Its been just about a year since live boxing returned to Lowell, Ma for what was the first time in over ten years. It will be back again soon when Lowell’s own Joe McCreedy headlines a card this weekend at the Tsongas Arena. In May of last year, in front of a packed crowd at the Lowell auditorium, McCreedy headlined a card full of local fighters, most of them making their pro-debut. A few of them are returning to the ring this year to pick up where they left off. McCreedy, however would, like to start a new path this time around.
After a lackluster performance against Dion Savage in Lowell last may McCreedy is returning to the ring facing Michael Walchuck of Ontario. Fighting in his hometown provides a lot of motivation for the 27-year-old McCreedy “ I want to prove a lot to my city this time. I let them down in my last fight,” he said. His last fight. That is what many thought it would be but McCreedy knew it wasn’t the end for him. “ I lost that fight because of weight. I was to weak and had no energy but I am a beast at 175.” He continues to explain that as he winds down a ten-week training camp he is already at weight and feels stronger than ever.
Preparation for this fight has been unlike any other for “Irish” Joe. Trained by Dicky Eklund, brother of the famed Micky Ward, the two worked around the clock to prepare for this fight “ Dicky is pushing me like he never has before, we both know if I loose this fight its all done for me.” Along with the help of Eklund, McCreedy has had the guidance of ring veteran Peter Manfredo Jr. as a sparring partner. “It’s the best work I’ve ever gotten. He has showed me a lot, things I should do in the ring, and things I shouldn’t…He is a real class act and I respect him more than anything.”
As not only a reporter, but a friend who has known “Irish” Joe for quite some time, It is easy to see how genuine the motivation is, “ I want this fight so bad I think about it every second of every day”. For his last fight he weighed in at 164lbs. He acknowledges that he knew he had grown out of the weight class but was so eager to return to the ring that he took the fight anyway. He feels that at 175 he can let his ability shine through “Everybody will see what I’m made of on Saturday…When I win, and I will win, its on to the next step of my career in the Light Heavyweight division.”
