Brisbane-based boxer Conor Wallace is lucky to be still fighting after suffering a serious scare while training for his upcoming world-title eliminator bout.
Wallace, who squares off with Jerome Pampellone in a light-heavyweight showdown at Sydney’s ICC Theatre on Wednesday night, could have been seriously injured after a boxing ring collapsed while he was sparring two weeks ago.
The former sparring partner of UFC icon Conor McGregor was stunned from the bizarre incident that sent him flying into a window.
Unbelievably, the power-punching southpaw decided to continue sparring after dusting himself off and attending to cuts on his arm.
‘It was a bloody shock. The ring collapsed and Conor went through the window,’ his manager Steve Deller told News Corp.
‘Conor stepped backwards and the ropes just gave way. He went through the window and smashed it elbow first.
‘He could have severed a tendon on his arm. We’re a bit more than lucky, mate, we were s****ing ourselves.
‘He got up and had a few small cuts. It was a shock, but Conor said let’s keep going and he went to the next ring and boxed on.
‘That sums him up. Conor is tough as nails and he’s hungry to win this fight and put himself in contention for a world title.’
Wallace insisted that the ring malfunction wasn’t going to stop him from training for the upcoming fight.
‘The ring snapped and I hit the glass, but it didn’t faze me,’ he said.
‘It could have been a lot worse, but I didn’t need any stitches and I’m sweet now.
‘I’m so close to a world-title shot now, I’ve been dreaming of this moment since I was a little boy.’
If Wallace wins on Wednesday night, he could find himself taking on the likes of Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol in the near future.
In the main event, Nikita Tszyu will have the toughest test of his career when he takes on Sydneysider Koen Mazoudier.