Jul. 7—Pittsburgh boxer Mary Casamassa is still trying to fully absorb the notion that her next fight will not just take place at the legendary Madison Square Garden, but will also go out live to the world on Netflix.
"I don't know if it's entirely sunk in yet, to be honest," said Casamassa, 25, as she and manager Derek Gionta waited to catch their flight to New York City. "But it's a huge thing for me, coming from my family to represent my gym on this scale."
Casamassa (6-0, 1 KO) will go up against two-time Olympian and World Boxing Organization middleweight contender Tamm Thibeault (2-0, 1 KO) as part of the first professional all-female boxing card, MVP's Taylor vs. Serrano 3. MVP is YouTube celebrity and boxer Jake Paul's promotional company.
Multiple boxing sanctioning bodies have come together for three undisputed and two unified title bouts, showcasing nine reigning champions and putting 21 world titles on the line.
Casamassa — who is also an engineer with a degree from the University of Pittsburgh — is currently the No. 1 WBC and IBF contender at 160 pounds and the No. 1 WBA and WBO contender at 168 pounds. She will also be fighting 3-minute rounds, the same as male boxers. Thibeault, a 6-foot Canadian southpaw has fought 3-minute rounds across her pro career.
"Facing a tough competitor like Mary Casamassa is a challenge I'm ready for, and I'm going to prove that women can thrive under the same rules as men," Thibeault said at a pre-fight press event. "Competing in three-minute rounds is an important step for equality in the sport, and I'm excited to fight for it on July 11."
Gionta, of Monroeville, said he can't wait to see Casamassa on the Madison Square Garden floor.
"This is one of the most historic venues in the country, and more importantly it's a good opportunity for Mary," he said. "This caliber of fight on this type of stage is fantastic."
Casamassa trains with retired Pittsburgh police officer Jack Mook at Jack's Gym in Ross. Ironically, her Canadian opponent trains at a place called Steel City Gym, but it's in Sheffield in the United Kingdom.
"She's got good length — she's a little taller than I am," Casamassa said. "And she likes to set up that left hand and put her jab out as a feeler to gauge distance. So I'll be looking for her to line up that straight left."
What Casamassa won't be looking for is the massive crowd at the Garden.
"I'm not real great with people and crowds, so I think parts of the week will be a little bit of a struggle for me," she said. "But I really enjoy fighting, so I'm looking forward to it and once the fight gets started, I won't be thinking about being in front of so many people."
MVP's Taylor vs. Serrano 3 will stream starting at 8 p.m. July 11 on Netflix.
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.