Gary Russell Jr. will face Tugstsogt Nyambayar in the fifth defense of his featherweight title on Feb. 8 in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Showtime, it was announced Monday.
Russell (30-1, 18 KOs) has fought only four times since he won a 126-pound belt in a stoppage of Jhonny Gonzalez in March 2015.
In an apparent bid to become more active, Russell faces an intriguing, yet unknown featherweight from Mongolia. Nyambayar, who now lives and trains in Carson, California,won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Yet Nyambayar has fought only 11 times as a pro since then. The 27-year-old, nicknamed “King Tug,’’ has won them all, scoring nine stoppages in an impressive run that made him the mandatory challenger for Russell’s belt.
“Gary Russell Jr. has proven himself to be at the very elite level of this sport and one of the best fighters in the featherweight division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “His speed, power and overall skill set has made him a must-watch every time he steps into that ring.
“He’s going to get all he can handle from an undefeated fighter in ‘King Tug’ Nyambayar, who has the pedigree and power to make this a memorable fight.’’
The card at Allentown’s PPL Center also will include former champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs) against Venezuelan Liborio Solis (30-5-1, 14 KOs) for a junior featherweight title.