When a fortunate younger fighter is informed he’s making his professional debut at Madison Sq. Backyard — The Mecca — there may be normally a scream and a leap for pleasure.
For 22-year-old Manhattanite Sean O’Bradaigh, low key could be the correct phrase as a result of, frankly, been there completed that.
“I’ve already fought in the Garden twice, in The Theater,” says O’Bradaigh. “The idea of fighting in the Garden has been a little diluted for me, unfortunately, but obviously as a professional, it’s a completely different deal.”
Sunday night time, at The Theater in MSG, the most important Irish card in New York Metropolis historical past — seven bouts that includes fighters from Eire or Irish descent — shall be streamed globally on UFC Combat Move starting at 6 p.m.
Headlining the cardboard is Cork, Eire’s undefeated tremendous welterweight Callum Walsh (12-0; 10 KOs), skilled by Corridor of Famer Freddie Roach, defending his WBC Continental Americas title in opposition to Dean Sutherland (19-1; 7 KOs) from Aberdeen, Scotland in a ten rounder.
Now don’t get O’Bradaigh unsuitable, the blood in his veins shall be racing on the night time earlier than St. Patrick’s Day as he faces Jose Manuel Florentine from Boston (additionally making his professional debut) within the scheduled 4 spherical gentle heavyweight contest.
You’ll be able to watch O’Bradaigh as his bout on the UFC Combat Move YouTube Channel round 4 p.m. is free.
“There’s going to be twice as many people then when I fought there in the New York Golden Gloves [now called the Ring Masters],” says the West Village resident. He captured the 165-pound division championship in 2023. As an beginner he was rated as excessive as eighth and competed within the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
(Picture courtesy of USA Boxing)
Sean O’Bradaigh
O’Bradaigh’s story is completely different than most boxers. He’s already a university graduate. He completed his bachelor’s diploma in actual property finance final December from NYU. Previous to that, he acquired his early education for at Lycée Francais De New York on Manhattan’s Higher East Facet. And, sure, he’s fluent in French.
He’ll be receiving his diploma with the remainder of his class in Could, however with time on his palms, finance can wait as boxing is the objective proper now.
The 6-1 fighter is just not your typical younger pugilist.
A member of the New York Athletic Membership, the place he trains twice a day, six occasions every week beneath the tutelage of coach Richard Stevenson, he appears like a well-schooled fighter describing his ring fashion.
“I’ve fought on the back foot a little more,” O’Bradaigh explains. “I like to counterpunch. I still come forward from time to time, but I’m definitely not a brawler. I don’t take a punch to give two. I like to make the person miss every punch.
“I use a stiff jab to keep my opponent away. I counter off the jab a lot with head movement, a lot of foot movement, lateral movement, angles, things like that.”
If O’Bradaigh appears like an informed scholar of the candy science it’s as a result of he learns by watching among the all-time finest fighters.
“My two favorite boxers of all time would be Roy Jones Jr. and Pernell Whitaker,” he says. “Just their styles. Roy Jones had this thing where he would put his hands down. He’s unbelievably fast, the talent, the movement, the balance, the ability and everything together was just a beautiful thing to watch.
“Pernell’s defense was unbelievable. The way he moves his feet, the way he’s able to stay balanced in every single movement and make people miss. Anyone who watches videos of Pernell will understand why he’s entertaining.”
O’Bradaigh began coaching when he was 13, lengthy after Jones and Whitaker had retired, nevertheless it was a gift day fighter that received him hooked.
“My dad’s friend came over from Ireland and stayed with us and said you guys have to watch this guy fighting tonight,” recollects O’Bradaigh, who virtually missed his probability to witness somebody particular. “I fell asleep on the couch, and they woke me up at about midnight and it was Conor McGregor fighting in the UFC before he was a champ [in 2015].
“I saw him walk out in a strut. Then they went to touch gloves with this guy Dennis Siver. He didn’t want to touch gloves. So, McGregor put up two middle fingers.
“Then within a minute after that, he knocked out Siver and did that strut again. I was like, that’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I want to learn how to do that.”
He began coaching in an MMA fitness center, however his coach mentioned overlook it.
“My boxing coach was like screw this MMA s–t. You’re good, you have good hands. Let’s just go to the boxing gym,” says O’Bradaigh, his household’s first era American, and a boxing profession was born.
Whilst an beginner, he’s gotten to see what big-time boxing is all about.
He simply got here again from Saudi Arabia the place he watched Dmitry Bivol seize the undisputed gentle heavyweight championship from Artur Beterbiev.
The expertise was unusual for O’Bradaigh.
“They’re not like a normal [fight] crowd,” he says. “They didn’t cheer as much. They were more quiet. They didn’t have live events in Saudi Arabia until like 2019. No concerts, no movie theaters. Nothing like that. It’s probably the most different place I’ve ever been.”
Needs to be a unique ambiance within the Backyard.
“I think Sunday at the Garden is going to be the opposite of that,” he says.
Whereas his father was born in Dublin, however working in banking in New York, and his mom is from Belgium, O’Bradaigh has a strong background to fall again on regardless the place boxing takes him.
“My dad always told me the most important thing to have in life is a choice,” he says. He was stress-free on a seaside in Australia and received the decision in regards to the Backyard battle. “I took the first flight back to New York City to go back into training.”
He’s been at it for the previous six weeks and the battle card peaked his curiosity because of his background in finance. O’Bradaigh is aware of his personal price.
“This event made a lot of sense for me,” he says, “I’m Irish American from New York City. I bring a local crowd, a crowd that wouldn’t be there otherwise.”
With all his coaching, what does he do to calm down?
“To be honest, I’m just on my phone to relax,” he says. “I’m on my phone too much. That’s the Gen Z curse. I rarely sit down and throw on a two and a half hour movie these days. We’re just lost on our phones.”
If profitable in boxing, will that make him a job mannequin?
“That’s a difficult question,” he says after a protracted pause. “Do I have the potential to be one? Yes. Am I one yet? Maybe for people in my inner circle. I don’t think I am for the world yet. I don’t see myself as being a celebrity yet.”
He nonetheless has enjoyable with the thought.
“I’ve been asked for my autograph … one time,” he says with a chuckle. “Honestly, after this fight, a lot of people are going to be asking for pictures and stuff at the arena. It’s going to be interesting.”
