Victory tonight sets up March title shot for Connor Coyle
Conor Coyle [14(6)-0] is ready to start making up for lost time by taking a big step toward a title shot tonight.
The Derry middleweight fights in America for the first time since 2020 at the Memorial Hall in Melrose, Boston, on Saturday.
Rodrigo Lopes Rodrigues [8(7)-1(1)] stands between Coyle and a successful start to the year – and it appears if he defeats the Brazilian he will be handed the chance to turn a good start to the year into a great start.
Speaking to Irish-boxing.com the keen to kick on 31-year-old revealed he has a NABA middleweight title fight lined up.
The Americas title should provide a WBA ranking and will help ‘The Kid’s’ ‘big-fight-by-the-end-of-the-year’ hopes.
The strap – which will be competed for by Michael Moore and Anthony Lenk in Ohio this weekend – was won by both Andy Lee and Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan and should come with a step up opponent for the Florida based puncher.
“I have my first fight back in the States in 25 months then we step it up on March 19th where our first title is on the line, the NABA title,” Coyle told Irish-boxing.com.
The Commonwealth Games bronze medal winner could prepare for the step fight by sparring a fighter some of his fellow Irish middles know all too well.
“I’ve had calls come in from world champs to help out with sparring, Demetrius Andrade was one of them. He wants to bring me in to camp to help prepare him for fights, the first offer was for Jason [Quigley] but now it’ll be for his next match up, which could be possibly GGG [Gennady Golovkin].”
Coyle is camped for the Boston bout in Florida and is happy with how things are went since he returned to trainer Jim McLaughlin.
“Training camp went to plan. I was in camp with Yamaguchi Falcao, he is a great training partner, we pushed each other on every day and pushed each other past our limits. I’m very excited about this year and glad we’re back on track with my training camps back in Florida with my team.”
