Nadjib Mohammedi faces long odds but is relaxed ahead of Sergey Kovalev bout

LAS VEGAS - Nadjib Mohammedi isn't stupid. He knows he faces long odds Saturday against Sergey Kovalev and isn't being counted on to present much of a challenge. Make that really, really long odds. As much as 40 to 1.

But Mohammedi is relaxed as can be during a sit-down at the Luxor. After all, he wasn't even supposed to be here. He maneuvered his way to the top of the IBF rankings and earned the opportunity to fight for the championship one year ago. But he passed on the title shot against Bernard Hopkins and elected to take extra time to work on technique with renowned trainer Abel Sanchez at his Summit complex in Big Bear, Calif.

Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) sharpened his tools and defeated Demetrius Walker with a first-round KO on the undercard of Kovalev's win over Hopkins, then stopped Lee Campbell before Kovalev defeated Jean Pascal. Now, the Frenchman prepares for the fight of his life and his own time under the spotlight (10 p.m. ET, HBO).

"Impossible is nothing," Mohammedi told Paste BN Sports with the help of co-manager Jon Ali, a pop star in France. "I think I will win because everybody thinks I will not. He has everything lose. I have no pressure on me."

KOVALEV:More on Mohammedi's opponent

The 30-year-old of Algerian descent has a plan and knows what he must do. He must push Kovalev back - no easy task - and stay close to him. "I need to hold," he said.

"I think that Kovalev has to work himself up for this fight because Nadjib's been nothing but respectful, has been focused only on his training, has never said one bad word, he's been focused on winning the belt," co-manager Vince Caruso said. " … He's thinking about Andre Ward, he's thinking about Stevenson. … It's a big advantage for Nadjib."

Mohammedi has faced one former world champion, a close-decision defeat to Nathan Cleverly in 2010. However, he took that fight on just three days' notice and the performance gave him confidence he can hang with someone like Kovalev.

"A guy like Nadjib, to win this fight, he's gotta take him deep into the water," Caruso opined. "The more rounds we accumulate, the more it's going to favor him. You see athletes that have it in their brain they can't win from the get go. … I've seen progression every time (from Mohammedi). His confidence, he knows he can win."

The light heavyweight contender has already faced tougher opposition in life. He was raised by a single mother in the poor neighborhood of Gardanne in France, the youngest of three boys (with one younger sister). When he was 15 years old, one of his brothers brought him to a local gym and he immediately knew this was how he wanted to make a living.

At first, that living was quite modest, but he signed with Main Events last year and will earn a career-high payday Saturday. But Mohammedi has already achieved one of his life goals, win or lose. He helped his mother realize her dream by helping her launch a pizza truck near an airport in Marseille.

With a relaxed mindset, Mohammedi will see if he can beat the odds once again.