DANNY COOPER proved that class is permanent to record his second straight comeback win last night.

Yet the Totton light-middleweight revealed he nearly didn't make it into the Guildhall ring at all.

Cooper, who again looked in magnificent shape, admitted he had been suffering from a neck injury sustained just over a week ago.

"I've not trained for a week because I put out two small bones in the back of my neck," he said.

"I've been having acupuncture with Dave Penny to try and sort it out and, at one stage, I thought I might have to pull out.

"I was a bit stiff and it did effect me a little bit. I started off quite slowly but opened up as the fight went on and always felt okay, although I was a bit more tired than normal in the final round.

"But I felt I could win quite easily without getting in-volved in a war."

The injury was perhaps evident in the opening two rounds against his 19-year-old Greek opponent Rocky Muscas.

Cooper was consistently first to the jab but looked slightly rigid as Muscas pinned him against the ropes without connecting with clean punches.

Yet, in the third round, Cooper noticeably upped the pace and began to take command with sharp combinations. The 35-year-old, who was fighting for only the second time in 11 years, continued to shake off any ring rust in the fourth and fifth as he pummelled Muscas with crisp jabs, straight rights and uppercuts.

Cooper was now clearly in control and even had time to smile to some of his army of supporters at ringside as he boxed his way to a clear points decision.

Manager Jack Bishop was delighted with the performance and said: "Danny fought absolutely brilliantly.

"He was in complete control of the fight and looked magnificent."