Returning Connor Coyle Had Signed to Fight For WBA World Title

Connor Coyle lost a world title shot as well as six months of his career when he accepted a boxing ban.

The Derry middleweight was revealed to have returned an adverse finding from a post-fight test conducted after his February clash with Vito Mielnicki Jr.

The New York State Athletic Commission ruled the bout a no-contest and imposed a suspension upon the Irish boxer. Normally, such infractions carry a 12-month penalty, but Coyle’s legal team reached an agreement that reduced the suspension — a compromise the 21-0 (9 KOs) fighter accepted reluctantly.

‘The Kid’ is back in action in Florida tonight when he faces Pachino Hill – and revealed the ban came at the wrong time.

Coyle had just signed a contract to fight WBA middleweight world champion Erislandy Lara this coming April.

“We actually had a world title fight lined up,” Coyle told the Derry Journal. “I signed the contract to fight Lara in April for the WBA world title just a week before all this sh*t came out. Listen, I’m happy it’s over now, and the New York State Athletic Commission are happy, and I’m able to fight again. I’ll set it all behind me now and move forward.”

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The 35-year-old is happy to have the troubled period behind him and is now focused on the future. Starting with tonight’s fight, a ring rust-freing exercise, he hopes to get back on the world title trail.

“I’m just excited now to get back into the ring, and I’m grateful that it’s all behind us and we got over it and came out the other end of it the way we should have,” said Coyle ahead of his Battle in the Bay clash at the JCC Event Center in Tampa.

Speaking on the ban, Coyle pointed out it wasn’t a PED suspension, rather an administration, and was reduced further to just 3 months.

“It wasn’t a PED suspension so I didn’t fail the test,” he stressed. “It was an administrative suspension. I didn’t want my name to be attached to being a cheat or a steroid user or whatever. So that’s why it’s an administrative suspension and was only nine months.