WILLIE LIMOND says he will call time on his 17-year boxing career if he loses to Tyrone Nurse tomorrow night. The 37-year-old former British super lightweight champion will bid to reclaim the belt he relinquished last year when he takes on Nurse on the undercard of the Ricky Burns-Michele di Rocco WBA world title fight at the SSE Hydro.
A trapped nerve forced Limond out of a defence against Chris Jenkins in April 2015. Nurse stepped in and claimed the title at the second attempt at the Manchester Arena, beating the Welshman in November after the two had earlier drawn.
Limond was immediately lined up as the mandatory challenger and now he gets the opportunity to take back his crown on home soil.
He is well aware that his English opponent will not be straightforward and is one that could force him to fulfil a promise he made to himself after a punishing defeat to Anthony Crolla in a British title fight in 2011.
“Ever since the Crolla fight, I’ve said the next defeat is my last. I don’t want to retire, but the decision will be taken out of my hands if I lose on Saturday,” he said. “If he wins it’s a long way back up [for me]. You become a stepping stone for others. I’m not interested in that. I am still performing in the gym and I think I can produce a career-best performance.
“This is a tough fight. He’s a good fighter and a big, rangy guy. I know I am up against it, but I’m confident I have the goods to beat him.”
Limond has so often been the nearly man of Scottish boxing. He has suffered just four defeats in his career and all at the hands of future world champions, but he refutes the idea that he has been unlucky to have met the wrong men at the wrong time.
“I still have the appetite for boxing,” added Limond. “I have surprised myself a little bit [at] just how good a shape I’ve got myself in to.
“I’ve been lucky to be involved in some big fights, I’ve had the privilege of fighting Erik Morales in Mexico in front of 56,000 fans, Alex Arthur, Crolla, you name it. It’s always gone against me, but maybe this time it will go for me.”
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