Maloney reveals Harrison pressure

Scott Harrison's manager Frank Maloney admits the Cambuslang fighter is under pressure to restore Scottish pride when he tries to regain his WBO featherweight title from Manuel Medina.

Harrison lost his belt to the Mexican last July but gets the chance to make amends when he takes on Medina again at Braehead on Saturday night.

But Maloney reckons Harrison can buck the recent trend of Scottish sporting failures and become a national hero again.

He said: "I think Scott's under pressure, a lot more than he has admitted to at the press conferences.

"I know he doesn't like to be compared to an Englishman but I would see him under the same pressure as Jonny Wilkinson when that ball landed in his hand in the last seconds of the World Cup final.

"He's got the pressure of the nation on him. Scotland need something to cheer and someone to be their champion but Scott Harrison is the man who can do that."

Most of the talk surrounding this title fight has been around the need for Harrison to change his style to counter the evasive Medina who fought the perfect fight the last time the two men met.

Maloney admits his fighter needs to adopt a high-tempo strategy this time but is confident the Scotsman has prepared properly for the awkward Medina.

He said: "Scott needs to be like a terrier with a bone and keep that bone in his mouth all the time and shaking it from side to side and roughing him up.

"I think he's capable of doing that, he looks in great shape this time and I'm amazed at how well he looks so close to the fight.

"Medina can't change his style, that's the difference. Scott will change his style and work at a lot faster pace and that will be the secret."

Medina dismissed the tough talking that has come from Harrison camp this week as the usual pre-fight bravado but admits he faces a tougher test the second time around.

He said: "I'm disregarding all the talk from Scott because that's what he has to say before this fight. But I am expecting a tougher fight this time around because Scott's preparations have been far more thorough.

"He's in far better shape than last time but I'm confident of walking away from the arena on Saturday night with the belt still in my hands."