Michael Conlan beats Adeilson Dos Santos

Michael Conlan beats Adeilson Dos Santos:

The former Olympic Bronze medallist Michael Conlan made his return to a Belfast ring last night and beat Adeilson Dos Santos on points (79-73) over 8 rounds and improved his professional record to 8-0 in the process.

The former world title challenger came to fight and was in shape but never looked likely to spring a surprise and spoil the homecoming party. The opening round was close, then I thought Conlan did his best work through the next 4 rounds, controlling the distance and his greater foot speed getting him out of the pocket when he needed to. The Brazilian got more into the fight from the 6th, and gave Conlan a more than decent workout and much food for thought.

Conlan knows he has much to learn:

“It was daunting a bit because it was my first proper fight, and he forced the pace, but I’m happy with the performance,” Conlan said. “It’s still not the finished article. I’ve still got a lot to learn. I give it six out of 10. There were mistakes, but that’s all part of learning.”

It’s the sort of fight Conlan needs, the type of learning fight that will serve him well as the quality of his opposition increases as he moves nearer to a shot at a world title. Conlan is level-headed enough to know he is not there yet in terms of being ready for a world title opportunity, and being only 8 fights in, he shouldn’t be.

Personally as I was watching the fight I saw his performance as competent, workmanlike even, and while he was always looking in control, Conlan wasn’t really blowing me away, and every time I watch Conlan I am left with that very same impression. Conlan’s lack of power is a worry and he looks the sort of fighter as he moves up the ladder who will have to settle for a distance fight, stoppage victories will be the exception.

Conlan came into the paid ranks on the back of being so cruelly denied in the Rio Olympics, he made his debut in the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York with Conor McGregor by his side, so right from the start the hype and the platform has been huge, a potential global superstar we are told. When the hype is huge, so is the expectation and probably a little unfairly fighters are judged on that basis.

But the problem is that when certain statements are made, “Michael Conlan is going to change the face of boxing” as Bob Arum said before his debut, you are judged based on those words.

The Irishman is undoubtedly supremely talented but I am yet to be convinced by some of the lofty predictions for him. But that said Conlan is only just a year or so into his professional career and like any fledgling pro, he deserves and needs the time to develop.

With Top Rank and Arum behind him Conlan will no doubt be manoeuvred into the world title picture quicker than perhaps he should be, and with so many world champions available, the right opponent is easier to find. I think Conlan would be better served having another 6 fights or so over the next 18 months before he gets his big chance, although I suspect it will be a lot sooner than that.

Conlan beat a former world title challenger in only his 8th pro fight and that is a sign of what could lie ahead, and while I still feel there is something missing, the potential is obvious, but the expectations may need to be reined in a little.