Featherweight prospect Michael Conlan made it 2-for-2, and now the Irish Olympic star is on his way to Australia for his next fight. In a dominant performance, Conlan knocked out Mexico's Alfredo Chanez in the third round of the main event of Top Rank's "Solo Boxeo" card on Friday night before a crowd of 2,574 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
The victory came two months after Conlan was led into the ring by good pal Conor McGregor, the UFC superstar, and made an electrifying professional debut that he won by third-round knockout against Tim Ibarra before a raucous, sold-out, heavily Irish crowd at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on St. Patrick's Day .
Outing No. 2 was a bit more low-key, as Conlan looks to settle into his career. But with the win against Chanez in the books, he will now head to Brisbane, Australia, where there is a sizable Irish community, including many of his family members, to fight July 2 on the undercard of welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao's defense against Jeff Horn.
With Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel at ringside, Conlan had an easy time with Chanez (4-5, 2 KOs), 27, who lost his third fight in a row but was knocked out for the first time in his career.
Conlan (2-0, 2 KOs), 25, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics and was also a 2016 Olympian, dropped Chanez to his backside with a right uppercut in the first round. Conlan also had a big second round, although he was warned for a low blow by referee Celestino Ruiz.
In the third round, Conlan continued to take it to Chanez, who was knocked off balance repeatedly. Finally, Conlan landed a powerful right hand to the ribs and Chanez went down. Although he beat the count, he was in bad shape and Ruiz waved off the fight at 2 minutes, 59 seconds. Chanez then immediately dropped to the canvas again in pain.
Conlan looked more relaxed and sharper than he did in his pro debut, for which he admitted he was overanxious, but he was still hard on himself.
"I'm not very happy with my performance tonight, but it is what it is, and we got the victory," Conlan said. "This is all part of the process. Next up is Brisbane, Australia. I hope they're ready for the 'Conlan Revolution.'
"For my next fight, I want a better opponent, one that is going to challenge me and that is a real threat. I think with a better opponent I'm going to show what I'm made of and what I can do."
