World heavyweight champion boxer Cliamain Craig was in Cnocaid on Friday morning for his final public appearance before his title fight against German challenger Lothar Eisenberg on Saturday night at Challaid Park stadium. He attended the unveiling of a new street name for a development near the waterfront in Cnocaid that will now be called Cliamain Craig Square. Mr. Craig was full of smiles and seemed relaxed as he pulled the curtain aside to reveal the street sign in his honor. Mr. Craig said, “I’m thrilled to receive such an honor from my home city. It means the world to me to be recognized in this way.”
There had been speculation about the city council recognizing its most famous son since Mr. Craig won the world title in London almost eighteen months ago, although it had been expected that any honor would be in Whisper Hill, the area of the city Mr. Craig hails from. Nonetheless he was in fine mood ahead of what many are saying will be the biggest fight of his life, and the undefeated champion, with a record of forty-eight wins (thirty-eight by knockout), no draws and no defeats, was buoyant.
When asked about the sell-out crowd of over 60,000 for his fight on Saturday evening Mr. Craig was quick to praise the fans, saying, “I can’t wait to fight in front of so many people, and in my home city. I want to thank all of the fans who have bought tickets and who plan to come along and cheer me on.” Indeed, the fight will provide the largest crowd Mr. Craig has ever fought in front of, and the largest ever for a sporting event in the city that isn’t football or camanachd. It’s thought many of the fans will be traveling from the east of the city and people are reminded that trains will be extremely busy in the hours before and following the fight, which is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
Mr. Craig’s trainer, Mr. George Lyall, was in confident mood ahead of the fight, declaring that his fighter has never been in better shape. “We respect the German, he’s a fine fighter, but Cliamain has been working hard to ensure that he’s in the best possible shape to defend his title in front of his home crowd. We’re confident about the fight ahead.” There was much cheer in the gathered crowd and among the dignitaries present as the towering figure of the world champion told the crowd he would knock out his opponent during the fight.
The street named in his honor is currently being developed by Glendan, and is a picturesque cul-de-sac with family housing and a small square at the end of it. It’s expected that families will begin moving into the houses by September and all of the houses on Cliamain Craig Square will be occupied by the end of the year.
Fears have been raised that an increase in the cost of docking ships at the south docks in Bank will lead to all docking in the future being carried out in Whisper Hill, and the end of centuries of tradition in Challaid. A spokesman for Murdoch Shipping, who own several warehouses on the Bank docks, said, “Docking charges have been rising steeply every year, but only at Bank. Ten percent increases every year are pushing companies north to the new docks, where prices have been frozen in each of the last four years.” Fears have been rising since Duff Shipping began to dock all its ships in Whisper Hill two years ago.
It’s thought there has been shipping of some sort using Bank for almost a thousand years, with some arguing the culture of the city is being irrevocably changed by the move—P12.