Kevin Walsh scored a huge upset at the SSE Arena in Belfast, as he took the WBC International featherweight title from Michael Conlan, getting on the right end of a dull split decision win to become new champion.
Conlan was beaten in his home city by Walsh who came into the contest a heavy underdog.
A world title challenger twice before, Conlan (20-4, KO10) contemplated retirement after back-to-back stoppage losses to Luis Alberto Lopez and Jordan Gill in 2023, but returned to the ring last March, before taking the vacant WBC International strap last September, stopping Jack Bateson in four rounds in Dublin.
Walsh (20-0, KO10) arrived in Belfast unbeaten, but unproven, completing the ten round distance only once, taking a split decision win against Tramaine Williams last May.
Walsh was last out in November 2025, taking a competitive points win over eight against Jose Nunez Sosa.
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It was a very cagey first round, where neither wanted to commit, and Walsh shaded it with a nice left hook right at the end of the frame.
Conlan was cut from a clash of heads at the same time, and blood poured from his forehead in the second, with the two wildly exchanging towards the conclusion of the round. Walsh had made the better start, but Conlan switched styles to good effect in the third, and marginally got the better of the fourth.
It was a fight with little action of note, with Walsh struggling to find the angles to make an impact, allowing Conlan to keep his man at bay, and the American was growing in frustration.
Conlan worked well to the body in round eight, and he was happy to use his movement to stay out of trouble, as the contest drew to a flat conclusion.
Walsh went for broke at the start of the final frame, landing with a couple of right hands, but Conlan again moved out of harms way to make the final bell.
Two scores of 96-94 were enough for Walsh to take the title, with a third judge tallying 97-93 for Conlan. Rounds were difficult to score, but many felt Conlan had done enough to get the win, but his career now lies in tatters.
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Kieran Molloy beats Xavier Kohlen
On the undercard, Kieran Molloy (14-0, KO7) took the vacant IBF European welterweight title, as he put on a largely dominant display to take a points win against Xavier Kohlen (15-3-1, KO7).
Molloy ran out the victor by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92.
Remaining undercard
Niall Brown (18-0, KO7) stepped up to ten-round level for the first time, and the super middleweight impressed by stopping Celtic champion Darren Johnstone (12-2, KO3) in three rounds.
In eight-round action, Ben Marksby (14-0, KO3) scored only his third early win, as the County Durham native forced Carlos Daniel Cordoba (16-14-1, KO4) to retire after four rounds of battle in their super lightweight meeting. Super featherweight prospect Codie Smith (9-0-1, KO1) also remained unbeaten, taking his first stoppage win as he halted Lee Gormley (6-3, KO1) in the opening frame of their contest, with Gormely down three times prior to the conclusion.
In a six-round affair on the card, Jak Corrie (9-0, KO6) knocked out Jacob Quinn (8-8-1, KO0) in two rounds at super welterweight.
In four-rounders, Kurt Walker (13-1, KO2) returned to action after defeat to Liam Davies last time out, and the Lisburn lightweight banked a points win against Yahir Alexander Solorio Morales (6-22-5, KO2). At super welterweight, Kyle Smith (4-0, KO1) was a points winner over Eduardo Vera Sanchez (2-18-2, KO0).
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