BoxRec

Was pleased that SKY showed Hillyard. Didn't last very long, but he obviously has good power.

His overhand rights were evil, and he has great bodypunching.

Anyone have any more information on who is managing/training him etc?

http://www.britishboxing.net/?page=boxers&id=62691

Only that he has another fight lined up for three weeks time.

I thought he looked quite classy, though it's obviously hard to tell on such short work.

Only thing I heard was that he was out of St Pancras amateur club. Says Canning Town on BBN so he could be out of the Peacock Gym.

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:http://www.britishboxing.net/?page=boxers&id=62691

Only that he has another fight lined up for three weeks time.

I thought he looked quite classy, though it's obviously hard to tell on such short work.

Only thing I heard was that he was out of St Pancras amateur club. Says Canning Town on BBN so he could be out of the Peacock Gym.

As I remember he was at the Kronk. I saw him train a few times and saper and also went on a trip to Ireland with him. Sparred 1 or 2 rounds with him.

He has great moves, a pro style and has kind of been groomed for stardom for a few years, which you might think would give someone a big head, but he is a grounded fun guy.

He hits hard to the body - my only concern is that he pulls some moves (eg Hamed / Mayweather like) which don't achieve that much.

I think he will do well and has the potential to be really big (has looks, talent and is likeable.)

I noticed early on against Gorman he did the Mayweather trick of hiding behind his shoulder sort of thing, overall he seemed to have ability. Will be interesting to see when he moves up...what weight class did he box at last night? I thought at first glance he looked a bit fleshy but maybe i was wrong.

steve689 wrote:I noticed early on against Gorman he did the Mayweather trick of hiding behind his shoulder sort of thing, overall he seemed to have ability. Will be interesting to see when he moves up...what weight class did he box at last night? I thought at first glance he looked a bit fleshy but maybe i was wrong.

You're totally right - I thought he was slightly fleshy though he had trained hard. I think he could box at welterweight if he had a good diet. Currently he boxes at Middleweight......

Before he turned pro he was doing a some training for The Real Fight Club (white collar boxing) for some extra cash which is where i met him.
I was surprised he's up at such a weight he's quite a small guy and i'm sure he was at Welter as an amateur.

I believe he was courted by someone representing Don King some time ago and he is a talented kid. So at 20 you'd think that this would go to his head but i agree that he's a down to earth, funny, friendly guy.

He's trainer is Roy Callaghan who also trains Mark Callaghan.

E
Hillyard was never Kronk as such, he was St Pancras but that club became St Pancras Kronk and the the internal politics that then ensued left that Club clearly divided with Hillyard firming in the St Pancras camp. That club is now a former shell of what it once was and the court case is still on the horizon. It's such a shame as it was a formidable club with many champions to it's name before all this bickering.

The guy looks like another good talent to come on the British scene. Very impressive accuracy.

he looked good and so what if he immitates moves from top notch guys, i think its great...it will put bums on seats thats for sure. if he continues with his KO style he will do very well...

but many have fallen off the crest early doors. i wish him well, its a long hard road...

What went wrong last night? I saw he lost to Ernie Smith

topper123 wrote:What went wrong last night? I saw he lost to Ernie Smith

Bad decision, but Hillyard lost a point for roughouse tactics. He was naughty all night though - using head, shoulders, shoving etc. Did himself no favours. Hillyard seems more concerned with looking good than being good sometimes.... he needs a kick in the arse. While he is clearly fit, he looks a little fleshy for a 20 year old.

