BOXING:Jamie Conlan looks to close in on World title shot

Belfast Super-flyweight Conlan knows victory at the weekend will propel him towards a World title showdown.

“The WBO have me in a final eliminator for their World title and if I win that I will get a shot at the World champion,” he said.

“All I have to do is get the job done and then move onto the eliminator. Training and preparation is going well and I am looking forward to it.

“On Saturday night I will be defending my Commonwealth title or maybe even fighting for the WBO European title. The African guy I was meant to fight for the Commonwealth title is still waiting on his visa, so it’s wait and see,” he added.

And Conlan admits he is excited about headlining his own show in his home city.

“I haven’t fought here for a few years. It is a great bill with the likes of Paddy Barnes and Steven Ward making their debuts and Tyrone McKenna fighting for a title.

“This is the new wave of fighters coming through and it is exciting times,” he added.

He also turned down the chance to play support to his younger brother Michael at Madison Square Garden on March 17th so he can focus on shouting support instead.

“Mick asked Bob [Arum, Top Rank CEO] and Todd [DuBoef, Top Rank President] about putting me on the show and they said ‘yeah no problem’. But when Mick came back to me and said it I told him I would rather just be there to experience the whole atmosphere and take it in as a spectator, also to be there as a brother.

“I don’t want to have my own story on that night I want to be there and watch his story. It’s something I always said, that I would put his career before my career any day of the week. I have always said, even when I was 13 and 14, that he was the next best thing so I always want to be there when he is doing his thing,” he added.