Facing him in Dusseldorf on Saturday night will be World Boxing Association title-holder Ruslan Chagaev, a Uzbek southpaw in his prime at 29.

Chagaev, a double world amateur champion who once had the measure of Cuban hero Felix Savon, is unbeaten after 24 professional fights.

His last two victories were over former world champion John Ruiz, of the United States, and Russia’s Nikolay Valuev, the previously unbeaten ’Beast from the East’ from whom the self-styled ’White Tyson’ took the WBA belt.

The Bedford-born Skelton has claimed British and Commonwealth titles while compiling a record of 21 wins in 22 fights.

But, in terms of British upsets, a victory for Bedford-born Skelton would be on a par with John H Stracey’s stoppage of world welterweight champion Jose Angel Napoles inside a sweltering Mexican bullring 32 years ago.

And today 57-year-old Stracey said: "Matt is going to the other guy’s arena, he will face a partisan crowd, and he’s going to be tested by a good champion. But in the heavyweight division, one punch can turn anything.

"If Matt catches him with a decent punch it could be lights out for the other guy."

According to Stracey, the crucial test confronting Skelton is coping with the intense atmosphere in Germany.

"Matt must be really focused," he said. "He has to tune into the fight, block everything else out, and he has to be 100 per cent confident in his own ability.

"If Matt’s up for it, I believe he can win."