At the age of 33, Danny is a nine-year pro. A contender at 140 pounds, he is also a fulltime firefighter in Framingham, Massachusetts. He was an amateur standout before his debut – a gold medalist at the 2008 U.S. Nationals and National Golden Gloves Championships, and the 141-pound alternate on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team in Beijing.
He has won four fights in a row, including two against previously undefeated prospects – an eight-round split decision against Gerald Thomas, 11-0-1 at the time, on August 13, 2016, and by third-round TKO against Daniel Gonzalez, 14-0-1 at the time, on November 25, 2017.
In his last fight on March 17 in Boston, Danny won a 10-round unanimous decision against Steve Claggett.
MetroWest Daily News’ Stephen Tobey reported from ringside [excerpts]: Danny O’Connor wanted a challenging fight and he got a challenging fight.
The Framingham resident survived a knockdown in the seventh round to retain his World Boxing Council International Silver super lightweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Steve Claggett of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, at the House of Blues.
Judges Lucy Miller and Melissa Kelly scored the fight 97-92. Laurie Purcell scored it 96-93 for O’Connor, who is now 30-3 with 11 knockouts. Claggett dropped to 26-5-1 (17 KOs).
About two minutes into the seventh round, Claggett dropped O’Connor with a right hand. O’Connor got up. Claggett continued to pressure O’Connor and landed another solid jab and right-cross combination, but O’Connor made it through the round.
Aside from the seventh, each round followed a similar pattern. Claggett came forward and applied pressure. O’Connor reestablished his range and landed combinations, sometimes uppercuts and sometimes straight lefts and right hooks.
“It’s just like firefighting,” said O’Connor, who works for the Framingham Fire Department. “You have to stand up to the pressure and stay calm. I think I showed a lot to myself.”
Said O’Connor’s trainer, A.J. Thomas of Upperkuts Boxing Club in Ashland, “He had to stay sharp. We knew [Claggett] would come with a lot of pressure. He had to be disciplined. He got a little lazy [before the knockdown]. He just had to keep throwing combinations and get back to being Danny.”
Claggett fought with a cut around his right eye after the fifth round.
The loss was Claggett’s first in three fights. For O’Connor, it was his fourth win in a row and the first defense of his WBC Silver International belt, which he won in November with a third-round stoppage of Daniel Gonzalez.
“I still have a lot to show,” O’Connor said. “I want the big names. I want a world title.” [End Tobey item]
During the build-up to the Jose Ramirez fight, Danny said, “I have been waiting for this opportunity since the day I put my first pair of gloves on. I embrace the chance to do battle with a great warrior such as Jose Ramirez. I believe we have a legitimate shot at winning the world title and fulfilling my lifelong dream. We are prepared to bring it to Fresno on July 7th.”
In an earlier interview, Danny said, “My style – I would say I’m a very smart boxer. I’m slick, I like to box, I’m fast. I don’t get hit much, but I move my feet more than Paul does.
“I really just want people to see who I am. A lot of the times I feel like I’m underrated and overworked, and I just want people to be in awe after they see me fight.
“I’ve never had a ring name. A bunch of people have given me one, but they never stuck. I feel left out, because I don’t have a nickname. I’m just introduced as ‘Danny.’ My mum is the only one that calls me ‘Daniel.’ ”
AMATEUR, PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Danny said, “I was born and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts. I’m an only child. My dad works for the state and my mum is an accountant. I’m the only boxer in the family. My grandfather used to make me watch fights when I was a little kid, so I was always interested in the sport of boxing.
“I actually started boxing really late. I didn’t have that much experience. I didn’t start boxing until I was about 16. Since the day I put on a pair of gloves, I’ve loved it.
“I had roughly 100 amateur fights – I had like, 105 wins and maybe 11 losses. They came pretty quickly, because when I came on the scene as an amateur, I remember in only my 19th fight I made it to the semifinals of the National Golden Gloves. I really didn’t have that much experience. In the Olympic Trials, they didn’t even spell my name right on the bracket.
“When I got the Olympic alternate spot is really when I got all my experience. The year before the Olympics, I got the opportunity to live most of the year at the training facility in Colorado. I got participate in all the trips, you know, U.S.A. versus all the countries. That’s the same year I won the National Golden Gloves and the U.S. National Championships back-to-back.
“In the Olympic Trials, I lost to the kid who won, Javier Molina. He beat Danny Garcia in the finals, and something happened – I think Danny Garcia turned pro or something – and they offered me the alternate spot. I didn’t have that much experience at the time, and I thought that it would help out if I just took that spot and stuck around for another year, so I did. It was well worth it. I got the chance to actually go to China and watch. It was a great experience.
