Conlan expects Wood to get a ‘warm’ Belfast welcome
A welcoming Belfast will give Leigh Wood [25(15)-2(1)] the respect he deserves predicts Michael Conlan [16(8)-0].
Matchroom yesterday confirmed they will host two press conferences next week to officially announce the Wood vs Conlan world title fight set for Nottingham and March 12.
Conlan and co will visit Wood’s hometown on Wednesday, January 19 and the WBA ‘regular’ world champion will come to Belfast on Thursday, January 20.
If you take into account Eddie Hearn will also come to the capital of Irish boxing as well as a potential coaching panto villain in Ben Davidson and it has a real Carl Frampton Scott Quigg press tour feel.
However, Conlan doesn’t believe Wood will get Quigg levels of stick. In fact, he believes the Belfast fight fans will be courteous and respectful throughout the press conference.
“I think Belfast will give Leigh a warm welcome, as they do with every fighter who comes here,” Conlan told Belfast Live.
“We have the utmost respect for fighters who come to this city, especially world champions. So he will get the respect he deserves.”
Next week 🍿
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) January 14, 2022
All welcome to Nottingham and Belfast for the #WoodConlan press conferences 🙌 pic.twitter.com/iO8phpzY89
A respectful crowd won’t mean the press conference won’t be ‘tasty’. Conlan, who can enjoy some verbal sparring, believes the teams will go at each other, making for some entertaining watching in the process.
“I hope everyone comes along because I think it’s going to be a tasty press conference. There will be a bit of back and forth. That’s what I am expecting from him anyway.
“So Leigh will get a warm Belfast welcome. Whether it’s a good one or bad one, we’ll have to wait and see. Obviously, we will have respect for him no matter what, so it should be good.”
