Few things fuel a fighter like feeling disrespected.

Despite winning four straight fights and nabbing a secondary IBF heavyweight title in the process, Brandon Moore has been absent from the top 15 for all four sanctioning bodies. The feeling of disrespect has served as a key motivating factor for the Lakeland, Florida-based heavyweight as he’s set to headline another Salita Promotions card against undefeated DeAndre Savage on Friday at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan, on DAZN.

“One hundred percent,” Moore told The Ring on whether this motivates him heading into his fight against Savage. “Do I feel any pressure fighting DeAndre Savage? No, the only pressure is on myself to perform and look the way I need to look to show these guys [what happened to] Skylar Lacy and Stanley Wright is what's going to happen to DeAndre Savage and is what's going to happen to the next guy.

“I'm not sure if they believe in me yet or not, but this fight, I'm going to make sure I let them know that I should be fighting the big fights. I should be fighting Moses Itauma to see if he really got a chin because I’d crack his ass.”

Moore (18-1, 10 KOs) is coming off a technical unanimous-decision victory over Stanley Wright on June 6 at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York. An accidental headbutt gave him a nasty gash over his right eye that led to the ringside doctor deeming him unable to continue in the final minute of the fifth round.

The 6-foot-6 Moore came within an eyelash of earning a spectacular knockout when he dropped Wright (14-1, 11 KOs) with a devastating short straight right hand at the tail end of the second round. Wright was wobbly as he rose to his feet, but was saved by the bell. Moore won 50-44 twice and 49-45 across the three judges’ scorecards.

Moore, 31, weighed a career-high 256.8 pounds against Wright and plans to be lighter when he steps in the ring next. Savage (10-0, 10 KOs), of Flint, Michigan, was a career-low 265 pounds in his last fight. Savage has yet to fight beyond the third round, though, and Moore represents a significant step up in competition as eight of his 10 victories have come against opponents with more losses than wins.

“I gained a little bit of weight because I thought that the weight disparity was gonna affect me with Stanley,” Moore said. “He was [279] pounds, so I gained a little bit of weight. So this fight, I dropped a few pounds and my strength and conditioning have been on point. That's really what I've been working on, and my jab, I feel like I'm gonna showcase a world-class jab this fight.”

Moore and Savage crossed paths during their time in the Olympic Trials, but they were in different weight classes. Now, their paths cross again, this time for what could serve as a jumping-off point for the winner as they look to establish themselves in a crowded heavyweight division.

“I'm trying to get him out there in two rounds,” Moore said. “Hit him with hard punches, get him up out of there [and] make it an easy payday. But if anything, they're gonna look at me, and be like, ‘Man, his boxing got a lot better. He's a phenomenal boxer.’ I'm gonna look very sharp this next fight.

"My jab is going to be amazing. I'm gonna be shooting right hands. I already know I have a powerful right hand. I've been really working on my jab this camp, and it's gonna be a beautiful performance, especially with all this work I'm putting in the gym. I damn near hate DeAndre just because of that.”