Wilder vs Breazeale: Gary Russell Jr out to prove 'elite' level
Russell Jr: "I'm one of the best in the world. If you google the fastest hands in boxing, my name will pop up."
Thursday 16 May 2019 17:12, UK
Gary Russell Jr plans to showcase his blistering hand speed against Kiko Martinez and prove he is one of the very best boxers in the world.
Russell Jr (29-1, 17 KO) takes on the Spaniard as chief-support to Deontay Wilder's heavyweight clash with Dominic Breazeale at New York's Barclays Center in the early hours of Sunday morning, live on Sky Sports.
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The Washington star will be making the fourth defence of his WBC featherweight crown, looking to extend one of boxing's longest current world title reigns.
"I'll do what I'm accustomed to doing and that's being the best Gary Russell Jr there is," the 30-year-old speedster told Sky Sports. "He [Martinez] is aware that he is competing against one of the best in the world. If you google the fastest hands in boxing, my name will pop up.
"Our styles will blend perfectly because I'm never in unfamiliar territory, I've been competing against every style possible, being an elite athlete and I'm now becoming an elite world champion.
"He [Martinez] is slow on his feet but is strong with a good punch, he will bring his physical best and will be on his A game but that won't be enough."
Open to a future unification bout with Brit Josh Warrington (IBF), Russell Jr is predicting fireworks as he and fellow American Wilder look to light up New York with showstopping WBC title defences.
"[Wilder] is a good friend of mine. We were Olympians and were on the same team together, we have more of a friendship than a lot of the other guys on that team.
"Competing on the same card will bring fireworks, we're two of boxing's longest reigning current world champions."
On Warrington, the 30-year old added: "Would Josh Warrington be willing to put his title on the line against me in a unification bout?
"I take my hat off to him, he's a tremendous come-forward pressure fighter but he lacks punching ability, that's very dangerous against Gary Russell Jr.
"I have hand speed but I also can punch, I have many more knockouts than Warrington, the hand speed is blazing fast and blurry, the shots that hurt are the ones you can't see."
Watch Deontay Wilder's WBC heavyweight title fight against Dominic Breazeale at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, from 2am on Sunday, May 19, live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event.
