WORLD CHAMPION MICHAEL Conlan insists that he will continue to confidently predict a gold-medal win at the Rio Olympics, despite seeing his fellow fighting fortune-teller Conor McGregor come in for ridicule from his critics.
Belfast bantamweight Conlan last year successfully forecast gold medals at the European and World boxing championships, earning the nickname ‘Mystic Mick’ after he adopted the same confident pre-fight approach of McGregor, who dubbed himself ‘Mystic Mac’ during his own run of calling the outcome of his UFC bouts.
Dubliner McGregor saw his boastful record halted this month when suffering a second-round submission loss to Californian Nate Diaz after opting to jump over 20lbs above his normal weight class.
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While both Conlan and McGreogor have been vocal in attributing their confident approach and respective success to positive-thinking techniques, the Belfast bantamweight believes his Olympic ambition is realistic.
The 24-year-old Falls Road fighter maintained that he will not be discouraged from predicting the outcome of his fights after McGreogor came in for flak following his loss.
“I think McGregor done as well as he could to push the boundaries of what he believed in. I’d never take that away from him or hold it against him,” said Conlan.
“He was probably a bit too ambitious – 20lbs [extra] is a lot of weight… It’s a crazy amount of weight, I don’t know how he even considered doing it, never mind doing it,” he added.
McGregor had hoped to become the first UFC fighter to claim world title at two weights, having already won the featherweight crown, but his lightweight title bid was called off when champion Rafael dos Anjos pulled out of their scheduled bout due to injury.
The Crumlin mixed-martial artist then boldly moved up to welterweight limit of 170lbs with disastrous results against Diaz.
Conlan (right) claimed World Championship gold in Doha last October. Francis Myers / INPHO
Francis Myers / INPHO / INPHO
“He had that much belief in himself and it’s fantastic to see that he went and took it [the fight] when a lot of other fighters would have pulled out, or they would’ve fought someone lighter,” said Conlan.
“It’s crazy but I admire him for it,” continued the 24-year-old. “How he handled himself in defeat was amazing. It didn’t knock his confidence, it didn’t change him as a person. People are slobbering about the way he goes on, but if he believes in it he has to say it.
“I agree and I believe I’m going to go over and do the job in Rio. I don’t think that’s too ambitious because of what I’ve already done. It’s the same weight division, I’m not jumping up a weight division.
“I won at the World Championships and that’s probably harder than winning an Olympic Games, a lot of people would say,” added Conlan, speaking to promote the IABA’s ‘Let’s KO Bullying’ campaign.
The world bantamweight champion was due to travel to Helsinki for the the Gee-Bee Multi-Nations tournament last weekend, but he was forced to pull out due to a hand injury.
“It’s just to be safe, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture… The only thing that matters is the Olympic Games,” added Conlan, who is participating in a training camp with the Irish senior team and a visiting Lithuanian selection in Dublin this week.
Michael Conlan isn't discouraged by fellow 'mystic' Conor McGregor's loss
Updated at 21.56
WORLD CHAMPION MICHAEL Conlan insists that he will continue to confidently predict a gold-medal win at the Rio Olympics, despite seeing his fellow fighting fortune-teller Conor McGregor come in for ridicule from his critics.
Belfast bantamweight Conlan last year successfully forecast gold medals at the European and World boxing championships, earning the nickname ‘Mystic Mick’ after he adopted the same confident pre-fight approach of McGregor, who dubbed himself ‘Mystic Mac’ during his own run of calling the outcome of his UFC bouts.
Dubliner McGregor saw his boastful record halted this month when suffering a second-round submission loss to Californian Nate Diaz after opting to jump over 20lbs above his normal weight class.
While both Conlan and McGreogor have been vocal in attributing their confident approach and respective success to positive-thinking techniques, the Belfast bantamweight believes his Olympic ambition is realistic.
The 24-year-old Falls Road fighter maintained that he will not be discouraged from predicting the outcome of his fights after McGreogor came in for flak following his loss.
“He was probably a bit too ambitious – 20lbs [extra] is a lot of weight… It’s a crazy amount of weight, I don’t know how he even considered doing it, never mind doing it,” he added.
McGregor had hoped to become the first UFC fighter to claim world title at two weights, having already won the featherweight crown, but his lightweight title bid was called off when champion Rafael dos Anjos pulled out of their scheduled bout due to injury.
The Crumlin mixed-martial artist then boldly moved up to welterweight limit of 170lbs with disastrous results against Diaz.
“He had that much belief in himself and it’s fantastic to see that he went and took it [the fight] when a lot of other fighters would have pulled out, or they would’ve fought someone lighter,” said Conlan.
“I agree and I believe I’m going to go over and do the job in Rio. I don’t think that’s too ambitious because of what I’ve already done. It’s the same weight division, I’m not jumping up a weight division.
“I won at the World Championships and that’s probably harder than winning an Olympic Games, a lot of people would say,” added Conlan, speaking to promote the IABA’s ‘Let’s KO Bullying’ campaign.
The world bantamweight champion was due to travel to Helsinki for the the Gee-Bee Multi-Nations tournament last weekend, but he was forced to pull out due to a hand injury.
“It’s just to be safe, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture… The only thing that matters is the Olympic Games,” added Conlan, who is participating in a training camp with the Irish senior team and a visiting Lithuanian selection in Dublin this week.
Conlan brothers aiming for Rio gold and world-title shot by year’s end
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Boxing Conor McGregor Michael Conlan MYSTIC MICK Rio 2016 Rio Olympics