Brighton Bears today completed a teak-tough frontline by signing a part-time boxer.

Former Essex Leopards centre Marshall Sanders, 26, will lead the fight close to the basket for Bears in the new British League season.

The 6ft 7in American teams up with Andrew Alleyne, who is back for a third season.

Sanders played alongside former Bears skipper Yorick Williams for a struggling Essex team three seasons ago.

He scored 14 points on his last visit to the Brighton Centre, when Leopards were pipped by a late Randy Duck free throw having trailed by 20.

Sanders' 32 British League outings saw him average 27 minutes, 12 points and eight boards.

Bears coach Nick Nurse believes a spell playing lower league basketball in the States will have helped Sanders sharpen up his skills.

And he is calling on his new boy to take command close to the rim. Nurse said: "Marshall is a proficient club boxer and he likes to mix it up.

"He's a real tough guy and that's the way we like to play.

"He's probably a centre but he can play power forward at times.

"I would expect him and Drew to look to play in and out.

"Marshall can handle the ball although he doesn't shoot the three-pointer that well.

"We will expect him to be our leading rebounder and to be effective in the paint."

Sanders' greatest claim to fame was starting every game for Kentucky Wesleyan when they were division two champions in the American college set-up in 2001-02.

Nurse added: "I like him. He's a super athlete, he's tough and he's better than when he went to Leopards fresh out of college."

Bears resume training on Wednesday but have yet to schedule any warm-up games ahead of their league opener at Birmingham Bullets two weeks from today.