Ray Moylette DEFEATED in Homecoming WAR

Ray Moylette returned home tonight in a war which we could have only dreamed of.

However, there was disappointment as the Islandeady man lost out after an incredible ten rounds at the Royal Theatre

Following eleven fights away from his home county – ten of which were abroad – Mayo’s greatest boxing son was back and he brought the TV cameras with him.

Broadcast live on on TG4, Moylette topped the Assassin Promotions ‘Homecoming’ card versus tough Mexican Christian Uruzquieta and he was defeated on a split-decision.

Stepping up to ten rounds for the first time, Moylette was aiming to enter the WBC Top 40 by virtue of claiming the organisation’s ‘International Silver’ rankings belt.

A pair of fifth round knockdowns, however, would tell on the card and Uruzquieta will be travelling home with the green belt following split verdict..

The Mexico City man flew to Ireland off the back of a full camp and was full of confidence. A regular in the away corner on United Promotions shows in Canada, Uruzquieta had tasted victory from this position before and would do so again following a Fight of the Year certainty.

Coming to the ring with following one of the most extravagant entrances in recent Irish boxing history, Moylette’s sister Sheila serenaded the crowd before ‘Sugar Ray’ was accompanied to the squared cicle by 18 bagpipers

Once the action finally started, Moylette hit home with sharp lefts but found himself targeted to the body by Uruzquieta in a close opener.

The Mexican’s body assault continued in the second but Moylette, midrift reddened already, roused the crowd with two big shots. Uruzquieta though would come back, forcing the home favourite to the corner before Moylette responded with another pair of eye-catching shots.

A left hook at the start of the third forced a momentarily shift of balance for Uruzquieta and Moylette followed this up with another before a big right. The visitor responded and a prolonged period of trading ensued as the atmosphere continued to rise.

Moylette, admittedly leaning back, was stumbled early in the fourth but was starting to box smoothly, landing the left hook with regularity and getting in one particularly big straight right.

It all threatened to come apart, however, in the fifth as Moylette was caught trading and dropped heavily. Roared on by the partisan crowd, the Mayo man rose late and sustained a prolonged barrage from Uruzquieta before being forced to stumble down again. Somehow, Moylette rose again and saw out the round.

Some expertly spilled water in the corner at the break ensured Moylette extra recovery time and the St Anne’s graduate tried to box in the sixth, beginning smartly and wearing some big shots well before landing a succession of huge shots of his own – along with some showboating – to increase the decibel levels to a deafening state.

Moylette, mouth bloodied, was cagier in the seventh and then started to put in some exhibition stuff, turning the head of Uruzquieta with a succession of left hooks and straight right hands as the atmosphere continued to astonish.

An extremely close eighth saw little land with both tucking up well, but an eye-catching left hook from Moylette may have snuck him the round.

Uruzquieta piled on the pressure in the ninth, another round made close by some clean, eye-catching single shots by Moylette.

Some winging shots off the ropes started the tenth off for Moylette who had exchanged a curt tap of the gloves with Uruzquieta at the beginning of the closing round. The grizzled Mexican continued to march forward undeterred with some strong bodywork as Moylette did everything in his path to evade and stem the flow with continued big counters as we went the distance.

The final came bell and both screaming scrappers mounted the turnbuckles in opposite neutral corners as the three scorecards were nervously awaited.

There was a prolonged delay in the tabulation of the tallies and confusion when they eventually reached the MC.

However, eventually, it was disappointment for the home crowd as Uruzquieta was declared a split-decision winner with a 95-94 and 96-92 in his favour against a 95-94 for Moylette.

The winner, who was courteously applauded, improves his record to 18(6)-4(1)-1 while Moylette drops to 11(4)-1(0) following to the first career defeat.

So, Rematch?

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The early undercard results can be seen HERE.

Nominal chief support for the night was Spike O’Sullivan who defeated Gabor Gorbics then, to allow Collins go through final preparations with Moylette, Victor Rabei scored a first-round knockout over Antonio Horvatic and Aaron Gethins scored a four-round debut points win over Silvije Kebet.

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)