Matthew Macklin believes his ten-round clash with living legend Ronald 'Winky' Wright in Las Vegas has come at the right time.
The two-time former European middleweight champion from Birmingham takes on Wright, the first-ever undisputed champion at light-middleweight back in 2004, at the MGM Grand in Vegas on April 9, and feels going in with a man of the Florida southpaw's experience will only make him the fighter he longs to be.
"This is exactly the kind of fight I've been looking for and I believe it will bring out the absolute best in me," said Solihull-based Macklin, 28-2 (19).
"He's been in 15 world title fights and fought the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor and Paul Williams, as well as having a pair of wins over Shane Mosley and a shut-out win over Felix Trinidad.
"On top of that, he has been consistently considered amongst the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world over the last decade."
Although nine months shy of 40 and being inactive since a near-shut-out defeat to then-red-hot Paul Williams in April 2009, Wright is still the pre-fight favourite - even if that is based on his impossible-to-hit, iron-chinned (never stopped) style of old.
But is that still there at 39?
It would, based on age and inactivity, be foolish to write off Wright, despite having lost back-to-back fights (albeit against Paul Williams and Bernard Hopkins) and not scoring a win since 2006.
After all, he's mixed with the best, only lost to world-class opposition and brings to the table a 51-5-1 (25) paid ledger that has seen him cross swords with the elite since 1994, when Macklin was only 12.
Truth be told, he's probably forgotten more than Macklin knows.
And as much as the hammer-punching Second City scrapper has been in sparkling form as of late, Winky is on a different level to anyone he's faced since he made his pro bow in 2001.
Jumping from European level to world class is difficult at the best of times, but especially against a man who was in the top three pound-for-pound on earth at his pomp and who has held every recognised version of a world title.
But the 28-year-old, who hopes to secure a world title shot if he wins, is relishing it: "He's someone I've looked up to throughout my career but this is my time to make a big impact over there [in America] and this is the perfect fight to do that in.
"I know that it's a massive challenge, but one i know i can complete," added the 28-year-old Birmingham City supporter.
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