Harrison v George Arias

[Old bones Ian]

Well an opponent for Harrison has finally been announced and its the Brazilian George Arias, for me not a bad choice, should be around to hear the final bell.

http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?hu ... &cat=boxer

[bennie]

Well an opponent for Harrison has finally been announced and its the Brazilian George Arias, for me not a bad choice, should be around to hear the final bell.

http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?hu ... &cat=boxer

Edinburgh's big-hitting Alex Arthur makes the first defence of his WBO super-featherweight title against Londoner Nicky Cook in a good old-fashioned Anglo-Scottish clash at the cavernous MEN Arena in Manchester (Saturday, September 6).
Arthur inherited the belt in May when Dominican iron man Joan Guzman relinquished to move up to lightweight. The Scot was already interim champ, a position he secured by thumping Georgian southpaw Koba Gogoladze in 10 rounds last year, and was lined up to challenge Guzman a couple of times, so he deserved the title, although it is never an ideal way to be crowned world champion in this crazy era for boxing.
Still, "Amazing" Alex can undoubtedly fight and will want to cement his new credentials with a big display here. Arthur is now on a five-year winning streak since perennial Manchester threat Michael Gomez shocked him in five thrilling rounds in Edinburgh in October 2003 - his only defeat in 27 fights - and hurt the slippery Gogoladze every time time he caught him in Cardiff 14 months ago, flooring him three times, although last time out he struggled to outscore Salford dangerman Stephen Foster. Arthur dropped Foster with a peach of a left hook to the body in the ninth but took a tumble himself in the 11th from a sweeping right to the head and a tight decision a round later in his own home city. Arthur may have taken Foster lightly. Alex was then given the runaround by Guzman prior to "Li'l Tyson" moving up, and thus hasn't fought since Foster 10 months ago, not an ideal situation for a man who blows up in weight and is known to struggle to boil down.
At a lofty 5ft 9ins the charismatic champion is truly one of those 'big' little men.
The same is true of Cook, a lean, rangy, stiff-hitting former featherweight star from Dagenham who moved up to super-featherweight earlier this year and should be more comfortable at the weight than 30-year-old Arthur, if conceivably not as strong and certainly not as established. Like the champion, Cook has lost only once (in 29): America's classy and heavy-handed Steven Luevano hammered him in 11 rounds in July last year on local turf in east London's O2 Arena. Nicky showed immense guts but was never really in it and finally succumbed to southpaw body shots. At stake was the vacant WBO featherweight title that night, and given Arthur goes particularly well to the body in his attacks, you wonder if this crack has come too soon for Cook. He could not win the WBO title at featherweight, so at super-featherweight? In fairness he looked gaunt at the weigh-in for Luevano.
Nicky, who goes well to the body himself, came back with a routine two-round dismissal of Bulgarian old man Kirkor Kirkorov in February in his official super-featherweight debut and his last outing, which told us nothing about Nicky's freshness after Luevano, or his ability to compete at the new weight, although the challenger enjoys great sparring in east London with the likes of British super-featherweight champion Kevin Mitchell and former European light-welterweight champ Colin Lynes.
Neither Cook nor Arthur have been particularly active of late, then, but Arthur brings an edge in power, having stopped 19 of his 26 victims (Cook, 16 of his 28, mostly at featherweight). When Arthur hits opponents, they tend to stay hit. In contrast Cook was never able to dent Luevano or his confidence and may have been exposed somewhat in his first true test in world class. Certainly if you compare their spells as European champion, Arthur again looks the more heavy handed. He largely blew away his challengers; Cook largely laboured.
To counter that, Arthur is a real maverick in his choice of trainers while Cook is trained by father and ex-lightweight pro Paul (a huge banger) and always has been. Both men mix their punches up well (Arthur, delightfully at times), are prone to cuts and held British, Commonwealth and European titles. Cook, younger than Arthur at 28 (29 next week), is plagued with fragile hands.
There we have it, an interesting if not fascinating domestic coming together. To me Arthur is the better, stronger, more punishing fighter. Yes, weightmaking is a worry for him but at least he is proven at the weight, unlike Nicky, and on his day Alex looks a million dollars. He has already licked a few wiry domestic opponents in the Cook mould such as Ricky Burns and Craig Docherty.
Arthur forces a middle-round stoppage.
Also on the big bill, Bolton golden boy Amir Khan takes on Colombia's dangerous-looking but totally unknown Breidis Prescott in a lightweight 12-rounder.
Unbeaten Khan, 18-0 (14), was given a surprisingly hard fight by Manchester veteran Michael Gomez in Birmingham in June and had to climb off the canvas before coming good in five stormy rounds. Before that, Martin Kristjansen also found Khan there to be hit in Bolton in April until he was overwhelmed in seven. Fortunately for Khan, the Dane is a notoriously light hitter. On top of the huge struggle Glasgow's Willie Limond gave Khan last year in London (Amir was floored again but came through in eight bloody rounds), one wonders if the 21-year-old local man is as good as his teenage amateur glories suggested.
To the 25-year-old Prescott, who is also unbeaten and brings over 17 knockouts in his 19 wins, against nobody of great note, and he struggled to outscore Cuban Richard Abril in his last outing in June in America on a 10-round split decision. You know, all but two of Prescott's wins have come in Colombia, against men with losing records, but he obviously squares up as a puncher - and we know Khan's chin is hardly made of cast iron - and a 'big' lightweight at 5ft 11ins.
The Colombian has won 14 fights inside three rounds.
Khan is big for the weight himself at 5ft 10ins, and uses his height, and particularly his long reach, to pick off opponents with lightning-quick bursts of punches. His reflexes give him a headstart against pretty much anyone at this developing stage of his career and he will certainly be out to impress in his first fight for Cuban trainer Jorge Rubio, his Sky Box Office debut (pay-per-view, in other words, which has not gone down well with hard-core boxing fans), and given his last two outings. Trainer Rubio no doubt 'clocked' Prescott three months ago in that struggle with Abril in Florida, where Rubio runs a gym. Team Khan knows all about Prescott, if not any of us.
The upshot is obvious. It could be lively for a little while until Khan's speed (and body shots) tell in the middle rounds, when he forces a stoppage.
Giant Wembley man Audley "Tap Tap" Harrison takes on Brazilian substiutute George Arias in a 10-rounder.
Harrison is rebuilding from a disastrous knockout at the hands of little Michael Sprott at Wembley last year. The former Olympic champion dropped Sprott in the first round that night and looked on the way to a convincing win until, Sprott, the quicker man, uncorked a perfect left hook in the third to flatten the 6ft 5ins Harrison, who never looked like beating the count.
In fact he was 'out'.
There was talk of a rematch with Sprott on this show, after Irish thumper Martin Rogan, Audley's original opponent, pulled out with a hand injury. Arias makes the long trip instead, a 34-year-old from Sao Paulo who turned pro 12 years ago and is nothing if not experienced, having mixed it with the likes of Fres Oquendo, Taras Bidenko, Sinan Samil Sam, Juan Carlos Gomez, Owen Beck, Fabrice Tiozzo and Johnny Nelson, who outscored him over 12 rounds at York Hall in 2001, after nearly stopping him in the first.
Gomez, a big southpaw like Harrison, is one of the few men to stop him.
Former cruiserweight Arias stands just under 6ft, which puts him at an immediate disadvantage against the 6ft 5ins Harrison, although Harrison is hardly Mike Tyson circa 1988 or even Juan Carlos Gomez and never will be at nearly 37, and Arias is durable, tricky and seasoned enough to hang in there for the full soporific 10.
Pick of the other fights sees heavy handed local man Matthew Hall, who has bounced back with two wins since a shock loss to Martin Concepcion, against teak-tough Welshman Taz Jones, back with one win following a seven-round pounding at the hands of talented Tony Doherty. Expect plenty of lusty action.
Liverpool ex-amateur star Tony "Bomber" Bellew also appears against experienced Zimbabwean (by way of Birmingham) Hastings Rasani. "Bomber" Bellew, 5-0 (3), trained by former middleweight strongman Anthony Farnell, looks sharp.
Matthew Macklin returns to the Sports Network fray in a 10-rounder with durable Tanzanian Francis Cheka. Macklin turned pro with Sports Network way back in 2001 but a surprise points loss to Sheffield's tall Andrew Facey for the English light-middleweight title led to a parting of the ways and a heavy loss to Jamie Moore for the British light-middleweight title forced him up to middleweight. Last time out in March in Dublin, Macklin took a solid 10-round decision over Mexican veteran Yory Boy Campas. Macklin is aggressive, hard-hitting, good to head and body, good to watch and still only 26, although to me he lacks the speed and subtlety to go all the way.
The charismatic Brummie has been training with Buddy McGirt in Florida.
Scouse hopes and brothers Paul and Stephen Smith also feature, along with Manchester hopes Denton Vassell, Steven Bell and Anthony "Million Dollar" Crolla.

