Arthur and Gomez to go head to head

ALEX ARTHUR and Michael Gomez are set to go head to head again – but the only blows being traded this time around will be verbal ones.

The duo, whose 2003 fight at Meadowbank when Gomez stopped Arthur in the fifth round was dubbed “fight of the year” by Boxing News, will take part in a question-and-answer session at Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange on Saturday, May 7 with ring legend Joe Calzaghe acting as third man between the former bitter ring rivals.

The event is the brainchild of M+E Promotions and Bronx Tranent amateur boxing club coach Alex Brown. Esther Maden of M+E Promotions confirmed: “We have previously staged an identical event in England with former world middleweight champion Nigel Benn and we will reunite Alex Arthur and Michael Gomez to talk to fans.

“In addition, we will have ex-world heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon and Sheffield’s former world cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson to also answer questions. I will also be staging a six-bout amateur boxing bill for the fans at this event.”

Meanwhile, Leith Victoria amateur boxing club and some of the British Army’s oldest infantry regiments are combining to stage a boxing dinner show in Edinburgh’s Carlton Hotel on Friday, June 3 to raise funds for Scottish soldiers wounded in Afghanistan.