FILE – Michael Conlan celebrates after defeating David Berna during their featherweights fight at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden on March 17, 2018 in New York City. Abbie Parr/Getty Images/AFP
Irish featherweight Michael Conlan allayed concerns about his health after falling out of the ring in his dramatic 12th-round stoppage defeat to Leigh Wood in their world title contest.
Conlan was up on all the judges’ scorecards heading into the final three minutes but a bruising right hand led to him sagging against the ropes before going through them after his opponent followed up with a furious flurry.
Referee Steve Gray was unable to intercept Conlan in time to prevent a fall to the hard floor and Wood’s emotional celebrations at retaining his WBA featherweight title became muted as his rival was attended to by medics.
The ringside angle of yesterday's unforgettable KO 🎥
Incredible from @itsLeighWood 👏#WoodConlan
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 13, 2022
Conlan was carried out of the arena in Nottingham on a stretcher and taken to hospital before he issued a reassuring update in the early hours of Sunday morning.
He said on his Instagram story: “I’m all good, I’m just getting checked up in the hospital. The CT scan is all clear.
What an absolute warrior @mickconlan11 👏
🎥 @MatchroomBoxingpic.twitter.com/cjRMCc2FlW
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 13, 2022
“Congrats to Leigh Wood, congrats to his team, that was the best shot of the night he got me with at the end. But it is what it is, I’ll be back.”
He added on Twitter: “Definitely want a rematch.”
Conlan looked set to maintain his unbeaten record as a professional as a left hand put Wood flat on his back in the final seconds of the opening round.
“I just hope Michael is all right; I can’t celebrate until I know he is all right,” Wood told Dazn.
“He is so tough and it was a bad knockout so I just want to see he is all right.”