Alex Arthur tops his own bill

[The_budweiser]

NO SCOTTISH boxer in recent history has talked as good a fight as Alex Arthur of Edinburgh, the 1998 Commonwealth Games gold medallist who has mostly enjoyed a stellar career since he turned professional.

 

The talkative former world super-featherweight champion has always been a promoter's dream, and as it turned out, the man who called himself Amazing always had the dream of being a promoter. Now Amazing Alex Arthur Promotions is a reality, with the bill announced yesterday for the first of what he hopes will be many nights of professional boxing in Edinburgh.

 

Six of the capital's best fighters will feature on the evening card at Meadowbank Sports Centre on Saturday, 27 August, with a minimum ticket price of £25 representing very good value for what should be an entertaining evening.

 

"We have the crème de la crème of Edinburgh boxers," said Arthur, in fine jovial form, "and of course my remarkable record speaks for itself!"

 

Arthur himself will go into the ring against Aleksander Vakhtangashvili from Georgia in a lightweight contest which should be a major step back to the top for the 33-year-old who has reunited with his original professional trainer, Peter Harrison, father of former world champion Scott.

 

"I feel I am back where I started with the best trainer I have ever worked with," said Arthur. "I am really happy, and I'm doing everything I'm told."

 

For his part Harrison is confident that Arthur can reach the top again. He said: "I feel Alex just needs a couple of fights and then his promoter Frank Warren will try and get him a world title fight.

 

"Alex has been reasonably successful but he has still not showed everybody what he can do. I am ambitious, I want to train world champions, and I think Alex can be in the big time again."

 

The rest of the card contains what should be some real crowd-pleasers, with Kenny Anderson, the 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, facing Sheffield's Lee Duncan at super-middleweight.

 

Anderson is looking to boost his chances of a rematch against British and Commonwealth champion George Groves, who beat a not-fully-prepared Anderson in Manchester last November before going on to beat James De Gale. "I wanted things to be moving in my direction rather than people continuously looking at what happened with Groves," said Anderson. "I made it clear after the fight that I wanted a rematch and they made a gentleman's agreement which they didn't keep.

 

"But I am happy where I am at the moment and delighted to be fighting in Edinburgh.

[url]http://sport.scotsman.com/boxing/Revitalised-Alex-Arthur-tops-his.6813200.jp[/url]

[The Galveston Giant]

A couple of boxers i used to spar and train with are on the bill, and one who turned the show down because the money was crap. Arthur must be kidding himself with that opponent, he's finished fighting and am suprised Harrison has teamed up with him again.

[Dallen]

Alex Arthur is joking with his opponent on this show,surely he could get a stiffer one down the cemetary.Come on Alex for gods sake step up and fight someone with a pulse.

[The_budweiser]

Alex Arthur is joking with his opponent on this show,surely he could get a stiffer one down the cemetary.Come on Alex for gods sake step up and fight someone with a pulse.

 

Its his first bill as a promoter, no point wasting a fortune on his oppenent, i guess hes treding the waters to see if there interest in Endinburgh in his bills at the same time of trying to turn a profit. Got to remember Arthurs making no money as hes promoting himself so be folish to waste it all on his first bill. I think he'll be a popular promoter in Edinburgh once he hangs up his gloves.

[davemurphy]

I always hate to see a new promoter who was a former fighter add himself to his own card, it usually means that he's unsure about having the resources to pay an extra fighter on the Bill. Even on his own promotion, you don't like to see an Alex Arthur fighting for free. I hope it goes well and he can hang up the gloves and go on as a promoter.