FLOYD MAYWEATHER prodigy Curmel Moton wants to fight Leigh Wood in his second fight should he successfully navigate his four-round debut on Saturday night.
The 17-year-old makes his professional bow at the T-Mobile Arena early on Saturday evening as part of the undercard for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo.
Moton’s mentor Mayweather suggested that the wonderkid, rated by many as the best teenager in American boxing, could beat Nottingham’s featherweight puncher Wood right now.
And the youngster has agreed with what seemed like an outlandish claim from the retired ring legend.
“Me and Floyd had talked about it,” Moton explained. “We were looking at the champions and we saw some Leigh Wood footage and I told him: ‘yeah, I’ve got him… like right now.’
“Then Floyd did an interview, I didn’t expect him to, we had just been talking between us but then next thing you know it’s on Fight Hype. So I’m like ‘ok!’
“But we are dead serious. I want that fight. I want to handle my business in my debut but after this I want Leigh Wood.”
Wood is currently rated at No.2 in the world and holds the WBA featherweight title, which he will defend against Josh Warrington in Sheffield on October 7.
And Moton, who takes on 4-0 Ezequiel Flores at the T-Mobile, insists he has what it takes to win a world title before he turns 18.
“I feel like I have the skills to do it and the right team behind me to do it,” he added. “Wilfred Benitez was able to do it so why can’t I?
“There’s a few good fighters but I feel like right now I’d be able to hold my own with all of the champions in the division. I’ve worked with Robeisy Ramirez during a few of his camps and I was in there doing my thing for sure.
“I feel like out of those champions, he’s definitely the most skilled and the best one. He was barely handling me so I feel like I’m ready to take over this division.
“I’m the next one coming up. I’m trying to be the biggest prospect.”