Scott Harrison Freed From Jail

Former world champion Scott Harrison was released from prison on Wednesday in time to celebrate New Year.

The 31-year-old was freed after serving four months behind bars.

He emerged from the main gate of Barlinnie prison in Glasgow just after 8am, dressed in a grey suit and white shirt and carrying a plastic bag with his belongings.

He refused to comment but gave a thumbs up sign as he was driven away in a red taxi.

Harrison was jailed earlier this year for a total of 10 months on a series of charges.

The boxer was imprisoned on September 2 for two months for assaulting his girlfriend and a police officer, four months for drink driving and two months for breaking a night time curfew, a condition of bail while drink driving.

He received an additional two months the following week after he admitted punching a stranger in the face on a night out.

His prison term was reduced by two months earlier in December and he was released after serving half his sentence.

At the Court of Appeal in Edinburgh, Lord Kingarth ruled that the sentences for the drink-driving and bail breach could run concurrently rather than consecutively, reducing that particular sentence to four months.

In the drink-driving incident, the boxer from Cambuslang near Glasgow was caught nearly four times the limit as he drove down Laurieston Road, in the Gorbals area of the city at about 9pm on August 29.

Officers found he had 137 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

In the assault incident, Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Harrison hit his partner Stacy Gardner, after she went to his Cambuslang home on the evening of May 26 to comfort him following the death of his uncle.

A neighbour witnessed the assault and called the police and Harrison assaulted one of two officers who arrived to investigate.

The court heard the boxer had been receiving counselling for an alcohol problem.

Harrison is a former WBO world featherweight champion but has not fought in three years.

His licence has since been revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control.

(reopens) Harrison’s lawyer Massimo Franchi said: “He will be delighted that he is out before the end of the year so he can start rebuilding his life in 2009.

“He will want to start afresh and he has got the support of his family there.”

Freddie Roach Plots De La Hoya Downfall

Freddie Roach has stepped up the mind games as he prepares Manny Pacquiao for that massive showdown with Oscar De La Hoya.

Roach was in De La Hoya’s corner for the split-decision defeat by Floyd Mayweather Jr back in 2007.

But he’ll be heading up the opposition as Pacman’s trainer for what they’re calling ‘The Dream Match’ in Las Vegas on December 6.

Roach claims De La Hoya is now blaming him for that defeat by the ‘Pretty Boy’, but says he brought about his own downfall by abandoning the gameplan.

“The gameplan we had for the fight was working well in the early rounds, I thought we were winning the fight. Then he abandoned the gameplan and we end up losing a decision.

“Then later on, I guess about a month ago, he started blaming me for the loss. But he’s always blaming somebody so he can blame me for this one too.

“It’s obvious, the jab was working well for him, that’s his bread and butter he just lost sight of it and I couldn’t get him to bring it back. I was urging him in the corner to keep using his left hand but it wasn’t there.”

Roach was only in De La Hoya’s corner for one fight, but he says he saw enough that night to help Pacquiao come out victorious on December 6.

“It’s a mistake Oscar made in the fight and we’re gonna take advantage of it. I’m not going to tell you what it was but it was something he started doing. It wasn’t something Mayweather was doing, it was a mistake Oscar made and I know it well. And we will take advantage of it.”

De La Hoya faded down the stretch against Mayweather, not for the first time in his career, and Roach believes that is all in the mind for the ‘Golden Boy’.

He said: “It’s 100 percent mental. He trains very hard, he runs good, he has great work ethic. It’s a mental issue, what I don’t know. I’ve had sports pyschologists call me up and offer to help Oscar with that problem and I told Oscar and he just laughed at me. There might be something to it.”

Pacquiao On Collision Course With Hatton

Manny Pacquiao is set to go down to light-welterweight after fighting Oscar De La Hoya putting him on a collision course with Britain’s Ricky Hatton.

Hatton is expected to fight the winner of the big showdown between Pacman and the ‘Golden Boy’ on December 6.

Manny, who fought at lightweight (135lbs) in his last bout, goes all the way up to welterweight (147lbs) to take on Oscar.

But after that he says he’ll end up at 140lbs, where Hatton is currently the best in the world.

The Filipino icon said: “My plan right now is I’m going back to 140.”

De La Hoya will have a big size advantage when he locks horns with P4P king Pacquiao in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

But Manny is confident that he’ll be able to handle the power of a man who has fought at middleweight.

He added: “We’ve been focusing on defence and head movement in training. I believe I can handle his power. I spar with men at 154 and 160 and I can handle their power.”

Most of the pre-fight headlines have been hogged by the war of words between Oscar and Manny’s trainer Freddie Roach.

Roach was in De La Hoya’s corner when the ‘Golden Boy’ dropped a split decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr back in May 2007.

Since then the atmosphere between the two has become distinctly frosty, with Oscar blaming Freddie for the loss, and Freddie blaming Oscar.

