Michael Conlan Puts Marriaga Down Three Times Then Calls Out Leigh Wood!
On August 6, #6 ranked WBA and #9 ranked WBC featherweight contender Michael “Mick” Conlan (17-1, 8KOs) returned to the ring to face veteran Miguel Marriaga (30-6, 26KOs) in front of a packed house at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This was Conlan’s first fight since the devastating TKO loss to Leigh Wood back in March.
Marriaga is a former world title challenger in dire need of a significant win. He came into the bout 1-2 in his last three fights; losing a unanimous decisions to Joet Gonzalez in September of 2020 and Eduardo Ramirez last December.
TAKING IT SLOW AND DOMINATING
In a fight that had some entertainment potential, it turned out to be anything but. From the moment the fight started, it was Conlan who would immediately set the tone for how this bout would play out. The talented southpaw would employ a consistent jab that completely neutralized and offset the offense of Marriaga. While it wasn’t an action-packed fight like his bout against Wood, it was a performance that Mick needed.
The entire fight would be in a “rinse and repeat” format as Conlan jabbed and countered against the body of Marriaga, which kept him visibly confused. In the moments when Marriaga was caught slipping, he would be sent to the canvas. This would bring the crowd to their feet as they cheered the hometown fighter on.
The knockdowns occurred in rounds seven, eight, and nine, although, two of them looked to be from the fact that the underdog was sliding all over the ring. As expected, none of the knockdowns seriously hurt Marriaga.
The tenth and final round saw the best action of the fight as both men stood and traded big shots. At the end, Conlan was announced as the winner via a dominant unanimous decision. The scores were 99-88 twice and 99-89.
For Conlan, this win puts him back on course for another world title opportunity. In the post-fight interview, the former Olympian was passionate in his need for a rematch with Wood. Their first fight is a candidate for Fight of the Year so it will be a very marketable rematch if it can be made.
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By: Jerrell Fletcher
