What Next For Michael Conlan

With a professional career record that currently stands at 16-0, there is no time for Michael Conlan to rest on his laurels and with the WBA interim featherweight title being recently placed around his waist, the next step will be to make sure he is eventually crowned as the sole champion.

Something that is rather complicated when it comes to how the WBA hand out their titles and although Leigh Wood is considered to be the second lineage champion at this weight class, he is not the kingpin either.

That mantle goes to Leo Santa Cruz and with the Mexican being classed as their Super champion, it is the man who earned the title for the second time in 2017, that subsequently holds the biggest ace of all.

Which means if Conlan cannot get to Santa Cruz just yet, he can certainly place Wood in his sights and after getting the better T.J. Doheny in August, it is the 33-year-old Brit who now finds himself in the crosshairs.

With Wood yet to make a defence of his version of the WBA featherweight title, there is a sense that he will have to step into the ring soon and with the Belfast-born Conlan holding interim honours, then this would be a logical first defence.

Of course, the world of boxing is far from logical and although the obvious fights should be made with ease, they have a habit of slipping through the fingers of both promoters and supporters alike – much to the frustration of everyone.

While the same boxing supporters are known to put their money where their mouth is and if a clash between Wood and Conlan was to be signed off, then it undoubtedly generates a fair amount of interest for the online sports betting community. 

Interest that would only drive the 29-year-old Conlan into negotiation mode and although he would not necessarily be in charge of trying to get a deal over the line, he knows the perfect man for such a task.

Someone that comes in the shape of Eddie Hearn and with the Matchroom promoter recently announcing that he had won the purse bid for the anticipated clash in question, there is a feeling that Wood versus Conlan is very much on.

Although it has not been confirmed at the time of writing, an announcement of the fight’s confirmation is believed to be just around the corner, and this means the two WBA title holders will go to war in 2022.

A war that could be staged where it all began for someone who won Olympic bronze in 2012 and if this is to be the case, it would mean a return to New York for Conlan who made his debut at Madison Square Garden.

The famous venue played host that evening to Conor McGregor and many others in attendance and with Tim Ibarra being the first of sixteen fighters to taste defeat at the hands of the man also known as Mick, it would prove to be the launchpad for the Irishman’s professional career.

A launchpad which has seen him get the better of every other fighter who has stood opposite him and with a litany of regional titles soon following, victory in Belfast just three months ago was undoubtedly the crowning moment of his career.

Or should that be the crowning moment of his career so far and with St Patrick’s Day 2022 being earmarked as the date of his next fight, taking possession of what Leigh Wood has to offer may not be all that far away.

Then again, it will not be all that easy either and with the 25-2 Wood winning the regular version of the WBA featherweight title a month before Conlan’s own personal success, he will be loath to give his new prize away so easily.

A prize that was captured after getting the better of Chinese fighter Xu Can and with the 27-year-old already making two successful defences after capturing the belt in January 2019, he was considered the favourite before the meeting in Essex, England.

Although that is the beauty of boxing and with each fighter always having at least a puncher’s chance of victory, there have been plenty of underdog tales to look back on over the sport’s illustrious history.

That is not to do Wood a disservice in any way and to label him as the underdog in the title fight against Can would have been slightly wide of the mark and especially, as he would come out on top by virtue of a twelfth and final round TKO.

Which means this is a fighter who has plenty of gas in the tank and with his potential opponent having just as much stamina himself, there is every chance their pencilled St Patrick’s Day meeting could go the full distance.