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The 42
05-08-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'This should have been Bernard Dunne 2.0... but life played out how it played out'
By Joe O'Neill IRISH BOXING JOURNALISTS are like broken records. Any and all discussions will, eventually, always and forever, return to The Bernard Dunne Days™. Four or so years usually cannot be labelled an 'era', but for a generation of boxing fans, especially those south of the border, 2006 to 2009 was the heyday. Terrestrial TV coverage, national attention, thrilling fights, and a posse of quality fighters forever imprinted on the general sports fan despite, objectively, greater success occurring in the years which followed. 'When will we – and how do we – get those days back?' is the frequent, admittedly naïve post-fight pints discussion. In truth, the Brian Peters-powered vehicle was a moment in time that will never be replicated in a time of increasingly fragmented sports media rights and growing Saudi influence. Indeed, the 3Arena, formerly the Point Depot via a spell as the O2, has played host to increasing amounts of boxing in recent years, with Katie Taylor duking it out with Chantelle Cameron twice in 2023 and Cork's Callum Walsh having his Irish homecoming at the venue in 2024. On Friday, 5 September, the boxer who many in the industry felt could have been the man to bring back the glory days will finally make his bow on the North Quays. While there has been plenty of water under the bridge over the last decade, Belfast featherweight Mick Conlan (19-3, 9 KOs) was perfectly placed to be the Capital King. Olympic bronze medallist in 2012, RTÉ Sports Personality of the Year in 2015, the biggest story in Irish sport in 2016, a television regular. The cheeky chappy, the world's best with warranted confidence, the wronged Irish sporting hero who stood up for himself. While Belfast born and bred, the Dublin-based Conlan was always bigger 'down south', but it has taken 22 professional contests and over eight years for him to step through the ropes in the Fair City. Speaking to The 42 today at a media launch event for his WBC rankings fight with England's Jack Bateson, Conlan recalled simpler times in the IABA High Performance Unit. 'I've had many a day, night in Dublin. I lived here basically from 2011 'til 2016. I was here Tuesday to Friday every week, away from family, away from everything. '…Many nights out here too, like. coming out of Coppers at around 6am, some mad ones,' Conlan laughs. 'But, you know, it's somewhere that I haven't been as a professional. I've been witnessing shows in the 3Arena and witnessing nights out in the 3Arena, but I never fought there. 'It's great, I'm really excited. It's somewhere that I think I probably should have fought a lot more as a professional – but that wasn't in my control at the time. So, y'know, now I'm self-managed, now I'm doing everything myself and I get to call my own shots, and I'm happy.' Following his Olympic heartbreak in 2016, Conlan was snapped up by American promotional behemoth Top Rank, netting one of the largest signing-on fees in boxing history. Managed initially by Matthew Macklin under the broader MGM (later MTK Global) banner, which Macklin co-founded with Daniel Kinahan, the Dublin dream unsurprisingly never got off the ground. Conlan, later managed by his older brother Jamie, disentangled himself from MTK in 2021 but had long since established himself in Belfast as he chased world titles. Does he look back with regret? 'Always. Not even looking back. Here is where I should have been based,' the 33-year-old admits. 'This should have been Bernard Dunne 2.0, you know what I mean? In terms of, like, the shows which should have happened here in The Point and stuff. That's sort of what I would have liked to happen but unfortunately it didn't and life played out how it played out, and my career has played out how it's played out.' Conlan inside the 3Arena. Wasserman Boxing Wasserman Boxing While Conlan's mainstream prominence in the south faded for many reasons – among them the removal of the Olympic microscope, his management by MTK, and the simple passing of time – he still feels the warmth in Dublin. 'I'd still say I am [more known in Dublin than in Belfast],' he says during the media day in Ballsbridge, a brief visit before he flies back to Sheffield to finish camp with coach Grant Smith. 'As I said to the boys, when I fight in Belfast, 50% of my tickets are from the south of Ireland. It's massive. Anytime I come down here, Little Gerard [Hughes, training partner] is my photographer, people want to get photos and it's brilliant. 'I always get recognised in Dublin. I probably get more people willing to come and ask for a photo in Dublin than you would in Belfast. Listen, it's fantastic, the fact that I'm back here. 