BoxRec

FREDDIE ROACH will fly into Edinburgh on Monday to mastermind Alex Arthur’s tactics ahead of his British super-featherweight clash against Michael Gomez.

Roach will arrive fresh from guiding James Toney to victory over former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas, and Arthur can’t wait for the American’s arrival.

Toney dumped Holyfield in the ninth round of their non-title fight and now Roach is out to guide Arthur to a similar emphatic victory at Meadowbank on October 25.

Arthur said: "Freddie will be bringing back my assistant coach Terry McCormack who has been understudying Freddie’s methods at his Los Angeles gym.

"We will get down to the real business of sorting out Michael Gomez.

"I’m feeling great and I’ve been training hard but I still believe that I will beat Gomez before my own fans and make the Lonsdale Belt my own property."

And legendary Sheffield trainer Brendan Ingle believes Arthur will knock out Gomez. "Take all this ‘new Gomez’ stuff with a pinch of salt, Alex Arthur will knock Gomez out in around six to nine rounds," he said.

"Your Edinburgh kid is not only a superior boxer to Gomez but will hit too hard for him.

"Arthur has it all to go all the way to the very top and we still haven’t seen the best of Alex Arthur yet.

"He has too much talent and pride to let Gomez take his title away from him - so I repeat Alex inside nine rounds maximum, that’s my personal forecast."

However, Arthur has been warned not to underestimate Gomez by the Mancunian’s coach Billy Graham.

Gomez has been training hard for the showdown in what will be a comeback for the former champion after losing his way both inside the ring and out.

And Graham believes Arthur will be up against a whole new Gomez at Meadowbank.

He said: "Arthur v Gomez? - a wicked fight! Make no mistake about it although Michael has trained for 12 rounds I honestly can’t see it going that far given how badly my man wants to beat Arthur.

"Michael is incensed by Arthur calling him ‘grayed around the edges’ and means to knock Arthur out to make him eat his words.

"I’ve never seen Gomez so fired up for a contest and it shows in the quality of his sparring and the really tough work he is putting in at my gym.

"Don’t get me wrong - Michael and I both respect Arthur and rate him highly but that’s exactly why Gomez is so determined to win. Beating Arthur on his own home Edinburgh patch would signal to the boxing world that Michael Gomez is not over the hill. Beating Arthur would be a massive achievement."

Added Graham: "Furthermore, we have had a huge boost from one of Arthur’s ex-sparring partners Steven Bell who has been trading punches with Gomez and Bell has told us Gomez has a far harder punch than Arthur can muster."

Manchester coach Brian Hughes, who discovered Gomez as a 13-year-old amateur and was in his corner for most of his earlier title winning bouts, has delivered both a warning and some helpful advice for defending champion Arthur.

"I hope Arthur is in tip-top condition for Gomez because all the smart betting money in Manchester is backing Gomez big style," he said.

"His exemplary training regime and his sheer dedication has convinced them that Arthur is going down when he meets Gomez."

However, Hughes also counselled: "My advice to Alex is this - watch for Gomez’s trick of slipping a left jab by ducking under it three times then coming up fast with a left hook and a right uppercut. He has knocked out a lot of guys like that."

Gomez may be in decent condition but i still fancy Arthur to stop him, probably around 8 or 9. Gomez may like a war but Arthur is skilled enough to avoid going into the trenches and pick him apart for me.

I think Gomez will get stopped on his feet, but will put up a decent fight.

Yeah, this is a decent test for the still relatively inexperienced Arthur. I do tip Arthur, but I've been wrong on so many occasions recently (Corrales, Holyfield, Oakey) that I'm not confident with the pick.

But, I say Arthur KO 7.

Arthur is probably somewhat over-rated.

Furthermore he's Scottish and if ever there was a nation of perenial losers, it's surely the Scots (alongside the Welsh).

Gomez UD.

Gomez will be dangerous early, but so far Arthur's chin looks good.

He'll knockout Gomez around mid-way I reckon.

I'm taking this be Arthur's 'coming out' fight (and I don't mean he stands in the ring in tells everyone he's gay) and he proves he is a class above domestic level and batters Gomez to a one-sided 7/8 stoppage. Echoes of Lewis-Mason without Arthur being as good as Lennox.

