‘HAPPY Christmas!’ declared a jubilant Mick Conlan as he gave his adoring fans an early current on a frosty Saturday night time in Belfast.
Karim Guerfi was the unfortunate male to uncover himself on the Falls Highway featherweight’s naughty checklist and the Frenchman was ripped apart within just one round at the SSE Arena.
The Conlan Boxing card had experienced some aggravating late hiccups – with bouts for Tyrone McKenna, Lewis Crocker, Paddy Donovan, and Paul Ryan all falling off the invoice through battle 7 days. On the other hand, there ended up no troubles whatsoever for the guy in the main function who ensured that the display was no Xmas pudding for the countless numbers in attendance.
Referee Steve Grey gave a stylish tribute to the just lately departed Mills Lane by proclaiming ‘Let’s Get It On!’ right before the start of this 10-rounder and his intervention was demanded with just 2-45 long gone. There was no Supporter Male or bitten ears listed here although, just a demolition from the resurgent Conlan.
Boxing southpaw, the Adam Booth-qualified switch-hitter began with vicious intent, digging to the body and backing Guerfi to the ropes with simplicity. The veteran appeared unpleasant from the off and before long seemed even a lot more so as a piercing still left hand from the Irishman stabbed into Guerfi’s solar plexus. With his discombobulated opponent slumping into the ropes, Conlan unleashed a barrage of bodyshots and the Frenchman bit by bit crumpled to the canvas. Climbing quickly, Guerfi staggered across the ring, forcing Gray to grab him and contact an early halt to proceedings
During Conlan’s experienced vocation it has been suggested that his punching ability, or lack thereof, is a major flaw. This is most likely overstated and he showed that he can be a cracker when he decked the Gaul with fists of fury. It was the finish that was lacking in his 4-knockdown dismantling of Miguel Marriaga final time out and, far more importantly, soon after his huge to start with-round flooring of Leigh Wood in their Nottingham epic.
Although serial European winner Guerfi is no question past his peak and functioning over his optimum body weight, he was no turkey, and a second outing within nine months of the crushing Wooden loss sees Conlan enter 2023 in stable form. Speaking in the ring later on as Shakin’ Stevens’ rang out across the arena, the regional favourite promised to return on St Patrick’s Weekend in a battle for a sanctioning physique title – with stories that a clash with new beltholder Luis Alberto Lopez is now in the operates.
Main aid noticed Turf Lodge super-light-weight Sean McComb cruise previous Zsolt Osadan. Dancing around the ring during the 10 rounds and then when he had his hand lifted by referee Marcus McDonnell, McComb had considerably much too considerably course for the sincere force of Osadan. Pirouetting away each time the unbeaten Slovakian got close and rattling him with southpaw counters, it was a whitewash for McComb who took each individual spherical on the a few judges’s scorecards (100-90 x3) in this vacant WBO European rankings belt fight.
His most finish overall performance as a professional to day, the languid McComb appears to have settled nicely into the 140lbs course next his Commonwealth lightweight title defeat to Gavin Gwynne very last calendar year. It will now be appealing to see irrespective of whether ‘The Public Nuisance’ can demonstrate to be a thorn in the sides of the big domestic names likely ahead.
Returning dwelling to a hero’s welcome following his upset victory more than Leon Bunn in Germany in October, St James’s mild-heavyweight Padraig McCrory received the group likely with an 8-spherical shut-out of Dmytro Fedas. The Estonia-primarily based Ukrainian was an clear action down for McCrory who was just maintaining active in advance of larger evenings and this led to a messy come across. ‘The Hammer’ appeared to shut the show early but was not as sharp as he experienced been in his latest operate of important match-ups and Fedas evaded a great deal of the original onslaught. A terrible gash more than McCrory’s remaining eye in the sixth observed referee Hugh Russell Jr consult the ringside physician but the home fighter was allowed proceed and, possibly jolted into motion, dominated the subsequent stanzas to spherical off a complete 80-72 win.
Continuing an spectacular debut year, Tokyo Olympian and 2019 European winner Kurt Walker outclassed intense Nicaraguan Yader Cardoza with design. The Lisburn featherweight’s handspeed was just way too significantly for Cardoza – who experienced challenged for the WBC mild flyweight title again in 2013. The grizzled Central American tried out to drag things into a brawl in the course of the 6 rounds – a great deal to the chagrin of referee Eamonn Magill – but Walker would not oblige and took a very clear 60-54 earn on the scorecard.
In an early attraction, Belleeks middleweight Fearghus Quinn dominated reigning champion Graham McCormack to acquire the BUI Celtic title. A effectively-rounded strain fighter, Quinn did large damage in the early levels and, when his output slowed as the southpaw domestic progressed, he was nevertheless often landing large pictures on the gutsy Garryowen man. In truth, McCormack showed bravery outside of belief and would have retained combating for 800 rounds, by no means intellect the eight which the bout was scheduled for, but he needed preserving from himself. Referee Padraig Ó Reachtagáin made a check out to the corner for some words and phrases pursuing the summary of a tough fifth and, with 36 seconds of the sixth long gone, the towel mercifully came in.
Oughterard welterweight Kieran Molloy turned heads after once more with a destructive dismantling of Alexander Zeledon. The visitor had furnished high-profile Geordie Joe Laws with some troubles the former 7 days but Molloy ripped by means of him in this article. Adhering to two punishing rounds, the Nicaraguan’s corner indicated No Más and Mr Magill halted the contest. Scheduled for six below, the Best Rank-promoted Molloy seems to be set to shift into BUI Celtic title contention and to provide specialist boxing again to Galway metropolis for the first time considering that 2009.
Opening the demonstrate and owning his 3rd outing in three months, talented Falls Road super-fly Conor Quinn had a mostly processional win around Manchester journeyman Stephen Jackson. Significantly excellent, ‘The Magnificent’ Quinn strolled as a result of the six rounds compared to the ambition-considerably less Jackson, inevitably professing a 60-54 gain on Mr Magill’s card.
VERDICT: Conlan Offers Xmas Cheer
