Michael Conlan Plans March Return With Big-Name Opponents in the Frame
Michael Conlan is confident he’ll have a big fight in March but isn’t as sure about where it will play out.
Having oiled off the rust with victory over Asif Khan in March and stopped Jack Bateson in front a large 3Arena crowd more recently, the Olympic medal winner feels ready to return to top-end action.
Glamour fights with former World Champions Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood have been mentioned.
European featherweight champion Cristobal Llorente and his most recent challenger, Nathaniel Collins – the Spaniard and Scot drew this month – are other options being explored.
Whichever avenue he takes, the switch-hitting natural talent wants the fight in March around St Patrick’s Weekend.
Now, having several possible contenders and knowing when regarding his next fight, Ireland’s only male World Championship gold medal winner has to find out where.
After the success of his Dublin Dockland’s hosted pro Dublin debut, Conlan wanted to head back to the capital with a big fight, but it seems that a promoter – believed to be Pierce O’Leary’s promoter Frank Warren – already has the 3Arena booked for St Patrick’s weekend.
New York, a city the featherweight has successful history in, would be another option, although Callum Walsh’s promoters may have already booked Madison Square Garden for that time of year.
Speaking to Kevin Byrne for The Rocky Road podcast, Conlan said: “I’m back on a high. Everything’s flowing how I want it to flow so I’m really happy. I’ll fight again in March.
“I wanted to get the 3Arena but I think someone else stole the date. I don’t want to go too much into that because I don’t want to boost it.
“Names being mentioned are the likes of Cristobal Llorente and Nathaniel Collins.
“They’re probably going to rematch but one of them might step back and fight me because it also makes a lot of sense financially for them.
“That would be a WBC reminder, a final eliminator. Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington are being mentioned too. I’m happy to take whatever it is.”
