Kiwi heavyweight prospect Junior Fa has entered camp with world boxing champion Deontay Wilder to help the American prepare for his WBC title defence against Tyson Fury on December 1.
Fa, 29, has risen to 10th in WBO rankings, putting him on the radar for future title contests, but for the next month, he'll be based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, trading blows with 'The Bronze Bomber'.
"A couple of weeks ago, we got approached by Deontay Wilder's team and they were looking for some sparring partners," he told Newshub.
"This will be great for me to see exactly where I'm at in terms of skill level and rankings. It will be great for me to feel what it's like to be in there against the number one WBC champion.
"I don't think they do too many rounds per day. It will be four days of sparring each week, 6-8 rounds per day, and there will be a few sparring partners there.
"It will be two rounds of sparring each day - but hard sparring. I will also get to see how he trains and how he lives."
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Fa, who boasts a 15-0 professional record, has witnessed the champ's power up close before, when he fought on the undercard of Wilder vs Gerald Washington in February, 2017.
"What really impressed me was his demeanour when he comes to the gym," he said. "He's very focused, he trains hard and spars hard, and when he's finished, he just switches off.
"That was a great thing to see - how he manages his emotions."
Fa is no stranger to stepping into the ring against the best in the planet, having also trained against current IBF, WBA and WBO champion Anthony Joshua.
In recent months, Wilder and Joshua have called each other out, with the aim of re-uniting all the world's major heavyweight belts, but so far, that talk has not produced a match.
If that ever happens, Fa could provide a unique perspective on the respective styles.
"I suppose it is a bit nerve-wracking," he said of his impending Wilder sessions. "You're not scared, but just a bit tense, because you're not sure how hard he's going to punch, whether you should start swinging straight away or be a bit more calculated.
"I'll go in there with my own style, but I'll also be asking the coach whether there's anything in particular Deontay wants to work on.
"I think maybe a lot of movement. Fury does a lot of faking - he tries to fake out his opponent, keeps moving around the ring."
The 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist is also preparing for his own next bout, against an undetermined opponent on the Joseph Parker vs Alexander Flores undercard on December 15.
After recently overcoming a debilitating health scare that left him with low iron and haemoglobin counts, he feels ready to take the next step in his unbeaten professional career.
"I'm very excited, just because I feel much fitter now," he told Newshub. "I know my past few performances have been crap, but I feel like a different fighter.
"I definitely know I need to make a big statement, but I don't feel under pressure, because I'm a much better fighter than I was a few months ago."
Newshub.
