In his latest column, boxing master of every profession Russ Anber is getting ready for Michael Conlan’s fight with Leigh Wood this weekend for the WBA featherweight title.
I have been fortunate enough to join Mick and his entire team early in his professional career and this fight is what the boy has been waiting for and striving for in his 16 professional matches. myself since then. Interesting. He has wanted to fight for a world title since he gave the finger to corrupt Olympic officials in 2016.
Of course, it won’t be an easy fight. Leigh Wood took the featherweight top spot with a win over Xu Can, which was a huge win for him. That will give him more confidence, but I can assure you one thing, Mick is not Xu Can.
Mick gives a lot of properties to the ring. He can fight inside, he can fight outside, he’s a bigger puncher than he’s recognized for, he has a big heart, great defense and great importance. Most importantly, he understands the science of boxing. All of this gives him a big chance in this fight but we weren’t expecting it to be a walk in the park.
At Thursday’s press conference, Leigh and his coach Ben Davison seemed very respectful so I think they know that this is a serious fight going to be here and I’m sure they’re prepared. suitable.
I’m sure it will be a great fight and I believe that Mick will achieve that dream of being world champion. Not just for himself, but for his family and of course, for Ireland!
Mick has been very relaxed this week. In fact, he’s in the best mind I’ve ever seen from him. Sometimes in the past, when he tried to hit 122lbs, he got a little upset. It’s hard for him to make weight. I think he’s much happier now at 126lbs. He seems very relaxed and very positive.
Mick has been really good to stay this week since I arrived in the UK. A case in point was at public practice when he made me perform some magic tricks in the ring. It was purely Mick’s idea. He grabbed the microphone, introduced me, and took me up there to juggle and do some tricks.
It was so impromptu, I didn’t get a chance to really think about or plan what I was going to do. But you know what? It was so much fun and I’m happy to do it again!
It’s great to be back in a big battle again after what’s been a few weeks off for me. I was unable to participate in Artur Beterbiev’s fight in December against Marcus Browne because I tested positive for Covid. Then I had a double in Callum Johnson’s contest with Joe Smith Jr and Liam Smith’s fight against Jessie Vargas was both cancelled. I feel especially bad for Callum, because now it looks like the fight won’t be rescheduled so he missed a shot at a world title. It seemed that if it weren’t for bad luck, Callum wouldn’t have had any luck at all. At least Liam’s fight is back in April in an even better location, Madison Square Garden.
The past ten days have also changed the world with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Incredibly, just a few weeks before that, we were ready to open a branch of Fighting Boxing in Russia. I’m really proud to say that as a brand we landed in Russia, and now that’s gone.
Of course, this problem is secondary to the terrible sufferings of the Ukrainian people. It breaks my heart to know that people I am so close to are suffering.
It was an unbelievably horrible situation. I have friends in Ukraine, including Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko, who I work with. It’s been a terrible situation for Loma and Usyk, not only in terms of the impact on their careers, but – more importantly – it’s a terrible situation for them, their family and countrymen and their parents. their women in terms of individuals and people. My thoughts and prayers are with them.
Russ Anber is talking to Luke G. Williams.
