'King Arthur' backs young Red to show fighting spirit

The 32-year-old Manchester lad - nicknamed King Arthur - is preparing to face Argentina’s Braian Nahuel Suarez for the IBO Light Heavyweight belt next Friday night, live on Channel Five in the UK. 

Lyndon is friends with United defender Brandon Williams and, as it happens, our tenacious Academy graduate is set for a challenge of his own, after joining Ipswich Town on loan earlier this week.

Arthur is confident that he and Brandon will pass their upcoming tests with flying colours, and he is backing his mate to flourish throughout his season-long spell with Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys. 

“Brandon is one of my very, very close friends,” Lyndon told us at pitchside.

“I met him quite a few years ago and, you know, he is close with [British boxer] Zelfa Barrett as well. We just get along and, like I say, he's a close friend.

“I think Brandon's an exceptional player and I just think he needs the first-team football. He needs to be playing. When he was playing for Norwich on loan and he was playing week in, week out, he developed and came on along and he was playing well. He got Player of the Month there. 

“Once he gets into that rhythm of playing first-team football, playing regularly, I think he'll be able to play here at Old Trafford as well. 

“You know, it's obviously a hard, hard spot to fill, coming in at United, because it's a big team. But once he grows and becomes the player that he can be, then I think he'll do well.”

In an interview with Ipswich’s official website, Brandon also spoke optimistically about his season to come and looked forward to experiencing the Championship. 

“It feels good to be down here and I can’t wait to get started,” said Williams. “I’m coming here to hopefully get into the team and play a lot of games. There is some very good competition, which is a great challenge, but I’m excited to meet the players and get started.

“I played a lot of games when I broke through at United and have had a couple of tough seasons, too, so it’s good for me to get back out and start playing again.”

Look out for our full interview with Lyndon Arthur next week.