Michael Conlan: Homecoming

Michael Conlan: Homecoming

By Mark Baldwin @ufc21

One of the most decorated Irish amateur boxers ever, saw his Olympic dream end in bitter sweet fashion in Rio in 2016. A highly controversial loss in the quarter-final to Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin left Conlan devastated, citing corruption and letting the judges know exactly what he thought of them courtesy of his middle finger.

Conlan the 2015 world amateur champion and the Olympic Bronze medallist from London in 2012, decided enough was enough and turned pro under Top Rank and Bob Arum, competition for his signature was fierce.

Conlan in his professional debut last March got the big platform, Madison Square Garden in New York was the scene, Conor McGregor, at the time saying he was boxing, added the star power to the evening. Tim Ibarra wasn’t expected to give the Irish hero too much trouble, and he didn’t, and Conlan was on his way.

Conlan now 7-0 gets his big homecoming showcase this Saturday at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, the first time Conlan has graced a boxing ring in Belfast since 2010, a fight he lost on another controversial decision in the Ulster Senior Championships.

The former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos (19-4) will be a step up for Conlan, the sort of test he needs if he is to be ready to challenge for a world title himself sometime in 2019.

“It’s a considerable step up for me, certainly” Conlan says knowing full well the next stage of his pro career is about to begin, the tests are coming his way.

The Brazilian is coming off a loss in his previous fight to Evgeny Smirnov who beat him on points in April. Jessie Magdaleno blew Dos Santos away when he challenged for the WBO super bantamweight title early last year, and the Sheffield boxer Kid Galahad holds a points win over Dos Santos from their fight in 2014.

The odds dont give Dos Santos much of a chance to spoil the party, but Dos Santos has a part to play despite the odds, I sense even he knows what his role is on Saturday night. Dos Santos is the sort of opponent Conlan needs to help his progression in the pro game. Defeat for the Irish hero would seem unlikely, but its how he looks in the expected victory that will tell us plenty about his chances of gold in the paid ranks.