BoxRec

Top Rank’s August 15th Belfast doubleheader has its first complete matchup. Irish News reports that while Carl Frampton still has a date with TBA, former Olympian Michael Conlan will face recent title challenger Sofiane Takoucht.

Conlan (13-0, 7 KOs) avenged his infamous Rio defeat to Vladimir Nikitin this past December with a comfortable decision victory, earning his third win of 2019 and his sixth at Madison Square Garden. As the WBO’s top contender at 126 pounds, he has clearance to fight Top Rank stablemate and former super bantamweight champion Emanuel Navarrete for the vacant belt Shakur Stevenson left behind in his move to 130 pounds, but instead gets a soft touch in Takoucht (35-4-1, 13 KO).

The 34-year-old Frenchman brought an empty eight-fight winning streak into his October bout with Josh Warrington, where he got the ignominious honor of being the IBF champion’s seventh knockout victim in 30 pro fights. He figures to pose no threat whatsoever to Conlan.

BLH

Only just realised Warrington and Conlan same weight. Josh bladders him.

Delta Jay wrote: ↑20 Jul 2020, 08:56 Only just realised Warrington and Conlan same weight. Josh bladders him.

I've just read on Twitter than Conlan has decided to drop down to SB, where the WBO have already accommodated him in their rankings. I'm sure it's nothing to do with their formidable champ at that weight moving up [inserts massive fornicating sarcasm emoji].

https://www.wboboxing.com/wp-content/themes/wbo/pdf.php

Yep, there he is, number 3 at Super Bantam.

Just can't take to Conlan and the cherry picking easy rides he gets ,, Well not just Conlan theres a good few others has well , Conor Benn being another one

I don't think anyone here has ever mentioned Sofi's boxrec rating before

Benn's side at least went for Jenkins next, that and the last guy would be nice steps forward. Too bad FW said no, maybe just can't bear the thought of his man losing to Eddster's man Connie, perhaps by big stoppage

Conlan's opp, well it hasnt been terrible but can't say there has even been 1 interesting opponent, for all his amateur background top rank havent really fast tracked him much. not sure they really have tons of confidence in him or something? compare it to stevenson already getting title fights or top rank getting loma salido and russell in fights 2 and 3. in fact lomas pro debut opponent was prob better than anyone mick fought

magnus wrote: ↑20 Jul 2020, 14:12 https://www.wboboxing.com/wp-content/themes/wbo/pdf.php

Yep, there he is, number 3 at Super Bantam.

Navarette is even worse for him.

Navarette vs Warrington, however, is a fight I’d pay good money for

Conlon will never fight Navarette, he would get annihilated. His cv so far for such a decorated AM is very poor. Just look at Stevenson.....less AM fights and he already won a world title in the same division. And when he won it you didnt hear Conlon call his name out despite both being at top rank. It would have been am easy fight to make.

mick stoppage body shots , needs the fights

Frampton vs. Vardanyan, Conlan vs. Takoucht - Set For August 15

THE FOURTH SHOW of BT Sport's exciting summer schedule has been brought forward and will now take place on Saturday August 15 with the addition of Belfast stars Carl Frampton and Michael Conlan to the card.

The BT Sport-televised show was initially listed to take place on Thursday August 20, but now switches to the previous weekend with the significant bonus of two-weight world champion Frampton and featherweight contender Conlan being drafted into action.

The originally scheduled headliner between Archie Sharp and Jeff Ofori for the WBO European super featherweight title remains on the card along with an IBF European Super-Welterweight title defence for Troy Williamson.

Elite and hugely popular prospect Dennis McCann rounds out the card.

Frampton, 33, who is awaiting confirmation of his challenge to WBO world super featherweight champion Jamel Herring, will take on the Armenian Vahram Vardanyan, who holds a record of 21-1-1.

The Jackal (27-2-0) last fought in November in Las Vegas when he outpointed Tyler McCreary over 10 rounds.

Conlan (13-0), 28, who holds both the WBA and WBO Intercontinental titles, goes up against the experienced Frenchman Sofiane Takoucht (35-4-1).

The Frampton-Vardanyan and Conlan-Takoucht bouts will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, Saturday, August 15, beginning at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+ starting at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.

Takoucht, 34, has been stopped only once in his professional career and is a former IBF International champion and world title challenger. His single stoppage came in his full IBF title challenge against Josh Warrington in Leeds back in October of last year.

The unbeaten super featherweight Sharp will clock up his 19th professional fight against the 10-2-1 Tottenham man Ofori. It will represent a fourth defence of his WBO European title for the 25-year-old.

Unbeaten Darlington man Williamson defends his title and his record on the show whilst thrilling prospect McCann, just 19, will be having his seventh professional fight since turning pro in May last year.

This week

Michael ConIan, Carl Frampton: The boxing duo using each other as inspiration on boxing return

There may be no fight fans in attendance, but when Northern Irish boxing duo Michael Conlan and Carl Frampton step back into the ring on Saturday, they will have the backing of their biggest supporters: each other.

