Ireland’s Conor Wallace has been told that victory on Thursday over Walter Gabriel Sequeira will guarantee the biggest fight of his career later in 2026.
The Australia-based Irishman had hoped to fight Michael Eifert for the IBF interim light-heavyweight title in December, but remained inactive until being matched with Argentina’s Sequeira on the undercard of Jason Moloney-Andre Donovan instead.
When on May 30 Dmitry Bivol defends his IBF, WBA and WBO titles against Eifert, the 30-year-old Wallace will be watching aware that he has been told that for the winner he is next. It remains possible that Bivol could yet favour an alternative option but Wallace would expect him to be stripped of the status of IBF champion if he does so, and to the extent that he is confident that his period of relative inactivity is at an end
“The year before [in 2024] I had four fights in 12 months, which was good,” he told BoxingScene. “We had a good groove on, and we thought that was going to be setting us into the big fight before the end of the year. I’ve been in the gym; I’ve had a good start to the year; I’ve been training hard; my body’s feeling good and strong and fit and I’m looking forward to being back in there.
“It’s frustrating. But it is what it is – it’s not like I can just fight anyone. I knew where I was with the IBF – I was number two and promised we were going to be getting a shot, maybe even for the interim title against Eifert, and then Bivol got an exemption. This is all stuff out of my control and my team’s control. We can only do what we’re told. It’s not like we’re 15 in the world and I can fight whoever I want – I can’t get any higher without fighting Eifert or Bivol.
“There was talk of me fighting Eifert in December in Monte Carlo, and then Bivol got another exemption, and another exemption. Look at [former IBF cruiserweight champion] Jai Opetaia – he got stripped – so it’s like they moved the goalposts. But here we are.
“I’m always in the gym anyway. There was just talks, and talks obviously get you excited. It never came off then. We keep in contact with the IBF a lot.
“Hopefully I get through this on Thursday night and we look at our options. We’re looking for a big fight here or overseas – I don’t care where it is. We’re chasing a big fight. This is a good one for me to blow the cobwebs off. I’m not overlooking him in any way. But I need to be fucking making a statement on Thursday and putting this cunt away.
“We’re looking at some big, big fights for after this. We’re not going to say any names or anything yet, but get through Thursday, and definitely the next fight’s going to be a big fight. Hopefully a world-title fight – or one of the big names. An eliminator or something.
“A fight that’s going to progress my career in the right direction and get a shot at winning that world title.”
The 38-year-old Sequeira is expected to present little more than a building opponent for Wallace at the Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, Australia.
He has lost on each of the five occasions he has fought outside of his home country. In defeats by Anthony Yarde, Lyndon Arthur and Kevin Lele Sadjo, he regardless presents Wallace with a gauge of his progress ahead of the fight later in 2026 that will represent his biggest test.
“He’s gonna be tough and durable,” said Wallace. “He’s been in with Yarde; the Argentinians are normally pretty tough. But if I box I can make it easy for myself – be nice and smart.
“I’ve seen bits and pieces of him – some of his old fights. He’s been around for a while. He’s experienced. It’s typical – I’m not going to have to go looking for him.
“He’ll be there to be hit. He’ll struggle to get in close to me if I can box the way I can box. He’s going to try and come and get in close, 100 per cent. He’s no other choice – he’s going to try and make a brawl of it.
“He’s been in with some good boys. I’ve fought better boys than him, do you know what I mean? It’d just be good to see where I’m at, and to get rid of the ring rust, ‘cause I was meant to fight in December and it fell through. It’s fucking frustrating. It’s good to be back in the ring against a good live opponent.”
