Connor “The Kid” Coyle could be one fight away from a world title shot after climbing to #2 on the World Boxing Association rankings, with no other contender between him and middleweight champion Erislandy Lara.
“We've moved up to #2 in the world with the WBA,” the undefeated Derryman [20-0, 9 KOs] told the Echo from his Pinellas Park, Florida, training camp on Sunday. “And [since] there's nobody ranked at #1, we’re basically number one.
“I don't know why they haven't just moved us in that position. But it leaves us [in] a good position at the top of the list [on] the WBA rankings and hopefully we get a shot at Lara for the world title soon. I would love it to happen before the end of this year as I'm next in line.”
Coyle, who’s 34, is scheduled to fight on Aug. 3 in Britain, against an opponent to be named at Barnsley Football Club’s Oakwell ground.
His last bout was almost a year ago, a fifth round KO of Joey Bryant in defense of his North American Boxing Association [NABA] middleweight belt in Biloxi, Mississippi, last August.
Coyle was supposed to meet Austin “Ammo” Williams, an unbeaten southpaw [15-0, 10 KOs] out of Texas last Feb. 3 in a WBA world title eliminator at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, but that fell through when the Irish contender suffered an injury.
From all indications, a win in his next bout will all but assure Coyle a crack at Lara’s WBA world title. Cuban-born and residing in Houston, Texas, the 30-3-3 [18 KO] Lara is no stranger to Irish challengers. He made a successful defense of the WBA crown against Cork’s Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan with an eighth round KO in Brooklyn back in May 2022.
MILLION DOLLAR SCRAP
Jeovanny Estela, Aaron “The Silencer” McKenna’s next opponent, is champing at the bit ahead of their scrap in the $1 million-rich “Prizefighter” tournament in Osaka, Japan, on July 15. The two unbeaten middleweights -- Estela is 14-0 [5KOs] and McKenna is 18-0 [9KOs] -- clash in a 10-rounder at the Yamato Arena.
Estela, who trains out of Miami, said on arrival in Osaka: “Since I’m the only American competing in this tournament, I feel a great amount of pride for my country and my family back in Puerto Rico where my parents are from. I’m excited about fighting on the big stage and I can’t wait to step in the ring next Monday.”
“I had a great training camp and I’m focused on the task at hand, which is to come out victorious in my bout against McKenna. This is the turning point in my career that can change everything for me. I worked really hard to get to this point and I’m going to take full advantage of the opportunity.”
A County Monaghan native fighting out of Los Angeles, McKenna was equally confident when he touched down in Japan. “This is a life-changing opportunity for me. It would put me in a strong position to fight anyone in the world,” he told Irish.boxing.com. “It excited me from the start. The prize fund, it’s a massive opportunity and maybe would put [me] in line to fight for a world title.”
The other bouts pit hard punching hometown favorite Kuzuto Takesako [16-2-1, 15 KOs] against Britain’s Mark Dickinson [6-0, 2 KOs]. Also, Riku Kunimoto [11-1, 5 KOs] squares off with arch-rival Eiki Kani [8-4-3, 4 KOs] for the Japanese middleweight title. And Britain’s reigning WBA Inter-Continental 160-pound titlist Kieron Conway (20-3-1, 5 KOs] faces China’s Ainiwaer Yilixiati [19-1, 14 KOs].
The four winners advance to the semi-finals with the ultimate winner bagging the $1million. The 'Prizefighter' tournament will be televised globally on DAZN.
“We are thrilled at the return of Prizefighter,” said Matchroom Boxing CEO, Frank Smith. "The reaction so far has been brilliant. It is an exciting line-up of middleweight fighters from all around the world. With the winner taking home $1million, it really is a life-changing opportunity for these fighters. May the best man win.”
