Mayo boxers come home for title fights

Mayo boxers come home for title fights


GEESALA’S Henry Coyle returns home next month when he challenges for the WBF light-middleweight title against Italy’s Elio Cotena at the Royal Theatre, Castlebar on Friday, August 12.
The Chicago based ‘Western Warrior’ will headline a bill which also features Westport’s Finbarr Eade (who’ll be battling for an Irish title), Dubliner Patrick Hyland and an all-Mayo duel between John Waldron and Michael Waldron.
Coyle said it was “great” to headline “a bill at home and a world title fight”, expressing the hope that the night will be one for “the people of Mayo to savour”. He has been “training hard” in Chicago and was “hoping that something big like this” would come up.
“My last fight was in May but after that it was straight back to the gym,” Coyle said at a press conference yesterday (Monday). “It will be straight back to business again in Chicago when I get back and then the countdown will really be on to fight night.”
The tagline for the event is ‘The night the West will be won’. But Cotena – who recently won the IBF Mediterranean middleweight title – is promising to spoil the party. His grandfather, also Elio Cotena, represented Italy at the 1968 Olympics before going on to win the European featherweight title.
Coyle’s father and manager Gerry says August 12 will be “a huge night for Geesala and Mayo”, as it coincides with the weekend of the Geesala Festival. “We’re very confident that it will sell out quickly,” he said. “The interest already has been phenomenal.” He hopes that victory for his son would “open the doors to even bigger fights and bigger nights”.
Westport’s Finbarr ‘The Rock’ Eade takes on Mickey Coveney in an Irish super-featherweight title fight as part of the undercard. Eade is unbeaten in six pro fights and acknowledges that going up against the London-based southpaw represents “a big step up”.
“But I’ve nothing to lose and it’s a huge opportunity to get to fight for an Irish title so close to home,” said the Eagle Boxing Club member. “Coveney is an excellent fighter. He’s not a typical southpaw. He’s short and aggressive [and] he put in a great effort against Patrick Hyland ... so I’m sure it should make for a great fight. My goal this year was to get an Irish title fight so I’m delighted now that my chance has come. I know I’ll have great support on the night.”
Another clash featuring plenty of local interest on the undercard will be the light-heavyweight meeting of Ballinrobe’s Michael Sweeney and John Waldron (Ballyhaunis). Both are coming off Irish title defeats – Sweeney lost out on a close points decision for the cruiserweight crown in March, while Waldron was stopped by Ciaran Healy in the first defence of his Irish light-heavyweight title in Castlebar last November.
“This is a fight that’s been talked about in Mayo for years, so I’m delighted it’s happening now,” said Sweeney. “It’s a fight I’ve always wanted and it’s a great fight for Mayo and the West in general.”
The winner may force themselves to the head of a queue for a shot at the Irish light-heavyweight title and Waldron is determined that Sweeney will prove a stepping stone en route to regaining his old belt. “I’m desperate to make up for my last performance in Castlebar,” he said. “Everyone that knows me knows that wasn’t the real me in the ring that night … if Michael Sweeney thinks he’s getting in the ring with the same John Waldron who lost the Irish title, then he’s in for a big shock.”
Tickets for next month’s event – priced at €30, €40, €70 and €100 – are on sale from the Royal Theatre box office (0818 719 300), Ticketmaster.ie (0818 719300) and the boxers on the bill.