Thursday 13 October 2016 20:29, UK
BJ Flores says he will not get involved in another war of words with Tony Bellew and is only interested in knocking him out.
Flores, a friend of Britain's former two-weight world champion David Haye, will challenge 'Bomber' for his WBC cruiserweight world title at Liverpool's Echo Arena on October 15, live on Sky Sports.
Flores (32-2-1-KO20) and Bellew (27-2-1-KO17) traded blows on social media before the fight was confirmed, the world champion telling the American 'I'll smash you and your playboy friend the #B****FromBermondsey',
But Flores is determined not to be drawn into a repeat during fight week and is focused solely on the fight.
"I'm not going to get into trash-talking, there's nothing to say," he told Michelle Phelps for the latest Toe 2 Toe podcast.
"He can say whatever he wants and in the first round he'll see the difference and see what I am talking about
"I am going for a knockout. I don't plan on going the distance and I don't feel I need to go the distance."
It will be Flores' first world title fight and Bellew's first defence of the WBC strap he won by stopping Ilunga Makabu in the third round on an emotional night at Goodison Park at the end of May.
Bellew was floored in the first round before recovering to win and Flores admits he will come out with all guns blazing on Saturday night.
"It's going to be a fast pace right from the get-go and I am in great shape," the 37-year-old said.
"I've put the rounds in, I've done the work, done what's necessary to make sure I keep up that sort of pace and really test him. If he gets past me, congratulations to him because he's going up against the best style ever of me.
"But I really feel October 15 is going to be my night."
Watch Tony Bellew defends his WBC cruiserweight world title against BJ Flores live on Saturday night, from 8.00pm, on Sky Sports 2.
