PATRICK HYLAND WANTS to turn tonight’s world-title battle against Gary Russell Jr into a Gatti-Ward-style brawl.
The Dubliner challenges Russell, a Washington native based in Maryland, for the WBC world featherweight crown in Connecticut on a bill screened live in Ireland and the UK on Sky Sports and on Showtime in the US.
The Tallaght native is a 7/1 underdog against slick southpaw champion Russell, who is a former world amateur medallist.
Both men have only suffered one pro defeat, Hyland’s coming in a 2012 points loss against the still-undefeated Dominican Javier Fortuna while Russell lost a majority decision to two-time Olympic champion Vasyl Lomachenko in 2014.
But Hyland believes that he has the experience to drag the stylish Russell into the trenches as he wants a war along the lines of the famous Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti trilogy.
Russell carries a career record of 26-1 to Hyland’s 31-1, although the champion has only been a pro for just over seven years compared to the challenger’s 11-and-a-half-year paid career.
“Gatti-Ward – they had the hands down and didn’t give a shite, but they were pushing and pushing themselves and that’s the way I feel like I’ll be from round five on in this fight,” said Hyland, who plans on roughing it up from the midway point of the 12-round bout.
“In my mind, the only way I’m losing this fight is going out on my back. That’s the only way and my mind set going forward,” continued the 32-year-old. “If I did get knocked out at least I’ll get knocked out trying and trying to be a world champion.
“I’m a hardy boy. That’s the way I go into this fight as well… I’m going to bring him into a fight,” added Hyland.
Hyland is looking forward to the chance to honour his late father, Paddy, who passed away last summer after coaching his three sons to pro and amateur success.
“I know I’ll hear him in this fight and hear him after it,” said Hyland. “I do hear him in the gym, ‘get your f***ing hand up’, because he was never one to be soft on me.
“He knew how to bring the best out of me, to say stuff to me to piss me off to get the best out of me in the ring. That’s all gone now, but it’s in my head,” said Hyland, who is now trained by Packie Collins, brother of former champ Steve.
