MICHAEL CONLAN WILL be given the opportunity to avenge his scandalous Rio 2016 quarter-final defeat to Vladimir Nikitin, his promoter Bob Arum has confirmed to The42.
The Russian Olympic bronze medalist has signed for Arum’s Top Rank Promotions, and will square off with Conlan in the professional ring sometime in 2019.
In one of the most controversial decisions in recent Olympic boxing history, Nikitin had his hand raised to uproarious protests – not least from then-world champion Conlan, who rose to further prominence by raising his middle fingers to the judges from centre-ring.
The Falls Road fighter’s post-fight interview with RTÉ’s Evanne Ní Chuilinn, in which he explicitly condemned amateur boxing and its world governing body, was replayed around the world.
Nikitin withdrew from his subsequent Olympic semi-final contest due to head injuries sustained in victory over Conlan. A month later, the Irishman traversed the Atlantic and signed a lucrative professional contract with Top Rank Promotions.
The American giants’ founder and CEO, Bob Arum, confirmed to The42 this evening that Conlan’s Olympic conqueror has followed suit and turned pro under the Top Rank banner.
The Hall-of-Fame promoter, 86, made no bones about the fact that he intends to produce a massive Conlan-Nikitin sequel as soon as the Russian finds his feet in the punch-for-pay ranks.
“We’ve already done that deal,” Arum said.
I met the youngster: we’re going to give him a couple of fights here in the United States, and then we’re going to make a huge match with him and Mick. It will be a chance for Mick to exact revenge for the terrible decision at the Rio Olympics.
“It’ll be huge. It’ll be absolutely huge.
“But I want to get the kid [Nikitin] acclimated as a pro, first,” Arum added. “A friend of ours [Egis Kilmas], who manages Vasyl Lomachenko, will be managing this kid.”
After a career-best outing on St. Patrick’s Day in New York, Conlan [6-0, 5KOs] returns to Madison Square Garden on 12 May for a seventh professional contest.
The 26-year-old Belfast man will get his first taste of The Garden’s larger, 20,000-capacity arena when he faces Spaniard Ibon Larrinaga [10-1, 2KOs] on the undercard of Jorge Linares’ WBA World lightweight title defence against Vasyl Lomachenko.
All going to plan next month, Conlan will finally make his Irish debut at the SSE Odyssey Arena this summer, with a 30 June date to be confirmed provided he emerges from his next bout unscathed.
His bid for revenge against Nikitin, when it does come to fruition next year, is likely to take place in either the Big Apple on St. Patrick’s weekend or Belfast at a later date.
Tipperary Carlow to fight it out for Mac this year
@Jed Ward: Tipperary are on a mission jed, albeit they have played their 2 easiest games already.
Yeah the hardest games are yet to come for Tipp. A positive start to the season all the same. Limerick away next week will be a very big step up from today. It will be interesting to see how Tipp go. You’d hope that Tipp will be up for it and give Limerick a rattle for the first time in a while.