The boxer's demons have been laid bare in court - but he's now sober and still hopes to return to the ring
Mr Qazi said that after watching CCTV footage of himself on the night of the GBH offence - where he knocked out a man and broke his jaw with a single punch - Fitzgerald had been"utterly aghast and ashamed" of how he had behaved in a"loutish and disorderly" manner. He said with the skills he had as a boxer he could easily have caused far more harm than just a solitary punch.
"You would expect someone with his sporting talent to behave like a role model," he added."He is remorseful and he has got to change. Otherwise all those glittering prospects have diminished and are fading. The British Boxing Board of Control have already revoked his licence. So if he is in the throes of having any prospects of rehabilitation then he has to change. The only person who can help Scott Fitzgerald is himself. He has got a very supportive family.
Mr Qazi said that the last few years had"damaged" Fitzgerald. But he was still confident of rebuilding his career. The real fight for him would be if he was going to be able to"regain that standing in a professional sense". Judge Richard Archer sentenced Fitzgerald to 46 weeks in prison, but said that because of the six months he had already served on remand, there was a chance he could be released quite soon.
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