Crunch Time: Lee McGregor has some big decisions to make, yet insists he still has plenty to offer

UPON listening to the consequence each males dropped to their knees after an exhausting 12 rounds.

The first to sink to the ground appeared virtually incredulous that he didn’t get the choice earlier than a sense of devastation ran by means of him. It was uncooked, it was heartbreaking, it was not what was meant to occur.

Seconds later the person to his proper, the away fighter, slumped to the canvas overjoyed on the consequence, in addition to the prospect of discovering a house for his new IBO super-bantamweight belt. Over 5 thousand miles away from his house in Ensenada this 122lb Mexican terrier referred to as Erik had received the most important battle of his life.

Beforehand, the Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh had tried to create the kind of din they hoped would unsettle Erik Robles Ayala. There isn’t a lot proof to help the speculation that such a noise might rattle any fighter from a rustic the place boxing is a lifestyle, nevertheless.

On the floor, and all through battle week, Lee McGregor was a person of smiles and confidence forward of a bout towards somebody not many knew about. Yet seasoned British battle followers have grown accustomed to being cautious of an unknown Mexican.

Fighting in his house metropolis, stay on terrestrial tv, and in his debut for his new promoters Wasserman… all that was lacking from this story was a contented ending. Boxing, although, doesn’t work like that and actuality bit and bit arduous for McGregor, 12-1-1 (9).

Now, seven weeks on, the 26-year-old tells Boxing News that his first skilled loss is taking time to recover from however realises the longer term can still be vivid.

“Still gutted,” McGregor mentioned.

“I’ve watched it again many occasions and I’ve not come out [and] mentioned a lot concerning the battle. The folks shut to me know the struggles and the issues I had main into that battle. The battle didn’t actually inform that as a result of I fought properly. I believed a gave an excellent account of myself towards an excellent fighter however that was me nowhere close to my finest.

“Preparation for that fight was not ideal; a few issues I don’t want to go on and speak about, but it wasn’t the smoothest camp. I done what I could. I fought my heart out.”

That he did. There had been in reality moments within the battle when it appeared like ‘Lightning’ would strike and take over a contest wherein each males positioned themselves mere inches from each other and let rip to head and physique.

Fighters in the principle don’t need to sound like a sore loser, nor do they need to offer a landslide of excuses which in flip washes away the efforts and resilience of the winner. For this purpose BN didn’t push McGregor for a solution on the ‘issues’ he spoke about however there may be each likelihood one thing within the background could or could not have contributed to his first skilled loss.

The story of Lee McGregor is full of triumph and tragedy, regardless of the actual fact he has solely had 14 fights within the six years he has been an expert. British, Commonwealth and European bantamweight champion after 10 fights was simply trigger to take his profession significantly. However, McGregor was navigating by means of a private hell between 2017 and 2018 with the deaths of his mom, Elizabeth, a cousin, his grandmother, after which his grandfather, Jim Aitchison.

Three years later Lee’s father, Stuart, was taken to hospital after being hit by a lorry in Edinburgh and was left combating for his life. Thankfully he recovered, however when the accident occurred McGregor had been in in Las Vegas coaching for his debut towards Narek Abgaryan in Manchester on the Joseph Parker-Derek Chisora 2 undercard. Naturally, his dad’s situation, in addition to a hand damage, meant the battle and his debut for then co-promoters Matchroom was referred to as off.

When McGregor tells BN, “I’ve been through a hell of a lot,” he means it.

In the grand scheme of issues one defeat in a prizefight mustn’t register enormously inside McGregor’s coronary heart and thoughts given the ache he has skilled shedding family members, yet the loss to Ayala nips at him. There is evident frustration in his voice over the cellphone and, whereas profitable an IBO title might not be for everybody, it was the whole lot to Ayala and McGregor.

The battle occurred on July 21, 4 months after an eight-round runout towards Alexis Boureima Kabore in Newcastle. That adopted a disappointing draw towards common UK customer Diego Ruiz 13 months earlier. All in all, McGregor has fought simply six occasions since his win in an old-school traditional towards Kash Farooq 4 years in the past.

“Inactivity never done me any favours going into that fight,” he insists. “With being so inactive I most likely was the heaviest I’ve ever been.

“People had been saying it was the brand new weight. I’d been so big for bantamweight it was still an actual battle for me to get down to super-bantamweight from the place I’d been as a result of I’d been inactive and never made that weight for over a 12 months. It was 13 to 14 months. The on and off coaching camps all all year long, all of the cancellations within the lead up, and all of the stuff I used to be going by means of properly earlier than that performed an impact and had an impact on me throughout my camp for that battle.

