Wednesday 17 June 2015 12:51, UK
Lutalo Muhammad is relishing the prospect of renewing one of the biggest rivalries in his sport when he faces Aaron Cook in the men's -80kg taekwondo competition at the European Games in Baku on Thursday.
Muhammad is seeded for a semi-final clash with former Great Britain team-mate Cook for the first time since the former world No 1 controversially switched nationality to represent Moldova in April this year.
Cook had been estranged from the GB programme since Muhammad was named ahead of him for the London 2012 Olympics and ramped up the rivalry this week when he declared: "The national anthem doesn't mean that much to me anymore."
Keen boxing fan Muhammad, who has recently returned from a knee operation in search of the ranking points required to take him to Rio next year, summoned a series of classic showdowns in anticipation of what would be a fourth career clash with Cook.
Muhammad said: "This is Leonard-Hagler, Louis-Schmeling, Johnson-Jeffries, Ali-Frazier. This is a huge fight and I really do hope it happens.
"There is no bigger rivalry in the sport of taekwondo and I say that because no other two athletes have the history that the two of us have.
"Every time we fight it has implications because of the history we have. As long as we are both fighting there will always be a rivalry because of this history between us.
"I really hope it happens because it's great for us as fighters and for fans of the sport, and I always look forward to the huge fights."
Muhammad is facing a fight to qualify for Rio with Great Britain team-mate Damon Sansum, who beat Cook in a dramatic World Championship semi-final in Chelyabinsk last month.
The 24-year-old also faces a desperate fight for ranking points after missing much of the early part of the current season as he recovered from his knee surgery.
He added: "My season started off very well but I had my injury struggles. I'm five weeks post-surgery and I believe now is the time to get my results back to where they should be.
"Winning bronze in London really spurred me on and has given me that extra desire to go on and win an Olympic gold medal next year."
Cook has all but confirmed his place in Rio next year with his switch in nationality, which was funded by the billionaire president of the Moldovan Taekwondo Federation.
To complicate Cook's position further, his girlfriend, newly-crowned world champion Bianca Walkden, remains an integral part of the Great Britain programme.
Cook said: "Of course it would be nice to fight him (Muhammad) but I will fight anybody. Everyone is the same to me now. It is just another country."
