Tyson Fury has been given no chance of winning Saturday's fight against Deontay Wilder by a panel of seven decorated heavyweights.
Fury, who tipped the scales at 256 pounds, bids to complete one of the greatest comebacks in history when he challenges the WBC champion (212.5 pounds) over 14 rounds in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The Briton has been inactive for more than two-and-a-half years, during which time he has contemplated suicide, admitted to taking cocaine and swelled to an estimated 27 stones.
He is also working under a different team and trainer, the inexperienced Ben Davison, to that which led him to his finest night when shocking Wladimir Klitschko.
And in 33-year-old Wilder, Fury fights perhaps the world's most dangerous puncher.
To most observers Saturday's fight at Staples Center will be won inside the distance by Wilder or by Fury on points - and Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Michael Spinks, James 'Buster' Douglas, Earnie Shavers and George Cooney collectively make the American the significant favourite.
While Lewis and Spinks struggled to separate them, the others - only the respected Cooney did not win a world heavyweight title - all confidently predicted a convincing victory for their compatriot, demonstrating the size of the task that Fury, 30, will need to overcome.
"Can Fury keep his hands up, protect himself, use that jab to keep Wilder away?" asked Cooney.
"That's the story. If he can't, Wilder's going to find that home plate. If Wilder finds that home plate, he's going to take Fury out.
"Fury fought (Steve) Cunningham, a cruiserweight who dropped him with a right hand. Wilder's a devastating puncher, and when he catches you he's going to take you out of there.
"Wilder will find a spot; Wilder's going to connect with him sometime during that fight so we've got to see how Fury's going to stand up to that. Wilder's going to find the spot on Fury's jaw and knock him out between three and six rounds."
Douglas, who in stopping Mike Tyson produced boxing's most memorable upset victory, said: "I'm picking Deontay Wilder in eight rounds. It's going to be a great fight between two competitive fighters."
Holyfield, among the finest heavyweights of the modern era, remains convinced Wilder will not become disheartened should Fury frustrate him, insisting: "Deontay will win. Eventually he'll get the right hand.
"He's very patient; people think that if he doesn't get him he's not going to know what to do. He's a thinker, and the type of guy who takes chances. When people take chances they win - he's one of those."
Lewis, the only British member of the panel, now works regularly as a pundit in the United States.
He said: "Wilder has a terrific right hand, a powerful right hand, so if that lands not many can stand up to it.
"I also think you can't hurt what you can't hit; Tyson's not easy to hit, so I don't think he's going to catch him early. It's Deontay early or Fury late."
It was Riddick Bowe, Lewis' long-term rival, who spoke with the most conviction when he said: "Deontay Wilder (wins). He's going to hit him and he (Fury) is going to sleep."
