In last night’s inaugural event at the Prudential Center’s AmeriHealth Pavilion, 2010 NJ Golden Gloves Champion Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien (1-0) went out and put on a show that respected Jersey fans love for boxing.
O’Brien was on the undercard of the Zab Judah/Kaizer Mabuza IBF light welterweight championship fight (which Judah won by impressive TKO), but you would’ve thought he was the main event based on the ovation he received from the crowd before and after his bout.
In months leading up to this fight O’Brien had garnered much media attention, and some argued he would have a question mark next to his name until he proved himself in the ring.
Regardless of his motivations, O’Brien came out from the start of the first bell ready to go to battle. Early on he felt out his opponent David Navarro (0-2) to get a feel for his range, and by the second to third round his onslaught became too much and Navarro received much punishment.
Navarro was successful utilizing his reach and jab at times, but O’Brien was able to time it to slip and counter with his right. The welterweight fighter O’Brien displayed his heavy and fast hands accompanied by his unrelenting attack, and eventually it proved to be too much for Navarro to endure. After the third round the fight was ended, with O’Brien winning by TKO.
“I’m so proud of the kid,” said O’Brien’s coach and former heavyweight knockout artist Lou Esa. “He works so hard and puts the time in to improve every aspect of his game; besides running he works with Felix Erazo, our strength and conditioning coach, Chu Lin our stretching and Holistic coach, and everything he does he aims to make himself better in the ring.”
Esa looked around the crowd smiled, and finished, “I’m really happy and it seems everybody else is as well.”
But more impressive than the TKO itself was O’Brien’s overall performance. Not since Arturo Gatti has NJ boxing fans seen a fighter like Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien, and if the young fighter continues to put on shows like the one last night, he’ll be an international sensation in no time.
“This is what I’ve dreamed of every time I trained,” said O’Brien. “First the fight was months away, then weeks away, then only days away, and when I woke up today I smiled because it was fight day. I was ready to get out here tonight and show the doubters that they were wrong and show the believers what they truly believe in. I did everything I wanted to do; there are a few things I have to work on, but I felt great out there, and I’m only going to keep getting better.”
Following the TKO win O’Brien and Esa will be back in the gym at Final Round Boxing and Sports Performance in Whippany, getting ready for his next appearance, which will most likely be sooner than later.
“Right now we have a tentative date of April 9, but I plan to keep busy and working hard and I want America to keep seeing Vinny O’Brien.”
“I want to thank Main Events for giving me this opportunity, and of course many thanks to all of my family and friends who have supported me since day one and continue to. It means the world to me.”