Conlan on Mayweather-McGregor: Of Course People Will Watch!

By Victor Salazar

New York - Two time Irish Olympian Michael Conlan will take center stage on St. Patrick’s Day as he makes his pro debut in what's expected to be a sell out crowd on the famed holiday. Conlan is making his debut and is the headliner late today from The Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

Conlan is breathing in the experience but says he wishes he could experience the atmosphere from the outside looking in.

“I wish I was on the outside looking in,” Conlan told BoxingScene.com. “I think the crowds going to be fantastic and electric; a lot of screaming Irish fans.”

Conlan will be joined and walked out to the ring by the biggest star in mixed martial arts and fellow Irishman Conor McGregor.

Conlan has known McGregor for a long time and even helped him secure sparring partners for his rematch with Nate Diaz. At the present, much of the conversation involving McGregor is about a possible showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a boxing ring.

While most people aren’t giving McGregor a shot should it actually take place, Conlan feels anything can happen in boxing.

“He’s got a lot of boxing ability,” stated Conlan. “In boxing if you believe in yourself, you can be very dangerous. It’s a sport where you can’t really write what's going to happen. Of course Floyd will be the favorite, but Conor believes in his ability and in boxing anything can happen.”

A lot of those involved in boxing have stated that the fight is a disrespect to the sport and they vow not to watch. Conlan feels that many of those critics will watch and the fight is big business.

“I know how much Conor (McGregor) wants it and I know how much money is involved, so why not make it happen? For people that say they won’t watch, who are they kidding? A lot of people are going to watch. For the spectacle, they’ll watch it. Floyd’s one of the greatest of all-time and Conor is probably the best mixed martial artist and maybe of all time," Conlan said.