The Pacman approached the issue with great diplomacy, but he did reveal: “I never blame my trainer in my boxing career if I lose. I’m just blaming myself because in training you know what you’re doing. I think you don’t need to blame your trainer.”

Last week De La Hoya hit out at Pacquiao over his failed bid to sign Manny for Golden Boy, vowing him to make him pay for it inside the ring.

Pacquiao though responded by saying: “There’s nothing personal. I’m doing my job in the ring.”

Not surprisingly Pacquiao has been training hard for what will be the biggest test of his boxing career.

Despite being P4P king he’ll start a definite underdog, mainly because of the size difference between the two fighters.

He said: “I’ve had a great training camp and I’m very happy. We’ve trained hard for this fight. This is the hardest training I’ve done in my boxing career. It’s the biggest fight of my career.”

Vitali Klitschko Regains Title From Crap Peter

Vitali Klitschko reclaimed the WBC heavyweight title with a convincing victory over Samuel Peter in Berlin on Saturday night.

The Ukrainian veteran, returning to the ring after a four-year absence, dominated from the outset and proved far too strong for the Nigerian, who withdrew after eight rounds.

Klitschko, 37, picked off punches with ease throughout the opening rounds and was well ahead on all three scorecards when Peter chose not to start the ninth round.

Klitschko, who conceded seven pounds to his opponent, was fighting for the first time since a successful title defence against Danny Williams in Las Vegas in 2004.

He retired the following year due to a knee injury but looked in fine shape as he overwhelmed Peter.

 

Klitschko said on Setanta Sports: “It was not an easy fight, it was not easy preparation. I have had so many injuries but now I am fit and healthy.

“I have my skills, I can’t lose my skills. If I am fit and healthy I can show a good performance.

“If you want very much, have big will and support from your team, family and my brother, I can do anything.”

Klitschko’s victory means that he and his brother Wladimir are now both world heavyweight champions at the same time.

Wladimir, who was at ringside, holds the IBF and WBO belts but the titles will not be unified as the pair have no intention of fighting each other.

Vitali Klitschko added: “It was a good performance and I made my dream (for us) to be world champions at the same time. We have one more belt in the Klitschko family.”

Ricky Hitman Hatton Daggers Are Out

Ricky Hatton says new trainer Floyd Mayweather Snr will help him silence the critics when faces Paulie Malignaggi on November 22.

Manchester’s finest has vowed to deliver a “fantastic performance” when he goes up against the brash ‘Magic Man’ in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The Hitman has been hard at work preparing for his huge showdown with his main rival at light-welterweight, and believes Mayweather Snr’s different approach is a breath of fresh air.

Mayweather Snr, who replaced the long-serving Billy Graham recently, has urged him to think more about his attacking strategy and has ditched the gruelling fitness workouts of old and instead implemented a programme more geared to pace and technique.

“I’ve enjoyed my boxing more so lately because of the new changes that have come in,” Hatton told Sky Sports News.

“There’s a spring in my step, it’s good fun and I’m very excited about the future.

“It’s different combinations to set traps, set my opponent up and to slow me down and put the brakes on a little bit.

“People have said for years I’m a better fighter when I slow my pace down, use the jab and show the boxing ability I’ve got.”

“Baring that in mind, it’s working well.”

Mayweather wants the 30-year-old Hatton (44-1, 31KOs) to fight in bursts rather than trying to remain the all-action hero who never let up in his bid to entertain the crowds.

The pair have been working on head movement on the way in, using the right hand before teeing off with his trademark left to the body and slipping punches – something Hatton has hardly been renowned for.

And although it might lead to some early teething problems, the longest training camp in his career will give the Manchester fighter plenty of time to get to grips with Mayweather’s demands.

“It needs to be a good performance,” said Hatton. “I think the daggers are out for me a little bit and the only way I will convince them otherwise is if I put on a fantastic performance on November 22.

“If the first five weeks of training camp are anything to go by, then that’s a near certainty.”

Evander Holyfield To Learn Over World Title Bid

Evander Holyfield should learn next week whether he has secured another shot at the world heavyweight title at the age of 46.

German promoter Wilfried Sauerland has confirmed the former undisputed champion wants to return to the ring to challenge Nikolai Valuev for the WBA title – but insists a deal is far from done.

Reports claimed an agreement had been reached for the pair to fight in Europe in December, when victory for Holyfield – who turns 46 this month – would make him the oldest world heavyweight champion in history.

Sauerland said on Thursday: “Evander Holyfield last week approached our American agent to offer himself for the fight.

“Subsequently, there have been talks between our agent and Holyfield to see whether such a fight would financially be possible in Germany at all.

“At the same time we are having similar talks with other candidates.

“Today we sat down with Don King, Chris Meyer (Sauerland Events managing director) and Kalle Sauerland to discuss the issue and minimise the number of potential opponents.

