Breaking your leg might be a strange way to start your boxing carer but for unbeaten welterweight Steve O’Meara it was just the ‘break’ he was looking for. At 17, the West Drayton native was earning rave reviews for his displays on the football field with semi pro outfit Uxbridge until a broken leg sent his sporting career in an entirely different direction..
O’Meara takes up the story. “When I broke my leg I was looking for something I could do to keep my fitness levels up while my leg was still healing. I started doing a bit of boxing training and before I knew it I’d been bitten by the boxing bug.”
With a successful amateur career up and running O’Meara decided to hang up the boots for good and concentrate on his boxing. “I still mess around every now and then with my mates but I don’t play at a serious level anymore because it’s too risky.
“I can’t afford to pick up any injuries on the pitch because it could set your career back and I’m focused completely on my boxing these days. My mates say I have gone greedy and don’t pass the ball anymore so maybe I’m better off being in an individual sport now anyway!”
Since turning pro last April O’Meara has certainly had things all his own way racking up five straight wins with his last two outings featuring on ITV 4.
“It’s great to get TV exposure because it really lifts your profile,” said O’Meara. “When I fought J.J. Bird I went on straight after Junior Witter and it was shown live so that was a huge buzz. It was funny because if Junior’s fight had gone the distance I would have had to wait until after the main event that night to get on. I asked Junior to go out and finish his guy off early so that I could get on straight after him and he did so I owe him one now!
“I sold 300 tickets for that fight so it was a great feeling to come out in front of all those people and hear them chanting my name.”
O’Meara’s next outing will come on the undercard of Jon Thaxton’s first defence of his European Lightweight title in Norwich on the 28th February and he says he wants to take his winning record to double figures by the end of 2009.
“I’m happy to go with the flow for the time being and I don’t worry too much about who I’m fighting. I feel I’m improving all the time and I try and spar with anyone and everyone, short, tall, boxer, fighter, southpaw or orthodox because I don’t have as much amateur experience as a lot of the other pros starting out.
“By the end of the year I’d like to think I’ll be 10 and 0 and ready to challenge for my first title. This next fight in Norwich will be my first 6 rounder and I’m looking forward to it because although I’m not a one punch knockout artist I feel I’m the type of guy who can grind people down so when I start doing the longer distances I think you’ll see me starting to wear guys down with pressure.”
Featuring on the exciting undercard: Danny McIntosh v Matthew Barney for the English Light Heavyweight Title (subject to Boards approval), also appearing New Heavyweight Sensation Tyson Fury, Matthew Thirlwall, Lee Purdy, Earl Ling and making his pro debut, ABA Senior Featherweight Champion 2008 & awarded the best boxer of the night Royston’s Bradley Evans.
Tickets for Steve O’Meara’s fight on the undercard of Jon Thaxton’s first European title defence at the Norfolk Showground, Norwich on the 28th February are available from the Ticketline box office on 0871 424 4444 or via www.ticketline.co.uk
CAMACHO, MAKING TRANSITION FROM PROSPECT TO CONTENDER, TAKES ON MOLINA ON FRIDAY THE 13TH
Star Boxing’s welterweight prospect, Alexis Camacho (17-1,16KO) will look to make the transition from highly thought of prospect to contender when he takes on the very dangerous Carlos Molina (14-4-1,5KO) on Friday February 13th at New York’s famed Roseland Ballroom. The bout between Camacho and Molina is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and will be shown live as the main event of that evenings ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights” telecast. Camacho vs. Molina is scheduled for ten rounds in the welterweight division.
ALEXIS CAMACHO
The 27-year-old heavy handed Camacho, who hails from Mexico but now resides in Austin, TX, last saw action November 14th stopping Edvan Dos Santos Barros in the second round of their scheduled ten rounder. The fight marked the second time the young Camacho fought as the co-feature bout on a nationally televised broadcast. Now Camacho looks to feed off his latest victory and break into the spotlight in his first nationally televised main event. Camacho carries dynamite in both of his hands and can end the show at any point during the fight.
CARLOS MOLINA
The 25-year-old Molina, who also hails from Mexico, but now lives in Chicago, is a very tough and dangerous opponent, currently riding a 6 fight win streak. The only blemishes on his record have come against undefeated opponents, including a highly disputed draw and majority decision loss to jr. middleweight prospect Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Molina has a very fan friendly style as he rarely takes a step back and puts constant pressure on his opponents, which will make for a very entertaining match-up with the knockout artist Camacho.
