Michael Conlan took the biggest step of his career on Friday in Belfast, Ireland, his hometown.
The popular 2016 Olympian for the U.K. outboxed a gritty TJ Doheny to win a wide unanimous decision and become the WBA’s “interim” featherweight titleholder at Falls Park.
Doheny (22-3, 16 KOs) kept the pressure on Conlan for most of the fight and had his moments but Conlan controlled the action by consistently beating his fellow Irishman to the punch and landing brutal body shots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss2QKSu7ZJo
Doheny, who lives in Australia, took a knee after taking a body blow with about a minute to go in Round 5. Conlan tried to put Doheny away in that round but the resilient underdog survived the round and continued to make Conlan’s life difficult.
However, in the end, Conlan proved to be a level about his opponent, winning 119-108, 116-111 and 116-111.
It was good night for Conlan, who struggled to outpoint Ionut Baluta this past April. And now he’s at the head of the line to face WBA champ Leo Santa Cruz or secondary titleholder Can Xu.
Conlan also has said he’d like to face WBO 122-pound titleholder Stephen Fulton, who faces WBC champion Brandon Figueroa on Sept. 11. Conlan is the WBO’s No. 1-ranked junior featherweight.
All we know for sure is that Conlan took a step in the right direction on Friday.