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Wood defeated Ireland's Michael Conlan. Matchroom Boxing/Mark Robinson/INPHO

Michael Conlan's world title challenge is ended by Leigh Wood in dramatic final round

Wood stopped the Belfast man in the 12th.

MICHAEL CONLAN’S ATTEMPT to become the WBA featherweight champion ended in pain after he was stopped in the final round by the champion, Leigh Wood, in Nottingham tonight.

Conlan had fought courageously and skilfully and looked set to win the fight early after a ferocious left put the champion on the floor in the first round. However, the bell saved Wood on that occasion and only absolute courage prevented him from going down again in the second as the Conlan onslaught continued.

Ahead on points, Conlan controlled the first half of the fight but was unable to dictate the terms and conditions of the entire bout as Wood came back into it, putting together some big rounds in the second half, finding particular joy in the ninth, tenth and eleventh.

Just when it seemed that Conlan had weathered the storm, Wood got on the front foot in the final round, ignoring the referee’s complaints about pushing.

Conlan was fighting smart defensively at this stage but then missed with a left before getting caught. An onslaught from the Nottingham-man followed; and eventually he knocked Conlan out of the ring to successfully defend his title. Conlan had to be attended to by paramedics amid worrying scenes.

Earlier, Caoimhin Agyarko won a unanimous decision against Juan Carlos Rubio to claim the WBA International Middleweight Title.

Naas’s Gary Cully won an international lightweight contest against Mexican veteran Miguel Vazquez in five rounds while Dublin heavyweight, Thomas Carty, won his third pro fight with a fifth round stoppage of Michal Boloz.

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    Mute Shane Doolan
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:29 PM

    Some bad decisions at crucial times cost us dearly. But, what kind of asshat boos their own team? Stay at home next time you bunch of morons.

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    Mute Gary
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:38 PM

    Shane, I could be wrong but I thought they were booing the late tackle on Cooney(I think). He put in a grubber kick and was hit late.

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    Mute harvey kinkel
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:41 PM

    Only caught the last ten mins they were booing because carty got body checked after he tried his grubber.?? Unless I missed something in the first 70 that they were booing at ?

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    Mute Peter Brophy
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    Jan 9th 2015, 10:29 PM

    They were booing the opposition kicker and all, that’s no way to behave. It was embarrassing listening to the Connaught crowd

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    Mute Eamonn Grennan
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:31 PM

    Awfully disappointed for Connacht. Thought they could build on their win last week, but much like us, are pretty inconsistent when it comes to getting it up for the non-derby games. Peaks and troughs…

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    Mute RobsonKeane
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:47 PM

    Terrible result. Gutted.

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    Mute apbtim
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    Jan 9th 2015, 10:05 PM

    Connachts form returns!

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    Mute Ryan Ó Giobúin
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:42 PM

    Why not? We could do with a roof though! Connacht don’t do fair weather supporters

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    Mute Christopher Tobin
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:33 PM

    No need for a 20k stadium now ?

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    Mute Ryan Ó Giobúin
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:40 PM

    Why not? We could do with a roof anyway…Connacht don’t do fair weather supporters

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    Mute harvey kinkel
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:44 PM

    Im sure if ye gave connacht 20k seats from thomand ye would still have trouble filling it . Munster fans only do the big European Cup games and there will be no more of them this season.

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    Mute philip ryan
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    Jan 9th 2015, 10:15 PM

    Munster have been the top attendance drom7 of the first 12 pro-12 games look up the pro-12 official site!

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    Mute Macus Mc Mahon
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    Jan 9th 2015, 10:21 PM

    Sale in a few weeks there Harvey .

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    Mute Noggy
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    Jan 9th 2015, 10:31 PM

    You can’t go by the official figures as they include st holders. Munster on the past perhaps but over the past 3 or 4 years their attendance figures for non European cup games and Leinster games have been poor.

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    Mute Robert Behan
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    Jan 9th 2015, 10:34 PM

    The largest attendance of the season was at the Aviva stadium which was a home game for Leinster.

    Sorry Lad, Munster don’t have the highest attendance :-(

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    Mute philip ryan
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    Jan 9th 2015, 10:49 PM

    Ok noggy that maybe so but I’m sure it’s the same criteria for every team in the pro12 with that in mind Munster are still the top attendance in 7/12 games do far. And btw why does dome dick feel the need to have a cut at Munster on a totally Connacht article. Sad pr1ks

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    Mute Noggy
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    Jan 9th 2015, 10:54 PM

    I never mentioned anything about Leinster. You tried to state a fact and I simply corrected you on it.

