Viewpark boxing ace Michael McGurk wins WBC Youth title despite horrific clash of heads

Michael McGurk is pictured after Fridays win with (from left) Lawrence Murphy, Willie Limond (promoter) and Michael Murphy (Submitted pic)

Bellshill-born McGurk (23) landed the vacant WBC Youth Silver Super Welterweight title with a points success over Kazakhstan fighter Yernar Yeshinov in Southampton on Friday night.

The Viewpark ace sustained a horrific gash from the third round head collision, which eventually saw the fight stopped in round six and McGurk claim a 59-56 points victory.

“It was a really bad cut,” McGurk told the Motherwell Times. “I couldn’t see out of my right eye for two rounds.

“But I think if it had gone another two rounds I would have stopped him anyway.

“I was very pleased with the performance.

“He was tiring massively in the fight and using dirty tricks, low blows and coming in with his head very often.

“He was doing it deliberately. If you are low blowed you are entitled to five minutes’ rest but he was tiring so I thought I would just get on with it.”

Although Yeshinov started the fight strongly, McGurk went on to dominate and land some great right hands and left hooks.

McGurk, whose professional record now reads nine wins out of nine, added: “He got the shock of his life because he thought he was going to steamroller me in the first round, which he’d done to every other opponent.

“It was the first time I’d ever been cut, but I didn’t panic and stuck to my game plan.

“It’s unbelievable to win this title. It’s a really good one to hold.”

Michael – who praised his corner men Michael and Lawrence Murphy – said he also appreciated the loud backing from family and friends in Southampton.

He thanks his sponsors Horshoe Bar of Uddingston, Taste Budz of Bellshill and Animalia.