New York St Patrick’s Day Boxing festival
By Jonny Stapleton
American promoter Lou DiBella will play Santa Clause to a number of Irish fighters by announcing a massive St Patrick’s Day Irish packed fight card before Christmas.
The DiBella Entertainment boss is looking to pack out Madison Square Garden on March 17 and is keen to round off the capital’s Paddy’s day celebrations with an appetizing Irish fight menu.
As well as using his American based Irish stable DiBella has been working with Eddie Hearn in a bid to give some of Matchroom’s Irish fighters a chance to grow a Stateside following in the Garden.
Carl Frampton and Eamonn O’Kane look likely to join Matthew Macklin and Andy Lee and could fight in the famous venue, whilst Paul McCloskey could also appear if he fails to tempt a big name to visit Belfast in early March.
DiBella also suggested he was open to putting heavyweight hopeful Tyson Fury on the card and urged Mick Hennessy to get in touch if he wants to give the British and Commonwealth champion some US exposure.
Speaking to Onthegrindboxing.com’s radio show DiBella revelaed,
“I am going to have a big St Patrick Day show in New York City,” Di Bella explained.
“I would like to announce the card before the Christmas holiday. I am talking to Eddie Hearn about putting Matchroom’s Irish fighters on the card. I want to make a massive Paddy’s day show and I am working with the Hearns. I know Carl Frampton has been dieing to fight in New York. We are looking at him and others. I haven’t talked to Mick Hennesey but I can work with Mick and if he wants to talk I am willing to do so.”
Top of the bill has yet to be confirmed but DiBella admits, as Mirror Sport revealed a number of months ago, it will most likely be a Sergio Martinez and Matthew Macklin world title fight.
The Irish middleweight has been linked with the Argentine Pound for Pound number 3 for months now and it seems they are moving closer to an agreement.
“Martinez will fight Matthew Macklin on march 17 in all likely hood. I think he proved against Sturm that he is the top middleweight in the world after Martinez. Right now in the absence of big pay per view fight for Martinez Macklin is the biggest and best fight we could make.”
