Michael Conlan doesn’t agree with the 50-50 billing. The Belfast boxer believes the chances are closely stacked in Anthony Cacace’s favour.
Eire’s most up-to-date male world champion takes on Leigh Wooden in an eagerly anticipated tremendous featherweight encounter at Nottingham Enviornment this weekend.
The bout is being billed as an impossible-to-call throwback between evenly matched former world champions, though Conlan doesn’t see it that method.
Eire’s solely ever male newbie world champion says the Anderstown native has the benefits going into this weekend’s conflict.
“Anto is skilful, he can punch, he can struggle when he must struggle and he can field when he must field,” stated Conlan talking to the Irish Information.
In addition to having the attributes to win the bout, the soon-to-be European title challenger, who suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Wooden in March of 2022, additionally believes ‘The Apache’ has momentum in his favour.
“Leigh Wooden has been out of the ring longer than I used to be. I used to be 16 months out and he’s 20 months out of the ring.
“When he fought me, he didn’t struggle for a 12 months after that, which was an terrible very long time. He fought Mauricio Lara in early Might the next 12 months and so they rematched fairly rapidly after which he fought Josh Warrington (October 2023) all in the identical 12 months.
“He was energetic that 12 months, however he’s been very inactive since, he hasn’t fought since he beat Warrington. That’s an terrible very long time, it’s almost two years to the ring.
“Anto is getting in there with correct momentum, correct exercise and the idea of a champion.”
By way of within the confines of the ring, Conlan believes his fellow Belfast favorite has the benefits there too.
“I imagine Anto wins convincingly, probably by stoppage as a result of Anto additionally punches onerous. They each punch onerous, sure, however I feel Anto’s skillset is best. I feel he’s the higher boxer out of the each of them.
“He hasn’t been by the mill. Leigh’s been by the mill numerous instances now and there’s solely so many instances you are able to do that. I’m leaning closely in direction of Anto on this struggle.”
