QUINCY, Mass. (July 10, 2023) – Like some of his fellow countrymen in the past, undefeated Irish light heavyweight prospects Tommy “The Governor” Hyde (5-0, 3 KOs) and Thomas “The Kid” O’Toole (7-0, 5 KOs) have traveled across “the pond” from their native Ireland to Boston in order to enhance their professional boxing careers.
They will both be fighting on the August 11th (Aug. 12th rain date) on the “Veterans Stadium Showcase” Pro-Am card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Quincy (MA), a suburb of Boston only 10 miles to the south of the Massachusetts capital.
“This card wouldn’t be complete without some Irish flair to it,” GCP president Chris Traietti said. “With that said, I didn’t want just any Irish fighters on the show. I wanted two of the hottest prospects. Working with both guys has been a pleasure. Their teams have been great. Their fan-bases are in for a treat come August 11th.”
They’ve built solid fan-bases of Irish natives who now live in the United States, as well as Irish American boxing fans, just like their predecessors from the Emerald Isle, world champion Steve Collins and Mike Tyson-conqueror Kevin McBride.
Although Hyde and O’Toole will be fighting in separate six-round bouts this could be a prelude to a showdown between the Irish light heavyweights. They fought twice as amateurs with each winning one and in the future, they could be matched against each other once again, only this time as professionals.
The 24-year-old Hyde is a three-time Irish National Champion who had an 80-26 amateur record. His father, Gary Hyde, is an international matchmaker who has represented numerous world champions.
“I am delighted to be fighting in Boston again,” Hyde said. “It’s like a second home now. I have a lot of family and friends living there and they all show me great support when I’m fighting there. It’s a big boxing city and it’s great to be following in the footsteps of Steve Collins and Kevin McBride who I really admire.
“I fought all over the world as an amateur in 2019. I fought outdoors in a multi-national tournament in Odessa, Ukraine. It was a really good experience, so I’m really looking forward to fighting outdoors in a Boston stadium.
“This will be the second show we shared since we’ve been pros and it probably won’t be the last. A fight between us could be big down the line in Boston or Ireland. He’s an Irishman like me, so I’ll be supporting him until we fight just like any other Irish boxer.” Hyde faces an opponent to be determined.
O’Toole, 25, is another celebrated Irish amateur boxer who captured top honors in the Haringey Box Cup and Irish Elevate final, in which he decisioned Hyde. “The Kid” won 51 of 60 amateur matches. Ten Years ago, O’Toole fought outdoors for the first and only time in an amateur show at Boston City Hall, arranged by then- Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.
A southpaw, O’Toole lives in nearby Braintree (MA). Six of his seven pro matches have been held in Greater Boston, the lone exception in Manchester, New Hampshire. “The Kid” is moving up one division to fight Massachusetts cruiserweight champion Scott “Scottie Bombs” Lampert (5-8, 4 KOs) for the vacant United States Boxing Federation (USBF) cruiserweight crown.
“Fighting outdoors does make a difference,” O’Toole commented, “especially if it’s hot and humid. I couldn’t prepare for fighting outdoors here in the summer if I was training in Ireland. We don’t have hot and humid weather there. I’ve been training here in this weather. It’s amazing how the weather can zap your strength. It did have an effect on me when I fought in Boston outdoors as an amateur.
“Tommy and I have gone our separate ways as pros, but our paths may grow down the line. We haven’t seen much of each other when we fought on the same card here. He is coming on very well in the pro ranks. He has a good man behind him in his father, Gary, and I think Tommy can go far. He’s said that a fight between us can easily be made if it makes sense. I agree. We both have big fan bases. This is going to be an amazing, fun night.”
Irish eyes will certainly be smilin’ Aug. 11th in Quincy.
In the eight-round, main event, former New England Welterweight Champion Mike “Bad Man, Ohan, Jr. (18-2, 9 KOs), of Holbrook, and Haverhill’s Harry “The Hitman” Gigliotti (9-4, 3 KOs), reigning ABF Atlantic super lightweight title holder, will throw-down in a non-title fight.
United States Boxing Federation (USBF) Champion Julien “Black Dragon” Baptiste (5-3, 2 KOs), of Woburn, and Massachusetts titleholder Jamer Jones (3-1, 3 KOs), of Pittsfield, are in a middleweight unification bout for their titles in the eight-round co-featured event.
Gigliotti’s stablemates, undefeated Lowell lightweight Gabriel “The Menace” Morales (7-0, 4 KOs) and unbeaten Methuen middleweight Luke “The Quiet Storm” Iannuccilli (6-0, 3 KOs) will also be in action, respectively, versus Nathan Benichou (2-16-1, 2 KOs) and Ryan Thomas Clark (2-4, 1 KO).
Also fighting on the undercard is undefeated middleweight prospect Francis “Frank The Tank” Hogan (14-0, 13 KOs), of nearby Weymouth (MA), will be in action, as well as Scituate heavyweight Kevin Nagle (2-0, 2 KOs), vs. TBAs. Hogan was a celebrated amateur who was a 2020 USA Boxing Olympic Team alternate as well as a 2010 New England Golden Gloves champion.
Card subject to change.
Tickets for “Veterans Stadium Showcase,” are on sale and available for purchase online at www.EventBrite.com.