Boxing: Gary McMillan out to show he’s no underdog

Edinburgh’s British Masters welterweight champion Gary McMillan has rubbished claims he’ll be a massive underdog when he takes on former world amateur champion Frankie Gavin.

Southpaw McMillan will face Birmingham boxer Gavin in Cardiff on February 25 with many observers considering the Gilmerton man to be a rank outsider.

However, McMillan insisted today: “I’m a natural welterweight – Gavin is a light-welterweight. All his wins and knockouts have been against ten-stone fighters. I’m the first fully fledged welterweight he’s fought as a pro. Gavin is a southpaw – normally southpaws hate boxing another right-hand first boxer but I actually love fighting southpaws.”

McMillan added: “I’ve been told that if I beat Gavin in Cardiff then I will be guaranteed a title shot against British welterweight champion Colin Lynes later this year.”

Meanwhile, Lochend Olympic lightweight hopeful Josh Taylor will box Liverpool’s Robbie Davies jnr at the St Andrew’s Sporting Club in Glasgow on Monday, February 20 over three rounds in a five-bout Scotland v England amateur international.

“I sparred with Davies last week at Sheffield and he’s a tough guy, but I’m confident that I can see off his challenge,” said Taylor.

• CLOVENSTONE amateur light-heavyweight Pieyam Khosrowpour has accepted an invitation to spar with Kenny Anderson in Lancashire ahead of the latter’s British super-middleweight title challenge with George Groves at Wembley Arena on March 10.

Khosrowpour admitted: “This quality of sparring will help me when I fight in the Scottish Senior Championships at Meadowbank at the end of this month.”