[funso banjo baby]

its not good

but nevermind

audleys going to tower over him......just another freakshow

if he uses his footwork...a quick combo could stop the fight around the 4th or 5th

[Wales]

Great tagline by SkySports

"Audley gets a brazilian"

[Bard of Boxrec]

so he deserved the title,.

in an odd way, you are right...

As for harrison's Brazilian, lets hope this can shave the way for an improvement, if he waxes this guy it could razor hopes of a big money fight. audley doesnt Mach talent but i feel after this fight he will blade from the scene again.

[jameswilson]

so he deserved the title,.

in an odd way, you are right...

As for harrison's Brazilian, lets hope this can shave the way for an improvement, if he waxes this guy it could razor hopes of a big money fight. audley doesnt Mach talent but i feel after this fight he will blade from the scene again.

As was said in the other thread this opponent is no Razor Ruddock but is a cut above what we could have had at a weeks notice.

Having gone the distance recently with Sinan Samil Samm and Taras Bidenko shows he is a cut above most journeyman.

Enough of the puns now.

[oliverfennell]

Yes, especially as the made the same one twice (cut above)

[DavidPayne]

Got me foaming at the mouth because the styles should gel wonderfully, and the promoters have promised the closest fight you've ever had or your money back. I liked the fight so much I bought the whole company.

[jomothepure]

Anyone with an Arias definitely should consider was treatment imo.

Anyway, don't make fun of the opponent. He's the best the man could get.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Anyway, don't make fun of the opponent. He's the best the man could get.

I genuinely laughed out loud at this one, good work.

Puns aside, anyone see the durable Arias sticking around and KO'ing Audley late?

[Shirow]

So soon after the fish one on the current board? Ok...

At least the Brazilian has been in against many recognisable fringe world class names so allowing for the stubble there must have been getting a replacement on 5 days notice he was probably the best the man could get.

But if Arias gets the Bic between his teeth, Gillettes his hands go and sparks Aud, his career is plucked and the best he can hope for is a soft landing (strip).

[Goz]

Audley 'tap tap' Harrison.

[jameswilson]

Audley 'tap tap' Harrison.

Danny 'more Tapas please' Williams.

[funso banjo baby]

no !

[Goz]

Audley 'tap tap' Harrison.

Danny 'more Tapas please' Williams.

I don't think it's tapas that is Williams vice.