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Bob Arum’s World Title Roadmap for Mick Conlan

Legendary promoter Bob Arum has been reinvigorated following Top Rank’s signing of Irish amateur star Mick Conlan.

The veteran fight man was out today at Madison Square Garden for the final press conference ahead of Conlan’s eagerly anticipated debut against Tim Ibarra and, if Arum’s plans are fulfilled, the Belfast man will be an established world champion by August 2020

Conlan headlines the bill at The Theater on Friday – a massive show of confidence from Top Rank – in what is intended to be the first of an annual pilgrimage to the Mecca of boxing on St Patrick’s Weekend.

Old school Arum, the man who had Vasyl Lomachenko a world champion within three fights, is not a fan of the current trends in prospect building, and hopes that Conlan will fight well, fight often, and reach the top of the boxing tree in double quick time.

Indeed Arum pointed to all-time great Sugar Ray Leonard as the sort of path he will follow for Conlan.

The 85 year old outlined how “we’re not going to waste time. Remember, Sugar Ray Leonard fought for his second World title in June 1980, less than four years after he won a [Olympic] gold medal.”

“The time that is now spent building up prospects is ridiculous, they should fight more often. I really believe that by his [Conlan’s] fourth year rolls around from the anniversary date of the Olympiad in Brazil, that he will be a world champion and would be one of the most prominent fighters in the sport of boxing.”

“It starts on Friday night, it’s going to be a momentous start.”

Jamie Conlan joins Gavan Casey and Joe O’Neill for Episode 3 of The Irish Boxing Show:

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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