The Test undercard report
PAUL Hyland picked up his first title and a first stoppage win on the Test card in Belfast on Saturday night.
Hyland overcame a tough and game Imre Nagy to win an entertaining battle, collecting the International Bronze Masters title in the process.
The 24 year old lightweight came out flying, but touched the canvas as the Hungarian caught him with a right hand mid slip. John Lowey ruled the fall a slip, and Hyland wasn’t hurt, but it gave Nagy, who boasts a winning record, hope and came throwing shots. Hyland obliged and a fast paced first stanza ensued.
That pace continued into the second round. Nagy kept coming, taking good shots, including a cracking uppercut, making Hyland earn the round in the process.
The Belfast fighter began to find his range in the third and began to use is jab to good effect and by the fourth he was picking shots from a comfortable distance.
He flirted with the stoppage twice in round four, but the tough Nagy was still swinging at the end of the round. A lovely timed body shot dipped the Hungarian’s knees early in the fifth, but again he recovered to have a go. Just when it looked like the away fighter was going to make the sixth round another body shot saw him wilt and a Hyland right hand forced him to the canvas. John Lowey counted Nagy out 2:39 seconds into the round giving Hyland his sixth consecutive win.
Dee Walsh done a demolition job on Peter Orlik ending the Hungarian’s winning streak to extend his own to 11 with out defeat.
The Irish light middleweight champ rattled his foe with two left hooks early doors, before a big right hand wobbled the traveling fighter. A beautifully timed upper cut then had Orlik shaky on his feet and John Lowey jumped in. Orlik could have lasted beyond 1:29 and the stoppage seemed a bit premature, but was the inevitable outcome.
There was also a stoppage in Daniel McShane’s return to the ring, but unfortunately the boxing barber’s night was cut short and it fell the way of Zoltan Horvath.
The 39 year old registered only his second win in 39 fights and celebrated accordingly. McShane was pulled out 2:49 into the second stanza after his shoulder popped mid clinch. It’s an unfortunate and extremely painful way to lose your first bout.
Tyrone McKenna didn’t suffer pain against Istvan Kiss he inflicted it. The 25 year old welterweight looked not only intent on registering victory, but standing out on The Test card and catching the eye of all those in attendance.
The southpaw wobbled his foe with a left hook in the first few seconds, before walking kiss on to a number of straight left hands. The away fighter was game, but Mckenna hit and moved impressively and eventually got the stoppage win 1:30 into the third, before treating the crowd to a little dance!!
Joe Hillerby returned from his sabbatical with an expected, yet impressive win over Dee Taggart.
The former Irish light middleweight title challenger showed no signs of ring rust and eased to a shut out points win. Hillerby showed the kind of skill set that suggests he could be a welcome re addition to the domestic scene if he can get down the weights.