Mick Conlan set for toughest test in next New York outing
Mick Conlan [10(6)-0] is in line for a good step up when he returns to the ring on St Patrick’s Day.
On Sunday March 17th, for the third year running, the Belfast featherweight will top a Top Rank bill at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York
Conlan’s first fight of 2019, this is the year when the Falls Road man will look to position himself for a world title shot and looks set to make a good start.
No opponent is confirmed yet for Conlan for the ESPN+ bill in the Big Apple but U.S. boxing writer Steve Kim has revealed that Laotian-American Duarn Vue [14(4)-1(0)-2].
A name being mentioned for Michael Conlan’s St Patrick’s Day fight is Duarn Vue(14-1-2, 4 KOs) at MSG… #boxing
— Steve Kim (@StevESPNKim) January 10, 2019
32-year-old Vue was born in the South East Asian nation of Laos but was forced to flee with his family to America, via Thailand, as a young child.
The Hmong fighter is now based in Wisconin and turned pro in the summer of 2014 and will be Conlan’s first opponent that is ranked inside the Top 100 featherweights by boxing records site BoxRec.com.
During his career the short pressure fighter has won and defended the lightly regarded WBF super featherweight belt against weak opposition before claiming the WBA Inter-Continental featherweight title in his last outing where he scored a notable upset over Venezuelan contender Nehomar Cermeno.
Vue’s sole career loss came in 2017 when he was outpointed on a Premier Boxing Champions card by prospect Alejandro Salinas.
‘The Storm’ was previously due to face Conlan’s Top Rank rival Shakur Stevenson for the WBC Continental Americas title last time out but was a late withdrawal, with the Newark youngster stopping Romanian replacement Viorel Simion in the opening round.
Should the fight take place, it is not yet clear whether Conlan’s WBO Inter-Continental belt, or Vue’s WBA equivalent, or both, will be on the line.
The 27-year-old Irishman will be returning to the ring following his maiden title victory last month where he outpointed Jason Cunningham in what was also his first ten-round contest.
Having fought five times in both 2017 and 2018, Conlan is expected to now move up through the ranks as the title fights continue to come.
An announcement from Conlan and Top Rank regarding Vue, or whoever he may be fighting, is expected in due course.
