Bruce Carrington: I'm not focused on one featherweight champion, they can all get it

Bruce Carrington may live in Las Vegas, but he will always be a New Yorker.

The Brooklyn native will be fighting in his hometown for the fifth time in 12 fights this coming Saturday, June 8, when he will take on Mexican Enrique Vivas in a ten round fight at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Even though he does his training camps on the other side of the country, he still gets a lot of love on the streets of New York.

“Even if I'm walking down the street people will say, 'Oh Bruce Carrington, I've seen you fight, I know who you are, let me take your picture!' Most of the time things like that happen,” said Carrington (11-0, 7 knockouts).

The boxer known as “Shu Shu” will meet a lot of fans on the streets if he can pull off a stunning victory over Vivas (23-3, 12 KOs), a 29-year-old from Texcoco, Mexico who now lives in Montebello, Calif. Vivas. he has lost just three times in his ten-year professional career – against former title contenders Ruben Villa, Joet Gonzalez and Eduardo Baez.

Vivas has never been stopped, despite having to go down to the canvas in at least one fight, winning two knockdowns in 2021 to defeat Luis Coria by unanimous decision. He has more experience going longer rounds, Carrington has gone to the eighth round only twice, while Vivas has gone 10 rounds six times.

“What I expect from him is what he shows in all the fights he is in, that he is an unstoppable machine. He is just a come forward guy, you just don't see that he takes one step back. It's like I'm fighting The Terminator,” said Carrington.

“This will be a good opportunity for me to show that I am at a different level from the boys they were facing. I will be able to stop this train and do what I have to do in front of my fans in New York.”

Another improvement Carrington received in camp was being able to train alongside Gervonta “Tank” Davis. The lightweight star, who is preparing to face Frank Martin on June 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is training near Carrington in Las Vegas, and the two are pushing each other in their preparations.

“If you train with top people you will always be better. I like to surround myself with guys who are more experienced than me so that I can hold myself and get better over time,” said Carrington who is coached by Kay Koroma who is the head coach.

“I learn from Tank, I look at him, I look at the boys who are disrespectful, some of my stablemates were disrespecting him. I have been watching and learning a lot from him. I will show more of what I have learned on June 8.”

Carrington admits that, at 27 years old, the timeline to get him to a world title should be accelerated. He feels that 2025 will be his departure year, and he doesn't care which title holder he is compared to.

“It's time for me to be axed from sports and separation, to become a much sought-after boxer where when I have to fight those champions they can't deny me. I don't want someone who is shy and shy. If you call yourself a fighter, show everyone that you are a fighter. Be a man of your word, stand by it and fight a guy like me. I know I'm dangerous, I know I have a chance to interfere with your work and I'm very dangerous. “If you're a real fighter, come and get it,” Carrington said.

“When it comes to featherweight champions it is eeny meeny miny me, I am not focused on one person. I just want a belt and whoever is on the road, will have to get it. It's just a matter of time, I have to continue to build my image and brand to be able to put myself in that position. When the time comes, anyone can find it. Luis Alberto Lopez, Rey Vargas, Raymond Ford, Rafael Espinoza, you all can get it.”

Ryan Songalia has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler and The Guardian, and is part of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2020. He can be reached at [email protected].