Aberdeen boxer Gregor McPherson has vowed to bounce back “stronger than ever” after suffering a collapsed lung for the second time in a year.
The 20-year-old underwent emergency surgery and is now recuperating after his latest injury nightmare.
In October last year, the undefeated ring star suffered a collapsed lung which medics thought may have been caused by a cough.
This time McPherson suffered the injury to a different lung, and had to withdraw from a scheduled fight against Michael Mooney in Glasgow on September 21 due to the injury.
McPherson said: “My lung collapsed, the other side this time.
“It has been tough. I was walking to my car, on my way to strength and conditioning.
“It happened just as I opened the car door.
“I drove there then said to the guy who was doing the strength and conditioning that I didn’t think I should train as I was feeling quite rough.
“I knew straight away as I remembered from last time what it felt like.
“Then I went straight to A&E and they confirmed it had happened again.
“The operation went well.
“They did a different operation this time so fingers crossed that should be it over and done with.
“Having to cancel my fight and not knowing when I will next fight is tough.
“However, I will be back stronger.”
‘The hardest part is the recovery time as I can’t do anything’
A former Aberdeen FC youth star, McPherson boasts a flawless professional record of six wins from six bouts.
The recent collapsed lung is the latest injury setback for McPherson, who also suffered a stress fracture to his spine early last year.
McPherson, aka “Mean Machine”, had to rest for 10 weeks due to the back injury, ruling him out of a scheduled fight in March 2023.
One of the hottest rising stars in Scottish professional boxing, McPherson is thankful his lung injuries came early in his career.
And he is focused on a bright future.
He said: “The operation was similar to the last one, but there was a bit more to it this time.
“They took a bit of skin off the wall in the inside so that the lung will stick.
“So that it won’t keep collapsing.
“They said before there was probably a 50% chance of it happening again – now it is under 5%.
“It is much better now.
“I’m thankful I got this now when I’m young because if I got a big title fight in the future and then it happened it could put my career in jeopardy.
“It’s best it happened whilst I’m young.
“I was in hospital for just under a week.
“The hardest part is the recovery time because I can’t do anything.”
McPherson’s route to full recovery
McPherson was last in action when securing a dominant 60-54 win against Mexican Christian Lopez Flores at the Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen, on May 11.
The lightweight insists his rehabilitation from surgery is going well.
And he will get more clarity on a timeframe for a ring return following a discussion with his surgeon next month.
He said: “Things are going well as I didn’t think I would be as good as I am now.
“Little things like coughing and sneezing were really sore, but now I’m doing that with no bother now.
“Hopefully there’s not much longer.”
On a timeframe for a ring return, he said: “I don’t know as I still have to have phone calls with the surgeon so I’ll have to wait and see.
“In four weeks’ time, I get a check up call then I should have an answer then.”
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