He may have been well beaten in Atlantic City, but Lee Purdy has laughed off suggestions that he could have been brain damaged, after his defeat to Devon Alexander.

The 26-year-old’s corner through the towel in at the end of the seventh round, despite a teary Purdy insisting that he wanted to continue.

The bout, taken at four weeks notice by the Colchester man, was a non-title fight as “Lights out” could not make the 10st 7lbs limit, despite his best efforts in the hours leading up to the contest.

Respected boxing writer Colin Hart spoke last week of the risks that boxers, struggling to make the weight, faced, including brain damage, resulting from dehydration and said Purdy, along with everyone working with him, could face a big fine or suspension.

Purdy admitted mistakes were made in the lead up to the fight and accepts a month to prepare was not enough, but ruled out any thought that he could have been permanently scarred from the fight.

“That’s nonsense. I took the fight at short notice, but if I did not think I could do it, I wouldn’t,” said Purdy.

“It (brain damage claim) is an old wives’ tale. Years ago boxers used weigh in on the day, but I weighed in the day before and was able to rehydrate myself.

“I had a proper medical, I recently had a brain scan and my body is in tip-top shape.”

Purdy took the fight with IBF champion Alexander at short notice, as a result of Sheffield’s Kell Brook pulling out with a hand injury.

Having defended his own IBF International title in March, Purdy conceded a second fight in just over eight weeks had taken its toll but revealed he could have been more successful had he had more time to prepare.

“The Alexander fight came a bit too early as I was carrying too much muscle for the Rivera fight,” added Purdy.

“I was working on losing that muscle and the changes are being made but the fight was a bit short notice.

“I knew it was going to be tough, but we don’t live in an ideal work and I wanted to take my opportunity.

“I did everything asked of me in the lead up to the fight and people have asked me since, ‘why were you pulled out when you weren’t hurt or out of breath?’

“I was just lacking a bit of snap, but I have no regrets.”