“This is going to be an all out war come Friday the 13th. You have two Mexican warriors who are going in there with one thing in mind and that’s going right at the other guy and throwing everything they have at them. We expect this fight to be a non-stop punching, all-action affair. Both of these guys wear their hearts on their sleeves and will leave it all on the line come February 13th,” said Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing.
Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased through all livenation outlets or by going online to www.livenation.com or www.starboxing.com. Tickets may also be purchased by calling (718) 823-2000 or. Tickets can be purchased for $200, $100, $75, or $40. V.I.P tables are also available for purchase, for details call Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000. Roseland Ballroom is located in New York City at 239 W. 52 Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue. Doors open at 6:30 PM with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 PM.
CHUCK “THE PROFESSOR” MUSSACHIO TO MAKE LEGENDARY BLUE HORIZON DEBUT ON FRIDAY NIGHT, FEBRUARY 6TH
PHILADELPHIA (JANUARY 30, 2009)—One of the most popular fighters in the region, undefeated Light heavyweight, Chuck “The Professor” Mussachio makes his long awaited debut at the Legendary Blue Horizon as he takes on Gary Lavender on a six round cruiserweight bout as the co-feature on a big night of boxing at The Legendary Blue Horizon.
The card is promoted by Vernoca L. Michael and Blue Horizon Boxing Promotions Inc.
Mussachio of Wildwood, New Jersey brings a loud cheering section as he amassed a record of 12-0-2 with five knockouts and is taking the bout on eight days notice so this bout will be contested in the Cruiserweight division.
“I have been looking forward to this since I first put on my gloves” said Mussachio.
“It is just an honor to fight at The Legendary Blue Horizon and to work with Vernoca Michael & (matchmaker) Don Elbaum.”
In Mussachio’s last bout he fought to an eight round majority draw with Willis Lockett last September 19th in Delaware
Ironically it is Lavender, a native of Pine Level, North Carolina who has the experience inside the Legendary Blue Horizon ring.
Lavender has a record of 7-12 with six knockouts and is on a two bout winning streak. His most recent effort is a disqualification win over Leroy Hollis last December 12th in Jacksonville, Florida.
Lavender went the distance with main event participant, Ran Nakash on October 13th, 2006 at The Legendary Blue Horizon.
Mussachio better be on top of his game as Lavender has shocked an undefeated fighter before. On June 8th, 2007, Lavender took out heralded Chris Mclnerney (8-0-1) in two rounds.
The main event on February 6th will feature an eight round cruiserweight tilt between Ran Nakash (16-0, 12 KO’s) of Haifa, Israel and Ryan Carroll (7-1, 4 KO’s) of Delaware, Ohio
In a six round Jr. Welterweight bout, Elad Shmouel (18-2, 9 KO’s) of Tel Aviv, Israel makes his return to the ring after a thirteen month layoff when he takes on Khristian Garaci (4-5-1, 3 KO’s) of Pittsburgh.
Julius Edmonds (3-3) of Philadelphia battles Linwood Hurd (2-0-3) of Atlantic City in a six round Jr. Welterweight bout.
In a battle of 1-0 Middleweights, John Turner of Philadelphia takes on Marcus Bianconi of Houston in a scheduled four rounder.
Fresh off his pro debut win just three weeks prior, Ronald Cruz of Bethlehem, Pa. takes on debuting Adam Duncan of Philadelphia in a Welterweight bout scheduled for four rounds.
Anthony Abrams looks to improve on his 1-5 record as he battles Ardrick Butler (0-1) in a tussle of Philadelphia Middleweights.
Exciting Super Featherweight, Derrick Bivins (1-0) will also see action in a four round bout.
These fights will be streamed live all over the world on www.gofightlive.tv
Ticket prices for this great night of boxing are $200 for Queen Seating, $125 for Presidential seats, $65 for VIP, $55 for Ringside, and $45 for General Admission and can be purchased by calling The Legendary Blue Horizon at 1-215-763-0500 or by logging on to comcasttix.com. Doors open at 6:30 PM / 1st bout begins at 7:30 PM
The Legendary Blue Horizon is located at 1314 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, PA