Dublin flavour to Mayo fight menu- Hyland and Fitzgerald to appear

June 11 Jonny Stapleton

Boxing might be heading West this summer as Henry Coyle challenges for the WBF light middleweight title in Castlebar, but there is still a significant Dublin flavour to the August 12 Royal Theatre fight menu.

Having taken centre stage en route to claiming the WBF Featherweight title in the National Stadium last month, Patrick Hyland steps out of the limlight but bids to make 24 straight fights without defeat on the undercard of the impressive show.

While it seems fellow Dubliner, Anthony Fitzgerald may fight former stable mate and sparring partner Darren Cruise in an eight round contest.

Fresh from winning the WBF Featherweight crown the Punisher is looking to continue his continental crusade and hopes to take another step toward a European title fight with victory over an international opponent expected to be confirmed shortly.
“I was delighted with my performance against Frenois and it was great to get 12 rounds in the bag against a good, tough opponent,” said Hyland. “He had only been beaten by some good names but I found it quite comfortable in there against him and he admitted to me afterward that I hurt him with both hands and said that in the end he was just happy to last the distance. I took that as a nice compliment. I know I belong at European and World level and that’s what I want to prove from here on in.”

Meanwhile Fitzgerald Cruise looks to be a late but exciting edition to the card.

The EBA middleweight, WBF intercontinental and Irish super middleweight champion claims he was approached about taking the fight after today’s press conference and accepted instantly.

Fitzgerald, who claims to be closing in on a IBO world middleweight title fight, believes it would prove a good warm up for his September Dublin bout.

“I was asked about taking the fight today and I said yes. I think it would prove a great warm up for my fight in September. It can’t be for the titles I have because he hasn’t got an eight rounder under his belt,“ Fitzgerald told www.irish-boxing.com. “I’m very confident of winning. I was surprised he wanted the fight. I used to spar Darren and he is a good lad but it is business in the ring.”