Sport

Michael Conlan promises masterclass in TJ Doheny all-Ireland classic at Feile

Michael Conlan works out with Adam Booth during the Féile Fight Night public workout at Belfast City Hall yesterday. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
Michael Conlan works out with Adam Booth during the Féile Fight Night public workout at Belfast City Hall yesterday. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Michael Conlan works out with Adam Booth during the Féile Fight Night public workout at Belfast City Hall yesterday. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

MICHAEL Conlan knows what his critics say. Every performance is pulled apart, every opponent belittled as a no-hoper… Whatever he’s done, it hasn’t been good enough for some but maybe you have to put up with that when you’re a former world amateur champion who made his pro debut topping the bill at Madison Square Garden.

Fight fans expected a trail of knockouts on Conlan’s way to stardom. It hasn’t worked out like that but, then, it was never going to. It has taken time for Conlan to adjust to the professional game and, at 15-0, he’ll have to show that he has arrived on Friday night because former IBF super-bantamweight champion TJ Doheny will come to fight and win (live on internet streaming service Fite TV).

“I’ve had pressure on me from day one and, as I’ve said from day one: ‘Pressure is for tyres’. I don’t need to worry about, I don’t need to think about it,” said Conlan.

“It’s the same thing over and over again: ‘What if, what if… Is he even that good? Is he going to win this, is he going to win that? He’s not as good as we thought!’ I just need to keep winning and improving like I have been doing and beating the guys who have been put in front of me like I have been doing.

“I’m a big favourite on paper for this fight and I don’t agree with that – I think it’s a much closer fight than what the bookies’ are saying. I’m putting myself in as the underdog – I’m the more inexperienced guy, I’m going in against the former world champion and the only thing I can say I have more experience in is the atmosphere.

“I have experienced the atmosphere, I have experienced big shows but the thing is that he’s gone into the lion’s den before and he came out victorious and he came out world champion in Japan.

“So I have to be wary of that. He knows how to deal with it, he’s not going to eaten up by it and he’s going to come to fight.

“But I’m not going to worry about that, I’ll concentrate on myself and how I perform. I’ve had great preparation, great sparring and I’m ready to go. There’s no more talking to be done, it’s all about going in and doing the business now.”

The winner of Friday night’s all-Ireland clash is expected to go on to face the winner of the Brandon Figueroa versus Stephen Fulton super-bantam super-fight next month. Texan Figueroa puts his WBC and WBA belts on the line and Philadelphia’s Fulton his WBO strap.

Conlan says he’s “ready to rock” and put himself in the frame for a world title shot.

“I’m looking forward to getting in there and getting the job done,” he said.

“I’m firing on all cylinders, sparring has been great, the whole camp has been great. It has been long so I’m looking forward to getting in.”

34-year-old Portloaise-born southpaw Doheny already has a win over a Conlan from Belfast to his credit. He beat Mick’s brother Jamie in the Irish Elite Championships during their amateur days before he relocated to Australia and he was 19-0 when he travelled to Tokyo and dethroned IBF champ Ryosuke Iwasa at Korakuen Hall.

“He beat Jamie but I don’t feel I have to get him back for that,” said Conlan.

“That’s in the past so I’m not worried about it, the only thing I’m worried about is getting in there and beating the shit out of TJ.

“I don’t know him on a personal level but I know him to say hello to. I congratulated him when he won his world title and I was really happy for him - I was cheering for him.

“He’s an aggressive, counter-puncher. He is a tough, rugged fighter and he’s someone who I’ve looked up to in the past. I’m looking forward to facing him and I believe I’m much better than him and I’ll have to show that on Friday night because he has plenty of gas left in his tank.

“It’s not like he’s been taking punches for the last two years! He has been getting good sparring with Billy Dib and he has been over in America for his camp. He lost to (Ionut) Baluta but I don’t take anything from that.

“I believe it’s going to be a great fight and I know what is on the line for him. This is probably the last chance saloon for him and he’ll put everything into it, he’ll give it his all and he is going to be ready to die in there so you have to be willing to go the whole way with him.

“If I’m honest, I’m not going to give him the opportunity to do that (go the whole way) I’m going to put an absolute masterclass on and box his ears off.”

This is Doheny’s first fight on Irish soil and Conlan predicts “loads of twists and turns” but he says that whether it’s at range or toe-to-toe, he has skills and the fighting heart to win on the night.

“There may be times when I have to show what I have in me and show my heart and my courage or I might give him an absolute boxing lesson. I know inside me that I have the will and the strength to stand toe-to-toe with him and out-fight him if I need to. I know it’s there,” he said.

“People will say: ‘Oh, the amateurs is a completely different game’ but at the same time I’ve shown in the amateurs that I can stand in close and I can bang with anybody. I can bang with the best of them so if I need to do that, I can do that.

“Will I need to do that is the question. Can TJ force me into those positions? That remains to be seen but I am prepared if he does and I’m not worried, I’m very excited, obviously a wee bit nervous because it’s the biggest fight of my career and I’m putting everything on the line and I have a golden carrot in front of me but I think that will make me perform even better.

“It’s a fantastic fight against someone who has reached the mountain-top, who has been there and done it against the up-and-comer. It’s former world champion professional against former amateur world champion and we’ll get to see who has the better skillset, the better heart, the sharper boxing mind. I think that will be me.”