Friday 30 June 2017 12:22, UK
Isaac Chamberlain has branded fellow cruiserweight Lawrence Okolie as 'fake' after the pair clashed at Wednesday's public workout.
The two undefeated Londoners will both be in action this Saturday night at London's O2 Arena on the undercard to Frank Buglioni's British title defence against Ricky Summers, live on Sky Sports.
The pair had to be separated when things got heated earlier in the week and Chamberlain insists that 'The Sauce' does not intimidate him and only acts up when the cameras are rolling.
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, he said: "Basically, Okolie talks a lot of rubbish. He came into the changing rooms earlier on and didn't say anything then as soon as there were cameras around he wanted to act up - it's all fake.
"He was saying to Eddie and me 'when will you let me fight Isaac?' I told him he can't just fight me straight away, he is way below in the rankings and I'm a contender - I'm not looking behind me.
Okolie is trash, what 'sauce' is he? Fake reggae reggae sauce from Turtle Bay, completely fake and wack.
"People are acting as if they were holding me back as if I wanted to hit him, but I'm from Brixton, one thing I really hate is to feel like I'm being intimidated, I hate that more than anything.
"He was trying to stand up tall and acting like a big man to make me feel intimidated like a victim. So I stood up and wanted to look in his eyes to see what he's about. His big body means nothing in this game, this isn't a bodybuilding competition."
Brixton's Chamberlain believes that he has already proved his warrior mentality, especially in his gruelling victory over Wadi Camacho last year, but questions whether Hackney's Okolie has the same resilience needed to succeed.
The 23-year-old continued: "Okolie is trash, don't believe the hype around him! They are trying to build him as the next Anthony Joshua, but what happens when he fights someone who can take a shot? I've showed already that I have a chin.
I'm from Brixton, one thing I really hate is to feel like I'm being intimidated, I hate that more than anything.
"He's been given it all on a plate whereas I've not been given anything and worked hard to get where I am today, jumping in at the deep end.
"I fought Camacho with one arm basically, I've been through the pain barrier, been through it all to get here, how many people can say they could carry on after doing that to their shoulder.
"Okolie has done nothing in the pro game yet, this isn't the amateurs. There have been countless Olympians who have failed in the paid ranks."
Chamberlain will fight Ryan Crawford this Saturday night and hopes victory will lead to titles in the new season with a fight against 'The Sauce' likely further down the line.
"I'm a different animal now and I'm ready to make an assault on the division, I want titles and am probably two fights away from a shot at the British.
"I've been sparring the best fighters in the world and I've been grafting like never before to get in amazing shape.
"As long as we both keep winning, the fight with Okolie will probably happen in 12-18 months, Eddie said that it's a fight where we both gamble for big money, one that could even headline the O2 Arena."
Watch Frank Buglioni against Ricky Summers this Saturday night, with Joshua Buatsi, Conor Benn, Lawrence Okolie, Ted Cheeseman and Reece Bellotti also in action at The 02, from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 1.
