Buglioni battles WBA champion Chudinov for ‘dream’ world title
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With George Groves having recently failed to clinch a world title on American soil, his fellow Londoner and super-middleweight Frank Buglioni is aiming to do what he couldn’t in front of a packed-out Wembley crowd.
The 26-year-old WBO European super-middleweight holder will finally go toe-to-toe with dominant Russian Fedor Chudinov in a bid to claim his opponent’s WBA belt, and is 8/1 to do so by stopping the champion in this Coral-sponsored bout.
Groves was previously outpointed by Badou Jack on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather’s final fight in Las Vegas, but his fellow London fighter Buglioni is attempting to go one further on home turf this Saturday night.
“Without a doubt I can do what George Groves couldn’t,” declared ‘the Wise Guy’. “I haven’t seen the Groves fight. I’ve kind of had my blinkers on, I’ve been very focused on my own training. I will watch it. I heard he did well but it’s just one of those things.
“I feel no pressure, I’m in the situation Chudinov was when he fought Felix Stern. He had nothing to lose and he went in there and did a job.
“I’ve had two back-to-back training camps, the motivation is obviously at the highest it has been for any fight I have faced and I relish the opportunity that’s in front of me. I’ve never felt better and more confident.”
Buglioni is very much the underdog for his world title shot, as he prepares to contest with Russian bruiser Chudinov, and the devastating 28-year-old champion stated he is ready to smash his opposition at what will be an unfavourable venue.
Chudinov claimed the super-middleweight strap last May in a 12-round split decision victory over Felix Sturm and is 11/4 to win on points again, on a night when he insists Buglioni will come up short.
“I’m here in London, I’m settled and I’m ready to fight,” stated the undefeated title holder.
“All my hard training has been done and now I just have to focus on Saturday night and keeping hold of my world title, nothing is more important.
“We’ve seen plenty of Frank Buglioni and I know what I have in front of me, he’s a good strong fighter but he will be found short at world championship level.
“It doesn’t matter where I fight in the world, a ring is a ring to me and I will do the job that I have to do and I will beat Buglioni.”
Questions were raised over Buglioni’s deserving of a title bout with Chudinov, having lost to Sergey Khomitsky and drawn with Lee Markham in the past 17 months but, nevertheless, the Londoner is gunning for a dream triumph.
“There are people out there who have all the money in the world but they’d give it up to be a world champion,” continued the Londoner, who is 6/1 to win by decision.
“It’s a lifetime’s ambition. You live forever once you have won that world title.”
Betting tip: Fedor Chudinov to win by points decision @ 11/4
