Commonwealth bronze medal winner Connor Coyle is the latest Irish fighter to join the paid ranks.

Surprise defeat to Newry’s Conor Wallace in December’s National Elite Senior Championships put a permanent road block on the Road to Rio for the Derry man.

As a result, he has given up on his Olympic Dream and elected to punch for pay.

The 25 year old now has three offers to asses over the coming weeks and will chose between American, UK, and Irish promoters.

Coyle, who enjoyed success at middleweight in the amateurs will campaign at either middle or super middleweight when he turns over.

Speaking to the Irish News, Coyle said,

“A lot of people would have said to me that I’m more suited to the pro game. I like to sit down on my punches and pick my punches and the amateurs was maybe a bit too fast for me.

“I didn’t do too bad, but I’d like to have done a lot more. I didn’t get out of it what I expected to get out of it.

“My goal was to reach the Olympics, that was my only reason to stay amateur – to try and get to Rio. That didn’t happen and I’m 25 now, so I think it’s the time to move.

“There’s interest there in Dublin, England and in America so I’ll have to see what happens.

“I want to stay in the UK for maybe a year or so, just to get my name out and about, build the profile a bit. That’s what’s in my immediate future I think, but long-term I’d like to move to the States.

“I never wanted to stay here to box – I’ve always had it in my head that I’d like to move away and the main place in my mind was always America.”