Bob Arum outlines Lopez v Conlan World Title Plan

Bob Arum is ready to ensure Michael Colan’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations are extra special next year.

The 91-year-old promoter is trying to make a fight between the Belfast fighter and new IBF champ Luis Alberto Lopez for March 17, meaning the Irish star could challenge for a world title on Paddys Day.

“We are trying to put [Michael Conlan versus Luis Alberto Lopez for March 17] together now. Hopefully, that will come together. That fight will be a great, great attraction and will give Michael the chance to win a world title,” Arum told Boxing Social.

Lopez, who beat Josh Warrington to claim the IBF featherweight world title in Leeds on the same December 10 night that the Olympic medal winner was stopping Karim Guerfi in Belfast, is also Top Rank aligned, meaning it should be an easy fight to make.

Speaking recently, Conlan, Ireland’s only ever male amateur world champ, revealed talks were underway and claimed the fight was ‘likely’.

The Belfast favourite also revealed the plan was always to fight on St Patricks Day, be it in New York or Belfast, and that remains the case.

Irish-boxing.com understands Conlan Boxing are making Belfast Friday March 17th undercard plans, which suggests they are Ireland hopeful but there is no doubt they will travel to fight for a world title.

Speaking to TalkSport Arum didn’t give any indication as to where the fight might take place but did once again say it was the fight he is looking to make.

“I have matchmakers at Top Rank who told me that the kid had a hell of a shot with Warrington. I didn’t think so, but he was certainly able to handle him,” he said of Lopez’s world title win before discussing a Conlan fight.

“I think now the plan is to put him in with Mick Conlan sometime next year…

“I think that’s the fight for Lopez that would attract the most interest on both sides of the pond.”