Arthur-Guzman fight looks set for Glasgow

Ya beauty!!!

ALEX ARTHUR was last night handed the fight of his life when Frank Warren won the purse bid to put the interim champion in with reigning world title holder Joan Guzman.
Arthur's promoter paid $280,000 at the WBO's HQ in Puerto Rico for the right to make his fighter the undisputed champion of the world, and the contest is expected to go on in Glasgow on April 26.
It's the fight nobody expected to see because of Guzman's reluctance to leave America but Arthur is now preparing to train as never before so he will be ready for his date with destiny.

He said: "I'm going to fight the man recognised as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. This is the fight of my life against a great world champion and the defining moment of my career so far.
"I've been preparing for this moment all my boxing life and it will be great to have the advantage of fighting in front of my home crowd.
"If I'd been asked a year ago if it made any difference to me whether or not I fought in Scotland I'd have said I didn't care. But the way the crowd turned out for me in my last fight against Steve Foster Jr changed my mind. Their backing was important to me and I look forward to more of it in Glasgow."

Arthur became interim world champ when it was thought Guzman would give up the title he won by beating Kuba Gogoladze in London and move up from super featherweight. And he realises he'll need to be in the shape of his life for this winner-takes-all bout.
Arthur said: "It might be three months away but I sparred eight rounds with Paul Appleby on Wednesday and I'm starting to get into shape already.
"This is the fight I'd have taken on anytime, anywhere but I can't be in any old kind of shape to face someone like Guzman. I've craved this moment and now it's here I aim to be right for it."
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Arthur pays the price for home crowd


ALEX Arthur has a price to pay for home advantage in his WBO super-featherweight title challenge against Joan Guzman after it emerged the unbeaten champion will receive the lion's share of the purse for the contest.

It was initially believed that Arthur, as the WBO's interim champion, would be entitled to a 50-50 split of the purse for his mandatory bid to dethrone Guzman who is scheduled to make his third defence of the full title against the Scot in Glasgow or Edinburgh on 26 April.

However, it was confirmed by the WBO yesterday that would only have been the case if the fight took place on neutral soil. The purse will now be split 60-40 in favour of the 31-year-old from the Dominican Republic.

The 29-year-old Arthur will receive £56,000 for the biggest fight of his career, with Guzman picking up £84,000. Both boxers will increase their earnings from the contest with a share of the television income.

"This is a fight we've wanted to get out of the way the moment they told us Arthur was next in line," said Jose Nunez, Guzman's manager . "

We didn't care where we'd fight him, just that the fight would get made and we wouldn't have to wait too long."
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hmm. I would give Arthur a 40% chance of pulling this off. As a patriotic scot of course I think Arthur can pull off the upset, & I have a gut feeling he will!
However, I cannot lie. Despite the fact I think Guzman is overrated by many, hes still a fine fighter, & effective at what he does. Hes lightning fast, a runner, & poses & mugs for the camera, which always catches they eye of judges making them give him rounds he often doesnt deserve.
Hes also got an iron chin IMO, so its going to be very hard for Alex to stop him. The cards are stacked in Guzmans favour if Im being brutally honest.

HOWEVER, Alex has the tools to pull off the upset, trust me. Guzman is great at what he does, but hes no Mayweather, He has chinks in his armour than can be exploited. Do you think I would be in here mouthing off about an Arthur victory if I believed in my heart Alex had no chance?
I might be patriotic, but I dont back no-hopers. Remember I was the guy who warned everyone on here that Willie Limond was going to give Khan a harder fight than anyone would imagine, & I was right. Khan even beat a classy operator St Clair easier than he beat Limond. So I like to think I know what Im talking about when it comes to scottish fighters & their strengths & weaknesses...

Take from that what you will my man.

 

On a purely selfish level I am happy Decebal my good man. happy that I wont have to travel too far to see the fight, & happy that it will be an an arena I never thought I would be back to as a boxing fan again after scotty went off the rails.(thats if its the braehead, of course)

However, Arthur has jumped the gun before & it still wouldnt suprise me if the fight went ahead in another city.

 

Aye Boydy, as ESB meet up in Glasgow looks on the cards Although I will have to look out for an angry ESB english lynch mob appearing when I show my face

 

Someone should pack you off in a taxi to boxrec, cos your making an arse of yourself here.