Ray Moylette survives knockdown scare to scrape split-decision win

Ray Moylette came through a massive scare tonight in America to claim his sixth professional win.

The Mayo lightweight was floored heavily in the second round of his bout at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut, but rallied brilliantly to claim a six-round split-decision win.

The fight on the East Coast was seen by Moylette as the start of the second stage of his career, and the Mayo man was given a real test to start off so to speak.

The Celtic Warriors fighter was pitted against two-time Michigan State Golden Gloves champion Donte Bryant and had to dig extremely deep for his win.

The opening bout on the Alexis Santos v Niall Kennedy Broadway Boxing card in Mashantucket, a cagey first round gave way to an explosive second.

Moylette was floored by a big overhand right to the point of the chin from Bryant and rose, visibly hurt. The American went in for the kill, but ‘Sugar Ray’ was able to ride out the storm and see the bell for the round.

The Islandeady man recovered well in the third, before retaking the authority in the fourth with a combination that stunned Bryant.

A closer fifth set up a potentially decisive sixth, and Moylette left nothing to chance, tearing into Bryant and hurting the Kalamazoo fighter, almost causing a stoppage himself in the final minute.

Going to the cards, Moylette was given the nod on two cards 57-56, four rounds to two with the knockdown, a win he deserved but was definitely too close for comfort.. Bryant was given the verdict with one judge at 58-55, perhaps a bit wide in his favour.

The shock averted, Moylette improves to 6(2)-0, and is scheduled to be back in action in Boston on Saturday September 30th.

The impressive Bryant falls to 1(1)-3(0), but is much better than his record suggests.

Photo Credit: Laszlo Geczo Photography