When Kash Farooq was forced into premature retirement towards the end of 2021, a piece of Lee McGregor went with him.
The pair had posted a late contender for Scottish fight of the decade when in November 2019 they traded blows for 12 exhilarating rounds inside Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.
Farooq and McGregor had long been talked up as future world champions and the show they put on that night did nothing to change anyone’s thinking. McGregor got the nod from the judges to add the British bantamweight strap to his Commonwealth belt but it was a close fight and either man could have got the decision.
Despite talk of an immediate rematch, the duo set off instead on different paths. Farooq got in tow with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom organisation and progressed to become WBC international champion. McGregor won then retained the European belt.
Like magnets, however, the two Scots kept being drawn back to each other and plans were set in motion for a heavily anticipated rematch. Alas, before the pair could meet in the ring again, Farooq was forced into hanging up his gloves on health grounds.
McGregor suffered, too, having had what would have been the most lucrative fight of his career taken away from him. A rivalry that was expected to endure for a decade was sadly extinguished in its relative infancy. McGregor seemed almost lost without Farooq, one man almost defined by the actions of the other.
Now, though, another opponent has emerged to light that spark inside of him again. Lining up opposite McGregor at the Hydro on May 24 will be Nathaniel Collins, the former British and Commonwealth featherweight champion. That Collins hails from the west of the country also ticks the Glasgow vs Edinburgh angle that was a big part of the McGregor vs Farooq rivalry.
McGregor admits he did wonder if he would ever find another Scottish opponent of the same calibre as Farooq but in Collins, undefeated in 15 fights, he believes he has landed the perfect substitute.
“I always felt like I would struggle to ever get a rivalry and a dance partner like I did with the Farooq fight,” admitted the man known as Lightning. “But now we're on the verge of something close to it with Nathaniel so let's see how this fight pans out. Who knows, this could be the start of something special.
“The whole occasion around that fight with Kash was amazing and I feel that is going to stand me in good stead going into this one. What I experienced in the lead up to that fight, on fight night, and just dealing with the occasion means I've been there and I've done it. And I feel like that is going to benefit me going into this fight.
“Again, it's the same Edinburgh versus Glasgow rivalry there. So, it’s all something that I've experienced before so I'm going to use that to my advantage.”
Coincidentally or otherwise, promoters, Queensberry, have chosen to hold their Land of the Brave event – headlined by former undisputed world champion Josh Taylor – on the same date as the Scottish Cup final.
As a massive Hearts fan, McGregor is hoping it could become a memorable day if Neil Critchley’s side could lift the trophy just before he steps into the ring at the Hydro.
“It’s still maybe unlikely but a Hearts-McGregor double with the Scottish Cup final and then the boxing at night could be absolutely insane,” he added. “So we'll see. But either way I know there's going to be a McGregor win that weekend.
“Everyone's hopefully just going to be leaving Hampden and coming straight to the Hydro. Hopefully there are not too many boxing matches after that one! But it's going to be a brilliant sporting weekend regardless of who’s in the final.”
There is much more than bragging rights at stake in this WBC silver bout over 10 rounds, with the winner taking a massive step closer to a world title crack. The thought that he could become a world champion by the end of the year is something that is driving McGregor on.
“Nathaniel is number [five] with the WBC so when I beat him I'm going in at number one or two,” he reasoned. “And then I'm just waiting on my world title shot at Stephen Fulton. Realistically it's possible [that he could become a world champion this year]. But as I've obviously experienced and know first-hand, you can never look too far ahead.
“I can't even get too excited for this fight yet - I'll not be excited until I'm in that ring. So, we just get the head down, get the tunnel vision fixed and roll on to May 24.”
