WITH the huge Féile fight night now just over a week away, Michael Conlan says he is looking forward to returning home to box in front of a passionate support when he takes on former world super-bantamweight champion TJ Doheny at the Falls Park next Friday.
 
It will be just over two years to the day since Conlan defeated Diego Alberto Ruiz in the heart of West Belfast in front of a raucous support and 8000 will file through the gates next weekend for what promises to be a special event as fans return to ringside for the first time since the pandemic.
 
This is more than just an occasion, with the top of the bill derby capturing the imagination of fight fans and is the biggest all-Irish clash in many years as former world amateur champion Conlan and ex-pro world king Doheny slug it out for a crack at the winner of September’s unification between Stephen Fulton and Brandon Figueroa.
 
Interest has been such as just a handful of tickets have remained since just hours after they went on sale with fans of both men set to descend on the Falls Park and Conlan says the experience of fighting on the same stage two years ago will serve him well, but accepts his task is a lot tougher this time around.
 
“I have been there, done it, lived it, experienced it and have banked it,” he said of fighting in the west of the city.
 
“I can go through it again with comfort as I know what to expect and how I’m going to feel in there. The only difference this time is there is somebody who I am very familiar with in front of me.
 
“He won’t back down or simmer away in the way that maybe Diego Alberto Ruiz did last time. He (Ruiz) folded a bit under the pressure, but TJ will rise to it as he is the type of guy who does rise to the occasion.
 
“That makes for a good fight as the unknown factor is where the nerves come in. I don’t know what is coming back at me as this guy is a tough m**********r who wants to get back to where he belongs and I have to stop that.”

Conlan’s last two fights took place behind closed doors against Sofiane Takoucht and then a Ionut Baluta who scored a shock win over Doheny early last year in what was due to be an easing back in after losing a unification to Daniel Roman.
 
The Romanian proved a handful for Conlan too, but the West Belfast man managed to get the job done and while he insists boxing in a sterile environment in his last two contests wasn’t, much of an issue, having a partisan crowd in this time could well contribute to the action in the ring.

“It will be unbelievable,” he agrees.
 
“I think my last fight could have done with a crowd in terms of how it went. It would have been so much better with a crowd and you probably would have seen even more action with the roars of the crowd, so I’m excited for that.
 
“I don’t mind boxing in an empty arena as when I’m in there, I’m focussed on the plan and the job.
 
“There are times I watch videos of the last Féile and get hit by how good it was. That was probably one of the best nights of my career in terms of enjoyment and experience. It is very hard to match that, so I’m excited for that to come back and to relive that in a better fight that will help me fulfil the potential I know I have.”
 
It will be no easy task for Conlan and he knows it, so preparations under trainer Adam Booth in London have gone up a notch for this challenge as the reward of a world title fight, possibly before the end of the year, is the huge prize on offer.
 
However, he insists Doheny is the only target at the moment and speaking from his training base, insists he is not taking anything for granted.
 
“There is a big carrot dangling in front, but I haven’t looked at it and won’t until I get this one out of the way,” he stressed.
 
“If this (win) doesn’t happen then the next one doesn’t, so I need to make sure I tick this box before I can even imagine what is next. If I lose, nothing is next.”