Thabiso "The Rock" Mchunu was relaxed as he spoke about the unbeaten east European he will fight in the US on Saturday.
Asked if he was at all concerned about Constantin Bejenaru, Mchunu shovelled some chicken salad into his mouth and chewed as he mulled over the question.
Mchunu, 29, takes on the 33-year-old from Moldova at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut for the WBC international cruiserweight title that he believes will catapult him back into world title contention.
"I watched some of his fights on YouTube," Mchunu said in an interview at his gym in Sandton, Johannesburg, before he flew out of the country on Monday. "Not really, there's nothing he does that worries me, he's not a smart boxer."
Mchunu is one of the more cerebral fighters in his division, making himself awkward and counter-punching with accurate, heavy blows. But he has failed to convert his two previous big opportunities.
He was leading on points against Ilunga Makabu in an eliminator for the WBC crown when he was stopped in the 11th round.
"That [loss] doesn't really mean much. I fought angry, my emotions got to me," says Mchunu, who had his opponent in trouble early on. "I was doing unnecessary things and that gassed me."
A year ago he went up against WBO titleholder, Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, and was stopped in the ninth round.
Mchunu says he took that bout at late notice, and the little preparation time he had was hampered by injury niggles.
"I really lost that fight, but I wasn't at my best. I'd love to have a rematch with him."
If one also looks at the only other defeat on the southpaw's record, another stoppage defeat to Zack Mwekassa in 2011, a potentially worrying pattern emerges - three defeats and all of them to southpaws.
And Bejenaru, who has an underwhelming three knockouts from his 12 victories and one no-contest, is another lefty.
Cause for concern? Another mouthful and Mchunu shrugged off the suggestion that this was a problem for him.
Indeed, until he ran out of steam, he looked in control against Congolese Makabu; he can cope with southpaws.
Mchunu views this outing as a chance to return to the world title mix.
"It's going to put me back into the rankings. The way I see it, one more fight and then I'm in a world title fight," he said. "It's going to open a lot of doors."
Mchunu is ranked 15th by the WBC while Bejenaru, holder of the WBC belt, is 14th.
He believes he and sparring partner Keven Lerena, who recently won the IBO cruiserweight title, can do some serious damage in a weight class that is enjoying heightened international attention because of the talent.
"He [Lerena] has improved a lot," says Mchunu. "He's also world class.
"With two of us it's the first time for South Africa to have two cruiserweights at the top of the division."
With a record of 18 wins (11 KOs) and three losses since turning professional in 2007, Mchunu says boxing has been good.
He owns a car and is nearly finished building a house in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. In February, he married his school sweetheart Thembeka, the mother of their three-year-old son, Teejay.
Mchunu smiles broadly as he explains: "It's TJ for Thabiso junior - Teejay, I made it myself."
All Mchunu has to do now is make Thabiso a household name.
isaacsond@sundaytimes.co.za..