JASON QUIGLEY says he will take some time out before re-evaluating following the first loss of his pro career.
Quigley relinquished his unbeaten record and his NABF title to veteran Tureano Johnson at Fantasy Springs on Thursday night.
Picture: Jason Quigley in action against Tureano Johnson. Picture by Valentin Romero.
Quigley’s corner stopped the fight after nine punishing rounds for the Donegal man, who is now 16-1 as a pro.
“I’m obviously very disappointed and I hurt a little bit in the heart, more than anything else,” Quigley said.
With Quigley willing to trade on the inside, 35-year-old Johnson landed a lorry load of punches in the third, but it was the sixth where the Bahamian took charge.
Johnson took Quigley out of his rhythm and, though the Donegal man showed plenty of heart, the writing was on the wall.
Quigley said: “I fell into his style of fighting and stuck with him to see if he would tired himself out.
“I did find him tiring in a few rounds and I tried to pick it up and put a few shots on him and it worked in a few rounds.
“And at one stage, I thought he was tiring and I was starting to get the upper hand but obviously that isn’t the way it ended up.”
Johnson cracked Quigley with a shot to the solar plexus in the ninth and trainer Dominic Ingle, after assessing his man on the stool, called a halt.
Quigley said: “There were many stages throughout the fight that if I didn’t want it I could’ve got out of there.
“I think everybody knows me, I’ve never taken the easy way out.
“I am very grateful to have a great corner man like Dominic and also the referee for looking after me in the fight, not letting my heart get the better of me, going out and possibly getting hurt.”
Johnson will go into the top ten of the WBC rankings and is back in world title territory again.
Quigley will take some time now before considering his next move.
He said: “I have to go back and sit with my team and have a think about things and figure out whether I am mentally ready to go back and believe that I can be world champion again after a heavy loss.
“I’m lucky to get paid to do this job that I love. It wasn’t the most joyful night, but it is what it is.
“The likes of Muhammad Ali were beaten before and, in a lot of cases, has made their career more sparkling.”