“There has been no decision yet and it will take at least one week to make one. The potential dates for Nikolai Valuev’s title defence, which will be staged in the German-speaking world, are December 6, 13 and 20.”

Seven-foot giant Valuev regained the WBA belt by beating old foe John Ruiz for the vacant title this year while Holyfield boxed three times in 2007, his most recent fight a WBO title defeat by Sultan Ibragimov last October.

George Foreman currently holds the record as oldest heavyweight world champion, having claimed the title with victory over Michael Moorer in 1994 aged 45.

Williams Stops Iron Mike Tyson

Danny Williams smashed Mike Tyson towards retirement with an amazing fourth round knockout win in Louisville.

The 31-year-old Londoner clobbered Tyson to the canvas and straight to hospital in a fight which will rank as one of boxing’s greatest upsets.

Williams withstood a terrific Tyson assault in the first round and 10 minutes later was finishing off the former world champion with a series of 26 unanswered punches.

Tyson sat crumpled against the ropes with blood leaking from his right eye until referee Dennis Alfred counted him out with nine seconds of the fourth round remaining.

And Williams capped his dream night by proposing to his long-term partner Zoe Brown.

Williams, a devout Muslim, explained: “We are already married under Islam but we are going to do it properly at register office and invite a few people.

“I was going to ask her whatever happened but after what did, I knew she would say yes.”

Tyson was taken for a precautionary CAT scan and inspection of his left knee which his trainer Freddie Roach said he injured in the opening round.

Meanwhile, the unassuming Williams – given no chance by almost anybody – was preparing for stardom after gatecrashing the heavyweight elite.

Williams said: “No doubt this is the greatest feeling in the world and by far my biggest moment in boxing.

“I said I would get him after the fourth round but we didn’t quite make it that far.

“I proved people wrong – they have to take me seriously now.

“I was sure I was going to win. I trained for this kind of fight. Tyson still has tremendous punching power but I saw from the Holyfield fights that if you keep throwing punches he doesn’t recover all that well.

“He hurt me for a few seconds but if you’ve seen my fights you know I’m always at my worst in the first few rounds.

“The referee was a joke – it seemed like he was against me but it doesn’t matter now.”

Williams’ final looping right hand sent Tyson to the canvas where he was left scrambling for his senses in a scene reminiscent of his shock loss to Buster Douglas in Tokyo 14 years ago.

But Roach insisted he would not immediately advise Tyson to quit and said the knee injury had hampered his progress.

Roach said: “Danny Williams surprised a lot of us and he had a good game plan and he prevailed.

“Right now it’s hard to say what the future holds for Mike. He had a tough fight tonight and he took a lot of shots.

“I don’t want to make excuses about the knee but he couldn’t turn his hook over and throw it with all his power.”

Williams had looked set for the quick exit widely predicted during a torrid first three minutes.

He showed commendable bravery in taking the early fight to Tyson and landed a good right hand before trading in a neutral corner.

But Tyson landed a crashing four-punch combination which ended with a left hook which wobbled Williams.

The Briton did brilliantly to hold on under more Tyson pressure with Tyson almost entirely reliant on crashing left uppercuts.

Williams wobbled his way back to the corner at the end of the first round but he had already exceeded many expectations.

That was not enough for Williams who went on the attack early in the second and landed a superb straight left which briefly stopped Tyson in his tracks.

As the crowd roared their approval Williams then came off equal again following a frantic exchange with his back against the corner post.

Williams was exceeding expectations but was deducted a point by referee Alfred early in the third following a clash which left Tyson cut over his right eye.

But after another exchange Williams was cautioned again for apparently punching low.

Undaunted Williams pushed forward again and landed three clean right hands to Tyson’s temple, completely unfazed by the former champion’s reputation.

Tyson tried to step thins up at the start of the third with a swinging hook from either hand but his clean work diminished as both men tired through the third.

Williams stepped it up in the fourth and his camp’s wild celebrations when the count reached 10 signalled the completion of what is simply a British boxing fairytale.

Amir Khan Comes Gomez Test

Amir Khan was forced to clamber off the canvas and survive a ferocious five-round war before finally despatching Michael Gomez to retain his Commonwealth lightweight title in Birmingham.

Khan was briefly dropped by a crashing left hand from Gomez in round two as the heroic Manchester man made a mockery of pre-fight predictions that the Olympic silver medallist was in for an easy ride.

Gomez himself clawed his way off the canvas in the opening round and again early in the fifth before a huge right hand from Khan signalled the end. With Gomez sagging in the ropes, referee John Keane stepped in at two minutes 32 seconds of the fifth.

The high-octane war proved a valuable learning experience for Khan who had to deal with the commendable spirit of a former British super-featherweight champion seeking his last shot at glory on his 31st birthday.

