By Ryan Burton
BoxingScene.com recently caught up with interim WBC featherweight champion Oscar Escandon (25-2, 17 KOs) who faces full WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. on May 20th in Maryland. The fight will headline a card televised by Showtime.
Russell (27-1, 16 KOs) is very big favorite in the fight and the only reason the fight is happening is because it was mandated by the WBC.
The former US Olympian has seen his name linked to unification bouts against other featherweight champions like Lee Selby, Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz.
Escandón, who is trained by former multi-division champion Robert Guerrero's father Ruben, feels that he is flying under the radar and that Russell is in for a big surprise when they collide in the ring. He feels the fight will mirror two recent high profile upsets.
"I'm very underestimated. I'm very fast. Everyone will see. I will be the new champion. And the new! It will be the same (type of fight) as Robert Guerrero against Andre Berto and the same as what Chino Maidana did to (Andre) Broner. Just wait," Escandón told BoxingScene.com.
Tickets for the live event promoted by TGB Promotions are priced at $200, $150, $100 and $50, and are now on sale. To purchase tickets go to http://mgmnationalharbor.com/. The main event is co-promoted by Sampson Boxing. This bout was originally scheduled to take place on March 11 but was rescheduled after Escandon suffered a back injury in training camp. Fans who bought tickets for the March 11 show will have their tickets honored on May 20.
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