Irish Olympic bronze medal winner Michael Conlan may have learned that in defeat there is sometimes victory. His bid to take the WBA 'regular' Featherweight Championship from England's Leigh Wood in Nottingham on Saturday brought out a streak in the 30-year-old's character few had ever seen.
The knock-out in the 12th round that cost him the title and ensured he would spend a night in hospital, arrived after a compelling 11 rounds during which Wood picked himself off the canvas in the first round and slowly rebuilt his equilibrium over the next 30 minutes before finishing a scarcely believable narrative.
With both boxers hollowed out physically, the blow came innocuously from Wood after one minute 25 seconds in the final round with a shot to the head that may not have had the same concussive effect had it landed in the early rounds, when both boxers were stronger.
Michael Conlan arrived at hospital, conscious and stable
— Frank Smith (@FrankSmith) March 13, 2022
Conlan’s head and legs immediately gave way. His positioning and the angle of his fall took him out through the ropes in a dramatic end that was both brutal and concerning as the referee Steve Gray, unable to get over to Conlan to stop the fall, quickly came flapping in to stop the contest.
Almost immediately as his home town fans rose in celebration, Wood stepped over to the ropes to dampen down their enthusiasm as medics attended Conlan. Due to climatic nature of the ending, the first concern of Wood was the safety of his opponent.
“I’m all good folks, cheers for the messages. I’ll be back, good shot and congrats to Leigh and his team,” said Conlan afterwards on Twitter.
“Watched the fight, I definitely need to run it back! Up on the cards & 11th was a slip, fatigue was kicking in & was caught on the temple with a good shot I didn’t see. Respect. Definitely want a rematch lol.”
Conlan, with 16 professional wins, shaped the fight in the first round as Wood took the centre of the ring and looked commanding. Fighting southpaw, it was Conlan at the end of the round that landed a cracking left. Wood went down and immediately stood up but was saved by the bell.
Conlan wobbled him again in the next round as Wood was still dazed. But survival instincts were strong and he held on as blood appeared on Conlan’s right eye.
By the fifth round Wood was also cut. One cut would soon become two as the featherweights fell into a pattern of landing scoring shots but always paying a price.
Conlan’s back left hand, particularly, was hurting Wood and he was leading into the latter stages. But the English boxer had recovered from the earlier count and began pushing Conlan on to the ropes.
In the 11th round, it was the turn of Wood to raise his hands after he moved in, landing on Conlan’s chin with the challenger going down. The Irishman’s furious corner rose to claim a slippage. But Conlan was given a count.
By that point the two were physically drained with Conlan having won more of the earlier rounds. If Wood won the 12th, it would not have been enough. He was trailing by one point on two of the judges’ cards and three on the other. Starkly, a knock-out was needed, or the belt would go to Belfast.
Then came Wood’s detonating blow, his opponent in defensive mode and on the ropes. It was instant with Conlan’s body closing down and the momentum carrying him ultimately to the hospital.
Astonishing bravery from both. Conlan’s defeat will bring him other opportunities, although Wood may not want to meet him again too soon.
