‘United Nations Night’ at Madison Square Garden: A Glance at the Undercard

Madison Square Garden sits less than two miles from the headquarters of the United Nations. The proximity is apropos. Saturday’s eight-bout fight card at Madison Square Garden, airing on DAZN, has a United Nations flavor. The list of competitors includes five fighters from countries in the former Soviet Union plus fighters from Poland, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Ireland. All of the fighters in the U.S.-born contingent are children of immigrants. A fellow who follows boxing today seemingly has a leg up on his peers if he signs up for a class in world geography.

It’s Kazakhstan vs. Ukraine in the main event, a battle between Gennady Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko for the vacant IBF world middleweight title. The undercard is replete with names unfamiliar to U.S. fight fans such as Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta (20-0, 4 KOs).

Szeremeta is undefeated and holds a version of the European middleweight title, but a glance at his record suggests that he doesn’t punch hard enough to become a force in the division. However, there was nothing wrong with Szeremeta’s punch in his lone previous trip outside Poland when he went to Italy and chopped down Alessandro Goddi (33-2-1 going in) in two rounds.

Szeremeta makes his U.S. debut in an 8-round contest against Oscar Cortez (27-4, 14 KOs) who has been feasting on slugs in his native Mexico. There’s little doubt that the Polish import will win; the only question is whether he wins in a fashion that whets our appetite to see him again.

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Michael Conlan, enormously popular in Ireland, had his first professional fight at Madison Square Garden in a bout slated for six rounds. Joe Ward, a 25-year-old light heavyweight from County Westmeath, is taking the same route.

Akin to Conlan, Ward had an outstanding amateur career. The 2016 Irish Olympian won three European titles and medaled in three World Championships. According to BoxRec, he was 12-3 in the World Series of Boxing including an 8-1 mark during two stints with the British Lionhearts, a semi-pro team. So, unlike most amateurs making their pro debut, Ward has already tested the water, in a fashion.

Ward has been preparing for this fight in Los Angeles under the watchful eye of Hall of Fame trainer Buddy McGirt. He is matched against California’s Marco Delgado (5-1, 4 KOs).

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The big ticket sellers for Saturday’s show, apart from Triple-G, are fast-rising local products Brian Ceballo and Nikita Ababiy.

Ceballo, a 25-year-old welterweight, was born in Puerto Rico and spent part of his youth in the Dominican Republic before settling in New York where he won five city Golden Gloves titles. Currently 10-0 (5 KOs), he stepped up in class in his last outing and won a wide 8-round decision over previously undefeated Bakhtiyar Eyubov.

On Saturday, he appears to be stepping down his class. His opponent, a 35-year-old Azerbaijani named Ramal Amanov, is undefeated (16-0, 5 KOs), but his last three opponents were a combined 0-2-1.

Nikita Ababiy, a middleweight who turns 21 later this month, was born in Virginia to Russian immigrants and grew up in Brooklyn. He was one of three amateurs representing the Atlas Cops and Kids Gym in that borough who were induced to turn pro with a lucrative signing bonus from Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn.

Ababiy (6-0, 5 KOs) made a sensational pro debut with a 28-second knockout in Chicago. An exceptional body puncher, nicknamed “White Chocolate”, Ababiy is matched against New Jersey’s Isiah Seldon (13-2-1, 4 KOs), the 31-year-old son of former heavyweight title-holder Bruce Seldon.

If Ababiy skirts past Seldon with nary a scratch, look for him at the Staples Center on Nov. 9 on the undercard of the show headlined by YouTube sensations Logan Paul and KSI. As Eddie Hearn is well aware, this young Brooklynite, who could pass for a California surfer dude, is a perfect fit for that odd promotion.

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