PATRICK HYLAND IS out to become only the second Irishman ever to claim a WBC world title as the Dubliner looks to cap a rollercoaster year with glory next month.
The 32-year-old Tallaght native is set to step into the ring for just the second time since the passing of his father and coach Paddy last June as he prepares to meet WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr at the Foxwoods casino resort in Connecticut on April 16 in a rescheduled fight date.
Hyland’s US promoter Lou DiBella has put together big fight card, which is co-headlined by Liverpudlian Stephen Smith’s IBF super-featherweight title challenge against Jose Pedraza and set to be screened live in the US on Showtime. The fact that Smith is promoted by Matchroom Sports in the UK means the show is also likely to feature on Sky Sports.
Hyland opted to pull out of a keep-busy bout that was lined up for Boston earlier this month in order to prepare for his big date as he bids to become just the second Irishman to claim the famous WBC green belt after Wayne McCullough.
“I think Wayne is the only Irishman to hold it so to be second on getting my name on that belt would be something,” said Hyland, who has experienced an emotional year after losing his father and he hopes to honour Paddy Senior’s memory with a win next month.
“It’s been an up and down year with my dad passing and then I fought in October, which was hard fighting without him in the corner for the first time,” said ‘The Punisher’. “I got that out of my system and I know he’s helping me get these fights up there, and I’ll be ready for this one.
“I’ll be going all-out to become WBC champion and have a big defence in Dublin,” added the Tallaght native, whose sole career loss came on a points decision against Javier Fortuna of the Dominican Republic three-and-a-half years ago in a WBA interim title fight.
Russell Jr (26-1), a Washington native and US boxing prodigy, has also suffered just one pro defeat, which came against two-time Olympic champion Vasyl Lomachenko two years ago, and Hyland (31-1) rates the 27-year-old southpaw highly.
“He has super-fast hands… Fighting a southpaw is hard enough but once I get an extra few weeks under the belt, it’s going to be good for me,” said the Dubliner, who is a sparring partner of UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
“I think he (Russell) brilliant and a credit to the sport, but he hasn’t fought anyone like me,” continued Hyland.
“I’ve had one chance to fight for the (WBA interim) world title and I know I didn’t do enough in the fight for myself to win it. This time I’m going to go all-out, it’s everything on the line and no holding back,” added Hyland, whose title shot will also mark the first time he fights under trainer Paschal Collins..
Collins, brother of two-weight world champ Steve, is in Boston this week as he prepares Hyland’s Celtic Warriors Gym-mate Stephen Ormond for his IBF inter-continental lightweight title fight against Marcos Jiminez of the Dominican Republic on Saturday night.
