Africans invade Dublin by Steve Wellings Sep 5th 2008

The Hylands will be dancing to an African beat on Saturday 6th September, as father Paddy promotes a four-fight dinner show in Dublin's City West Hotel. Super-featherweight Eddie Hyland meets veteran Kenyan Geoffrey Munika over 10 rounds, featherweight Patrick Hyland gets John Gicharu over eight rounds while Paul Hyland has an opponent change at super-bantamweight. Original foe Sande Kizito of Uganda hurt his hand in sparring and Romanian Cristian Nicolae will step in to fill the gap. “I was only told of the opponent change this morning, but it doesn't really bother me,” Paul told BBN by phone. “It's nothing new getting in there with my brothers and I always get a good experience.” Since turning pro in 2004 the 23 year-old local lad is relishing the challenge of moving up in class, hopefully with a big fight just around the corner. “I would love a European title shot next year,” added the recently crowned Irish champion, “[Rendall] Munroe is good but I fancy it.” Hyland stepped up to his biggest challenge last time out with a resounding ten round points win over experienced Marc Callaghan to claim the aforementioned Irish crown. “Marc is a good fighter who had been in the ring with the best. I wasn't sure which way the ref had scored it but I looked over at the end and he raised my hand.” He need not have worried, with referee David Irving totalling the bout 98-93 in his favour, moving the record to 11-0 (4 KO's) in the process. “Callaghan said after the fight that I was the best he had fought, which is some compliment considering the people he's been in with; Esham Pickering, Michael Hunter, Rendall Munroe and now Martin Lindsay.” In April of this year, Paul outscored slippery African Ayitteh Mettle in Dublin's National Stadium, in a somewhat comical affair. “Mettle was a fight to get rid of the ring rust but he ended up running around and dancing for the crowd. He was a bit of a clown.” Hyland got the eight round win and shed the ring rust, enabling his first ten round contest (in July with Callaghan) to run smoothly. “The training for the fight coming up has been great, with good sparring, padwork and running. I'm ready to put on a show.” As Paul prepares for his bout, brother Eddie get a possible livewire, in the shape of 34 year-old Geoffrey Munika who boasts 16 wins as a professional and mixed with third brother Patrick in Tallaght, just months earlier. No doubt they can exchange advice and despite the fact Munika has been in with some decent operators, I don't foresee an upset. Likewise in Patrick's fight with John Gicharu, although the freakishly tall Nairobi native is 10-1-1 and gave Derry Mathews an argument in his last but one outing. That was the first and only occasion he had ventured outside of Kenya and his record shows no really recognisable names, despite being aesthetically pleasing. Gicharu will come to have a go but Patrick should box clever to take it over the distance to send the crown home happy. The fourth contest sees Robert Long makes his debut at super-middleweight over four-threes. Long hasn't laced on the gloves at any level for two years since quitting the amateur code over the scoring system (surely not!) He did have some pedigree though, winning juvenile titles in Ireland and as Paddy Hyland explains, “He's a real crowd pleaser with his style. I compare him a little to Steve Collins; very tough and ready to have a go. He will be training with us in Dublin and I'm looking forward to seeing him as a pro.” Long meets luckless Romanian Florin Bogdan who sports a 2-9-2 record.

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