While the debate as to whether up-and-coming sprint star Yohan Blake will be a match for reigning sprint king Usain Bolt rages on, at least one former sprinter is convinced that the call, once Bolt is in top form, is an easy one to make.

Former Olympic 100m champion Maurice Greene, while looking forward to what is expected to be a great rivalry between the two in the upcoming season, does not believe Blake will be able to topple the world record holder once he is fit and ready.

"If Bolt runs like he did in Beijing, he cannot be beaten," Greene said. "He remains the best in the world," Greene told UK-based website Eurosport (http://au.eurosport.com).

Bolt captured the attention of the track and field world at Beijing Olympic Games, winning the 100m in a blistering 9.69 and seemed to have plenty in reserve as he celebrated a few yards from the line. The sprinter then went on to lower the 200m record of American Michael Johnson (19.32) with a time of 19.30.

However, it was Blake who set tongues wagging earlier this season when he not only took the 100m World Championship title from Bolt in Daegu, South Korea, earlier this year, after the reigning champion had been disqualified after false starting, but went on to run a blistering 200m time, 19.26, in Brussels to close out the season. That time, the second fastest in history, is bettered only by Bolt's world record of 19.19 set at the Berlin World Championships in 2009.

"Usain knows how good Blake can be and it will definitely be in his mind, but he will not be fearful about facing him. There will be nerves, of course, but Bolt still has the edge.

"Bolt and Blake train together, so there will not be any fear between the pair. When they are on the world stage together, it is more comfortable for them because they know everything about each other. Bolt knows what he has to do to win."

Greene