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Ray Moylette will aim to give his career a storybook ending when he appears for the final time on Sunday’s “Once Upon a Time in The West” show in Castlebar.
In 2008 Moylette took a bronze medal at the Youth World Championships and then claimed gold at the European Championships in 2011. In 2017 he turned professional with hopes of repeating his success as a professional.
The lightweight moved quickly, notching 11 victories within 18 months and fighting regularly on both sides on the Atlantic before losing an exciting split decision to tough Mexican Christian Uruzquieta.
Moylette’s career lost all momentum after the defeat. In March 2022 he was finally given another chance and took current British and Commonwealth super lightweight champion Dalton Smith to the 10th and final round before being stopped. Although he put in the type of performance that should have at least made him an attractive opponent for the next crop of up and coming super lightweights, the phone just never rang.
At 33, Moylette (13-2-1, 6 KOs) has decided that unless he is presented with something eye opening, he will bring down the curtain on his career against Wales’ Jake Tinklin (11-2). The fight will take place just 10km away from Moylette’s home town of Islandeady.
“This is Ray Moylette’s home city. He’s going to have a massive crowd there and it’s potentially his last fight although I might try and tempt him out again,” Michael Ofo of Platform Sport laughed. “He’s saying it’s his last dance so we want to let him have a great fight for his last one.
“I think it’s the politics of the sport. These guys want to stay active but if you can’t get them fights what do you expect them to do? Just be in the gym when they’re not being presented with the opportunities. Sometimes the toughest guys mentally and those who want to fight everybody get done dirty because they’re not afraid to lose but when they do lose, the phone stops ringing.”
There is one opponent who would force Moylette’s to reconsider his retirement.
“He would love to fight somebody like a Campbell Hatton,” Ofo said. “If we can get that done I’m sure he would roll back out of bed and get training. I’ve spoken to him and he’s confident that he’d beat somebody like that.”
Campbell Hatton (14-0, 5 KOs) turned professional after a short amateur career and has been brought along slowly. He faces the first real test of his career on March 23 when he challenges Cental Area super lightweight champion Jimmy Joe Flint. If he comes through, things will start to move much more quickly and Ofo believes that Moylette is still more than capable of providing Hatton with a good test of his credentials.
“Ray comes from a good pedigree, He had over 300 amateur fights. He’s seasoned and he’d be ready to go. That’ll be the easiest fight to make. No glitz and glamour. Five minutes on the phone and we can make that happen.”