Dublin, Ireland/New York City (August 6, 2019) Irish amateur boxing star Joe Ward is headed toward the professional ranks and has announced a stellar lineup of partners to launch his career. The 25-year-old Ward, a native of Westmeath, Ireland, has signed a co-promotional agreement with DiBella Entertainment, of New York City, and Boston-based Murphys Boxing. Ward is managed by Times Square Boxing Co., based in New York City. Additionally, Ward has retained the services of the acclaimed Buddy McGirt to serve as his trainer alongside Irishman Jimmy Payne. Details of his professional debut will be announced shortly.
A member of Ireland’s 2016 Olympic team, Ward is joined by undisputed world champion Katie Taylor as the only Irish boxers to win more than one European Elite gold medal. His acclaimed amateur career includes three gold medals at the European Amateur Championships (2017, 2015, 2011), a gold medal at the World Youth Championships (2010), and a gold medal at the World Junior Championships (2009). In his most recent international amateur tournament, Ward earned the silver medal at the 2017 World Amateur Championships in Hamburg, Germany. Competing for the British Lionhearts in the World Series of Boxing, Ward compiled a record of 8-1 with a 2018 ranking ahead of Cuba’s two-time Olympic champion Julio La Cruz.
“I’m excited to begin my professional journey with a strong team of managers, coaches and promoters,” said Ward. “I’m excited to represent my country in the professional ranks and bring a world championship home to Ireland. I believe it is important to surround yourself with the right people and I found great partners in Joe Winters and Adam Glenn at Times Square Boxing, who understand the sport and business of boxing. I immediately connected with Joe Winters and the fact that Joe’s mom was from Ireland and he still has a lot of family in Ireland.
“Times Square Boxing has already helped in guiding me, by putting together an excellent team of coaches and promoters, which I believe will help me achieve my ultimate goal of becoming a world champion,” continued Ward. “Lou DiBella and Ken Casey have a great history of working with Irish fighters and developing champions. I feel like they really took an interest in me and will give me the support and platform that I need to achieve my goals. I’m excited to have them as part of my team and I’m looking forward to the future.”
“Joe Ward is a potential superstar, an Irish boxing hero and a great young man,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “I look forward to co-promoting him with my good friend Ken Casey and Murphys Boxing. This is the first time that DiBella Entertainment will co-promote a fighter’s career with Ken, who is a legend himself with the Dropkick Murphys. Joe Winters is an accomplished businessman from an Irish boxing family. He’s a philanthropist and person of integrity. Adam Glenn was born into the sport of boxing and his dad, Jimmy Glenn, is not only like family to me, he’s a New York boxing institution. I don’t think Joe Ward could have a better team; working together, we’re confident we can help him achieve great things in our sport.”
“It’s an honor to be involved with such a class fighter and person,” said Ken Casey, head of Murphys Boxing. “We have a great team and a great plan to keep Joe busy and fighting for a world title in no time.”
“I’m very excited to be a part of this team and to work with a world class talent like Joe Ward,” said trainer Buddy McGirt. “This young man has a bright future. Joe has been a very successful amateur and I can’t wait to start working with him and develop him into a world champion.
“The former two-division world champion McGirt was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame earlier this year. In 2002, McGirt was named the “Trainer of the Year” by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Among the notable world champions McGirt has trained include Arturo Gatti, Sergey Kovalev, Antonio Tarver, Hasim Rahman and Paulie Malignaggi.
“We are excited to be working with DiBella Entertainment and Murphys Boxing,” said Joe Winters, Chairman of Times Square Boxing. “I have always had a great working relationship with Lou DiBella. He genuinely cares about the fighters he represents. His skills and expertise will be beneficial in Joe Ward’s quest to become a world champion.
“Joe Ward is a rare talent that only comes along once in a generation,” continued Winters. “We are excited for Joe’s future. We believe he will become a superstar and a future world champion. He is a great young fighter and a dedicated family man. Joe is good for the sport of boxing and he will continue to make Ireland proud.”
