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Meager quits

Tony Howard
17/ 7/2008

FORMER British champion Lee Meager is quitting boxing after his demolition at the hands of John Murray on Friday night.

The 30-year-old lightweight exclusively told the Advertiser that he plans to move home to Salford to start a new life after 10 years living in London.

After much soul searching in the aftermath of his brutal beating from pal Murray at Robin Park, Wigan, he admitted he has turned his attention to coaching the next generation of Salford boxers.

Meager, from Avondale, Clifton, said: "There comes a time as a boxer when you realise it just isn’t there anymore.

"I prepared the best I could and trained as well as I ever have. I felt good going in there, but it just didn’t happen as I wanted it to.

"Yes, John Murray is a good fighter with a great future, but I just couldn’t perform as I wanted to and had to abandon my tactics and get involved in a battle just to stay in it.

"I took some punishment and my face is a mess. I’ve suffered some bad facial injuries over the years and am starting to resemble the Elephant Man. I’ve reached the point where I’ve realised there’s more to life than boxing.

"I’m home in Salford now and I’ve decided I’m going to move back permanently to start a new life here. I’m not sure what that entails, but I’d like to stay involved in the sport, maybe with coaching, but who knows?"

Meager put in a brave display against Murray, but ultimately came up short as he was stopped in the fifth round.

He can, however, look back on a good career which saw him amass 21 wins (eight by knock out) in 26 fights, including a spell as British lightweight champion in 2006.

"The highlight of my career was obviously winning that title belt against Dave Stewart and it’s something I can always take with me - I was champion of Britain," he said.

"John was far better on the night and although I think the stoppage was a bit premature on the part of the referee, I really can’t have any arguments at the result."

In the build up to the fight Meager revealed he’d been in talks with rising star Amir Khan’s camp about a possible bout.

But following 23-year-old Murray’s win, talk has now turned to a showdown between two of boxing’s brightest talents. A fight Meager believes his old friend Murray would win hands up.

He said: "I honestly think John would take Khan apart, but Amir’s team know that and won’t let the fight happen.

"We saw against Gomez that Amir can’t take a punch.

"Gomez, although a complete legend, is past his best by his own admission, yet he still troubled Khan and a younger, hungrier boxer would never have let him off the hook.

"John would have been right back in there on top of him."