FORMER WBO light-flyweight champion Paul Weir believes people will write off Scott Harrison at their peril.
Harrison will make his comeback to the square ring a fortnight tonight some six-and-a-half years after he last laced up, when he meets French Algerian Brahim Bariz, at the Kelvin Hall.
Weir knows exactly what it is like to try and turn the clock back having taken a two-and-half-year sabbatical from the noble art between January 1998 and September 2000 when he finally gave into the lure of the bright lights and attempted to recapture his former glories.
But although Weir is backing Harrison to return with a bang, he believes it will take more than one fight for his fellow former champion to prove he can once again prove himself at championship level.
Weir said: "Scott is basically in a no-win situation. If he beats Bariz and takes him out early people will say that Bariz is a dud and was a pushover.
"If Scott struggles and the fight goes all the way or into the latter rounds people will say Scott is fooling himself and will never get back to where he was.
"But people should write Scott Harrison off at their peril. He has an inborn fighter's desire and hunger and his style was never based on reflexes or timing. He will also be making his return free from the debilitating effects of making a weight that was too low for him.
"On top of that he knows this is the last chance saloon for him and I have no doubt he will take Bariz out a fortnight tonight.
"But the success of Scott's comeback will not be judged on one fight. What he is going to have to do, when he hopefully beats Bariz, is get back in training, keep his head down and back it up with another victory.
"What Scott needs is a couple of fights before he takes on a big name fighter which will be a real test of where he can go. But it will be a big challenge for Scott.
"He is a different type of fighter to me as I was more of a boxer and over two years out of the fight game was too long for me and my skill set.
"That may not be the case for Scott."
Ironically, the 45-year-old now trains British lightweight champion Derry Mathews who has been projected as a future opponent for Harrison, should he first get past Bariz.
But Weir is adamant that Mathews is unlikely to be on the same fight path as Harrison.
He said: "Derry has a fight with Gavin Rees on July 7 which is for the European title with a possible world title fight awaiting the winner.
"So I think it's unlikely that Derry will be boxing Scott any time soon, although never say never."
Tickets for Harrison's comeback show are still available on 0141 554 7777.