardwick camp has been boosted by the inclusion of upstate heavyweight Derric Rossy as an assistant trainer to work with Grant Selig. Rossy, from Medford, New York, is a veteran fighter [25-5] that has won the State title and other fringe world championships.
"He's brought so much to the team. It's a pleasure working with him," said Hardwick, who's sparred with the 31 year-old Rossy numerous times.
Undefeated in the amateurs, which he left with an 8-0 record and the New York Daily News Golden Gloves novice title to his name, Hardwick has knockout wins over Derek Walker and Rodelle Bolar thus far.
Joe "The Irish Bomber" Smith's opponent had also not been announced by press time.
The Cordon Bleu card is a co-promotion between Irishman Jim Foley's Old World Boxing, New Legend Boxing and Universal Boxing.
MATT COMING
World middleweight title contender Matthew Macklin is moving to New York after signing a promotional deal with Lou DiBella's DB Entertainment.
According to Tomas Rohan from Macklin's management team, Brian Peters Promotions, the fighter wants to relocate so that he can build a fan base in the Big Apple.
"He wants to get over there and get out and about the Irish communities in Queens, the Bronx etc. to introduce himself and become a familiar face," Rohan told the Echo.
Macklin, 28-3 [19 Kos] and a controversial loser to WBA champ Felix Sturm last June, was recently in New York to look at apartments and gyms.
"We also met with Lou [DiBella] and he's working on a fight for Matthew in Manhattan in late November [or] early December with Matthew headlining on Epix, the network which showed his fight with Sturm. Then all going well a fight with [Sergio] Martinez on Paddy's weekend next year," said Rohan.
Martinez is the recognized world middleweight champion and now a promotional stablemate of both Macklin and Andy Lee's.
Macklin, meanwhile, is expected back States-side in time for Lee's much anticipated rematch with Bryan Vera in Atlantic City, Oct. 1. Martinez will face Englishman Darren Barker on the same card.