'I'm still a big name here, no matter what anybody says or what everybody thinks, probably bigger down here than in Belfast. Advertisement 'Now, at the tail-end of my career, I'm getting to come back to the 3Arena and finally fight there as a professional and, y'know, main event as well, so it's always special.' September's opponent Bateson was a decent amateur who won light-flyweight bronze at the 2013 European Championships in Belarus (Conlan won silver at the weight above in the same tournament). He is far from a pushover. From 22 contests, the Leeds boxer boasts 20 wins – albeit only three against notable opposition – versus one stoppage loss to the rising Shabaz Masoud, as well as a technical draw with Danny Quatermaine in which the bout was stopped in just the second round due to a head clash. Conlan is expecting a fired-up opponent, noting how 'this is Jack's world title fight'. 'This is his big opportunity to break through because, no matter what, even if I'm at the tail-end of my career, I'm still a big name for anybody,' says the Belfast man. 'If he can beat me, he can go and get some big fights off of that, so I've got to be on my 'A' game.' Michael Conlan on his way to the ring against Jordan Gill in 2023. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO The Falls Road switch-hitter last boxed in March, posting a low-key points win over awkward Indian journeyman Asad Asif Khan in Brighton. 'The first fight with Grant was the first fight back after over a year out of the ring,' Conlan explains. 'The training camp and all, it wasn't amazing, but I just got in, got it done, got the job done in front of me, against a tricky opponent. He had a really hard head, I actually hurt my hands on his head! So the fact that I got in there and got that done, y'know, it was good, but this training camp has been much different. 'I'm firing on all cylinders again. The first one, I wasn't really firing at all. This one, I'm starting to come back into myself and I'm really excited because I'm expecting a spectacular performance. 'I haven't felt this good in the gym in a long time – and that's not a lie. Like, I know a lot of people say it, a lot of fighters say, like, 'best camp' and all this… nah, that has never really been my case. I've always been honest and open about that, y'know, but this one really has been the best I've felt, mentally and physically, in a long time. 'So I'm going into this fight and, listen, anything can happen, you've got to be prepared for anything. I can go in and look spectacular, or I can go, y'know, look shit, but how everything is going at the minute, I believe I'll go in and look unbelievable.' In truth, the former English super bantamweight champion is, at his absolute very best, 'European level'. Michael Conlan should be winning this fight comfortably if he wants to have any chance of contending for world titles. The problem is that similar was said in December 2023 ahead of Conlan's fight with Jordan Gill in Belfast. This was a comeback against 'domestic-level' opposition in which Conlan was a heavy favourite (even heavier, with the bookmakers, than he is for his upcoming bout). That night, Conlan, who was 'starting afresh' under storied Cuban coach Pedro Diaz, was sensationally stopped in seven rounds by his unfancied foe. Contextualising what many thought would be the final time he would be seen in a ring, Conlan says: Before that, there was an awful lot of family stuff going on which wasn't a good thing to be going on during a fight week and, y'know, a lot of personal issues which weren't resolved until probably the end of 2024. It was announced in December 2024 that Michael would be stepping away from the 'Conlan Sport' management company he had founded with brother Jamie. Michael subsequently launched his own 'Conlan Boxing Management' outfit. 'They're resolved, they've been banished now. It is what it is, and I'm happy with my decisions which I've made and happy to stand on my own feet and my own truth,' says the younger Conlan brother. 'I wasn't in a good place then. I probably shouldn't have been in the ring, especially when I only trained for six weeks for the fight and I actually was only with the coach eight weeks. 'I said before the fight that I should not fight, and then my ego was kind of questioned. 'Really?' And I was like 'no, all right, well, listen, all right, I'll do it'. 'I'd sparred him (Jordan Gill) and I'd done this and done that, but sparring is sparring – and I learned in that fight that sparring is sparring. It doesn't really equate, especially when you're not in the right headspace. 'That one, yeah, I don't pay too much attention to it because of the situation which was going on in the background. 'No fighter should have fought in that way, but it is what it is.' Conlan believes his third professional stoppage defeat, following prior world-title reversals to Leigh Wood and Luis Alberto Lopez, could prove to be a blessing in disguise. He remains a fighter with a large profile, a recognisable name, but the Gill loss, would suggest he is unable to compete at the upper levels of the sport. These are all attractive traits for a matchmaker. 'It's a fight anybody can look back on and go, 'Oh I could do that',' Conlan says. 'Great, great, come and do that. Let's see what happens because you didn't get an 80% me in that fight. 'So, the fact that I'm going into this fight and I feel like I'm getting back there, probably gonna be, I wanna say, 90 or 95 at the minute. I'm almost hitting 100 again and, once I hit 100, it's game over for anyone.' Michael Conlan receives a count against Jordan Gill. