SIGNIFICANT decisions lie ahead for Lee McGregor. The undefeated Edinburgh boxer returns to the ring on Wednesday for his first appearance since adding the British title to his Commonwealth belt following a compelling contest against Kash Farooq in Glasgow nine months ago.
The ferocity of that fight – and the contentious nature of McGregor’s points victory – has led to a clamour for a rematch. That remains an appealing prospect for the MTK fighter, as does the possibility of a shot at the European title or a crack at former world champion Paul Butler.
Making the 118lb (8st 6lbs) bantamweight limit, however, is proving increasingly tricky for the rangy McGregor. He admits he “wasn’t healthy” ahead of the Farooq bout having had to put his body through some unpleasant business to stay within the limit. Mercifully he stints on the details.
His fight this week with Ryan Walker sees him return to super-bantamweight where the additional 4lbs – plus the advice of a new nutritionist – have him feeling in better shape.
Ideally he would like Farooq – who has signed up with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom team – to agree to also step up to join him at this weight. Failing that, McGregor will have to decide which path he wants to go down.
“It’s no secret that I’m big for bantamweight and it would be nice to test the waters at super,” he said. “But this is the best that I’ve felt this close to a fight for a very long time. This is the first time I’ve had a nutritionist on board and it helps having an extra 4lbs. It’s not set in stone what I’m going to do after this fight but I’m more than happy to jump between the weights and see what opportunities are there.
“If I was given a big fight at super-bantamweight then 100 per cent I would take it. But I also don’t want to give my belts up too easily either as I worked so hard to get them. I wouldn’t want to lose them just because I couldn’t make the weight any more.
“But I would rather do that than taking it one fight too far and I end up losing my belts in a way that I really don’t want, which is in the ring. So me and my team need to make that decision wisely.”
The reaction to McGregor having his arm raised in the Emirates Arena last November sparked a social media inquest, with the general consensus that Farooq had done enough to win.
That undoubtedly still grates on McGregor who would like a second chance to end any doubts over who is the better boxer.
“Kash’s chance to beat me has been and gone,” said the 23-year-old. “If he couldn’t beat me that night then he won’t beat me the next time. People have their opinions and think he won that night but that was his best chance to get his hand raised against me.
“If we were to fight again it would be a totally different me. It wasn’t nice having to make the weight the last time. I did things wrong. You look at the photos of the weigh-in and I wasn’t healthy. It affected my performance but champions have a way of coming out on top. And I dug in and got the decision.
“Next time I want there to be no doubt about who the winner is. I’m a whole new different fighter. I’m all go on my side if the terms are right.”
Hearts fan McGregor will sport a new pair of maroon and white gloves in the ring this week. His ideal fight would take place at Tynecastle but he would not say no if asked to appear at Easter Road either.
"It's still my dream to fight at Tynecastle one day. Maybe the Kash rematch could take place there which would be amazing.
"Hearts are backing me all the way and I've got them more involved now so you never know. I feel that it's only a matter of time now before we get that fight at Tynie. You'd want the fans there, of course, but when the time is right it will be incredible.
"But if Josh ever asked me to fight on the undercard if he got his own dream fight at Easter Road then 100 per cent I would do that too. I want the whole city of Edinburgh behind me – the whole country in fact. I never wanted to separate Hearts and Hibs fans or have Hibs fans not liking me. And I've never rubbed it in about results or anything like that.
"I'm just a boyhood Jambo who's loving that they're now getting behind me. But I want everyone to back me, regardless of what football team they support. And if Josh asks me to fight at Easter Road I'd be up for that too."
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