Peter Harrison

“All Round Contribution”

S.A.B.A. Lightweight Champion 1969
S.A.B.A. Light Welterweight Champion 1970
Scottish Professional Lightweight Champion 1981

Peter Harrison was born in 1949 in Cambuslang and has continued to live there all his life. Peter was interested in boxing from a very early age and as far back as he can remember he would spar with his dad. Peter become a motor mechanic by trade but later was employed as a machine worker in the Hoover plant where he remained for 22 years.

It was at the age of 15 that he first joined a boxing club, his beloved Transport Club in Bridgeton, Glasgow. Peter had a very successful amateur career twice winning S.A.B.A. titles. Firstly as a Lightweight in 1969 and then the following year he captured the Light Welterweight Title. In 1970 Peter represented Scotland in the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh but was unlucky to draw the reigning champion in his first bout and he made an early exit from the competition.

At the ripe old age of 31, Peter applied for a professional boxers licence and appeared before the board, then held in Ingram Street, Glasgow. When it was announced that Peter Harrison had applied for a licence to fight one board member stated that it can’t be Peter Harrison, it must be his son. Peter proved the doubters wrong a couple of years later when he defeated Willie Booth to win the Scottish Light Welterweight Title.

In 1983 Peter began his career as a boxing trainer and it is perhaps for his achievements as a trainer that he will be best remembered. He of course coached his son Scott, who won a gold medal in the European Championship before going on to win the World W.B.O Featherweight Title. Scott was the first Scottish Boxer to regain a world title. Peter trained Paul Weir, the first Scot to win world titles at two different weights. Alex Arthur, Drew Docherty and Stevie Boyce won British Titles under Peter’s guidance while Limond won a Commonwealth Title.

Today Peter continues coaching at the Phoenix Club in the East End of Glasgow. He is the development coach for Amateur Boxing in Scotland. It is his responsibility to develop school boy talent and indeed also assists in the development of female boxers. Peter Harrison has given so much to boxing and thoroughly deserves his place in The Scots Boxing Hall of Fame.