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PROVIDENCE (March 3, 2010) – Appropriately-named Danny O’Connor, 2008 U.S. Olympic Team alternate, headlines his first show March 19 on the post-St. Patrick’s Day card, “Shamrock’d,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), at Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I. Two other popular, Irish-American boxers, “Irish” Joey McCreedy and 4-time world champion Jaime “Hurricane” Clampitt, are also scheduled to be in action on “Shamrock’d,” the first of several shows (May 7, July 9, Sept. 3 and Nov. 12) being promoted by CES this year at Twin River. Unbeaten junior welterweight prospect O’Connor (10-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of Framingham (MA), recently returned from Tampa, where he served as a sparring partner for IBF junior welterweight champion Juan Urango at the famous Fight Factory Gym. “It was a great, new experience for me,” O’Connor said. “I was able to see what others do at training camp. I know what I’ve done to prepare for a fight, but it’s always nice to see how others do, especially a world champion. I was there as a sparring partner for Juan, but I got myself ready for my fight. Juan’s a real pro. We get along very well. I went there to be like a sponge, soaking everything up, and I did. He’s already accomplished what my goal is in boxing – to be world champion. “I keep moving forward. I’ve come a long way, trained hard and remain focused and serious. I’ve settled down and now feel like a real pro. I’ve improved in some areas, but keep working in other areas. Fighting eight rounds for the first time is not a concern for me. I’m always in shape. If this fight goes eight rounds, I’ll use it as ring experience, gaining that sooner, rather than later.” O’Connor faces the toughest test of his young pro career in Franklin Gonzalez (13-3, 9 KOs), the dangerous Dominican puncher now living in Brooklyn. “I can’t worry about how good my opponent is,” Danny noted. “As long as I keep getting better (in training), all I have to be concerned with is doing what I need to do to win the fight. “It’s nice fighting close at home and around St. Patrick’s Day again. Last year, I fought a few days before St. Patrick’s Day and this year it’s a few days after. I’ve sharpened my skills in the past year and I’m really looking forward to my first main event. It’s going to be an exciting show.”
Jimmy Burchfield (CES, President): “This is going Danny O’Connor: “It would be easy for me to be up here and take all the credit, but it’s a team effort, and I don’t think they get enough credit – Leon Margules (promoter), Dave Keefe (head trainer and co-manager) and Rob Valle (co-manager). I want to thank my friends, family and fans. You keep me motivated. I want you to know how much I appreciate it. I am exciting to be in my first main event. It’s so close to home a lot of my fans will be able to watch me. I trained for this fight with (world champion) Juan Urango at the Fight Factory in Tampa. I consistently had good sparring. I’m going to keep doing what’s been successful. I’m improving each fight and, hopefully, this time I’ll top my last fight here.”
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O’Connor headlines ‘Shamrock’d’ 
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