GREENOCK'S defending British featherweight champion John Simpson and his South Queensferry challenger Paul Appleby both weighed in an identical eight stone 13lb 12oz at the pre-fight weight-in in a Glasgow hotel.
But both camps predicted that any other parity between the boxers will be notable by its absence when the first bell goes tonight at the Kelvin Hall.
Commented challenger Appleby: "I couldn't help noticing how drawn Simpson looked – which sugge
sts he could have a weight-related stamina problem against me.
"That only makes me even more confident that I'll be the newly-crowned British champion when the bout is over.''
However, champion Simpson's ring coach, Danny Lee countered: "While I'm positive that Paul Appleby will, indeed one day become Britiish featherweight champion, it won't be against John Simpson.
"My man has just got too much in his locker, experience wise, for Appleby to beat him.''
Meanwhile, Sportsnetwork spokesman Richard Maynard confirmed yesterday that, if WBO Intercontinental superfeatherweight champion Kevin Mitchell from Essex beats challenger Walter Estrada in a title defence tomorrow in Atlantic City in the United States, then it will take Mitchell "One step closer to a massive all-British showdown against (Edinburgh's] Alex Arthur."
Such a title fight would be staged later this year.
The full article contains 220 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
