Flanagan wants future to be Terry’s all gold...
TERRY Flanagan has set his sights on becoming a two-time world champion next summer.
The former WBO lightweight king, from Ancoats, is rebuilding his career after back-to-back title defeats to Maurice Hooker and Regis Prograis and stepping up a weight, a journey he continues tomorrow night when he faces hardhitting Jayro Duran at Liverpool’s Olympia arena.
It follows two wins this year back at lightweight over Michael Ansah and Jonas Segu, and now Flanagan has set his sights on another crack at a title next summer – and hasn’t ruled out facing one of the pound-forpound best Vasiliy Lomachenko.
“I wouldn’t say I was too disheartened with the losses,” said Flanagan, who made five successful defences of his WBO crown. “I moved up in weight, had been out the ring for 14 months and fought one of the biggest fighters in the division in Maurice Hooker and lost on a split decision on a very bad night. On a good night I probably would have beat Hooker.
“Against Regis Prograis, I fought pound-for-pound one of the best out there at 140Ibs. They were just hard, two very hard fights against them guys.
“If Regis Prograis wants to come over to the UK and fight again, I would fight him again. I see myself moving up in weight again, but for now the opportunity is at lightweight and obviously being unbeaten and a world champion at 135lbs, my future is here.” WBC, WBA and WBO lightweight champion Lomachenko won’t fight again this year, but the IBF title is up for grabs on December 14 when current champion Richard Commey takes on undefeated challenger Teofimo Lopez.
“I would love to fight Vasiliy Lomachenko,” said Flanagan. “He has three of the world title belts, and I feel he will win the other title against the winner of Richard Commey and Teofimo Lopez. He will win all the belts and vacate them all and probably move back down in weight.
“I will be definitely be trying to put my name on one of those titles, and hopefully in the new year I can get a top ranked opponent so I can put myself in line for one of them. I’d like to get out somewhere around March time. Hopefully that will be for some title eliminator or a title itself. By summer next year I want to be back being a world champion.”
But first, he has to overcome Honduran Duran. “It will be good to get out again and get another win and just push on to boxing for titles next year,” Flanagan, 30, said.
“I’m not looking past this kid because he’s a dangerous fighter, 13 knockouts in 14 wins.”
One fight that was discussed for many years was an all-Manchester unification clash with former WBA lightweight champion Anthony Crolla, who retired last week.
“I let people know it was the fight I wanted when we were both world champions in a massive Manchester unification showdown, but I am not one for chasing fights and saying this and saying that,” said Flanagan.
“I just know from my part, I was the one who wanted the fight, and he wasn’t, so it didn’t happen. I know him well, he has friends who are my friends and they all knew I wanted the fight. I wanted the unification fight and they didn’t, so at this point I forget about it.”
By next summer I want to be back being a world champion
Terry Flanagan