Connor “The Kid” Coyle could be one fight away from a world title shot when he takes on fellow undefeated middleweight Austin Williams in a potential elimination bout in Orlando, Florida, in the new year. Earlier planned for January, the clash between the Derryman ranked #6 in the world and the Texan, who’s #5 and nicknamed “Ammo,” is now set for Feb. 24.
“It’s my time now to show how good I actually am against a top five world fighter,” Coyle [20-0, 9 KOs] told the Echo before flying back to Dublin from Orlando last Sunday. “I've watched some of his fights; I haven't watched them all, but I've watched parts of his fights. All and all, he’s a good fighter.
“He’s young, he's hungry and he's looking for the same thing I'm looking for. So, we’re both undefeated and we're both gonna be [hoping] to come out with a victory. So, it's gonna be an exciting fight and I'm looking forward to it. Whoever wins will be one step closer to a world title shot.”
Although the reigning NABA [North American Boxing Association] titlist and ranked #6 by the WBA, Coyle, in Williams, faces the best fighter of his six-year pro career.
“Ammo” is a talented 15-0 southpaw with power, as suggested by the 10 KOs on his ledger. At age 27, he’s six years Coyle’s junior and ranked #5 by the WBC and #6 by the IBF.
Coyle plans to be ready for the challenge. After working out with Florida Boxing Hall of Famer Jim McLaughlin in Pinellas Park, FL, “The Kid” is now back home for a four-week camp with local trainers there. “Then I'll fly back over in January to finish my preparations with Jim McLaughlin.”
“I thank my team for always keeping me in the best shape possible, keeping my feet on the ground give, pushing me to the limits, and getting me these opportunities every time. I'd just like to give a shout out to Team Coyle,” he added.
MCCRORY VS BERLANGA
The Coyle-Williams scrap will be the co-feature to world ranked super middleweight Padraig “The Hammer” McCrory’s DAZN showdown with Edgar Berlanga in Orlando.
Although aged 35, McCrory has only had 18 fights in the paid ranks. The Belfastman is undefeated with nine stoppages. He’s competed as high as cruiserweight. McCrory has also held the WBC International Silver super middleweight and IBO light heavyweight titles.
Born in Brooklyn, Berlanga [21-0, 16 KOs] started off as a knockout phenom. He rolled off 16 straight first round KOs after turning pro in 2016 but has gone the distance five times since. The last time was against Donegal’s Jason Quigley at Madison Square Garden last June.
McCrory is ranked #3 by the WBA and #13 by the IBF. Berlanga appears at #4 in the WBO and #6 in the IBF.
OLYMPIC DREAM ENDS
New York amateur Sean O'Bradaigh lost in the first round at the Wild Card trials in Lafayette, Louisiana, an outcome that finally ended his hopes of making the U.S. team for next summer’s Paris Olympics.
“It was a rematch with the guy that I beat in Colorado, Xavier Washington, he also got a wild card spot,” said O'Bradaigh.
The 22-year-old O'Bradaigh had defeated Washington on points at “The Last Chance Olympic Qualifier” tournament in Pueblo, Colorado, last September. But weight issues on O'Bradaigh’s part this time enabled Washington, who’s ranked #9 in the United States at 176 pounds, to avenge that loss, also on points.
“The big difference was the weight cut for me,” O'Bradaigh admitted. “I made a mistake over Thanksgiving. I kind of went a bit too heavy.”
He’d ballooned to 190 pounds the day after Thanksgiving and struggled to lose the 14 lbs needed to make 176. He was 181 pounds the day before the fight, despite running for five days straight leading into the bout, including 5 miles the night before the weigh-in and two miles on the morning of.
That left him drained, unable to step it up when required during the three-rounder. Washington won the first round on all five scorecards but the next two rounds were close.
“If I just had that little extra in those last two rounds [scored 3-2 in Washington’s favor], I’d have won the fight. Even though he won by unanimous decision, it was so close. Because of the weight cut, I didn't have that extra gear, but I'm never gonna make that mistake ever again,” O'Bradaigh vowed.
Last month, O'Bradaigh came narrowly short of making the Irish team to the Olympics after a loss to European light heavyweight titlist Gabriel Dossen in the semi-finals of the National Elite Championships in Dublin.
O'Bradaigh’s next scheduled fight will be for the light heavyweight SBC championship on Jan. 20, 2024 in Patchogue, Long Island. He’s the New York Boxing Tournament Elite light heavyweight champion, and 2023 Ring Masters/Golden Gloves middleweight novice titlist, in addition to his top four finish at the National Championships in Texas last summer.
