Cory O’Regan is waiting for the chance to show what he can really do.

In February, the talented lightweight took a calculated gambled and stepped up to the junior welterweight division to challenge undefeated British and Commonwealth champion, Jack Rafferty.

Facing the relentless, heavy handed Rafferty is one of British boxing’s most thankless tasks but after grinding away on the small hall circuit for six years, the opportunity to get noticed on the undercard of the heavyweight fight between Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic was too big for O’Regan to turn down.

The Leeds man rose to the occasion and started the fight well, showcasing the slick southpaw skills that earned him a host of national amateur titles.

Towards the end of the third round, the pair fell into a clinch. Referee, Darren Sarginson, told O’Regan to stop holding and slapped his left hand down. O’Regan lost his concentration, Rafferty kept his and landed a short right that dropped the Leeds man heavily.

From that point, the writing was on the wall but O’Regan continued fighting bravely and skilfully until his corner rescued him in the fifth.

O’Regan may not have left Manchester with the victory but the early rounds did earn him the respect of everybody who witnessed his performance.

The 29 year-old immediately decided to return to the lightweight division and is now waiting for another chance.

“I guess my stock has gone up,” O’Regan said after watching his gym mate, Callum Simpson, stop Ivan Zucco to win the European super middleweight title on Saturday night.

“A lot of people didn't know of me, whereas now I think people do. I showed what I can do and what I'm capable of doing.

“Obviously, it wasn’t my weight class. I think it was all going sweet and I think people saw what happened. There was a little bit of controversy with the ref pulling my hand down and then the two shots after the bell.

“Although I got beat there, I don't think I lost a lot. The plan is now to get a win, get back and then hopefully maybe get a mandatory spot for the British title at my weight.”

Last weekend, Keyshawn Davis lost his WBO lightweight title on the scales after weighing 4.3lbs over the 135lb limit for his proposed defence against Edwin De Los Santos. The fight was eventually cancelled.

Davis’ antics have shaken up the WBO lightweight picture and could well have major consequences for fighters further down the rankings.

Britain’s Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) is the WBO’s No. 1 contender and it now seems certain that the governing body will now order a vacant title fight between he and Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) of Cleveland, Ohio.

Former European campion, Noakes, still holds the British and Commonwealth titles but would, in all likelihood, vacate this belts to concentrate on claiming a world title.

O’Regan beat Noakes as an amateur and would have loved the chance to win the titles from the undefeated champion but should find himself right in the mix if the Maidstone man’s belts get scattered.

“It’s mine hopefully,” he laughed when asked what he thinks of the current British lightweight division.

“Sam Noakes has got the British title at the minute. We’ve called for that fight. I’d take that fight and my team would take that fight. We were vocal about it. We’d have preferred that but, obviously, there were not many options at the time.

“I think I'm probably the most avoided lightweight. Sam Noakes has got all of them belts so if he does move on and all of them become vacant, it might be the perfect timing hopefully for me.

“I think the true boxing people know how good I am. All I need is an opportunity to go on and get the right opportunities and I can win those same belts.”

Whether he is fighting for a title next or not, O’Regan’s performance against Rafferty should ensure that he is back on television screens soon. He is just waiting for the ok to show what he can do at his natural weight.

“We had good things from Frank [Warren]. Obviously, Lee Eaton's working closely with Queensberry now so they've said they'll have me back and bring me back at my weight which is what we said we needed,” he said. “To take that fight we wanted a guarantee that Queensberry will bring me back so hopefully everyone keeps their word and we can do it and the opportunities will still come.”