Bellshill boxer Michael McGurk impresses by winning his first fight in nearly three years

Former Viewpark Boxing Club super welterweight ace McGurk, 28, returning after a long absence due to injuries and the effects of coronavirus, impressed boxing fans in attendance at the joint Fight Academy and Kynoch Boxing Promotions Card.

"I dominated from the start and it was good to be back out,” McGurk said. “Despite not having fought for so long I was still fairly confident.

"I always am when it comes to boxing. My training had gone well and everything sort of went to plan.

"The organisers picked Balog in the hope it would go a good few rounds anyway. I thought it might have gone six or seven rounds but I caught him with a shot as part of a flurry of punches in the first round and knew I’d hurt him just because of how he was moving away and trying to breathe in as much air as he could.

"That was at the end of the round so starting the second round I knew it was just a matter of time before I did hurt him again.

"He got back up after I caught him with a right hook to the body in the second round and the fight was allowed to go on. But as soon as I put a bit of pressure on he went straight back down.

"I was hoping for a few more rounds to be honest because that’s the first fight I’ve had for so long.

"But then the opportunity came and I knew I was hurting him so I just decided to take him.

"The guy that I was in with is quite durable so that’s the reason I was fighting him. It was meant to be an eight-round fight.”

The victory gives McGurk an overall fight record of 13 professional wins out of 13, having last fought in a points win over Evaldas Korsakas at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena in March 2019.

McGurk, who is now being trained by his new coach Willie Limond in Larkhall, will next be fighting at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena on April 23 and he expects it to be for a title.

"I’ve had a couple of days off so it’s straight back into training now,” he added. “That fight is something to look forward to.”