Peter McGrail leaving old ghosts behind in preparation for Brad Foster

Peter McGrail competed at the highest level of amateur boxing for far too long to be discouraged by a single loss, but professional boxing is a different beast. If one defeat can be damaging to a young pro career, two can prove terminal.

Last December, McGrail, of Liverpool, England, was putting on a show against Ja’Rico Quinn. Until he wasn’t. The aggressive American picked himself up off the floor twice and shockingly ended matters with a single right hand. 

McGrail picked himself up and got right back to the gym, but the talented 28-year-old wouldn’t be human if even the smallest scintilla of doubt or worry hadn’t wormed its way into his brain whilst he prepared for his comeback fight against Marc Leach in April.

Leach may not be a massive puncher, but he is a championship-level fighter and more than capable of taking advantage of any frailties – yet McGrail appeared totally unfazed by the events that took place in Texas. There were no alarms or reasons to believe that the knockout loss to Quinn was down to anything other than a brief moment of carelessness.

With 10 rounds and a win in the bank, McGrail must have been enjoying preparing for his upcoming fight with Brad Foster with fewer “What ifs?” lurking in his subconscious.

“I didn’t really think into it too much, and I wasn’t really walking to the ring with Leach thinking about what happened against Ja’Rico,” McGrail told BoxingScene. “It’s boxing, and you can’t go swimming and not get wet. I couldn’t let it affect me too much. I just had to get back in the gym, crack on and work on where it went wrong – and that’s what I’ve done.

“I got the win against Leach, and as I’ve said before, all that mattered there was win by any means. As a professional fighter, you don’t want to take a loss. But early on in your career, like this, you 100,000 percent don’t want to be taking two losses in a row. It was good to get back to winning ways, and obviously we’re pushing on from there in a good domestic fight with Brad Foster.”

Fighters encounter different examinations of their abilities as they make their way through the ranks, but maybe the most severe test comes in the aftermath of the almost inevitable first defeat. Some never regain that feeling of invincibility they once had and allow the loss to change their style.

Others find a way to use the experience as a lesson, with the memory of the defeat and the reasons behind it pushing them on to become more focused, more dedicated, more calculating and more effective. 

“It’s whatever way you look at it,” McGrail said. “You can be gutted about it and get yourself in a depressed mood over what’s happened, but it’s all part of my story. The way I’m looking at it, that’s good experience. I could have another fight – I will have another fight – where I had him down twice, I was punching him all over the ring, really, and I’m probably going to be in fights like that again, and then I might not rush. I don’t feel like I rushed that much – I just got caught with a good shot. But I might be a bit more clever and a bit more clinical if someone’s on the ropes, just through that experience. Obviously I would have rather it not happened, but it’s a good learning curve for me, yeah.”

The solid win over Leach allowed McGrail to not only lay to rest a few ghosts,  but also put himself on the road to a future fight with Dennis McCann.

The European Boxing Union has ordered McCann to immediately put up the European title he recently won from Ionut Baluta in a defense against McGrail, and the BBBoC has made McGrail’s fight with Foster a final eliminator for McCann’s British title.

It has been five years since Foster himself held the British and Commonwealth titles at 122 pounds. The former kickboxer was just 21 years old when he ran through the domestic scene collecting the belts within just 12 fights.

A close points defeat to then-European champion Jason Cunningham brought Foster’s run to an end, and he lost his next fight to the dangerous Baluta.

Foster has been forced to rebuild, but he returned last November and appeared unfortunate to lose a decision to the undefeated Rhys Edwards up at featherweight. McGrail was one of many who believe Foster was unlucky not to have his hand raised, and he is expecting a determined challenge from the former champion.

“Yeah, I thought he was unlucky to lose, and that’s all, really,” McGrail said, matter-of-factly. 

“He could only have two losses, and even the one against Cunningham was quite close, as well – but it’s one of them, innit? But he’s a good fighter, and I’ve treated him like I’m fighting for a world title, so I’m in the best condition I can be in. And I believe it’s a fight I’m going to shine in and put a statement on, and I’m excited, to be honest. I can’t wait for this.

“I just worry about myself, and the best Peter McGrail is going to beat 95 percent, possibly 100 percent, of the super bantamweights out there. So I don’t look too much into Brad Foster. I know he’s coming to win, coming to fight. I’m expecting a tough fight and I’ve trained my arse off.”

John Evans has contributed to a number of well-known publications and websites for over a decade. You can follow John on X @John_Evans79