Alex Arthur v Steve Foster
Alex Arthur v Steve Foster
In a pulsating encounter, Arthur survived an 11th-round knockdown which threatened to rob him of his title, recovering his composure to see the fight out.
Foster, deducted a point for illegal use of his head, also took a standing eight count in the ninth round of a battle that ebbed and flowed.
It was a unanimous decision for Arthur in the end but the champion would have been glad to see the back of the tenacious Englishman.
Ricky Hatton was given a huge ovation when he entered the arena an hour before the first bell in the main event and his presence at ringside drew much of the attention from the Edinburgh crowd.
No one seemed to mind the Mancunian, who lost his WBC welterweight battle with Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, was in Scotland to support his fellow Englishman Foster.
Former WBO featherweight champion Scott Harrison, aiming for a comeback next year after two years of turmoil out of the ring, was also at ringside but slipped in to the hall with less fuss.
The untidy opening moments of the fight saw Foster look strong and confident with Arthur having to take several lefts and rights against the ropes.
Arthur looked uncomfortable at times against Foster’s swinging rights which were finding the target too often for the Edinburgh fighter’s liking.
Round five began with Arthur, more assured, working to the body but still the big bombs were coming from the challenger, who was not averse to leading with his head at times.
Foster was deducted a point for the tactic in the sixth after taking some punishment to the head by Arthur, who was beginning to find his target.
The champion’s piston-like left-jab began to get through more often as Foster, throwing ever-more wildly, seemed to run out of steam.
The ninth round had the crowd shouting for more sanctions as Foster continued with the head but several brutal exchanges of punches ended with the Englishman taking needing a standing count after Arthur’s ferocious left-hook to the body had him down.
Arthur was clearly ahead going in to the final two rounds, with another powerful left to the body leaving Foster clinging on to the ropes for respite.
But a sensational right hand by Foster floored Arthur who staggered to his feet and was lucky to survive the round.
Both fighters went for a knockout in the final round but it came down to the judge’s verdict and the champion had done enough.
Earlier British featherweight champion John Simpson recorded a 77-75 win over Youseff Al Hamed after eight rounds.
Ricky Burns, who has a loss to Arthur on his record, beat Bill Smith 60-54 in their six-round battle, his fifth win on the trot since losing his British super-featherweight title challenge to Carl Johanneson in February.
Edinburgh super-middleweight Kenny Anderson won his fifth fight by knockout since turning professional when he floored Simeon Cover in the sixth round.
