Fight:1652058

Paul Hyland beat Arturo Santiago by UD in round 6 of 6

• Date: 2012-01-28
• Location: Resorts Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Paul Hyland Versus Arturo Santiago Super Bantamweight Bout

Super bantamweight prospect Paul Hyland of Dublin, Ireland, trained by former World Super Bantamweight champion Tracy Harris Patterson, won a unanimous six round decision over Puerto Rican veteran Arturo Santiago, but it was not easy. Hyland's height and reach advantage were netralized by Santiago, who came forward and waged war to the body on the inside. Hyland moved side to side, never offering a consistent target, and engaged in heated exchanges while on the move. The fight was close and could have been a draw, except Santiago fought a dirty fight, hitting behind the head all night, leaned with his head on occasion and added some low blows. The number of illegal blows were numerous enough to warrant significant point deduction and perhaps a disqualification, but Hyland did not complain, the bout featured toe-to-toe action, and referee Samuel Viruet maintained control and allowed the bout to reach its conclusion without either fighter getting hurt. However, the dirty tactics by Santiago (who otherwise fought a world class fight with Paul Hyland and was in top condition) were seen by the judges, two of whom scored the bout 58-56 for Hyland. If Santiago had won one more round, the bout would have been a majority draw. In light of Santiago's style of fighting, scoring and officiating by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission was more than fair in giving both fighters an equal chance to win. "There was no surprises. We knew what to expect," noted Hyland after this bout.