By Chris LaBate

Trainer Lee Beard believes that Argenis Mendez is the best super featherweight in the world, and certainly capable of unseating the WBO champion Ricky Burns. Burns is pushing for a unification with IBF champion Mzonke Fana. Beard has advised Burns to forget about Fana because the fight will never happen. Mendez receives the first shot because of his mandatory status to Fana's title. Beard predicts an impressive win for Mendez, which is going to set up a showdown with Burns.

"Hopefully now he'll fight for the IBF title," Beard told Sky Sports. "He's a tremendous fighter, he's very talented with similarities to Floyd Mayweather. He's got trmendous hand speed and his defence is ridiculous. He's so strong both mentally and physically, he's sparred with light-welterweights and lightweights and dealt with them no problem."

Once Mendez defeats Fana, Beard is not so sure that a unification with Burns will take place. He is not confident about Burns' promoter, Frank Warren, accepting Mendez as an opponent.

"It's obviously been talked about - Fana vs. Burns - he had a great win against [Roman] Martinez, but Warren's not going to match Burns with Mendez. To be honest, Mendez would beat that guy. I think he'll beat them all at that weight, (but) he's got to get a title quickly because he'll have to move up the weights soon being so tall," Beard said.