South Shore sweep: Marshfield, Scituate, Braintree boxing pride overpower Granite Chin card
QUINCY – Drenched in sweat, Tommy "The Kid" O'Toole stood outside his locker room while cutting off his wrist tape.
A rally of South Shore boxing fans wearing "Team O'Toole" T-shirts were not shy in standing alongside him.
The 26-year-old from Braintree by way of Galway, Ireland, was moments removed from his seventh career knockout, a third-round shot of Peabody's Russell Kimber in Granite Chin's "Rumble at the Rink" Light Heavyweight Championship at Quincy Youth Arena on Saturday. Much to the elation of his de facto hometown crowd.
“It’s the best atmosphere I’ve had in Boston so far. For sure." O'Toole said in between requests for selfies.
Dorchester's Bernard Joseph (Super Middleweight champion), Marshfield's Joe Bush (Welterweight champ), Scituate's Kevin "The Big Gulp" Nagle (Heavyweight champ) and Tony "The Gentle Savage" Andreozzi (Super Middleweight champ) also emerged victorious.
O'Toole's big night
O'Toole, the 173-pound former Irish National Champion, knocked Kimber down seven times through two rounds and delivered the final blow at the 2:59 mark of the third round (of six).
“I honestly don’t know what happened there. I should’ve been stopped earlier," O'Toole said of the knockdowns. "I knew I didn’t have to rush it. I’m developing well as a pro, so I want to take my time. That’s what I did – probably took my time a little too much.”
O'Toole has fought eight of his 10 career fights in the Boston area since signing his professional deal in 2021 and moving to Braintree in 2023. He defeated New York's Scott Lampert the last time he fought in Quincy in August for Granite Chin's Veterans Memorial Showcase card.
He was happy with his outing Saturday.
"It was good," O'Toole said. "I tried to pick my shots."
Marshfield High alum shines
Joe Bush took up wrestling in high school, but didn't fall head-over-heels with it. When he entered the ring Saturday night, the 2016 Marshfield High graduate was reminded why his passion for boxing intensified since he started seven years ago.
“It’s overwhelming support from my hometown," Bush said of the applause upon his introduction. "I appreciate every one of those people individually.”
Bush, 26, earned his third career knockout in as many bouts with a first-round shot of North Carolina's Tracey Coppedge (0-3) in the welterweight division. The fight lasted two minutes and 52 seconds.
“Truthfully, I wanted to take my time, but he caught me with a big punch in the beginning," Bush said. "My mentality switched. I kinda went into kill mode and I decided to take him out.
“That’s something I want to work on. I want to become a little more patient," he said. "As a professional, that’s going to play a big part.”
This is Bush's first year on the pro circuit. He is the 2023 New England Golden Gloves Silver Medalist and last fought in February at Bridgewater Veteran's Club, where he KO'd Rakim Johnson in 1:49. He made his professional debut in December.
Bush said he started boxing because “I couldn’t hit, catch or throw a ball so I learned how to throw a punch.”
“We want to continue to knock people out," Bush said of his career. "I’m a big puncher. If I can catch someone, I’m going to put them out. I’ve just got to get my hands on him.”
Scituate's 'The Big Gulp' is an overpowering force
Kevin "The Big Gulp" Nagle is happy to be back in the ring.
The 40-year-old, 277-pound heavyweight from Scituate resumed boxing after getting a divorce last year. He said his ex-wife didn’t let him fight during their marriage.
On Saturday, the South Shore Tech alum (8-0) outlasted Santander "Cha Cha Azucar" Silgado (32-19) of Colombia in a unanimous decision after six rounds.
This is the first pro fight Nagle didn't conclude via knockout.
“It felt good to go a whole fight," Nagle said. "I really wish I got him in that last round there, but kind of ran out of time.”
Nagle, who last fought in Bridgewater in February, finds himself primarily on the offensive end in his bouts. He had nearly 50 pounds on Silgado, a former WBC Latino Cruiserweight champ who checks in at 230 pounds.
“I’d prefer someone get closer to me, it’s just harder for me to make up the space sometimes," Nagle said.
Nagle would like to take his career as far as Granite Chin promotor Chris Traietti takes it. He's only appeared in local bouts in his two years as a pro, but he wouldn't be opposed to traveling further.
“If it stopped now, we’d be OK. We fulfilled our dream," Nagle said of his career. "Another year or two would be great, as long as we can stay healthy, stay in shape and keep getting fights. That would be the ideal scenario.”
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Marshfield, Scituate, Braintree's best boxers win at Granite Chin card
