WBO super-featherweight champion Alex Arthur has praised his first world title defence opponent Nicky Cook, but also handed out a warning to the man from Dagenham.
Arthur takes on the Essex fighter at Manchester's MEN Arena on September 6 after taking over the title relinquished by Dominican champion Joan Guzman earlier this year.
Arthur said: "Cook is a good first defence opponent. He can box and, like me,
he is a body puncher, but I think it is highly significant that when Cook lost his last attempt at a world featherweight title he was stopped by body punches.
"So I don't think Cook will enjoy my left hook to the body at all when we clash.
"Still, it's a great chance for Cook but I've also been told by my manager, Frank Warren, that the possibility of me defending against Mexican ring legend Marco Antonio Barrera is far from dead. It could still happen in the future – provided that I beat Cook in September.
"Boxing Barrera would be a dream come true for me so the knowledge that a win over Cook could be the doorway to a fight with Barrera really fires me up."
Arthur was yesterday handed another incentive when he was told that victory over Cook could land him the chance of a sensational match-up with Commonwealth lightweight champion Amir Khan.
Arthur added: "Amir Khan is one for the future. Right now, Amir and I plan to help each other by sparring, which should be educational for us both.
"Right now, Amir and I are allies who, nevertheless, could clash in a big England versus Scotland fight but I'd like a crack at defending against Barrera first. If I fought Khan, it would probably be after I had stepped up weights.
"My overall aim is to win world titles at three different weights – lightweight and light-welterweight, to add to my present world super-featherweight title."
Meanwhile, three neutral boxing insiders also hailed Cook as being a quality challenger for Capital ace Arthur's first ever world title defence.
Daniel Herbert, deputy editor of Boxing News, the London-based, British boxing trade paper, said: "Cook is no pushover for anyone, including Alex Arthur.
"Cook is tall, can box well and is a very good body puncher who is well capable of giving Arthur a stiff fight for his title, so it will be an interesting bout and certainly no foregone conclusion for Arthur."
Similarly, veteran Leith Victoria ring coach Joe Fortune, who coached Arthur as a youth and senior to many amateur championship titles, said: "I've seen Cook box several times and I think that he will be a good opponent for Alex.
"He can box, move and punch well enough to make his clash with Arthur really competitive and, like Alex, he can dig well to the body so I think the fans could see a cracking contest."
Billy Nelson, coach of Edinburgh super-middleweight prospect Kenny Anderson, who worked in Arthur's corner during the early part of the WBO champion's pro career, said: "I'll be sending Alex Arthur a collection of DVDs of Nicky Cook's fights to help him plan his strategy, but I honestly think that Alex will be too strong for Cook – especially with his trademark left body hooks.
"Nobody can stand up to them if they land cleanly and Arthur has a superior left jab to Cook's so I see him winning well, despite the fact Cook is a very good fighter in his own right."
The full article contains 592 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
