Anthony Joshua will defend his WBA ‘super’ and IBF titles against Carlos Takam in Cardiff tomorrow night.
Many are expecting the 28-year-old to brush the Frenchman aside after he was brought in as a replacement for the injured Kubrat Pulev.
However, former British heavyweight champion Michael Sprott – who has fought both men – has warned Joshua not to underestimate Takam.
And he has claimed the 36-year-old will be a dangerous opponent the longer the fight is allowed to go on.
“Takam is like a bodybuilder,” Sprott told BBC Newsbeat.
“[He’s] very strong, and like Anthony says he’s got a head like granite. He can definitely take a shot.
“If I was his [Joshua’s] trainer I would tell him to get rid of Takam as quickly as possible, maybe as early as the first couple of rounds.
“The longer the fight goes on the more dangerous it is for Anthony Joshua.”
Joshua only discovered he was fighting Takam less than two weeks ago after Pulev’s withdrawal and Sprott thinks this could prove problematic for the Brit.
“Before, he was fighting someone who was 6ft 4. Now he’s fighting someone who is 6ft 1,” he added.
“Takam has very long arms for his size and he is quite elusive.
“And remember – when Lennox Lewis fought Vitali Klitschko – he was meant to be fighting someone else, and Lennox should probably have lost that fight.”