Suffering a broken hand just seconds into his fight couldn’t stop Jordan Grant comfortably beating Michal Gazdik on points at the Hydro on Friday night.
The Hamilton fighter felt sick in the ring and knew immediately how much damage he had done, with the pain shuddering up his arm with every punch he delivered, yet still prevailed.
Grant, 24, spent 10 hours in A&E at Wishaw General immediately after the fight, which was on the undercard of the Hannah Rankin title fight, and says it will take six to eight weeks to fully heal.
He said: “It was a good wee night, the result went my way and I dominated the guy, but I broke my hand in one of the first couple of punches, so it ended up being quite a tough night with the pain.
“He seemed to fancy it, don’t get me wrong, but I was picking him off pretty well and I was definitely dominant in the fight.
“But when that happened in the first couple of jabs I felt it instantly, felt a wee bit sick in the ring and I could feel it, it was loose in my hand.
“After that I went back to my corner and I said to Gerry [Higgins, coach] ‘I’ve broken my hand’ and he said ‘what do you mean? You’ve just got to get through it’.
“It’s not in my nature to pull out, so I just had to grit my teeth and grind the result out. But it was painful – every time I hit him I could feel it shuddering up my arm, and it was dead tender.
“I went straight to the hospital... 10 hours in A&E with my boxing shorts on!”
It was a good win for Grant, but the injury has now put on hold the prospect of a summer title fight.
Grant added: “It’s still very sore. I’m back to work but was at the doctors on Tuesday. They’re saying rest it, but I can’t really, with the job I do.
“It’s like a balloon, still, it’s one of those where it will take six to eight weeks to heal. I was meant to be lined up for a big fight in the summer but I think that will be delayed, with the broken hand.
“I’ll still go into the gym and train, use my right hand, and keep myself fit by going on my runs and stuff, but until this is fully healed – and it’s not getting the rest time it needs – I’m just going to grin and bear it.”
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