Promoter, Coach, Big Brother – Family Element Makes it Special For Proud Jay Bryne
Jay Byrne says helping a hidden gem sparkle under the National Stadium lights tomorrow night will be one of the proudest moments of his life.
It’s not that the Night of Champions promoter will revel in bringing one of the lesser-known boxers in his stable to the fore, it’s more personal than that for the JB Promotions boss man.
‘The Negotiators’ younger brother, Glen Byrne, contests one of the four title fights on the card – and it provides the potential for a special night for the fight maker.
Glen Byrne’s BUI Celtic light middleweight title fight with Spaniard Charly Lopez is poignant for the show’s promoter for a number of reasons.
Byrne, who has guided his younger sibling to a title fight within five wins, doubles up as his brother’s coach, so will be in the corner as he challenges for the decorative strap in a venue where he claimed BUI Celtic title success by defeating Crank Whitehouse in 2017.
“I’m not just a promoter on the night. I’m also Glens coach and we go to the venue were I won my Celtic title,” he tells Irish-boxing.com.
“It’s great that eight years later, he has the same opportunity I had. To be able to deliver that to him means a lot to me as well. It will be an emotional night for me and the family to see him get his hand raised and win that belt. For me, winning the title was a dream come true, and I know for him it will be the same.”
More than just a nice family moment, Byrne, who twice fought for the light middleweight version of the strap, the promoter says it will an instance of massive personal prize if Glen Byrne has his hand raised.
“It would be one of the proudest moments of my life because I’ve been with him side by side the whole way through his journey. I’ve seen how hard he has worked, I got one, and he should definitely win the title because he is a lot better than I was,” he adds before explaining just how good he thinks his brother is.
“He has the heart, the stubbornness and work ethic I had, but he can box a lot better than me. He deserves it. I believe he can do it. He’s a hidden gem in Irish boxing, and I don’t just say that because he’s my brother.”
