Four wins, four knockouts.
In fairness, Michael Conlan was expected to make light work of his American opponent, Kenny Guzman, in their featherweight clash in Tuscon, Arizona on Friday night.
The Montana native is five years Conlan’s senior aged 30, and is also balancing his boxing commitments with a carpentry career.
It’s easier said than done, however, and the Belfast native asserted his dominance over Guzman from the first ding, and his supremacy really came to the fore in the second round when it was made clear that this man had no business sharing the ring with him.
Conlan was the fitter of the two men, as he buzzed around the ring with that trademark zip and verve, and had a familiar smile on his face, as he toyed with the American.
Conlan connected with a vicious right hand to knock his opponent off balance early on in the second round, and this set the tone for a relentless spell of movement and delivery from the Falls Road fighter.
The Top Rank boxer drilled Guzman with a ferocious body shot, and from then on it was clear to all onlookers that there was only going to be one winner in this fight. It was more a question of how soon it was going to happen.
The American couldn’t be faulted for his spirit as he kept coming forward and attacking, and in fairness didn’t see the 25-year-old have it all his own way, but his efforts were in vein, as Conlan pounded him with two right hands, before landing a spectacular knockout punch.
Conlan condemned his opponent to more blistering combinations, before the curtain-call arrived following a right hand rollicking with 2:59 on the clock in Round 2.
Guzman rose on the count of eight, but he had the look of proverbial dead man, and was unable to raise his arms or even stand straight, not giving the referee much of an option.
Conlan isn’t renowned for thundering knockouts like this one, and ESPN expert Teddy Atlas can be forgiven for bemoaning Conlan’s lack of a “huge punching” ability, but he was left with egg on his face when Conlan showed he can do it all, just seconds later.
4 wins 4 KO's
On to the next one, Dec 9th NYC @thegarden 🍀 #TheConlanRevolution @TRBoxing pic.twitter.com/jP6r6nHtNo
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) September 23, 2017
You can listen to the ironic commentary here.
Good night Irene!! @mickconlan11 moves to 4-0. Next up NYC. pic.twitter.com/PRvI0m0WNR
— BOXING IRELAND (@LoveIrishBoxing) September 23, 2017
Conlan is expected to return to Madison Square Garden for his next bout, before a Belfast homecoming is rumoured for April of next year.
