Alex Arthur needs more than a convincing performance against Steve Foster in the defence of his World Boxing Organisation interim super-featherweight title tonight to persuade promoter Frank Warren that he has a future in the capital.

Warren's oft-repeated threat to pull the plug on promoting shows in Edinburgh is likely to become fact if the local boxing fraternity fail to turn out in sufficient numbers to fill Meadowbank Arena to close to its 3000 capacity. The signs are not encouraging.

In spite of various claims to the contrary, ticket sales are not understood to have been spectacular, even with the presence on the undercard of other notable local attractions in the super-middleweight Kenny Anderson and featherweight Jason Hastie.

The timing of the Setanta show just 10 days before Christmas is clearly not ideal. Perhaps more relevant is the choice of opponent for Arthur. Foster achieved the distinction of being crowned World Boxing Union featherweight champion before relinquishing the crown to Derry Matthews 15 months ago. But for many Scots boxing fans the question has been: Steve who?

It is not Arthur's fault, of course. As he says, he can only fight those who are put in front of him. Yet there is little doubt that the combination of an opponent largely unknown north of the border and the lack of prestige attached to an interim title have combined to create fresh apathy.

Arthur would surely have been enjoying the status of a full blown world champion by now had he not suffered such a damaging loss to Michael Gomez in October 2003. He bristles at the mere mention of that fight. When Richard Maynard, the Sports Network representative, alluded to the fact at last Thursday's head-to-head, Arthur snapped: "For heaven's sake, Richard, must you go on about that?"

His reaction was not altogether surprising, given the ramifications of the loss. In real terms, it set Arthur's career back at least two years and raised doubts as to the boxer's ability to succeed at the very top level. Arthur went on to become European, British and Commonwealth champion and his record of 25 wins and a single defeat is proof that he is a cut above the average.

Yet, at 29, Arthur does not have time on his side, albeit he insists that age is not a barrier to anything, citing the Biblical example of Abraham and Sarah having become parents beyond their three score years and ten. It may require more than the born-gain Christian's faith to create the miracle of the three world titles he craves at super-featherweight, lightweight and light-welterweight.

The hope must be Arthur will brush Foster aside with ease to progress to the next stage: a fight with the current holder of the full WBO title, the Dominican Joan Guzman, if, of course, he does not carry out his threat to move up to lightweight, in which case Arthur would automatically ascend to the throne.

Otherwise, the man once tipped as a worthy successor to Edinburgh's most famous boxing son, former world lightweight champion Ken Buchanan, may find himself denied the chance to fulfil his many ambitions, including a super fight next year.

Buchanan, who is arguably Scotland's finest exponent of the noble art, is not a lover of Arthur and the pair's enmity has been evident on several occasions. So it was almost inevitable that Arthur's suggestion the other day that if he were to aspire to the level of a three-weight world champion it would put him on a par with Buchanan would lead to a reaction of some sort.

"Alex's is kidding himself if he imagines that he will ever reach heights I did," said Buchanan. "I won the world title in Puerto Rico and successfully defended it in Los Angeles and New York before being robbed by Roberto Duran. Alex hasn't even fought outside Britain."

You are left with the distinct impression that Buchanan would enjoy punching Arthur on the nose; Foster may save him the trouble after claiming yesterday, "Alex is a worthy champion but his chin has not been tested since the Gomez fight and he will be exposed by a hard-punching super-featherweight like me."