Photos: Scott Foster
Irish middleweight Connor “The Kid” Coyle passed what was supposed to be the toughest test of his career with flying colors by defeating Louisiana’s Travis “Dirty Red” Scott via eight round unanimous decision.
Coyle-Scott served as the main event of a a Roy Jones Jr Boxing and Rite Hook Promotions card staged at The Coliseum in St. Petersburg, Florida. The card aired on UFC Fight Pass and also available on demand.
Coyle was sharp from the get-go. The Irishman, who trains out of Tampa under Jim Mcloughlin, caught Scott’s attention in the opening round with some buzzing shots.
The veteran Scott tried to throw Coyle off with a number of veteran tactics including switching between southpaw and orthodox but was mostly unsuccessful.
In round three, Coyle dropped Scott hard with a huge right hand. Scott got back to his feet but was dropped again (this time via a left hook) but beat the count as the bell sounded.
Coyle continued to control the bout though Scott was extremely game.
After winning by scores of 79-71 and 80-70 twice, Coyle improved to 9-0 with three knockouts as Scott saw his record slip to 19-5 with 5 knockouts.
“I was happy to get the rounds in,” Coyle said after his victory. “I wanted to (do a better job of putting combinations together) but I’m happy with my performance.”
Coyle said it’s a dream of his to fight at Madison Square Garden for St. Patrick’s day and his next bout will take place around April.
Popular welterweight Mark Reyes Jr. of Tampa, scored a highlight reel 19 second knockout of previously unbeaten Brazilian Rodrigo Tatijewski.
Both men entered the bout with 8-0 records, most of their wins coming by knockout and it looked to be a great matchup on paper.
Seconds into the bout, Reyes connected with a beautiful right hand that laid Tatijewski out cold. The bout was immediately waived off.
Tatijewski remained on the canvas motionless for about a minute but thankfully made it back to his feet.
The 22-year-old Reyes Jr. improved to 9-0 with 7 knockouts. Tatijewski falls to 8-1 (7) following his first defeat.
Junior welterweight Willian “Babyface” Silva (27-2 with 15 knockouts) boxed his way to a ten round decision over Juan Ramon Solis (26-14 with 9 knockouts) of Argentina by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91.
A Brazilian now residing in Plant City, FL, Silva displayed a high boxing IQ and bloodied the very game Solis in the one-sided affair.
Charismatic welterweight Javonn “Pinkie” Barnes of Tampa improved to 13-0 (6) by boxing his way to a six round decision over St. Petersburg’s Alphonso Black (8-6-1 – 4 KO’s).
Barnes used angles, distance and pizzaz to win by scores of 60-54 on all three cards.
Heavyweight Armand Sands of Orlando (8-0 – 7 KO’s) made quick work of Miami’s Hector Hodge (3-4 – 1 KO) scoring a first round TKO.
St. Petersburg’s Mike “Concrete” Bissett (15-11-1 – 9 KO’s) also quickly dispatched of his opponent in a heavyweight contest, ending Sinaloa, Mexico native Alfredo Trevino’s (9-6-1 – 1 KO) evening in 60 seconds.
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