By Alexey Sukachev and Inna Lagun (Allboxing.ru)

Heavyweight fringe contender and now a gatekeeper, Denis Bakhtov (34-7, 23 KOs), is positively excited about his upcoming collision with WBC-ranked Polish opponent Andrzej Wawrzyk (25-0, 13 KOs) on June 2 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

“When I fought Steffen Kretschmann, I knew judges wouldn’t score it my way so I came forward and knocked that lad out. I expect to do the same with Wawrzyk. I remember him from our sparring sessions, and he looked well. But a fight is a fight; it’s totally different than any sparring sessions. In a fight, we don’t use any helmets, and our gloves are smaller and much more powerful punches can be delivered with them on. Albert Sosnowski, whom I knocked down twice in the camp, has already been “informed” about that, and Wawrzyk is the next one to be negatively surprised," told Bakhtov to Ring Polska.

Wawrzyk, who is training for this fight with Michael Sprott, Travis Walker and Ondrej Pala as his chief sparring partners, was shorter with his words. “Let him talk. The ring will show everything”, reflected Wawrzyk.