The SSE Arena, Belfast, UK. In the main event of the show in the featherweight limit (up to 57.2 kg), Olympic medalist Michael Conlan (17-1, 8 KOs) from Ireland and Colombian Miguel Marriaga (30-6, 26 KOs) met. Unexpectedly confident victory was celebrated by the favorite.
The Ukrainian fan remembers both athletes well. Conlan for how he “poked fakes” at AIBA and Putin at the 2016 Olympics, and Marriaga for the fight and early defeat (the only one in his career) to Vasily Lomachenko.
Conlan fought in a left-handed stance. He pulled out Marriaga on himself, failed and intercepted. The Colombian relied on timing: dug in on his feet, tried to counter, slowly pursued. To be honest, he will not have a chance – you need to press much harder.
Conlan fired quickly. Most often, he had right check-hooks and counter-hooks, the left sweeping side hook, bypassing the glove, sometimes punched through the body. Marriaga answered with one accurate blow – but that one fell below the belt. At times he turned on more actively, but Conlan was just great on defense.
.@mickconlan11 is showing off his improved defense early on #ConlanMarriaga pic.twitter.com/nhvoKzmxJq
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) August 6, 2022
In the 7th round, the referee recorded a non-disputable knockdown – Marriaga slipped, but there was also a check-hook from Conlan.
First knockdown scored for @MickConlan11 #ConlanMarriaga pic.twitter.com/HmxqcFior5
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 6, 2022
Perhaps the third in the ring did everything honestly, since he interpreted about the same episode in the opening round in favor of the guest. Another knockdown in favor of Conlan was recorded in the 8th round. This one is still sucked from the finger.
Marriaga touches the canvas again #ConlanMarriaga | LIVE on @ESPN Plus pic.twitter.com/fvZi4H9GZK
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 6, 2022
An incredibly one-sided fight, and Marriaga has something incomprehensible with his uniform – he is like a deer on ice.
In the 9th round, the guest fell twice. The referee missed the first fall, rightly counted the second as a third knockdown. It looks like we’re going to have a rout!
In the decisive three-minute period, Marriaga broke Conlan’s head (they clashed), went for broke. The favorite at first decided to run away, then drove the aggressor away with blows to the body. Fantastic performance from Conlan. Albeit not on the first try, but this one may very well soon become a world champion.
The score of the judges: 99-88, 99-88 and 99-89 in favor of the favorite.
Conlan UD 10.
