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Jordan Gill Drops And Stops Michael Conlan In Belfast Thriller

Written by Kerr Ferguson on 2nd December 2023.

Mick Conlan

Michael Conlan’s path to redemption was stopped on its first step by a rejuvenated Jordan Gill.

That Matchroom main event in Belfast saw huge support for Conlan, who has told Boxing Social following the loss to Luis Alberto Lopez he would have one last shot at a world title before hanging up the gloves.

Gill, coming off a bruising stoppage loss to Kiko Martinez, was in town to spoil the party. Both fighting to keep a career alive, the tension had been clear throughout fight week.

Conlan came out circling, fighting orthodox before switching southpaw and back again in attempt to befuddle Gill, who kept his guard tight and waited to pick his shots. The Brit scored a sharp right hand that set Conlan off his rythym.

Gill pushed the pace a little more in the second and was rewarded quickly, scoring a heavy knockdown from a short left followed by a straight right. Conlan made the count, but his legs weren’t properly beneath him for the rest of the three minutes.

The Irishman rallied in the third bravely, but Gill’s composure was clear – he could pick his shots and take his time. Conlan jabbed well and scored a flush right hook, but Gill’s power shots still looked the difference and helped him finish the round strongly.

Conlan’s quick hands saw Gill shell up in the fourth, biding his time for his power shots but likely missing out on the round on the scorecards on activity alone. Gill feinted his way to strong scoring shots in the fifth, an ultimately close round.

Conlan took some punishment in the sixth from a focused Gill, but threw uppercuts valiantly to see it out. In the seventh he wouldn’t be so lucky – Gill landed a big left hand to kick off a barrage of hooks and uppercuts, and the referee stepped in before a knockdown. Conlan wasn’t returning fire.

Heartbreak in Belfast twice over for Mick Conlan, and a revival at super-featherweight for Jordan Gill, who delivered a heart-wrenching post-fight message with a happy ending.