By Alexey Sukachev and Dmitry Mikhalchuk

Last Friday, American middleweight Bryan Vera (18-5, 11 KOs) created some buzz with an upset win over one-time former champion Sergio Mora (22-2-2, 6 KOs). Vera was coming off a one-sided loss to WBO #5 ranked middleweight (and IBF #10 rated super middleweight) Maksym “Tiger” Bursak of Kiev, Ukraine, in September 2010. His victim’s latest victory can give Bursak’s career another significant boost, which doesn’t mean he will just sit and wait. The 26-year old undefeated (21-0-1, 8 KOs) Ukrainian stylist shared some thoughts about his future in a talk with both BoxingScene and Boxnews.com.ua.

“After I had defeated Vera in Dnepropetrovsk last September, I said I was ready to take on the cream of middleweight pool. There were those who doubted my words. Vera shook the world by outpointing Sergio Mora, the very same man who fought great Sugar Shane Mosley to a draw the last time out. This simple fact proves my confidence and my abilities to fight and to defeat the best fighters in the world."

Bursak continued on with his own sights for the future - “I haven’t fought since my win over Bryan so a wise move will be to conduct a tune-up fight to shake off the rust. I hope to get such a fight on March 19 as a part of Vitali Klitschko vs. Odlanier Solis undercard. In April I’m coming back to Kiev for a huge title fight which will be a featured bout of the evening. Personally, I want IBO middleweight champion Peter Manfredo Jr. next. He is a marquee name in the States and he is at peak of his abilities so no one will say I’m fighting another bum or a faded veteran. Shortly put, Manfredo is the best accessible American middleweight around. Only Sergio Martinez, Paul Williams and Kelly Pavlik are ranked higher than him in America but those starts won’t be allowed by their managers to fight me in Ukraine."

Tags: Peter Manfredo Jr. , Maksym Bursak