By Vadim Pushkin

Fedor Lapin, head trainer of WBC #12 ranked Andrzej Wawrzyk (33-1, 19 KOs) of Poland, believes his fighter is capable of upsetting the long odds by defeating WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs).

The two fighters are in line to collide on February 25 at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. It will be Wilder's fifth defense of the world title that he captured in January 2015 from Bermane Stiverne.

Wilder's last defense came in July, when he suffered numerous injuries in his knocked out victory over Chris Arreola. Wilder required surgery for a bicep and hand injury, which kept him out of the ring for the remainder of the year.

Wawrzyk is on a six fight win streak and all of those contests have been won by knockout. He suffered his sole defeat in 2013, when he was knocked out in three rounds by Alexander Povetkin.

Wilder and his team have already had the opportunity to have a good look at Wawrzyk. The Polish fighter was part of the undercard to Wilder's second defense of the world title last September, when he stopped Johann Duhaupas at the Legacy Arena. As part of that undercard, Wawrzyk knocked out Mike Sheppard in three rounds.

Lapin warns that Wawrzyk is far from the same fighter who stepped in the ring with Povetkin three years ago.

"Andrzej Wawrzyk has really grown since the fight with Povetkin. When he boxed in 2013, he was just a boy and then he had a nasty car accident, with a foot problem.. but he able to overcome everything. Wilder seems to think that he's taking on an easy opponent. We want Andrzej Wawrzyk to do something sensational, and I think that he's able to do it. Andrzej Wawrzyk can punch, he's fast, and he's tough. Yes, Wilder with his long arms is awkward opponent for everyone. In general, we'll see what happens," Lapin said.