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Saturday, BBC One, 1445 |
Climbing into the ring with an unknown quantity can be worrying at the best of times, but if they're a Ghanaian you know you're up against it.
Nicky Cook is fancied to beat Anyetei Laryea in his Commonwealth featherweight title defence, and with good cause; Cook is a quality fighter.
But looking at Laryea's record, I think Nicky could be in for a long, hard night.
I like Nicky's style, he has a good left hook and jab, which I'd like to see him use to good effect against Laryea.
Sometimes he has a tendency a lot of fighters suffer from - an over-eagerness to go for the knock-out punch, rather than work his way into a fight and dominate his opponent.
He'll have to be at 100% on Friday, and hope that his hands, which have plagued him throughout his career, can cope with the strain.
I used to suffer from brittle bones in the hands myself, so I know how painful they can be, especially if you hit someone on the forehead!
Critics have a habit of dismissing these Commonwealth fights as non-events, but as far as I'm concerned that's just ignorant.
|  Cook could fight Laryea all night and still wouldn't knock him down |
You get these guys coming over from Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, and can they pack a punch or what!
The African fighters sometimes suffer from poor technique, but what they lack in finesse they more than make up in strength and durability.
Laryea has won his 11 fights - and four of those went 12 rounds. That tells me that he is one tough bloke, and that Cook will need to summon all his reserves of energy to get through tonight.
Cook should win, but it will be a points decision - he could fight Laryea all night and still wouldn't knock him down.
Crucial night for Reid
Robin Reid is like the buses we have in the Midlands. You don't see one for a year and then half the fleet turns up on your doorstep.
I haven't a clue why he hasn't fought more often this year - two fights in 12 months represents quite an easy year for the 32-year-old.
Belarus' Dmitry Adamovich will be his opponent tonight, but make no mistake, this is all about his projected bout with Sven Ottke in December.
What Reid needs from Adamovich is a good work-out. Ottke is a tricky bloke to fight, he hits and moves out of your reach.
There's no way he'll knock Robin down, but equally he has the speed to dodge Robin's heavy punches.
I have Reid to best Adamovich in five, but in that sense the result is irrelevant.
He needs to get his eye in, avoid any cuts and get some time in the ring under his belt - Ottke is in his sights and he needs to be in top form when they meet.
MMIX
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