Conlan Poised for Title Shot with Victory
Kalle Sauerland, promoter of Michael Conlan, believes the Belfast featherweight boxer can secure a top-three position in the WBC featherweight rankings with a win against Kevin Walsh on Friday.
Conlan is set to return to the SSE Arena for the first time since his December 2023 loss to Jordan Gill, facing the undefeated American Walsh this week.
Sauerland expressed confidence that a world title opportunity is attainable if Conlan wins, with WBC champion Bruce Carrington as the target. He highlighted Conlan's drawing power as a significant advantage in arranging major fights.
Previously, Conlan broke into the WBC top 15 after defeating Jack Bateson for the WBC International featherweight title, which is also at stake this week. The team hopes to continue this upward trajectory with a victory over Walsh.
"He's number nine [with the WBC] and I think we can get him into the top three if he wins as he's fighting an unbeaten American, a live opponent with his own ambitions," Sauerland told NI.
"Because he's a ticket pull, his route to a world title is much easier as you have champions who may not be a draw and Mick fills arenas.
"'Shu Shu' (Bruce) Carrington is the one we have identified. He's a good draw, but to sell out the Garden (you need a big name).
"We have that in the background, but I'm confident if we get past 20 March we have a good chance to have a world title next."
Conlan Focused on Title, Not Money
Since returning to boxing last year after a 15-month break following the defeat to Gill, Conlan has been working with Kalle and Nisse Sauerland's Wasserman Boxing, now rebranded as MF Pro.
Sauerland praised Conlan's decision to make a low-profile comeback against Asad Asif Khan on the undercard of Harlem Eubank vs Tyrone McKenna in Brighton last March.
"When you sign him, the first thing you think is it Belfast, Dublin or New York?
"He said he didn't want to be main event and will take less money to be as a co-feature to take the pressure off with a new trainer. That's when you realise as a promoter you're dealing with someone who knows what he's doing.
"That's exactly what he needed, he got the rust off and wanted to be out there away from the limelight to do his thing with Grant [Smith] in his corner.
"He turned down money to do that, so it tells me he's not just in this for a quick buck at the end of his career but wants that world title."
Sauerland, a long-time admirer of Conlan, was pleased to sign the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist in 2025.
Despite high-profile losses in world title fights against Leigh Wood in 2022 and Luis Alberto Lopez in 2023, Conlan remains a prominent figure in boxing. Sauerland finds it puzzling that Conlan has yet to claim a professional world title, given his amateur success and skill level.
"I've followed him for a long time and this chapter for him is the most important one - every fight is massive," Sauerland emphasized.
"When you think he hasn't won a world title, it doesn't feel real.
"He's got all the skills, is from a boxing family, got robbed of the [2016 Olympics] gold medal so we know how good a fighter he is.
"He's come within 90 seconds of a world title [against Wood] but how he hasn't become a world champion is a mystery."
