McEwan’s keen to be back in title contention

There are plenty of Scots who would pinch themselves if they ended up in Hollywood swapping punches in the local gym with the actor Mark Wahlberg while Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan trained in the background.

For Craig McEwan, however, the pinching has come as he adjusts to life not in Hollywood but Holyrood, or at least nearby Meadowbank.

The middleweight (pictured) will be the star attraction on Alex Arthur’s latest promotion in Meadowbank Sports Centre next Saturday night, the day after McEwan’s 30th birthday. The lad who began training as a seven-year-old in his father Rab’s gym at Clovenstone has come full circle in a bid to restart his career that has faltered with successive technical knockout losses to Andy Lee and Peter Quillin, the latter a highly-rated contender.

Both stoppages, it should be noted, were hotly disputed by McEwan, right, and his camp who felt he could box on, and the Scot is still bitter as he was on the verge of a major title fight leading to a world championship chance.

The bronze medallist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games turned professional in 2006 and based himself in the US, where he is promoted by Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy organisation and trained by the legendary Freddie Roach.

His run of 19 wins, including ten stoppages, may have come to a halt against Lee and Quillin, but McEwan says he is now seeking a British or European title as a way of getting back into world championship contention. Paul Morby, the former Southern Area super-middleweight champion, will be the opponent in his way next Saturday.

“I am coming off two losses so I want to get back to winning again as I really want that title,” said McEwan. “Golden Boy said to me they would get me matched up in February but they have so many fighters that once you lose they are not in a hurry to get you back in. Alex Arthur phoned and asked me if I wanted to go on the show and Golden Boy said yes, as it would keep me active.”

Arthur, meanwhile, is running out of time if he wants to get back into the limelight after promising his family he will quit boxing after his 35th birthday in two years time.