Michael Conlan is taking his second shot at becoming a featherweight belt-holder, but this time he will have the champion, Luis Alberto Lopez, come to him in his hometown of Belfast. Conlan had lost his first attempt in Nottingham against Leigh Wood’s last-round salvo, due in part to Wood’s home crowd advantage. Conlan has won two fights since then, both in Belfast, and is considered a throwback to the time when fighters built their fanbase in real towns and cities. Conlan, 31, has matured as a southpaw and orthodox fighter with boxing, power-punching, and stamina capabilities.
Luis Alberto Lopez, the man Conlan wants to dethrone, won the IBF featherweight belt against Josh Warrington in his hometown. Despite previous losses, Lopez is considered a formidable champion and an underdog against Conlan, who is backed to triumph in the top-billed 12-round distance match. On the undercard, Liverpool’s Nick Ball will face South Africa’s Ludumo Lamati while Belfast’s Anthony Cacace will fight Poland’s Damian Wrzesinski at the super-featherweight level.