Featherweight world champion Leigh Wood believes Michael Conlan has had everything his own way prior to earning his shot at the belt this weekend.
Conlan is the bookies' favourite to take the title from Wood at the first time of asking, and had a stellar amateur career that included an Olympic medal before turning professional, where he is now 16-0.
But the Nottingham native believes that his Irish rival has had it easy throughout his career, being given fights in favourable venues against opponents tailor-made for him.
The Belfast boxer's most recent fights, barring two behind-closed-doors shows during the height of the coronavirus pandemic and a handful of undercard bouts, have taken place in his hometown, or Irish strongholds like New York and Chicago.
But when his promoters Top Rank lost out on the purse bid for the fight to Wood's team at Matchroom Boxing, the fight was immediately taken to Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena, where Wood will have a considerable advantage.
"They [Top Rank] were never going to win the purse bid," Wood told Mirror Fighting in an exclusive chat. "I don't think they had much confidence in Mick to win the fight.
"It doesn't matter where it was, that'd be why they didn't put a big bid together probably.
"He's had like a spoilt child really, he's had it all his own way - when he came to my press conference in Nottingham I noticed he was out of character.
"He didn't quite like it, but then the next day back in Ireland with his own fans he seemed to be himself again, so he's not used to being in this hostile territory."
Conlan's biggest win to date took place last summer when he toppled former world champion TJ Doheny in front of his home fans at the historic Falls Park in Belfast.
Just a week prior, Wood had upset the odds once again with a stunning knockout victory over Can Xu at Matchroom's Fight Camp, where only a few hundred people could attend.
And it's that constant battle against the grain that has formed the fighter Leigh Wood is; a man he feels is destined to be a great world champion.
"I think Can Xu would beat Michael Conlan," Wood explained. "But styles make fights and it's about getting it right on the night to win.
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"What you need to do is take away your opponent's best attributes, so we've got a different style, we're approaching it differently with different tactics because he's a different challenger.
"I've pushed for a massive portion of my life to win the British title and I had to do it behind closed doors.
"Then at the last minute I get put in a world title fight in front of around a thousand people, I wanted to celebrate with everyone from my city which was disappointing.
"I'm so happy to be back in front of my own people and finally get that homecoming.
"You're going to see on the night how I manage to get off this game plan, it's a very different fight."
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