Boxing: Elcock's status faces brutal test

The main attraction tonight at the MEN Arena in Manchester is Ricky Hatton but there is another world title fight on the bill involving Anthony Farnell and Wayne Elcock.

The pair will fight for Farnell's World Boxing Union middleweight title but once again the bauble on offer from the sanctioning body does not add to what is a truly intriguing fight that will be both entertaining and brutal.

Both Farnell and Elcock know more about attacking than they do about defending and they have considerable power so the chance of their bout being a match for boxing purists is zero.

Farnell has lost just twice in 33 fights and has the edge in experience over Elcock who is unbeaten in only 10 fights. However, in the careful business of modern boxing a fighter's record needs to be translated.

Farnell has met and beaten a lot of hand-picked opponents in a career that started in 1997 when he first attracted a large group of devoted fans.

Elcock has a small following but in his 10 fights he has been matched against reliable and solid fighters, which is why after so few outings he is meeting Farnell.

If Farnell performs sensibly tonight and can control his emotions in front of his home fans, then he should be able to take the fight into the later rounds and win a gruelling struggle on points. Elcock's best chance is to draw Farnell quickly into a senseless brawl and hope that he gets lucky.