Eddie Hearn has been around the sport of boxing for an incredibly long time. The famed promoter has seen some of the best fighters in the world up close and personal and isn’t easily impressed. However, there's something about Khalil Coe that grabbed his attention.
“Khalil Coe is a special talent at 175 pounds,” Hearn told Pro Boxing Fans.
This past Saturday night, at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada, Coe found himself buried on the undercard of Conor Benn vs. Peter Dobson. While there weren’t many fans there by the time he stepped into the ring, Coe (8-0-1, 6 KOs) put on a show.
Hearn nearly jumped out of his seat as the 27-year-old made it look incredibly easy against the previously undefeated Juan Gerardo Osuna. In just two short rounds, Osuna didn't know what hit him as Coe stood over his unconscious body celebrating.
From the outside looking in, Coe still has a long way to go. He doesn't even have double-digit fights under his belt and none of the four major sanctioning bodies have him ranked anywhere near their top 15.
Still, Hearn can spot talent from a mile away. Coe is a big strong kid with a persistent jab and the sort of power that you're born with. It might be considered early in the eyes of many, but if Hearn had things his way, he would remove Coe from the kitty pool and throw him in with the sharks.
"I get that you look at Khalil Coe and say he’s a prospect but I want him to fight the big names at 175 now," continued Hearn while smiling. "I would love to see him fight (Joshua) Buatsi or (Dan) Azeez, Craig Richards or someone else. I think Khalil Coe is going to be a world champion. He’s a great U.S. prospect.”