Stepney-born boxer feeling good ahead of WBO super-featherweight title fight

Former WBO world champion Nicky Cook predicts he will complete an east London double in July with a victory over Ricky Burns to follow a win for his former gym-mate Kevin Mitchell over Manchester’s John Murray.

Cook and Burns meet for the WBO World superfeatherweight title at the Liverpool’s Echo Arena, on July 16.

A week earlier, Mitchell will attempt to reignite his career with a win against John Murray at the ExCel Arena in London.

And Stepney-born Cook, who is currently training for the fight in Tenerife, predicts a cockney double.

“I’m concentrating on my world-title fight against Burns,” he said.

“There is only one winner as far as I’m concerned, and I am sure Kevin will do the job against John Murray.

“This is my opportunity to set the record straight after my loss to Roman Martinez.

“I’ll be going into my fight against Burns on a real high, I’ve not felt this good in training in a long, long time.

“I’ve been written off a few times since that Martinez loss, but if Ricky Burns underestimates me he is in for a massive shock because I’m going to Liverpool to knock him out.”

While Cook trains on the holiday island, Mitchell finishes his preparations for the Murray meeting – and trainer Mark Tibbs insists the local fighter has never looked better.

“For this fight Kevin has really knuckled down to training,” he said.

“You can see in his eyes how much he wants this win.

“He has got the hunger back.”

Tibbs added that the last time Mitchell was so switched on was ahead of his clash with Amir Khan-conqueror Breidis Prescott, which he won with a career-best performance.

“Before that fight, Kevin knew that he couldn’t make any mistakes,” said Tibbs.

“We told him he had to stick to a game plan if he was going to win and he followed our instructions.

“It will be the same against Murray and I think that Kevin will deliver.

“Since he started his training camp he has been fit and focused and that will show on July 9.”