ALEX Arthur yesterday expressed his sorrow at the spiralling misfortune of his former gym mate, Scott Harrison, and pledged his own name will not be added to the depressing list of Scottish boxing world champions who have fallen from grace.
Ahead of his first defence of the WBO super-featherweight title against Nicky Cook in Manchester tomorrow night, Arthur revealed he constantly prays for the salvation of Harrison, who received an eight-month jail sentence this week for assault and
drink-driving offences.
click here to view a slideshow of Alex Arthur - in and out of the ring - through the yearsThe desperate decline of former WBO featherweight champion Harrison is the latest chapter in a long story of Scottish ring heroes who have been unable to find success or contentment outside the ropes.
Arthur, as keen a scholar of boxing as he is an able practitioner of the sport, is determined to become one of the exceptions to that rule which has seen men such as Benny Lynch, Jackie Paterson, Walter McGowan, Ken Buchanan and Paul Weir encounter tragedy and trouble of varying degrees.
"It breaks my heart to see what has happened to Scott," said Arthur. "I pray for Scott all the time, at home and at my church. I really feel for him and it really does upset me. I'd like to dedicate a part of this fight on Saturday to Scott.
"I studied boxing from when I was a wee boy and looked into how so many boxers fell by the wayside and lost everything they had. There is no way I will allow that to happen to me.
"I'm a clean living guy, married, Christian and a good family man. I put a lot of hard work and dedication into my career. I believe I will reap the rewards for that. I don't want to harp on about my bible bashing, but I believe with all my heart that God keeps me on the right track."
Arthur also has a more earthly inspiration in the shape of Jim Watt, the former WBC lightweight champion who has bucked the trend by carving out a hugely successful career as a television pundit and after-dinner speaker.
Watt, in Manchester to work on tomorrow night's MEN Arena show for Sky, warmly embraced Arthur at yesterday's hectic media conference at the city's Lowry Hotel. "That meant a lot to me," said Arthur. "Jim told me he has never seen me looking so good before a fight.
"Jim is a guy you have got to look up to.
"Let's be honest, we have failed miserably in the past in terms of lifestyles and handling fame and money. Jim is the only one to succeed and he has succeeded royally.
"Every time I see him, he looks better. That is going to be Alex Arthur one day. I've always sworn I will come out of it all in the right way like Jim has done.
"I didn't have the easiest upbringing, which has been well documented. My dad was a violent criminal and caused a lot of trouble for me and my family, but as soon as I became a successful amateur boxer he went straight.
"Now I've got a three-bedroom house in Newington with a Mercedes parked outside. Sometimes it doesn't seem real, but every day you have to get up and remember how you got that. You have to keep sweating and working to keep it."
Happily for Arthur, the toil involved in making the 9st 4lbs super-featherweight limit appears to have been undertaken with a greater degree of comfort for this fight than when he clearly struggled last time out in an unconvincing defence of the WBO interim title against Stephen Foster Jr in December.
The 30-year-old Edinburgh boxer looked in excellent shape yesterday and anticipates no difficulties at today's weigh-in. "Before the Foster fight, I was in a sauna every day with a sweat suit on to try and lose the pounds," he said. "But I feel tremendous this time, so much better, and the training with Wayne McCullough has been perfect.
I've got the utmost respect for Nicky Cook. He's a good fighter. He is obviously up for the fight and he is a good challenger. I will get the win, though. That's certain, believe me."
While Arthur and Cook technically top the bill tomorrow night, they predictably had to concede much of the English media spotlight yesterday to Amir Khan, whose WBO Intercontinental lightweight title defence against unbeaten Colombian Breidis Prescott has been afforded headline status by Sky.
The Bolton youngster admits he is putting his reputation as the hottest prospect in British boxing on the line against Prescott, who has knocked out 17 of the 19 opponents he has defeated as a professional. "It is risky," said Khan, "but I'm a fighter who likes to take risks."
The full article contains 829 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
