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Overcast Monaghan returning to MSG
Long Beach pro boxer ready to ‘impress’ at the Garden
Fresh off his Las Vegas debut, professional boxer “Irish” Seanie Monaghan will return to Madison Square Garden on Jan. 25, where he will face Matt “The Predator” Vanda.
Monaghan, the WBC Continental Americas Light Heavyweight Champion, remains undefeated at 19-0, with 12 knockouts, and impressed in his Las Vegas debut last October when he defeated Anthony Caputo-Smith in the third round of a 10-round bout. The win marked the Long Beach resident’s 12th knockout since he began his professional career in 2010.
Monaghan landed over 50 percent of his punches at the Thomas & Mack Center, his first fight to air live on HBO Pay Per View, as the undercard of the Timothy Bradley-Juan Manuel Marquez world welterweight title fight.
“Things are really starting to take off, but that fight put me on a worldwide stage,” Monaghan said. “I’m doing the work in the gym right now to be ready, get through it and look impressive. Ticket sales for this one are flying out the door — usually we don’t sell anything the week of the fight but this time it’s like wild fire.”
Vanda (45-15, 25KOs) is known as a formidable opponent who has more experience in the ring than Caputo-Smith, Monaghan said. Vanda lost against Julio César Chávez Jr. in a controversial decision by a judge who gave the fight to Chávez.
“[Vanda] fought Chávez twice and he gave him a really hard time,” Monaghan said. “He went the distance with him both times.”
The fight will mark Monaghan’s sixth appearance at the Garden, including his bout in the Golden Gloves before he turned pro. He will fight Vanda as the undercard of the main event featuring undefeated boxer Mikey Garcia, who will defend his WBO Super Featherweight Championship against challenger Juan Carlos Burgos.
Monaghan said that after his fight against Vanda, he is hoping for a world title shot against Bernard Hopkins, currently the International Boxing Federation’s Light Heavyweight Champion.
“I want to show everybody that’ I’m a very dangerous fighter,” he said. “I give Matt Vanda a lot of credit for taking this fight, he’s a real professional. But I want to be the one who knocks him out.”
Tickets are available at the Saloon. Call (516) 244-9534 for more information.