McCoy has a feeling that Arthur will stop Gomez in the later rounds

Loftgroov, at least both scots and welsh have fighters in the IBHOF, and dont have to rely on west indian immigrants like the english do for boxing honours. Just for the record; Gomez is irish.

Will be interested to see if Gomez can get to Arthur's body and how he reacts to a sustained body attack - if Gomez can muster one?

Should be an excellent fight.

bennie wrote:FREDDIE ROACH will fly into Edinburgh on Monday to mastermind Alex Arthur’s tactics ahead of his British super-featherweight clash against Michael Gomez.

According to frankwarrent.tv, he's not gonna be there
"contractual challenge by Manny Pacquaio, whom he looks after in the States" is the reason.
Arthurs reckon's it doesn't matter.
It does though.

That shit's weak man. It's only one night for Freddie.

Arthur isn't getting the level of attention that he requires from Roach (perhaps through no fault of Freddie's but the end result is the same). I really think he needs to recruit a full-time trainer or promote one of his existing team to the position of "head trainer" because right now he's in limbo.

Agreed, this situation cannot continue. Either Arthur does an Adrian Stone and move to America (working with Roach) and then come back for his actual contest or he seeks the employment of the UK trainer.

Personally, and I don't know the ins and outs, but I thought it was rather odd how a British champion couldn't afford to move closer to Peter Harrison's gym (if this was the truthful story). As a proffesional fighter, Arthur has got to be prepared to give a little and expecting Roach (a busy man) to come to Scotland to watch over him is a big ask.

Why won't he move?? Look at the extremes Paul Ingle went through to get his training done (wasn't it a 100 miles round trip, every day).

Surely, he earned enough money to buy a house near a decent trainer.

stujones wrote:Agreed, this situation cannot continue. Either Arthur does an Adrian Stone and move to America (working with Roach) and then come back for his actual contest or he seeks the employment of the UK trainer.

Personally, and I don't know the ins and outs, but I thought it was rather odd how a British champion couldn't afford to move closer to Peter Harrison's gym (if this was the truthful story). As a proffesional fighter, Arthur has got to be prepared to give a little and expecting Roach (a busy man) to come to Scotland to watch over him is a big ask.

Why won't he move?? Look at the extremes Paul Ingle went through to get his training done (wasn't it a 100 miles round trip, every day).

Surely, he earned enough money to buy a house near a decent trainer.

Stu

Alex Arthur strikes me as a creature of habit. I think he likes his home comforts so I couldn't see him wanting to move to the USA. Doesn't he have a problem with his back? If so he won't want to drive long distances every day.

Which UK trainers would you put forward as being suitable for Arthur? I am struggling to think of any.

Snatchy wrote:

stujones wrote:Agreed, this situation cannot continue. Either Arthur does an Adrian Stone and move to America (working with Roach) and then come back for his actual contest or he seeks the employment of the UK trainer.

Personally, and I don't know the ins and outs, but I thought it was rather odd how a British champion couldn't afford to move closer to Peter Harrison's gym (if this was the truthful story). As a proffesional fighter, Arthur has got to be prepared to give a little and expecting Roach (a busy man) to come to Scotland to watch over him is a big ask.

Why won't he move?? Look at the extremes Paul Ingle went through to get his training done (wasn't it a 100 miles round trip, every day).

Surely, he earned enough money to buy a house near a decent trainer.

Stu

Alex Arthur strikes me as a creature of habit. I think he likes his home comforts so I couldn't see him wanting to move to the USA. Doesn't he have a problem with his back? If so he won't want to drive long distances every day.

Which UK trainers would you put forward as being suitable for Arthur? I am struggling to think of any.

I do believe his back problem was the reason he left Peter Harrison, but my point was if he's not prepared to move - then he's going to be trainerless.

He's surely earning in the region of 20 - 30 K per fight, surely he can buy a house. No trainer will move for him (as he has now experienced) and you don't blame them, cause they have all got other fighters.

I took the word of "The Scotsman" newspaper that Freddie would be coming, but I will contact Boxing News and find out the very latest.