Sam is perfect foe for me, says Pigford

Calm before the storm…Pigford with trainer Macmillan

JOE Pigford – the light-middle with near freakish knockout power – has described Saturday’s collision with Sam Eggington as the “perfect fight” for him.

He faces the rugged Stourbridge warrior at Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium in a contest so potentially explosive it may well register on the Richter Scale.

If you don’t watch any other fight this year, tune into Sky Sports to witness this one. On paper, it’s a battle that could’ve been scripted by Sam Peckinpah.

Pigford has won 20 in a row, a staggering 19 by stoppage – that’s a 95 per cent finishing ratio.

But he’s never met a fighter as experienced, so seasoned over the championship distance and – let’s be honest – as tough as Eggington.

In 41 fights, Sam has captured British, European and “world” honours. He has beaten world class opposition and featured in some of the most memorable wars in recent domestic boxing history.

The calibre of opposition Pigford has faced is levels below – and he’s never gone 10 rounds. In fact, he’s never gone beyond six.

What’s more, the Southampton KO merchant’s career has been stop-start. He actually turned pro in the same year as Eggington and, at 30, is a year older.

If Sam can survive those big bombs hurled by Pigford in the early rounds, he’ll drag the man into a meat-grinder that has chewed up and spat out so many fighters.

Pigford sees things very differently.

He said today: "On paper, I think it's a very exciting fight, but my aim's not to make it an exciting fight. It's the perfect fight for me and I think he's made for me.

"I punch quite hard and he doesn't seem too bothered about getting hit, so I feel like sooner or later I'm going to hurt him and take him out. I'm very confident."

Pigford has been working with highly-regarded young coach Jacob Macmillan.

"We've got a really good relationship and we get on really well," Pigford said of Macmillan. "I think he's very good technically, we gel together very well and I think he's going to bring out the best in me this weekend.

"I'm actually not looking past this fight. I've got a job to do on Saturday and then I'm sure many doors will open when I get the job done."