BOXING pundits, particularly those in the good ol’ US of A, seem pretty united in their assessment of Gavin Rees’ chances of beating Adrien Broner in Atlantic City next month.

Despite being a 32-year-old with a career record of only one defeat in 39, despite being a former light-welterweight world champion, the verdict isn’t good.

Rees’ prospects are up there with the chances of Elvis succeeding Barack Obama, Piers Morgan winning the hearts and minds of American Republicans over gun control or Lance Armstrong actually trying to make amends for cycling rather than himself.

Broner is being described as the next big thing, but there is as yet no genuine proof that Broner is the lightweight Mike Tyson rather than next flavour of the month like Jeff Lacy or Kelly Pavlik.

Broner’s record is impressive with 25 wins, 21 by KO and no defeats, all by the age of 23.

But Rees is not only a man on a mission, he’s working with a trainer whose stock continues to rise.

Lockett took Dale Evans, an unfancied youngster from west Wales, to the final of Prizefighter this weekend and in my estimation Evans was unlucky not to win the £32,000, beaten out on a split-decision.

Lockett’s stock is rising, he’s added a fitness dimension to Rees’ repertoire and most crucially, he knows what it is to fight the biggest fight in America, having faced (and lost to) Pavlik in Atlantic City.

Write Rees off at your peril America.