Sebastian Fundora is used to proving the doubters wrong with the lanky Californian out to upset the boxing world order by taking down Australian king Tim Tszyu.
The 26-year-old got the call-up to fight Tszyu, with two super welterweight belts on the line in Las Vegas on Sunday (AEDT), after injury to the unbeaten Sydneysider's original opponent Keith Thurman.
Standing 197cm or 6ft 6 in the old school, Fundora breaks the mould as a 154lb division fighter and is an incredible 23cm taller than Tszyu.
Fundora said right from when he was eight-years-old and started boxing he was told the sport wasn't for him.
"The owner of the gym that I trained at, he used to tell me all the time you should play basketball," Fundora said.
"I think with time people are realising what I am and why I should be in the sport."
But it's more than his height that's different about him.
While he's a non-drinker, he loves burgers and pizzas, hates social media and considers his father and trainer, Freddy, and younger sister Gabriela, who won a boxing world title this year, as his best friends.
Fundora says he bought a farm in the hills around the southern California desert town of Coachella and his plans post fight include getting a donkey.
He lives there with his parents, five siblings and eight dogs.
He doesn't wear the gold jewellery popular with some boxers and said he can't buy a flashy car because it wouldn't make it up the hills.
"All those things are expensive," Fundora said.
"I bought my house last year and I have 20 acres and plan on getting a donkey and I've paid off my trucks and I'm financially stable and I'm very happy where I'm at.
"I can't drive no fast car as I live on the mountain so I was planning on getting an Audi but then went out the window so I will just focus on my donkey and maybe some horses."
He's only lost once in his 21-fight professional career - the defeat coming last year against fellow American Brian Mendoza - and says he's up to fighting world champion Tszyu.
"I'm ready - I only have that one loss," he said.
"I was already fighting for the WBC vacant and they knocked on my door and I answered.
"I don't know about the others but I answered."
