Michael Conlan wants to fight Carl Frampton eventually and says it will be “special” to have Conor McGregor carry his Irish flag into the ring when he makes his professional debut on St Patrick’s Day in New York.
It was confirmed today that Conlan will make his professional bow against Denver’s Tim Ibarra in a six-round junior featherweight bout on 17 March at Madison Square Garden.
And while 2012 Olympic Bronze medallist and 2015 World Amateur champion has admitted to not knowing much about his opponent, he is sure he will win.
“Conor says he’s going to walk with me and I think he’s a man of his word - we shook on it"
Speaking on RTÉ 2fm's Game On, Conlan said: “I don’t know much about him. It is what it is. It’s another opponent, another body in front of me, someone else I’m going to beat.
“This time I’m going to knock someone out. It’s different than the amateurs, I’m going for the knock-out.”
Conlon is also confident of drawing a large crowd at the MSG, saying: “The first day of pre-sale we’ve sold over 500 tickets and that’s my debut.
“That’s a professional debut. Talk about anybody’s professional debut and I wouldn’t say they’d sell 100 tickets half the time. Especially not going across the pond.
“I think when Carl (Frampton) went to America the first time for the fight in Texas I think he brought 15 people.
“So it just shows you how much support I actually have and how much of a fan base I have already, which is very pleasing and I’m very grateful for.”
Regarding Frampton, a two-weight world champion, Conlan admits a showdown with his fellow Belfast man has always been on his mind.
“It is something that I have thought about for years. But, first off I have to get my career up and running. I can’t be looking that far ahead.
“To be honest, I’m not going to be Carl Frampton, I’m going to be a star in my own right. But to have that fight would be great and it’s a fight I’ve always said I wanted, so hopefully one day it happens.
“But if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t matter to me because it’s not going to make a difference to my career. “
However, Conlan has said he will take his progression at his own pace, with “no time frame” placed on him by his promoters at Top Rank.
He added: “They want me to move as quick as I want to move. That’s the thing with Top Rank – they want me to do what I want to do.”
But Conlan himself doesn’t want to wait too long to reach the top, adding: “I think I’ll fight for a world title in maybe 2019. Late 2018, early 2019.”
Conlan also confirmed that he has a verbal agreement with UFC champion McGregor for the Crumlin man to walk him into the ring, saying: “Conor says he’s going to walk with me and I think he’s a man of his word - we shook on it.
“He’s the biggest star in combat sport at the minute, probably one of the biggest sports stars in the world at the minute, and to have him carry my tri-colour out would be special.”
