WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr.(30-1, 18 KOs) is back and set to battle the unbeaten mandatory challenger Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar(11-0, 9 KOs) on Saturday, February 8 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Recently, Russell, who is looking to move up to 130, has openly stated that he wants some of the big names out there, and he reiterated that on Thursday.
“If it were up to me, I’d be facing Leo Santa Cruz or Gervonta Davis, but this is what I have to face,” Russell said at a press conference in Allentown. “I’m here to defend my title in style once again.”
While Russell would love to fight Santa Cruz and Davis, he made it clear that he believes Nyambayar will give him a tough fight on Saturday night.
“Tug will be the best he possibly can be because he knows he’s facing one of the best fighters in the world,” Russell said. “He has everything to gain and nothing to lose. He’s going to leave it all on the line.
“I think Tug is a lot more technically sound than a lot of the guys who I have competed against. He’s another guy with everything to gain and nothing to lose, so I’m anticipating a tough fight.”
Russell thinks he is the total package, and he says he should be on the pound-for-pound list.
“You should expect to see what you always see with me,” he said. “Boxing at its best. A great deal of ring generalship. Good boxing IQ. Hand speed. Punching power. The total package as a fighter. As a matter of fact, I’m trying to figure out why I’m not on the pound for pound list given all of that. That’s an issue.”
Hopefully, if Russell handles his business on Saturday night, he will move up to 130 and go against some the big names out there.
