At approximately 7:15 A.M. ET today, wearing a tweed flat cap and an Irish American Tartan vest over a t-shirt emblazoned with “Conlan to America,” Punxsutawney Phil — the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators — emerged from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, PA, and proclaimed — by Executive Order in his native Groundhogese — that Ireland’s Olympic hero MICHAEL “MICK” CONLAN would make this year’s St. Patrick’s Day a glorious holiday for celebrants on both sides of the pond. It will be six more weeks of training before the former World Amateur Champion makes his pro debut in a six-round junior featherweight bout, headlining a special evening event on Friday, March 17, at the “O’Mecca of Boxing” The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Conlan joins an elite group of Olympic medalists, including George Foreman, Evander Holyfield and Jermaine Taylor, to make his professional debut on boxing’s most hallowed ground. Only Conlan has played headliner for his pro debut.
“Mick wasn’t Putin up with any shenanigans. He chased the snakes out of the Olympics last summer and I predict he is going to chase his opposition out of the ring as a professional,” said America’s most quotable quadruped, while wagging a foam finger (guess which one!) on each hand. “Mick will enjoy a long and prosperous championship career. Without a shadow of a doubt, I foresee this lad wearing world title belts as a junior featherweight, as a featherweight and even as a junior lightweight.”
Before returning to his burrow to read Jerry Izenberg’s new book, Once There Were Giants. The Golden Age of Heavyweight Boxing, Phil was pressed for a definitive answer on whether Conlan’s opponent, Tim Ibarra (4-4, 1 KO), of Denver, had a chance to rain on Conlan’s St. Patrick Day parade. Phil astounded the media by responding in an Irish brogue.
Quoth the groundhog, “Nevermore.”
