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It won’t be a Valentine’s Day love-in but Connor Coyle wants it known there is no hate between himself and this Friday’s Madison Square Garden opponent.
Indeed, Coyle goes into the biggest fight of his career determined to keep it respectful.
In the wake of the tragic passing of John Cooney, Coyle’s fellow ‘Kid’, the Derry fighter feels it would be wrong to take any other approach.
Not only is the 34-year-old determined to get the kind of win that could lead him toward a world title shot, but the middleweight is also praying both fighters emerge from the fight “safe and sound”.
Coyle said: “I’m not doing any hateful talking about the fight. Hopefully, we’ll both come out of the fight healthy and go back home to our families.”
In Vito Mielnicki Jr, Coyle faces a 22-year-old Top Rank have high hopes for.
The clash will be broadcast on ESPN and the the WBC, USBA and WBO international belts are on the line.
It’s the kind of clash the Commonwealth Games medal winner has been calling for and he has prepared accordingly.
“Training camp went really well,” he told the Echo from Pinellas Park, Florida. “We kicked it into another gear for this camp. It’s definitely the most intense camp – the most focused and motivated that I’ve ever been because we’ve had the contract signed for a long time, so I knew exactly who I was fighting and when I was fighting.
“So, I was able to motivate myself and push hard every day in the gym,” Coyle adds before predicting victory.
“We’ve done our homework on Vito and I’m confident going into the fight. I don’t take anyone for granted but I’m confident again in getting the victory and you know both of us coming out of the ring safe and sound.”
In the co-feature, Puerto Rican standout Xander Zayas, who holds a win over Larry Fryers and has been mentioned as a possible Callum Walsh opponent, steps up against fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer.
