Farooq reveals reason for shock retirement
KASH FAROOQ has revealed that he took the shock decision to retire from boxing on medical grounds. It was announced on Thursday that the highlyregarded bantamweight had hung up his gloves at the age of 26 due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
But now the Glasgow-based Scot has admitted that he heeded the advice of doctors after his yearly medical was deemed unsatisfactory.
Former British champion Farooq had been tipped to challenge for world honours and had been set for a mouthwatering re-match with Lee McGregor after losing his Lonsdale belt to his fellow Scot in November 2019.
In a statement explaining why he had to retire, Farooq said: “Boxing has been my life since I was 14 years old.
“I have studied, dedicated, sacrificed myself to improve my quality of life and that of my family’s enduring many hardships along the way, from boxing on small hall shows behind closed doors and not being able to sell a ticket to my name, to competing at the pinnacle of boxing, fighting on
Sky/DAZN with the biggest promoter in the world.
“My immediate leave comes due to my yearly medicals not being satisfactory for the British Board of Control with stricter regulations in place.
“I had a meeting with a doctor who advised me to take an exit from boxing with my full health intact, regardless if I wanted to carry on fighting and prove myself to be the best in the division.
“It would be selfish of me to put myself in danger. Therefore, my trainer Craig [Dickson] and manager Iain Wilson have instructed me to heed the advice from medical professionals.
“This is still a shock for me, as it would be for many others. I am a young athlete who had plenty to offer with unspeakable potential and talent.”
Farooq won 16 of his 17 bouts in professional boxing and claimed the WBC International belt in his last outing against Luis Castillo last August. He will now become St Andrew’s Sporting Club’s head of talent.
He added: “Whilst the decision has been difficult, I look forward to joining the team at St Andrew’s Sporting Club and adjusting to life outside the ring and venturing into new opportunities
“The memories created and opportunities boxing has given me are unforgettable.”
NATHAN PATTERSON’S move to Everton last week provoked a thought: remember there was a time when the Scotland national team had a crisis at right-back? It’s a little more than three years since the legendary Danny McGrain suggested that the answer to those positional problems should be solved by Kieran Tierney training up his standing leg – just as McGrain did – and shimmying across the park to the other flank.
In McGrain’s day, there were any number of high-quality starters to choose from on either side of the pitch including the likes of Sandy Jardine, Maurice Malpas, George Burley and Stuart Kennedy.
Of course those comments came some time ago and sound a tad outmoded now but there is mitigation. For a start, the Celtic legend couldn’t possibly have known that there were a couple of right-backs making rapid progress in the academies at Rangers and Aberdeen, primed to announce themselves on the Scottish stage in 2021.
Nor could he have foreseen just how quickly the attributes for playing the role would change in such a short period of time. Better coaching at academy level has ensured better technique. The byproduct has been more technically adroit players who started out as wingers moving down the pitch.