Nicky Cook doesn't want to take me on again, says Scot Alex Arthur

Nov 9 2008 By Ewing Grahame

ALEX ARTHUR is desperate to have another crack at Nicky Cook - the man who surprisingly beat him to take his WBO super-featherweight title.

In fact the Scot is so fired up about a rematch he offered to pay the new champ out of his own pocket to fight him.

But Londoner Cook, who won a unanimous points decision when the pair met in Manchester in September, has made it clear he won't be giving the Leith Legend a second chance.

And there has been a further blow for Arthur with the news that a cash row has also prevented himgaining revenge on Michael Gomez next month.

Arthur, 30, said: "Cook isn't going to give me another shot.

"I offered him big chunks of my purse if he would agree to the bout but he was not interested.

"Now I've just found out the other fight I was desperate to take on right now - against Gomez - sadly will not be happening either."

Gomez is the only other fighter to have beaten the Scot, stopping him at Meadowbank five years ago in one of the most ferocious showdowns between UK boxers since Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn's epic battle.

Alex said: "Gomez has been running his mouth off about what he would do to me if we fought again.

"We were due to meet on December 12 at lightweight but he wasn't happy with the money offered. I pleaded with Frank Warren to give him what he wanted.

"That would be a massive fight for Scotland and I reckon we could sell out any venue here three times over.

"Even though I still think I did enough to beat Cook I didn't have the power, aggression, drive and desire.

"I'd done way too much strength training.

"Even when I was still a stone-and-a-half above the super-featherweight limitmy body fat at seven per cent was dangerously low."

But Arthur insists moving up a division has rekindled his enthusiasm and he's aiming for more world titles.

Alex said: "I always said I wanted to win them in three divisions so I've two to go."

Meanwhile, fired up Kevin McIntyre fights welterweight holder Kell Brook at the Kelvin Hall on Friday.

McIntyre, 30, was stripped of the title when he failed to defend against Brook because of a back injury.

But Paisley postman Kev said: "I'm raring to go."

BRITISH heavyweight champion Danny Williams crashed to a shock defeat to Albert Sosnowski last night after his fight was stopped in the eighth round.