Boxing Info: Duddy-Bonsante headlines “Erin Go Brawl”

IBA middleweight champion “Ireland’s” John Duddy defends his world title for the first time, as well as his WBC Continental Americas belt, March 16 against The Contender 1 star Anthony “The Bullet” Bonsante, headlining the “Erin Go Brawl” pay-per-view event, live from The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

“Erin Go Brawl,” presented by Irish Ropes Promotions, will be broadcast live in North America on cable and satellite pay-per-view starting at 9 PM/ET, 6 PM/PT. The event is being produced and distributed for pay-per-view by Integrated Sports and will be available in more than 50-million homes in North America via iN Demand, TVN, DirecTV and Dish Network in the USA, as well as Viewer’s Choice in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95.

“It’s going to be a barnburner of an event,” Irish Ropes president Eddie McLouglin said. “It’s an Irish show, the night before St. Patrick’s Day, in Madison Square Garden. Duddy is more known and better respected after his great fight with “Yory Boy’ Campas. People all over the world know Bonsante from The Contender and he earned this shot against Duddy by beating (Matt) Vanda. The interest in this show is unbelievable and that’s why we decided to do a pay-per-view event. I’ve already been inundated with ticket requests. We have people coming from across the United States, Ireland, Canada and even 16 I know of all the way from Australia.”

Duddy (18-0, 15 KOs), rated No. 7 by the WBO and No. 9 by the WBA, captured the vacant IBA championship September 29, 2006 by 12-round decision in a brutal fight with former world champion Campas before a sellout crowd in The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The charismatic, handsome Duddy is a budding star.

Vanda was supposed to be Duddy’s opponent but Bonsante (29-8-3, 17 KOs) turned in a career-defining performance January 12 against his Minnesota archrival, winning a one-sided 10-round decision in Minneapolis for the Minnesota State and IBA Americas middleweight titles, as well as his March 16th title shot against Duddy.

Also fighters scheduled to fight on “Erin Go Brawl” card include 2004 Irish Olympian middleweight Andy Lee (6-0, 3 KOs), world-rated super featherweight Maureen “The Real Million Dollar Baby” Shea (8-0, 4 KOs), the unbeaten Clancy brothers – heavyweight James (9-0, 1 KO) and cruiserweight Mark (6-0-1, 1 KO) – from Clare, Ireland and now fighting out of Boston, and 2004 Irish National Senior amateur champion Henry Coyle in his pro debut. All bouts and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $400.00, $300.00, $200.00, $150.00, $100.00, $75.00 and $50.00, may be purchased at the Garden Box Office, thegarden.com, or by calling TicketMaster at 212.307.7171. All tickets include a $4.50 facility fee and TicketMaster orders are subject to TicketMaster service charge. For more information about “Erin Go Brawl” call Irish Ropes Promotions at 212.835.1582 or going on line to www.irishropes.com.

Boston Press Conference Quotes

John Duddy: “New York City and Boston have been like second homes for me. I’ve been here (Boston) a few times to visit friends and it’s a good place for me to relax. I look forward to fighting at The Garden, but I’m not just the only one fighting, it’s the whole package with guys like the Clancys fighting, too. It’s going to be a big Irish night and I hope to carry the flag again. I’m looking forward to fighting Anthony Bonsante. I leave next week for training camp in Florida so Harry (Keitt, his head trainer) can beat me up some more.

“I can’t believe the reception I’ve received on the East Coast in New York and Boston. I never thought it would be like this. My Irish and Irish-American fans keep me going. I’ll be in even better shape, mentally and physically, for this fight, even better than I was for the (Yory Boy) Campas fight. Hopefully this is going to be a year of big things for us. “

Anthony Bonsante: (By Phone) “I’ve always dreamed of fighting at The Garden. I’m excited as hell. It’s a big opportunity for me. I’m getting better and better. I’ll be training my butt off. There are implications for a really big fight if and when I win (March 16). He can box and punch, but I’m coming to win. I’m taking nothing away from Duddy; he’s a great puncher. We’re
going to devise and work hard on a plan for him. I realize it’s an uphill battle for me fighting in Madison Square Garden, the night before St. Patrick’s Day against a fighter like Duddy with all of the Irish there. But, in my heart, I have a good shot to win.”

James Clancy: “I’m honored to be fighting for Irish Ropes on March 16 again and being on John Duddy’s undercard.”