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO World titles seemed an impossibility in the wake of that Gill loss and talk of them may still sound fanciful to many in boxing, but Conlan is adamant he has the tools. 'I'm convinced. I know how I fight, I know how I've been performing in the gym, and I know what I can do and what I can't do,' he says, before offering further rationale. 'My body, I don't feel like I'm getting old. I don't drink. If I drink, I probably drink once a year, maybe twice. I don't take drugs, I don't smoke. So, it's not like I've abused my body. I've always lived like a professional, my whole career. 'I've no doubt in my engine still and how I can go. I've always been a fit person, you know? I was able to run a marathon in 2 hours 55 minutes last year – and that was my year off. I don't take my feet off the gas. I go 100 miles an hour, whatever I'm getting into, and give it 100%. 'There might be some things which are different, a lot of things which I've worked on, which I've wanted to work on. I think what Grant has done a great job doing is tightening up things and tightening up defensive movements, and defence while in close and stuff. 'It's something I'm very excited to show, something I'm very excited to do, and it'll give me more opportunities to do what I want to do when I'm in close or when I'm in long range.' While he is adding more strings to his boxing bow in camp, a rough few years have allowed Conlan to develop his intangible traits. 'It's just maturity isn't?' he says. 'It's all well and good saying when you haven't had the experience, but once you get that experience and you go in there and you know how to fight, and you know how to pace fights and you know how to do things differently instead of, y'know, look at the Wood fight where I probably overly worked. I did too much because I was winning rounds quite easy, but still trying to take a guy out who had enough grit to hold in. 'They're the things you look back on: 'If I would have done this, if I would have done that, things would end differently.' In that fight, it was more fatigue than anything that got me at the end, but that's experience and, y'know, it was my first world title fight and that's probably one that actually keeps me up at night at times. Well, I'll think about that one more than anything. 'But, yeah, listen, I've got the experience. You gotta go in there and use your experience to your advantage, and I think I'm at that stage now where I know what I have to do and know how to do it and if I can do this and that, this will work.' Conlan celebrates his 2022 victory over Miguel Marriaga. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO A self-confessed boxing anorak, Conlan has a route to a third title shot already plotted. Win his 10-rounder next month and he will pick up the WBC's 'International' trinket – a belt that is valuable only for the top-15 ranking it will likely provide. This would make Conlan eligible to be chosen as a voluntary defence by a world champion, while it is also a gateway to world-title eliminators from which he could position himself as a mandatory challenger. The current WBC champion in his weight class is former Carl Frampton sparring partner Stephen Fulton. The talented Philly fighter is a two-weight world champion but Conlan is confident and details why he has chosen the WBC route as his comeback trail. 'Stephen Fulton's the WBC champion and he's the one I like most out of all the featherweights. I think his style and my style would gel very well, and, y'know, he's the fighter I'd wanna fight out of all of them. 'And if I fight him, it will be in an away corner, but it could be in New York.' There is no margin for error anymore, though, and even if things go well, the route ahead is not guaranteed. But Conlan has already made his peace. 'I know that there's not a lot of years left on my clock – two, three max. Max. So whatever I want to do, I gotta do it fast, and I gotta do it soon – and if I don't do it, so be it. 'I've probably been unfortunate, with the fights that fell through and I've come up short in world title fights. Things out of my control have happened. 'For me, it would be a shame if I never won a world title in terms of my talent level, in terms of the effort I give. 'As I've said, the next time the opponent's hand gets put up, I'll say, 'That's me done'. No, that's it. 'Do I look back on my career and go, 'Well, you underachieved?' Yeah, I will, because I should have been a world champion. I was a minute and a half away from being a world champion. 'But, would I be able to sleep at night, knowing I've done it the correct way? I gave it all I could, didn't take no fucking steroids, didn't take any performance-enhancing drugs, like a lot of these people do. 'I'm happy, I've done well. I've earned out of boxing and, you know, I've been smart with money. I haven't been a silly person, spending money on silly things. 'I can look at myself and smile and say, 'You were smart with your money, you earned well, and you're out.''
