Liverpool's ''Dirty'' Derry Mathews can take a big step toward a European title rematch with Gavin Rees if he can get past undefeated Italian Emiliano Marsili at the Olympia in Merseyside this Friday. Mathews is enjoying something of an Indian summer to a career that looked finished when he was knocked out in two rounds by Gary Buckland in the Prizefighter super featherweight final in 2010. Since then, he is unbeaten in five fights, and was held to a technical draw against Rees in a European lightweight title challenge last October after suffering a broken nose.

His opponent on Friday is the reigning Italian lightweight champion and is unbeaten in eight years and 24 fights. Mathews v Marsili will be screened live on Frank Warren's BoxNation [Sky Channel 456], the action starts at 8 PM.

28-year-old Derry Mathews [23-5, 15 KOs] is one of the tallest lightweights in boxing, standing a shade under 5'9", and with a correspondingly long reach. After winning the 2002 ABA bantamweight title, Mathews began his pro career as a featherweight, and was undefeated in his first 20 bouts, winning the lowly WBU featherweight title with a 12 round decision over future European champion Steve Foster Jr in 2006. His winning streak ended when he ran into the legendary Mongolian Choi Tseveenpurev in April 2008, and was KO'd in five rounds.

Mathews then lost three of his next four fights, all inside the distance. He was KO'd in the ninth round by Martin Lindsay in a British featherweight title eliminator, upset by trial horse Harry Ramogoadi in four rounds and then knocked out in the sixth by Scott Lawton.

Although many fighters would have thrown in the towel after such a streak of misfortune, Mathews bounced back in 2010 with a pair of tune-up victories before entering the super featherweight edition of Prizefighter in November 2011. Mathews pulled off a big upset when he stopped Scottish prospect Gary MacArthur in the third round of his quarterfinal bout, and then caused an even bigger shock when he eliminated his previous conqueror and tournament favorite Choi in the semifinals via a three round decision. However, in the final he faced a man on a mission in Gary Buckland, who had just iced the previously unbeaten British super featherweight champion Gary Sykes in 45 seconds.

Mathews did well to absorb some big right hands and survive the opening round, but he was put down for the count in the second. Although he had lost, his performance in the competition on the whole was seen as a victory.

Mathews proved he was far from finished when he won a decision over former conqueror Scott Lawton last January, and then won the English lightweight title with a first round knockouts over Amir Unsworth in April. Another first round victory, this time over George Watson followed, and in July 2011 he TKO'd the previously undefeated Stephen Jennings in six rounds.

Mathews began his European title challenge against chunky Welshman Gavin Rees impressively, winning the first two rounds. The Welshman began to come on strong in the third, and an accidental clash of heads in round four resulted in Mathews sustaining a broken nose and withdrawing from the fight. As the contest had lasted less than four rounds, the result was a technical draw.

Some fight fans criticized Mathews for pulling out of a fight he had a chance of winning, as over the years many fighters have sustained broken noses and even broken jaws yet gone on to win. The following week middleweight Sergio Martinez appeared to sustain a broken nose in his fight against Britain's Darren Barker, yet persevered and went on to win by an 11th round knockout.

Now Mathews has a chance to win the IBO lightweight title and earn a rematch with Rees, but only if he gets past Emiliano Marsili.

Speaking of Sergio Martinez, 35-year-old Marsili [23-0-1, nine KOs] appears to be mimicking the great Argentinian both in terms of fighting style and ring longevity. Martinez turns 37 in February, is a southpaw and loves to box with his hands held low, as does the Italian. Marsili was a late starter in the professional game, turning pro in 2003 aged 28 after a 58 bout amateur career [43 wins].

Marsili won his first seven fights on points before scoring four consecutive knockouts. In November 2006 he drew with unbeaten Giovanni Niro in a fight for the Italian lightweight title.

Marsili continued to fight and win against extremely moderate opposition until he took a huge step-up in class in May 2010, tackling the young undefeated prospect Luca Marasco for the Italian lightweight title and hammering him to defeat in nine rounds. Marsili was a revelation in that bout, displaying excellent footwork and hand speed plus the reflexes of a man ten years his junior.

Six months later Marsili retained his title with a 10 round decision over Pasquale Di Silvio, and in his only appearance in 2011, he knocked out Paolo Gassani in 24 seconds. Gassani had lost just once in fifteen bouts and stood an imposing 5'8", yet he was taken apart by a pair of vicious left hands delivered from Marsili's southpaw stance in double quick time, followed by a savage right hook.

Marsili is currently ranked seventh by the E.B.U [European Boxing Union], one place behind Mathews. Although Mathews is a slight bookies favorite going into this fight, I see it as an extremely dangerous matchup for the Englishman, and one that he didn't need to take considering a rematch with Rees would probably have been granted him anyway.

The Italian looks supremely confident in his abilities and is highly adept at slipping punches while landing his own. If he can avoid Mathews long shots and get inside, the local man will find himself in a whole world of trouble.

I see Marsili stamping his authority on this fight early and catching Mathews time and again with his counters. Although Mathews will have a clear height and reach advantage, I feel his punch resistance has been low for several years, and he will be tagged often and hard. By the eighth round the Italian will be landing at will, and the referee will have no option but to stop the fight.

Marsili by TKO in eight.

Big Fight Odds: Derry Mathews 4/11, Emiliano Marsili 2/1 bet365