Alex Arthur To Fight Nigel Wright On Khan Bill

By JIM BLACK


ALEX Arthur is set for a comeback on the undercard of Amir Khan's WBA light-welterweight title defence against Dmitriy Salita at Newcastle's Metro Arena on 5 December.

The 31-year-old Edinburgh boxer is moving up to light- welterweight for an eight-round contest against British and Commonwealth title challenger Nigel Wright from County Durham.

Arthur has fought only once since losing his WBO crown to Nicky Cook

15 months ago, but his bout with Mohamed Benbiou at Bellahouston Leisure Centre, Glasgow in June lasted just 94 seconds after he had the French-Algerian down three times.

Arthur is keen to pursue a career at lightweight, but he has agreed to fight at light-welterweight after being diagnosed with a blood disorder during a recent medical examination.

Arthur, who has since recovered from the condition, explained: "The doctors told me not to diet if I fought again this year so the extra five pounds at light-welter suits me as that is my natural weight. But this is a one-off. I intend fighting at lightweight in future and I am currently ranked No3 in the WBO's list of title contenders behind Antonio DeMarco and Jorge Barrios.

"Wright has fought at a decent level but he is a southpaw and I have knocked out every one of those I have fought so I am confident of producing an impressive performance. I have been sparring with Gary McMillan ahead of his Scottish welterweight title fight with Gary Young this weekend so I have current experience of how to deal with a southpaw. The fact is I need to be active because it is far from ideal having lengthy gaps between fights at this stage of my career."

Arthur has, in fact, fought only twice in two years since out-pointing Steve Foster at Meadowbank in December 2007.

http://sport.scotsman.com/boxing/Alex-Arthur-to-fight-on.5821562.jp

 

Interesting. I got a feeling Alex is in for a bad night.

 

I think Wright will take this Arthur is moving up a bit fast isn't he

 

This is a very stupid move imo, Arthur will have a very tough nights work on his hands here and I like the posters above me fancy Wright for the upset.

 

Making Super-Featherweight was killing Arthur, and i feel that's why he performed so badly against Foster and Cook. Wright is a good fighter but he will lose to Alex, probably on points.:good

 

Quite the opposite in fact LHL, I think the only thing that has held |Arthur back was him refusing to move up years ago.
The more weight Arthur puts on the better IMO!

 

If Arthur can stop Wright inside the distance, hes gonna make one helluva statement bugs:deal

 

Right so we've got Arthur fighting Wright, Jennings fighting Brook, Mitchell fighting Prescott (I think) and Khan fighting Salita plus the Olympians and I DON'T have ****ing tickets to this?

Goddamnit.

nvm, Jennings got a hand injury. ffs.

 

Good fight. Arthur on points.

 

****ing he'll folk criticize when he disnae fire,and folkcriticise him when he does folk need to get a grip.

 

Edinburgh’s former WBO super-featherweight champion Alex Arthur takes a gamble when he debuts at light-welterweight against canny Crook southpaw Nigel Wright in an eight-rounder on the big Khan-Salita bill in Newcastle on December 5.
Arthur has been pretty much off the radar since dropping his WBO crown to Dagenham’s Nicky Cook on an upset decision 14 months ago but said he was dead at the weight that night and jumps up two divisions (shades of Duran) to face Durham man Wright, a two-time British light-welterweight title challenger with good boxing skills and a solid chin.
This is a risky fight for “Amazing” Alex, but Wright has been found wanting in championship class, although he gave it a good go against Nigerian bogeyman Ajose Olusegun for the Comonwealth title last time out in June, whereas the tall Scot, who will not look small at 10 stone, lifted British, Commonwealth and European titles in his old division, along with that world title with a 10-round stoppage of Philly-based Georgian Koba Gogoladze – a lean, awkward southpaw like Wright.
Arthur goes in with the obvious edge.

 

I really like this fight. Arthur vs Wright should be very good. Wright never gives anyone an easy fight and even with Arthurs class I would expect the fight to be close.

Well done Warren.

 

Arthur will have a tough night but I think that he might just have a little bit too much and will edge a close decision.

 

Arthur to be Khans next oppoent???

 

I thought he looked good at lightweight although it wasn't the best of fighters he was in with. He stayed at Super feather way to long as you said. Wright is a bit past a measuring stick at light welter at brit level. Good luck to him anyway hopefully you are right :good