Ciarán Gallagher reports from Brisbane
DONNING A SOMBRERO after stepping off the scales at the pre-fight weigh-in, Aussie underdog Jarrett Owen vowed to fight with Mexican-style heart against Michael Conlan at the Suncorp Stadium tonight.
Owen, a 31-year-old based in Brisbane, goes up against world amateur champion Conlan in a six-round featherweight support bout to tonight’s headline WBO world welterweight title clash between Pacquiao and hometown challenger Jeff Horn.
A local fight time of Sunday noon for Conlan’s fight translates as 3am Irish time as the card has been scheduled to suit US Saturday-night primetime TV.
Belfast native Conlan has been installed high up on the fight card – his fight takes place immediately before the chief support bout – as Top Rank continue their efforts to build the 25-year-old into a future superstar of the sport.
The former world, European and Commonwealth amateur champion is an unbackable 1/200 favourite to ease through his third professional bout, but 20/1 underdog Owen claims he is out to cause a shock.
“Big time. We’re not just here for a pay day, we want to cause an upset. We’re not just here for a good time,” said the Aussie, who carries a modest record of 5-4-3.
“It’s not an opportunity I ever thought would come round so I’m just going to enjoy it. Training’s gone perfectly, so I’ve got nothing to lose,” continued the 31-year-old, whose nickname ‘Juarez’ goes some way towards explaining his choice of headwear.
“I would’ve done this fight for free on any card to fight someone of Mick Conlan’s status with the hype that he’s got behind him. It’s a big opportunity for me. I don’t want to go in there and just lay down, I want to win,” added Owen, who trains out of the Fortitude Boxing Gym in Newstead, Brisbane.
The Aussie originally started his fighting career in MMA before turning over to boxing, fighting 12 times as a pro since his paid debut five years ago.
“I actually had a couple of Muay Thai fights first then I moved into MMA,” he explained. “I didn’t have my first amateur boxing fight until I was 26 or 27, so I’m a bit late to the game.
“But I think I have a lot to offer and I have to take whatever opportunities I can get.”
While Conlan will be expected to easily dismiss his opponent – realistically, the Irishman is highly likely to record another early stoppage – the Aussie is adamant that he will give provide a fighting challenge.
His decision to wear a sombrero to the weigh-in was somewhat ironic considering Conlan’s brother Jamie – a world super-flyweight contender – often wears the same style hat en route for his own ringwalks as it is in keeping with the elder Conlan’s fighting sobriquet, ‘The Mexican’.
With Michael Conlan’s previous opponent – an actual Mexican, Alfredo Chanez – having proved to be an awkward and reluctant foe, leading to a messy and underwhelming finish to their bout in Chicago in May, promoters Top Rank have booked Owen in the hope a local fighter will provide at least offer a fighting challenge for their Irish prospect.
“I can box, but I’ll get drawn into a fight every now and again,” said Owen. “I want to look and see what he [Conlan] comes out with. I don’t think he’s a really aggressive fighter, so I’ll let him do his thing and try and make him miss, but wherever the fight goes I’ll be pretty comfy.”
The fighters weighed in at the Suncorp Stadium today, Conlan clocking the scales at 56.8kg while Owen was 57kg, with both men just below the 126lb featherweight limit.
Conlan is expected to pursue titles at super-bantamweight (122lbs), but the 25-year-old this week opted to fight at a more comfortable weight for his first undercard date.
“Manny [Robles, trainer] thinks I should fight at 126lbs long term, but obviously I want to win a world title at 122,” said Conlan. “At the minute, I just found it easier to fight at this weight here.
“I could have fought at 124 or 122 if I really wanted to, but there’s no point in putting your body under extra stress for a fight that doesn’t really mean anything weight-wise in the sense that there’s no titles on the line.
“For title fights I’ll be at 122,” added Conlan, who hopes Owen will offer a decent test tonight in his third pro bout, although the Belfast man reckons the style of his opponent’s handlebar moustache and sombrero will not stand up to the substance of his shots.
“He’s Australian, he’s game and he’ll come to fight,” said Conlan. “He looks like a bit of a crazy guy with a big moustache and sombrero, but that moustache will only be a wee bit of a cushion for him,” added the Irishman.
TV: Live on BoxNation (Eir/Sky/boxnation.com) from 2am.
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