Jamie Arthur will go to hell and back to beat Scott Quigg
Posted: 01 Feb 2012, 13:32
Not entirely sure of the rules regarding articles on here so I've attached the link and text of a piece I did on Jamie this week, have a nose.
http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/view-Ar ... cleID=1317
WHEN Jamie Arthur walked away from boxing in 2011 it wasn’t because he’d lost the will to fight, it was a reluctant decision born out the frustration between balancing boxing with making a living in other ventures.
It wasn’t the first time that Wales’ Arthur had walked away from the sport but this time it wasn’t through choice, he was almost being forced out through the circumstances that plague the structure of boxing. His opportunities were often offered at short notice so Arthur left and bided his time but he hasn’t been resting on his laurels.
“It seems like I’ve had more comebacks than Rocky, doesn’t it?” he opens, “I got a new building and renovated it to a gym and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last seven months – sorting out my future and getting everything back on board. I haven’t stopped training, I’ve been coaching people as well and that’s given me a different outlook on the sport.”
After sorting out his business in came the offer Arthur had been waiting for, eight weeks to prepare to challenge for the British super-bantamweight title against hot prospect Scott Quigg – a product of the great Brian Hughes’ mentoring. It wasn’t something he was going to let pass him, “For me to get an opportunity like this, well that’s what worth coming back for, I don’t want to come back for a six to eight round fight on a small hall bill. This is what I want in boxing.”
Many fight fans have been fantasising over the possibility of a mouth-watering showdown between Quigg and Irish protégé Carl Frampton who’s handled by Barry McGuigan … but nobody's told Arthur and he’s determined to put a spanner in that works.
“I’m always the underdog. There’s not many times when I go into it and people say “Yeah, he’s going to win the fight”, but that’s the way I like it. I hope that he is overlooking me to the Frampton fight, I doubt he’s silly enough to do that but I hope that he has overlooked me and he’s thinking that it’s going to be an easy night.”
Having previously taken title fights on short notice, this was all the time in the world that Arthur needed. He said, “I’m always fit and strong but look at the Kris Hughes Commonwealth title fight, I only had 15 days and for the Jason Booth (British and Commonwealth) fight I had three weeks but for this fight I’ve had seven weeks. The difference between those fights and this fight is that in the past I’ve had more brawn than brains and I get dragged into their way of fighting, now it’s time to stick my game plan.”
Arthur hit the heights as an amateur when he became a gold medallist at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2000. Despite Welsh and Commonwealth title wins in the pros he hasn’t achieved what he feels he can, but he believes it has set him up for victory in Bolton on February 4th.
“He hasn’t got anything that I haven’t seen before, don’t forget I’ve been boxing for 22 years. What he does, he does very well – he comes forward well behind a tight guard, he throws fast and hard punches,” Arthur reckoned, “He’s a talented fighter but I can fight a few different ways, I’m not one dimensional, I can box in varied ways depending on my opponent. I’ve got great determination and hunger, I’m a tough fighter so I’m not an easy man to beat.”
The breakout performance of the Gallagher Gym-trained Quigg was his first headliner on Saturday night Sky Sports when he demolished Jason Booth – the same fighter that defeated Arthur by a close split decision in a British and Commonwealth title unification. The size of Quigg shocked many but Arthur insists he won’t enjoy that advantage over him.
He commented, “Quigg is big for a super-bantam but he isn’t bigger than me, I walk around at 10st 2(lbs) and I have no problem getting down to 8st 10. We’re both going to be big and we’re both going to meet in the centre of the ring, toe-to-toe. My idea is that I’ve just got to win whichever way that is, I’ve just got to win – good, bad or ugly and that’s all I care about.”
Despite Quigg being the obstacle to arguably Arthur’s biggest achievement in his career he bears no bravado or bad feeling towards his English counterpart.
“We’re both genuine nice guys, I haven’t got a bad word to say against Scott, through everything so far he’s been a gentleman. Sometimes you like to fight somebody who’s a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde because you’ve then got more ammunition and motivation, y’know? We’ll go in there, do the job, come out and pick each other up.”
Understanding that he’s not favoured by many for victory against Quigg, Arthur insists that everything his career has so far entailed has set him up for this night.
“Okay, I’m 32 but life makes you hard. I’m a 32-year-old man but I’ve been through a lot of crap and I’ve still achieved success and that’s exactly what I’m going to be when February 4 – I’m going to be a success.”
