Boxing: Arthur ready for Juan more shot at big time

Published on Wednesday 1 December 2010 13:35

CAPITAL boxer Alex Arthur is no longer the headline act. This Saturday, he finds himself on the undercard of the Ricky Burns versus Andreas Evensen WBO super-featherweight clash at Braehead and has to contend with an opponent announced only last night.

Jay "The Isle of Wight Assassin" Morris steps in for the lightweight bout after Gary Reid, his original opponent, withdrew.

Arthur's ring coach, Terry McCormack, has the inside track on the new challenger. ''Even though Alex will be giving weight away to Morris and Morris is a rough, come forward, slugging type, this guy Morris has been stopped in Glasgow by Ayrshire's Andrew Ferrans inside the distance and Ferrans, in my opinion, isn't as hard a hitter as Alex is," he said.

The 32-year-old Arthur is adamant he is no spent force and told the Evening News he hasn't given up on once again being crowned world champion.

While time wouldn't appear to be on Arthur's side, the Edinburgh ace insists he is taking inspiration from the exploits of Mexican veteran Juan Manuel Marquez as he aims to prove there's life in the old dog yet.

"I took real satisfaction from seeing a guy like Marquez, who, at 38, is six years older than me, beating the much younger Michael Katsidis for the world lightweight title recently," said Arthur, a proud father of three children.

"In world title terms, if Marquez can win a world title then so can I. That's my answer to the people who suggest I'm a 'has-been'. I am so desperate to win a world title - that's what will be motivating me at Braehead. I know I have to win impressively through there so that I can return to fights which will propel me up the world championship ratings.

"The old curse of making weight is history to me now and I have never been fitter or more fired up for a fight since I beat Koba Gogoladze in Cardiff three years ago. I just can't wait to get into the ring on Saturday."

As he bids to get back to the top, Arthur, with nine pro titles including World, British, Commonwealth and European super-featherweight crowns to his name, has a vast bank of experience to draw on. He has many fond memories from his time as the Capital's leading boxer over the past decade or so, while he has also had to overcome some tougher moments in his career.

"I've won nine pro titles and in an age when some boxers can skip straight to world titles after relatively few bouts, I did it the hard, traditional, way like the old-time champions did when they went on the road and beat their opponents away from home," he says proudly. "I won a British title first and regained it, then I won European and world honours fighting mainly away from home."I won my British title in Newcastle in December 2002 stopping Carl Greaves, then my Commonwealth title beating Craig Docherty of Glasgow but my European title bouts were my toughest. They were tougher even than when I lost my world title to Nicky Cook in Manchester two years ago. But they were the ones that gave me the greatest satisfaction apart from beating Gogoladze in Cardiff to become interim WBO world champion.

"On the downside I feel, even now I never really received enough credit for my European title wins over (Russian] Boris Sinitsin. What the punters never realised was that I fought Sintsin for most of 12 rounds with cuts caused by him butting me. I had wounds which required six stitches around both of my eyes.

"Of course, I've also had bad spells in my career too. "Most of my least favourite memories are linked to weight problems. I regret deciding to fight at light-welterweight against Nigel Wright as prior to that bout I had been recovering from a blood disorder which had affected my training regime. I looked terrible against him. It was a real error on my part to go up to light-welterweight.

"On the other hand, helping Paul Appleby - who I think is a future world champion - by sparring with him has been a recent highlight of my career. But the biggest plus since I turned pro in 2000 has been the continued inspiration and wise support of my wife Debbie."

Clearly still as driven as ever, Arthur is no mood for winding down. Victory at Braehead on Saturday will merely provide further notice that there's still plenty fight left in him yet.