Michael Conlan vs Miguel Marriaga Preview August 6th, 2022
Michael Conlan of Belfast, Northern Ireland returns to the ring in his hometown this Saturday, August 6th as he takes on Miguel Marriaga in a 10-round featherweight tilt. Conlan was beaten for the first time in his pro career in March when he was stopped in the 12th round by WBA Champion Leigh Wood in a thrilling fight. Marriaga last fought in December when he was dropped in the third round and lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Eduardo Ramirez. This weekend’s 12 round bout can be seen live in America on ESPN+ and is also available on the FITE network.
Conlan vs Marriaga Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Miguel Marriaga +700
- Michael Conlan -1250
My Pick
The 30-year-old Conlan carries around a record of 16-1 with 8 Kos. He enjoyed a fine amateur career as he participated in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and was a quarter finalist at the 2011 European Championships and 2011 World Amateur Championships. He won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and a silver medal at the 2013 European Championships. He reached the final eight of the 2013 World Amateur Championships.
He then won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and both the 2015 European Championships and World Amateur Championships before participating in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Conlan also fought in the World Series of Boxing from 2012 to 2015. As an amateur, Conlan lost to Andrew Selby three times as well as Jason Moloney, Robeisy Ramirez and Vladimir Nikitin (twice) and beat the likes of Khalid Yafai, Nordine Oubaali (twice), Jose Diaz and Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
Conlan turned pro back in 2017 and has 127 rounds of experience since. He stands 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 69-inch reach and has average power with a current knockout ratio of 47.6 per cent. Since turning pro he’s captured the vacant WBO Inter-Continental, and vacant WBA Inter-Continental Featherweight Titles, the WBA Interim World Featherweight Crown as well as the WBO Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight Crown.
Conlan has fine boxing skills and can also switch to southpaw at times and be just as effective. He’s not the biggest puncher in the division and has gone the distance in five of his last eight fights. Conlan was ahead on all three scorecards when he was stopped by Wood with scores of 105-102, 104-103 and 104-103. His biggest wins have been against TJ Doheny, Ionut Baluta, Sofiane Takoucht, Kenny Guzman, David Berna, Jason Cunningham, Ruben Garcia Hernandez and Diego Alberto Ruiz. He also avenged his controversial amateur defeats to Nikitin.
The 35-year-old Marriaga has a mark of 30-3 with 26 Kos. His defeats have been to then-WBA Featherweight Champ Nicholas Walters by unanimous decision in 2015 as well as to Oscar Valdez via unanimous decision for the WBO Featherweight Title in 2017. He was stopped after seven rounds by Vasyl Lomachenko for the WBO Super Featherweight Crown in 2017 and dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Joet Gonzalez in September, 2020 for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Featherweight Title and also lost to Eduardo Ramirez his last time out.
Marriaga stands 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 67-inch reach which means he gives up two inches in reach to Conlan. He has 188 rounds under his belt since turning pro in 2009 and has better-than-average power in his fists with a current knockout ratio of 74.3 per cent. He won four straight bouts since losing to Lomachenko with all four of them coming by stoppage but has lost two of his last three. Marriaga likes to initiate the action in the ring while moving forward by throwing power shots to the head and body.
However, he doesn’t really utilize his jab all that well and that could cost him here. His power means that he’s never really out of a fight though as he can turn things around with a single punch. However, when he’s fought upper-class opponents such as Walters, Valdez and Lomachenko for world titles he’s fallen short. Since turning pro he’s won a couple of minor belts such as the WBC Continental Americas, and the WBO NABO Featherweight Titles.
Prediction…
Conlan went toe-to-toe with Leigh Wood in March in a classic bout and came within a couple of minutes of taking his title. It’s perhaps a little surprising that he’s coming back to face a power puncher like Marriaga straight away but it appears he wants to get right back on the horse and isn’t gun shy. Conlan has the skills to be successful against Marriaga and as long as he’s not suffering any after affects from the defeat to Wood should be able to earn another W on his record. He’s the better boxer overall but it should be a close contest.
Conlan rebounds with a hard-fought victory.
Play: Conlan -1250 @ BetOnline.ag
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Michael Conlan betting • Miguel Marriaga betting