Fast Results from Belfast: Conlan Outpoints Doheny; Improves to 16-0

Since 1988, West Belfast, Northern Ireland, has hosted a big summer festival, Feile an Phobail  (don’t ask us to pronounce it), and for the second time in the last three years, Michael Conlan, who grew up right down the road from the festival site, was brought in to spice it up.  In 2019, Conlan was matched against Argentina’s Diego Alberto Ruiz. Today he drew a more reputable opponent, former IBF 122-pound title-holder TJ Doheny. The match was fought at the catchweight of 124 pounds and billed for the WBA interim featherweight title.

Doheny, a 34-year-old southpaw, was born in Ireland in the city of Portlaois, but hadn’t previously fought on Irish soil; he’s been living in Australia. Nonetheless, Conlan vs. Doheny was billed as the biggest all-Irish fight in decades. And it was certainly big, marking the first sporting event in Northern Ireland in 18 months without a cap on the size of the crowd.

The fight started slow, typical of a Conlan fight, but perked up in round four when Conlan was the recipient of an accidental head butt and landed a good right hand after the bell.

In round five, to the delight of the sold-out crowd, Conlan hurt Doheny with a succession of body punches forcing the Irish-Aussie to take a knee. But Doheny finished the round strong and was able to ratchet up his game in the next frame, arguably his best round of the fight.

Conlan eased up in round 11, confident that he was comfortably ahead on the cards. That proved to be true. After a good action 12th, the judges had it 119-108 and 116-111 twice.

Conlan, who improved to 16-0 (8), has expressed an interest in fighting the winner of September’s super bantamweight unification fight between Stephen Fulton and Brandon Figueroa. There are, however, political roadblocks that may compel his promoter Bob Arum to go in a different direction. Doheny, who won his title in Japan and lost it in Los Angeles, falls to 22-3.

Co-Feature

Lee McGregor, a 24-year-old Scotsman, successfully defended his EBU European bantamweight title with a fourth-round knockout of France’s previously undefeated Vincent Legrand. McGregor (11-0, 9 KOs) ended the contest with a body punch. Legrand dropped to his knees in obvious pain and was counted out.

McGregor, who was walked into the ring by his bosom buddy Josh Taylor, overcame an anxious moment. In round two he was felled by a combination and for a moment it appeared that a massive upset was brewing. But he steadied the ship in round three and the fight would end in the following round.

McGregor was defending the belt that he won with a first-round stoppage of another Frenchman, Karim Guerfi. That bout played out this past March after a five-month postponement when McGregor tested positive for Covid. Legrand, who previously held this title at a lower weight, was 32-0 heading in but only 11 of those wins had come against opponents with winning records.

More

Belfast junior welterweight Tyrone McKenna, a lanky, 31-year-old southpaw, moved up in class and turned away Mexican invader Jose Felix in a fan-friendly skirmish between two willing mixers who were rough-around-the-edges. The hometown fighter won the 10-round fight by scores of 97-92 and 99-91 twice, tallies that seemed a bit wide although Felix was more marked-up at the finish.

Both fighters were on the deck early, but the first knockdown, scored by the Irishman, was more of a slip. In round three, Felix returned the favor, decking McKenna with a body punch. The final round was lusty.

McKenna, who fulfilled his promise to “out-Mexican the Mexican” improved to 22-2-1 (6). The 29-year-old Felix declined to 39-5-1.

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