Sains alive! English title chance for Troy

Troy Coleman…York Hall clash for champ. Pic: Manjit Narotra/BCB

TROY “Hawk” Coleman revealed last week that he is set to swoop on a major title opportunity.

And now the cat is out of the bag, if you’ll excused the mixed animal metaphors.

In my interview, the Midlands middleweight champ, from Burntwood, warned fans will consider the opportunity a big risk: “It’s a nice big one, and people will have their doubts. That’s the reaction that drives me on,” he teased.

The 30-year-old is right – it’s a risk, a big one at that.

Troy, a fighter who made the monumental move to Thailand in search of ring glory, will face unbeaten Jimmy Sains for the English title. The bout takes place at York Hall, Bethnal Green, on October 17 and will be streamed live on DAZN.

It’s the second major announcement involving a BCB promoted boxer in as many days, with Gully Powar gaining a crack at the British featherweight title.

Coleman will be the underdog for a clash that sees a seasoned pro who has taken hard fights, never ducked an opponent and roared back from stoppage setbacks pitted against a prospect who has had things pretty much his own way.

Southpaw Sains, from Harold Wood, east London, has stopped nine of his 10 opponents. He hits very hard.

Coleman, with three losses in 18 (one draw), doesn’t give a fig about reputations – and he relishes the underdog role.

Let’s be honest, impartial fans didn’t give him a prayer against hot prospect Bradley Goldsmith. Yet he survived the early storm to register a career best seventh round stoppage.

Fighting on Sain’s patch certainly won’t faze Troy. He’s faced a world ranked, thunderous Australian puncher Down Under, fought one of the world’s best former amateurs in Dubai, battled in Bangkok and licked a local in Lincolnshire for the Midlands belt.

A partisan crowd at York Hall will be pretty much a walk in the park.

“I’m realistic,” Troy told me last week. “I’ll be thrown to someone expected to beat me. You’ve just got to ignore the noise and believe in yourself.

.“I’ve done things the hard way, but it’s led me to where I want to be. There are no regrets – I don’t believe I’d be doing what I’m doing now if I’d gone down a different path.

“I’ve come on a lot since my last win and ready for the next test.”