Lynes hopes to make some news of his own

Boxer Colin Lynes used to help print this newspaper. Now he plans to make the headlines by winning a world championship.

Until a couple of years ago, Lynes worked at Harmsworth Quays in Rotherhithe, publishing home of the Evening Standard.

But it became impossible to accommodate title ambitions in the ring around shift work at the presses, so the Londoner decided to become a full-time fighter.

It was a gamble that nearly failed last March when Lynes suffered his first defeat in 21 bouts against Brazil's Samuel Malinga, cousin of Thulane 'Sugar Boy' Malinga, who beat Nigel Benn in 1996. The damage to Lynes's right eye that forced him to retire after eight rounds was so grotesque that many boxers who sustained similar punishment might have considered quitting the sport right there and then.

But Lynes was determined to make a comeback and tomorrow at the Goresbrook Leisure Centre in Dagenham that persistence could be rewarded with the International Boxing Organisation's world lightwelterweight title.

Lynes faces another tough opponent in Pablo Sarmiento, an experienced Argentine who has already claimed victories over highly rated Britons Billy Schwer and Michael Ayers.

But he insisted: "I'm in the best shape of my life. This will be the biggest fight of my career, but even if my legs fall off or my eye pops out there's no way I won't win it."

Former British heavyweight champion Julius Francis will have to show similar determination at the Whitchurch Sports Centre in Bristol if he is to prevent Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison extending his unbeaten professional record to 16. The veteran Francis has lost his past six fights and his only chance will be to tuck himself up and hope Harrison boxes himself to a standstill.