Craig Coakley: “I want to prove that I am one of the best in the world, not just Ireland”

Lionheart’s Craig Coakley intends to prove himself as the best fighter in Ireland on Saturday night.

He may be in the early stages of his career but the young prospect has big ambitions.

Fresh from his third-round TKO destruction of Italian champion Eugenio Donato in May, the Dubliner is not fazed by the challenge in front of him.

At Capital 1, he’s set to face Stephen Meleady, a fighter he believes to be the ‘best and most accomplished’ in Ireland.

Meleady, formerly of Origins (Bridgestone) in Dublin, now fighting out of Bad Company gym in Leeds, is an ISKA world champion and has faced some of the biggest stars in Muay Thai, such as Saenchai, Wuttichai and Ognjen Topic, who headlines the show.

With such an illustrious record, Meleady enters the contest as favourite which leaves Coakley feeling as if some fans have already written off his chances.

“I think a lot of people in Ireland are already writing me off. Stephen is very well known around Ireland and outside of the country. He’s known as the best fighter to come out of this country but now it’s my time to prove that I am.

“I’ve always wanted this fight, I wanted to prove to myself that I am up there with these fighters. I want to prove that I am one of the best in the world, not just Ireland,” he told Fightstore Media.

Coakley is currently on a 14-fight win streak, finishing 13 of those opponents. He enters the bout full of confidence that he can cause an upset on the biggest show ever to hit Dublin.

“You look at my record and see what I’ve done. Who else in Ireland has knocked 13 people out in a row and won 14 straight?

“This is the next step for me. Stephen’s had something like 80 fights, I’ve had 20 fights. In people’s opinion, it’s a big jump for me but in my opinion, it’s not.

“His experience will count for a lot because he’s seen it all. He’s been in there with people who kind of fight like me, that maybe like to move or throw heavy, but he hasn’t been in there with me.”

An impressive victory over Meleady could be enough to secure a fight with the winner of the MTGP world lightweight title fight between Ognjen Topic and Paul Barber. Coakley would relish the opportunity to compete against fighters of their standard.

“I think if I make a big statement in this fight I definitely should get to fight the winner of Topic vs Barber. As everyone knows, Topic is world-class, he’s probably the best 61kg fighter outside of Thailand. That’s a fight that I’d love.

“If I get that fight I’ll take it straight away.”