Dad-to-be Lee McGregor admits he is ready to embrace life changes in and out of the ring as he attempts to get his hands on the vacant Commonwealth belt this evening.
The unbeaten Edinburgh-born bantamweight fights Thomas Essomba at York Hall in London in only his fifth bout since turning professional.
And the 21-year-old knows victory in Bethnal Green could be the first major step towards achieving his dream of eventually becoming a world champion.
It is all go for McGregor away from the sport as well, with partner Amber expecting their daughter in three weeks’ time, and the fighter is determined to be in possession of the Commonwealth title before welcoming his first child into the world.
McGregor, who trains alongside Josh Taylor in Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions stable, said: “I’ll get this fight out of the way then it will be three weeks until my daughter’s due to arrive.
“It will be life changing having a daughter and I get butterflies just speaking about it.
“I’ve obviously been away in camp but Amber is really good and coped well, and understands what I have to do.
“We’ve got her wee room waiting for her and it’s emotional thinking about it. Hopefully everything will come naturally to me once she arrives.
“It’s come at the right time, hopefully I can become Commonwealth champion with this fight.
“This fight is potentially life changing too, hopefully it can help push me on to big things, it would be a definite step in the right direction.”
McGregor, who is fighting on the undercard of Airdrie-based heavyweight Martin Bakole’s bout against Michael Hunter for the vacant IBO Inter-Continental title, only made his professional debut last November with a stoppage of Stefan Sashev at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh and admits he is having to pinch himself with the pace at which his career has taken off.
He added: “It’s bit mad, if you said to me this time last year I’d be going for the Commonwealth belt I wouldn’t have believed you.
“It has come around quick but I think I’ve proved I’ve deserved this shot.
“My team think it’s the right choice and I’m looking forward to it.
“Essomba is a bit older than me at 30 and he’s a tough, strong man; small, stocky and it’s going to be a hard fight – I won’t be able to come out all guns blazing.
“I’m still developing in each fight as I go on and this one is a big one for me.”
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