Don’t expect Otto Wallin to underestimate Derek Chisora when the heavyweights meet in their IBF title eliminator this weekend.

Wallin, 27-2 (15 KOs), is in Manchester, England for the fight which takes place at the Co-Op Live Arena on Saturday night. TNT Sports will screen the show in Britain whilst DAZN will televise worldwide.

Wallin trains in New York with two-time world champion, Joey Gamache.

Believing that Chisora, 35-13 (23 KOs), provides them with the ideal, high profile style match up to propel the 34 year-old Swede back to relevance, the pair were delighted upon receiving the news that they would be stepping in to replace Jarrell Miller when promotional issues prevented ‘Big Baby’ from taking the fight. ,

Since sitting down to seriously study Chisora, Gamache has gained a greater appreciation of the Londoner’s abilities and has altered his option on the crowd pleasing British fighter.

“You know, it's crazy, but when I first mentioned Chisora’s name I said, ‘Oh, man, let's get Chisora’ but then I started watching him and after really watching more and more I said, ‘Hey, he's a tough guy, you know. He knows how to fight, he's dangerous,’” Gamache told The Ring.

“I had different thoughts about it. I watched a lot of his fights, at least three-quarters of them. I mean, a lot of them.

“He's a tough guy. He comes to fight. You’ve got to be good to do things right to beat him.”

It may be a not so subtle ploy designed to persuade Wallin to neglect his long southpaw jab and hold his feet but since the fight was announced, Chisora has continued to question his willingness to dig deep and fight if things get hard.

Chisora, 40, is basing his opinion on the five disappointing rounds Wallin shared with Anthony Joshua during their fight in December 2023 but he way be overlooking just how determined Wallin has had to be to reach this point.

Ingemaar Johansson, apart, Sweden doesn’t have a particularly rich heavyweight heritage. Wallin took it upon himself to relocate to New York as an unknown hopeful and fought his way into world contention.

Yes, Wallin may have put in a tame performance against an in-form Joshua, but his only other defeat - a decision loss to Tyson Fury in 2019 - wasn't for the weak of heart and Wallin pushed the two time heavyweight champion from bell-to-bell in a bloody contest.

Gamache has spent countless hours working with Wallin and knows exactly what he is made of. He isn’t the type of character to be angered by Chisora’s remarks but admits that the assertion does annoy him a little.

“Yeah, I mean, it does because he's a hard worker. He's a good fighter. You know, you have nights that sometimes don't work for you,” he said.

“Listen, he's lost to the two best guys. Two of the best that I've seen and Otto's a guy that gives everything he has. He's a worker. He's a good fighter. I think Derek knows that and knows what he's in for. It's a very tough fight.

“He's fought a lot of tough guys, so don't get me wrong - there’s nothing new - but Otto's ready. We've studied him a lot, and we know him pretty well. So everything helps.”