Top boxing trainer Bob Shannon insists a plentiful supply of quality sparring partners in Manchester is the reason Kevin Anderson will regain his British welterweight title against Kevin McIntyre at the Kelvin Hall on Friday night.

The Fifer has been down at Shannon's training camp for six weeks to prepare for Friday's rematch with his fellow Scot, who won convincingly in their first meeting at Irvine's Magnum Centre in November.

Anderson wrapped up his preparations by putting sparring partner Johnny 'Rocco' Hussey, a formidable Mancunian welterweight who has lost only once in 10 bouts, on his backside.

Shannon insists that was the culmination of six weeks of living and learning at his Manchester gym.

He said: "Kevin seems to relish the training down in Manchester.

"I'm not knocking anyone in Scotland and it's not about the trainers because there are some great trainers in Scotland, it is all about the sparring.

"There are loads of sparring partners in Manchester for him and he hasn't been used to that in Scotland.

"The last sparring session is the main one and Kevin looked brilliant. Johnny 'Rocco' is one of the hardest lads in boxing.

"He has never been stopped and he has had only one defeat and that was a very close decision. But this will be the acid test on Friday.

"We will see what the first defeat has taken out of him and how he deals with the first hard punch of McIntyre.

"But I do believe he will come through this."

Shannon praised Anderson's manager and promoter Tommy Gilmour for getting his man the rematch.

He said: "I work with all the promoters like Frank Maloney, Frank Warren and without a shadow of a doubt, Tommy Gilmour is the best in the business.

"He did great job in getting Kevin Anderson this rematch. That's why we have got to win it because we won't get another chance.

"But we will take this chance and Kevin will win this fight, I am 110% confident about that."

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