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WBA “super world” bantamweight champion Ryan Burnett is looking forward to taking part in the big World Boxing Super Series tournament at 118 pounds starting later this year, and despite a loaded field, he says he’s going to prove he’s the best, and that he’s got no preference on whom he faces.
“The fans want to see the best vs the best and that’s exactly what will happen in this tournament. I haven’t really thought about who I’ll face, all the lads in the tournament are incredible fighters, so any of them. I don’t really have one I’ve picked that I want to face, I’m just confident of beating whoever.”
Burnett (19-0, 9 KO) wants to host his first round bout in Belfast, where he thinks he can draw a good crowd and put on a show. The 26-year-old beat Lee Haskins for the IBF title in June 2017, unified with the WBA belt in October 2017 against Zhanat Zhakiyanov, and kept the WBA belt to defend against Yonfrez Perejo on March 31 of this year.
He’s been on a terrific run and has put himself in the mix at the top of the division, but he’s going to be contending with the likes of IBF titleholder Emmanuel Rodriguez, WBO titleholder Zolani Tete, and WBA “world” champion Naoya Inoue, who right now may be the tournament favorite.