George Groves has dismissed suggestions that height and reach will be decisive against Callum Smith and has opened up on his future plans ahead of Friday's dust-up in the desert.
Smith will have a four-inch height and six-inch reach advantage when he challenges WBA world super-middleweight champion Groves in the final of the World Boxing Super Series at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Groves (28-3, 20 KOs), 30, says he has beaten tall opponents before and has questioned whether fellow Englishman Smith (24-0, 17 KOs), 28, is too big for the 12-stone division.
Groves, who twice lost by stoppage to Carl Froch and was out-pointed by Badou Jack before becoming champion, makes a third title defence after recovering from surgery to repair a dislocated left shoulder suffered in a points win over Chris Eubank Jr, also of England, in February.
"I've not boxed anyone as tall as him but Christopher Rebrasse was a big one - he's not a world-beater but he was my first fight back [in September 2014] since Froch and he then gave Smith a tough one [in June 2016]," Groves told ESPN.
"I'm not too fussed about it and I wonder if he's too big. He has made reference to my size when I fought Jamie Cox and Eubank and they weren't proper super-middleweight but middleweights.
"It's not easy for me to boil down to the weight and I don't know how Smith does it with his height. Maybe that's why he does labour in fights, maybe he's worried about gas or can't sustain the conditioning.
"Most of his success has come because he is a tall, rangy guy with plenty of power. He shows you a lot of target to aim at but because he can also punch short. He has a good left hook and a good right hand that comes over the top.
"But I have the style that nullifies all that, my feet are sharp, that's what beat Eubank, I can keep taking away the distance from him.
"Smith has slow feet-hand speed, his punch power is good but he will not have a target and once I hit him, he has never been as hard like he will do against me. I don't think it will be over early but after a few rounds, I'll find the target and the night will be over."
Groves, from west London, admits retirement, as well as a rematch with James DeGale (24-2-1, 14 KOs) will be some of the considerations next week.
Groves won a close points decision over former IBF champion DeGale in 2011, but he may have to wait for his rival to become available as ESPN understands DeGale is being lined up to Eubank Jr on December 8.
"I'm going to reassess things after this," Groves told ESPN. "I've got a young family, two young boys and it breaks my heart to leave them to go to the gym every day. I'm going to keep boxing for as long as it's working for me.
"I've got check list of things I want to do and if the money and motivation and opportunities are still there, if I can keep sane and if there's a Plan B after boxing...
"I like working with [trainer] Shane McGuigan and the boys down the gym and I'm winning. The WBSS (an eight-man elimination tournament) has been a once in a generation thing, better than the Super Six tournament, and will there be anything that can match up with it? We will wait and see.
"James DeGale - if he's still there, we know it can be made, Rocky Fielding is a world champion of sorts now so that could be interesting and Chris Eubank Jr, if he can get a belt of some sorts, in a rematch or I might think about light-heavyweight.
"I wouldn't mind another dance with James DeGale, that fight is always there, or another crack at Badou Jack at light-heavyweight and try to put the decision right. We will have to wait and see."