Michael Conlan was dropped and then stopped by English boxer Jordan Gill in the third defeat of his professional career.
It will be a tough one to take for Conlan, dropped in the second round in front of his hometown crowd, and then stopped in the seventh as Gill took over with a flurry of punches to take the WBA International super-featherweight title.
Referee Howard Foster stepped in to end the fight at that point, as another title-bout slipped through the cracks for Conlan, who has also lost deciders to Luis Alberto Lopez and Leigh Wood in recent times.
Having stated beforehand that should Conlan lose, 'his career is over,' Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn admitted afterwards that
'it will be very difficult' for the Belfast fighter to recover.
The 32-year-old himself stated that his immediate plan is 'to take some time out and be with my family,'
"Tonight just wasn’t my night," he tweeted.
"I’m going to take some time out and be with my family.
"Congratulations to Jordan Gill who was victorious tonight.
"Belfast, as always thank you from the bottom of my heart for turning out in your numbers again," he concluded.
https://twitter.com/mickconlan11/status/1731118677020258571
After the fight, Ireland's former World Champion Andy Lee said this would probably mean the end of Conlan's boxing career. Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live, the Limerick man also called on the Irish public to appreciate 'all he has done for sport in Ireland.'
"From an Irish point of view, it's a sad moment and sad to see one of the great campaigners of Irish boxing probably finish his career like this.
"Let's not forget all he has done for the sport in Ireland, two time Olympian, Olympic medallist and world amateur champion and a two time world title challenger."
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