ITV News
29-04-2025
- Business
- ITV News
New cruise terminal facility as part of £90m investment at Belfast Harbour
Work is due to begin this week on Belfast Harbour's largest ever port investment project. The £90m scheme will see the development of a new deep-water terminal to facilitate increased cruise tourism, and enable offshore wind energy. Belfast is already the busiest cruise port on the island and second busiest in the UK. It's hoped the investment will futureproof it as a leading city for cruise tourism. 'A key objective of this signature investment by Belfast Harbour is to attract more turnaround cruise calls to Belfast," said Joe O'Neill, Chief Executive of the harbour. "This means that as one set of passengers disembarks, another set embarks on the same day. "This will have a multiplier effect on visitor numbers, increasing associated bed nights while growing the positive economic impact for the region. 'The plan from 2030 is to utilise the facility to support offshore wind development as well as cruise. "As offshore wind technology evolves, ports will play an increasingly central role and Belfast Harbour is uniquely placed, through this investment, through our existing facility, our expertise, local supply chain and location to be a key enabler of the power stations of the future in the Irish, Celtic and North Seas.' Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive of Visit Belfast, said: 'Cruise tourism is essential for driving economic growth in Belfast and the surrounding region. The significant contribution it makes is highlighted in Visit Belfast's New Horizons Tourism Strategy and the Department for the Economy's new Tourism Action Plan. 'In collaboration with our strategic partner Belfast Harbour we are dedicated to positioning the city as a premier cruise destination while minimising the environmental impact. "The development of the new deep-water quay will not only attract new cruise business but also greatly enhance the experience for visitors to our city, all while supporting Belfast's sustainability ambitions commitment to environmentally responsible practices. "This investment marks a pivotal milestone in the realisation of this transformative project."
Belfast Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Contractor announced for £90m development aimed at boosting Belfast tourism
The dual purpose deepwater quay will mean more turnaround cruise calls can come to Belfast, so that as one set of passengers get off, another set can set off on the open seas on the same day. It's the harbour's biggest single capital investment project yet, with the quay able to accommodate some of the world's largest cruise vessels. It will also expand the port's capacity for offshore wind turbine assembly and installation. Civil engineering contractor Graham Construction has been announced as the main contractor for the initial phase of the build. Stage one is expected to be ready for the 2028 cruise season while stage two is anticipated by 2030 to strengthen the infrastructure for offshore turbines. The harbour said that with 146 cruise vessels due this year, it was already the busiest cruise port on the island of Ireland, and the second-busiest in the UK. It said the deepwater quay would futureproof its status for cruise tourism and enable the £25m industry to grow even further. When the new quay is ready, the existing cruise hub will revert to its original use as a full-time facility for offshore wind. Dr Theresa Donaldson, chair of Belfast Harbour Commissioners, said: 'Having announced our ambitious new advance regional prosperity strategy only a few months ago, it is exciting to be partnering with Graham to commence work on the single biggest investment project in Belfast Harbour's history. 'As a trust port, our primary responsibility is to maintain and develop the port for the good of everyone in the region, and this project delivers on that mission. 'It will help us to attract more turnaround cruise calls to Belfast, boosting the economic contribution of cruise tourism, while also providing a pathway to our longer-term ambitions of facilitating the construction of the next generation of floating offshore wind farms.' Joe O'Neill, chief executive of Belfast Harbour, said: 'This will have a multiplier effect on visitor numbers. 'As offshore wind technology evolves Belfast Harbour is uniquely placed to be a key enabler of the power stations of the future in the Irish, Celtic and North Seas.'
