GAVIN ‘The Rock’ Rees is ready to prove a point to next opponent Derry Mathews, according to his trainer Gary Lockett.

The former WBU champion is looking forward to seeing his charge, now the European lightweight champion, when he takes centre stage in Sheffield on July 7.

Rees is looking to avenge the only draw of his career after a suspected broken nose for Mathews saw their first match waved off in the fourth round last October with the ex-Team Calzaghe fighter ahead on all three of the judges’ cards.

Rees has since beaten Frenchman Anth-ony Mezaache in Paris with a destructive KO performance and Lockett is confident a repeat is just around the corner.

“Gavin is fantastic in the gym, he’s probably done 30 rounds of sparring already this week and he feels like he’s got a point to prove,” he said.

“The last fight with Derry goes down as a draw and I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever Gavin was on his way to winning that fight within the distance.

“He’s glad to have a chance to put it right.”

Lockett has had trainer Billy Nelson around for the past week, the man who guides, among others, world champion Ricky Burns.

Nelson’s charges and Lockett’s have had some fierce sparring and Lockett believes Rees will only be fighting at European level until he beats Mathews.

“Gavin is a former world champion and he wants to get back to that level,” he said.

“He is 31 now and knows he doesn’t have forever to get back to that level.

“He wants to beat Derry but after that we’ll hope to be back at world level.”