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Gareth Fullerton

Jamie Conlan on handling brother's abuse, online trolls and 'a******* opinions'

Jamie Conlan accepts there will always be critics and online trolls who will portray his brother in a false light.

Michael Conlan is a former world amateur champion who stands on the cusp of greatness in the professional ranks.

Next month the Belfast featherweight will challenge Luis Alberto Lopez for the Mexican's IBF belt at the SSE Arena.

Read more: Conor Turbitt and Ethan Rafferty deliver verdicts on Armagh's defeat of Antrim

But for all the 31-year-old's talents inside the boxing ring, he polarises opinion outside it.

Michael has previously admitted as much, joking that some people probably think he's a "mad bigot".

His career has been punctuated by hype, fanfare, success and controversy.

One flashpoint came in 2019 when Michael headlined Madison Square Garden Theatre on St Patrick's Day. His ring walk song that night was the Wolfe Tones’ Celtic Symphony which contains the lyric ‘Ooh Ahh Up The Ra’.

Jamie believes many people cemented their opinion of Michael based on that one evening in New York four years ago.

"Michael deals with the criticism a lot better than I do. He is a lot more bullet proof than me," Jamie said.

"But I see exactly the family man he is. People don't see it.

"They see Michael for a walk-out in 2019. And they still bring it up now.

"It shows you the fickle minds out there. Social media can be a very fickle place and a cesspit for people to voice their opinions.

"But opinions are like a********. Everyone has one.

"And some of them stink. Really stink."

Jamie and Michael Conlan (INPHO/Presseye/Jonathan Porter)

Michael lost out in his previous world title attempt last year, suffering a devastating knockout defeat to Leigh Wood in their Fight of the Year in Nottingham. It was a painful loss for a boxing family who came within seconds of realising a lifelong dream.

On top of dealing with that defeat, Conlan also faced a wave of vitriol that poured onto social media in the aftermath of the fight.

Jamie admits the barbed criticism is tough to handle, especially when it is aimed at a family member.

"How do I deal with it? I just know Michael," he said.

"Whatever everyone else says online, is not a true reflection of my brother. I know my brother and how he is, with his kids, at home, things like that.

"I know how he is at the gym and how he is as a person. And I know how he is across both communities.

Michael Conlan (Inpho)

"I know they like to label him as different than he truly is. What he does for communities and charities, I know all that.

"And I always go back to that. And I can't let other people's opinions dictate what I think of him."

He added: "The spotlight can be very daunting. He has adapted well and he is built himself a bullet proof resolve.

"I see a lot of the negativity online. people can talk all they want.

"The loss to Leigh Wood wasn't your average loss. It was a crazy fight, fight of the year.

"The build-up wasn't nice, there was a lot of temper. And to lose in the final 30 seconds was tough.

"But it shows how tough mentally and physically Michael is to come back. He could have walked away, but he identified the true manner of what he wants to be.

"And the essence of why he is doing this sport, and he has more to give."

Jamie also believes the best answer to any critic would be for Michael to win the IBF World featherweight title on May 27.

"To be the only Irishman to win a world title as an amateur and professional would be historic. May 27 could be historic for Irish boxing and for Michael," he said.

"He is the only male Irish boxer to win an amateur world championship. Nobody else has done it in male boxing.

"And when you think of all the great Irish boxers we have had, from Paddy Barnes, Paul Griffin, Kenny Egan, Darren Sutherland, Carl Frampton.

"Nobody has been able to do what Michael has done as an amateur, and now he wants to do it as a professional.

"It is a tough fight but he is determined to do it."

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