Latest news with #MichaelConlan
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Dave Allen brutally KOs Johnny Fisher: The boxing world reacts
Dave Allen just knocked out Johnny Fisher in the fifth round at the Copper Box on DAZN after being behind on the scorecards to breathe new life into his career. The Doncaster man made good on his promise to avenge his loss in the first fight in Saudi Arabia last year, but what are the boxing world saying about this shock result in the immediate aftermath. Frazer Clarke The Olympic bronze medallist who recently said he would like to fight Johnny Fisher, chimed in on X after his old foe Allen toppled the Essex fighter. He said in a now deleted post: 'unpopular opinion 3 2 1, go. F*ck Dave Allen did his best to get me disqualified and now we're jumping for joy that he's beat a novice! Gutted for JF [Johnny Fisher] he'll be back.' Michael Conlan The Irishman gave Allen high praise for producing a showstopping finish. Conlan said: Wow, that was some finish, take a bow Dave Allen.' Paul Smith The eldest of the Liverpudlian fighting family and former British super middleweight champion expressed his fondness for Allen and that he deserves to have an opportunity to win the British heavyweight title, currently in possession of Fabio Wardley. He said: 'Hard not to like Dave Allen. I didn't want to see him fighting and would now like to see him get a British title if he can. One of the good lads.' Dave Coldwell Coldwell believes that Allen has just re-introduced himself into the British heavyweight scene as a real contender. The trainer said: 'Absolutely sensational from Dave Allen! So composed and a brutal finish. After a long hard career, I think he's just got himself an invite to the heavyweight party. Not the most graceful shoulder ride I've seen tho!'
The Independent
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
‘He wins by knockout': Michael Conlan predicts Cacace vs Wood and reveals his plans for 2025
Michael Conlan is backing Anthony Cacace to stop Leigh Wood when the two super-featherweights meet this weekend. IBO world champion Cacace will defend his title against Wood at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on Saturday. Conlan is no stranger to either fighter, having sparred with Cacace in recent weeks and having lost to Wood after a brutal battle in 2022. Now, Conlan believes that 'Anto' will prove too much for his former opponent. Conlan told The Independent: 'I think Anto wins, and I think he wins by knockout, for a few simple reasons. Anto at the minute is riding the crest of the wave. He's been very active, looking good, and he's just won his world title. He hasn't taken much damage through his career.' He went on: 'He's had some good fights, but he wasn't very active through his whole career until the last year or so. Leigh hasn't fought since October 2023. His last fight was against Josh Warrington, which I think that he was losing until he got the knockout.' Cacace's last bout also came against Warrington, with the Irishman dominating for a unanimous decision victory in September of last year. Nicknamed 'Apache', his stock rose considerably after he shocked Joe Cordina to take the IBF super-featherweight title last May, a belt he has since relinquished in order to choose more lucrative fights. Cacace has never been knocked down as a professional, and Conlan does not think the southpaw has even been dropped in training. He said: 'I think he has a good chin and in my opinion is the better technical boxer, but he also punches hard. The odds are in his favour.' Conlan knows better than most that Wood is able to dig deep and find a knockout, but the Belfast-born fighter believes the Englishman will be unable to repeat the trick once again. 'Leigh, he's pulled it off a few times,' he said, 'but there's only so many times you can go to the well, and I don't think that it's going to happen this time. He's fighting a much-fresher man. They both punch hard, so it's about who's the better boxer and who has the better chin.' And Conlan does not think Leigh's chin is the best. 'I'm not a massive puncher,' he said. 'I can punch hard, but I'm not a massive puncher, and I had Leigh a few times in that fight. Anto could hurt him, and could take him out. That's what I think will happen.' The fight is taking place at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, Wood's home territory. However, Conlan does not believe home comforts will be enough to swing the fight in Wood's favour. He said: 'He's the kind of fighter that needs the fans to lift him off the ground and keep going, I suppose, but when I fought him in Nottingham, I thought I was fighting in Ireland because there were that many Irish there. The arena was split in half, and I know a lot of my fans were buying tickets off his page.' Conlan conceded that whilst late bloomer Cacace may not bring as many supporters across from Ireland, his fellow Belfast boxer will be undisturbed by fighting in hostile conditions. He said: 'Anto definitely won't bring as many fans, because he's only just got to the stage now where he is a big name after being so inactive. There will be a lot of the arena against him. But at the same time, Anto is not that type of guy, he doesn't need a crowd.' Conlan also noted that Cacace has fought all around the world – from Ireland to Hungary, Saudi Arabia and the US. 'I don't think it'll bother him,' Conlan said. 'I think he'll actually thrive on being in enemy territory, and getting a victory.' While Conlan will be keeping an eye on proceedings at the Motorpoint Arena, his current focus is breaking back into contention following defeats at the hands of Luis Alberto Lopez and Jordan Gill. After no fights in 2024, he returned to the ring in March, comfortably dispatching an awkward customer in the form of Asad Asif Khan via unanimous decision. 'It was always going to be a tune-up, first fight back after back-to-back losses,' explained the 33-year-old. 'Khan's tough and he's durable, and he can be very tricky. It was a good routine victory to get back on the horse after two back-to-back defeats.' Conlan is already targeting an Irish homecoming later this year, with European honours on the line. He continued: 'My next fight, most likely, will be in Ireland, and most likely will be for the European title. A world amateur champion in 2015, Conlan still harbours ambitions of winning a world title in the pro ranks. 'The plan probably wasn't to go for the European title in my second fight,' he says. 'I was probably going to have another warm-up fight, but I thought, 'What's the point in that?' I want to get back to a world-title shot. I'm no spring chicken, I'm 33 now. It's not like I've got loads of time left in the game. I'm no fool to that.'
