Conlan believes a Warrington fight would be massive and one he’d win

Micheal Conlan believes he has the beating of IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington.

The Top Rank fighter, who next tops a Stadium bill at the Feile on August 3, believes he is three wins away from challenging for a world title, but believes he would be Warrington ready as of now.

In terms of risk reward and particularly considering the Leeds fighter, who holds a win over Carl Frampton, has break America and unification aspirations the Belfast fighter wouldn’t be on Warrington’s immediate radar.

However, despite suggestions he plotting a course for super bantamweight the Olympic medal winner and World amateur gold medalist claims a featherweight world title fight with Warrington appeals.

“He has done fantastic so far, but I believe I can beat Josh Warrington,” said Conlan.

“It would be a fantastic fight for the UK and Ireland. It would be two great fan bases colliding. It would be kinda like the Frampton Warrington fight,” he added before reflecting on his MTK stablemates fight with the reigning world champ.

“I think Carl under performed on the night. I put it down to the first round when Josh just rushed him, surprised him and took his whole game away on the night. You can’t take anything away from Josh Warrington he is a fantastic champion and someone I’d love to face in the future, but he does deserve a unification fight.”

It wasn’t quite a call out and whilst logistically the bout looks unlikely at present it was a deliberate piece of seed planting by the popular former amateur stand out.

Conlan was respectful to Warrington and his achievements and certainly doesn’t see the IBF strap holder as his only possible route to world glory.

“Within the next 12 months. Two more and then maybe a world title shot,” he responded when asked about a world title time frame before praising Warrington’s achievements.

 

“The (fights) against Frampton and Selby he definitely surprised me. I think he surprised everyone. He went in and put on performances that people didn’t expect from him. You have to give Josh Warrington major major credit for doing what he has done.

“He didn’t look the best against Kid Gallahad, but he did what champions do and grinded out a victory. I called the fight a draw. If anyone was to win I would have given it to Kid, but at the same time he didn’t do enough.”