Michael Conlan 16-0 (8) is planning on dropping down to super bantamweight following his 12-round featherweight victory of former IBF 122-pound champion TJ ‘The Power’ Doheny 22-3 (16) at Falls Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Friday night.
The fight was slow-paced at times but the 29-year-old Conlan clearly did the better work, dropping Doheny with a body shot in the fifth before going on to win by scores of 119-108, 116-111 and 116-111 to claim the WBA interim title at 126-pounds.
“I’m planning to go to 122,” Conlan revealed after the fight. “This opportunity to go up came at the last minute and I said no problem. I was training for a 10-round fight at 122 or 124 because it wasn’t for a belt, but then this opportunity came up and I said no problem, it’s a 12-round fight and we’ll go to 126, but TJ wanted to keep it 124 and I said okay.
“I’m still looking to fight the winner of Brandon Figueroa vs Stephen Fulton. Now my options open up even more because I’m an interim champion in the featherweight division. I like the McGregor thing of holding two belts over two weights, I wouldn’t mind to do both.”
WBC and WBA ‘regular’ super bantamweight boss Figueroa 22-0-1 (17) will face WBO kingpin Fulton 19-0 (8) on September 11 in the United States. Conlan isn’t sure who will win that contest.
“Before Figueroa beat Luis Nery, I thought Fulton all the way, but after that performance I don’t know what way to swing, it goes back and forth every time I think about it,” he said.
“It’s two fantastic fighters and one I’d be very interested in.”
The WBA belt was an added bonus for Conlan, who was just proud to be fighting back in front of his hometown fans in Belfast for the first time in two years.
“It’s not even about the belt, it’s about this, this atmosphere. Name me another place in the world will you feel something like this? No fans can create an atmosphere like Belfast,” Conlan said.
“I’m just honoured and elated to be able to do this in front of my fans against a fellow Irishman, who is a tough motherfucker. It’s an honour to share the ring with TJ and delighted to get the win.
“I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity to perform for you guys. What a crowd, what an atmosphere. Thunderstorms were expected today and they still showed up. We had ponchos, the lot. I knew they wouldn’t be worried.
“For me to have the first show back in Ireland after the pandemic is really special. You saw how much the fans appreciated it and even if there wasn’t a pandemic they would have been out like this.”
Conlan added that he was happy with his performance and said is showcased his growth as a fighter.
“I thought it was a very good performance, a mature performance against a former world champion. I was happy. I don’t know how to grade it until I watch it back but I’m very happy,” Conlan said.
“I knew I’d get him to the body, but I knew he’d stay in there. Anybody I spoke to said it was going to go to points because TJ is a tough motherfucker and he can punch too.
“He got some good body shots in there but I’m good to the body, so I don’t mind it. When I was on the ropes, my defence was fantastic. Overall I’m happy with my performance.
“At the end I could have boxed my way to victory but I wanted to put it on for the fans, so I said come on, let’s do it like two Irish warriors, and we did.”
