The last thing Ben Wager has been seeing before he leaves his house in the morning for the last three months is tonight's opponent Kofi Yates.

Light-welterweight Wager, 25, has taken the unusual step of plastering pictures of the Manchester man all over his house as a motivational tool.

Wager, from Monk Bretton but now living in Cudworth, has a mixed record of won 11, lost seven, drawn one, but is looking to better that with a win over Yates, 23, at the Metrodome tonight.

He has been training at full pelt ahead of the Central Area title contest and having Yates eyeing him up has given him an extra incentive.

Wager said: "Putting the pictures up has been purely for motivation. It's a kick up the backside. "He's in my way. By having him on the front door I've looked at him when I have gone on my runs at five in the morning.

"Knowing that he's there has meant that I haven't stayed in bed when the alarm has gone off. Maybe in the past, at the start of camp, I'd have slacked off a bit but there has been none of that this time."

The pair's paths have crossed before. Wager beat Yates on points in a four-rounder in May last year at iceSheffield and relieved him of his unbeaten professional record. Wager believes Yates took him lightly and thought he was going to cruise through the contest. Yates' comments since have annoyed him.

Wager added: "I have respect for everybody who gets in the ring but, to be honest, I don't like the way he goes about things. He made up loads of excuses afterwards. The truth is he came to box me and, when that didn't work, he tried to fight me and I was too much for him.

"It was a close fight but I beat him and it was on a neutral show. But this is a ten-round fight. "It's completely different and it doesn't matter who won the first fight."

Yorkshire Water worker Wager would become Barnsley's eighth Central Area champion with the win and he's bristling with confidence.

"I've had a good camp and taken the last week off work. They've been good to me with my hours and I'm in great shape. Barnsley has had a lot of Central Area champions in recent years which shows good things are happening in the town when it comes to boxing."