Michael Conlan weighs in ahead of fifth professional boxing bout

Michael Conlan and Luis Fernando Molina have weighed in ahead of their chief-support bout on the undercard of the world super-featherweight title showdown between Vasly Lomachenko and Guilermo Rigondeaux in New York.

Belfast native Conlan tipped the scales at 126.2lbs ahead of the six-round featherweight fight, while Molina weighed in at 125.4lbs at Madison Square Garden.

Double Olmpympic champions Lomachenko and Rigondeaux meet in a historic main-event battle at the MSG Theater on Saturday night, while London 2012 medallist Conlan will compete in the co-feature bout ahead of the night’s main course.

The bout will mark undefeated Conlan’s fifth outing as a pro as he aims to boost his 4-0 (4 KOs) record against 29-year-old Molina (7-3-1) and the 26-year-old was in a confident mood after tonight's weigh-in.

“I’m feeling great and really looking forward to the fight,” said Conlan. “I made the weight easy this time and the whole week has been brilliant.

“I love being back in New York – the support I have here is amazing – and the amount of Irish accents at the weigh-in was just great to hear. I'm going to have some support tomorrow night.

“I’m confident that I’ll win and win it fairly easily, but this guy [Molina] is a good step up for me. He was decent as an amateur and he’s only had a few losses as a pro – I believe one or two of them were disputed – so I expect him to be looking to come and claim a scalp.

“Top Rank have given me great backing and I can’t let an opportunity like this slip,” added the Falls Road fighter, whose bout will be screened live in the US on ESPN and on BoxNation in the UK and Ireland.

The MTK Global-managed boxer topped the bill at the same venue last March on his debut and will return to MSG on St Patrick’s Day 2018 if all goes to plan in his bout on Saturday night.

“I have a lot riding on this in the sense that next year is going to be a massive year for me,” said Conlan. “Loma and Rigo are two great fighters and a lot of people will be watching, but I’m out to make a name for myself in the States and I need to win in style to make people sit up and take notice.”