Ex-WBO 140-pound title holder Chris Algieri hopes that a win over Brit Tommy Coyle at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 1st will move him a step closer to a shot at getting his title back (the WBO title is now held by Maurice Hooker. Algieri (23-3, 8 KOs) knows that a win could land him the opportunity to reclaim his title.
The New Yorker, who is promoted by Star Boxing, won his title by battling back from a pair of first-round knockdowns to outbox and upset Ruslan Provodnikov in 2014. He vacated his belt when he stepped up to welterweight to face modern legend Manny Pacquiao in a losing effort later that year. "Winning this fight, which is all that me and my team plan on doing, puts us in a very good position for some of the top guys in the division," said Algieri. "Potentially a world title fight with the current WBO champion Maurice Hooker who holds the title that I never lost in the ring. That's what I have in my sights. I still feel like part of that belt is mine. That's not to take anything away from the current champion Hooker, he earned it and he fought his ass off to get to the position that he's in. I feel like I need another crack at that title because essentially part of it is me."
Coyle (25-4, 12 KOs) produced a typically bullish performance as he outfought Ryan Kielczweski over ten rounds on his American debut in Boston in October last year. Coyle is renowned for his toughness but Algieri says he is prepared to take the Hull fighter into the trenches to get the win next week. "You know what you're going to get with Tommy Coyle. He's going to come over here in great shape and give it his all. He's a tough guy and he comes to fight. He's a blood and guts kind of guy, a kind of guy that I can get excited for. This is going to be a fun fight to watch and it's going to be a fun fight to be in!
"You've got a guy like him who's going to come forward. He's going to be throwing and he's going to be fighting and he's going to be hungry. Then you've got a guy like me who's a master boxer who's going to go out there and use his skills. At the same time, I've shown my ability to be tough, I've shown my ability to be gritty, and when I need that I can always tap into it."
Algieri and Coyle clash on a huge night of action at MSG where Anthony Johua's WBA/WBO/IBF heavyweight title defense against Andy Ruiz Jr. is supported by Katie Taylor clashing with Delfine Persoon for the undisputed Women's world lightweight championship, Callum Smith defending his WBA super middleweight titles against Hassan N'Dam and Josh Kelly making his US debut against Philadelphia's Ray Robinson - with more exciting undercard additions announced this week.
