Jamie Conlan: Belfast fighter confident of world title victory

Jamie Conlan believes his mental strength will earn him victory over IBF super-flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas in Belfast on Saturday.

The 31-year-old gets his first shot at a world title after winning all 19 of his professional fights.

"It's going to be a chess match before I turn it in my favour," said Conlan.

"If we go down the road I've been down many times then it's going to be a dark alley for him - I'm comfortable being uncomfortable, he's not."

It will be a third defence for Filipino southpaw Ancajas as he prepares to fight in front of Conlan's home fans at the SSE Arena.

"He's very technical, everything is professional down to a tee and he doesn't throw crazy punches," added Conlan.

"It will be the type of fight I have to stay on my gameplan and if I make mistakes I've made previously I could be exposed.

"I'm coming into the fight as an underdog and a big underdog at that, so I've nothing to lose.

"I'm here to do the job I've done since I was a 12-year-old and this time I will become world champion."

He will fight on the same bill as fellow Belfast man Carl Frampton, with the former two-weight world champion taking on Horacio Garcia.

It's been a frustrating wait for Conlan to get a crack at a world title, and he considered quitting the sport.

"I just had a fight fall through - this is your job and your relying on that wage," he said.

"I remember leaving the gym, I was near to tears and saying 'this is it, I'm done'.

"To compete at this level you have to be obsessed, you have to have a driven mentality.

"An average person wouldn't put their body on the line for 36 minutes for what we get."