Connor Coyle – “The fight ended a lot sooner than I would have liked”

While the majority of Irish boxing eyes where honed in on Belfast and the big Sky Sports show at the SSE Odyssey Arena, Derry light middleweight Connor Coyle was going about his business across the Atlantic.

The Foylesider moved to 5(2)-0 in Florida with a second round stoppage win over tough Tallahassee fighter Benjamin Jordan.

Jordan [2(1)-5(1)] had gone the full six with top U.S. super middleweight prospect Marquis Moore in his previous fight, but a straight right to the body from Coyle put him down and out.

In what was his first scheduled six rounder, the Ulsterman would’ve liked a bit longer to exhibit his skills, but he isn’t complaining too much.

Coyle admitted to Irish-Boxing.com that “the fight ended a lot sooner than I would have liked, especially for my first six rounder, I wouldn’t of minded getting to at least five.”

“But it’s another win, and another KO to add. So I am very pleased.”

“I didn’t really get into a groove, i still haven’t got the chance to show my ability. We had one thing to do on Saturday night, and that was to use the jab a lot. It worked well, it made him think, and they were hard jabs.”

While he perhaps didn’t get to show it, the Jim McLoughlin-trained fighter is seeing the improvements he is making and noted how “I feel each fight we are getting better, we are having some top class spars over here, and we are working on all my mistakes every day in the gym.”

Encouragingly, Coyle already has his next fight confirmed. Outlining his plans, the Commonwealth Games bronze medalist described how “I’m going home now for three weeks to see my daughter and family, then I’ll be back here beginning of July for another camp.”

“I’ll be working with my old amateur coach, Cahir Duffy when I’m back home again, he always has me in great shape coming over to my camps.”

“We go again on another six rounder on August 12th at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa.”

“We are taking a step up in class now for the next fight. I’ll get going once I’m in the later rounds with a better opponent.”

LISTEN: Gavan Casey and Joe O’Neill speak to Luke Keeler and Paddy Barnes on Episode 6 of The Irish Boxing Show: