Dave Allen has laughed off Dillian Whyte's description of him as a 'mosquito' and warned his rival to expect a 'white rhino' if their British battle goes ahead.
The two heavyweights have ignited a war of words and Whyte this week branded Allen as a 'mosquito' and welcomed a fight with his domestic rival.
Whyte was originally ordered to face Hughie Fury for the British title, but Peter Fury has since revealed his son's debilitating health problems, and Allen is keen to step in as a replacement opponent.
"I didn't really get it, to be honest. I had to Google what a mosquito was," Allen told Sky Sports. "That's funny. Not as funny as what he put on Twitter the other day, which had me in stitches.
"I'm not really bothered what he says, because the bottom line is - he says he wants the fight, I want the fight, and the fight is surely going to happen now.
"I hope he's not expecting a mosquito, because mosquitoes buzz around. I'm not a mosquito, I'm a huge white rhino. I'm going to be hungry to take his head off.
"I've got a lot of respect for Dillian, he's possibly a world class fighter, fighting at British level. I know I'm up against it, I'm the underdog, but I'm thriving on that. This is the chance to finally show everyone what I can do."
After recovering from shoulder surgery, Whyte is set to make his comeback on the Anthony Joshua-Dominic Breazeale bill on June 25, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Allen is willing to wait a few more months for a fight with the Brixton man and thinks a Kell Brook undercard would be a perfect stage for the showdown.
"I want to fight the best Dillian Whyte. I don't want to fight the Dillian who has come back from an injury," he said.
"He's out June 25, hopefully all goes well there. I think Kell is fighting in August time. I would like it to happen in South Yorkshire if possible, because I would fill the place out.
"When I fight for the British heavyweight title, I will win it. I will not allow anyone to beat me for something like that. It means too much to me and my family.
"Peter Fury once said, 'You wouldn't be able to knock Dave Allen out with a baseball bat'. That's a fact.
"To beat me, you're going to have to knock me unconscious and, like Peter Fury said, if you haven't got a baseball bat, it's a very hard thing to do."
David Haye returns to action this Saturday night against Arnold Gjergjaj, with another fight against Shannon Briggs already lined up, and Allen has questioned whether the 'Hayemaker' is truly capable of regaining a world title.
"No, I think it's too late now," said Allen. "He's had those years out of the game. I don't see him beating Tyson Fury, or Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua at this point either.
"By the time he's messed about fighting this fellow whose name I can't even pronounce - I'm not even sure what he's called - or by the time he's fought Grandad Briggs, that is another six to nine months on top of his already advancing years.
"It's a shame and maybe he'll prove me wrong, but I don't think he's going about it the right way. "