Caoimhin Agyarko has now confirmed his new training setup.
The Belfast fighter recently moved down in weight to super-welterweight, making his debut in the weight class last month.
Agyarko (12-0, 7 KOs) outpointed Lukasz Maciec over 10 rounds at the O2 Arena in London, as part of the supporting cast to Derek Chisora’s rematch win over Kubrat Pulev.
But the 25-year-old, whose return was teased by promoter Eddie Hearn for later in the year before a potential homecoming in Northern Ireland in 2023, has since revealed a switch in his training setup.
He will now be trained by Joseph McNally and Declan O’Rourke at the Rotunda ABC in Liverpool and will work alongside fellow super-welters James Metcalf –– the WBA Continental champion who had his career-best win last time out, against Kerman Lejarraga out in Bilbao, Spain, and will be looking to be back between the ropes before the end of the year –– and the ex-WBO world champion Liam Smith.
When speaking to the Lightweight Boxing Show from the grounds of his new gym, Agyarko said:
“During my last camp, I knew that I wanted to make a move and it was mentally tough trying to get through a camp without speaking to anybody about it.”
Smith returns to the ring at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on September 3, exclusively live on Sky Sports, taking on former IBO champion Hassan Mwakinyo.
And ‘Black Thunder’ is delighted with the move, having recently parted ways with Alan Smith, Eddie Lam and Paul Taylor at the iBox Gym in Bromley.
Agyarko continued:
“Straight after my last fight, I went and sat down with the coaches and told them how I felt.
“They supported me in my decision [to leave and move up north] and we left on good terms.”
Paul Ready, the man behind STN Sports which manages Agyarko, suggested the move.
“I’ve heard a lot of good things about Joe and I know both Liam and JJ are the same weight as me and they’re both in the gym, they’re two people I can learn from.
“I gave Joe a shout and asked whether I could come down and try it out, I’ve loved every minute of it and I think this is where my new home is going to be.”