Ray Moylette died with his boxing boots on.
Round Five in the Royal Theatre and the 2000 present at the Castlebar venue were in for a different kind of performance.
Mexico’s finest Christian Uruzquieta had sounded Ray Moylette out for four and in the fifth he let loose. Like a bullock let out to fresh grass for the summer, he jumped, he charged and then he pummelled Sugar Ray around the ring like he would his punch bag of a Saturday morning.
But what he may not have known is that Castlebar’s own is made of sterner stuff than iron.
And in front of his home, passionate crowd, the iron man wasn’t going to give in for anything.
Uruzquieta had Moylette stuck to the canvas not long after the bell had sounded to acknowledge the beginning of the fifth, a thundering left hook leaving the fighter dazed and leaving his supporters roaring for a reaction.
Moylette responded.
He got back to his feet against all the odds like Tyson Fury did not so long ago and he signalled to the referee that this fight was not over yet.
The Mexican wasn’t letting up, however, and the punches kept on coming.
The hometown fighter was knocked to the ground not long after again by consequence of another dinger from the south American’s left and as Moylette stumbled around the ring he looked for all the world a beaten docket.
But he kept on coming back for more.
A sucker for punishment, he somehow lasted to the end of that round despite a visible loss of balance and his mere consciousness.
With the crowd going wild by this stage, he was buoyed by the time the sixth came around and he came back to centre stage a different man altogether.
He began to mix it with his man from there on in and though it was fairly even stevens from there all the way to the tenth, the Mexican would eventually prevailed via a judges’ verdict. Two scorecards read 95-94 and 96-92 in favour of the visitor and though the other had Moylette ahead by 95-94, Uruzquieta got the nod.
Moylette beaten but he can be very proud of a gallant, courageous effort.
Watch the grit of his fifth round here via TG4’s brilliant coverage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6je8J4fw0g&=&feature=youtu.be&=&a=
In the aftermath, the previously unbeaten fighter vowed that he will be back for more.
“I didn’t get the win but I have experienced something that I will cherish forever,” he tweeted.
That’s what it’s all about.
I woke up this morning a proud man. Last night was a dream come true, I fought in a jam packed arena live on @SportTG4 and I brought family, friends and fans together. I didn't get the win but I have experienced something that I will cherish forever.❤#iwillbeback#TheHomecoming pic.twitter.com/lMQdMNY7y3
— Ray Moylette (@raymoylette) December 8, 2018
