Michael Conlan vs Kevin Walsh: Belfast Test on Borrowed Time

Michael Conlan’s return to Belfast is less about celebration than reckoning. At 34, with two failed world title attempts already behind him, this fight is another sorting bout disguised as a homecoming. Kevin Walsh is unbeaten, confident, and brought in to see what Conlan has left when the crowd is loud and the pressure tightens.

Conlan meets Walsh on March 20 at the SSE Arena, putting his WBC International featherweight title on the line. Conlan is 18-3, Walsh 19-0.  One man trying to claw his way back toward relevance at world level. The other trying to force his name into conversations it has not yet earned.

The tension sits there from the start. This could be Conlan’s last fight in Belfast. Fighters rarely say that without believing it.

Conlan has always boxed with precision and economy, preferring control over chaos. His problem at elite level has been durability when the pace turns ugly and exchanges refuse to tidy themselves. Walsh comes in as a Brockton pressure fighter who throws straight and looks to make opponents work every minute.

Conlan admitted as much when discussing the assignment. “I am ready and excited but know I face a very tough opponent in Kevin Walsh, who promises to bring the heat.” The line reads clean, but the subtext matters more. Walsh is here to close distance and test whether Conlan still wants to trade under fire.

Walsh’s Record Comes With Questions

Walsh has stopped five of his last seven opponents, though none carry Conlan’s pedigree or ring IQ. His confidence has not wavered. “On March 20th I’m coming to ring Micky’s bell fast!” he said. It is the kind of quote that tells you how he intends to fight, not how refined his approach will be once the bell rings.

The real question is how Walsh reacts if Conlan controls the center, touches him up with the lead hand, and refuses to give him the exchanges he wants. Unbeaten records tend to feel lighter once they are asked to solve problems instead of impose force.

The WBC International belt keeps Conlan in the rankings and buys him relevance in a division that does not wait. Kalle Sauerland acknowledged the stakes without dressing them up. “Mick knows this could be the last time he fights in Belfast, so there’s no room for error.”

That cuts both ways. Conlan still reads distance well and punches straight. Walsh still loads up when he thinks he has momentum. If Conlan can force resets and avoid extended exchanges along the ropes, he should bank rounds. If he cannot, this becomes uncomfortable quickly. Alphabet titles may open doors, but only if the fighter still looks like he belongs on the other side of them.