Conlan (13-0, 7 KOs), 28, boxes Ardennes, France-based Sofiane Takoucht (35-4-1, 13 KOs) in his first fight since he beat Russian Vladimir Nikitin via unanimous points decision at Madison Square Garden, New York, last December.

Conlan has spent the last two months training in London and is aiming to eventually become a three-weight world champion along with friend Frampton, who is also boxing on Saturday's ESPN+ show at a television studio in London without fans due to coronavirus restrictions.

Frampton has already won belts at junior featherweight and featherweight and has been an inspiration for Conlan, who is five years younger and now operating two weight divisions below.

"Becoming a three-weight world champion would be creating history for Irish boxing as no one has done it before," Conlan told ESPN.

"Hopefully Carl can beat me to it, but if he doesn't do then I will be doing my best to become the first Irish boxer to be a three-weight world champion. I'm friends with Carl and in my opinion he's the best boxer from here [Northern Ireland and Ireland] ever with what he has achieved. He's the best fighter we've had from here.

"It gives you inspiration and belief seeing what he has done. He has come from the same working class background as me, same city, and I know him, so yeah, it's inspiring. I want to emulate that or even better what he has done. If Carl doesn't do it [three-weight world champion], I want to do it."

Frampton (27-2, 15 KOs), 33, who faces Darren Traynor (16-3, 7 KOs) in a ten-round non-title bout on Saturday, is a big admirer of Conlan's skill set and is convinced he will fulfil his potential.

Frampton told ESPN: "He's one of the most skilled boxers I've seen and certainly the most skilled fighter from Ireland.

"I always thought he was a big featherweight but he knows his body more than anyone else and says he can do 122 lbs, so he's going to be a very hard task for anyone at junior featherweight."

Meanwhile, Conlan reckons he can eat some of his own baking creations and still make the junior featherweight limit.

"I could have made junior featherweight for this fight against Takoucht, but it is actually going to be at featherweight," Conlan said.

"I can make junior featherweight easily so I've not had to be too strict with my diet. When I'm making weight I can probably eat a bit of cake and still make junior featherweight."

Conlan is dropping down a division after finding he could comfortably make the junior featherweight limit of 122 lbs since beating Nikitin.

"It's a natural move to 122 lbs, it's not about titles or anything else," Conlan added.

"I put going to 122 lbs on hold for a bit and for the Nikitin fight. There was nothing in the pipeline during lockdown, no fights, so I started eating normally again. I've always been in the gym and making weight and I don't think that's healthy all the time. The lockdown gave me time to press the reset button and the weight has just come naturally.

"The realization that I could easily make 122 lbs and be strong at that weight made the decision of where I should be boxing. It's always been my dream to be a three-weight world champion -- junior featherweight, featherweight and junior lightweight -- and that's possible again now.

"I'm naturally stronger at 122 lbs and I'm stronger now after the lockdown period than I was before it. I'm doing a lot more with strength and explosiveness than I have in my whole career, I feel I'm coming into my prime."

Conlan, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics and turned professional after controversy ended his 2016 Olympics, hopes to face the winner of recently-crowned WBO junior featherweight champion Angelo Leo (20-0, 9 KOs), from Las Vegas, against Stephen Fulton (18-0, 8 KOs), from Philadelphia.

"I was ranked No. 1 as a featherweight with the WBO so I'm going to be in a mandatory position and will fight the winner of Angelo Leo versus Stephen Fulton," Conlan added.

"The move to 122 lbs -- it's not like it just came along, it's happened naturally and was looking that way before Nikitin. I've got myself in the best shape I've ever been in, I've trained right through since the Nikitin fight."

Mick been underrated his whole career outside Ireland. I think the boy is class boxer but I can see why the doubt. Did he leave it to late not sure myself but he has to step it up now. I think he can
. He's got big heart good chin with his boxing moves well might not be a concussive puncher but has enough to hurt and keep fighters walking through. I am 50/50 will he be a champ. Think he can

I have a feeling Conlan is going to stink out the joint

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑20 Jul 2020, 22:24 I don't think anyone here has ever mentioned Sofi's boxrec rating before

Ha, I plead guilty. I also seem to remember that in its preview Boxing News gave that matchup against Warrington 'a 3 out of 5 - fair' rating.

i thought this was a good performance by mic stopped the man too, aint even on 15 fights yet , he beats josh warrington

Ya, stopped a man in 10 that Josh already stopped in 2 , Josh would overwhelm Conny, I am not sure that Conlan would've won 1 fight had he been the one in with Selby, Frampton, and Kiddo. Maybe he will prove me wrong, but he'll have to step up to show that.

He's a good fighter but just seems always to lack that something about him that makes him stand out to me

Warrington would walk through Conlan. All that flashy amateur posturing by Conlan wouldn't work against Josh.