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Emmet Brennan is determined to play his part in reviving Irish boxing’s special relationship with New York – starting with his headline clash against Harley Burke at Gaelic Park on September 26.
The popular Dubliner has boxed more often in the United States than at home since turning professional, but his latest stateside assignment is different. He suggests this one carries symbolism and even responsibility.
Brennan, 34, will top a bill at Gaelic Park, the historic sporting and cultural home of the Irish in New York, in what he describes as both an honour and a mission.
The honour element is obvious, the mission, one he talked about before turning over, bringing back a green-tinged John Duddy-style fever to the Big Apple.
“This is something that probably no one has done before,” he told Irish-boxing.com. “I headline the show in Gaelic Park which has been the home of the Irish community for decades in New York. The motivation is to try and bring back the glory days of when John Duddy and James Moore were fighting here. You want to get as close to that as possible.”
Derry’s Duddy sold out Madison Square Garden’s Theater multiple times in the 2000s and became a beacon for Irish fight fans in the city. His exciting style, personality, and connection with the diaspora created unforgettable New York nights. The Olympian wonders if replicating that era is possible – but he is eager to give it a go and at the very least to try and rekindle some of its spirit.
“You’ll never live up to the hype that John Duddy had — he was a legend and it was a different time,” Brennan admits. “But that’s the motivation, to try get New York Irish boxing back on the pedestal it once was.
“It is slightly coming back. Obviously, Callum Walsh goes over once a year, but when John Duddy and James Moore were boxing in the 2000s, they were fighting regularly, maybe every two or three months. That’s what you want to bring back to New York,” he added.
“I’ve been back and forth over the last four years and there is an appetite for it. Maybe I can give this a good shot for the next three years, and then someone younger can take the baton.”
The Inner City Dub, who has shared the ring with Jamie Morrissey and Kevin Cronin [twice] has already built a following across the Atlantic, and in Yonkers’ own Galway man Burke, he has the ideal opponent to grow it further.
The Galway-born American puncher will also bring a crowd, and such is the respect between the pair and the potential for fireworks that it’s likely both will earn more followers on the night.
“I’ve built up a good bit of support over there. This will be my fourth fight in New York. The Irish come out to support the Irish, and Harley himself has a big support base up in Yonkers, so we’re expecting a big, big crowd,” he said.
The Dublin Docklands graduate also points out that the venue and the backing of New York GAA play into the bigger fan base element, as does the willingness to populate the undercard with Irish fighters.
“To headline in Gaelic Park is something really special. It’s not just another show. The New York GAA are backing it, they’ve 34 clubs in the association, so there’ll be a lot of Irish heritage in the crowd. This is a night for the Irish community as much as it is for me and Harley.
“It’s a big opportunity for both of us,” continues the two-time BUI Celtic title winner. “Whoever wins and puts on a good show here is going to have a very good support base going forward. For me, it’s about winning but also about making sure Irish boxing has nights like this in New York again.”