BBC News
09-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Conlan happy as he makes winning ring return
Michael Conlan says he enjoyed fighting again after a 15-month absence as he defeated Indian fighter Asad Asif Khan in Brighton on Friday 33-year-old Belfast featherweight made his return after losing his previous two under the tutelage of new coach Grant Smith, secured a 78-74 points victory over Khan in the eight-round bout. "It was comfortable, he didn't hurt me once. I was just enjoying myself, getting things done and moving forward," said the Olympic bronze medallist."Back-to-back loses and the fact you come back and finally get back in the win column is always important, it's always nice so I'm happy."After the victory at the Brighton Arena it was confirmed that Conlan will next face Spain's Cristobal Lorente for the European featherweight who admitted to being a bit rusty in his comeback bout, expects the fight to take place this summer. "It's the right fight, the right direction to be going in and I'm happy with that."To be honest it was tricky to get back to things [against Khan] and fight the distance and timing and stuff. It's not fully there but it's coming."
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Conlan wants to 'enjoy last chapter of his career'
Michael Conlan says he feels the pressure is off him and he wants to "go out to enjoy the last chapter of his career" as he prepares for his comeback fight against Asad Asif Khan at the Brighton Arena on Friday night. The 33-year-old is boxing for the first time since losing to Jordan Gill at the SSE Arena in early December 2023. That defeat, the third of the Belfast fighter's career, left him considering his future in the sport but now he is ready to return to the ring. "I'm 33 now and boxers don't go much later now than 35 or 36. So this is my last run towards a belt," said Conlan. "I feel relieved of pressure. I'll just go and enjoy myself now and have fun." Conlan's seventh-round stoppage by Gill left his career hanging by a thread, coming as it did seven months after he was stopped in the fifth round by Luis Alberto Lopez in a world title fight at the same venue. In May 2022, the Olympic bronze medallist had suffered his first loss in the professional ranks when he was knocked out by Leigh Wood in his first tilt at clinching a world title in Nottingham. Conlan's opponent for Friday's eight-round contest, Indian boxer Khan, 31, made his pro bow back in 2011 and has lost five of his 25 fights to date. The super featherweight bout will be on the undercard of the headline fight between Tyrone McKenna and Harlem Eubank for the vacant IBF intercontinental welterweight title. "He [Khan] is going to be game, he's going to come forward, he's going to try and take my head off," added Conlan. "He's been in with some good names already. He probably sees me as coming in on the back of two losses and is looking forward to keeping the upsets going. "That's what I need. I need someone who is going to try and take me out and give me opportunities to capitalise on." Conlan will have a new trainer for his 22nd professional fight but will not be altering his style radically. "When I went to Grant Smith and we spoke first I said, 'you're not going to change me as a fighter now, I've been boxing a very long time'. "He agreed but said I needed to tweak a few things and I agreed because I know I make mistakes. "You're going to see a more refined Michael Conlan, not anything completely different." Conlan hopes a win in Brighton can pave the way for him to fight in Belfast later this year and challenge for belts once again. "I'm excited about it. It's the right type of fight for me coming back. I've never fought anyone with a losing record and I wasn't about to start now. "I've had a lot of support, a lot of backing, people asking me when I'm fighting in Belfast again and we're on that runway now. We're going in the right direction, possibly look at a belt next time and then onto big things. "I would like to do it [a homecoming fight in Belfast] around September or October time, maybe even December." Boxing schedule and results 2025 Watch every Born to Brawl episode Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport
BBC News
06-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Conlan wants to 'enjoy last chapter of his career'
Michael Conlan says he feels the pressure is off him and he wants to "go out to enjoy the last chapter of his career" as he prepares for his comeback fight against Asad Asif Khan at the Brighton Arena on Friday 33-year-old is boxing for the first time since losing to Jordan Gill at the SSE Arena in early December defeat, the third of the Belfast fighter's career, left him considering his future in the sport but now he is ready to return to the ring."I'm 33 now and boxers don't go much later now than 35 or 36. So this is my last run towards a belt," said Conlan."I feel relieved of pressure. I'll just go and enjoy myself now and have fun."Conlan's seventh-round stoppage by Gill left his career hanging by a thread, coming as it did seven months after he was stopped in the fifth round by Luis Alberto Lopez in a world title fight at the same May 2022, the Olympic bronze medallist had suffered his first loss in the professional ranks when he was knocked out by Leigh Wood in his first tilt at clinching a world title in opponent for Friday's eight-round contest, Indian boxer Khan, 31, made his pro bow back in 2011 and has lost five of his 25 fights to super featherweight bout will be on the undercard of the headline fight between Tyrone McKenna and Harlem Eubank for the vacant IBF intercontinental welterweight title."He [Khan] is going to be game, he's going to come forward, he's going to try and take my head off," added Conlan."He's been in with some good names already. He probably sees me as coming in on the back of two losses and is looking forward to keeping the upsets going."That's what I need. I need someone who is going to try and take me out and give me opportunities to capitalise on." 'Making tweaks' Conlan will have a new trainer for his 22nd professional fight but will not be altering his style radically."When I went to Grant Smith and we spoke first I said, 'you're not going to change me as a fighter now, I've been boxing a very long time'."He agreed but said I needed to tweak a few things and I agreed because I know I make mistakes. "You're going to see a more refined Michael Conlan, not anything completely different."Conlan hopes a win in Brighton can pave the way for him to fight in Belfast later this year and challenge for belts once again."I'm excited about it. It's the right type of fight for me coming back. I've never fought anyone with a losing record and I wasn't about to start now."I've had a lot of support, a lot of backing, people asking me when I'm fighting in Belfast again and we're on that runway now. We're going in the right direction, possibly look at a belt next time and then onto big things."I would like to do it [a homecoming fight in Belfast] around September or October time, maybe even December."
