Alex Arthur in need of a big showing

Whisper it quietly, but when Alex Arthur next steps into the ring, he could be the only world champion Britain has. The year started so well, but Gavin Rees lost to Andreas Kotelnik, Clinton Woods lost to Antonio Tarver and Junior Witter went down to Timothy Bradley, while Joe Calzaghe and David Haye are in the process on handing their titles back. And let's face it, the IBO and Ring titles that Ricky Hatton and Calzaghe hold don't really count, do they? And anyone who mentions the WBU can leave now.

Arthur makes the first defence of his WBO super-featherweight title against Nicky Cook at the MEN Arena, Manchester, on September 6, on the same bill as Amir Khan's next bout. In modern-day fashion, Arthur did not win the title in the ring, he inherited it, having won an interim title last year, when Joan Guzman decided against facing him after much shenanigans.

"I'm looking forward to making a big statement," Arthur said. "It's a great fight for British boxing, there have been lots of good domestic fights lately, like Haye-Maccarinelli. I know Nicky Cook will come and try to rip the title from me."

Believe it or not, Cook was not the first choice opponent. That was Marco Antonio Barrera, the Mexican great, and a far more exciting pick. Barrera retired after losing to Manny Pacquiao last October. I am told he was "very keen" on the fight when it was originally mooted in February. The delay plus a purse possibly beneath his expectations scuppered that, although Barrera is rumoured to be planning a comeback against Humberto Soto instead.

So we are left with Cook, a boxer whose brittle hands have blunted his power and his opportunities. Having seen him get well beaten by Steve Luevano for the WBO featherweight title last year, it is difficult to see him putting a dent in Arthur - although Stephen Foster Jr did much better than expected against Arthur last December, putting him on the floor, before losing a points decision. Arthur looked incredibly tight at the weight that night.

Sadly, that Foster bout seems to have narrowed the ambition of those running Arthur's career. It was the old Don King belief that those that titles create money. And with so few world titles about in Britain at the moment, there are not a lot of titles to cash in on.

Comments

[Andrew Levy]

And let's face it, the IBO and Ring titles that Ricky Hatton and Calzaghe hold don't really count, do they?

Ron- are you seriously asking this question?! I think the Ring Super-middlewieght and Ring Light-heavyweight titles make Joe Calzaghe the best pound for pound fighter in the world- the only fighter with claim to be ahead of Joe is Manny Pacquiao, although he is not undefeated.