Fighting Harrison 'like facing a brick wall'

GARY Thornhill has painful memories of sharing a ring with Scott Harrison and Nicky Cook. As the only man to have fought both men in title contests, the former British featherweight champion has a unique perspective on their endlessly intriguing showdown at the ExCel Arena in London on Saturday night.

It was one Thornhill was happy to share with The Scotsman yesterday as the build-up intensifies to the highest profile and most significant defence of Harrison's World Boxing Organisation belt against unbeaten challenger Cook.

In September 2001, Thornhill faced Harrison at the MEN Arena in Manchester. The Scot was the rising star of British boxing at the time and defended the British and Commonwealth titles in style against Thornhill, stopping the Liverpool man in the fifth round with a sickening left hook to the body. In October the following year, Thornhill enjoyed home advantage at the Liverpool Olympia when he challenged Cook for the minor World Boxing Federation intercontinental super-featherweight title the Dagenham fighter then held. It was a case of dj-vu for Thornhill, his night again cut short by a left to the body, although it took Cook seven rounds to score the stoppage.