kash Farooq wants Glasgow v Edinburgh showdown with Lee McGregor but price has to be right

Kash Farooq retained his British bantamweight title and is now eyeing a fight with Lee McGregor. Picture: SNS

Farooq claimed his Lonsdale Belt outright on Saturday night with a first-round knock-out of Duane Winters to complete a third defence of the title he won last September.

McGregor, the diehard Hearts fan, had been made mandatory challenger ahead of that fight and Farooq wants to take him on in Glasgow at the start of December, ideally on the undercard of a future Josh Taylor world title defence.

The sticking point, though, might be money. With both fighters putting undefeated records on the line and already tipped as future world champions, Farooq hopes promoters can make it worth their while.

“I want it and so does McGregor,” he said. “And I’d like to fight him at the end of November or the start of December. I know he’s mandatory now but it comes down to management. We’re both putting our undefeated records on the line so it has to be worth it. It’s a business and the price needs to be right. It’s going to happen in Glasgow. It’s big enough to go to the Hydro. Hopefully Josh Taylor gets a fight around that time and we can get on the undercard of that. Hopefully TV is backing it and both me and Lee get paid well.

“It would be one of the biggest Scottish fights for years. You go back to the likes of Kevin McIntyre versus Kevin Anderson, or even further back to Alex Arthur versus Ricky Burns, Craig Docherty and Willie Limond. Some of those were Glasgow versus Edinburgh and this will be the same. I hope I get a promotional contract now and I’m sure the phone will be going in the next day or two. There are big opportunities. I know I’m going to have to put myself through hell again to train for it but I’m excited about the future.”

Farooq plans on getting his belt framed and hung above his bed and believes it is a just reward for years of endeavour.

“No matter where I go from here this shows that I earned the belt and worked hard for it. Not that many people win it outright. In Scotland it’s only been three in the past 25 years so I’m part of a small group here to do it.”