Gary Russell Jnr wants to fight the Leo Santa Cruz-Abner Mares winner

WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jnr, 27, will be an interested observer this Saturday (August 29), when Leo Santa Cruz meets Abner Mares in an all-Mexican encounter for the vacant WBC Diamond feather strap at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The winner of the Santa Cruz-Mares clash will be in a prime position to challenge Russell for his world crown, considering all three men share the same adviser โ€“ influential powerbroker Al Haymon.

Russell, who claimed the WBC belt in March with an impressive fourth-round stoppage of Mexicoโ€™s Jhonny Gonzalez, foresees a close fight between Santa Cruz and Mares this weekend. Regardless of who comes out on top, the Capitol Heights, Maryland-based southpaw is ready and willing to face the victor.

โ€œIโ€™m not sure whoโ€™s going to pull out the win between Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz,โ€ Russell said to Boxing News. โ€œI see Abner as the better fighter between the two. However, Leo might overwhelm Abner with a lot of pressure. Of course, Iโ€™d like to fight the winner of that bout.โ€

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