It's the crack with Walsall's Martin Gethin
Walsall's Martin Gethin will find out for himself if Derry Mathews' chin is cracked when they do battle for his British lightweight title.
He was casting aspersions at 'Dirty Derry' long before he became champion and their collision course concludes at the Olympia tomorrow night.
Gethin was watching everybody else get their shot at the title when he told the Express & Star in 2012 that Mathews' chin was "too cracked" for him to be a formidable challenger.
The 30-year-old Scouser went on to claim the British crown from Anthony Crolla and then lose it inside-the-distance to Gavin Rees, with the European strap also up-for-grabs.
He's again rebounded to win the vacant Commonwealth title against Tommy Coyle before he was defeated again, for WBO European honours, on points to Stephen Ormond.
Mathews has 45 punishing fights on his paid ledger and cuts easy but possesses the great equaliser – a hammer of a right hand.
Gethin was nigh on invincible until he was smashed around by world-class operator Ammeth Diaz in an IBF world title eliminator last May, but he remains the British boss.
Now is the time for the 'Quiet Man,' also 30, to return to the domestic scene and pick up where he left off, when winning the vacated title from Ben Murphy 14 months ago.
Gethin said: "Winning the British title was the greatest night of my boxing career. For me, it's one of the best belts in world boxing. I have no plans on giving it up.
"I am glad that it's on the line tonight. It should be. I know Derry would want it that way too. He's a tough fighter. It's going to be a war.
"We are both fighting men and two of the best lightweights in the country, so it's only right that we're going toe-to-toe for the belt.
"There's nothing like the buzz of preparing for a fight. Last year was massive for me. I won the British in my home-town and I fought in a world title eliminator.
"It doesn't get much better than that. I don't want to dwell on the past though. I have still got an awful lot left in the tank and I want to go on to bigger and better things.
"My aim is to win the British title outright. That means you have to defend it three times. That's my goal and Derry will be my first defence.
"He has a very dangerous right hook that I will be avoiding, but I think I have the boxing brain and ability to beat him."
Despite his chequered record of 34 wins with nine stoppages, nine losses having been halted seven times with two draws, one notion to remember with Mathews is that he's been in some tear-ups.
Wars with Crolla, Rees and Coyle all lit up the televised cameras but he believes the Gethin clash could top them all, having taken none too kindly to notions he's finished.
Mathews said: "The fight is in my backyard and the pressure is on. It's a bonus for it to be in Liverpool, in front of my home crowd, and I want to give the fans something special to remember.
"I have been hoping to get it on with Gethin for a while now and I'm delighted it's happening. This isn't going to be a fight for the faint-hearted.
"I have been in plenty of hard and thrilling fights, but this has got all the ingredients to top them all. If I lose, this it's the end for me and I'm not ready to leave boxing, so it's crucial that I win."
Gethin's aura of invincibility did take somewhat of a hit with his one blip inside the distance to Diaz at Walsall Town Hall, where he won the British title.
The Panamanian puncher, who had been in for the IBF's big belt before, dropped him three times in seven punishing rounds before he was counted out.
But no-one at British level has seriously hurt Gethin and, after putting everything he has left on the line, he's determined to make sure it stays that way.
He said: "This is a big fight for me. I would say it's as important as a world title fight and I'm looking at it like that. I came within touching last time against Diaz, who is world class.
"It wasn't my night then. I got a perforated eardrum in the fifth round and it threw my game plan out of the window, but I stuck in there with him for two more rounds.
"I belong in that class and Mathews is standing in my way. It's two of the best lightweights in the country meeting at a crossroads, with the winner going to bigger and better things.
"We are both fighting men, neither of us will back down. It's going to come down to who wants it the most on the night and who is prepared to put it all on the line to get it.
"That man will be me. I want to show the whole of Britain that I do my talking in the ring. Sometimes I think people forget that I'm the British champion. What better way to remind them."
