BURNLEY Bulldog Warren Stowe gets an opportunity to enter the big time tonight when he encounters British Super Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe at the Goresbrook leisure centre in Dagenham.

And although he is by no means in peak condition, he is absolutely determined to make highly rated Calzaghe fight all the way in their eight round non-title battle.

A respectable showing will propel Stowe up the British rankings and perhaps place him in line for a shot at the Middleweight title, a division below the weight he fights at tonight.

Stowe had to shed a few surplus ounces before yesterday's weigh-in but he feels sufficiently strong to extend the champion into the later rounds where he will hope to cause most damage.

"That's the plan, to take him beyond the first couple of rounds by whatever means and then up the pace in the later rounds," said Stowe, who took the fight on just four days' notice. "I watched him against Mark Delaney a couple of weeks ago and he looked very messy. "I just wish I was in proper condition to fight because then I know I'd have a real chance. As it is, I am determined to give it a go and I just hope he takes me lightly.

"Because that's when he may get a surprise."

The bout is chief support to Adrian Dodson's defence of the WBO Intercontinental light middleweight title against Uganda's John Bosco. Both contests are on ITV tonight, coverage begins at 11.55pm.

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