Marko Calic (11-0, 6 KOs) has no intention of serving as a mere stepping stone for Joshua Buatsi (12-0, 10 KOs) in their main event bout for the WBA International light heavyweight championship on Oct. 4.
Croatia's Calic turned pro in 2016 after an impressive stint in the amateurs as well as the World Series of Boxing, during which time he had plenty of opportunities to scout his fellow unbeaten pro.
“I have known Joshua Buatsi since my days in the amateurs,” said Calic.
“I have followed his professional career since he switched from the amateurs after the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. He is a strong fighter and has a good boxing IQ. He is a good technician, but I also believe in my boxing ability and I will be ready on Oct. 4.
“As an amateur I was fighting at 91kg in the heavyweight category, so our paths never crossed in the ring. When I was in the European Championships in Samokov in 2015, I think he won a bronze medal, so yes I know him pretty well. I’ve watched him progress in the professional ranks and he is a good fighter, so I will be well prepared."
The Oct. 4 showdown is viewed by many as Buatsi's chance to show his star potential, but Calic believes there's just as much chance it could be his own breakthrough night in a contest where somebody's '0' is likely to go.
“Beating Buatsi would be huge for my career," continued Calic. "It would make me well known in the boxing community and open a lot of doors for me.
"Eddie Hearn is the best boxing promoter in the world right now and his events get a lot of attention. I will prove myself on the big stage. This win will mean a lot for me.
"I expect that Buatsi will come forward and take the fight to me. I will try to counterpunch him, but I will also be ready to fight fire with fire. My main focus is to do my best.
"One of my main strengths is that I am taller than most of my opponents. I am also a very good technical boxer with a high boxing IQ."
Beneath Buatsi vs. Calic on the night, Chantelle Cameron (12-0, 7 KOs) makes her debut under the Matchroom umbrella when she faces off with Brazil’s Adriana Dos Santos Araujo (6-0, 1 KO) for the vacant WBC super-lightweight title in chief support.
Also, Calic's compatriot "The Savage" Alen Babic (4-0, 4 KOs) looks to make it five finishes on the bounce against Irishman Niall Kennedy (13-1-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-round heavyweight bout; Linus Udofia (15-0, 7 KOs) makes the first defence of his English middleweight crown vs. Dillian Whyte-backed John Harding Jr. (8-1-1, 2 KOs); Aqib Fiaz (5-0) and Kane Baker (13-6) compete in a rescheduled Fight Camp contest that had to be scrapped at the 11th hour; and recent Matchroom signing John Hedges makes his professional bow at super-middleweight.