NEW YORK – Something has to give when Gary Antuanne Russell faces Rances Barthelemy on Saturday night.

Russell has won each of his 15 professional fights by knockout or technical knockout. Barthelemy hasn’t been knocked out in 31 pro bouts, but Russell predicted during a press conference Thursday at Barclays Center that his streak of stoppages will continue in the 10-round opener of Showtime’s tripleheader from the same venue.

“You know it,” Russell said. “You know it. We gonna keep it goin’. He gonna have to do his best. He gonna have to do his best. He had a layoff [of eight months]. I ain’t laid off yet. I been grindin’. I’m pretty sure he been trainin’, but is it the trainin’ that he need to get through me? You know, he gonna have to. He better bring his ‘A’ game.”

Russell’s knockout streak almost ended in his last bout, but the emerging junior welterweight stopped Viktor Postol with only 29 seconds remaining in their 10-rounder. The former WBC super lightweight champion complained about the stoppage after referee Mike Ortega stepped between them with Postol still on his feet February 26 at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Ukraine’s Postol (31-4, 12 KOs) had not been beaten inside the distance in any of his first 34 professional fights.

Mickey Bey and Kiryl Relikh dropped Barthelemy in back-to-back bouts a few years ago, but Barthelemy (29-1-1, 15 KOs, 1 NC) got off the canvas to win both of those 12-rounders on points. Barthelemy beat Bey by split decision in June 2016 to defend his IBF lightweight title and in his 140-pound debut defeated Relikh by unanimous decision in May 2017.

Barthelemy is 36, but he feels capable of upsetting the 26-year-old Russell, a strong southpaw from Capitol Heights, Maryland.

“Styles make fights, you know?,” Barthelemy said during the press conference. “And we’re definitely gonna give the people what they want, which is an interesting, stellar, spectacular fight. And I know what Russell is all about. I know that he has his [strengths], how he’s undefeated. But, at the same time, I believe in myself and I know that I can do what I want to do on Saturday night.”

Caesars Sportsbook lists Russell as a 14-1 favorite to beat Barthelemy.

Following Russell-Barthelemy, Showtime will air a 10-round heavyweight bout in which Brooklyn’s Adam Kownacki (20-2, 15 KOs) will attempt to end a two-fight losing streak against Turkish contender Ali Eren Demirezen (16-1, 12 KOs). In the 12-round main event of this three-bout broadcast, Danny Garcia (36-3, 21 KOs), a former junior welterweight and welterweight champion from Philadelphia, will make his 154-pound debut against Phoenix native Jose Benavidez Jr. (27-1-1, 18 KOs).

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.