HARRISON’S UNRUFFLED BY ARMENIAN
By Jim Black
Sunday Express
June 6, 2004
WBO featherweight champion Scott Harrison isn’t in the least fazed by
the news Armenian rival William Abelyan has enlisted the services of
Mexican legend Manuel Medina in a bid to plot a world title takeover.
Harrison insists that Abelyan is wasting his time after claiming:
“There is no more awkward southpaw than Medina – and I beat him.”
But Abelyan believes that his own southpaw stance will prove to be
Harrison’s undoing – with the help of five-time world champion Medina.
Abelyan says having 33-year-old Medina in his camp is effectively
the final piece in the jigsaw, because the Mexican knows Harrison’s
style inside-out after gaining a split points decision against the
Glaswegian last July.
The fact Harrison, 26, won back the crown at Braehead four months
later when he inflicted an 11th round stoppage on Medina appears to
have escaped Abelyan’s notice.
“Medina has a wealth of experience and can help me plan my tactics
to beat Harrison, ” said the 25-year-old challenger.
“With Medina in my camp I have a huge advantage over Harrison because
he is supplying me with vital information.”
But Harrison posed the question:
“Why does Abelyan need another boxer to tell him how to fight?
Surely he is capable of planning his own tactics.
“Abelyan says he’s been studying videos of me and when he gets in
the ring he’ll know me better than I know myself.
“But by the sound of things he doesn’t know too much about me if he
has to rely on Medina to fill him in.
“Abelyan has had plenty to say so far but I much prefer to do my
talking in the ring.
“If Abelyan imagines that he has me rattled with his comments he’s
wrong – I’ve heard it all before.”
Harrison has been sparring with Englishman Patrick Mullings, the
former British and Commonwealth champion he out-pointed in 2000 to
take the latter crown.
The arm muscle injury which forced Harrison to postpone the planned
May 29 meeting has healed completely and the champion is adamant that
he’s in great shape.
“Mullings has been an ideal sparring partner because, like Abelyan,
he is a southpaw and he is a good mover who throws a lot of punches,
” said Harrison, who insists that he won’t stop until he is recognised
as the top featherweight in the world.
He added: “The Americans still rank Manny Pacquiao, Juan Marquez
and Marco Antonio Barrera ahead of me and I won’t rest until I am
recognised as No 1 “But for the time being I am concentrating only on
beating Abelyan. I am entirely focused on what lies ahead on June 19.”
Harrison, already a two-time world champion, hasn’t made it into the
top 10 British ring stars of all time, according to a vote by Boxing
News readers.
But two other Scottish ring greats do feature in the list topped by
former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. Former world lightweight
champion Ken Buchanan from Edinburgh is ranked fifth, one place higher
than Gorbalsborn flyweight Benny Lynch.