Michael Conlan's comeback cranked up another notch as he delivered a stunning knockout of Jack Bateson at the 3Arena tonight – keeping alive dreams of forcing himself back into the world title reckoning.
The Belfast man enjoyed some memorable nights at the National Stadium as an amateur, and looked sharp in his first professional outing in Dublin before sealing the deal with a crunching right hand.
Bateson beat the count but looked to have gone over on his ankle on the way down, and was unsteady on his feet before the fight was eventually waved off.
"I am back," declared Conlan afterwards, "I am back".
Challenging for world honours could still be a while off as Conlan takes a patient approach to the rebuilding process after three stoppage losses in the space of 21 months left his career in tatters.
There may still be scars from those devastating defeats to Leigh Wood, Luis Alberto Lopez – both world title tilts – and Jordan Gill, but the 33-year-old’s next step will be crucial.
Promoter Kalle Sauerland mentioned a possible Wood rematch at Wednesday’s press conference, and also dropped the name of former world champion and Carl Frampton conqueror Josh Warrington as a potential future opponent.
After returning in March after a 15-month absence from the ring, Conlan had been expected to challenge Cristobal Lorente for the European crown during the summer until the showdown with Bateson was confirmed for Dublin.
And it is a night, and a homecoming, he is unlikely to forget.
Roared into the ring by a partisan crowd to the familiar refrain of Grace, and flanked by former Irish internationals James McClean and Simon Zebo, Conlan knew it was win or bust – and he delivered in some style.
Controlling the distance from the centre of the ring and boxing most of the bout in the southpaw stance, it was he who landed any significant shots after a cagey start, with a left to the body hurting Bateson early on.
The breakthrough came in the third, a left hook leaving Bateson off balance and forcing the 31-year-old to touch down and take a count.
Conlan didn’t rush his work, instead remaining patient and looking for gaps, and he closed the show in impressive fashion midway through the fourth.
With Bateson still showing his opponent too much respect, reluctant to let any shots of his own go, he found himself on the end of a Conlan left jab followed by a beautiful right to send the crowd home happy.