From the tone of his voice to the conviction of his speech, it’s clear to see that Jamie Arthur will go through hell and back on Saturday to be crowned champion of Britain.
http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/view-Ar ... cleID=1317
WHEN Jamie Arthur walked away from boxing in 2011 it wasn’t because he’d lost the will to fight, it was a reluctant decision born out the frustration between balancing boxing with making a living in other ventures.
It wasn’t the first time that Wales’ Arthur had walked away from the sport but this time it wasn’t through choice, he was almost being forced out through the circumstances that plague the structure of boxing. His opportunities were often offered at short notice so Arthur left and bided his time but he hasn’t been resting on his laurels.
“It seems like I’ve had more comebacks than Rocky, doesn’t it?” he opens, “I got a new building and renovated it to a gym and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last seven months – sorting out my future and getting everything back on board. I haven’t stopped training, I’ve been coaching people as well and that’s given me a different outlook on the sport.”
After sorting out his business in came the offer Arthur had been waiting for, eight weeks to prepare to challenge for the British super-bantamweight title against hot prospect Scott Quigg – a product of the great Brian Hughes’ mentoring. It wasn’t something he was going to let pass him, “For me to get an opportunity like this, well that’s what worth coming back for, I don’t want to come back for a six to eight round fight on a small hall bill. This is what I want in boxing.”
Many fight fans have been fantasising over the possibility of a mouth-watering showdown between Quigg and Irish protégé Carl Frampton who’s handled by Barry McGuigan … but nobody's told Arthur and he’s determined to put a spanner in that works.
“I’m always the underdog. There’s not many times when I go into it and people say “Yeah, he’s going to win the fight”, but that’s the way I like it. I hope that he is overlooking me to the Frampton fight, I doubt he’s silly enough to do that but I hope that he has overlooked me and he’s thinking that it’s going to be an easy night.”
Having previously taken title fights on short notice, this was all the time in the world that Arthur needed. He said, “I’m always fit and strong but look at the Kris Hughes Commonwealth title fight, I only had 15 days and for the Jason Booth (British and Commonwealth) fight I had three weeks but for this fight I’ve had seven weeks. The difference between those fights and this fight is that in the past I’ve had more brawn than brains and I get dragged into their way of fighting, now it’s time to stick my game plan.”
Arthur hit the heights as an amateur when he became a gold medallist at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2000. Despite Welsh and Commonwealth title wins in the pros he hasn’t achieved what he feels he can, but he believes it has set him up for victory in Bolton on February 4th.
“He hasn’t got anything that I haven’t seen before, don’t forget I’ve been boxing for 22 years. What he does, he does very well – he comes forward well behind a tight guard, he throws fast and hard punches,” Arthur reckoned, “He’s a talented fighter but I can fight a few different ways, I’m not one dimensional, I can box in varied ways depending on my opponent. I’ve got great determination and hunger, I’m a tough fighter so I’m not an easy man to beat.”
The breakout performance of the Gallagher Gym-trained Quigg was his first headliner on Saturday night Sky Sports when he demolished Jason Booth – the same fighter that defeated Arthur by a close split decision in a British and Commonwealth title unification. The size of Quigg shocked many but Arthur insists he won’t enjoy that advantage over him.
He commented, “Quigg is big for a super-bantam but he isn’t bigger than me, I walk around at 10st 2(lbs) and I have no problem getting down to 8st 10. We’re both going to be big and we’re both going to meet in the centre of the ring, toe-to-toe. My idea is that I’ve just got to win whichever way that is, I’ve just got to win – good, bad or ugly and that’s all I care about.”
Despite Quigg being the obstacle to arguably Arthur’s biggest achievement in his career he bears no bravado or bad feeling towards his English counterpart.
“We’re both genuine nice guys, I haven’t got a bad word to say against Scott, through everything so far he’s been a gentleman. Sometimes you like to fight somebody who’s a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde because you’ve then got more ammunition and motivation, y’know? We’ll go in there, do the job, come out and pick each other up.”
Understanding that he’s not favoured by many for victory against Quigg, Arthur insists that everything his career has so far entailed has set him up for this night.
“Okay, I’m 32 but life makes you hard. I’m a 32-year-old man but I’ve been through a lot of crap and I’ve still achieved success and that’s exactly what I’m going to be when February 4 – I’m going to be a success.”
From the tone of his voice to the conviction of his speech, it’s clear to see that Jamie Arthur will go through hell and back on Saturday to be crowned champion of Britain.
