Hopkins vs Shumenov: Lukas Konecny confident he can beat Peter Quillin on April 19

Lukas Konecny may not be a top middleweight contender, but the 35-year-old Czech veteran isn't so sure that his upcoming opponent, Peter Quillin, is really a top champion, either. The two will meet for Quillin's WBO title on April 19, part of Showtime's Hopkins-Shumenov card.

"I know he's taller than me, he's got a good punch, and he has some skills," Konecny said on a conference call. "He's, of course, a good world champion, but not a very good one. I think he has more experience, but not with the same style as I have. I have over 250 amateur fights, over 50 professional fights."

"I think he's a good boxer, he's a good fighter, he's a good champion, but I can beat him," Konecny added. "He is fast, he moves well, but he doesn't have a great coverage. His defense is not the best."

Konecny (50-4, 23 KO) is 0-2 in past world title fights, both coming at 154 pounds. He lost a spirited brawl with Serhiy Dzinziruk in 2008, and was beaten by Zaurbek Baysangurov in 2012. He's won his last two fights as a middleweight, but the opposition was far from top shelf. Konecny is also a former European champion at junior middleweight.

This will be his first pro fight on U.S. soil, but he notes that he does have amateur experience here. "I was over there in '98 at the Goodwill Games in New York and then '99 in Houston for the World Championship. So maybe it's not the first time, but this is a big event," he said.

When asked to describe his style for those who may not know his work, Konecny said, "I think I have a good defense and I make pressure all the time; I can make pressure for all 12 rounds."

Can Konecny pull the upset against the often vulnerable-looking Quillin on April 19, or is he another made-to-order foe for "Kid Chocolate"?