GARDEN OF EDEN
BOXING BIG APPLE VENUE IS THE REAL DEAL FOR SCOT
I was in heaven at the Mecca of boxing when I helped Scott win world title and I hope Ricky savours same success there even after our split
THERE wasn’t a soul to be seen in one of world sports most iconic arenas.
Think Madison Square Garden and it conjures up memories of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Lennox Lewis.
The legends of the ring have turned the New York coliseum into the most hallowed in the fight game. Yet it was empty when Billy Nelson wandered around and gazed in awe.
The esteemed cornerman has spent 20 years at the boxing coalface, training some of this country’s best fighters.
He has steered the likes of Scott Harrison and Ricky Burns to glory but he still sees himself as just the regular guy who got goosebumps in the Garden.
The 49-year-old has enjoyed a glorious career but admitted it will be hard to top the feeling of being in the corner for Harrison’s WBO world title win against Tracy Harris Patterson in the Big Apple.
Nelson, whose Airdrie gym remains one of Scotland’s great talent factories, said: “I walked out a good few hours before the fight to have a look around. It was just the ring and thousands of empty seats but the hairs were standing up on the back of my neck. I’ve only experienced that once in my life.
“This was Mecca, a place for legends. Ali, Sugar Ray, Duran, the fighters I recall from my youth and who got me hooked on boxing. There was me in there, a normal wee guy from Govan.”
Nelson soaked up every second in the Garden and he’d love it if one of his most celebrated charges got the chance to do the same, even if he won’t be there alongside him.
The split from Burns in 2013 might have been painful but it never got ugly in public. Their partnership took the Coatbridge ace from Commonwealth to British titles then to world level with one of the great results in Scottish boxing history when he beat Roman Martinez at the Kelvin Hall in 2010.
But Nelson was a casualty when the crown slipped against Terence Crawford after years of legal battles with former promoter Frank Warren.
The trainer is not one for bad blood though. They may be estranged but no one would be happier to see the fighter unify the super lightweight division against Julius Indongo at the Hydro next week then kick on to a superfight on the biggest stage in boxing.
Nelson said: “It’s the old saying – love boxing but hate the politics.
“It was a difficult time but, to be honest, life’s too short, I prefer to remember the good times.
“It’s brilliant to see Ricky get another world title and I would be delighted if he unified the division.
“I’d love to see him beat Indongo and go to America and fight one of the top guys in the Garden.”
Nelson doesn’t dine out on former glories. There is too much to do plotting the next one. David Brophy just won the Commonwealth crown in Australia, Stephen Simmons has the look of a cruiserweight king, Jason Easton is looking good and Gary Cornish could become British heavyweight champion next month.
Time waits for no man but sometimes it’s nice to look back – right to where it started.
Nelson said: “I owe Peter Harrison so much. He’s a phenomenal trainer. He’s a greetin’ faced wee so-and-so, but he’s such a great guy.
“I started out with him before going out myself. My first fight on my own was Willie Limond against Amir Khan – the famous 11-count fight when Willie got robbed.
“There’s been some huge highs and my record isn’t too bad. In 22 world title fights I’ve only had two losses and two draws. Overall, I think my fighters have only lost 10 fights out of more than 150.
“Scott’s world title win over Julio Pablo Chacon with Peter was an unbelievable night as was Ricky winning his title against Martinez.
“Scott in the Garden. John Simpson in Ireland was special as he was a real underdog and it was similar with Brophy in Australia. I love it when your man is written off and they prove them all wrong.”
Nelson hopes for another world champion but the two he’s trained in the past were pretty special. He said: “Harrison was a phenomenal fighter, totally underestimated.
“Scott would cut the ring off, stalk his man and then unleash. He would take a shot and look straight back at you like nothing had happened. Not a flicker. It was soul destroying for opponents.”
On Burns, Nelson said: “Ricky may not have been as gifted as Scott but he worked just as hard and probably achieved more.
“When I said he’d be a world champion people laughed. Look at him now. He shocks opponents with his hand speed and he’s an animal in the gym.”
Burns will need to bring out the beast at the Hydro on Saturday. Indongo sparkled Russian Eduard Troyanovsky in the first round in Moscow to become IBO and IBF champion. Nelson said: “It’s tough, dangerous. Ricky hates southpaws, but it sums him up. He’d fight the world in a boxing ring.
“This guy wasn’t supposed to knock out the Russian in the first round. If it was a one-off wonder punch it’ll be a different story. A Scottish unified world champion, how good would that be?”
Almost as good as a square go in the Garden.
SAYS TOP TRAINER BILLY NELSON
Ricky shocks opponents with his hand speed and is an animal in the gym BILLY NELSON