​Quade Cooper's Opponent Is No Joke, Says Quade Cooper's Opponent

Hervey Bay boxer, Jack McInnes says he's no joke, though confesses he thought the fight against Quade Cooper on tonight's Mundine vs Green undercard might have been one when it was offered to him.

"I thought it was a big prank when they told me it was Quade Cooper I'd be fighting. But no, I knew the fella who texted me and it was all legit," he told the Fraser Coast Chronicle.

McInnes received the call-up to fight Cooper just two weeks ago, forcing him to shed a mammoth ten kilograms in ten days just to make the weight class. The experience has left him seriously underdone, he says.

"Trying to lose too much weight is doing my body harm and I'm not coping well so this will be the last fight," said McInnes.

On top of severe weight loss, his preparation has also been plagued by a troublesome elbow injury.

"The arm's a bit tender but I should (get) through it. I'm ready for it," he told the Sunshine Coast Daily, adding: "I can't wait to get it over and done with actually."

If your not supporting Jack McInnes tonight please give yourself a left right goodnight — Daniel Jennings (@dcjennings97)February 2, 2017

McInnes has had two fights as a boxer, both in 2016, both of which he lost by knockout. The 22-year-old is reportedly far more experienced in Muay Thai and cage fighting with a total of 55 fights -- though the quality of his opponents and the calibre of the divisions he was fighting in cannot be verified. McInnes' coach, Craig Glover, was also concerned about the quick turn around initially.

"We're packing in the training as much as we can because he hasn't done anything," he said in the lead up.

"He's a late call-up and knows what it's like to have fighters pull out on him so he'll jump in and give Quade an opportunity."

Glover has since been impressed with the work McInnes has put in, despite the elbow injury and having to shed ten kilos.

"He's been training like a demon; his fitness has come a long way. I don't doubt he's got the ability to do it. He's in the right headspace," he said.

His opponent, Quade Cooper is an international rugby union star who is also coming off just two career fights, over a four year period. They include a first round knockout over 32-year-old Muay Thai veteran Barry Dunnett in 2012 (on the Sonny Bill Williams vs Francois Botha card) and a fourth round TKO over 40-year-old cage fighting veteran, Warren Tresidder in 2014 (on a Mundine card). Cooper and McInnes will be fight number seven of nine on tonight's card and fight in an abbreviated four x three minute round format.