Cousins fight for pride of the Liberties

BATTLING cousins Patrick Hyland and Paul Griffin will touch gloves in anger for the first time when they battle it out for the vacant Irish featherweight title at the National Stadium on April 19 on a bill that will feature all three Hyland brothers with Edward set to contest the Irish super featherweight belt with Kevin O’Hara from Belfast.

Destination Events in association with Pat Hyland and Pat Ryan promote the All-Ireland Championship Fight Night, featuring the two title fights with the third of the Hyland brothers, Paul, Cork men Billy Walsh and Gary O’Sullivan, Declan Timlin and new heavyweight Ian Timms on the undercard.

Dubbed the “Battle of the Liberties”, the Paul Griffin-Patrick Hyland fight has been talked about for the past two-and-a-half years.

“It was just a matter of getting them together in the ring,” Pat Ryan said. “They are both from the Liberties and, as we discovered recently, they are cousins through their grandmothers.”

As an amateur there was a spell when the talented Griffin ruled Europe, winning gold and bronze medals at European championships before his Olympic dream was shattered on a technicality.

He has been living in Australia in recent years and was back in Dublin yesterday to launch the show.

“Obviously myself and Patrick know each other well and, as a result, this is going to be a very good fight. But I am confident of claiming that belt,” he said.

Patrick Hyland has been in lethal form in his recent fights.

He stopped Lajos Beller in the first round of their super featherweight contest on the undercard to the Bernard Dunne-Reidar Walstad European title fight last June and he stopped Roman Rafael in 2 mins 5 secs at the John Duddy homecoming three weeks later.

“At 24 I am in the best shape I have ever been and I intend to win this title,” he said.

“Paul (Griffin) is 27 now and it is time for him to take it easy and retire gracefully.”

Edward Hyland faces a huge assignment against Kevin O’Hara who goes into the fight with a 13-3 record.

Hyland, however, has a decision over him as an amateur and that came in the finals of the Under-21 championships six years ago and the Dubliner is hoping to repeat that over 10 rounds.

O’Hara, however, has a huge incentive because victory could seal a showdown with the British and Commonwealth champion Kevin Mitchell while, on the downside, he knows an upset defeat at the hands of Hyland would leave with nowhere to go.

Since suffering a shock defeat to Henry Castle last November, O’Hara has been struggling.

“I’ve had an awful time and I just hope my luck changes,” he said. “Over the past 13 or 15 months it’s been one thing after another.

“I know my career hasn’t got out of third gear but given the chance I can go to the top.”

Opponents for Paul Hyland, Gary O’Sullivan, Billy Walsh, and heavyweights Declan Timlin and three-times national senior champion Ian Timms have yet to be named.