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Jamie Conlan has been given added belief ahead of Saturday's world title shot thanks to the success of his friend Carl Frampton. Conlan challenges Filipino Jerwin Ancajas for the IBF world junior-bantamweight title at the SSE Arena on the same bill as Frampton, who boxes Mexico's Horacio Garcia in a ten-round non-title featherweight bout. Conlan (19-0, 11 KOs), 31, has risen to world title contention amid an unprecedentedly successful time for boxing in Northern Ireland -- population 1.8million -- with two-weight world champion Frampton one of the nation's most popular sports celebrity. Bantamweight Ryan Burnett holds two versions of the world title and on Saturday Conlan has the opportunity to become the country's second world champion. Conlan is not even top of the bill at the SSE Arena this weekend -- that belongs to Frampton (23-1,14 KOs) who is the nation's biggest ever boxing star and hoping to regain a world featherweight title next year. Also from Belfast are Jamie's brother Michael, a super-bantamweight based in California who has his fifth professional fight at New York's Madison Square Garden on Dec. 9 and flyweight Paddy Barnes, a two-time Olympic bronze medallist who has his fifth professional fight Saturday. "It's a fantastic time for boxing here, it's a bit surreal in fact," Conlan told ESPN. "For years if a show came to Belfast the Irish lads would get used as opponents for the coming through fighters. "But it's fantastic now we have Carl Frampton, Ryan Burnett, Paddy Barnes, myself and Michael who are all worthy of topping bills ourselves. It's bringing the TV cameras over here here and it gives all the fighters on the undercard a chance to impress. "It's a small place Belfast and when you are all doing well it helps push you on. It's a hotbed for boxing at the moment, it's one of the main sports here. I've grown up with the likes of Carl Frampton and Paddy Barnes has been like a part of our family for ten years or so. "My dad [John] was the national [amateur] coach so I know Paddy well and Mick and Carl are godfathers to Paddy's child. We're all rooting for each other when they fight, we're tight knit. "You look at Carl and he's not from Philadelphia, he's not from East LA, he has come from the same streets as us, from the same gyms and come through the same amateur system. It proves that what we are doing in Belfast is working as a whole." After Northern Ireland's soccer team lost out to Switzerland in a World Cup play-off last weekend, Saturday's show and Conlan's opportunity can provide a timely boost for sports fans in the country. Conlan, who trains with coach Danny Vaughan at gyms in Glasgow and Spain, has been sparring with Michael in preparation for Saturday. "We did a week and a bit of sparring early in my camp to get it off to a flying start," Conlan said. "We've sparred together since we were kids. We've learned from each other, we give each other great feedback after the spars." 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Michael, 25, is tipped for great things after turning professional following his middle finger salute to judges following a points loss at the 2016 Olympics. Michael, who won a World Amateur Championships gold medal and a 2012 Olympic bronze medal as an amateur, turned professional with Top Rank and has stopped four opponents from as many fights so far. "I've always said I'm more proud of what Michael has done than what I've achieved in the game myself," Jamie told ESPN. "It's only the start for him and he's very focused and mentally driven." Jamie, who becomes a father in February, is an entertaining, TV-friendly fighter who does not always make fights easy for himself but if he can beat Ancajas (27-1-1, 18 KOs) he can start thinking about emulating his brother Michael and fighting in the U.S. Ancajas, 25, makes a third defence Saturday and is unbeaten since March 2012. "This is another level I'm stepping up to, I've shown different characteristics before but this fight I want to show my boxing ability," Conlan said. "There will be moments when I will be able to box but I will also have to go where I've been before. I'm fighting one of the best fighters in the world at the peak of their career, but I'm comfortable being uncomfortable where as I don't think he is."
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