By Sean McDaniel: Former WBA light welterweight champion Gavin Rees (35-1, 16 KO’s) will be making his first defense of his European Boxing Union (EBU) lightweight title on Saturday night against Derry Matthews (29-5, 15 KO’s) at the Newport Leisure Centre in Newport, Wales.

This should be a fairly easy fight for Rees if he can find some power somewhere. Matthews, 28, has a weak chin and has been stopped four times in the past three years. All Rees has to do is land some big shots on the chin of Matthews and he’ll have an easy night.

Rees wants a world title shot next, but will settle for a fight against Kevin Mitchell if possible. In an article at boxrec.com, Rees said “I don’t mind who I have to fight to win a world title. But I’d love a fight with Kevin Mitchell too. It’s a fight that I think I’d win but It’d be a cracker and one that fight fans and Sky Sports would love to see.”

Rees is right. A fight against Mitchell would be a good one, and about the best either of them can hope for right now. Rees, 31, isn’t about to get a world title with limited wins he’s had in the past few years, and neither is Kevin Mitchell. Fighting each other would be a good fight while they slowly work their way up against increasingly better opposition. Rees’ career has pretty much been in a big stall since 2008. Instead of facing better and better opposition, Rees has stayed at the same local domestic level opposition instead of stepping it up against better fighters.

Matthews has taken it easy since losing a 2nd round knockout to Gary Buckland in November 2010. He’s won four consecutive fights against Scott Lawton, Amir Unsworth, George Watson and Stephen Jennings. None of those fighters are anywhere close to being world level fighters, hence Matthews hasn’t been knocked out lately.