Michael Conlan will rule Madison Square Garden ‘for years’

Top Rank promotions president Todd duBoef has backed Michael Conlan as “somebody who’s going to sell out Madison Square Garden for many years to come” ahead of the Belfast native’s professional debut at the New York venue’s Theatre on St Patrick’s Day.

Conlan was formally introduced to the Big Apple’s fight fraternity at the Garden’s Chase Square lobby yesterday as the build-up to his March 17 six-round headline bout against American Tim Ibarra kicked off in earnest.

The 25-year-old world amateur gold medallist stated his ambition to eventually become a three-weight world pro champion, while the event appeared to act as a statement of Top Rank’s intent to push Conlan with all their promotional might.