Gateway to the world – Dylan Moran goes in dept about bizare move to Lichtenstein

It’s destination anywhere from the strangest of training destinations in Lichtenstein according to Dylan Moran.

The Waterford man has somehow found himself setting up camp in probably the least known of the Eastern European countries – the fighter himself admits he couldn’t have found it on a world map as he didn’t know it existed – and one certainly not noted for it’s fighters.

However, the welterweight prospect remains adamant it’s an ideal place for him and believes his association with the country and his new team will ensure the sky remains the limit in terms of where he can go and what he can achieve.

“Pit Gleim and the team at PGP are an amazing group of people. They’ve taken me in and really made me feel at home. I’ve landed on my feet,” Moran told Irish-boxing.com.

“Liechtenstein I never even knew existed until I went there but it’s an amazing country the scenery just gets better and better. It’s a little weird been the foreigner over there but the people are nice and it’s perfect for what I’m doing .”

Gleim and Moran’s new promoters may not be known in Ireland or even by the hardest nosed hardcore fan, but they have sway in countries around Europe including the lucrative German market.

The 25-year-old is confident he can take advantages of their standing and contacts to build toward major fights over the coming years. His belief is ratified by the fact a title fight on a world title card is in the pipeline after just one fight under their banner.

“Believe me when I say PGP have the contacts and the backing to open all the doors for me, as long I continue to work hard,” he said after winning in Austria last week.

“I had my first fight for them [last] Tuesday night and I knew I needed to impress. I done just that from start to finish they were over the moon and afterwards said we have a title fight for you on a world title undercard end of February not confirmed yet but nearly.”

It’s a big turn around for the Deise favourite considering he lost his American and Star Boxing debut in the Summer.

The waters were muddied in the period post that defeat and with two fights falling through in quick succession Moran was close to hanging up the gloves.

However, rather than wallow, Moran remained keen to learn and improve and his willingness to travel and spar has lead to an opportunity he suggests could be career defining.

“So I was brought in as a sparring partner for Abass Baraou through the Sauerlands. I taught I was going to Berlin as that’s where they are based but I was told they are doing this camp in a fancy facility up the mountains in Liechtenstein,” he adds giving chapter one of his PGP story.

“I arrived and remember thinking wow what a set up this I had never seen anything like it. Me and Abbas got to work and started sparring and the spars were very exciting. I was giving as good as I got and the gym was loving watching it .

“After the first spar Pit Gleim introduced himself told me he owned the facility’s and from then on he was there watching them all . After an amazing week of training and sparing we had a last run. After the last run on the Sunday Pit asked could he speak with me before I went home. I met him that night not knowing what to expect. I taught they were gona’ bring me sparring somewhere else, but to cut a long story short he sat me down said ‘I like what I’ve seen of you all week’ and basically gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

“And that’s it really it’s all took off from there before I knew it was living and training over there.”

Moran will now visit Liechtenstein so often he will be go from not knowing it existed to being able to give guided tours around the country.

The PGP Gym will be his training base, but that doesn’t mean Waterford is off the agenda.

Moran still dreams of topping a bill in his home county and it’s dream he has sold to his new promoter.

“I will base my training over there, but I made clear a homecoming in Waterford is my dream and they are all for it to be honest,” he adds before rejoicing in the quick turnaround of fortune.

“I’m still pinching myself with everything that’s gone on the last few weeks what a turn around it’s been. It was a disastrous few months. I was borderline packing it and since I have had to two wins and a dream contract. It’s crazy and hard to come to terms with it’s all happened so fast.

“To any of the younger fighters starting off put yourselves out there take every opportunity come your way because you just don’t know what could come with it if it can happen for me it can happen for ye,” he adds in typical mr nice guy Moran fashion.

Moran also pointed out that peoples perceptions of Eastern Europe can be wrong at times. He claims his training is more Ivan Drago than Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV and notes he is improving already.

“The training and treatment I’m getting over there is the best I’ve seen and I’ve been around. I’m back learning and improving everyday taking in that new style of fighting and new ways. It’s like a science lab for boxing all my sparring partners are already organized for January coming from all over .

“The last few fights I had spread myself out too much trying to overlook the management and promoting side of things and that was taking away from my main focus of me performing, not because I wanted to but because I had to.

“I’m now in a position where all I have to do is focus on my fighting again and I firmly believe we are going to see the best Dylan Moran from now on.”