“It is not the title that makes the man but the man who makes the title”
There is not a better example for that statement than the new W.B.U super middle weight World Champion Scott Dixon who won his hard fought 12 round fight this last Saturday August 25th against Germanys former Champion Baker Barakat, staged in Malta.
There are many contentious voices in the corners of the boxing World who relegate the W.B.U title to nothing more than a paper title compared to the other World titles out there in boxing and that having multiple governing bodies sanctioning titles with an unlimited number of World title belts up for grabs dilutes the sport. This cannot be denied but I would have to now disagree with the W.B.U super middle weight World title and the W.B.U as a sanctioning body after closely following Scott Dixons fight.
In the closely controlled World of boxing anything that does not come out of America is immediately relegated to second place and demonised with its credibility tarnished in the eyes of fight fans old and new by the army of American fight commentators who believe in their own self importance over the sport, so what chance has the W.B.U coming out of Germany got to be recognised, as a credible title worth fighting for by boxers around the World when this army of fans discredits its reputation?
Hopefully Scott Dixon’s profile as the new W.B.U SMW World Champion will go some way to helping the W.B.U gain the recognition it deserves in World boxing and that there will be a serious SMW challenger out there now who wants to fight Scott for his title, what would be even better is if there was another SMW title holder out there already mistakenly thinking that adding the W.B.U to his collection would fill a missing space with which to adore and admire on his mantle piece.
Scott Dixon now stands in the way of that false hope meaning he would have to re-arrange his own mantle piece because he will be missing his own World title belt because it will be now adorning Scott’s new collection.
You know who you are reading this.
For those voices of derision against the W.B.U title I would say to just look below at those few former W.B.U title holders as other big names over the years who have also held the W.B.U at different weight divisions. As the saying at the top goes: “It is not the title that makes the man but the man who makes the title” and each of these fighters below amongst others have etched their names into the history of the W.B.U which nobody can deny gives it the credibility it deserves outside of the closely controlled American boxing circuit.
We will have to now wait and see how the boxing World receives the new W.B.U super middle weight World Champion Scott Dixon and whether or not the W.B.U gets the credit it deserves in World boxing.
Scott’s story that goes into his new position as the W.B.U Champion of the World is one that any fighter and fight fan around the World would have to take a step back and take their hat off to him over. He is a man who has shown what the heart and soul of a boxer is all about in the middle of the sport which has been his lifelong passion and love since his youth and is an endorsement of the sport to all fans past and present.
Triumphant over adversity.
Scott was first introduced to boxing at the tender age of 7 by his grandfather Toby Dixon who at the age of 83 is the oldest active coach in the UK, and is still coaching domestic and World class fighters and Champions to this day.
Scott moved through the amateur rankings and into the professional ring at age 17, and once in the pro-ring he rose to the position of Commonwealth Champion. Sadly though at the height of Scott’s boxing career due to a domestic dispute outside of the ring with elements surrounding the sport in Scotland who Scott was connected to, he was kidnapped from his home, taken to a field and shot, stabbed, had both legs purposely broken along with a severe break to his arm after a crashing blow with a baseball bat aimed at his head. He was then left in a ditch to die.
Close to death Scott showed that fighting spirit that is in all boxers that sees them go the full 12 rounds in the ring and dragged himself barely able and conscience to a place of help and safety. In intensive care it was a life or death situation for him. Thankfully by the grace of God Scott survived the ordeal with the support, encouragement and love of his family that surrounded him.
As far as everyone was concerned Scott’s boxing career was over, with such brutal injuries how could he ever get back into the boxing ring which meant his promising career and the dreams that he once had within the sport were over.
As all boxers will know (either present of former fighters) that hunger and desire to be in the center of the ring which is what boxing is all about never leaves the person, and although Scott lay with his physical body severely damaged he never lost hope within him that one day he would be able to step back into the professional ring to fulfill the dreams he once had before his life was shattered and torn apart by that brutal attack.
Scott left Scotland shortly after his release from hospital and took up residence on the tiny island of Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean along with his Maltese girlfriend at the time whom he has a young daughter with, for the process of recovery and rehabilitation.
He has been living in his adopted Country now for over 7 years which has now seen him come full circle after his years of recovery and rehabilitation, and seen him once again after practicing on the local boxing scene step up and into the professional ring for a second chance and challenge for the W.B.U World title and win. Nobody can say that winning the W.B.U title was an easy route for Scott to attaining his Champion of the World position.
Baker Barakat the former title holder was the K1 champion who stepped up into the professional boxing circuit and claimed the W.B.U SMW belt with 53 fights to his credit.
This is one tough cookie.
Barakat was not a man who was willing to just let go of his World title position, he is a trained professional fighter at the top of his game who was intent on retaining his position against Scott, which to him seemed like a formality considering Scott’s background story and this fight being his first fight back in the professional ring.
The professional heart and soul of Scott driven by his desire to fulfill his dreams in the sport he loves shone through on the night though with Scott taking Barakat the full 12 rounds and then being awarded a split decision by the W.B.U judges, and rightly so with his flare and skill being no match to a one dimensional Barakat. Barakat is just lucky he never got knocked out which shows his heart and spirit in the ring.
Scott pushed himself to his physical limits over those 12 rounds and at the end dropped to the canvas after the fight out of exhaustion, only to then be lifted up by his corner and onto the shoulders of his team as the new W.B.U super middle weight Champion of the World to great jubilation from the Maltese crowd in attendance who were there supporting and cheering Scott on every step of the way.
Scott is an example of the resilience and focus that any professional boxer has, to mentally and physically prepare before fight night ready for those 12 grueling rounds center stage in the ring. It is this resilience and mental focus that was instilled in him as a young boy carving out his own path in the amateur and professional ring guided by his lifelong mentor Toby Dixon his grandfather that he was able to apply in his recovery and rehabilitation from the violent assault that has seen him come through and close that dark chapter of his life with a new chapter now opening..
Scott is now in the top SMW rankings with his name on the lips of several promoters, managers and fighters out there now who see Scott as a worthy challenger for their title belt for that missing space they want to fill on their mantle piece.
Another exciting fight is coming soon between Scott Dixon and whoever it is out there who signs the relevant contracts first.
There is talk of a fight with Arthur Abraham who won the W.B.O on the same night as Scott which could be a good omen for both fighters, it just depends on Abraham’s mentality though.
One thing is for certain is that if Abraham did want a little vacation to Malta the jewel in the Mediterranean to give fight fans around the World an exciting fight to watch and earn some purse money, the Maltese have the infrastructure to host the event. But always keep this in the back of your mind though Abraham “You will be returning back to Germany after your little vacation with your trousers around your ankles and your tail between your legs because you will not have a W.B.O belt to go him with, with which to hold up your position within the SMW division any longer”.
Keep that image in the back of your mind for when you arrive back at the arrivals gate in the Germeny (even better) because Scott will have swiped it from you. Your W.B.O belt will be sitting on Scott's mantle piece along with his W.B.U with him sitting back with his feet up smiling to himself.
So it just depends on your mentality now?
Scott was only firing of half capacity against Barakat, not going into details here but the next fight will see a much more sharp focused and dangerous Scott Dixon, that no one has seen before in him which is what makes him a very dangerous opponent now to any SMW challenger.
Abraham already knows this it just depends on whether or not he believes his focus is sharper making him more dangerous. I go with Scott, not because I support him but because you cannot change reality and whoever steps into the ring next will see that reality just like Baker Barakat did who went home with his trousers around his ankles and tail between his legs without his W.B.U belt.
Call it destiny and it might just be your turn next Arthur.
Watch this space...
LH
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