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Robert Hynes

World title challenger Michael Conlan fired warning after scoring controversy

Michael Conlan has been warned that he will have to put on a boxing masterclass to win via decision in Leigh Wood's backyard this weekend.

The Belfast fighter faces the WBA featherweight champion in Nottingham on Saturday night as he aims to become a world champion.

But the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist has been told he will need to be at his very best to catch the judges' eyes in light of the controversial decision that awarded hometown boy Josh Taylor a win over Jack Catterall in Glasgow last month.

Read more: Michael Conlan vs Leigh Wood weigh-in sparks fly as Eddie Hearn predicts size issue

Jason Quigley, who has trained with both Conlan and Wood, believes that his former Team Ireland teammate will need to beat the Englishman "well" to have his arm raised.

The Donegal fighter said: "I think that this is a known fact, you're going to the champion's backyard, you need to be impressive.

"If a fight is close, you give it to the home fighter. If a fight is close, you give it to the champion. That's a saying that has been rolling around boxing for years.

"You're going to his backyard, you'll need to put on a hell of a fight to get it. That's kind of been the rule of thumb.

"Michael knows the challenge that he has ahead of him. I think that he's not only going to have to beat him, but he will have to beat him well to get the decision."

Jason Quigley and Michael Conlan (Image: Inpho)

But Quigley was sitting firmly on the fence when it came to calling who he thinks will emerge victorious.

He added: "I'm great friends with Michael and I'm great friends with Leigh. I've been friendly with Michael for longer through the amateur game, but then recently I've been a lot friendlier with Leigh. I trained with him over in Sheffield and he's a really lovely fella, a genuine good lad, and I wish the two of them the very best.

"At the end of the day, do you root for your countryman? Do you root for your good friend? You're kind of all over the place. You don't really want to offend any of them by saying anything because they're two good lads.

"It's the same as any boxer getting into the ring, we know what goes on behind closed doors in training and sparring and injuries in a boxing career.

"You don't wish any fighter any bad luck. You wish that they just get in there, rumble, have a great fight and the best man wins."

Looking back on the judges decision to award Taylor the fight, Quigley says it was "pretty mad", reports the Irish Mirror.

He said: "I've never been asked about a fight as much in my life. I went back and I gave it a good watch and I scored the fight myself and I gave it by three or four rounds to Catterall.

"But a lot of rounds were close. They were scrappy. It was a messy fight. I think the rule that nobody really knows is if a round is close, you give it to the champion. If you can't really decide, you give it to the champion.

"I think the issue with boxing and the judging is what is the criteria for judging a fight?

"And if a fight has a crazy scorecard, have the judge come out and fight his own case and be able to say 'I scored it this way because this, that and whatever'.

"I know it won't please everybody. Everybody is going to have an opinion no matter what, especially the fans of a fighter are going to see it with different eyes than a non-fan would see it, but that would be my suggestion to come out with some sort of criteria of this is how you score a professional boxing fight and if it is a crazy score to have the judge sit down and do an interview to explain his actions."

Read more: Michael Conlan vs Leigh Wood betting odds favour challenger

Read more: Michael Conlan embraces calm before the storm as he promises clinical world title win

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