Boxing: Stemp's view fires up Cowan

CAPITAL bantamweights Gareth Stemp and Davie Cowan were clubmates and friends at Edinburgh's Sparta club before going their separate ways – but Stemp is predicting a defeat for his former boxing buddy when the pair make their pro debuts tonight in rings 50 miles apart.

Former eastern amateur champion Cowan clashes in Glenrothes with Glasgow's Ryan McNicol over six two-minute rounds while ex-Scottish 8st 6lb champion Stemp makes his paid ring debut against Sheffield's Anwar Alfadi over four three-minute rounds in Glasgow.

Stemp has inside knowledge on Cowan's opponent, having sparred extensively with McNicol in the run-up to his own fight, and claimed: "

I sparred loads with Davie Cowan in our Sparta days and he simply doesn't have McNicol's punch power so I'm forecasting an early inside-the-distance win for McNicol."

But Cowan responded: "I aim to use Stemp's dire forecast to fire me up."