Tommy Coyle vs. Martin Gethin: Winner, Recap and Reaction

Local hero Tommy Coyle (21-2, nine KOs) did what he was expected to do on Saturday, beating Martin Gethin (25-7-1, 11KOs) after the former British champion retired at the end of the fifth round due to an ear injury.

The fight had been incredibly competitive up until that point, as Gethin had shocked the crowd in Hull, England, by sending his younger opponent to the canvas in the second round.

BBC Humberside Sport shared the outcome of the bout:

Coyle knew coming into the fight that Luke Campbell had held up his end of the bargain on the undercard, getting a swift stoppage over Levis Morales. With a massive showdown in Hull on the horizon, the pressure was on the 25-year-old to perform.

The local hero started out slowly in the opening 30 seconds before launching his jab, and a big left hook seemed to wake up Gethin, who hardly moved his head during the opening round.

The veteran had a little success with his jab, and sports writer Jack Rathborn noticed the size difference between the two fighters:

Coyle clearly had the upper hand in the first round, however, forcing Gethin into a clinch after a strong body shot.

Gethin tried to move forward more early in the second, but a strong combination from his opponent once again forced him into the ropes. Coyle's eye had started to swell lightly due to a clash of heads in the first, but his head movement was fantastic as he continued to boss the fight.

Out of nowhere, Gethin dropped Coyle with a huge left, and the hometown favourite nearly got beat by the count with 40 seconds left on the clock. All of the air was sucked out of the arena, and Behind the Gloves noticed Coyle's legs looked very wobbly until the bell:

It truly was an incredible shot, per Rathborn:

"Boom Boom" Coyle recovered well from the scare and pressed the action in the third, staying close to Gethin and working the body with combinations. Every time the 31-year-old dropped his shoulder, however, he darted away as soon as possible.

For all of his combinations, Coyle hardly seemed to hurt Gethin, who shocked the home crowd again with a sharp hook. Coyle remained upright, but the way his head snapped back showed he was hurt again.

Boxing Ireland had to make this joke:

Despite the two massive power shots, Gethin continued to box with patience, and with Coyle launching his jab throughout every round, the favourite continued to do the better work on the cards.

By the end of the fifth round, Coyle was back in control, and to the shock of the home crowd and the announcers, Gethin's corner threw the towel in between rounds.

The veteran has struggled with ear problems in the past, and he pointed at his ears in a possible explanation of why his camp chose the stoppage. The Hull Daily Mail's James Smailes saw things that way:

It was an unfortunate end to a great fight, and despite Coyle's win, the home crowd vocally showed their disdain for the sudden end. The boos became a lot less loud when Gethin confirmed his eardrum had once again popped:

Ultimately, this fight was meant as a setup to bring Campbell and Coyle together for a highly anticipated summer showdown in Hull, and by the time said fight comes around, fans won't remember how Coyle got to that point.

The fact he was dropped by Gethin, who isn't known as a particularly strong puncher, is cause for concern, however. Coyle has fast hands and likes to get busy early, and Gethin should have been the perfect opponent to highlight his particular skills.

Instead, he dropped the 25-year-old and looked to be in the fight until his injury. The young Campbell may have never fought a fighter like Coyle, but with his quick hands and powerful combinations, he could present Coyle with some major problems:

As shared by Matchroom Boxing, Campbell has already dropped a hint the fight will be made in summer:

Coyle will present Campbell, one of Britain's up-and-coming fighters, with a challenge he hasn't seen yet. But after Saturday's showing, you have to give the nod to the Olympic gold medalist.

Campbell's preparations coming into his fight with Morales were far from ideal, and yet, he looked sharper than Coyle, who fought a guy who matched up very well with him stylistically. Then again, Coyle deserves a lot of credit for surviving Gethin's fantastic left hook, showing he has the chin and heart of a champion.

Hull can't wait until these two are put into a ring together, and boxing fans should be salivating at the prospect.  

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