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Gareth Fullerton

Michael Conlan outlines 'winter wonderland dream' after beating Miguel Marriaga

Michael Conlan admits it would be a "winter wonderland" if he got to fight in New York this Christmas.

The Belfast featherweight hopes to return before the end of the year after outclassing Miguel Marriaga on Saturday night.

Conlan's dominant performance has put him back in world title contention, and another shot at realising his lifelong dream.

Read more: Michael Conlan says he 'exorcised some demons' with Miguel Marriaga win

The 30-year-old still craves a rematch with Leigh Wood, the WBA champion who inflicted a first loss on Conlan back in March.

But the Falls Road boxer says he will sit down with his team to plot the next move, with a possible festive bout at Madison Square Garden in the pipeline.

"Wouldn't it be a dream. A dream," Conlan said.

"A winter wonderland. We will go back and speak to Top Rank and see what the plans are.

"If the Leigh Wood fight can be done then great. I know Eddie Hearn reached out to Top Rank earlier in the year about doing it in the winter.

"But Leigh has his own situation now and you can't blame him for that. Whatever happens will happen."

Conlan soaked up the atmosphere at the SSE Arena on Saturday, with around 9,000 fans providing a cauldron of noise for his ring walk.

He believes he showed maturity in blanking out the noise and putting in a measured, composed performance against Marriaga.

"The crowd was unbelievable. That was my first experience of the full arena because when I last fought here it was half," he added.

"It was like a cauldron. But when you watch it back, I didn't let the crowd get to me. I was calm and blanked it all out.

"In the Wood fight, I was fired up big time and going crazy. And that was inexperience.

"It was the English-Irish thing as well, going to war and all that. And I had people shouting 'f*** you' as I walked to the ring. I loved it.

"But now I have experienced that I can control it a lot more."

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