In May, Irish boxing took a battering on both sides of the border when – on consecutive Saturday nights - Katie Taylor was beaten in Dublin and Michael Conlan lost in Belfast.
Last weekend, Taylor bounced back in brilliant style, confounding her doubters and becoming an undisputed two-weight world champion by beating Chantelle Cameron in their rematch.
Conlan can finish the year off on a high if he can do the same against former European champion Jordan Gill at the SSE Arena.
There have been wholesale changes in the Conlan camp since his May loss to Luis Lopez. He has a new trainer in Miami-based Cuban fight guru Pedro Diaz now and has left the featherweight division to throw his hands up at super-feather (130lbs).
He says he feels like he has pressed the 'reset' button on his career and is determined to rediscover the electric, stick-and-move boxing style of his early years as he begins what he hopes will be the most successful phase of his career as a professional prize fighter.
"Going to Miami and training with Pedro, I have a new lease of life and I feel like I’ve hit the reset button," said the former amateur world champion and Olympic medallist.
"Pedro’s not going to teach me anything new in eight weeks, he has just dusted me off and brought me back to myself so that’s what I’m excited about. I’m excited about the performance and putting in what we’ve been working on, the things we’ve been doing in the gym in fight night."
Barring his way tonight is former European featherweight champion Gill who has come across as relaxed but quietly confident throughout the build-up.
Despite Gill’s disarming demeanour, Conlan knows he has to be "on his game".
"I know Jordan is a good fighter, I know he has skills and he’s a smart boxer when he has to be and, if you’re not on your game, Jordan will beat you," he said.
Gill hasn’t fought in over a year since losing to Kiko Martinez but he has pedigree and profile and should give an accurate reading on what fighting reserves remain in Conlan tonight. He says he is "just the opponent" and doesn’t feel any pressure but his close friend Leigh Wood knocked out Conlan last year and he will do the same if he can.
"You have to respect his skills and his ability, but we’ll see," said Gill.
"I might catch him, or I might win on points. There’s no quit in me - whatever he comes with, I’ll bite down on the gumshield and have it out with him and I’ve got nothing to lose."
A rejuvenated Conlan should be the winner here. The Belfast fighter has a lot to prove on home soil and the carrot of a third world title shot. He will be wary of Gill’s power early on but his slicker skills and accurate body punching should decide the matter over 10 rounds.
Chief support is the ‘Battle of Belfast’ between Tyrone McKenna, from the west of the city, and Lewis Crocker, from the east. The rivals from opposite sides of the traditional divide got up close and personal (and physical) during the public workout on Wednesday night and this is shaping up to be the fight of the night.
Both fighters have made their feelings clear with Crocker stating that he wants to hurt McKenna and ‘The Mighty Celt’ countering: "If he wants to hurt me that’s fine, I just want to beat him, I want to batter him and rip his head off."
Meanwhile, Caoimhin Agyarko faces the acid test of his career so far against rugged Englishman Troy Williamson and ambitious Sean McComb is also in a 50/50 match-up against Sam Maxwell.
Fight card:
Super-featherweight: Michael Conlan (18-2) v Jordan Gill (27-2-1)
Welterweight: Tyrone McKenna (23-3-1) v Lewis Crocker (17-0)
Super-welterweight: Caoimhin Agyarko (13-0) v Troy Williamson (20-1-1)
WBO European Super-Lightweight title: Sean McComb (17-1) v Sam Maxwell (17-2)
Middleweight: Fearghus Quinn (8-0) v Angel Emilov (11-53-3)
Super-bantamweight: Gerard Hughes (4-0) v Ruadhan Farrell (4-1)
Middleweight: Cameron Vuong (2-0) v TBC
Middleweight: Emmanuel Buttigieg (debut) v Mario Oliveira (1-0)
