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Danny McDermott wins WBU junior welterweight championship in GenSan PhilBoxing.com Mon, 15 Sep 2014  GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines - Danny McDermott fulfilled a lifelong dream, winning the World Boxing Union junior welterweight championship and the World Boxing Council Asia championship with a sixth round knockout of Ronnel Esparas at Lagao Gym in General Santos City, Philippines on September 13. McDermott (11-5-2, 5 knockouts) of North Bergen, N.J. knocked the Manila resident Esparas (10-15, 2 KOs) down in the third, fifth and for the final time in the sixth on a left to the body for the ten count. With the win, McDermott is the first North Bergen native to win a world title since James Braddock defeated Max Baer to win the heavyweight championship in 1935. The win was the culmination of a long journey for McDermott, who had endured the deaths of his parents, John and Susan McDermott, in the past two years, plus the deaths of his close aunt and uncle Maureen and Larry Antionetti. Working with Ryan Songalia as trainer and Alessandro Paterno as cut man, plus Buboy Fernandez, the assistant trainer to 8-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, McDermott stuck to his game plan early, working his left jab against the crafty southpaw Esparas, pushing his foe to the ropes and landing effective body shots and left hooks. The first knockdown came off a left hook in the third as Esparas stepped back from an exchange and was hit with a surprise shot. Esparas came back strong in the fourth round, landing several jarring uppercuts that knocked McDermott's head back, which McDermott answered with right hands through the guard. McDermott's steady body work began to pay off in the fifth as a visibly exhausted Esparas sunk to the canvas after a series of McDermott rights which led to the fight's conclusion a round later. "I just wanted to stick to my game plan, I knew in a lot of past fights I let my emotions get the better of me," said the 35-year-old McDermott. "I knew I had to keep my composure and go at my own pace. I knew I had it in my gas tank." The show was promoted by Sanman Promotions, which is headed by Jim Claude Manangquil. McDermott weighed 140 pounds while Esparas came in 5 pounds over the limit at 145. McDermott, who began his career in 2005 on the undercard of Arturo Gatti's victory over Jesse James Leija, has now won two straight fights in the Philippines since ending a two-year layoff in July. McDermott's road back to the ring began in January, when he tipped the scales at 197 pounds. Seeking to return to fighting shape, McDermott went to Florida to train with Mike Rodriguez, who splits training duties with Tommy Gallagher. McDermott says that he hopes the win serves as inspiration to his two sons, Danny Jr and Kain, who are aged 4 and 5 respectively. "Winning championships isn?t so much about 'Look at me, I won the championship.' It was more to teach my sons that no matter what goals in life they set that they can accomplish them," said McDermott. "If I can accomplish my goals - and mine was a far one to reach - then they can do it also. I had to go across the world to do it but I did it." In the main event, Harmonito Dela Torre (14-0, 9 KOs) stopped Indonesia's Isack Junior (22-6-2, 8 KOs) in four rounds to win the interim World Boxing Federation super featherweight title. Dela Torre, 20, has now knocked out his last four opponents, a streak which began with two impressive showings in Macau. 
Photo caption: Danny McDermott poses with his team after knocking out Ronnel Esparas in six rounds. Photo courtesy Team McDermott  |
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