Alex Arthur has worn many different hats throughout an illustrious career but will experience a new role next month as the dad of a professional debutant.
Arthur is, of course, one of Scotland’s greatest ever boxers, a former world and Commonwealth Games champion who has gone on to share his expertise both as a coach and a popular television commentator.
The microphone, however, will be laid temporarily to one side on May 24 when his eldest son – Alex Jr – takes to the ring at the Hydro in Glasgow on the undercard of a star-studded night of boxing headlined by Josh Taylor.
Unlike his younger brother Machlan, Alex Jr has arrived relatively late to boxing but this will be no quiet introduction to the world of the pros, not when you’re making your debut at the biggest indoor venue in Scotland and your dad is still one of the most recognisable faces in the sport.
Arthur Sr will be in his corner as always and there is a quiet pride at watching his son prepare to follow in his footsteps, eager to make a similar mark on the professional game.
“I'm still involved in boxing to this degree because of my other son, Machlan, really,” he reveals. “Or I wouldn't be involved in the physical side of the sport. But Machlan pestered me so much to train him as he started boxing long before Alex did.
“But we're now here. Alex really wanted to turn professional. It was his own decision as a young man to make for himself. And of course I'm going to support my son. He's a brilliant young boxer and I'm sure he's got a great future ahead of him.
“I made my debut at the Wythenshawe Forum in Manchester back in 2000 and it was nothing like the magnitude of this one. I wasn't sitting on a stage talking to the media and stuff like that in the build-up. They're spoiled these days! But it should be a massive night.”
Arthur has more than done his bit to pass on the torch, both to his own sons but also to future Scottish boxing prospects in general. Also fighting on next month’s card is Drew Limond, the son of Willie who Arthur famously fought for the British title back in 2003.
Taylor, at 34 years old, helps link that past to the present day and Arthur underlined how important it is for those at the top to leave a legacy.
“If it weren't for the likes of myself, Scott Harrison, Ricky Burns and now Josh, these kinds of events wouldn't be happening,” he adds. “Now the torch is being passed down again.
“There's a great depth of talent in Scotland right now. There are some fantastic young fighters in the country coming through, some great talent. So, this platform is perfect for that.”
Speaking simply as a fan of Scottish boxing, Arthur can’t hide his excitement at the match-up between Nathaniel Collins and Lee McGregor for the WBC silver featherweight belt, with the winner moving closer to a crack at a full world title.
“I keep telling everybody that Collins versus McGregor is an unbelievable fight for Scotland,” he gushes. “It really is. It’s the same magnitude of myself versus Willie Limond or Ricky Burns or Craig Docherty - it's that good a fight. Lee and Nathaniel are both world class operators, so the Scottish fans are in for a treat with that fight.
“Obviously the main event, everybody's there to see the former undisputed world light-welterweight champion [Taylor] at his new weight clas but McGregor and Collins will be special. It’s a real shame we were denied a McGregor vs Kash Farooq rematch but this will be on a par with what that would have been. Maybe even bigger with what’s at stake for both fighters. These guys are now maybe one fight away from a world title shot which is amazing.
“And for them to meet at this juncture of their career, this kind of fight could warrant a rematch. It could be close enough that there's a rematch after it. With Josh coming to the end of his career, it's about passing it on. We want to see more world champions, we want to see bigger fights here and hopefully this will be the start of that.”
Arthur and Taylor have been close for some time now and the veteran is intrigued to see how the self-styled Tartan Tornado fares in his first step up to welterweight where he takes on the wily Ekow Essuman. Will Taylor be a man with a point to prove after a disappointing few years?
“I think he will be,” agrees Arthur. “He's still got a big following. He's still generally recognised as Scotland's best fighter. He'll want to come out there on the night and show that he's still got all the attributes that he once had.
“The new weight class will probably suit him a little bit more. He's obviously up against a tough opponent. Essuman’s not there to mess around. So, it's going to be another great fight.”