Belfast Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Contractor announced for £90m Belfast Harbour deepwater quay
The dual purpose deepwater quay will mean more turnaround cruise calls can come to Belfast, so that as one set of passengers get off, another set can set off on the open seas on the same day. It's the harbour's biggest single capital investment project yet, with the quay able to accommodate some of the world's largest cruise vessels. It will also expand the port's capacity for offshore wind turbine assembly and installation. Civil engineering contractor Graham Construction has been announced as the main contractor for the initial phase of the build. Stage one is expected to be ready for the 2028 cruise season while stage two is anticipated by 2030 to strengthen the infrastructure for offshore turbines. The harbour said that with 146 cruise vessels due this year, it was already the busiest cruise port on the island of Ireland, and the second-busiest in the UK. It said the deepwater quay would futureproof its status for cruise tourism and enable the £25m industry to grow even further. When the new quay is ready, the existing cruise hub will revert to its original use as a full-time facility for offshore wind. Dr Theresa Donaldson, chair of Belfast Harbour Commissioners, said: 'Having announced our ambitious new advance regional prosperity strategy only a few months ago, it is exciting to be partnering with Graham to commence work on the single biggest investment project in Belfast Harbour's history. 'As a trust port, our primary responsibility is to maintain and develop the port for the good of everyone in the region, and this project delivers on that mission. 'It will help us to attract more turnaround cruise calls to Belfast, boosting the economic contribution of cruise tourism, while also providing a pathway to our longer-term ambitions of facilitating the construction of the next generation of floating offshore wind farms.' Joe O'Neill, chief executive of Belfast Harbour, said: 'This will have a multiplier effect on visitor numbers. 'As offshore wind technology evolves Belfast Harbour is uniquely placed to be a key enabler of the power stations of the future in the Irish, Celtic and North Seas.'
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Major harbor announces over $120 million investment in new floating project: 'There's a superb market opportunity'
Clean energy is coming to a major U.K. harbor. Belfast Harbour just announced its plan to invest £90 million toward upgrades supporting wind energy projects, the Guardian reported. The largest part of the investment plan is a new deepwater quay. When complete, it will have the capacity to support the proposed wind projects. Thanks to the new investment plan, chief executive of Belfast Harbour Joe O'Neill told the Guardian he expects wind turbines will return to the city in late 2027 or early 2028. Thirty offshore wind farms are planned to pop up within a 125-mile range of Belfast with a projected capacity of more than 30 gigawatts. That's enough energy to power 20 million homes, the Guardian estimates. Would you want EV-charging roads installed in your town? Sign me up Depends how much it costs No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. While the recently announced investment plans focuses on projects with standard fixed wind turbines, O'Neill told the Guardian he was "excited by the prospect of floating offshore projects." The clean energy produced by the wind energy projects will help cut down on the area's pollution while revitalizing the city. The harbor has a history of supporting the city's economy, pumping both jobs and revenue into the area, notably as the site where the Titanic was built, starting in 1909. However, despite the harbor's significant role in handling Northern Ireland's seaborne freights, the city's economy has moved toward other services. The new investment plan, however, is also expected to not only supply clean energy to the area but also build thousands of new homes surrounding the city. "The sector fell into a little bit of abeyance because there were no new projects," O'Neill told the Guardian. "There are a number of sites coming forward for the Irish Sea and the Republic of Ireland government. There's a superb market opportunity." As more cities continue to invest in renewable energy, countries can significantly reduce their environmental footprint, creating new jobs and keeping the planet cool. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