“There was nothing I might do. It was the state of affairs I used to be in and it was a chance I used to be offered with. I used to be by no means ever going to flip it down. I’ve took on any problem that’s been offered to me. I’ve all the time mentioned that my fearless mindset could someday be my downfall. It’s a ‘fight anyone’ angle.

“No-one would have blamed me for saying, ‘Do you know what, I’m going to give this one a miss and have a pair extra to construct my momentum again and get again to the place I need to be. Get rid of some rust,’ blah, blah, blah. It’s the fighter I’m. I’ve been introduced up that means. That’s by no means going to change. Whether you want me or not, whether or not the coach would agree with it or not, that’s who I’m. Like I mentioned, that perhaps was my downfall in that battle. I obtained in there and fought an important battle; the followers beloved it; I watch it again and see a 100 per cent model of myself with the proper way of thinking comfortably profitable that battle. I’d beloved to try this rematch.

“That’s one other dialogue we’re going by means of proper now, when engaged on what the plans are subsequent. I wouldn’t need to go into that rematch and the identical factor occurs as a result of it’s not giving a real reflection of myself as a fighter as a result of I took a number of goodness out of me getting down to that weight. It’s a choice and a dialogue that I’m having with my group simply now and we’re engaged on the subsequent plan, and I think about it’ll be confirmed very quickly what I’m doing subsequent.

“I’m coming back, and I’ll be 100 per cent. The best Lee McGregor is still to come. [There have been] many bumps along the road in my career, as people well know, but I’ve been known to come through every single one and that’s no different this time, either.”

McGregor is inserting stress on himself. He anticipated to by now be a world champion or no less than fought for a world title. The meteoric rise in a four-year, 10-fight interval culminated when he blasted out Karim Guerfi in a single spherical to win the European bantamweight title. Back then, we had been taking a look at a future world title challenger and perhaps even Scotland’s subsequent champion alongside his good good friend Josh Taylor. However, inactivity is one in all many ailments working by means of the game.

Losing to Ayala damage greater than the onslaught of punches the winner produced in waves at occasions. McGregor’s uppercuts and hooks to the physique had been punches that you simply shouldn’t maintain strolling by means of, yet some fighters can proceed to march by means of the fireplace if a single night time’s work goes to change their life.

McGregor needs he had been extra lively however his time with the now-defunct Probellum has hindered him and lots of others. Life at Wasserman, alternatively, is what the Scot has all the time wished. Win or lose he says they’ve his again and are absolutely behind him.

One defeat isn’t the tip of the highway or the start of a slippery descent into oblivion, which is one thing McGregor is aware of higher than anybody. He additionally acknowledges that his subsequent transfer should be the proper one.

“I went straight back in at the deep end,” he says. “I then had a vacation with the household and I’ve been straight again within the gymnasium chipping away.

“The resolution I would like to make now could be whether or not I really feel like I can do super-bantamweight comfortably or not. I might then go straight again into that rematch earlier than the 12 months’s out. But it’s most likely the most important and hardest resolution I’m ever going to have to make in my profession. It may very well be a make or break for me if I used to be to return into that. I do know for a truth I can win that battle arms down. I do know he’s not a greater fighter than me. But I can’t go in and do the identical factor as a result of it’s not giving a real reflection of myself. It’s going to be an actual robust resolution and one which wants to be thought-about fastidiously and that’s what we’re doing proper now.

“I’m not ruling something out yet, however I do suppose it’s a matter of time earlier than I’m a featherweight and after I do ultimately go to featherweight, I’ll have time to actually fill out as a result of I might not be a small featherweight. We simply have to wait and see.

“I’m positive no matter resolution me and the group provide you with it will likely be the proper one as a result of it has to be. I’m getting a bit older now; I’m 26. I really feel like I’ve been within the recreation a protracted, very long time. A few chapters have already been written. I’m well-seasoned however still younger. I believe that’s a profit for me. I’ve skilled the whole lot now.

“I’m trying my best. I’ve not had much luck in terms of personal issues, even career-wise, but now I’m settled and I’ve signed this new deal with Wasserman. Although our first fight together wasn’t ideal, and wasn’t what we wanted, I still feel I gave a really good account of myself and proved I can mix it at the top level. I’m excited to see where I can go. The story is nowhere near finished yet. I do firmly believe I’ll still become a world champion.”