Peter McGrail takes on Ja’Rico O’Quinn in U.S. debut
Five Brits pack out the festive fight card
Rising star Peter McGrail fights in the States for the first time in the paid ranks, in a defence of his first pro title as he takes on Ja’Rico O’Quinn for the WBA Continental Super-Bantamweight belt at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday December 16.
27-year-old southpaw McGrail (8-0 5 KOs) bagged a second wide points win of 2023 in his last action on his home patch in Liverpool last month, and now the Liverpool hero can cap off his year in a maiden defence of his WBA belt with victory over Detroit’s O’Quinn (16-1-1 8 KOs).
American O’Quinn has lost just once, in a disastrious fight in 2021 with 16-1 Saul Sanchez, knocked down three times within the first two minutes. He has since bounced back with two points wins and has knocked out half of his victims during his eight-year career.
“I am really buzzing for this one,” said McGrail. “I think the US fans are going to love my style of fighting. I can’t wait to get over there and show them what I’m about. Thank you to my team for keeping me active, I am ready to close the year in style and keep improving and impressing.”
The Tokyo 2020 Olympian claimed his first professional title of his career after defeating unbeaten Colombian Fran Mendoza (17-1, 7KO) by unanimous decision to become WBA Continental super bantamweight champion on scorecards of 99-91, 99-91 and 97-93 on the undercard of Jack Catterall vs Jorge Linares last month.
His ninth opponent, 28 from Michigan, stated, “I told Eddie Hearn last summer when we were in Detroit that I want to fight for Matchroom. “I’m about to give McGrail an American boxing lesson. He’s going to get schooled by the Great Lakes king.”
It’s a family affair for McGrail as he kicks off the main card on DAZN, after the Before the Bell action will be launched by his younger brother Joe McGrail (7-0 3 KOs), who fights for the eighth time in the pros against Brandon Rosales Marquez (6-5-2) over six rounds at Featherweight.
Both Peter and Joe are trained by Pau Stevenson at the Everton Red Triangle in Liverpool, where WBC No.1 featherweight Nick Ball also studies.
The main event of the evening features the Flyweight unification blockbuster between Jesse Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards, live worldwide on DAZN – with Edwards being joined by four fellow British talents on the card.
In chief support, Murodjon Akhmadaliev will face Kevin Gonzalez in an eliminator for the WBA World Super-Bantamweight title.
Galal Yafai will be hoping to get his job done and take his seat for the main event, and it is a second outing in America as he defends his WBC International Flyweight title against Rocco Santomauro.
The fifth Brit to step through the ropes on the night will be rising star Junaid Boston (7-0 6 KOs), with the Rotherham talent tackling unbeaten Detroit man Gordie Russ II (6-0 6 KOs) over eight rounds at Super-Welterweight.
Completing the line-up in Arizona and also starring in the Before the Bell portion of the card are Californian Arturo Popoca (11-0-1 7 KOs) who faces Carlos Mujica (8-3 3 KOs) over eight rounds at Super-Bantamweight and Albert Gonzalez (5-0 2 KOs) who takes on Robenilson Vieira de Jesus (5-1 1 KO) over six rounds at Featherweight.
Article sponsored by HÖRFA