David Avanesyan is set for the toughest fight of his career this weekend as he faces undefeated southpaw Terence Crawford for the WBO world title.
‘Ava’ is well known amongst UK fans for his beating of Josh Kelly, who won the British title last weekend, but this Saturday the Russian is stepping up to a much greater challenge.
The 34-year-old, who resides in Nottinghamshire, fights pound-for-pound superstar Terence Crawford, who is considered by most to be one of the greatest fighters of this generation.
Avanesyan has challenged for a world title on one previous occasion, where he lost a unanimous decision to Lamont Peterson in 2017. Since then, he has dominated the European level, beating Kerman Lejarraga for the EBU title and defending it on six occasions, winning all six by knockout.
Now, Ava believes he is ready to take the step up to the world level once more and is confident of pulling off the upset, he told British Boxing News.
“I know going in that I’m a huge underdog and no one is giving me a chance, but let me tell you, I’m going to surprise everyone watching. I’ve had enough time to prepare, so I’ll be ready for the southpaw.”
“There’s a reason Terence Crawford is considered the best fighter in boxing, his skill set is amazing, and he knows how to win. I know my hands are full, but I’m going to do everything I can to become a world champion. I need to stick to the game plan we have in place, and if adjustments need to be made during the fight, I will have to make them.”
“Today I’m a completely different fighter in the ring, and my last six fights have shown my growth when it comes to my power punching. I believe my aggressive style is going to give Crawford problems.”
“I’m coming into hostile territory, his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, all his fans will be there in abundance. I’ve fought most of my career in people’s backyards, and I love it because it gives me an extra buzz. This is what being an underdog is all about. When I walk out of the arena with a monumental victory, I believe I will win his fans over.”
The fight takes place on Saturday night, with Arnold Khegai against Eduardo Baez as chief-support, and is available to watch on new pay-per-view platform BLK Prime for $39.99.