COYLE GETS WORLD TOP 20 SHOT
Posted: 22 Oct 2012, 07:39
COYLE GETS WORLD TOP 20 SHOT
Tommy Coyle believes in the old adage ‘if you fall off your bike, dust
yourself down and jump straight back on’. Just weeks after enduring
his first loss, Coyle, 23, steps into the biggest fight of his career
at Hull’s City Hall on November 2, when he battles Antonio Joao Bento
for the WBC International Silver lightweight title – and a potential
ticket into the world top 20 rankings.
In a close bout in early October, Hull’s Tommy came unstuck against
fellow Yorkshireman, and former British super-featherweight champion,
Gary Sykes in the quarter-final stages of the Prizefighter Tournament.
Now, against Bento, on the ‘City Hall Showdown 4’ card, Coyle is
looking forward to getting back in the ring and erasing the memory of
that Sykes setback.
“I didn’t box like I can and there were a few health issues in the
build-up,” recalled Tommy. “My team wanted me to pull out but I
didn’t want to. Gary definitely won the first round, the second was
even, and if the third had been ten more seconds I’d have knocked him
out because he had nothing left. I’m not arguing with the decision
though, it could have gone either way.
“This WBC title fight couldn’t have come at a better time for me
really. Coming off the loss to Sykes it gives me the chance to get
back on my horse, crack the whip and get back to winning ways. So
it’s come at a very good time; it’s a great opportunity.”
Bento, a former WBA and IBF Inter-Continental super-featherweight
champion, will enter the contest by far the more experienced man. A
pro since 1999, the Portuguese veteran, 36, has fought around Europe
and won’t be fazed fighting in Coyle’s backyard. Having only lost
nine of 35 fights, with 12 wins coming early, Bento will be confident
of causing an upset and Tommy knows if he is to chalk up another notch
in the win column he will need to be firing on all cylinders.
“He’s boxed in fantastic company and has only been beaten by the best
on the European scene. My manager Steve Wood said ‘it’s a great fight
for you to get back in the mix but you’re going to have to be at your
very best to beat this kid’. We’ve checked him out and he looks like
he can punch a bit. He forces the pace, puts the pressure on, and
this guy’s coming to win.”
Never one to look past an opponent, 14-bout Coyle is fully focused on
the job in hand. Not a fighter to make brash predictions, Tommy is
content knowing that he will enter the ring against Bento having given
everything in training. If he does win, though, a future foe could be
the local rival he has been engaged in a Twitter war with in the build
up to this fight – Driffield’s Curtis Woodhouse.
“I want to fight him; I’d take the fight tomorrow. We’re from the
same area, and don’t particularly like each other. He gave up
professional football to box and I respect that because there’s a lot
more money in football, but I think he’s too tough for his own good
and I’d give him a boxing lesson.”
In what promises to be a terrific night for Hull fight fans, Coyle
versus Bento headlines an undercard that won’t fail to keep the crowd
entertained before the main event. Appearing will be Accrington’s
British Masters light-heavyweight champion Luke Blackledge; Grimsby’s
former British flyweight title challenger Wayne Bloy; Middleton’s
undefeated 4-0 prospect Liam Taylor; Lancashire’s Isaac Lowe – who has
his second bout after an exciting KO victory on his debut, while
Hull’s Danny Little and Tom Knight will both make their debuts.
‘City Hall Showdown 4’ will take place at Hull’s City Hall on November
2. Tickets, priced at £20 (Gallery), £30 (General), £45 (Stage/VIP),
£60 (Ringside/VIP) are available from the boxers direct, The Hull City
Hall Box Office, The Stevie Smith Boxing Academy, or online at:
http://www.steviesmithboxing.com and http://www.vipbe.co.uk
Keep updated on VIP Promotions’ news by visiting http://www.vipboxing.com or
follow on Twitter @vipboxing. Currently, you can also watch free
fights at http://www.vipboxing.tv
Tommy Coyle believes in the old adage ‘if you fall off your bike, dust
yourself down and jump straight back on’. Just weeks after enduring
his first loss, Coyle, 23, steps into the biggest fight of his career
at Hull’s City Hall on November 2, when he battles Antonio Joao Bento
for the WBC International Silver lightweight title – and a potential
ticket into the world top 20 rankings.
In a close bout in early October, Hull’s Tommy came unstuck against
fellow Yorkshireman, and former British super-featherweight champion,
Gary Sykes in the quarter-final stages of the Prizefighter Tournament.
Now, against Bento, on the ‘City Hall Showdown 4’ card, Coyle is
looking forward to getting back in the ring and erasing the memory of
that Sykes setback.
“I didn’t box like I can and there were a few health issues in the
build-up,” recalled Tommy. “My team wanted me to pull out but I
didn’t want to. Gary definitely won the first round, the second was
even, and if the third had been ten more seconds I’d have knocked him
out because he had nothing left. I’m not arguing with the decision
though, it could have gone either way.
“This WBC title fight couldn’t have come at a better time for me
really. Coming off the loss to Sykes it gives me the chance to get
back on my horse, crack the whip and get back to winning ways. So
it’s come at a very good time; it’s a great opportunity.”
Bento, a former WBA and IBF Inter-Continental super-featherweight
champion, will enter the contest by far the more experienced man. A
pro since 1999, the Portuguese veteran, 36, has fought around Europe
and won’t be fazed fighting in Coyle’s backyard. Having only lost
nine of 35 fights, with 12 wins coming early, Bento will be confident
of causing an upset and Tommy knows if he is to chalk up another notch
in the win column he will need to be firing on all cylinders.
“He’s boxed in fantastic company and has only been beaten by the best
on the European scene. My manager Steve Wood said ‘it’s a great fight
for you to get back in the mix but you’re going to have to be at your
very best to beat this kid’. We’ve checked him out and he looks like
he can punch a bit. He forces the pace, puts the pressure on, and
this guy’s coming to win.”
Never one to look past an opponent, 14-bout Coyle is fully focused on
the job in hand. Not a fighter to make brash predictions, Tommy is
content knowing that he will enter the ring against Bento having given
everything in training. If he does win, though, a future foe could be
the local rival he has been engaged in a Twitter war with in the build
up to this fight – Driffield’s Curtis Woodhouse.
“I want to fight him; I’d take the fight tomorrow. We’re from the
same area, and don’t particularly like each other. He gave up
professional football to box and I respect that because there’s a lot
more money in football, but I think he’s too tough for his own good
and I’d give him a boxing lesson.”
In what promises to be a terrific night for Hull fight fans, Coyle
versus Bento headlines an undercard that won’t fail to keep the crowd
entertained before the main event. Appearing will be Accrington’s
British Masters light-heavyweight champion Luke Blackledge; Grimsby’s
former British flyweight title challenger Wayne Bloy; Middleton’s
undefeated 4-0 prospect Liam Taylor; Lancashire’s Isaac Lowe – who has
his second bout after an exciting KO victory on his debut, while
Hull’s Danny Little and Tom Knight will both make their debuts.
‘City Hall Showdown 4’ will take place at Hull’s City Hall on November
2. Tickets, priced at £20 (Gallery), £30 (General), £45 (Stage/VIP),
£60 (Ringside/VIP) are available from the boxers direct, The Hull City
Hall Box Office, The Stevie Smith Boxing Academy, or online at:
http://www.steviesmithboxing.com and http://www.vipbe.co.uk
Keep updated on VIP Promotions’ news by visiting http://www.vipboxing.com or
follow on Twitter @vipboxing. Currently, you can also watch free
fights at http://www.vipboxing.tv
