Harry Scott was born in Kirkdale Liverpool on the 27-10-1937 and was to become one of member of the amateur boxing club, The Maple Leaf which he joined at 17 years of age.He gained a lot of experiance when he was taken to the Professional Boxing Association the toughest middleweight this country produced.Harry had a reasonable amateur career being a Gym,while still a amateur to spar with up and coming professional boxers.
At the time of his visit to the Professional boxing gym,there was a influx of Nigerian fighters training there.Harry sparred with the likes of Dick Tiger [Future World Champion] Hogan Kid Bassey [Future World Champion] Orlando Paso and Sandy Manuel.With this type of sparring it brought Harry on in leaps and bounds.
Managers kept a eye out waiting for Harry to turn pro,as they were impressed with his steady improvement through the amateur ranks.Harry decided to turn pro on the 2-6-1960,and signed to be managed by two managers working together in Tony Vario and Arthur Boggis who managed Dave Charnley at the time.Harry was matched with Jimmy Assani at the Stadium in Liverpool, winning his 1st bout with a quick stoppage in the first round.But in his next fight Harry fought at the Royal Albert Hall getting thrown out in the sixth round for butting Johnny Bowler by Harry Gibbs the referee.Then Harry went on a winning streak of six bouts,then fought Johnny Bowler again to erase the blemish on his record.But after a terrific fight could only manage to come away with a draw,but at least it was better than a loss.Harry finished the first year as a pro off with a win over Ken Harvey on points,a very busy first year of ten bouts.
The second year as a pro started badly for Harry,losing on a stoppage in 3 rounds to Maxie Smith and losing on points to George Aldridge.But Harry came bouncing back with to fine wins over Malcolm Worthington and Ronnie Vale.Then lost on points in a close bout to Neil McAteer,before hitting a winning patch again.Harry defeated Maxie Smith,George Aldridge,Yoland Pompey,drew with Charlie Cotton,Henry Speedie,Julius Caesar.Then Harry lost three points decisions in a row to Phil Edwards,George Aldridge. and Wally Swift,no disgrace there as thease three were top notch fighters.
After the defeats Harry won the only Pro title he would ever win,he stopped Sid Parkinson in the 1st round to become the Cental Area Champion.He followed up with three defeats losing on points to Mick Leahy,Souleymane,and Willie Fisher.Then Harry hit the winning formula again beating some very tough fighters in Felipe Alayeto,Johnny Angel,Jim Swords.Bo Hogberg and John McCormack.Then ended 1963 with a loss to William Pickett,but worse was to follow in the next year.
1964 was not a good year only drawing two bouts and losing to Laszlo Papp,Wally Swift,Gert Van Heerden,all on points decisions.But the caliber of the opponents was top class,and Harry put up a great battle in all of them.But 1965 was the year that Harry got his reputation as the hard man of British boxing.He defeated hard punching Alf Matthews,then faced the very feared American Rubin Hurrican Carter.What a war they had,Rubin getting a tko in 9 rounds after Harry was out on his feet and badly marked up.But Harry fought Rubin again six weeks later at the Albert Hall again.The fight started badly for Harry being decked in the very 1st round for a five count.But from then on through the fight harry battled back and deserved the decision after a great battle of give and take.
Only six months later they put Harry in with Emile Griffith at the Albert Hall,and Harry was pulled out in the 7th round after being outclassed by Emile.Harry became a very dangerous journeyman winning a few and losing a few to the end of his career.On paper the record of Harry Scott is won 39 lost 34 drawing 6 but that is not a clear reflection of Scott’s ring career.A list of the elite fighters Harry met are Alan Minter,Kevin Finneghan,Pierre Fourie,Bunny Sterling,Sandro Mazzinghi,Chris Finneghan,Les McAteer,Tom Bogs,Juan Carlos Duran,Nino Benvenutti,Emile Griffith,Rubin Hurrican Carter,Wally Swift,Laszlo Papp,John McCormack,Mick Leahy,Yoland Pompey.
Harry Scott is truly a iron man of British Boxing
