It’s like he never left.
Though boxing has taken him as far away as Ireland and Antigua, New York City has become Martin O’Malley’s home away from home.
This Sunday, the Edmonds native will fight in New York for the fourth time in the co-main event of an ESPN2 card at the Regent Wall Street Hotel.
“I always liked it here,” O’Malley said in a phone interview from Queens, where he is staying with trainer Tommy Gallagher.
Since he arrived last week, O’Malley (19-1, 14 knockouts) has kept active with daily trips to Gleason’s Gym, the same renowned Brooklyn gym he trained at when he was living in New York.
“People know me and recognize me at the gym,” he said. “It’s probably the most prestigious gym in New York and one of the best in the country.”
Late last month O’Malley signed on for the fight, expecting to meet Yoni Vargas, the WBO’s No. 6 super featherweight contender. But according to matchmaker Chris Middendorf, Vargas injured his hand last weekend and Danny Rios was named as his replacement.
O’Malley, 27, didn’t hear of the change until Tuesday afternoon.
“I spent a lot of time, effort and money just getting tapes (of Vargas),” O’Malley said. “I had a game plan all ready. I won’t have time to do all that again.”
While Rios (14-2, 3 knockouts) isn’t as well-regarded as Vargas (23-3, 12 knockouts), he has a similar, straightforward style. His last two fights — a no contest and a technical decision loss — were stopped in the first and second round respectively due to unintentional headbutts.
“He tends to lead with his head,” Middendorf said. “That’s why I originally turned him down for Martin.”
The 10-round lightweight bout will air live at noon Pacific time as the first of two televised fights. A junior middleweight matchup between unbeaten Tokunbo Olajide and Nicholas Cervera will headline the show.
Gallagher, a longtime trainer who has worked with a handful of world champions, caught one of O’Malley’s previous New York appearances and was impressed by his presence.
“I just like the way he approaches boxing,” Gallagher said. “He’s got some good skills. He doesn’t get hit too much. He’s kind of rugged.”
So far, Gallagher’s main suggestion for O’Malley has been to try and relax more in the ring.
“I think I’ve had the tendency of always wanting to do too much,” O’Malley said. “He’s backed me off and got me thinking it’s the quality, not the quantity that’s important.”
Rios, 31, has fought just four times in the past two years. In 1998, he scored a six-round win over Jesse Gutierrez, who O’Malley defeated in June for his second straight unanimous decision victory.
To prepare for the fight, O’Malley has been taking part in what he called “heated sparring” sessions with former workout partner Vivian Harris, who is prepping for an Oct. 19 showdown with WBA super lightweight champ Diosbelys Hurtado.
“He always goes at it like a fight when he spars,” O’Malley said of Harris. “I don’t like to load up my punches. I want to get a good workout.”
It will be O’Malley’s first nationally televised fight since his technical knockout loss to current WBA lightweight champ Leo Dorin in July of 2001. He’s hoping the exposure will lead to more promotional offers.
“There’s a lot (riding) on this fight,” O’Malley said. “I don’t think it’s a make or break fight, but that’s the attitude I want to have.”
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