Strap Season – Tommy Hyde vs Craig McCarthy receives title boost
Craig McCarthy’s BUI super middleweight Celtic title will be on the line when the Waterford man and Tommy Hyde meet on March 16.
The intriguing match-up was announced as a Celtic Nations title fight when it was confirmed out of the blue last week.
However, Irish-boxing.com understands after a meeting of the ratings committee the Boxing Union of Ireland have sanctioned the clash for the picturesque belt.
It’s positive news for the fight, both fighters and indeed the entire super middleweight division. It keeps a 168lbs strap in play in a weight class that includes domestically keen names like Jamie Morrissey, Kevin Cronin, and Emmett Brennan.
The winner will most likely be next in line for the Irish title at super middle, which itself has positive ramifications for the Irish scene.
The title also adds further glamour and interest to an already much-talked-about Munster clash set for the famed Cow Palace in San Francisco and a very busy St Patrick’s weekend for Irish boxing.
In more general terms the clash represents a real level-up for NoWhere2Hyde’s Hyde. The 24-year-old Irish Boxing Awards Prospect of the Year did a lot of learning in an extremely active first pro year – and it seems he is now looking to put it to good use by entering an extremely exciting domestic super middleweight fray.
Waterford southpaw McCarthy was expected to be seen in all Irish action next but not against Hyde. ‘Built2Last’ had agreed to fight Kerry’s Kevin Cronin last September but the Irish title fight fell through last minute.
The pair remained linked and most expected a meeting to be confirmed for this spring. Instead, McCarthy, who has all Irish experience in the form of Chris Blaney and Graham McCormack, will now fight rising Cork prospect Hyde.