“The hardest thing about the Olympics – the kid from the Dominican Republic that won the gold medal in China [note: Felix Diaz], I got to watch him win it. I fought him in a dual meet about a month before the Olympics and beat him like, 24-3. So, to watch him win gold was disappointing, but at the same time I was kind of happy, because I could always say that I beat him. But I’m not one to say, “I could have, should have,’ because stuff happens for a reason in life and I’m just blessed to be where I am now.
“I’m naturally left-handed.”…
Framingham Source Editor Susan Petroni reported [Mar. 17, 2017 – excerpts]: Last Saturday, Framingham’s Danny O’Connor was one of more than three dozen Framingham firefighters battling the blaze at the Old Path Village strip mall that burnt to the ground, and destroyed 10 businesses.
This Saturday night, O’Connor will step into the ring at the House of Blues in Boston.
O’Connor, who grew up in Framingham and started boxing with the Police Athletic League, recently became a firefighter with the Town of Framingham.
“I’m proud and honored to be part of the Framingham Fire Department. I’m dedicated to the fire service, the community, and my responsibilities as a firefighter. I’m learning the job under great senior people with experience and I am working hard to one day turn into a great firefighter,” he said.
Along with being a firefighter, and training for fights in the ring, O’Connor is also the “driving force” behind a non-profit called Off The Canvas, a mentoring program to help at-risk youths.
“The more awareness I bring to the charity and what it does, the greater chance it has to reach more people and potentially help more,” said O’Connor. “There is always a part of any money I can make or raise that goes to the charity.” [End Petroni item]
AMATEUR HIGHLIGHTS:
2008 OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS – Houston, Texas, 141 pounds: in the quarterfinals (his first fight) on 8-20-07 he won a 17-6 decision against Andre Sherard of Milwaukee, Wisc.; in the semifinals on 8-21-07 he won a 24-11 decision against Michael Dallas of Bakersfield, Calif.; in the finals on 8-22-07 he lost an 18-10 decision against Javier Molina of Commerce, Calif.; in the challengers’ bracket finals on 8-24-07 he lost a 25-19 decision against Danny Garcia of Philadelphia, Penn….
2008 U.S. VS. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC DUAL – Chattanooga, Tennessee, 141 pounds: on 5-31-08 he won a 21-10 decision against Felix Diaz of Dominican Republic…
2008 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPIONSHIPS – Grand Rapids, Michigan, 141 pounds – GOLD MEDALIST: in his first fight on 5-5-08 he won a decision against Antonio Corrales; in his second fight on 5-7-08 he won a decision against Marquis Moore; in the quarterfinals on 5-8-08 he won a decision against Charles Watson; in the semifinals on 5-9-08 he won a 5-0 decision against Jeff Strum; in the finals on 5-10-08 he won a 3-2 decision against Joseph Elegele…
2008 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – Colorado Springs, Colorado, 141 pounds – GOLD MEDALIST: in his first fight on 3-9-08 he won a 14-6 decision against Jermell Charlo of Houston, Texas; in his second fight on 3-10-08 he won a 7-0 decision against Michael Brooks of Oceanside, N.Y.; in the quarterfinals on 3-11-08 he won an 18-2 decision against Jamal James of Minneapolis, Minn.; in the semifinals on 3-12-08 he won a 16-7 decision against Jared Robinson of Sumter, N.C.; in the finals on 3-14-08 he won a 9-7 decision against Emmanuel Taylor of Edgewood, Md….
2007 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – Colorado Springs, Colorado, 141 pounds [note: the top eight finishers qualified to go the Olympic Trials] – BRONZE MEDALIST: in his first fight on 6-3-07 he won a 16-3 decision against Rashad Ganaway of Little Rock, Ark.; in his second fight on 6-4-07 he stopped Chris Howard of Crossville, Tenn., at 1:54 of the 3rd round; in the quarterfinals on 6-6-07 he won a 14-8 decision against Michael Dallas of Bakersfield, Calif.; in the semifinals on 6-6-07 he lost a 21-20 decision against Javier Molina of Commerce, Calif….
2007 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPIONSHIPS – Chattanooga, Tennessee, 141 pounds: on 4-30-07 he won a 4-1 decision against Rashad Ganaway of Little Rock, Ark.;
on 5-2-07 he won a 5-0 decision against Terrence Craddock of Columbus, Oh.; in the quarterfinals on 5-3-07 he lost a 5-0 decision against Jesse Vargas of Las Vegas, Nev….
STRENGTHS: A lefthander with good skills and movement…had a strong amateur background…
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 3 years, 8 months…17 fights…83 total rounds…
AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 4.8 rounds…
KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 25 %…
DISTANCE FIGHTS: 8 rounds – 3 (2-1)..6 rounds – 6 (6-0)…
