Boxing: Young tips 'black and blue' bruiser Anderson for title

Arguably, no other British boxer knows Commonwealth super-middleweight contender Kenny Anderson in and outside the ropes better than Gilmerton pro welterweight Gary Young which, according to Young, is why he is backing Anderson to become the first Scot to win a Commonwealth 12 stone title at Manchester this coming weekend against defending champion George Groves.

"Fifteen years ago Kenny Anderson and I, both aged 12, had our very first competitive boxing contest against each other. I'm backing Anderson to beat Groves and take his title for several reasons.

"Firstly, even when we sparred my arms used to be black and blue for blocking Kenny's punches, even though he was supposed to be taking and it easy - that's the kind of power he will bring against Groves, but I disagree with those who say that Anderson's only chance of winning is by stoppage or knockout, even though Groves is the slicker boxer, because Kenny is, and always was, a very good technical boxer."

And former WBO super-featherweight champion Alex Arthur agreed with Young, saying: "My boxing contacts in England regard Groves to be a huge favourite but I believe that Kenny can, and will, spring a major upset.

"As a former Commonwealth gold medal winner myself, as Anderson was in 2006, you don't normally win such a medal without plenty of good technical boxing ability and I think Groves and his camp are definitely underestimating Anderson in this department.

"Similarly, I think the Groves camp's view of Anderson is based on his last two fights in Glasgow when, admittedly Anderson wasn't impressive in victory on either occasion but, as Gary Young rightly points out, you can't draw sound conclusions about a boxer's performance when, as Anderson was against King, that boxer was suffering from rib damage for most of the fight.''

"So I forecast that Anderson will prove Groves and other boxing people in England wrong by becoming champion, not least because he has had a hard time with management and promotional issues since turning pro and he has that great hunger to become a champion."