Locally based Scott Dixon has added another sensational chapter to his life story on Saturday night when he landed a world title.

He became the WBU super-middleweight champion with a split decision win over German Baker Barakat in Malta.

More than 12 years ago the boxer was left for dead, shot and stabbed in a row over a woman. But Dixon, from Hamilton, fought his way back to health and then left Scotland for a new start.

After the victory, Dixon was quoted as saying: “Not bad for a 35-year-old, is it? If this was a movie the script would possibly be deemed too far-fetched as it is even better than the Rocky story. It is unbelievable what has happened to me from day one to here and it justifies my decision to pick up the gloves again and come over here.”

Dixon now wants to return to Scotland to defend his title.

And, according to reports, he could take on former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Kenny Anderson.

He was reported as saying: “Winning this fight was beyond my wildest dreams. My head is spinning now as my life has just been turned upside down. Kenny is one of the finest fighters around. But if you want to be the best you have to beat the best; so I would gladly go back to Scotland to face him.”

On his part, Barakat said that the fight was well fought and called the Scottish boxer ‘a fair fighter and a gentleman in the ring’. However he attributed the win to the fact that Scott was playing at home. A rematch is now expected to be held in three months’ time.