Conlan: I don’t need my ego massaged it was great to ‘breeze’ through a tough test
Jamie Conlan claims he breezed through the battle of the Mexican’s last Saturday night.
The Belfast fighter wasn’t suggesting Jose Estrella was a walk in the park. Indeed he claims the Mexican gave him the stiffest test of his career to date, rather the fighter known as ‘The Mexican’ said fighting outdoors was a breeze compared to doing rounds in Breen’s sauna like Gym.
While most found the air stream nigh on Baltic at the Titanic Slipways Conlan found it a refreshing change.
“The breeze was amazing. Training in Breen’s Gym there is no breeze there is on oxygen so it felt like a breeze. It felt amazing in there. Four rounds in Breen’s Gym it feels like you are in a sauna in Mexico so tonight was a breeze,” Conlan said after the fight.
‘Breeze’ wouldn’t be the word he would use to describe Estrella, however.
The world ranked Belfast super flyweight claims the Mexican battler gave him a stiffer test than he expected. Indeed he revealed a good fifth round showing from his fellow WBO Intercontinental challenger put some doubts in his head midway through the fight.
However the honest Cyclone Promotions fighter was happy to be asked questions of the physical and mental kind and believes it will stand him in good stead as he closes in on a World title shot.
“He was a better test than I thought. I thought I might get him away in six but he took some smashing right hands that usually hurt opponents.
“After the fifth a wee bit of doubt crept in, but John (Breen) and the corner got back into my head and got the confidence back to where it should be. I knew I could do it no bother and I came back after the eight and ninth rounds, Then when they asked me how I felt I said ‘I feel amazing’. I enjoyed it, after it he said I was a warrior that is a compliment from a Mexican,” he added before suggesting Estrella’s success due to some failings on his own part.
“The times he looked I let him in range and instead of holding my ground I moved back. He capitalised closed the space and caught me on the ropes, but no punch ever hurt.”
The victory should push Conlan toward a world title shot. The older brother of Olympic hero Michael Conlan is currently ranked number six and after picking another another of the organisations belts could move up to as high as three in the world.
“The WBO told me afterwards that I will be ranked highly and that my performance was a statement,” he revealed before reiterating his delight at been given a stern test.
“”I hit him some cracking right hands and he nodded at me and smiled. That is what you want, you don’t want someone who is going to fall down. I don’t need my ego massaged I want someone to test me mentally and physically and that is what I got tonight.”
