05.12.06 – Cockney scrapper Nicky Cook has given WBO World Featherweight champion Scott Harrison more food for thought ahead of their fight on Saturday night – by claiming pie and mash is his secret weapon. The undefeated European, Commonwealth and British title-holder met with the media today at the world famous Roy’s Pie and Mash shop in Dagenham, Essex ahead of his showdown with Harrison at London’s ExCeL..
And Cook revealed that the traditional East End fare has helped him reach the top.
” I like nothing better than a plate of pie and mash or even a few jellied eels, and have done all my life,” said Cook, who was born within the sound of the Bow Bells in Stepney, London.
” It’s never done my prospects in the ring any harm, and I can eat platefuls of the stuff without it affecting my ability to make weight,”
“Some fighters swear by all this new age nutritional stuff, but all those boxing greats who came out of the East End, like Ted “Kid” Lewis, Jack “Kid” Berg and Terry Spinks, grew up on stuff like this,”
“And I’ll tell you one thing, it certainly tastes better than Haggis which has done Harrison no good at all,”
“Maybe Harrison should think about having some pie and mash before our fight – but the only food he’s been interested in recently is a bit of porridge!”
” Anyway, I’m going to dish up a large portion of mashing for him this Saturday.”
Cook’s latest outburst will certainly infuriate the feasrsome Cambusland slugger and his Scottish fans.
He gone into overdrive in his war of words with Harrison in the last week and Harrison is reported to be in a “volcanic” rage as he goes through his final preparations for the fight.
Yesterday Cook claimed he would follow up last Saturday’s X-Factor – in which Scots double act the MacDonald Brothers were booted off – by sending Harrison packing back to Glasgow.
And in a conference call last week he told the champion to “shut his noise” and questioned whether he would turn up at London’s ExCel which promoted Harrison to slam down his phone.