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    Mute philip ryan
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    Jan 9th 2015, 11:04 PM

    No noggy what I said is that Munster have the top attendances in7/12 pro-12 games. Google pro12 attendances and check the attendance each week. I also said that not you but some d1ck had too try too cut Munster on a totally Connacht article. Place is full of jealous a55holes. This is no forum for anything but Connacht till that muppet too his swipe.

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    Mute philip ryan
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    Jan 9th 2015, 11:05 PM

    @ Harvey

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    Mute Gary
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    Jan 9th 2015, 11:07 PM

    Philip, you are an embarrassment to the real Munster fans.

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    Mute philip ryan
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    Jan 9th 2015, 11:10 PM

    Who are you.

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    Mute Shane O'Donnell
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    Jan 9th 2015, 11:44 PM

    Ah now Philip. The dogs in the street know the official attendances are pure fiction.

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    Mute paul sheehan
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    Jan 10th 2015, 12:24 AM

    Shane,Go easy on philip he,s a walter mitty type character who claimed to have played for munster to add a bit of weight to his pathetic posts on these articles.probably another bandwagon jumper who has to prove his undying love for the red army by slating the other three provinces.
    That is all.

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    Mute harvey kinkel
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    Jan 10th 2015, 12:42 AM

    Christopher tobin started it

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    Mute John B. Reid
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    Jan 9th 2015, 10:24 PM

    Connacht were betrayed by a lack of patience in the end. After the clock had struck eighty minutes, there was only one viable option for Connacht and that was to hold onto the ball at all costs, no matter how little metres they were making with ball in hand; they had to hold onto it and just wait for the opening. For an inexplicable reason they grubber-kicked it, away, with the inevitable consequence that Edinburgh regathered it and sealed the match.

    Irish sides have to remember the powerful lesson from that painful extra-time defeat to the All Blacks in November 2013: the All Blacks held onto the ball, without deviation, for however long it took to get over the Irish tryline. They never, even for a moment, considered kicking the ball. They knew their job, they knew that it would be attritional and involve only inches at a time, but also that it was simple and achievable. Irish sides, historically, have had a habit of running out of patience, losing their concentration and deviating from the path. After putting in some effort, we change tactic and opt for the Hail Mary pass (in rugby terms, kicking the ball away in hope rather than expectation). Our characteristic lack of patience has to be tackled once and for all.

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    Mute reg gordon
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    Jan 9th 2015, 11:45 PM

    Totally agree
    This is where experience is needed.
    Let’s not forget carty is barely out of his teens.
    Dreadful performance tonight but in all fairness at least this year we can chalk it down to a bad day at the office, last year it was par for the course.

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    Mute Christiaan Theron
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    Jan 10th 2015, 12:01 AM

    Agree but Alan Solomons said the before the match that the game would be won in the half backs and Marmion then found it difficult with Clyne. When Cooney and Carty came on the go forward improved. Lam later said that Marmion was carrying a knock. Can never understand why coaches all send subs on around the 60 minute mark?

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    Mute Range Rover P38
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    Jan 10th 2015, 1:04 AM

    Can everyone stop talking about munster? Its like Munster are the Muslims of the rugby world. Ye were not playing tonight boyos! We are Not FIng Interested in talking about ye.

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    Mute apbtim
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    Jan 10th 2015, 1:44 AM

    Henshaw is some player,he has to stay at Connacht so they can keep improving!

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    Mute Christopher Tobin
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:47 PM

    Attendance for tonight ?

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    Mute Ryan Ó Giobúin
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    Jan 9th 2015, 9:54 PM

    Both main stand and clan stand sold out. Not quite sure how that tots up in numbers, but probably slightly over 5000. In that weather.

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    Mute Robert Behan
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    Jan 10th 2015, 12:16 AM

    Dont Shane, you will hurt Philip’s feelings!

    He will cry himself to sleep in his Leinster PJs

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    Mute RobsonKeane
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    Jan 9th 2015, 11:46 PM

    Too many penalties at scrum time killed us. Caught pneumonia I think, terrible conditions but they were the same for both teams. No excuses, we didn’t front up.

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    Mute Range Rover P38
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    Jan 10th 2015, 1:01 AM

    Well played lads regardless.

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    Mute RobsonKeane
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    Jan 10th 2015, 10:44 AM

    Philip Ryan is a troll. I have no time for trolls.

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    Mute Dead Ball Browne
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    Jan 9th 2015, 11:48 PM

    Yeah…but never against those elements. The sensible option was to get the ball off the park and bank a very valuable point . Would have been subside if there was a turnover and didn’t get the bonus point.

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