Paul Hyland Jr hits back at robbery claims following Stephen Ormond clash in online rant
Paul Hyland Jr has lashed out at critics who think he was an undeserved victor in his bout with Stephen Ormond on Saturday night.
The Belfast lightweight opened up on the fight in a passionate post on Facebook tonight.
Hyland took on Ormond in the chief support bout on the Ryan Burnett v Zhanat Zhakiyanov at the SSE Odyssey Arena, live on Sky Sports.
Despite dropping Ormond in the third round of theeir twelve-round IBF East/West Europe title fight, most felt that the Dubliner had done enough to win following a dominant second-half performance.
However, judges Valerie Dorsett – who scored the bout a ridiculous 117-110 – and Howard Foster, felt that the Hyland had done enough, overruling the 115-112 card for Ormond from Pasquale Procopio.
34 year old Ormond [24(13)-5(1)] and his team would describe the verdict as a ‘robbery’ as did many on social media. The Sky Sports pundits as well as the vast majority Irish boxing media also felt that ‘The Rock’ had deserved a close but clear verdict.
With grievances about the result continuing to circulate two days later, Hyland [17(6)-0] has come out to give his take.
“There’s been a lot of different views on my fight,” he posted.
“People are entitled to their own opinion fair enough, but a fight so close like that can’t be called a robbery.”
“I believe I did enough in that fight to win, plus the knockdown giving me the extra points just sealed the victory. I think the 117-110 scorecard was a bit off to be honest, but the 114-113 was fairer scoring.”
“I won the whole first half of the fight hands down up until I got my jaw broke around the eighth round from a headbutt, I knew right away it was broke but I fought on till the end and still gave it everything as I wasn’t letting that belt go.”
The broken jaw, which came to light today, is what prevented Hyland from exuberantly celebrating – rather than his own belief that he had been defeated, as some online had alleged.
When you know you’ve been beat! Respect to @PaulhylandJR but 100% wrong man got decision tonight @steormond won @SkySportsBoxing #Disgrace 👎 pic.twitter.com/UT2LxMuXcT
— Gary Spike OSullivan (@spike_osullivan) October 21, 2017
Hyland hit out at these detractors, stating “People saying my reaction afterwards showed the result; wind your necks in clowns, I wasn’t jumping around because I had a broken jaw and it was agony.”
The Mark Dunlop-managed fighter also described what he felt was further foul play from Ormond, noting how “after taking several headbutts, elbows and low bows, I didn’t complain once, I got on with the fight and kept it clean from my end.”
“All respect to Stephen we had a great scrap.But in my eyes and a lot of others the right person won in a close fight.”
West Belfast’s Hyland would argue that people’s opinions of the fight were skewed by the co-commentary of former WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee – who received plaudits for his punditry following the card.
Hyland seemed to suggest that the respected Limerick puncher was biased toward Ormond as they are both from south of the Irish-Northern Irish border.
The 27 year old told fans to “watch the fight back on YouTube without the commentary from a southern guy favouring another southerner and then give your view again!”
