Lee Haskins today turned up the heat on arch rival Don Broadhurst as the war of words between Britain's two best super-flyweights escalated.

Bristol's British champion and Birmingham's Commonwealth boss put their titles on the line in a winner-takes-all contest on Frank Maloney's Sky-televised promotion at the Newport Centre on Friday.

And there appears to be genuine enmity between the two fighters, even though they have never met.

Cocksure Broadhurst is never afraid to shoot from the lip and the 25-year-old Midlander launched a withering verbal attack upon Haskins in an interview given to trade magazine Boxing News last month, describing the Bristolian as "arrogant" and promising to "shut him up for good."

Having maintained a dignified silence in the build-up to what will almost certainly prove a career-defining fight, Haskins finally lost patience today and issued an emphatic broadside of his own, suggesting the Frank Warren-managed Commonwealth champion is overrated.

A former Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Broadhurst has been widely tipped to become a world champion after winning all 11 of his paid outings to date.

But Haskins, who has held titles at two different weights and mixed in better company, is less than impressed.

He said: "Broadhurst may have won the Commonwealth Games but, in my opinion, that is not difficult given how few flyweights there are in the amateurs.

"He's had 11 fights and has yet to fight anybody of any note. I don't feel threatened by him and, personally, I haven't seen anything that makes me think he's special in any way.

"There's all this talk about him becoming a world champion and I think he actually believes his own hype. I'm a more experienced boxer, I've been in with much better fighters and have taken on the best in the country.

"Broadhurst doesn't worry me and I cannot see how he can win this fight. He's definitely not the best guy I've been in the ring with and I'll do a job on him. I'm not worried about him – I'm just focusing on my own performance."

Haskins saw off highly-rated Jamie McDonnell to earn a shot at the British title, out-pointed Andy Bell to claim the Lonsdale Belt and then made a successful first defence of his crown when stopping Ross Burkinshaw inside four rounds in July. Victory over Broadhurst will enable the 26-year-old Bristolian to clear-up on the domestic scene and pave the way for a tilt at the European championship in the New Year.

He said: "There's no way this guy is going to get in my way – there's too much at stake for me. I enjoy being British champion and I have no intention of letting go of my title.

"Broadhurst has had plenty to say but he's not been in with anyone with my class and he'll realise that when he feels my power. I'll mess him about, tie him up and look to knock him out if I can."