Former World Champion’s Son to Dedicate Atlantic City Debut to Gatti Jr.

Danny “Little Mac” McDermott, a former WBU World Champion and North Bergen native, announced that his 15-year-old son, Káin McDermott, will make his amateur boxing debut next month in Atlantic City. The bout will be dedicated to Arturo Gatti Jr., the 17-year-old son of the late boxing champion Arturo “Thunder” Gatti, who died earlier this month in Mexico.

Káin trains under his father in North Bergen and lives part-time in Washington Township with his mother. He also works with Bruce Seldon, former WBA Heavyweight Champion known for his 1996 title bout with Mike Tyson.

Danny McDermott, a New Jersey Boxing Hall of Famer and WBC Silver Champion, runs the North Bergen Boxing Recreation Program out of the Little Mac Boxing Gym in Edgewater.

The dedication carries personal significance. McDermott served as Gatti’s chief sparring partner during several major fights and fought on undercards connected to Gatti at Madison Square Garden.

McDermott said he considered Gatti “like a big brother,” and recalled serving as his chief sparring partner during major fights (McDermott, 2019).

Gatti Jr.’s death has drawn national attention due to similarities with his father’s 2009 passing. Káin’s debut will serve as a personal tribute, continuing a boxing lineage rooted in mentorship and memory.