TRAINER John Costello believes that Jamie Cox will explode back into action this weekend and show exactly why he should be challenging for world titles.

On Saturday night, the heavy-handed Swindon southpaw, 30, returns to the ring after a hiatus of nearly 12 months when he clashes with Argentina’s Martin Fidel Rios (20-9-3) for the vacant WBO intercontinental super-middleweight strap at Bolton’s Macron Stadium Premier Suite, with the fight being screened live on BoxNation.

The road to Cox’s comeback has been far from straightforward, with the former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist pencilled in for two shows that went on to be cancelled – in Frankfurt, in September and in Cardiff, which would have taken place this Saturday.

Unbeaten Cox (20-0) hasn’t fought since last November, when he blew away Albert Ferenc to defend his WBO European crown and rack up a third successive first-round stoppage.

In March, he was jailed for assault before being acquitted on appeal, with concurrent sentences for harassment, violence to gain entry and criminal damage suspended, and his Birmingham-based trainer Costello, who likens his charge to super-middleweight legend Joe Calzaghe, reckons that Cox has become an even more fearsome during his extended spell in the gym.

“His opponent’s got a good ranking and we know that we’re going to have to force the WBO’s hand because Jamie’s just too dangerous,” said Costello.

“Nobody is going to take him as a voluntary for the WBO (world) title so we’re going to have to make him mandatory.

“Something like a final eliminator against George Groves would be a great fight for Jamie – we would love that fight.

“He’s a different Jamie Cox to before his last fight. Jamie’s just so much more determined.

“Everything that happened with his court case has just fuelled the fire and he’s so much more dangerous in the gym than he was before.

“I honestly don’t think that there’s anyone in the division that could live with Jamie and I think that he’s the most exciting person in boxing at the moment.

“He’s like Joe Calzaghe with power.”

Rios, 24, is the current WBC Latino champion but lost in his only previous outing in the UK when he was out-pointed by Jimmy Kilrain Kelly in October last year.

Costello added: “ He also fought Jorge Heiland, who’s ranked number one with the WBC (at middleweight). One of the scores was 96-95.

“If you’re not up to it, you’ll get beat but Jamie will get the job done on Saturday.”