Frankie Gavin claims there are still unanswered questions over Kell Brook's fitness ahead of their IBF welterweight world title fight at London's O2 Arena on Saturday.
Brook (34-0, 23 KOs) defends the belt for the second time following a four-round destruction of Canadian Jo Jo Dan in Sheffield two months ago. Victory over Dan was the first fight Brook had since being stabbed in the leg and suffering a career-threatening injury.
The 29-year-old was stabbed in his left thigh following a night out in Tenerife less than three weeks after winning the world title in August last year. Brook needed blood transfusions and 32 staples to fix the wound and there were initial fears he would not walk again.
"Dan didn't tell you very much about Kell's fitness, it only went four rounds and he didn't throw anything back," Gavin told ESPN.
"I think he is being over confident and it doesn't suit him. He said to Eddie at the press conference 'He's going to be in with the Special One'. Kell is a nice guy but it doesn't suit him, he doesn't have the accent for it.
"But I like Kell. After I lost to [Leonard] Bundhu [on points in August last year] he told me to dust myself down and you'll be back. He hits hard but if I get hit I will come back with my own. I showed I can get up against Bundhu. I know I can do that now.
"I don't think he's quicker than me and it's going to be a chess match at times, but I can fight when I want to and box when I want to.
"I don't think he answered questions about his fitness in the Dan fight. He was out for a long time after his injury and we don't know if he can do the rounds yet. It's when it gets hard for him and he is taken some rounds, that's when you'll know.
"You know I can [Gavin has gone the ten or 12 round distance in six of his last seven fights] and I always win the last round and that shows that I train hard."
Gavin, 29, says comparisons between physiques are also misleading in trying to determine an outcome to their fight.
"I'm not a body builder, I'm a boxer, but people on social media and internet forums have been saying he's going to take me apart in one round because he has a better body than me," Gavin added.
"Those comments are so stupid. I don't really get hit to start with, not properly because I ride the shots well, and I know I work hard in training. All I have to do is turn up and be me. He's a good fighter and we will find out if he's as good as he says he is."
But Gavin, from Birmingham, does not deny that he will have to produce a drastically improved performance to pull off a shock against Sheffield's in-form Brook, who has stopped five of his last six opponents.
Since losing to Leonard Bundhu on a split points decision for the European welterweight title last summer, Gavin admits his form has wavered. After a two-round win over Mate Hornyak, some felt he was fortunate to get a 12-round points win over Bradley Skeete in defence of his British belt in November before a workmanlike ten round points win over Bogdan Mitic in March.
Gavin became the first Englishman to win a gold medal at the amateur World Championships in 2007 and was strongly tipped for gold at the following year's Olympics, only to fail a pre-competition weigh-in and return home without fighting. That amateur pedigree promised a successful professional career but Gavin believes he has yet to live up to his potential.
"There's a lot more to come," Gavin said. "Sometimes you have to come through tough times like I have done before you get the highs.
"Junior Witter was a tough test for me because he was awkward and more experienced, then I had to come back from the Bundhu loss. It has been hard to get the fight I needed for my career but I'm here now.
"I had a few personal problems when I left Manchester to live back in Birmingham so it has taken me longer to get where I am than some of my old amateur team-mates with Great Britain [James DeGale and Billy Joe Saunders]. But, whereas I might have been a bit behind on maturity, I've never been behind talent wise."