from the sub
Fans left Scott in shame
THIS is an uplifting story of an unknown young fighter who bravely stood up to a drunken mob of vicious thugs.
Scott Haywood is a key witness at the inquiry into the crowd violence that caused a boxing show to be abandoned in Rotherham 12 days ago.
The light-welterweight will give evidence when he appears before the British Boxing Board of Control in Huddersfield tomorrow week.
Understandably, he might be censured for the part he played in the events which led to police having to use CS gas to break up the ugly scenes at the Magna Centre.
Yet Haywood, 22, deserves nothing but praise for the heroic, if foolhardy, action he took last month.
The Derby man, making only his second pro appearance, sold more than 200 tickets to his family and mates to see him box Arv Mitto.
About half of Haywood’s supporters, almost all Derby County fans, got extremely drunk and aggressive waiting for his six-round contest.
While Haywood and Mitto were in the third round, there was a ferocious punch-up in the body of the hall.
Referee Mickey Vann called a time-out in the hope security staff would sort the row out.
Haywood, realising it was his followers who were behaving disgracefully, leapt out of the ring and went to calm things down.
He managed to restore order before climbing back through the ropes and scoring a comfortable points victory.
Sadly, peace didn’t reign for long. The mindless tearaways soon resumed the violence and they only stopped when police arrived with batons drawn.
The senior officer advised distraught promoter Dave Coldwell to call off the show while Haywood was so upset he burst into tears.
He told me: “I haven’t cried for 10 years. But I felt so disgusted and frustrated at what those louts had got up to in my name I couldn’t help myself.
“When I looked out of the ring and saw it was my people causing the trouble I got so angry the red mist came down.
“My adrenalin was already pumping as I was halfway through my fight and I didn’t stop to think of the consequences. Suddenly I found myself right bang in the middle of them and I gave them all a piece of my mind.
“I knew the ring-leaders and I told them if they fancied a fight they could put on a pair of gloves and I’d gladly accommodate them.
“But they are the kind of cowards who would be scared stiff to have a fight with their fists.
“They know only how to use their heads and their feet. Some of them are supposed to be my mates but I no longer want anything to do with them.”
Haywood realised on reflection it was a very dangerous thing to do.
It’s not unusual for a gang of drunken yobs to turn spitefully against one of their own and he risked being beaten up.
He has always worn a Derby County shirt instead of a robe on his walk to the ring from the dressing room.
Haywood has decided to give that up just in case it should provoke crowd problems in future.
He certainly broke the rules when he jumped out of that Rotherham ring and Vann would have been justified in disqualifying him.
The board officials could fine or suspend him. I don’t expect they will give him a pat on the back but I hope they take the same compassionate view as Vann did.
Haywood may never win a title but at least we know he has a champion’s heart.