“We were delighted to welcome Joe Ward to the Times Square Boxing Team and we are incredibly excited about his future,” said Adam Glenn, CEO of Times Square Boxing. “Everyone knows that Joe is one of the most talented prospects in the world today, but we truly believe his authenticity, charisma and character are going to make him a star. We have put an amazing team behind Joe, between Buddy McGirt, Jimmy Payne and the combination of Lou DiBella and Ken Casey, and we can’t wait to begin his journey toward a world championship.”
ABOUT DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT
In May of 2000, Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment (DBE), a full-service sports and entertainment company, which has become one of the most successful promotional entities in boxing. Serving as matchmaker, television distributor, marketing advisor, and promoter, DiBella has developed an exciting stable of championship caliber, world-class fighters. DBE clearly established itself as an industry leader with the successful launch of its monthly-televised “Broadway Boxing” series in April 2004. Prior to becoming a promoter, DiBella held an 11-year tenure as the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports. He is also a well-known fixture in the film industry, having worked as an Executive Producer for the film “Love Ranch”, as an Associate Producer on “The Fighter”, and making his acting debut in “Rocky Balboa”. The President and Managing General Partner for the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team, DiBella proudly wears his 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series rings, as his team is the class AA affiliate to the San Francisco Giants. In 2017, DiBella also became the CEO of the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team, the AA-affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. DiBella was inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.
ABOUT MURPHYS BOXING
Murphys Boxing was founded by Dropkick Murphys’ frontman, Ken Casey in 2014. In just 5 short years, Murphys Boxing has become the premier boxing promoter in the New England area and one of the hottest young promotions in the country. 2018 was a breakout year for Murphys Boxing as they took their first fighter to a world title. Along with the promotion’s first champion, several Murphys Boxing fighters secured world title opportunities and nationally televised fights in 2018. Murphys Boxing closed out their banner year by co-promoting the WBO Middleweight Championship bout between Demetrius Andrade and Walter Kautondokwa in front of over 10,000 fans at the TD Garden, the legendary home of the Boston Celtics, which was broadcast internationally on DAZN. Murphys Boxing’s current roster features world ranked contenders like Mark DeLuca, Charles Foster, Abraham Nova, Greg Vendetti, Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan and undefeated prospects like Niall Kennedy, Carlos Gongora, William Foster III and more. For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com.
ABOUT TIMES SQUARE BOXING
Times Square Boxing Co. is based in New York City. Currently, Times Square Boxing manages a stable of top-level talent, including dynamic young prospects Jeremy Hill (7-0 (4 KOs)), Sean Hemphill (3-0 (3 KOs) and a former member of Team USA) and Dominique Crowder (Pro Debut), as well as up-and-coming contenders Akil Knight (10-2, 9 KOs) and Dushane Crooks (13-1, 7 KOs). Joe Winters and Adam Glenn founded the company. The name “Times Square Boxing” is an homage to the world-famous Times Square Boxing Gym, owned and operated by Jimmy Glenn and the place where both Joe Winters and Adam Glenn began their love affair with the sport. Times Square Boxing is dedicated to protecting and guiding its fighters in and out of the ring.
Joe Winters is a former professional heavyweight boxer with strong roots in Ireland. He retired from boxing and went on to become an extremely successful American businessperson who built and acquired more than 100 companies. Today, Joe is widely recognized as an industry icon in the waste management and recycling industry. As the Chairman and CEO of Winters Bros. Waste Systems, his company has grown to be the premier provider of waste and recycling services. His mother, the late Brigid Winters (nee Doherty), was from Waterford, Ireland and many members of the Doherty family still reside in the Waterford area.
Adam Glenn is a Harvard-educated lawyer and the son of New York City boxing legend Jimmy Glenn. He spent the early part of his career as a corporate lawyer at prestigious New York law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he focused on Mergers and Acquisitions. Adam Glenn, along with his father, is the owner of the well-known boxing bar Jimmy’s Corner, located in Times Square.
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