WILLIE LIMOND has warned Charlie Flynn that he can take nothing for granted as he prepares to make his professional debut on the Morrison Promotions Thistle Hotel Show in eight days' time.

The Commonwealth Games lightweight gold medallist will, as revealed in SportTimes yesterday', face Ibrar Riyaz, a ring veteran of 73 outings, when he makes the transition from vaunted Amateur to professional novice.

But British light-welterweight champion Limond, who ironically made his professional debut at a Morrison Promotions Thistle Hotel Show on November 12, 1999, when he stopped Lenny Hodgkins after one round, says there will be plenty of other differences for Flynn to negotiate as he joins the paid punching ranks for the first time.

"The first big difference Charlie will discover tomorrow week is that the style of boxing in the professionals is a lot more aggressive than that he is used to as an amateur. He will also have to pace himself for that extra round with regard to boxing four instead of three rounds," remarked Limond.

The 35-year-old continued: "I can also tell Charlie that the boy Riyaz is going to try and bully him straight from the first bell.

"He maybe a journeyman, but with 73 fights behind him he will be looking to prove he is the man against the boy.

"So Charlie can expect to be leaned on, shoved back and have a few other tricks of the trade tried out on him.

"Speaking more practically, the other big change for Charlie will be that as an amateur he is used to wearing 10 ounce gloves whereas in the pros it is eight ounce gloves we use and they come in various styles.

"For instance, the Mexican made Reyes glove is known as 'the knuckleduster' within the trade, as the level of padding on the knuckle is the thinnest of all the gloves.

"With the promotion also being a dinner show there is a whole different atmosphere to it, to what Charlie is used to fighting in at, say, the Commonwealth Games.

"So his concentration will need to be bang on but, with Peter Harrison in his corner and big Alex (Morrison) managing him, plus knowing the type of boy Charlie is, I am sure he will come through with flying colours. But he must give Riyaz every respect and take nothing for granted."