Connor Coyle's recent adverse finding in a pre-fight drug test is the latest example of a career that he believes has been riddled with bad luck.
Coyle saw his majority draw against Vito Mielnicki Jnr overturned as his February draw is now a no-contest.
Coyle, 21-0 (9 KOs), thought that was the fight that would lead him to big fights in the future. Instead, he is now contending his innocence regarding a trace amount of nandrolone.
“When we got the email for the test results, I didn’t know either. I just forwarded it to my team right away,” Coyle told BoxingScene. “A substance came up that was on the borderline of being positive and negative.”
Coyle’s team hired a lawyer. Then, they requested the B-sample of the urinalysis to be analyzed.
“The second sample went to a laboratory that wasn’t even certified for sports testing,” Coyle claimed. “The equipment in that [lab] actually failed, and we didn’t get a chance at a second sample.”
“It came up 2.6 of a nanogram, but if it was 2.5 of a nanogram, that was the borderline, so I would’ve passed,” Coyle insisted. “It is just mind blowing how it happened.”
Coyle, the 35-year-old from Derry, Northern Ireland, turned professional nine years ago. This is the latest in a career filled with setbacks, injuries, and unfortunate circumstances. A dejected Coyle explained the harsh reality of the adverse finding after his most credible fight against an up-and-comer in Mielnicki.
“We have had a lot of roadblocks in this nine-plus-year journey as a professional, a lot of ups and downs, but mainly downs,” Coyle said. “We had the shot with Erislandy Lara for the world title, which was supposed to be this summer.”
That fight fell through, and Coyle is now in a new fight; to prove his innocence.
“Anytime I get some luck, something seems to pop up and pull me back down,” Coyle said. “I seem to have my ups and downs. Actually, there are no ups.”
If and when Coyle is tested again, he doesn’t want to be alone.
“For future references, I would like my coach to be there,” he said. “I know I am a clean athlete, and they can say what they want to say, but I will keep working toward what I have been my whole life.”
“I want people to know I haven’t done anything wrong,” Coyle said.
