Unbeaten Chris Colbert will fight for his first world title on February 26 in Las Vegas.
The quick and powerful New Yorker faces WBA super-featherweight champion Roger Gutierrez and says he is ready for his opportunity and plans to put the Venezuelan down.
“This has been a long time coming, but it’s no shocker to me,” said Colbert.
“I know Gutierrez will come to fight. He’s a champion for a reason. So, he’s not coming to lay down.
But I plan to put him down and I’m willing to do whatever I have to do on February 26 to make that happen.”
Gutierrez (26-3-1, 20 KOs) became champion and then defended it once in 2021 after sharing 24 rounds with Rene Alvarado. Their two fights came after the pair had fought one another over eight rounds in 2017. Gutierrez now holds three wins over his rival.
“It cost me a lot of effort to the win the world championship,” said Gutierrez who will be the underdog on the night. “This is my second title defence, and I am ready to give it all to retain it.”
On the undercard 2016 U.S Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell takes on former super-lightweight champion Viktor Postol in a significant step up. After 14 fights none of Russell’s opponents have heard the final bell and the 25-year-old southpaw predicts another win inside the distance.
“I’ve watched Postol fight before and I know that he’s a rangy fighter with a European style. He likes to stay at a distance and that works best for him. He leans on his strengths. Every fight I come in planning to make a statement. My prediction, I’m ending this fight in round five.”
Postol won his WBC world title in 2015 defeating Lucas Matthysse before losing his belt in a unification against Terence Crawford. ‘The Iceman’ also gave a good account of himself against Josh Taylor in 2018. ‘The Iceman’ spoke of his excitement at facing Russell.
“I accepted this fight as soon as it was offered,” said Postol. “I haven’t fought in a while, and I wanted to get back in the ring as soon as I could. I’m especially excited that I’m going to have the opportunity to face a good young opponent on February 26.”
Elsewhere on the card IBF Jerwin Ancajas super-flyweight champion will make the tenth defence of his world title against the unbeaten Fernando Martinez.