E wrote:

topper123 wrote:What went wrong last night? I saw he lost to Ernie Smith

Bad decision, but Hillyard lost a point for roughouse tactics. He was naughty all night though - using head, shoulders, shoving etc. Did himself no favours. Hillyard seems more concerned with looking good than being good sometimes.... he needs a kick in the arse. While he is clearly fit, he looks a little fleshy for a 20 year old.

cheers for that, didn't see the fight myself.
At least this might be the kick up the arse you mentioned. Losing will either make him or break him, will have to see

Hillyard clearly won the fight - Johnny Nelson said Barry Hearn was going mental at the ref afterwards - but boxing is a professional sport, so there's limits to showmanship and how much you can bend the rules. I think this was the point the ref was trying to make to Hillyard. It was quite a rare lesson to be screened, because so often you see a ref play the promoter's role in a 4 rounder, and in a way you could say it was another example of boxing's blatant corruption caught on film... HOWEVER, in reality Hillyard could very easily have carried on his win streak and ended up with a big fat DQ in an important fight.

He is a very interesting prospect, but he seemed to go a bit overboard with the attitude and aiming to please last night. Jim Watt's commentary was good and if George listens to it and is smart about things he will go onwards and upwards from last night. Remember, even though the circumstances were a lot different, Danny Williams went on to bigger and better things after Parris ticked him off in the Sprott rubber match. Need to be smart and play the game...

Smith did enough to win for me sitting ringside. Smith won the first two rounds, landed more punches i thought. Hillyard came on strong in 3 and 4 but point deduction cost him. I think if hillyard didnt try to intimidate smith at the beginning smith wouldnt of been so as fired up.

boxerrob2005 wrote:Smith did enough to win for me sitting ringside. Smith won the first two rounds, landed more punches i thought. Hillyard came on strong in 3 and 4 but point deduction cost him. I think if hillyard didnt try to intimidate smith at the beginning smith wouldnt of been so as fired up.

Good post mate, you just made me realise I might have been 'scoring the commentary'. Wish I'd taped it now...

I didn't think Smith in any way did enough to win the fight, point deduction or not.

The ref was making his own point in my opinion, but honestly, hillyard was pulling too much rough stuff, and he was kinda lucky to not get thrown out.

the ref did seam to be on hillyards case a lot, il have to watch it back on tv and see if it changes my mind on the decison, but from where i was it did seem the first 2 rounds were smiths and the point deduction cost hillyard.

I caught Hilltard's bout when I came in from the boozer. Allowing for the point deduction I thought a draw would have been a fair result....Smith was better early on when Hillyard seemed to me more interested in looking for one big punch, so I didn't think the decision was the disgrace Johnny Nelson seemed to think it was. That said, I do agree with Manos' point about the ref making a point.

However, I was impressed with Hillyard. He looks a good prospect.

These sort of defeats are by no means the end of the world, as long as Hillyard takes on board and learns from it he can become a better fighter. Lee Cook taught him a valuable lesson in there, i wasn't scoring the fight but i don't dispute the decision, take away the showboating and fouling and Smith did well in the early rounds. Hillyard was loading up and looking for one bit shot, all the time, if he gets some of the weight off and drops down to Welterweight i think he can pick up where he left off.

Did anyone else notice he kissed Smith on the cheek in the first round when they were in a clinch - he should have been DQ'd for that the weirdo.

He was hitting low, using his shoulder, rubbing his head in Smiths face and was acting like a complete knob, he should have been DQ'd.

I laughed my head off when he lost, he thoroughly deserves a defeat on his record. If he's got any brain cells he'll learn from this and take the sport more seriously in the future, he's got talent but need's to calm down and stick to boxing not acting like a clown.

The kiss on the cheek? I thought he was trying to bite him!

dandantheweatherman wrote:The kiss on the cheek? I thought he was trying to bite him!

I'd have prefered it if he was trying to bite him at least that's more manly.

reminded me a bit of an early thomas mcdonagh

rhino222 wrote:reminded me a bit of an early thomas mcdonagh

did he used to do the same thing, was that during brian huges or before, not sure if thomas been there from day one.

mcdonagh was never a 'fouler' and 'abuser' of the laws of the game but he was always playing the comedian, cheeky little kisses on opponents etc etc..

yes it was the very early days with brian, it used to drive brian nuts, it was almost as if thomas mcdonagh was not taking the game seriously.