Aussie champ Quinlan out to defy the odds

Australian IBO super-middleweight champion Renold Quinlan has dismissed last-minute efforts at mind games from Chris Eubank Jr ahead of their fight in London.

A relaxed Renold Quinlan has laughed off efforts by Chris Eubank Jnr to unsettle him at the weigh-in before Saturday's super-middleweight title showdown in London.

The 27-year-old boxers took to the scales at the Westfield shopping complex in Shepherds Bush in front of 1,000 or so onlookers on Friday, with the English fighter the slightly heavier man at 75.9kg to Quinlan's 75.7kg.

During the traditional stare off for the cameras, the pair indulged in an animated conversation before Eubank broke off to unleash a series of upper cuts on a set of pads being held by a member of team.

"You'll need more than that tomorrow," mocked Quinlan (11-1), who's been quoted as a 25-1 shot by some local bookmakers to defend his title against the hard-hitting Eubank who's tasted defeat just once in 24 contests.

"Thanks for that mate, I'll sleep easy tonight knowing that you can't hurt me."

Unbeaten WBA, WBF and IBO light-heavyweight champion Andre Ward and former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis were also watching on, with the pair providing TV commentary for the fight.

Quinlan has been giving next to no chance of victory over Eubank, who has been regarded as a future world champion ever since his amateur days.

But Ward, a former super-middleweight world champion, who is arguably the finest pound for pound boxer on the planet, said although he expects Eubank to prevail, the New South Welshman has the punching power to hurt his opponent.

"People are saying Quinlan can't win, but I wouldn't write him off completely," the American told AAP.

"It will be hard for him, but it takes a proper champion to say, 'I'll come to your house and fight' so you have to have huge respect for that.

"He can punch too so that gives him live chance.

"He showed that against Daniel Geale, a fighter who has been a world champion so there's plenty to like about him.

"I expect Quinlan to go at him early and attack and if he catches him off guard, anything can happen."

The contest will start at around 10am (AEDT on Sunday morning).


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Source: AAP


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