TEN weeks of training, time spent away from his young family and no pay cheque at the end of it all… Michael Conlan is counting the costs after the cancellation of his WBO Inter-Continental featherweight title fight against Belmar Preciado at Madison Square Garden on St Patrick’s Day.
The bill had been placed in jeopardy when promoters Top Rank revealed that it would go ahead behind closed doors but, in an effort to stem the spread of Coronavirus, a decision was taken to cancel the card – which also included Tyrone featherweight Feargal McCrory – late on Thursday night. Conlan wanted to fight but says he had to “roll with the punches” and accept the decision.
“There’s nothing you can do,” said the west Belfast fighter.
“It’s out of my control and there’s no point in me wallowing in my own sorrows when everybody is having to deal with this.
“I was asked on Wednesday night what I thought and I just said: ‘I’m a fighter, I’ll fight’. I’d done 10 weeks in training so why would I not fight?
“I knew it was going to be weird boxing in an arena with no people in it but then I thought: ‘You know what, it’s going to be class, it’ll be one of those moments in time where I could say: I boxed in the Garden when it was empty!’
“I thought it would be a bit of history and I was happy enough, I did the press conference on Thursday and then I heard that night that the fight was off.
“You could get upset when you think of the time you’ve lost with your family. I’ve missed my kids for 10 weeks and I’ve lost a pay cheque so it’s been like working 10 weeks without getting paid. But this is happening to everybody and I can’t really worry about things that are out of my control.
“It is what it is and you just have to roll with the punches.”
Coronavirus concerns permitting, Conlan hopes to return to the ring in early summer and still has his sights set on achieving his ultimate ambition this year.
“I’ll hopefully be back out on May 2,” he said.
“I believe I’ll be a world champion this year, 100 per cent.”
