Previously, whether win or lose, it was all about the journey, the education, and the experience, for the 31-year-old. Lose here, however, and that journey changes direction and the momentum he’s picked up since turning professional in 2017 screeches to a halt – however momentary that might be – for the first time. After all, without a world championship victory, will he truly be regarded as a world champion when all is said and done?
