By Keith Idec

NEW YORK – Chris Algieri looked early in the second round Saturday night as if he were about to get knocked out.

Six-plus rounds later, it was the former WBO junior welterweight champion who had stopped Tommy Coyle. Algieri floored England’s Coyle with a body shot in the fourth round, battered his opponent’s body for much of the remainder of their fight and caused Coyle’s trainer to stop their junior welterweight fight following the eighth round on the Anthony Joshua-Andy Ruiz Jr. undercard at Madison Square Garden.

His technical-knockout victory enabled Algieri (24-3, 9 KOs) to continue his march toward another world title shot, but this was anything but an easy fight for him. Coyle caused swelling underneath each of Algieri’s eyes, hurt him in the second and sixth rounds and tested the 35-year-old Long Island native’s resolve numerous times.

Ultimately, the 29-year-old British veteran lost by technical knockout for the third time in his nine-year career and slipped to 25-5 (12 KOs). Algieri, of Huntington, New York, won a third straight fight since ending a 2½-year layoff six months ago.

“My whole game plan for this camp was that on June 1, 2019, at Madison Square Garden, I, Chris Algieri, will stop Tommy Coyle,” Algieri said. “I have been saying that over and over and over throughout camp. That was the game plan and we knew how to do it. I made it tougher than it needed to be, but I got it done.”

Judges Bernard Bruni (77-74), Guido Cavalleri (77-74) and Frank Lombardi (79-72) each had Algieri ahead when the fight was stopped.

Just before their fight ended, Coyle cracked Algieri with a flush left hook, but Algieri took that shot well with just about a minute remaining in the eighth round.

Algieri landed a low right hand that caused Dali to give Coyle time to recover with 2:14 to go in the seventh round. Algieri landed left to the body that affected Coyle later in the seventh.

Coyle came on toward the end of the sixth round, when he hammered Algieri with hard shots to the head and body as Algieri was backed against the ropes. Algieri fought back just enough to prevent Coyle from hurting him badly and the bell sounded to end that round.

Coyle connected with a thudding right hand to Algieri’s body when there were 26 seconds to go in the fifth round.

A left hook to the body by Algieri doubled over Coyle at the 1:47 mark of the fourth round. Algieri followed Coyle toward Coyle’s corner and landed another left hook to the body that sent Coyle to his gloves and knees with 1:41 to go in the fourth.

Coyle beat Dali’s count and fought back to make it to the end of that round.

Just after the midway point of third round, Algieri caught Coyle with a right hand that made Coyle stumble back into his own corner. Coyle landed a right hand almost simultaneously, but Algieri’s shot landed with more force.

Coyle hurt Algieri with a right hand just 12 seconds into the second round. Before Algieri could recover or hold, Coyle connected with a left hook several seconds later that made Algieri stumbled.

Algieri, with his back against the ropes, held to withstand Coyle’s onslaught. Algieri later landed some punches of his own in the second round, but by then it was clear Coyle was the stronger puncher.

Algieri’s left hook landed cleanly about 1:15 into their fight and most controlled action during the opening round.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.