Scott Harrison has been given the go ahead by the British Board Of Boxing Control to defend his WBO Featherweight title against Nicky Cook in London on the 9th of December.
In a statement issued by the BBofBC yesterday, General Secretary Simon Block said, “Following consideration today of a number of medical reports received, boxer Harrison has been cleared to proceed with his contest against Nicky Cook scheduled for the Excel Arena on Saturday, 9th December 2006.”
The WBO, who had previously demanded a strict “no alcohol or drugs” policy if Scott was to retain his title have also sanctioned the contest, but have attached conditions including that he continues to seek treatment for his problems and that the outstanding criminal charges against him both in Spain and Scotland do not prevent him from discharging his responsibilities as a WBO World Champion.
In an open letter to Harrison, the governing body also said that they were giving him “every possible benefit of the doubt and has exercised all discretion in our power to allow you to maintain your WBO World Championship status” and that “your continued WBO World Championship status will be conditioned upon your conducting yourself both inside and outside the ring in exemplary fashion, without the type of incidents that have lead to your recent arrests and charges.”
It is news that will be greeted with mixed feelings among Scottish fight fans who are desperate to see Scott Harrison get his career back on track, but at the same time know that Scott has an even bigger battle to fight against depression and alcohol abuse.
There is no doubting that Scott Harrison at his best will beat Nicky Cook, but 13 months out of the ring and a spell in a Spanish jail is hardly the ideal preparation for a world title defence. And the news that the fight is definitely on comes less than three weeks before it is scheduled to take place.
That said, 27 year old Cook has not been the most active of fighters either, having fought just twice since October 2004, and those closest to Scott in a professional capacity - his father and trainer Peter, manager Barry Hughes and promoter Frank Warren - obviously think that the champion will be in a good state both mentally and physically to defend and retain his title come the 9th of December against the 27 year old Londoner.
