Jim Watt fears the Italian judges could be high among Colin Lynes' concerns ahead of Friday Fight Night.
Italy a tough place to win, but Lynes can pull it off
Make no mistake about it, this is going to be really, really tough night for Colin Lynes - but it is not beyond him by any means.
His opponent, Gianluca Branco, is perhaps a class above anything he's faced so far and well, we all know the problems fighting in Italy can bring.
Look back down the years and you will struggle to find a British victory over there, so straight away the champion is up against it. Sadly winning the fight isn't always enough.
But it's not just in Italy. It seems to be the case more and more with European title fights these days, and we have seen some horrendous decisions over here. Remember Damaen Kelly's points loss to Simone Maludrottu?
I had it myself in France back in 1975 against Andre Holyk. The crowd was booing the decision, the other guy was shaking his head and telling me I had won - and that was in an eliminator! These things really can make or break careers.
I just think that Europe is Europe and we in Britain are still something else, but that has always been the case - and there is nothing Colin Lynes can do about it. I still can't fathom out why it is in Turin when it was twice scheduled for Dagenham and, as far as I know, Matchroom are still the promoters, because this looks to me like one fight you just want to get out of the way, as quickly as possible.
It is pointless Lynes changing his style to try and suit the judges, though. Not only because you just don't know what they are going to see, but also because that could be disastrous. The last thing he wants to do is go out there looking for the knockout.
Luckily Colin has a great jab and usually fights at a high pace anyway, which is what he will have to do in Turin. That will help him take charge of the fight and perhaps the only slight adjustment I would make is tactically. He has to box the full three minutes of every round.
Momentum will be the key to this and if he can be clever tactically, I am confident he will still be the European champion. I would like to see him stand off Branco a little for the first minute of the round, not throwing too much, but gauging the pace of the fight nonetheless.
Then, as in any long fight - which I think this is going to be - you have to do your best work in the second minute. Then if he can put his foot on the pedal and increase the tempo going into the third and final minute, it would take it out of the judges' hands. The last thing you want is to leave them with close rounds to call.
As I have said, Lynes has the tools and the technique to do all that. He really has come on in the last 18 months or so, probably since that defeat to Lenny Daws in January 2006. I said on commentary I wouldn't be surprised if he came down with flu a couple of days later, because he looked dreadful sat on his stool between rounds.
Fair play to him though, he didn't make any excuses, even if I had laid the groundwork! But after that things seemed to fall into place. It's not as if he is doing anything different, or that much better, there just seemed to be a realisation that it was now or never.
And since then his form has been good. Branco's pedigree is better than anyone's Lynes has faced, but look at his record and you will struggle to pick out a really convincing performance.
He has lost twice - both outside Italy - to Miguel Cotto and Arturo Gatti in world title fights, but a really, really good operator would've beaten Gatti that night. He might not quite have been over the hill then, but he had certainly made it to the top and was thinking about the way down!
Like so many Italians, though, Branco is well-schooled and Colin will need to show the sort of form he did against Young Mutley and Juho Tolppola to come away with that belt still round his waist.
And if he does, there is no reason why a world title shot is beyond him. Junior Witter's loss at the weekend might have opened things up a little. He was so well beaten by Junior there was never going to be a rematch, and although it is hard to see Timothy Bradley coming over here, being European champion does do you favours with the WBC.
Ricky Hatton and Paulie Malignaggi (IBF) are going to fight each other, but Andreas Kotelnik (WBA) and Ricardo Torres (WBO) can probably be tempted over here with the right financial package - it's just a shame the same couldn't be said of Branco
So much has happened it is a good time to be a 10-stoner and Lynes has found an impetus at the right time. I do worry about what the judges will do on Friday, but am still fairly confident he can outwork Branco over the 12 rounds and win on points to remain European champion.
