Daniyar Yeleussinov couldn’t even bring himself to laugh at the claim made by his upcoming opponent. 

As serious as he could express himself, former unified 140-pound titlist Julius Indongo (23-2, 12KOs) insisted that Friday’s clash with Kazakhstan’s Yeleussinov will be “easy work.” The belief—as the 37-year old from Windhoek, Namibia sees it—is that what he’s been able to accomplish as a pro will be enough to prevail in Friday’s chief support battle of welterweight southpaws.

“This is just trash talk,” Yeleussinov dismissed during Wednesday’s pre-fight press conference for this weekend’s show which airs live on DAZN from a crowdless Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. “I’m a very experienced guy, my skills, my speed, power. I will show (Indongo) on Friday night, this is not easy work. Maybe for me, yeah.”

Yeleussinov (9-0, 5KOs) signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing USA outfit in 2018, after having served two tours on the Kazakhstan Olympic boxing team. The now 27-year old southpaw bowed out in the third round of competition in 2012 London before capturing a Gold medal during 2016 Rio.

A steady, if not overwhelming rise has since come of his young pro career, emerging as a prospect to watch following a 5th round stoppage of Alan Sanchez last December in Phoenix. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic stalled his career progress in 2020, though he views Friday’s bout as a steppingstone of bigger things to come in the near future. 

“This is the right time for this fight,” Yeleussinov says of facing the more experienced Indongo. “I think this is my night, my time. It’s my first time fighting a former world champion. It’s the right time.”

The 10-round welterweight bout serves in supporting capacity to former middleweight titlist Daniel Jacobs’ super middleweight grudge match with Philadelphia-bred trialhorse Gabriel Rosado