By Paul Fletcher

Fielden (left) and Radford will stand toe-to-toe on Friday

You may think there is little point transferring the frequent on-field dust-ups that occur during a rugby league match to the formal settings of the boxing ring.

But Wigan Warriors enforcer Stuart Fielden and Hull FC skipper Lee Radford will do just that on Friday.

Although both players are familiar with the odd skirmish on the pitch, Friday's bout is very much a journey into unknown.

The bout has been organised to raise money for former rugby league player Steve Prescott, who is suffering from a rare form of stomach cancer.

The fight takes place at the Hull Arena on Friday 2 February and will be contested over two four-minute rounds.

The winner of the bout will be decided by two judges plus the referee.

TALE OF THE TAPE Lee Radford--------Stuart Fielden "The Rocket"------"One Punch" 23-----------Age------------26 6ft 1ins----Height------6ft 2ins 16.5st-----Weight------18.58st IV----------Rocky----------IV Tyson------Boxer-------Hatton

Both fighters will wear head guards and 16 ounce gloves - and have the full backing of their respective head coaches despite the fact the match-up is just a week before their clubs start a new Super League campaign.

Can you imagine Sir Alex Ferguson allowing Wayne Rooney to put on the gloves the week before the Premiership starts? Thought not.

"The bout is for a very good cause," Radford told BBC Sport. "Hopefully the money we raise will mean one less thing for Steve to worry about.

"Steve does not smoke, rarely drinks and looks after himself - he was an excellent professional. To be struck down by his illness is disastrous, especially given he has recently had a daughter."

As professional rugby league players, both Fielden and Radford have been through the school of hard knocks.

It should be such a good laugh Stuart Fielden

They were team-mates for seven years at the Bradford Bulls and know a thing or two about each other.

"We go back a long way," said Radford.

"I was over the moon when he accepted the offer of the bout because he is a crowd puller and with what went on in Australia it has caught everybody's imagination."

Radford is, of course, referring to Great Britain's opening Test of the 2006 Tri-Nations series, when Fielden was floored by a punch from Kangaroos' prop Willie Mason.

Fielden has been desperate to try his luck inside the ring for some time, having initially hoped to set up a bout with first Samoan rugby union hooker Trevor Leota, then new England captain Phil Vickery.

"It is something that I have been thinking about for so long - it should be such a good laugh," said Fielden.

Radford, giving away one and a half stone to his opponent, has steered clear of any provocative fighting talk.

But he admits that when not involved in pre-season training he has been sneaking down to the Tornado gym in Hull to work on his fighting skills.

The event is a sell-out

"I have been training with Hull in pre-season - that has been pretty intense," said Radford.

"The rugby covers a lot of bases with regard to fitness but the boxing training has been more technical.

"Mark Ellwood, a former European kickboxing champion, has been helping me get in shape, and there is a guy at the club called Dave Downes who has been helping me."

Fielden has been practising his boxing skills for quite some time and seems to have the eye of the tiger.

He works out regularly at a gym in his hometown of Halifax.

"I have done bits of training, some sparring - three two-minute rounds goes like lightning," said Fielden.

Radford's Hull team-mate Gareth Raynor took a DVD of a Rocky film on a recent pre-season trip to Spain.

Airlie Birds skipper Radford was keen to big up some tips from the ultimate master of disaster and borrowed Raynor's copy - but remains very aware of his own limitations.

"I'm no Sugar Ray Leonard but I'm not bad on my feet," reckons Radford. "I'll be looking to jab and move but I'd like to think I can deliver a punch as well.

"Having said that I think one thing but people see another.

"My nickname on the flyer that has been produced is The Rocket - but I've been given plenty more, like The Bee Sting and The Mosquito."

Fielden is thinking about boxing clever, talking of using his jab and keeping his opponent out of range.

St Helens hooker Keiron Cunningham has locked horns with both men many times on a rugby field and is loathe to pick a winner.

"It is a tough one," he said. "They are both into boxing in a big way. I don't think I would like to be on the end of one of Stuart's punches

"But I don't want to pick a winner because I've got to play against both of them this year."

Hopefully the real winner will be Prescott, who is scheduled to attend the bout.

He is a popular figure in the rugby league world and many within it are desperate for him to make a full recovery.

Perhaps ultimately the night is a superb advertisement for rugby league and the people who play it, two of whom are prepared to stand toe-to-toe to help out an old mate.