Bruce Carrington is confident in himself but he’s no fool.

The 26-year-old might be older than most prospects but he knows that he still has a ton to prove. This Saturday night, at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida, Carrington (9-0, 5 KOs) will take a small step in the right direction when he takes on Jason Sanchez. The 29-year-old journeyman is Carrington’s main focus, but he’s keeping at least one eye on a particular fighter who campaigns a weight class below him.

Naoya Inoue, the newly crowned WBC and WBO super bantamweight champ, is just one fight away from becoming a back-to-back undisputed titlist. If he successfully discards Marlon Tapales like most are expecting, the next logical step for him would be another move up in weight.

Currently, the four pounds that separate Inoue and Carrington could be evaporated. Carrington, while not in the featherweight title picture, is waiting on Inoue to make his decision. Call it brazen, considering the limited number of fights he has under his belt, but Carrington believes that his lack of experience is irrelevant. At the moment, the New Yorker is convinced that he plays second fiddle to no one, including Inoue.

“I like to test myself against people that say they are the best,” said Carrington to Tru School Sports. “I believe I’m the best and people say Inoue is the best.”

Normally soft-spoken, Carrington doesn’t want his words to be taken as laden with hubris. Inoue deserves all of the respect in the world. But, if he plans on strolling through the featherweight division, Carrington can’t wait to take him down a notch.

“He’s one of the greatest right now. He’s gonna be a future Hall of Famer without a doubt but I know for sure I have what it takes to derail him.”