Deontay Wilder will be concerned that Tyson Fury will make him "look silly" in their expected rematch in February, according to the Mancunian's trainer Ben Davison.
Both men have to get through their next fights, Fury against Otto Wallin on Saturday and Wilder a rematch against Luis Ortiz in November, before they can meet again.
Davison believes Fury will go into that encounter in much better condition than last December's controversial draw in Los Angeles, prior to which the former world heavyweight champion had to lose 10 stone in 12 months after his weight ballooned during a break from the sport.
And he thinks that will not have been lost on WBC belt holder Wilder.
"I think the rematch, God-willing both come through their next test, will be different mainly due to Tyson's freshness going into that fight," said Davison.
"Of course there are things he (Wilder) could do better and I am sure he will be working on it.
"I know in the back of his mind, no matter what he says, he will be thinking 'there is potential for me to be made to look silly in this rematch' and he will use that as fuel to improve.
"I know there will be a better version of Deontay Wilder than from the first fight but I also know there will be a better version of Tyson Fury as well.
"With Deontay Wilder you can't be reckless, you have to be smart, calculated. It is a big risk but there is big reward.
"They both, in principle, have agreed to fight but both have fights to get through."
No one is expecting anything other than a straightforward victory for Fury over relative-unknown Swede Wallin at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
It is being billed as the lineal heavyweight championship, a title which means little to the wider public outside of boxing circles.
Davison explained exactly what it meant and why there should be no doubt Fury is the best heavyweight in the world, despite not holding any belts.
"The most legitimate man you could've beat in any era to become the lineal heavyweight champion of the world was Wladimir Klitschko," he added.
"Wladimir was only short of Joe Louis in terms of the longest-reigning heavyweight title holder and that is who Tyson beat (in 2015) – the most dominant heavyweight of the modern era.
"If that doesn't give you the legitimate status of lineal heavyweight champion...there would have been a difference when Tyson had that time out of the ring if number one had fought number two, you could have said 'do you know what, you're going to have to give that status to him' but they didn't fight.
"He (Fury) came back and within six months he fought the number one (Wilder) and 90 per cent of the boxing world believed he won that fight.
"He is rightfully, until someone beats him who is number one, the lineal heavyweight champion of the world."
