Plymouth Rocking: O'Connor stops Andrew Farmer in four

By Cliff Rold 

Danny O’Connor (24-2, 8 KO) of Framingham, Massachusetts, returned to action for the first time since a split decision loss to former Jr. Welterweight titlist Vivian Harris in October 2013. The ring reunion was well worth the weight for the 29-year old, who scored a fourth round knockout of Andrew Farmer (18-3, 7 KO), also 29, on Thursday night at Memorial Hall in Plymouth, Massachusetts. 

Both of Farmer’s knockout losses have come in the fourth round. O’Connor records his first stoppage in his last six starts.  Both men weighed in one below the division limit at 146 lbs. 

An all-out assault from the southpaw O’Connor forced Farmer to the deck in round two but Farmer rose and survived the round.  There would be no survival in the fourth.  With O’Connor fighting through a cut over his right eye, a left to the body dropped Farmer to his knees.  Farmer never attempted to rise as referee Jack Morrell counted him out at 2:33 of round four.

In Middleweight action, 26-year old prospect Mark DeLuca (12-0, 9 KO), 158 ½, of Whitman, Massachusetts, beat up shopworn 36-year old trial horse Ryan Davis (24-15-3, 9 KO), 159 ½, of East St. Louis, Illinois, dropping him in round three and continuing to hammer away until the fight was stopped prior to the start of the scheduled sixth and final round.

Davis entered having lost five in a row, and six of his last seven, dating to the summer of 2011.  Five of those six losses came by knockout.

26-year old Ugandan Lightweight contender Sharif Bogere (26-1, 18 KO), 136, of Las Vegas, Nevada, moved his mark to 3-0 with 3 stoppages in 2014, dropping 25-year old Fernando Garcia (30-7-2, 18 KO), 136, of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, in the second and fifth rounds en route to a fifth round knockout.  The referee was Mike Marvell.

Bogere dominated the fight from bell to bell, lowering the boom with a final hard combination.  Feinting Garcia into the ropes, Bogere landed a right hand off the jab and Garcia melted into the floor.  Sitting on seat of his trunks, Garcia took the count without rising.  The official time was 2:30 of the fifth.  

Bogere is unbeaten since a losing bid for the WBA Lightweight title versus Richar Abril in March 2013.

In the televised opener, 23-year old Irish Super Middleweight Jason Quigley (3-0, 3 KO), 165 ½, of Woodland Hills, California, used a left hook and right hand to drop 38-year old Greg McCoy (3-4-1, 1 KO), 165, of New Haven, Connecticut.  McCoy made no effort to rise as referee Mike Marvell tolled the count, halting the action at 2:39 of round one.

The card was broadcast on Fox Sports1, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.       

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene and a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com