Coach Moore has me firing on all cylinders, says Cummings

IT has been all change for Conrad Cummings over the past fortnight and the Coalisland middleweight insists he is more excited than ever about his future plans.

Cummings recently parted company with Cyclone Promotions and yesterday confirmed that he had hooked up with management company MTK Global, the same firm who now look after the affairs of his friend and former world champion Carl Frampton.

The WBO European middleweight champion has also linked up with Manchester’s Jamie Moore as his new coach and the 26-year-old says they have connected very well over the past two weeks.

“Jamie has recognised my natural aggressive style. He can see that I’m a world class pressure fighter and he’s working on developing that,” said Cummings.

“So far it has gone very well, he’s adding to my style, showing me how to be a smart pressure fighter so it really couldn’t have gone any better so far.

“I know it was that world class pressure style that enabled me to beat two Olympic silver medallists and I want to show that when I get back into the ring.”

Ranked 13th in the world by the WBO, Cummings has been seeking a showdown with champion Billy Joe Saunders but it looks like that is now on the long finger. The governing body have ordered Saunders to defend against the hard hitting Canadian David Lemieux.

Cummings added: “We’ll see what happens there but I just have to focus on my own career and after signing with MTK I just want to make sure that I’m out before Christmas.

“A defence of my WBO European title would be ideal for me but if it is an eight or 10-rounder I’ll accept that because I need to stay active.

“I feel fresh and excited about what can happen in 2018. The gym is buzzing, I’ve got some great sparring and I even had an offer from coach Joe Gallagher to spar former world title challenger Liam Smith.”