McCreedy goes back to future; trained again by Ward & Eklund

Posted on | March 14, 2010 | No Comments

O’Connor-Gonzalez headlines March 19 show at Twin River Event Center, RI

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 14, 2010) – “Irish” Joey McCreedy is back being trained by “Irish” Micky Ward and Ward’s brother, Dicky Eklund, who worked with fellow Lowell (MA) resident McCreedy back when McCreedy was an amateur boxer and for McCreedy’s first six pro fights.

McCreedy (11-4-1, 6 KOs), the reigning EBA and New England super middleweight champion, made the switch back to Ward and Eklund after the Rivera Brothers Gym in Lynn (MA) was recently closed. The commute is much closer because Chelmsford is much closer to Lowell than Lynn.

Joey’s “new” corner will be with him March 19 when McCreedy faces veteran Dhafir “No Fear” Smith (22-19-6, 4 KOs) in a 6-round bout on the “ShamRock’d” pro card, presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), at Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I.

“When the Rivera Brothers Gym closed, I went back with Micky and Dicky at Gold’s Gym,” McCreedy explained. “Nothing against the Rivera brothers. They were great and I’d still be with them if their gym hadn’t closed. Dicky is the best conditioning coach around. He’s unbelievable. Micky really pushed you in the gym. He’s not just some guy – he’s Micky Ward and nobody wants to let him down. Dicky trained Micky and both have been around. It’s great having them back in my corner”

McCreedy was prepared to drop down to middleweight for an opponent who fell out, but he’ll fight Smith at super middleweight for their 6-round bout. “I’m definitely going down to 160,” Joey said. “When I fought Bobo Starnino at super middleweight, we were both the same height, so it didn’t matter. My last few fights I weighed in at 164 and my opponents were much heavier than me. I’m only (5-foot-8) and I’ve been fighting guys 6-1, 6-2 as a super middleweight and light heavyweight before that. In my last fight against (Otis) Griffin, I was around 174 (in the ring) and he must have been 190. My body has gotten used to losing weight. I walked around at 200 when I fought at light heavyweight, 185 as a super middleweight. I’m eating much better and after this fight I’ll stay in the gym and won’t weigh more than 180. I’m going to bring my power down to middleweight.”

Undefeated junior welterweight prospect Danny O’Connor (10-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of Framingham (MA), puts his perfect pro record on the line in the 8-round main event against

Franklin Gonzalez (13-3, 9 KOs).

Four-time world champion Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt (20-4-1, 7 KOs) faces former world title-holder Belinda “Brown Sugar” Laracuente (24-25-3, 9 KOs) in a 6-round decision. Two years ago, Clampitt defeated Laracuente by 10-round decision for the IWBF lightweight belt.

A 6-round rematch between EBA New England lightweight champion Eddie “The Puerto Rican Sensation” Soto (12-0, 4 KOs) and McCreedy’s stablemate and Lowell neighbor, Sean Eklund (6-4, 1 KO), is on tap for the vacant EBA New England super lightweight crown. This inter-state rivalry matches Pawtucket’s (RI) Soto against Eklund, who is trained by his uncle, “Irish” Micky Ward, in a rematch of Soto’s controversial, split-decision victory last February at Twin River.

New Bedford (MA) welterweight Jason “School Boy” Pires (22-3, 9 KOs), the former USBA super bantamweight champion and active New Bedford police officer, faces an opponent to be determined in a 6-round bout.

Also fighting on the undercard in a 4-rounder is Warwick (RI) super middleweight Keith Kozlin (4-0, 2 KOs) versus Roberto Burgess (4-2, 2 KOs), while Philadelphia lightweight Frankie Trader (6-0, 2 KOs) will fight an opponent to be determined. All bouts and boxers are subject to change.

Rollback ticket prices for “Shamrock’d” are $35.00, $50.00, $75.00 and $100.00 and are available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at Twin River’s Players Club booth at Twin River, or any TicketMaster location.

Contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or the Twin River Event Center (877.82.RIVER/ www.twinriver.com) for more information. Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.

(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “ShamRock’d.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied at all times by an adult and they must enter through the West entrance.)