Conlan delivers emphatic win against Bateson

In the fourth round of Dublin’s 3Arena on Friday, Michael Conlan yelled “I’m back.” He had to stop Jack Bateson before the final round.

With 10 seconds left in the round, the 33-year-old Belfast man won the vacant WBC International featherweight title and improved to 20-3. He dropped a stunning right hand to stop the Yorkshireman.

Conlan impressed from his first fight against Asad Asif Khan in March, which he had won in the second round of a comeback.

Bateson appeared to be asking a few questions in the opening round, but despite appearing unimpressed by a flash knockdown in the third, she struggled to recover from the finish line, whose record dropped to 202-1.

Conlan stated to Channel 5 after his victory that “it was everything we worked on during training camp.”

“I want to give (coach) Grant Smith my absolute best thanks. He welcomed me into that Sheffield gym, introduced me to family, and made me feel at home. He serves as a master technician as a coach, and everything he said, did went well, and the result was a triumph.

Conlan, who was competing professionally in his first professional fights in Dublin, showed some of his silky switch-hitting prowess from his earlier, amateur victories in the city ten years prior.

Bateson continued to use his feet sparingly and appeared to have settled in the hostile surroundings. Despite taking a flush right, the Leeds man landed with one of his own.

Conlan crouching and shooting downstairs made it a cagey second, but the visitor was disciplined and did not take the early break, his footwork making him difficult to pin down.

In the third, Conlan made a significant breakthrough when Bateson was forced to count against the canvas while his gloves grazed the canvas. A short right hand also landed in the process, which appeared to be a result of a tangle of legs.

In the fourth inning, Conlan’s sharp jab unlocked the door, opening a huge right hook that had already slammed against Bateson. The visitor was able to shake off the fight, but he was successful in bringing him to his feet.

Conlan praised his decisive victory, saying, “It’s very special.

Conlan was not avoiding the “win or bust” territory he was in during the build-up, but he also needed to make a statement to demonstrate his ability to advance to the big fights he craves.

With the speed and power to close the show whenever the opportunity arises, he did exactly that, with distance control on point.

Although he was 16 months out of the sport, his return in March against Asad Asif Khan was always going to be a rusty performance, and Bateson’s fight would give a more accurate picture of what was still in the tank.

After passing this hurdle, he will now attempt another one that could put him on the verge of a third shot at a world title. With their International Belt in his possession, he may also now enjoy a favorable ranking with the WBC, which will benefit his cause.

Big fights are on the horizon, according to his promoter Kalle Sauerland, who names Josh Warrington, Leigh Wood, a former super-featherweight champion and the winner of Cristobal Lorente and Nathaniel Collins’ upcoming European title fight next month.

Conlan’s confidence is now likely to be flying high following Friday’s emphatic victory, so a fight in that area seems appropriate.