TOP trainer Enzo Calzaghe has admitted his son Joe (pictured) will carry a 'fear factor' into the ring with him when he puts his WBO super-middleweight crown on the line at the CIA tomorrow.

The Newbridge southpaw is just 24 hours away from the 10th and potentially toughest defence of his world championship five-year reign when he comes up against American former IBF champion Charles Brewer in Cardiff.

And Enzo acknowledges there are natural nerves in the Welsh camp as Joe bids to earn recognition on both sides of the Atlantic as the best super-middleweight in the world. "Of course there's a fear factor," Enzo told the Argus. "On paper it's a walk-over but if Manchester United were playing Hartlepool in the cup, they would still be fearful of defeat."

But Enzo rubbishes Brewer's claim that he's the best super-middleweight in the division and, after the controversial circumstances in which he lost his IBF crown to Sven Ottke in 1998, Brewer will get into the Cardiff International Arena ring as "champion versus champion".

Enzo countered: "He's had eight defeats, so how could he be the best? To be beaten once or maybe twice in your career would be unlucky, but eight times?

"Yes, Joe will have to be at his best to retain his title but Brewer would need to be doubly good to beat Joe."

Joe Calzaghe, whose bout will be beamed across America via tape delay on the Showtime network, said: "I believe I'm the best of the champions and to prove it I've picked the best fight out.

"These are the types of opponents you need to find out how good you are. We both have fast hands and can punch and I don't think it will go the distance. ' "I don't like to make predictions but I'm a proud champion and I aim to win and win in style."

Calzaghe knows victory over Brewer should finally eliminate any nagging doubts in America about his status in the division.

He could expect a unification showdown with 37-year-old WBC, WBA and IBF belt holder Bernard Hopkins at an open-roofed Millennium Stadium in front of 40,000 fans this summer.

That could finally open the door to his debut on American soil where the riches of a Roy Jones Jnr fight wait in the wings.

Brewer's promoter, the respected American fight figure Russell Peltz, said: "The winner of this Cardiff fight has to be considered the best super-middleweight in the world, and if Joe can dominate Charles then he is the best.

"This is not a division filled with great fighters so to gain any kind of notoriety the top six have got to fight each other to find out who is the best."

Brewer, meanwhile, is best known in Britain for his laboured victory over veteran Herol Graham in Atlantic City in March 1998, when the Sheffield man led comfortably on points before being stopped in the 10th.

The American urged observers to be wary of reading too much into that less-than-impressive contest.

"I don't think true talent was displayed that night but I showed a lot of determination in adversity," said Brewer. "I showed all my will and determination and I showed that I will never stop until the final bell rings."