Michael Conlan suffers fifth-round stoppage in Belfast

Michael Conlan suffered a fifth-round knock-out against IBF World Featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez in Belfast.

In front of a packed SSE Arena, local favourite Conlan was outclassed by the hard-hitting Mexican who extends his record to 28-2.

For Conlan it's his second professional defeat after he lost to Leigh Wood in March 2022.

The Irish Olympian, roared on by the Belfast crowd, started well enough and may have just shaded the opening round before rocking Lopez with a powerful right in the second, but that was as good as things were to get for Conlan.

Lopez took control of the fight midway through the third round as he explosive power began to wear down Conlan and the Belfast fighter was hanging on after being caught by a devastating right uppercut and left hook combination.

Conlan was caught by another big combination at the start of the fourth and went into survival mode, moving out of range and trying to catch Lopez on the counter.

When the end came, it came swiftly as Lopez’s power proved to be too much for Conlan who was sent sprawling to the canvas midway through the fifth round as a big left and right uppercut from put him on his back.

Conlan received medical attention before congratulating his opponent, but his disappointment was obvious.