Early next month, the WBA's No. 4-ranked contender Caoimhin Agyarko faces Ishmael Davis in a career-best opportunity to showcase exactly why he's heading towards European and world junior middleweight titles.

He knows that he can't afford to skip steps in a weight class packed with new champions and options galore. Yet some comments made in the build-up, a 12-round chief support bout on the Lewis Crocker-Paddy Donovan 2 undercard, have left the 28-year-old puzzled.

Davis criticised the Irishman's attitude, rejecting fight offers and a perceived holier-than-thou approach among his rivals, saying Matchroom dropped him after repeatedly turning down this fight previously.

Agyarko (17-0, 7 KOs) insisted that while they make for a good story, Davis' words shouldn't be taken seriously.

"He can say what he wants but I don't think he believes it," he told The Ring.

"Him and his manager Sunny Edwards, they like to talk the talk but very rarely walk the walk. I've never disrespected him as a fighter, he's known for his losses and that's not a lie -- he's faced better opposition than me but lost."

The 28-year-old replaced an injured Davis on 10 days' notice and won a 10-round majority decision over Ryan Kelly during Matchroom's Sheffield bill on April 19.

His two previous appearances were on small-hall shows in Belfast and Bethnal Green, streamed on DAZN, having not extended contract terms with Matchroom.

Agyarko, who turned professional with Frank Warren's Queensberry stable in 2018, moved down from middleweight four years later after two fights under Eddie Hearn's promotional company.

Reportedly struggling to secure step-up opposition while his knockout ratio dwindled, questions over the esteemed amateur's matchmaking were raised and after a 10-round split decision win over Troy Williamson (20-4-1, 14 KOs), things cooled.

"I keep hearing this question of why Matchroom didn't re-sign me. They offered me a five-fight contract before the Williamson fight that I turned down, was going into my last fight with them with a contract ready to sign - I chose not to.

"This is why I don't tell people my business, let them make their assumptions on things they know nothing about."

Agyarko says he put talks on hold, hoping to parlay a victory over Williamson - someone Matchroom openly backed - into providing leverage for improved contract terms. Instead, they went cold.

"Matchroom were being difficult with the Williamson fight, I wanted to beat a fighter they kept saying I was turning down. Obviously they thought 'we're not going to allow that' and didn't improve the existing terms they offered. They didn't 'let me go', I had and still have the contract, just didn't sign it for my own reasons."

Among his sparring partners is former foe Williamson, who returns next weekend against English super middleweight champion Mark Dickinson (8-1, 2 KOs) on Matchroom's Sunderland show.

Williamson is in the midst of a three-fight losing streak, including a 12-round points loss to Davis, and most recently was outpointed over 10 rounds by Top Rank-backed prospect Jahi Tucker in April.