Harper: Scarff is all wrong for Walker

Adam Harper…his heart says Walker, his head says Scarff

THE fighters have had their say. I’ve made my assessment.

Now it’s down to former English light-middleweight champ Adam Harper, an encyclopaedia of the modern domestic game and resident Fight City analyst, to pick a winner.

Tonight, Wolverhampton’s Conah Walker attempts to topple British welterweight champ Harry Scarff.

Will he do it? Harper, who fought under the same BCB banner as Conah, thinks not, but stressed: “I hope I’m wrong.”

Adam’s going for Scarff by clear points decision.

“If you look at the names on their records, their careers, I just think Scarff is all wrong for Conah Walker,” he said.

“I just think he can nullify the positives of Conah – the aggressiveness, the toughness, the strength, the engine, the punch power. And it could be quite scrappy – Harry’s ‘Horrible’ by name, ‘Horrible’ by nature.

Conah Walker…tonight’s fight is the biggest of his career

“I see him winning quite comfortably. Conah will have successes, but there won’t be enough of them to win the fight.

“Ekow Essuman is a formidable fighter, yet he couldn’t put a dent in Scarff. Walker may look more imposing, physically, than Essuman, but he hasn’t got a better engine.

“And, in my opinion, Scarff has faced better fighters than Walker. People talk about Conah’s strength, but forget Scarff is a huge, strong welterweight. I think, as the fight progresses, he is capable of standing his ground and getting the better of those close quarter exchanges, too.

“I truly hope I’m wrong. I want Conah Walker to win – I enjoy watching Conah Walker fight a lot more than I enjoy watching Harry Scarff fight.

“I’m a Conah Walker fan, but I just can’t see him having his hand raised.”