Irish boxer 'shooting for the stars' as he makes history at iconic sports venue
Thomas O'Toole is 'shooting for the stars' as he prepares to make history at one of the world's most iconic sporting venues this weekend.
The Galway man (13-0, 9 KOs) headlines the first boxing event to take place at Fenway Park in almost 70 years when he faces Missouri veteran Vaughn Alexander (19-12-2) on Saturday.
"This is a historic night, fighting at Fenway Park, first time in 70 years, and I have a world title challenger on my undercard so that kind of goes to show there the name and reputation I'm building, but I can't let it get to my head, because I have a big opponent, big test, and we're looking to get through that with flying colours," said the 27-year-old super middleweight.
"Not many people get to do what I'm doing. I got to headline my home city Galway last year, it was great. I'm headlining fights in Boston, and seeing the crowds are there for me, and they're roaring for me, it's a privilege to be here. I'm shooting for the stars."
The home of the Boston Red Sox has hosted numerous events outwith baseball over the years, with The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel among those to have performed at the famous venue.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, Celtic, Roma and Sevilla have all played pre-season matches at 'America's Most Beloved Ballpark' over the past 15 years.
But Fenway hasn't hosted boxing since former undisputed world welterweight champion and Boston native Tony DeMarco defeated Vince Martinez in 1956.
That will change when O'Toole steps into the ring as he aims to make a statement against Alexander, who has only been stopped twice in 33 fights.
'The Kid' has quickly become one of the biggest names within the Boston boxing scene and has amassed a large support base from the city's huge Irish community.
"I would be the biggest seller in Boston," he explained. "You talk about boxing in Boston, you have to mention my name. I'm a real household name here now, and it's all because of the support I get.
"I'm very blessed and it's a real privilege to have the support I get from back home and out here. I think this is my fourth or fifth fight in a row now, headlining and that's where I belong."
The event takes place inside the stadium's Big Concourse and despite having lived in Boston for the past number of years, this will be O'Toole's first time at a sporting event in Fenway.
"I get a lot of abuse for this, but I haven't been to a baseball game yet," revealed the southpaw. "I've only been to TD Garden once, I went in February with my missus, we went for a basketball game, and that's only because she's a big basketball fan but I don't get out doing that... I'm kind of on my schedule, I'm training and I'm working and resting, but I've made the plan now, this summer I'm gonna get to a game after my fight."
O'Toole was born in Chicago and raised in Lettermullan in the Connemara Gaeltacht, having been brought to Ireland as a baby. He has been based in Boston for the past number of years, having turned professional in 2021, and is coached by former 30-4 boxer Mark De Luca.
Hard work has always been important to O'Toole, who describes himself as having "a good hustle". While working towards a business degree at GMIT, he also worked as a doorman in Galway city centre.
"I was living in Galway City, you have to pay rent and stuff, so I had no choice but to work, but I made sure I kept my boxing up, and I had a great coach with Pawel (Popko)," O'Toole explained. "We had a good relationship, and we still do have a good relationship, and he kept me going, and look where I am now. I'm delighted with it."
Despite his boxing stock continuing to rise, O'Toole still works shifts at a bar and grill in South Boston when he can.
He is among a rather large group of current Irish boxers to have gone professional at a young age rather than fight at the Olympics.
Paddy Donovan, Pierce O'Leary and Aaron McKenna are all on the verge of world title fights, having opted not to aim for the Olympic Games, and O'Toole also has big ambitions.
While the Connemara man was close to getting to the 2020 Games at Tokyo and trained with the Irish team at the High Performance Unit, a split decision loss to Emmet Brennan at the 2020 Elite Championships saw the Dubliner go on to the Games in Japan.
"It's funny I just enjoy my boxing more now than I ever did, I don't know what it is, I just never enjoyed the amateur system that much, even though it suited me, and it suited my style big time," stated O'Toole.
"I really think if I made a push for it, that (the Olympics) could have been something I did, but I just was not happy doing it, and if you're not happy doing something, there's no point."
He added: "Emmet beat me on the night, he deserved it, it was a close fight, but he was a deserved winner. I'm happy for him, that was a dream of his. He made those sacrifices that maybe I didn't make.
"I was working, and I was studying, whereas I don't even think he was working, he just went full throttle at it and made that financial sacrifice and everything so, you fair play to him. He put the work in, and he got it.
"I stand with my decision of getting my degree, and obviously I had to support myself too, so, yeah, everything happens for a reason I believe so, look, I'm here now, and it's working out."
O'Toole has had a late opponent change for the weekend after Laurent Humes pulled out of their scheduled bout, with Alexander stepping in on late notice.
"He's a real tough operator," said O'Toole of his opponent. "The main thing is just getting the win. Obviously, I'll be looking to impress, and the stoppage would be great, but the win is the most important thing.
"This is a step up for me, but I'm well prepared for it, and when the pressure is on like that, I know that's when I perform my best, so, look, hopefully everyone will tune in and see it. It's a big fight against a good operator, but I'm very confident in the victory."
O'Toole's ultimate aim is to get a shot at a world title as he looks to continue to work his way up the rankings this year.
"I want to get a ranking title by the end of the year, that would be my goal," he said. "Obviously, every fight to step up bit by bit in the rankings, but with getting the right experience so when I do fight that top 10 guy, or please God, fight for the world title, I've been exposed to different styles, and different situations, and stuff.
"This fight I know I'm going to have a tough night's work ahead of me, this guy, he's a real veteran, and he's had, I think, 200 rounds, like, he has the experience of a world champion, so I know it's going to be a good tough fight, and it's going to be a good learning fight for me too, so I'm really looking forward to it."
It's a massive few weeks for Galway boxing as Kieran Molloy headlines a huge card at Pearse Stadium on June 28, with Sean McComb and Joe Ward among those in action on the undercard.
"It's amazing" stated O'Toole on the Salthill event. "I'm really happy for him, because that's a dream of his, and that's amazing, that's history. A pro fight in Pearse Stadium and it's an unbelievable card.
"He has a good, tough fight, and then you have some of the best fighters Ireland has ever produced on the undercard. You have Sean McComb, Joe Ward, you have Galway's own Gabriel Dossen and Jason Myers.
"They're going to fill that place out, it's going to be great. He's worked hard his whole life, and he's made sacrifices as well so I'm happy he's getting this night."
You can watch Thomas O'Tooole vs Vaughn Alexander live on DAZN from 1am Irish time on Sunday.
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