Boxing was not the first love of Patrick Farrell's life. Farrell attended LaSalle University on a football scholarship after graduating from St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, NJ. He was a 6'2", 245 pound linebacker that started 37 games over four years.
After graduating in 2005 with a double major in communications, Farrell had offers to play pro football in Europe but declined. “I realized I wasn't going to be a professional football player in the NFL and decided to move on.”
Farrell had been accustomed to lifting weights as a football player but began looking for another way to stay in shape. That's when he called on childhood friend Mike Skowronski. Skowronski, known as "Mickey Red" to the locals, was running the Passaic Police Athletic League program.
"I stepped foot in the gym not knowing how to fight at all. Six months later I was 40 pounds lighter. I told Mike that I wanted to fight. He told me if I stayed in the gym for a year he'd let me fight."
"Paddy" fulfilled his end of the bargain, fighting in his first tournament the 2007 New Jersey Golden Gloves, and winning the novice title along the way. The trend continued as “Paddy Boy” went onto win the 2007 New Jersey Diamond Gloves and again the 2008 NJ Golden Gloves once more. Farrell also represented the Dover NJ/USA team that competed in New Jersey as well as Montreal against the Canadian National team.
Some of the many fighters Farrell has sparred with include heavyweight Vinny Maddalone, light-heavyweight Bobby Rooney and super-middleweights Jerson Ravelo and Wayne Johnsen, among others. His most notable experience came from working with Tomasz Adamek, as Farrell served as his chief sparring partner during his cruiserweight title reign.
Farrell turned pro on 2/19/09, knocking out Phillip Hannah in just 61 seconds. Farrell accumulated a record of 5-0, beating “Contender”, star, Jon “the Fighting Marine” Schneider along the way, until losing a decision in Philadelphia, against seasoned veteran Kamarah Pasley. Farrell got right back on the horse, fighting less than one month later on the Zab Judah vs. Jose Armando Santa Cruz undercard, fighting another seasoned veteran Newton “the Butcher” Kidd. Farrelll and Kidd fought a crowd pleasing, all out slugfest to a majority six round draw.
Now coming off a year and a half long hiatus after breaking his nose and having surgery and accepting a position as a Jersey City Fire Fighter, the 28 year-old Farrell is looking to make a run for the top of the Cruiserweight Division.
