Sport

Conlan returns to his roots

Jamie Conlan (right) in action against Jose Estrella during their WBO Intercontinental title fight in Belfast
Jamie Conlan (right) in action against Jose Estrella during their WBO Intercontinental title fight in Belfast Jamie Conlan (right) in action against Jose Estrella during their WBO Intercontinental title fight in Belfast

JAMIE CONLAN returns to his boxing roots when he headlines a bill for the first time in his career at Dublin’s National Stadium on July 4.

The Belfast fighter hasn’t seen any action since he swapped John Breen’s Belfast gym for Matthew Macklin’s MGM camp in Marbella and he is keen to show his fans the improvements he has made over the past six months.

He jokes that the Macklin camp is a prison - “a very, very, very nice prison”. He isn’t there for a holiday and has trained hard in the Spanish sun.

“It’s been a while since I fought and I’m happy to be part of the show and topping the bill is a different kind of pressure,” he said.

The last time he boxed at ‘the Stadium’ was his second professional fight – the last time he was in the arena was when he did the corner for his brother Michael in the national senior final.

“It’s always been somewhere you’ve been proud to box in ever since I was a kid and it’s great to be back,” said Conlan.

“It’s a good bill and MGM are trying to bring big-time boxing back to Dublin after what’s happened up in Belfast and it’s good to be part of it. It gives me the opportunity to excel and be my own man.

“It’s not going to be a homecoming where you’re going to knock somebody out in one or two rounds.

“It’s going to be a real test and I’m going to have to answer some questions. But I’m not in this game to get my ego massaged and knock out a few journeymen and call myself a professional boxer.

“I’m here to test myself mentally and physically and I’ve got the opportunity now with the perfect training, the perfect camp – nutrition, strength and conditioning… “Everything is there for you to excel and I’m busting to get going.”

He hasn’t fought since he beat Jose Estrella on the Titanic Slipway last September to move to 13-0. That confident win paved the way for his move to MGM – a sun-soaked boxing factory set up for one purpose – to churn out champions.

“It’s brilliant,” said Conlan.

“There’s so many things going on, but you don’t get to see them. It’s like a prison in a way, but it’s a very, very, very nice prison. You’re up in the morning, you’re straight to the track, you have your breakfast cooked for you.

“Then you go back to your room – we have our own villa and our own pool – and just chill out, play some pool or whatever.

“You train again, eat your dinner, go home and it’s lights out and you’re up again the next day. It’s not a holiday camp, we’re here to work, we’re here for a reason. I know what I’m here for and I’m more determined than ever to win.

“Being over here has made me focus on what I want to do and want to achieve in my life and in my career. You attack every day as if it’s your last and I’m happy with the way the training is going – I just have to produce it now on the 4th of April and make a statement.”

Conlan will have sparring in Liverpool and Glasgow before the fight and he’ll get to test himself against IBF super-flyweight champion Zolani Tete who is due to visit the MGM gym.

“It’s what I need,” he said.

“Everything is tailor-made, everything is watched – your opponents are watched daily and everything you do is scrutinised and stripped back to the core.

“They’re putting a lot into me and I’m very grateful and I want to take every opportunity that I can. If I fall flat on my face, well I know I came here and I was my own man and I made my own decision to do what I did and I’m giving it my best go.”