Ahead of his next major bout – for the SBC Elite 176 pound title at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens this Thursday – nationally ranked amateur Sean O’Bradaigh sparred a few rounds in Manhattan last week with one of the biggest names in combat sport: Conor McGregor. But it didn’t end there.
Later, McGregor shared a short clip of himself connecting on O’Bradaigh at the New York Athletic Club [NYAC] with UFC boss Dana White. “I got some good rounds in with a young American Irish lad recently. No. 8 ranked in the USA at light heavyweight, Sean O’Bradaigh, he caught me some nice shots and I caught him with this tasty back hand hook as well!” read the caption.
It went viral, garnering more than 100,000 likes before it began circulating on other social media platforms, according to talksport.com.
O’Bradaigh, who’s 22 and a New York University senior, wasn’t entirely amused by the one-sided narrative.
“Was a pleasure sparring champ! Let’s see the whole footage,” he demanded on the dual weight UFC champion’s Instagram post, adding a wink emoji.
O’Bradaigh proceeded to re-post supportive messages received from fans and friends, noted talksport.
One poster strongly suggested that O’Bradaigh had bested the flamboyant McGregor, who’s 36, in their sparring session at the NYAC gym.
“Don’t get it twisted, Sean O’Bradaigh took McNuggets [sic] lunch money and made him hide in the pool tonight,” read the post shared to O’Bradaigh's Instagram story. “Check McNugg’s [sic] IG story. Same building, he didn’t wanna come back.”
O’Bradaigh is not the first boxer McGregor has annoyed by sharing unflattering sparring footage, said talksport. “Paulie Malignaggi helped the UFC legend prepare for his 2017 crossover bout against Floyd Mayweather, only for footage of their sparring sessions to be publicly leaked by McGregor’s team… the pair became bitter enemies as a result.”
At any rate, O’Bradaigh faces an immediately more dangerous foe for the SBC Elite 176 pound belt this Thursday in Carderon Deleon, a 19-year-old knockout artist who’s been starching opponents across New York. His latest stoppage won him the SBC title off Adrian Frometa last June.
“His main thing is he's a big puncher,” O’Bradaigh noted. “He knocks out half the guys he fights, so I just gotta watch out for the power.”
O'Bradaigh’s honors include the Ring Masters/Golden Gloves middleweight crown, the New York Boxing Tournament Elite light heavyweight title and a final four finish at the U.S. National Championships in 2023.
The Melrose Ballroom is located at 3608 33rd St. Long Island City, NY 11106. Doors open at 5:30 pm with the first fight at 6:30 pm. Visit https://www.strongislandfights.com/ for tickets and other information
DUBLIN CORONATION
“King” Callum Walsh, the Los Angeles-based light middleweight, made his Irish homecoming a sweet and short one. He knocked out Przemyslaw Runowski at 2:04 of the second round at Dublin’s 3Arena.
After sizing up the 30-year-old Pole in the first round, Walsh, seven years younger, dropped Runowski with a one-two to the head. He was counted out on his knees.
Walsh improved to 12-0 [10 KOs], while Runowski dropped to 22-3-1 [6 KOs].
“He had never been stopped until he got hit by me. I just hit too hard. Once you get touched to the chin by my left hand, it’s game over,” the Cork native told the media.
“I can’t wait to come back.”
FRYERS STOPPED
At the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Clones product “Lethal” Larry Fryers succumbed in the fifth round to undefeated junior welterweight prospect Emiliano Fernando Vargas .[12-0, 10 KOs].
“I gave it everything and unfortunately it just didn’t go my way. But I had a blast and left the ring and occasion with no regrets,” said Fryers [13-7-1, 5 KOs] on his return to his upstate New York home.
Vargas made the most his speed advantage, firing off quick shots before changing stances to land from different angles. In rounds three and four, the 20-year-old began to sit on his punches and carefully place his counters. In the following stanza, Vargas uncorked an overhand left from the southpaw stance that decked Fryers.
Said Vargas: “I learned experience. Every time I’m in the ring, I pick up more experience under my belt. You learn on the job. I don’t care what anyone says. There’s no video on how to be a professional fighter.”
