Featherweight prospect and two-time Irish Olympian Michael Conlan, a popular draw in New York’s Irish community, will fight at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick’s Day weekend for the third year in a row, Top Rank made official on Wednesday.
Conlan will take on Ruben Garcia Hernandez in the 10-round main event on March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day – on a card that will stream live on ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET for main card with full card streaming beginning at 3 p.m. ET).
Conlan sold out the MSG Theater for his professional debut on St. Patrick’s Day eve in 2017 and also fought there last year.
“I’m excited and honored to fight at my home away from home, the Mecca of boxing, Madison Square Garden, on St. Patrick’s Day for the third consecutive year,” Conlan said.
“The fans in New York City have been incredibly supportive of my professional career, and I look forward to putting on a show for them, in addition to my great fans from Ireland who will be coming over for the party in Manhattan.”
Conlan (10-0, 6 KOs), 27, of Northern Ireland, went 5-0 in 2018, including finishing the year with his first scheduled 10-round fight, a decision over Jason Cunningham in Manchester, England.
Hernandez (24-3-2, 10 KOs), 25, of Mexico, is coming off an eight-round draw on Dec. 21 and has only lost to four-division world titleholder Nonito Donaire, former world titleholder Randy Caballero in his only stoppage defeat and fringe featherweight contender Rafael Rivera.
There are two other bouts, both scheduled 10-rounders, on the main card.
Former junior featherweight world titlist Jessie Magdaleno will move up to featherweight to face former junior lightweight world title challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz, who will fight in the featherweight division for the second fight in a row after moving down in weight.
Magdaleno (25-1, 18 KOs), 27, of Las Vegas, will be fighting for the first time since April, when he lost his junior featherweight world title by 11th-round knockout to Isaac Dogboe in a highly competitive and action-packed fight.
“It’s going to be that classic Mexico versus Puerto Rico battle,” Magdaleno said. “That’s the type of fight that the fans love to see. It’s two warriors that like to scrap and bring excitement, so I know I have to be 100 percent ready, and I’m ready to show the fans that I’m back.”
Diaz (24-1, 16 KOs), 24, of Puerto Rico, will be looking for his second win in a row since getting knocked down and suffering a decision loss to Masayuki Ito for a vacant junior lightweight world title in July.
“Facing Jessie Magdaleno represents a new opportunity to battle against top fighters,” Diaz said. “I don’t like going the easy route. I am a warrior, and I want to face the best. That’s why I always work hard. March 17 will not be different. That will be the time to shine against the best. Magdaleno is a great challenge because he is a former world champion who will come with plans to get a victory that positions him to challenge for a world title in a second division. But that’s also what I want. I want another world title shot, and Magdaleno is in my way.
“I know that with the great (trainer) Freddie Roach in my corner, my hunger for triumph, my willingness to leave everything in the ring, and my desire to be the best featherweight in the world, I will achieve my dream of becoming a world champion.”
Also, Brooklyn native and former welterweight world titlist Luis Collazo (38-7, 20 KOs), 37, will face Samuel Vargas (30-4-2, 14 KOs), 29, a Colombia native fighting out of Toronto.
Collazo has won two in a row since a knockout loss challenging titlist Keith Thurman in 2015, a layoff caused in part by surgery on a ruptured biceps.
“I’m eager to get back in the ring and show the fans that I’m still an elite welterweight,” Collazo said. “Every time I fight, I give my blood, sweat, and tears. Brooklyn is going to be in the house on March 17. Samuel Vargas is in for a rude awakening. After I take care of business, I’m coming for all the top welterweights.”
Vargas notched a win in December to bounce back from a decision loss to Amir Khan in September in a fight in which Vargas got knocked down twice but he also dropped Khan.
“For a kid who came from Colombia with nothing, trying to make a name for himself and a better life for his family, fighting at Madison Square Garden feels like a dream come true,” Vargas said. “I’ve fought on some of the biggest stages in the world, but this is where every fighter envisions themselves fighting. It’s an opportunity I won’t let go to waste.”