World-rated light heavyweight Conor Wallace 12-1 (9) believes Jack Gipp 7-0 (3) has bitten off more than he can chew ahead of their 10-round fight at the Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on March 17 live on DAZN.
The 27-year-old Irish-born, Australian-based southpaw has always dreamed of boxing on St Patrick’s Day and says it give him the extra motivation to train hard when he is feeling the pinch in the gym.
“On the days you don’t feel like training, you just think about what the crowd is going to be like and the buzz that will be there,” Wallace told The Ring.
“I’ll get excited walking into the stadium and seeing all the people sitting in the Irish bar with the Conor Wallace shirts on. That’s what really drives me and motivates me. It’s another step towards that world title shot.”
Wallace gatecrashed the world rankings last year and is now rated in the lower half of the top 10 by the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF.
He isn’t about to allow Gipp, 25, from the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria to rip away he chance at a world title shot.
“I do believe it is a step up for him, but that’s good,” Wallace said. “We know he had a good amateur career himself. He’s going to be young and hungry and he’s coming for the [regional] belt, so he’s got no pressure on him or anything.
“The pressure is on me but I’m training hard, I’m training like the underdog myself. Every fight from here for me is like a world title fight because if I lose, I slip down the rankings. I worked too hard my whole life to get to where I am to let some guy from Melbourne come up here and take it off me.
“I’m looking forward to St Patrick’s Day. It’s going to be a massive day and it’s a big day for me and all of the Irish. The Mat Sheehan fight was supposed to be on St Patrick’s Day last year but due to the hand surgery I had after the Leti Leti rematch it was pushed back, so to get to do it this year, I’m really excited and I do believe it will be the most amazing one yet.”
He added: “We will be ready. He has definitely never fought anyone like myself. Not being cocky or big-headed, but I think he knows that himself.
“I know I’m not overlooking Jack Gipp or anything, but I need to do away with him to get to where I want to be going.”
The six-foot-three Wallace had built a solid fanbase in Australia with his aggressive and entertaining syle that has seen him knock out three-quarters of his profesisoanl opponents to date.
“If you watch any of my fights and the crowds I bring to my fights, they’re getting bigger and bigger all the time. It’s almost like home for me here now,” Wallace said.
“If you’ve watched me on TV or seen me live, the crowds get bigger and bigger every time. And I love that, the big nights and the big fights. That’s why you do it.”