Patrick "Pajo" Hyland pounded out an eight-round unanimous points decision over one-time Manny Pacquiao victim Emanuel Lucero in Atlantic City last yesterday to maintain his unbeaten record in the pro ranks.
Young brother Paul was also victorious over Puerto Rican super bantamweight Arturo Santiago in their six-round contest, while ring rust and the better prepared Franklin Gonzalez got the best of big brother Eddie Hyland in a four-round middleweight match on the "Irish Invasion" card at the Resorts Casino Hotel.
The three Dublin-reared brothers fought under the Team Snooki Boxing banner. Reality TV star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi co-promoted the event with upstate New Yorker Brian Burke's Final Round promotions.
INVINCIBLE PAJO
Patrick landed the
harder and crisper punches against Lucero en route
to a clean sweep on all
three judges' cards. He
won by scores of 77-75, 78-74 and 79-73.
The 28 year-old Irish and WBF world featherweight champion whose titles were not on the line, upped his record to 25-0 [11 KOs] in his third fight States-sides. Lucero, a Mexican fighting out of Pennsylvania, dropped to 26-9-1 [14 KOs].
Patrick later told Boxinginsider.com that he thought he could have been much better against Lucero. He said he was a bit rusty since he had not fought in six months.
DOMINANT PAULIE
Middle brother Paul, who's 27, had his way with Santiago, battering the Puerto Rican around the ring and on his way to a deserved 58-56, 59-55 and 58-56 result.
Paul fired off quick combinations and employed an effective shoulder roll defense to avoid Santiago's return fire.
"It was a great fight for me, and I'm looking forward to the next one with no worries," he said after improving to 21-2 [6 KOs]. Santiago fell to 7-5-1.
RUSTY ED
The "Irish Invasion" got off on the wrong foot with Eddie Hyland, at age 30 the eldest of the three Dubliners, succumbing to his second professional defeat in a four-rounder with Franklin Gonzalez.
The "Pride of Tallaght," returning for just his second fight in two years, was hurt in the opening stanza by a right hand and could not keep up with his Brooklyn foe's high work rate.
Gonzalez got the nod by scores of 39-37, 39-37 and 40-36.
