Connor Coyle promises to 'steal the show' in London!

Connor Coyle has promised to ‘steal the show’ in London when he faces Felix Cash in the biggest fight of his career in less than two weeks’ time.

The Derry middleweight is ranked as the number nine middleweight in the world and carries a 17-0 record going into the fight, where he will risk his unbeaten record against fellow unbeaten contender Felix Cash (15-0) for the WBA Intercontinental title.

Coyle, currently the NABA middleweight champion, defeated Mexican Silverio Ortiz in a unanimous decision in Florida last week, but is headed straight back into action on the ‘Born Rivals’ show, which will be headlined by Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn at the 02 Arena. The opportunity to face Cash came very late in the day, but for Coyle, the opportunity to make his professional debut in the UK was one he couldn’t pass up.

“This is the biggest opportunity of our careers so far,” he said. “This is what we’ve been working towards and what we’ve been waiting on. The phone call came so we had to grab it with both hands and accept the fight, even though it was with just three weeks’ notice. I have been in the gym and I’m fit so we were ready to accept the fight.”

Cash, who is signed to Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing, is a former British and Commonwealth champion. He claimed the vacant WBC International middleweight title against Magomed Madiev at Alexandra Palace on his last outing in February, but he didn’t have it all his own way, surviving two knockdowns before claiming the win.

With both competitors undefeated, something has to give at a sold-out O2 Arena on October 8.

“There’s pressure on both of us,” Coyle admitted. “He’s undefeated, I’m undefeated and we’re both in the top ten in the world. He’s number five I think and he’s number two in the UK and Europe and the Commonwealth champion. There’s going to be fireworks on the night and it’s going to be who wants it most on the night, who’s hungrier. We’re both boxers, we’re both punchers so it’s going to be an explosive fight and I feel I have enough tools to do the business come October 8.”

This is the first time in his professional career that Coyle has fought so close to home, and while the event is already sold out, it is a chance for the former Commonwealth Games medallist to showcase himself to a new audience while his loyal fans back home will be able to watch the event live on DAZN.  

“It's the O2 arena, and it’s a 20,000 sell-out,” Coyle continued. “We are the co-main event as well so it’s going to be at its full capacity by the time I get into the ring. It’s a huge opportunity and I’m just grateful that we’ve secured it for myself and my team and Cathair Duffy and everyone back home. They have put a lot of hard work and effort into me over the years to get me where I am now. We just have to grab this opportunity with both hands and just make it all worthwhile.

“We’ve been just waiting for a fight close to home so I can build up my fan base in Ireland and the UK. This is a great opportunity for me now to build up that fanbase and let people know who Connor Coyle is in the Middleweight division as well.”