Khalil Coe was expected to take a significant leap in the light-heavyweight rankings when he faced Manuel Gallegos in Philadelphia.
Instead, the New Jersey prospect endured the first defeat of his career, and it was a painful experience for the former amateur standout.
Gallegos entered the bout with a solid reputation, but after losing to Diego Pacheco in 2023, there were some concerns that he had slipped into opponent mode.
Those fears were removed against Coe as the Mexican veteran dropped his rival multiple times before registering an impressive ninth round stoppage.
The bout was closely fought in the early stages before coming to life in round five when Coe was dropped with a superb body shot.
Coe would visit the canvas again in rounds seven and eight, and when he was floored for a final time in the ninth session, the referee made a sensible intervention.
Coe isn’t the first boxer to suffer an early career setback, but there will be some worried people within his set-up due to the manner of his loss.
A rebuild is likely to take place beginning in 2025, and it’s possible that Coe and Gallegos could meet for a second time as Coe looks to put things right.
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