Boxing: IN THE COURT OF KING ARTHUR; Scot Alex is planning to reign as boxing's most perfect fighter.

Byline: HUGH KEEVINS

ALEX ARTHUR dispatches opponents from the ring like a man on an economy drive with his time.

The Edinburgh fighter has had seven paid contests, finished five of them with knock-outs and averaged just two rounds per engagement since turning professional.

Arthur, Commonwealth Games gold medallist at Kuala Lumpur in 1998, has a simple, uncluttered philosophy on boxing and brevity that matches his style in the ring.

"They don't pay you overtime in this game," he said while preparing for an afternoon's sparring work with British and Commonwealth champion Scott Harrison.

The next test of the 23-year-old's unbeaten record comes a week on Saturday at Bellahouston Leisure Centre where he meets Hungarian Laszlo Bognar.

Super-featherweight Arthur is up against a man who has in his time defeated British champion Michael Gomez, managing even to knock the title holder down twice while losing their re-match.

It is a step up in class that holds no fear for a fighter who exudes more confidence than might be expected from someone making the transition from amateur to professional.

He said: "My aim is to be the perfect fighter. In order to do that I have to take something negative from every fight that I've had back into the gym with me and learn from my mistakes in there.

"Sparring with a champion like Scott means I'm working with a someone who's likely to be superior to anybody I'll confront in the ring.

"He helps my sharpness and my technique, even if Scott isn't a southpaw like Bognar.

"I've had few problems adapting from amateur to professional because I've been about pros and been trained by pros since I was a kid."

Harrison will defend his titles against Welshman Steve Robinson on the same bill, an event which has been moved towards sell-out status by belligerent talk outside of the ring.

It was a trend started by someone who will never have to throw a punch for practical purposes - the promoter Frank Maloney.

Lennox Lewis' former manager publicly stated that Harrison should sue the controversial English heavyweight Audley Harrison for damaging the family name.

It was the kind of statement that was calculated to be a headline grabber and ticket seller.

And it highlighted why it was inevitable that Maloney and the former world heavyweight champion would dissolve their partnership.

Lewis wanted the man he'd been with for the last 12 years to sign a new agreement which carried a confidentiality clause.

The very idea was laughable because Maloney has never had an unexpressed thought in his life, which makes him the perfect choice to manage the garrulous Arthur as well.

And the Scot would defend Maloney's right to be offended by Lewis' attitude to his former business partner.

He said: "I think Lennox has forgotten that nobody makes it on their own in boxing.

"And he's overlooked the man who helped him most when he was on the way up.

"Some people get too big for themselves but I know Frank won't be too down about the break-up with Lewis because he's simply not the type to worry about anything."

Maloney telephoned from Las Vegas on Tuesday night to check on ticket sales for a promotion that will be shown on Sky Television as part of an eight-hour long programme which culminates with the showing of Lewis' re-match with Hasim Rahman for the world title.

Arthur is satisfied in his own mind that he's not simply a bit-part player in another man's drama.

He said: "I'm starting to get a name for myself in England, where I've had the majority of my professional fights.

"The Scottish public already know about me from my amateur career and I'm expecting a big turn-out from them. Just watch out for me in the future."

That much will be unavoidable, considering the explosive nature of his work in the ring and the comfort with which Arthur handles the praise which has already been heaped on him.