SCOTT Harrison's experience and his direct style of boxing will see him make a triumphant return to the big time when he faces WBO European champion Liam Walsh at the Wembley Arena on Saturday, according to his trainer and father Peter.
It will be the first time the former WBO featherweight champion has fought at such a significant title level since November 5, 2005, when he made the final defence of that title against Nedal Hussein at Braehead Arena.
Walsh, by contrast, has been busy notching up an unbeaten 13-fight ring resume, which includes a stoppage victory over former British featherweight champion Paul Appleby and winning the European title with an impressive eighth- round stoppage of Italian Domenico Urbano at Upton Park last summer.
But Peter Harrison is confident the Scot's swarming aggression and greater championship nous will confuse a champion who often switch hits, leading to Walsh's downfall.
"We are expecting a tough fight," Harrison snr said. "Walsh is a tricky customer in that you don't really know what you will get with him. He can fight orthodox and change to southpaw. He can stand toe-to-toe or look to keep the fight at distance and he is also not averse to hanging on to his opponents.
"But I think that is where his problems will arise. With Scott he is going to face a boxer who has fought at a higher level than he has and one who has a very direct and high pressure style of fighting.
"In the face of all that, Liam may find himself a bit indecisive as he will not know which way to operate to try to combat the problems Scott will give him.
"But there is no way we are underestimating Liam Walsh. Scott is still a big name and he wants Scott's scalp."
But the trainer admits that, without disrespecting Harrison's two victorious warm-up opponents last year, Gyorgy Mizsei Jnr and Joe Elfidh, this is the fight that could rubber stamp his son's return to the big time.
"This is the chief support to Nathan Cleverly's WBO world light-heavyweight title defence against Robin Krasniqi, at Wembley," Harrison snr said. "It is exactly the type of fight that will bring out the best in Scott. He knows that if he beats Walsh then he will be European champion and back in the top 10 of the WBO ratings.
"That is exactly what Scott needs. He doesn't have time to hang around, he needs a very creditable opponent to get him back in contention and Liam Walsh is most definitely that."
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