Boxing: THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHUMP!; Harrison taken all the way by Scot.

Byline: CALLUM ROBB

TOUGH Scot Derek McCafferty shocked Olympic champ Audley Harrison by refusing to buckle in last night's clash in Newcastle.

The 6ft4in plastic factory worker lasted the six-round distance with Harrison and gave him a scare as he tried to build his pro reputation.

The Sydney hero was booed by the Geordie crowd as he left the Telewest Arena after a 59-55 points verdict.

In contrast the Aberdonian was given a standing ovation by the packed arena for his gutsy performance.

Victory for the Scot, now based in Ketttering, would have ranked as one of the biggest shocks in British boxing.

Few tipped him as much more than a gentle test for the gold winner who had floored American Michael Middleton in 165 seconds during his first pro bout in May.

It was only Harrison's second pro fight but his struggle to victory will have taken the gloss of his 100 per cent record and possibly setback his much-hyped bid for a world heavyweight title.

McCafferty, 32, had not boxed for 21 months and had been beaten in his last three fights but was confident after a long and methodical preparation.

Harrison started brightly, opening up in the second round with a string of hooks and upper-cuts as McCafferty struggled to land a worthwhile punch.

The jab was then used to good effect at the start of the third, leading to a swelling underneath McCafferty's left eye but he soon started to close Harrison down.

Harrison tired from the fourth round with the crowd beginning to warm to McCafferty, who ended the fight the stronger man.

lCOMEBACK man Herbie Hide's dreams of being crowned world champ for a third time were destroyed inside two rounds on his return to the ring after a two-year gap.

On the undercard of Harrison's fight Hide took on Zambian Joseph Chingangu who floored him three times in the opening round.

Chingangu pressed home his advantage at the start of the second round, eventually stopping Hide after just 47 seconds with a crisp right hand followed by a punishing right connecting flush on his chin.

lHAMILTON'S Scott Dixon was taken to hospital last night after being knocked out by Iranian Takaloo in the first-round of their WBU light-middleweight title clash.

Dixon sustained a fractured right ankle during a dramatic fight at Bethnal Green. He was given oxygen for pain relief before being stretchered away to Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel.

Title-holder Takaloo took just 2min59sec to despatch Dixon, a former Commonwealth welterweight champion, in his first title defence.

The Scot tried to trade punches with his hard-hitting opponent but Takaloo picked him off with sharp hooks before landing a right to Dixon's head and left hook under his ribcage to drop him for a count of nine.

A left to the jaw then a right to the head sent Dixon down in a heap and he failed to recover for ref Dave Parris's count-out.

SCOTS curlers led by Rhona Martin head their group at the Olso Cup International Tournament going into today's finals. Martin's Olympic select side beat Sweden 7-4 in the fourth round group tie after wins over Gustafson and Denmark.

CATRIONA Hare (Johnstone Wheelers), bronze medalist last year took the Scottish Women's Road Race Championship title on the Isle of Bute yesterday.

SCOTLAND jumped into an early lead in the Seniors Home Bowls Internationals at Bodelwyddan Castle yesterday when they won their opening two matches against Ireland with victories from George Sneddon and Cliff Eade (25-12, 23-16). They lead over England on shots aggregate who also started with two wins over Wales.

KINGUSSIE go top of the Marine Harvest Premier Shinty League table after a 2-1 away win at Inveraray.

WELSH-based Colin Donnelly (Cambuslang Harriers), ever present for Scotland in seventeen Mountain Running World Trophies, won the first official WMRA World Masters championships in Ustron, Poland yesterday.

GRANGE maintained their 100 per cent record with a 2-0 victory over Pro-Life Kelburne in the Spektra Systems Hockey League Cup yesterday.