It has been confirmed that Michael Conlan will next fight Kevin Walsh on March 20, as BoxingScene reported Thursday.
The contest, which will be staged by MF Pro at Belfast's SSE Arena, will mark 34-year-old Conlan's first appearance in his home city since he was stopped in seven rounds by Jordan Gill in December 2023.
“I can’t wait to come back to Belfast to fight, on this last run towards a world title," Conlan, 20-3 (10 KOs), stated. “I am ready and excited but know I face a very tough opponent in Kevin Walsh, who promises to bring the heat. It has all the makings of a special night, as I keep pushing for that shot at world honours, and I plan to savour every second of it, because it’s potentially my last ever fight at home."
Conlan is unquestionably closer to the end of his career than the start, when he burst on to the scene in in 2017 following a memorable run at the Olympics the previous year. Before the surprise loss to Gill came a sobering stoppage defeat to Luis Alberto Lopez and, in his first world title tilt, a 12th-round KO loss to Leigh Wood. He has since scored victories over Asad Asif Khan (pts 8) and, most recently in Dublin, Jack Bateson (tko 4).
Walsh, 19-0 (10 KOs), lacks Conlan's pedigree but will enter this bout on the back of five consecutive stoppage victories. The 33-year-old has only once competed beyond eight-round level, however, when he earned a 10-round split decision over Tramaine Williams in May last year.
“I’m ready to go 20-0," he said in a press release. "Respect to [Conlan] and his team for accepting this fight, and I know we both will be at our best on fight night, but the kid from Brockton, Massachusetts is coming to Belfast to make a statement.”
Kalle Sauerland, of MF Pro, added: “We felt the spine-tingling atmosphere of a Mick Conlan fight night in Dublin last year, but now we’re bringing him home, and it could be even more electric. Mick knows this could be the last time he fights in Belfast, so there’s no room for error against a big punching and confident Walsh."
The event will be broadcast live by DAZN.
