The clock ticks past midday as Michael Zerafa sits in a crowded room with four empty seats to his right.
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One of those soon belongs to D&L Events promoter Dean Lonergan, who labels Zerafa's (27-3) looming middleweight bout against Jeff Horn (19-2-1) the biggest domestic showdown since Anthony Mundine faced Danny Green in 2006.
Another seat inside the only room in the Lang Park PCYC with air conditioning on a scorching Brisbane day is reserved for Horn himself.
And the one on his right? Trainer Glenn Rushton, who took Horn from bullied kid to world champion.
It is a feat Zerafa is yearning to achieve. He took one step closer when he disposed of Horn in August, but Rushton makes it clear he has not reached the summit soon after he enters the room.
That does little more than bring a smile to the faces of Zerafa and his team member Blake Caparello ahead of the showdown at the Brisbane Exhibition and Entertainment Centre on Wednesday.
"There's only one fight you are hanging your hat on, and that's beating Jeff Horn," Rushton said.
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Zerafa's head whips around as he asks: "And what have you got? Manny Pacquiao. Five foot five and stood in front of you. Are you as dumb as your haircut? How many fights have you had?"
"I've had more fights than you've had feeds," Rushton said.
"Not boxing fights, but I've had lots of fights. I used to fight five times a day. Blake, you've been a pro for 10 years and you haven't won a world title yet."
Caparello boasts a 30-3-1 record and did claim the International Boxing Organisation's world light heavyweight strap six years ago, but even so, "it's not about me".
"You can Google my name, Glenn Seagal won't come up," Caparello said.
"You might have forgotten more than I know, but I'll tell you one thing I know that you never knew, and that's basic boxing fundamentals."
Zerafa bears a wide grin as he asks takes a chance to ask a question of his own during the pre-fight press conference: "Have you seen your pad holding? You nearly knock yourself out."
"I'm going to hit Jeff so hard you're going to feel it. That's what you keep saying, 'you'll see, you'll see, you'll see'," Zerafa said.
All the while former world welterweight champion Horn sits back, content to watch the barbs fly and the mud hit the wall. He is confident in Rushton, a man who says has been watching Zerafa "for a very long time".
"Did it pay off? Did it pay off? Answer the f***ing question," Zerafa said.
"Kick back and enjoy yourself. Watch the show. I'm going to knock him out, that's it. I'm going to knock you and your team out. That's it.
"You're not a middleweight man, you don't have my power. I'm going to knock you out. I'm ending your f***ing career. That's it."
The softly-spoken scrapper from Brisbane opts to stay out of the conversation ahead of the rematch.
"No response, I will respond with my fists in the ring," Horn said.