Challenger Cook claims he will take title from 'bully' Arthur

Published on Tuesday 15 July 2008 10:28

TITLE challenger Nicky Cook has branded Edinburgh's WBO super-featherweight champion Alex Arthur a "bully in the ring".

The Essex fighter has stoked up a pre-fight war of words ahead of their clash at Manchester's MEN Arena on September 6. He said: "Arthur is a talented fighter but he's a bit of a bully in the ring who is used to pushing opponents around.

"But this will be the first time in his career that Arthur will have come up against someone stronger than himself. I'll fight him on the outside or the inside – whatever he wants – but I'm going to take Arthur's title.''

Former British, Commonwealth and European featherweight champion Cook also revealed that he aims to make Capital ace Arthur pick up the tab for the frustration he experienced 15 months ago when then WBO champion Scott Harrison pulled out of a scheduled title defence just 48 hours before the fight.

Added Cook: "I aim to make Arthur pay for the frustration inflicted on me by Harrison pulling out of our world title fight back in 2006."