Boxing: Arthur wants a return to Manchester

Published on Monday 22 June 2009 10:04

ALEX ARTHUR has received a welcome surprise reward from his wife Debbie for stopping French opponent Mohamed Benbiou in just 92 seconds on Friday in Glasgow – a short holiday break in the Italian capital, Rome, where the couple will spend a few days later this week.

Arthur will then make an immediate return to training in preparation for his next fight at his new weight of lightweight. And he is hoping to be on the Amir Khan next month when the Bolton fighter takes on Ukrainian WBA light-welterweight champion Andreas Kotelnik.

Arthur said: "Nothing would please me better than posting another spectacular lightweight win in Manchester so that the fans down there could see once again what the real Alex Arthur looks like, something they didn't see in September 2008 when I lost my WBO title to Nicky Cook in Manchester.''

Arthur's coach Terry McCormack promised: "I will have Alex toiling hard in the Lochend gym and sparring so that he wins big style in Manchester, no matter who he faces down there."

One man Arthur will not be fighting is Aberdeen's Commonwealth champion, Lee McAllister as suggested in some quarters.

Arthur added: "This isn't the first time this idea has been raised, even by McAllister himself, but fighting McAllister or anyone else for a Commonwealth title totally underwhelms me.

"I am concentrating on chasing a world lightweight title fight and nowhere does Lee McAllister figure in that scenario.

"The only person who could possibly benefit from such a bout would be McAllister and I'm not in the business of helping his career, I just want to advance my own.''

Meanwhile, three young eastern amateur boxers will head down to Liverpool on Thursday to try and grab British title glory in the GB Championships for boxers born in 1991/92.

The event is over two days at Everton Leisure Centre.

South Queensferry pair, lightweight Lewis Benson and light-welterweight Chris McHale, will have the added comfort of having their coach Mark Geraghty in their corner as he has been also selected as a squad coach for Scotland.

Gilmerton's outstanding reigning British lightweight champion, Connor McCallum, makes up the trio and will defend his British crown.