Their first scrap five months ago for the Ring Masters/Golden Gloves middleweight novice title was a close affair that ended with Sean O'Bradaigh’s hands raised in victory at Madison Square Gardens after a split points decision.
This Thursday night, at the Melrose Ballroom in Long Island City, O'Bradaigh and nemesis Israel Bailey go at it again with another local title on the line. Their scheduled three-rounder is for the Six Borough Championships’ 165-pound Elite belt.
Asked what he’s done different in preparation for this latest encounter with one of the hardest punchers he’s faced, O'Bradaigh talked of working on his counter punching to negate Bailey’s forte.
“Since our fight, he's had a few knockouts,” O'Bradaigh started. “Usually he lands an overhead right. That's his power shot, so I'm definitely gonna be avoiding that. So what I want to do is instead of starting the exchanges, I’ll wait till he throws his shot [and counter him]. I feel like if I throw first, a lot of the time he can counter with a big shot if he makes me miss.
“It can be pretty devastating because you [get hurt more] by a counter punch as you're falling in with your own punch, so it's like a harder collision. So I'm just gonna be wary of his right hand. He hits harder than most of the people I fight.”
The unattached O'Bradaigh -- who at age 21 is five years younger than his foe from the Southbox Gym in the Bronx – also plans to exploit Bailey’s lack of combination punching. “He throws a maximum two punches at a time, he’s not a big combination puncher, so I think if I keep moving around, throwing combos he [will] have an issue.”
O'Bradaigh and Bailey have been on different trajectories since their last encounter in April. While the former competed at the national championships in Texas, the New York Boxing Tournament and is fresh from “The Last Chance Olympic Qualifier” tournament in Pueblo, Colorado; the latter only saw action in the New York tourney in June.
“He lost in the final of the New York tournament at 165 pounds [while] I won at 176 pounds,” O'Bradaigh noted.
The Melrose Ballroom is located at 3608 33rdd St. in Queens. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the first bell is at 7 p.m. Call 718.255.6921 for ticket information.
‘KING’ CALLUM MSG-BOUND
Rising Irish star ‘King’ Callum Walsh makes his New York debut on one of boxing’s biggest stages, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, on Nov. 9. He defends his WBC Silver super welterweight title against Ismael Villarreal of the Bronx.
The scheduled 10-rounder will be broadcast globally on UFC FIGHT PASS.
Out of Cork, Walsh, who’s 22 and has an 8-0 [7 KO] ledger, will be making his second defense of the WBC belt, following a fourth-round stoppage of veteran Juan Jose Velasco in Los Angeles, CA. Villarreal is 13-1 [9 KOs].
“Every fighter aspires to fight at Madison Square Garden,” said the Freddie Roach-trained southpaw. “It’s a big combat sports week and a dream come true to fight at ‘The Mecca of Boxing’ in New York City ahead of UFC 295. I can’t wait to put on a great show for the fans and my Irish compatriots.”
“For Callum to be making his Garden debut is a testament to his hard work and talent,” said Walsh’s Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. “But to be the headliner, in just his ninth pro fight, and during this special week, that is a ringing endorsement from The Garden executives. Villarreal is another big test for Callum. Callum wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“My dream is to be a world boxing champion and to achieve it I have to eliminate all the obstacles that come my way and Callum Walsh will be no exception,” said Villarreal. “I will be happy to do it in New York in front of my fans, in the city where I was born and have lived all my life. I know that this victory will open the doors for me to compete in a world championship no later than 2024. On November 9, the boxing world will know who Ismael "Maelo" Villarreal is.”
Tickets priced at $205, $155, $55, and $35, are available online at ww.msg.com or at the Madison Square Garden box office and via Ticketmaster locations. Accessible and companion seats are available via the Accessibility Department at 888.609.7599.
