Dillian Whyte has been touted for a fight in the US but potential rival Jermaine Franklin has hit out at the British boxer.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn watched Whyte defeat Russian Alexander Povetkin and reclaim the WBC interim championship in Gibraltar last weekend, and suggested Whyte could cross the Atlantic in his next fight.
The biggest names across the pond are Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr, but rising star Franklin told Sky Sports that the 32-year-old champion causes little fear with his aggressive behaviour.
The 28-year-old heavyweight is yet to suffer a defeat and has 20 wins to his name, and dismissed Whyte’s attitude.
"That intimidation s—, it doesn't work for people like me," Franklin said
"I've always experienced and always been through rough situations, so a bully is nothing to me.
"A bully is just a regular person. You can try to intimidate me, if you want to bully me, or you can try any of that, but that s— won't do nothing for you, won't get you nowhere.
"You're not going to get inside my head or it's not going to make me feel any different about you.
"It might make me want to beat you up more, but beside of that, it's not going to help you in any way."
Whyte lost to Povetkin in their first match despite dropping the Russian twice in the fourth round in their Fight Camp match-up in August 2020, when he was knocked out with a surprise uppercut in the next round.
Franklin believes that upset demonstrated Whyte’s weaknesses.
"It's the punches that he leaves himself open for, that's why he has the two defeats by knockout," said Franklin.
"Povetkin caught him with an uppercut. We know that's a real hard punch to be able to take from a puncher.
"Certain times he gets caught with certain punches.
"I don't want to say he has a glass chin, because he took some shots, but if you can catch him at the right time, at the right moments though, you will have a great effect on him."
Who will Whyte fight next? We take a look at some of his options.