Now usually we're not big fans of boxing and MMA being needlessly compared but, in this case, we'll let it slide. Usually, when those comparisons come up it's trying to denigrate one sport or the other but this time around, it's just about success. And even better than that, it's about Irish success.
Just in case you haven't heard, Michael Conlan is Ireland first ever male world boxing champion and unsurprisingly, the Belfast man was in flying form after the victory in Doha, even if a slight knockdown in the final round did take a bit of sheen of things.
Nonetheless he was clearly the superior of his Uzbek opponent Murodjon Akhmadaliev. Speaking to Ciarán Gallagher in the Irish Examiner after the unanimous victory, the 23 year old delivered the kind of soundbite that was sure to draw attention.
You can call me ‘the Conor McGregor of boxing’ — I predict everything I do and I’m coming through successful! I didn’t want to leave the amateurs without being world champion. To be a world champion heading into an Olympic Games is some achievement.
Call me Mystic Mick! I’m coming through with everything I’m saying, I’m not just making false promises. I promised I was going to be world champion, I promised I was going to qualify for the Olympics through the WSB, I promised I’d be European and Commonwealth champion and I’ve done everything I said I’d do.
While it's good for a headline, Conlan is doing himself a disservice if anything. By becoming Ireland's first male world champion, Conlan had better get used to being a household name himself. And with an Olympics coming up next year, he's going to have to come up with a nickname of his own.
The morning after the night before, Conlan got round to updating his twitter and he was still understandably ecstatic.
World Champion, that sounds good 😆 thanks to everyone who has supported me from the start and right up to this point! Unreal amount of.. 1/3
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) October 15, 2015
Well wishes and good lucks I've had so much I can't keep up but I wanna thank all of you really appreciate it! Shoutout to @QatarGAA an..2/3
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) October 15, 2015
And all the irish who where in the arena last night unreal atmosphere, and last big John Conlan, all our work has payed off! #WorldChampion
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) October 15, 2015
Great to make Irish history, I told everyone I was going to win this, you just have to believe! #TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/sAx2qukQDu
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) October 15, 2015
And now that Conlan has paved the way, hopes are very high that joe Ward can follow up that incredible achievement by becoming Ireland's second world champ this week when he takes on Cuba's Julio La Cruz in the light-heavyweight final tonight.
