Joseph Parker's camp have claimed the underdog status ahead of his World Boxing Organisation heavyweight title fight against Mexican-American Andy Ruiz in Auckland.
The pair will fight for the WBO belt at Vector Arena in less than a fortnight, on December 10.
Parker's trainer Kevin Barry said the 24-year-old heavyweight's past four years as a professional - during which he has won all 21 of his fights - has served as an apprenticeship.
Ruiz has spent eight years as a professional and is unbeaten in 29 fights.
Barry said that gives the visitor a distinct advantage. In a set of comments that surprised many, Barry called Ruiz the favorite - which doesn't hold up with the majority of experts who view Parker as the clear favorite but regard Ruiz as a very live underdog.
"I've studied Andy up close. A little under four years ago I did a little bit of work with him in the gym -- there was a chance that I was going to actually end up training Andy," he said to media. "I went and watched him live a couple of times perform and this was back early 2013. I thought 'this guy is destined to become a world champion'."
"He comes to New Zealand as the favourite to win this fight, there is no doubt in my mind. We have always talked about Joe having fast hands but I believe that Andy Ruiz punches faster than Joe."
"The pressure for this fight is on Andy Ruiz. He is the guy expected to win this fight. He has one of the top trainers in the world in Abel Sanchez who has trained 16 world champions ... there is a lot of pressure on Andy Ruiz to be Abel's 17th champ. Mexico has a huge tradition of producing champions, they have never had a heavyweight champion so, once again, the pressure is on Andy Ruiz."
