Peter McGrail cut a confident figure on the scales and believes a win over Alexander Espinoza will be the launchpad towards title fights and 'big things' next year.
McGrail tipped the scales at 124.2lbs at the Eventim Olympia on Friday afternoon ahead of Probellum’s second show in the city on Saturday night.
The 'Scouse Lomachenko' has vowed to make light work of the hardest fight of his professional career and believes a win over the experienced Espinoza will catapult him towards fights with domestic rivals Jason Cunningham, Liam Davies and Gamal Yafai – fighters he is already confident of beating.
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“At this moment in time, I'm nowhere near close to the rankings as I've only had four fights, but I believe over the next two or three fights, I'm going to be pushing into that top 10 domestically," he said.
“But there's no-one even in the top four that I wouldn't back myself against. I believe the experience I've had in the amateurs and boxing for Great Britain over the years, none of them in the top 10 in Great Britain would worry me.
“Cunningham has been European champion and Davies has the British, one million per cent, I believe I'd beat them. But I'm not one to call people out.
"I leave all of that down to my management team, Probellum and my coach Paul Stevenson. All I can do is make sure I am at my best in fights and I'm pretty sure that over the next few years we're going to be showing that I'm number one.
“This feels like the start of big things for me. Next year will be the looking to start collecting some belts, it's been a long time coming.”
While Sam Jones, head of talent relations at Probellum, believes McGrail will be ready for a world title shot after another three fights.
He said: “Peter McGrail is going straight to the top of the division, and I believe that he is that good that within the next three fights, he would be ready to fight for a world title. Yes, in just three fights. By the end of next year, Peter will be knocking on the door.
“Peter has phenomenal movement, hence the Lomachenko comparisons, and he hits hard, throws a high volume of punches and leaves his opponent’s head spinning.”
Before he added: “In many ways, McGrail is a silent assassin but the noise around this fighter is only going to grow.
“I’m not going to name names, but there were a lot of domestic fighters who turned down the chance to face Peter this weekend because, quite simply, they know that they’re in for a seriously hard night.
“Peter hopes to box again before the end of the year and then 2023 we’re putting our foot to the floor and this son of Liverpool is going to move, rapidly, through the rankings.
“McGrail not only has the potential to be the best fighter to ever come from the city, which would be some achievement given its history, but he can become the finest fighter to emerge from this country.”
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