The previous Friday night at Meadowbank turned out to be a disappointing one for super bantamweight Lee McGregor (12-1-1, 9 KOs). The Scottish boxer tasted the bitterness of his first professional defeat, losing a twelve-round unanimous decision to Mexico's Erik Robles.
The contest was nothing short of spectacular, with Robles exhibiting relentless offensive prowess from the opening bell to the last. McGregor, opting to fight on the inside, inadvertently played into Robles' hands.
The match saw judges scoring 115-113, 116-113, and 115-113 in favor of Robles, leading to his crowning as the holder of the vacant IBO world title in the 122-pound division.
McGregor, suggesting that there were undisclosed complications prior to the match, is keen on rectifying the situation with a rematch.
"I was dealing with certain issues entering that fight, and I wasn't at my peak performance, which many are unaware of," McGregor divulged to the Edinburgh Evening News.
"Being at the top of your game is crucial for a fight of this magnitude. However, it was a thrilling contest and I relished being part of it, and I'm delighted that the audience enjoyed it as well. I'm certain that once I resolve these issues, I can defeat him. Without hesitation, I want a rematch. If we disregard the warm-up fight in March, I had a 13-month layoff, so I was lacking momentum. No one would've blamed me if I had decided against it.
"But I demonstrated once again on Friday night the true fighter that I am. I need to have a discussion with my team, but I'm determined to correct my mistakes. The quality of the fight has further ignited my desire for a rematch, which I believe will be a much larger event than it was on Friday. Despite this being my first significant bout in Edinburgh, I made a strong impression. Although the result didn't go as expected, I assure you that I'll rectify my performance and claim that belt."
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