By Charlie Laughtland
For The Herald
Martin O’Malley’s return to the local fight scene is back on.
Ending a seven-month layoff, the Edmonds boxer will face Tampa, Fla., native Rudy Lunsford in an eight-round lightweight bout March 30 at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma.
O’Malley, 26, was scheduled to appear at the same venue Feb. 22 only to have his fight scrapped at the last minute when his opponent backed out.
“I was ready to fight back in January,” O’Malley said. “A lot of fights have fallen through. But I can’t worry about what’s happened in the past.”
O’Malley (17-1, 14 knockouts) won his first 17 professional fights before dropping a nationally televised bout to current WBA champion Leo Dorin July 21 in Atlantic City.
Lunsford, 28, lost an eight-round decision to Dorin in July of 2000. O’Malley’s fight with Dorin was called after nine rounds.
“I know he’s a tough, durable guy,” O’Malley said of Lunsford. “He’s fought a lot of good opponents and he always fights to the level of his opponent.”
Matchmaker Bob Oleson said Lunsford (11-17-2, 7 knockouts) will be a good test for O’Malley, who last fought in his home state Oct. 9, 1999 at Mercer Arena in Seattle.
“He’s a clever boxer and depending on the opposition he can be aggressive,” Oleson said. “He’ll try to adjust to what Martin does.”
O’Malley sustained a hairline fracture in his left ring finger against Dorin and spent six weeks in a cast. Around that time, he parted ways with the advisors he’d been working with and moved to Arizona to train with his father, Martin O’Malley Sr.
“My dad’s got me thinking jab in my sleep,” O’Malley said. “I really need to get back to jabbing more. I got away from it a bit and it’s something I need to maintain.
“It’s not a devastating punch but it’s an effective way to set up everything else.”
O’Malley, who will receive a reported $2,500 purse for his upcoming bout, has also changed his mental approach.
“I used to want to go in and knock out everybody,” he said. “I’ve learned that’s not realistic with most guys. It’s better to let the punches go and if it happens, it happens.”
For ticket information, contact the Emerald Queen Casino at 253-594-7777.
Charlie Laughtland is a staff writer for The Enterprise Newspapers and can be reached at laughtland@heraldnet.com.
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