Danny Green thinks Liam Paro will need to reach deep into his bag of tricks to dethrone a visiting champion that's "impossible to dislike".
The Queenslander will shoot for a 39-year Australian boxing first when he takes on Northern Ireland's IBF welterweight champion Lewis Crocker in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Paro, an IBF super lightweight champion two years ago, is seeking to join Jeff Fenech as the only Australian men to win world titles at multiple weights in boxing's big four organisations.
But a respectful Crocker (22-0) has been all business since arriving in Brisbane more than two weeks ago and will present immense challenges in his first title defence.
"He's been in the game a long time, experienced and Northern Ireland, it's such a strong boxing region," Green told AAP ahead of the Pat Rafter Arena clash.
"I see the hunger, I see that ferocity in his eyes, but he's impossible to dislike.
"He's a gentleman. That brash kind of champion? He's so far from it. He's a genuinely good guy."
Paro has only fought once at the 66.7kg weight class and Crocker could impose himself on the 30-year-old as the more experienced fighter at the heavier weight.
"Crocker's no mug; he's strong and comes forward but he proved in his last two fights that he can box too," Green said.
"Liam has got the edge in skill, boxing IQ. They'll be necessary to beat this guy and I think it'll be too much for Crocker."
Green would know a thing or two about moving up in weight, with a slew of controversial decisions denying him a place alongside Fenech in Australian boxing history.
An accidental headbutt led to a harsh disqualification after he was leading Germany's Markus Beyer in Nurburgring in their WBC super-middleweight title fight in 2003.
Beyer retired and then Green fought, won and defended the belt - but only as interim champion - before the German returned to beat the Australian two years later.
Green then won the WBA's light-heavyweight title and also had two stints as cruiserweight world champion with the IBO, which is not among boxing's big four organisations.
"I know what I did, my legacy," Green said wryly.
"Beyer, I wiped the floor with him, only to get robbed.
"Moving up in weight, against the best, it's not easy to do.
"But I got to (win the WBC title) in Australia; that was amazing and it's the same opportunity now for Liam.
"He gets to do something that he's always dreamed of."
