Kenny Egan 2008 Olympic Silver Medalist Returns in Key WSB Team Matchup

This coming Thursday night at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, the No. 1 team in the World Series of Boxing Americas conference, the L.A. Matadors, will be taking on the second place team, the Miami Gallos. The Matadors have a record of 4-1 while the Gallos are 3-2. The Matadors only lost came in their season opener in Miami against the Gallos.

It was a controversial lost for the Matadors, as the final match a heavyweight thriller between Trent Rawlins of the Gallos and David Imoesiri of the Matadors was declared a majority draw by judges of the Florida Boxing Commission. The bout was later overturned by the WSB supervisor on hand, awarding Rawlins the victory and sealing the team victory for the Gallos, 3 bouts-2 bouts.

On that night was also the anticipated debut of light heavyweight 2008 Olympic silver medalist Kenny Egan of Dublin, Ireland. Egan, a three-time Amateur European Union Gold Medalist, started boxing when he was 8 years old and has been in the amateur ranks for over 10 years, making him one of the favorites in the league.

That night, he defeated by unanimous decision 2009 Golden Gloves champion Dorian Anthony. Unfortunately, in that bout he suffered a nasty cut above his right eye from a headbutt. League rules had him under medical suspension for 45 days to cure the cut.

Now, Thursday night in Los Angeles, he is back to face the Matadors and Dorian Anthony again. Egan tells me that he "is good to go" after the layoff and that he "does not mind facing Anthony again."

The Gallos, coached by former USA Olympic coach (1996) Pat Burns, announced earlier in the week that they had just signed another Irish boxer that will compete at middleweight on Thursday night. He is former 2008 Olympian and European bronze medalist John Joyce. He will be facing league-leading middleweight Russell Lamour of the Matadors.

The Gallos will need all the help they can as the Matadors are at home, on a roll and loaded with talent. With a little luck of the Irish, they are hoping to come out victorious.