Conlan-Marriaga official for Aug. 6 on ESPN+

Conlan will make his return to Belfast after exactly one year away

Michael Conlan’s got a dance partner for his August 6th homecoming in Belfast. Top Rank announced today that “The Mick” will face former title challenger Miguel Marriaga atop an ESPN+ broadcast from SSE Arena.

The fight will be Conlan’s (16-1, 8 KO) first since going to war with Leigh Wood in March, a clash that saw Conlan dominate early before Wood clawed his way back into it and starched Conlan in the final round. It was one of the gnarlier finishes we’ve seen in a while, so five months feels like a bit of a quick turnaround, but he subsequently got the all-clear to compete

“I’m very excited to be back fighting in my beloved Belfast,” Conlan said. “Miguel is a great fighter, and together we’ll give the fans a memorable night at The SSE Arena. This bout will get me straight back in the mix for world titles, and I’m relishing the task at hand.”

This is familiar territory for the 35-year-old Marriaga (30-5, 26 KO), who’s been playing the role of Opponent since a slightly closer-than-expected 2015 loss to Nicholas Walters. He has, to use the common parlance, shared the ring with the likes of Oscar Valdez, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Joet Gonzalez, and Eduardo Ramirez. He’s as good a comeback foe as any.