Scott Harrison (boxer)

Scott Harrison
Statistics
Real name Scott Harrison
Nickname(s) The Real McCoy
Rated at Featherweight
Nationality Scottish
Born 19 August 1977 (1977-08-19) (age 34)
Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Greater Glasgow, Scotland
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 29
Wins 25
Wins by KO 14
Losses 2
Draws 2

Scott Harrison (born 19 August 1977) is a former world boxing featherweight champion and the first Scottish boxer to regain the World Boxing Organisation championship. His career has been dogged by controversy out of the ring and problems with alcohol have caused him to fall foul of the law on numerous occasions.

Contents

Boxing career

He is 5’ 7’’ tall and is classified as a featherweight. In 1996 he won the bronze medal at the European Amateur Boxing Championships in Vejle, Denmark. He started his professional career by knocking out Eddie Sica in 1996 and became WBO featherweight champion in 2002. In July 2003, he lost the title to the Mexican Manuel Medina but regained it by a knock out in November of that year. He has subsequently defended the title successfully. He was trained by his father Peter Harrison and now lives in Glasgow.

In May 2006 Harrison pulled out of a title defence in Belfast due to be screened on ITV1's Big Fight Live. He was replaced by Danny Williams. Promoter Frank Warren was less than pleased with this decision and made his views known to the media. After his withdrawal, it became apparent that things were not good and the Daily Record reported that an incident had occurred in a nightclub. Over the coming days Harrison checked into the Priory Clinic in London, citing problems with depression and alcohol.[1] He checked himself out after a few days. His agent Frank Maloney, told Radio Clyde's SuperScoreboard Xtra programme that the only way Harrison would get help is if he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Scott Harrison's problems with drink, drugs and the law continued to spiral out of control, and he was stripped of both his WBO title and his licence to box, as well as being declared bankrupt.

The boxer, who has received treatment for depression and alcoholism, had been training in southern Spain ahead of a title defence in December. He had been due to fight Nicky Cook.

In December 2006, Harrison was stripped of his WBO title after failing to make the required weight (9 st 7 lb) ahead of the fight with Cook. Harrison failed to turn up for the weigh-in. His father issued a statement stating that Harrison had been advised on medical grounds not to take on the fight.[2] As well as losing his title, Harrison also lost his licence to box.

In February 2008 Harrison claimed to be fully fit, and announced his intention to apply for his boxing licence to be reinstated, with a view to eventually taking on Alex Arthur for the WBO title. He blamed the pressures of making the weight limit for the featherweight division for contributing to his stress and depression, and claimed he would in future fight at super featherweight.[3]

Achievements
New title WBO Featherweight Interim Champion
8 June, 2002 – October 19, 2002
Unified
Vacant
Title next held by
Juan Manuel Marquez
Preceded by
Julio Pablo Chacon
WBO Featherweight Champion
October 19, 2002, 2002 – 12 July, 2003
Succeeded by
Manuel Medina
Preceded by
Manuel Medina
WBO Featherweight Champion
November 29, 2003 – December 6, 2006
Stripped
Succeeded by
Juan Manuel Marquez
Interim Champion promoted

See also

References

External links