BOXING: DON’T DREAD OUR JUDGES
Watt tells Abelyan he’ll get fair crack at crown
By Anthony Haggerty

Glasgow Daily Record, UK
June 19 2004

RING legend Jim Watt last night accused William Abelyan of piling
pressure on the judges ahead of tonight’s world title clash with
Scott Harrison.

Armenian Abelyan insists home-town bias could rob him of his chance
of taking the WBO featherweight title from the Scot in front of 6000
fans at Braehead.

But Watt swears Mexican Manuel Medina’s points win over Harrison last
year is proof that a foreign fighter can score an upset in Glasgow.

And he said: ‘The judge who voted for Harrison that night has virtually
been told he’s not welcome back in the country to officiate which is
right because Medina won,no question of that.

‘It’s gamesmanship from Abelyan’s camp. They’re trying to put pressure
on the judges.

‘I saw Bernard Hopkins doing it a couple of weeks ago and it worked
for him.

‘Abelyan has sparred with some tough guys and held his own and he
looks to have a cool head so I don’t think he will be affected by
boxing away from home.’

Watt reckons Abelyan will pose a tough challenge but insists the
champion will win through.

The former world lightweight king said: ‘They have based their plans on
moving around and trying to confuse Harrison in the ring using angles.

‘They know that Scott’s strength lies in his physical strength and
aggression and they will look not to match that but nullify it.
Harrison likes a brawl to get involved in combat but Abelyan will
have the first Medina fight in mind when the Mexican came and danced
around and hurt him and won.

‘I hope Abelyan does not do the same because he is a harder puncher
than Medina ‘Harrison wasnot right physically that night and he
followed Medina around the ring but he has learned from that and in
the return when he regained the title we saw a different fighter.’

Watt insists the fear of another loss in front of his own fans and
the damage that would do to his career will be a driving force for
Harrison.

He said: ‘Defeat would be a total disaster because Abelyan is theNo.1
contender and Scott knows he won’t get a rematch if he loses.

‘If Abelyan leaves town with the title, he doesn’t have to come back
and Scott is back in the queue.

‘He’ll have to start facing people such as Injin Chi and Juan Manuel
Marquez, who are tougher routes to a title than Abelyan.’

But Watt tips the Cambuslang fighter to triumph.Hesaid: ‘Abelyan can
box with different styles he’s not one dimensional.

‘However, Scott’s the one with experience at the top level so he is
a comfortable favourite and I expect him to win clearly.

‘It will go the distance but I expect Scott to winand look good
doing it.’

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress