TD Garden to host world-class boxing event this fall
"From start to finish, you will see the biggest and best night of boxing you have ever seen."
The first event at the Boston Garden was a boxing card in 1928.
The arena has since been reconstructed and renamed to become TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, and while it also frequently hosts other sporting events and concerts throughout the year, boxing has fallen to the wayside.
Now? Boxing is coming back to Boston.
The World Boston Organization middleweight title fight, featuring Rhode Island’s Demetrius Andrade and England’s Billy-Joe Saunders, tops the Oct. 20 bill. The night also features three fighters from Murphy’s Boxing, which Dropkick Murphys lead singer and bass guitarist Ken Casey founded in 2014.
“He is really the beating heart of boxing here in Boston,” English boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said of Casey, during an outdoor press conference at Faneuil Hall Friday. “The passion that this man has for the sport is unmatched.”
Casey called getting his fighters to the biggest stage an “awesome” feeling. Having grown up in Milton, the 48-year-old is a diehard Boston sports fan who is stoked to have two of his leading interests intersect at a venue near and dear to his heart.
“Obviously, I’m biased, as many are here, but I think we are the most passionate fans in sports,” Casey said. “We follow our teams, and we follow our fighters.”
The trio of Murphy’s Boxing fighters includes firefighter Danny O’Connor of Framingham, United States Marine veteran Mark Deluca of Whitman, and policeman Niall Kennedy of Ireland. O’Connor, who is on leave to focus on boxing, said he’s looking forward to fighting in front of a home crowd once again. The 33-year-old was part of the last boxing match at the Garden, which took place during the NHL lockout in 2013. He defeated Derek Silveira of Salem, Mass. in 10 rounds.
“This means a lot to me,” said O’Connor, who was wearing a Bruins jersey and a Red Sox hat. “It’s not just another venue. Being able to fight at the Garden, being able to follow in the footsteps of past professionals and greats in every different type of sport that have competed at the Garden, this means a lot to me.”
“Boston is a great sports city,” he continued. “They support their own. They support their teams. They admire their professionals. They take pride it in. I’m honored and lucky to be here.”
Danny O’Connor speaks during the press conference Friday.
Unlike O’Connor, Deluca will be fighting at the Garden for the first time.
“I’m very excited to bring some home cooking to the card,” he said. “I’m going to do my best to put on a good show. I’m a proud Bostonian, as you can hear in my voice. I’ve always represented this city well to the best of my abilities. October 20th, I’ll do my best and hope everybody has a good time.”
Others on the Oct. 20 bill include Katie Taylor, Cindy Serrano, Tevin Farmer, and James Tennyson. As Casey put it, “nothing like this has come to Boston.”
“From start to finish, you will see the biggest and best night of boxing you have ever seen,” Hearn said.
For those who can’t make it to TD Garden to catch the action live, all bouts will also be available on DAZN — a new over-the-top sports streaming service. DAZN launches in the U.S. Sept. 10, with its first major fight night (Anthony Joshua vs. Alexander Povetkin) scheduled for Sept. 22. The event is one of 70 fights scheduled to air on the platform.
“We want to adopt the model that’s been very successful in the U.K. and re-engage with boxing fans all over the country,” said Joseph Markowski, DAZN’s senior vice president. “Boston is a fantastic sporting city. It’s got an amazing sporting heritage, and we feel that the right shows have been placed here at the right venue. … Boston was always on the short list of where we wanted to take one of our early shows.”
