British super-middleweight Rocky Fielding has insisted that he is ignoring suggestions from Callum Smith's trainer Joe Gallagher, who has said that he is 'mentally weak'.
Fielding and Smith go head to head for the British title in a high-profile Merseyside showdown on Saturday night, and Gallagher has questioned whether Fielding will be able to handle the occasion at the Echo Arena.
However, the former Commonwealth champion has said that he expects the capacity crowd to inspire him to victory to put him in line for a world title opportunity in 2016.
The 28-year-old told Sky Sports News: "What Oliver says is his opinion but as for Joe talking about my mental strength, he doesn't know me or anything about me so I don't know how he can mention things like that.
"He can say what he wants. He obviously wants to talk about me and put little things out about me. I'll leave him to it because it's not about Joe or what he says - it's about me and Callum on the night performing to our best.
"I've done a lot of tickets myself and coming out in that arena, walking out and looking around and seeing that many people, it'll push me even more. When I'm in the ring and we're getting it on and people are screaming my name, it'll push me more. My mental strength's good."
Both men enter the bout with unbeaten records, with Fielding winning all of his 21 outings and Smith remaining undefeated from 17 matches.
Darren Plant
