I'll win world title bout for Edinburgh, vows Alex Arthur

Aug 31 2008 By Gavin Berry

ALEX ARTHUR watched buddy Chris Hoy steal the Olympic headlines a decade after he put the cycling superstar in the shade at the Commonwealth Games.

Now the boxing braveheart wants to follow up Hoy's Beijing success and make it an Edinburgh double by defending his world crown on Saturday.

Nobody was more chuffed for Hoy than the WBO super-featherweight champion who steps in to the ring at Manchester's MEN arena to face Londoner Nicky Cook.

Arthur also knows better than most the work the triple gold medallist puts in because they were team-mates at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia.

The 30-year-old scrapper said: "I know Chris really well and he's a mate.

"I was more successful than him at the Commonwealths - I won the gold!

"But, seriously, what an achievement it was in Beijing and what a guy.

"He's 32 and works so hard. I know he's just there on a bike and you'd think boxers would work much harder.

"But some of the stuff he does in training is ridiculous. It's enough to make you vomit so he deserves everything.

"Those gold medals weren't even enough for me - Chris deserves five or six for the way he goes at it in training."

Arthur will be on the same Sky box office bill as Amir Khan who is up against Colombian lightweight knockout artist Breidis Prescott.

But the Edinburgh ace doesn't care that it's the Bolton battler who is likely to make all the headlines.

He said: "I'm not one of these star seekers. Amir's a brilliant fighter in his own right and is building towards a world championship.

"It's his home show, he's the draw.

If it was in Edinburgh then it might be a different story but it's in Manchester and everything will be done to suit him."

Arthur is preparing at a secret location with trainer Wayne McCullough amid fears that opponent Cook might spy on him.

And the Englishman spiced things up last week when he claimed the Scot was welcome to see him train before promising to deliver "a bloody good hiding".

But Arthur plans to do his talking in the ring and is confident of glory in Manchester. He said: "I've fought at the MEN Arena twice and they both ended in a first-round knockout so that could be an omen.

"I'm not sure if it will be a first-round knockout this time. That's in the hands of God.

"My weight is fantastic, my sparring has been great and my conditioning training has been tremendous. So I don't have any gripes at all."

Cook, though, insists he will be the one walking away with the title.

He said: "I'm sure a few fireworks will be going off but I'm not even contemplating defeat.

"That's negative talk and I won't think like that. I'm thinking only of going back to London as the champion."

If you want to catch the big fight on Sky call 0844 241 0888 for details of how to purchase it.