Tommy Hyde wants to be the next Irish super middleweight champion. If that happens, he’d be following in the footsteps of Irish legend Steve Collins.
Hyde returns March 16 at Fox Theatre in Redwood City, California against Craig McCarthy for the Celtic super middleweight title. The bout, promoted by Westside Promotions, will be televised on DAZN.
Hyde, the son of boxing manager Gary Hyde who famously managed Guillermo Rigondeaux for his first 13 professional bouts, knows the fight game well.
He has moved to the United States, despite being a self-proclaimed proud Irishman. His fight in San Francisco, on St.Patrick’s Day, will be for an Irish regional title and that brings joy to his face when he discusses it.
“We are two Irishmen fighting in San Francisco [actually just outside of San Francisco] on St. Patrick’s Day [weekend] for the Celtic title,” retorted Hyde. “We are both coming for a war. He lives an hour away from where I live back home. I know him very well.”
Hyde resides in Cork, Ireland. Yet the two will fight a world away in Redwood City, California.
Hyde has moved his life to Los Angeles to pursue his boxing dreams. Hyde originally trained on the east coast, but explained the move to the bright lights of Los Angeles.
“I was training in Boston [Massachusetts] in Springfield, just outside Boston,” explained Hyde. “It just wasn’t suiting me.”
Hyde now trains at Churchill Boxing Club in Santa Monica, California. He is currently working with Pedro Neme, the head coach of the aforementioned gym.
“He is a lovely fella,” added Hyde. “I did a couple of sessions with him, and I could tell he has a great eye for boxing. I can see it every single day. He is teaching me stuff every day and that is exactly what I need.”
Now Hyde will be in an all-Irish featured bout, and one that some believe could steal the show. Hyde detailed in-depth a bit of the backstory on how two Irishmen will fight in the peninsula on March 16.
“He is from Waterford [Ireland], and last April I fought in Waterford [and] Craig was the co-main event of that show, and ever since then I have had my eye on him and he hasn’t fought, but I knew that was a title I wanted to go for.
“Did I ever think we’d fight in San Francisco? No – I never did. I love San Francisco, it is full of the Irish.”
Nicknamed “The Governor”, the 24-year-old Hyde is 7-0, with 4 KOs.
McCarthy is 36-years-old with a record of 10-1-1, with 2 KOs. This will also be Hyde’s first time fighting as a professional in California. Hyde is ambitious, and wants to be the next great Irish super middleweight. His goal is to capture the title that Steve Collins once held.
“I want to be the next super middleweight champion from Ireland,” proudly proclaimed Hyde. “I am a hugely proud Irishman. I want to be written in the history books of Ireland as one of the Irish greats, eventually. I have a long way to go, don’t get me wrong. I know that, but I am putting in the work to get there. I will give myself every chance to be in the history books in Ireland.”