But ultimately Khan kept his poise and showed strength and unerring accuracy as he held off his opponent to score his 18th professional win and move closer to his dream of a world title shot.

Gomez had always promised to make use his trademark ferocity to unsettle Khan and drag the Olympic silver medallist into the sort of war he had yet to encounter in his 17 professional fights to date.

But signs had suggested Gomez’s best days were behind him and that he was far from the same fighter who stunned previously unbeaten Alex Arthur to score a career-best fifth round knockout victory in 2003.

Gomez came into this fight having lost three of his last six, including a bizarre mid-round retirement against Peter McDonagh in 2006, and a sixth-round stoppage by Carl Johanneson in October last year.

And Khan had rubbished Gomez’s pre-fight taunts, insisting nothing would derail him from his stated intention to move into the world title picture and possibly a world title challenge to WBO champion Nate Campbell next year.

Recent, relatively straight-forward wins over Gairy St Clair and Martin Kristjansen had continued Khan’s learning curve while continuing to underline that he still has a number of improvements to make.

Working with his new trainer Dean Powell, Khan pronounced himself fitter than ever ahead of his clash with Gomez.

But this did not look likely to be a fight to test his stamina as Khan came close to a first round win.

Starting behind a sharp left jab, Khan was soon pouring the punches through his opponent’s porous guard and a scything combination ending in a big right hand dropped Gomez to the canvas.

It was all the Manchester man could do to simply survive the round but he showed commendable spirit to stay on his feet to hear the first bell and raced out for the second in sensational fashion.

Storming through Khan’s sharp shots, Gomez slammed home a left hook to Khan’s jaw which briefly dropped the Bolton man but Khan soon regrouped and a probing straight left soon had Gomez back in trouble.

It was proving to be every bit the big test Gomez had promised and despite being bloodied around his left eye the former British super-featherweight champion ploughed on in search of another knockdown blow.

Both men exchanged left hooks at the end of a fast and furious second and it was astonishing to see Gomez still standing after all the punishment he had taken.

With referee John Keane watching closely, Khan continued firing home relentlessly accurate right hands while Gomez, head down, sought to bull in close and regain the initiative.

Another left hook clattered home into Gomez’s bloodied cheek but the challenger was still driving on and made it safely to the end of the third.

How Gomez stayed on his feet when he was driven from one side of the ring to the other by a series of Khan bombs early in round four almost defied belief.

But the Manchester boxer was still firing back enough to prevent Keane’s intervention.

Khan dropped Gomez early in round five with a left to the body but Gomez got up and again came back.

A straight left caught Khan but Gomez’s punches lacked their early bite and Khan was in total control.

A jolting right midway through the fifth battered Gomez back against the ropes and as Khan poured in bombs from either hand Keane wisely decided the Manchester man’s astonishing challenge was finally over.

Pacquiao Gets Decision Over Marquez

Manny Pacquiao edged a split decision over Juan Manuel Marquez to claim the WBC super featherweight title on Saturday night.

Judges Duane Ford and Tom Miller scored the fight 115-112, 114-113 to Pacquiao but Jerry Roth went 115-112 to Marquez.

Both figthers made a tentative start but in third Pacquiao sent Marquez to the canvas with a straight left.

However he survived a scare of his own when a right-hand from Marquez opened up a cut above his eye in the eighth round.

Marquez finished the bout strongly, and landed more punches than his opponent, but the early knockdown was enough to earn Pacquiao the verdict.

This was a the pair’s second meeting after a draw in 2004 and the winner has no intention of facing Marquez again.

“This business is over,” he said.

Pacquiao admits the cut eye had caused him problems.

“I thought I was in control of the fight but when my eye got cut, it made it more difficult,” he said.

Calzaghe Gives Up WBO super-middleweight Belt

Joe Calzaghe has given up his WBO super-middleweight title after almost 11 years as champion.

The Welshman had been the longest reigning champion in his sport, having defended the WBO belt 21 times, four short of the all-time record for consecutive defences held by heavyweight great Joe Louis.

However he is focusing on his light-heavyweight showdown with American legend Roy Jones Jnr at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 8, and seems certain never to fight as a super-middleweight again.

Denis Inkin and Fulgencio Zuniga are set to battle it out for the vacant title in Hamburg on Saturday.

Calzaghe, 36, told the South Wales Argus: “It was a tough decision to make, relinquishing the belt, I can tell you that without hesitation.

“It’s just too hard to get down to the 12-stone super-middleweight limit.”

He added: “The 10-year anniversary was a wonderful marker for me and I feel it’s an appropriate time to end any doubt about me fighting at that weight again.

“I received my promoter’s licence this week, Calzaghe Promotions is up and running and I feel like I am entering a new phase, not just in my career, but in my life.

“I had a great relationship with the WBO and although it was painful to give up the title, I know I have made the right decision.”