Scott trains for charity challenge ahead of ring return
Boxer Scott Allan won’t stop until he has a British bantamweight title in his grasp, and hopes to be taking a major step down that road later this year.
Allan is lining up a potential title eliminator and as part of his training the Wishaw fighter will attempt to run the West Highland Way in 24 hours this April to raise £2500 for suicide awareness charity Chris’s House.
He said: “Depending on how the fight season goes, I’ve been potentially offered a fight. I can’t go into too much detail about it because it’s unconfirmed but that would be a final eliminator for a British title.
“I’ve set my sights on a British title and I genuinely won’t stop until I win it.
“I feel that I’m motivated enough to win a British title, my talent is good enough to succeed at that level, so winning a title is the goal for me.
“I’m really excited about this fight coming up, and a British title is what I’ve set my sights on, so I’m not stopping until I achieve that.
“If it’s not this year it will be next year, and it depends on how things go this year with restrictions and stuff like that.
“Even as far as training, it’s difficult unless you’re on the professional level, so it’s then trying to get your sparring partners, and there’s only so much you can do without the country opening back up.
“I’m training for this fight to be going ahead and the fight after this one could potentially be for the Lonsdale British title.”
Scott says getting back to action “would mean the world” to him, because it’s what he does.
“It’s all I know,” he said. “I have Rivals Gym [in Wishaw] and stuff like that, but that for me isn’t work, because I love doing it.
“But fighting is genuinely all I know, it’s all I’ve done since a young age.
“I’ve never gone into the building trade, into industry or apprenticeships, and I’ve never even been to college – all I’ve done all my life is fighting.
“I can’t describe what it would mean to me to be back fighting.”
Raising money for Chris’s House is close to Scott’s heart and he runs a men’s mental health group from his Rivals Gym in Wishaw.
His challenge is a sturdy one, but Scott is confident of running the 96mile West Highland Way in 24 hours from April 18-19.
He said: “The challenge is something to focus on.
“I love running, and the fact that I have a fight lined up means it’s perfect training.
“A friend of mine mentioned that he had done it before, we sat down and had a chat over a coffee and I thought I would put it into practice, to try and run 100 miles in 24 hours.
“That would give me a sense of focus, a sense of fulfilment and drive, that I can push my body mentally, physically and emotionally, so it’s amazing.
“The fact that it’s for charity is even better.”
Scott added: “The biggest killer of men under 50 is suicide, and more needs done about that.
“Chris’s House is needed. The suicide rate in Motherwell, Wishaw, Shotts and Lanarkshire in general is scary-high.
“I read a statistic in September there that it’s up by 300 per cent and more needs done for mental health. It really upsets me.”
If you would like to donate to Scott’s challenge, visit: justgiving.com/ fundraising/scott-allan-100.