Homecoming for hero Mick Conlan
Belfast boxing hero Michael Conlan (18-1, 9KO) returns to his home city for his second crack at a world crown on May 27.
The Northern Irishman challenges IBF World featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez (27-2, 15KO) at the SSE Arena, Belfast, live on BT Sport.
Early odds at the bookies suggests this bout is going to be a real pick’em contest, with both boxers picked to win at 10/11. The odds for a draw at 16/1 suggests not many expect this to go the distance. For betting odds and options, check out BetYou website.
‘El Venedo’ has already fought in the UK twice and both times left the home fighters upset. He started in 2021 with a seventh-round stoppage of Isaac Lowe, who was unbeaten in 24 bouts at the time. He knocked Lowe down with the very first punch he threw, so he starts fast. That contest was an IBF Final Eliminator, but he fought another two bouts in America before arriving at his world title shot.
It was exactly one year and one week later on from his shock win over Lowe at the York Hall when he defeated another Briton in Josh Warrington, outpointing the ‘Leeds Warrior’ on a mixed decision to hand the two-time world champion his second loss and to relieve him of his IBF belt in front of his home crowd in Leeds. It was a dramatic fight that see-sawed back and forth, but his early work saw his lead overcome Warrington’s late rally to win on two of three judges’ cards.
In his only other world title shot, Conlan was ahead on all three scorecards before he was knocked out in dramatic fashion by Leigh Wood in March last year. Conlan dropped the WBA World featherweight titlist in the first round and outboxed the Nottingham man for most of the bout until the champion rallied hard late on to score an 11th round knockdown that looked more of a slip but a punch landed simultaneously so was counted. Then Wood roared out of the corner in the final round and threw the kitchen sink at the challenger until one got through to knock the Irishman out cold and out of the ring.
The 31-year-old has since come back to defeat world-level competition, but not world-class. He bounced back from his sole career loss to drop world title contender Miguel Marriaga three times to win on points, then he stopped three-time European champion Karim Guerfi in one round.
Against Guerfi, Conlan looked like a superstar with a punch perfect performance. He pawed with his southpaw jab and had the Frenchman on the backfoot as he tried to find openings. When Guerfi started to come forward a bit, Conlan was able to land his shots whilst rolling under any counters coming back his way, until a hat trick of straight rights to the body visibly affected Guerfi which led to Conlan unloading a barrage of over 20 unanswered punches to the head and body to score the TKO within just 154 seconds.
Styles
Lopez is heavy handed and quick but it’s his awkward angles that makes him so successful. His punches are unpredictable and takes opponents by surprise.
Conlan, we all know, is a sublime mover, elusive and skilful fighter, with blisteringly fast hands. His boxing skill is of the highest quality and it takes power and pressure to be able to match him.
Prediction
This clash of styles should work in Conlan’s favour. Lopez throws arm punches and stands up tall with his arms held downwards, so Conlan should be able to exploit those openings but will need to be sharp and reactive to those attacks that jump in from range at awkward angles and quick speed.
Lopez is tough and even when he was visibly wincing in the 11th round against Warrington after getting caught with a left hook, he held on and weathered the storm for the final two rounds where the pressure was turned up to the maximum. It will clearly take something special to stop this man.
I believe that Conlan’s superior boxing skills and IQ should see him able to outbox Lopez either all the way to a points decision or to a late stoppage win after he has broken him down. Conlan to box clever, land his shots and evade the return attacks with his slick movement and quick reflexes, to win via decision, I believe, is the most likely outcome.