Hyland on cusp of world glory
By Stephen Leonard
FOR TALLAGHT boxer Patrick Hyland, every minute of training, every punch he has thrown and every thump he has absorbed throughout his career has been for the very opportunity he gets this Saturday.
The 32-year-old fighter will face off against Gary Russell jnr in Foxwoods Resort in Connecticut, hoping to rip from his grasp the WBC World Featherweight title.
“I’ve visualised this since the day I turned pro. I really feel that this is my time. Everything is coming to this moment and it’s perfect for me to become world champion” Hyland told The Echo.
“I’m dreaming of it, the fight and after it and hopefully bringing the belt back home here and hopefully having a Tallaght Stadium fight. It would be amazing.
“I’m just looking forward to getting in there, take it round by round and hopefully bring home that WBC belt” he added.
Saturday’s clash with Russell is the culmination of 12 years as a professional boxer in which Hyland has chalked up 31 wins from 32 bouts, his only loss coming against the much-hailed Javier Fortuna when they fought for the WBA World Featherweight crown in Las Vegas back in December of 2012.
Russell, another southpaw, poses an equally dangerous threat for the Dubliner who, nevertheless believes he will benefit from the experience of having already competed at the highest level.
What’s more he is hoping to capitalise on the fact that Russell has not fought since beating Jhonny Gonzalez for the WBC Featherweight belt just over a year ago.
“He [Russell] could have a bit of ring rust. It could work to my benefit in the first few rounds where I know I won’t be as fast as him, but I’ll get stronger and stronger as the fight goes on.
“He says he’s in the gym, he’s sparring, he’s working. I don’t expect him not to be at his best on the night, but I do expect him not to be mentally prepared because I think he’s looking past me which is a bad idea.
“I think he is the best boxer I will have fought. Like Fortuna was a hell of a puncher and I think Gary Russell is a better fighter than him, skill-wise and he has Olympic pedigree.
“He’s another lefty and I’ve only lost to a lefty, but I’ll be turning this one around.
“But he’s a class act. I give him a lot of credit. He’s the champion of the world and he is the best guy I will have come up against.
“I’m expecting very fast hand speed from him, I’m expecting him to come forward, thinking he’s just going to blow me out because I’m ranked 18th in the world.
“He’s probably looking past me which will be a bad mistake on his part because I’ve trained really hard and I’ll go through a wall to become world champion.
“I know he’s gonna be slick and fast, but I’ve been working with a good sparring partner in John O’Carroll and one or two other guys, working against a southpaw, picking my moves and I’m ready to attack them on Saturday night.
“I just focus on my own game, focus on my own work and don’t leave any stone unturned in the gym. But on the night I’m going out there to give it my best and I feel myself that I’m going to become world champion, but if I don’t I know that I did all my preparation right and went out there and gave it all for myself and my family” he said.
It has been the support of his family together with hard work and sheer determination that has brought Hyland to this point.
The tragic passing of his father Paddy, who trained and guided him in the sport, was a colossal blow to him last year.
While the memory of Paddy snr remains a huge source of inspiration to him, Hyland will be hoping to taper down the emotion that will come with competing on the highest stage without his father in his corner.
“I’ll be trying to keep the emotions down. I thought I had them under lock in my last fight but clearly I didn’t, but I know I got that out of my system.
“I know he [his father] is gonna be there. I still hear his voice shouting in the corner, somewhere in the arena.
“If I win this belt I’ll owe everything to him and also Tracy Patterson, for all the years of training with him. He was like a second father to me over there.
“The last three months I’ve been working hard with Packie Collins and it’s been a great training camp. He’s change me a little bit more.
“I know the auld lad will be there shining down on me. I have a feeling that it was him who helped me get the fight anyway.
“It means the world to me to be at the top level again. Especially to be fighting for the WBC, that green belt that everybody loves and I’ve always wanted to have.
“From first lacing up the gloves I had three dreams. One was to fight in Madison Square Gardens, one was to fight in Vegas and one was to become a world champion.
“I’ve done two of them so this time I’m going all out for this” he insisted.
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