Walking from a snow-capped Madison Square Garden to Times Square with Michael Conlan only a year ago would have taken all of 10 minutes.

Boxing fans across the country and their lawyers are calling the hyped-up fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr a fraud and want their money back, and then some.

Ireland have been hit with a body blow ahead of next month’s AIBA World Elite Boxing Championships with the news that world No 1 ranked bantamweight John Joe Nevin is on the verge of turning professional.