Boxing: Young to be in McEwan’s fight team

EDINBURGH middleweight Craig McEwan has surprised fans by naming Gilmerton pro welterweight Gary Young as head cornerman and coach for his next fight in Mexico against Brooklyn-based Cuban fighter Peter Quillin.

A winner of his previous 19 bouts with ten knockouts, McEwan will be looking to prevail following his first loss in the pro ranks, a points defeat to Andy Lee in Connecticut, US last time out.

Young is a close friend of McEwan and he will be assisted by McEwan’s father in the corner in Cancun on November 5, the pair stepping in for coach Billy Nelson who will be working for Ricky Burns at Wembley in his interim WBO world light-welterweight title fight with Australian Michael Katsidis on the same night.

McEwan said: “Quillin is arguably my most dangerous opponent, so it’s vital that I have people in my corner whom I can trust 100 per cent and who can read a fight and stay calm when the action begins.’’

This won’t be the first time that Young has worked in McEwan’s corner as he did the same job two years ago in Los Angeles when McEwan outpointed American Darnell Boone.

McEwan added: “Young impressed me back then by his coolness between rounds and gave me good back-up advice against my opponent Boone in support of coach Freddie Roach, so I had absolutely no hesitation in making this decision.”

McEwan is hoping victory will propel him towards a world title eliminator bout.