Arthur has home advantage, but will Guzman show up?

If it goes ahead, it will be a fight that will fit in well with what is developing into the best Spring in the history of boxing. Frank Warren's winning purse bid of $280,000 for the bout between Joan Guzman, the WBO super-featherweight title, and Alex Arthur, the interim champion, beating Sycuan, Guzman's promoters, by $28,000. The bout is due to take place in London, Glasgow or Edinburgh on April 26 (meaning on successive weekends there will be Woods-Tarver, Calzaghe-Hopkins and Guzman-Arthur). But perhaps the biggest question is whether the fight will take place at all.

Arthur was instantly excited about the prospect of such a big name coming to Scotland. Guzman is a member of an elite group of super-featherweights that Arthur felt he was being excluded from. "Frank has done a fantastic job winning the purse bids and securing home advantage for me in this mega-fight against Guzman," Arthur said. "With my pals Enzo [Maccarinelli] and Joe involved in massive fights, it's great to join them with a big fight of my own.  I'm really, really, excited by the challenge in front of me.  It's a chance to prove what I have always believed - that I belong in world class company and will be world champion.  It will be a hard task but I'm confident of winning and bringing another world title belt to Great Britain."

It was always assumed that Guzman, who is trained by Floyd Mayweather Sr, would not take the bout in the first place. The man from the Dominican Republic (who once boxed on the same bill as Arthur when he won the WBO super-bantamweight title at Cardiff Castle in 2002) is known to struggle with the weight - he also is in search of the kind of big payday he feels he deserves.

That is how Arthur became interim champion in the first place. Guzman was tipped to go up to lightweight to face one of the many Diazs, or Michael Katsidis. The problem was the bout never came off. So instead of giving up the title as expected, Guzman stepped up to the plate when the WBO demanded. Coming to Scotland, however, was not part of his plans.

For Guzman, there must now seem like a lot of minuses for this bout. He had hoped it would be on the Calzaghe-Hopkins undercard, but the April 26 date would likely mean no US television, while the $168,000 purse he would be entitled to, while it will go along way in the Dominican Republic, would not add up to as much as he would have hoped for when tax, trainers fees and expenses come out.

He also has had a bad experience of Scotland. Two years ago he had been due to come to Glasgow as mandatory challenger for Scott Harrison's WBO featherweight title. Harrison pulled out with a gum infection and Guzman decided not to hang about for a rearranged date. It proved to be a wise move as Harrison hasn't boxed since, though he may feel that a trip back across the Atlantic would only mean bad news.

He has until February 10 to sign his contract, or lose the title, which Arthur would automatically inherit. By chance, the day after is another day which could have a big bearing on the title. February 11 is the date that Harrison is due in court to answer charges, including assault of a police officer, relating to an incident in The Counting House pub, in Glasgow in 2006.

If Harrison is cleared or the case is further adjourned, it could open the way to an all-Scottish megafight with Arthur. Harrison would need to get his licence back from the British Boxing Board of Control, but if he has not been found guilty of an offence, they would have few grounds for withholding it.

Then the WBO could grant him a direct shot at Arthur. They have a rule that grants a champion sidelined by an injury a straight shot at their old title or the weight above. Harrison never lost his title in the ring and would relish a fight with Arthur. In the meantime, we are all waiting on Guzman.