Quigley admits his 'biggest decision in life' looms on whether to continue boxing

Jason Quigley has admitted will soon face into making the decision on whether or not he will continue as a professional boxer.

The 30-year-old was stopped by WBO World Middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade in the second round of their world title bout in November, having suffered a broken jaw in the opening round.

Quigley said his priority now is to have his jaw heel, which will enable him to return to training and then make a call on what his future might bring.

“It’s definitely a love-hate relationship at the minute,” he told DonegalLive of how he feels about boxing now. “One minute you’re fighting for a world title and everything is going amazing then the next thing you’re in the hospital. The fight didn’t go the way you wanted it and you’re in an ambulance with your fiancé with you. It’s just something you don’t want to put them through either.

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“It’s something I’m just going to have to sit down and talk to the team and the family, my loved ones, about to see what is the next step and where it’s going to be.

“At the minute I’ve not thought too much on it. I’ve sat on the fence as I’ve just been concentrating on getting the jaw healed one hundred percent. Hopefully now in another month and a half, I will have the green light from that. When that happens I can get back to full training and talk to everyone then.

“I’m happy in life. I get up every morning now and look forward to the day and that wasn’t always the case. This is the biggest decision of my life really.”

Quigley, who is featured on a fly-on-the-wall documentary on Thursday night on Virgin Media, said the injury sustained against Andrade meant he lost the chance to at least prove himself on his biggest stage of all.

“The hardest part to take away was the fact that everything I have worked on my whole life, whole career, was to get to that moment and for it to be taken away from you in less than six minutes,” he said.

“I didn’t get to get my teeth into that fight, I didn't get to grab that fight with my hands. Even when I was knocked down, I wasn’t hurt. I didn’t know that my jaw was broken.

“I knew something was badly wrong. I was mentally and physically there. The type of person I am, I knew that if I was ready to go or if the ref was ready to step in, then I’d try the Hail Mary and knock him out.

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“I knew when I was kicked down I had to be careful I wasn’t knocked down again so I got up and kept my distance. I was well-aware of the gameplan and what we had planned beforehand.

“I tried to get back to that but he was just relentless in his pressure and the attacks and shots were just coming from everywhere. He isn’t your typical one-dimensional boxer. Without a doubt it was hurtful not being able to come away and give it your all having shown your own worth.”

‘Jason Quigley: Lift Your Heels’ airs on Virgin Media Two this Thursday at 10:30pm