Gausha: Austin Trout is the type of fight I need to go from front to back

By Francisco Salazar

According to Terrell Gausha, tonight's clash against Austin Trout is not a decisive fight.

Gausha thinks the winner is back in the talented junior middleweight division and could be in contention for a world title fight.

Trout and Gausha will compete at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. The 10-round bout will feature a televised broadcast of three fights on FS1 (8:00 pm ET and 5:00 pm).

At the weigh-in on Friday, Gausha weighed 154.8 pounds. The trout weighed 155 pounds.

Gausha (21-1, 10 KO's) eliminated former opponent Joey Hernandez in his last fight on Dec. 22 in Brooklyn, New York. The fight took place 14 months after Gausha took his only loss as a professional against Erislandy Lara by unanimous decision.

Left-handed Gausha, originally from Cleveland and living in Encino, a suburb of Los Angeles, is ranked No. 13 by the WBA.

Trout (31-5, 17 KO's), a former world title holder at 154, is the favorite, but Gausha thinks a win on Saturday night could give rise to bigger fights later this year or in 2020.

"It's the type of fight I need to move forward," Gausha told BoxingScene on Friday afternoon. "Austin has fought some of the best fighters in the world. He is solid. A victory over him could propel me against the best in the division. "

The fight tonight between Trout and Gausha could well be called a crossroads fight. Both have lost a loss in their last two bouts and a loss could jeopardize their status as a legitimate competitor at 154 pounds.

Gausha does not believe tonight is a decisive fight against Trout. Instead, he thinks a win could propel him to a possible title fight.

"I do not think it's at a crossroads. Trout is still a big name in the division. I only have a loss on my record. There are a lot of things at stake, but it's the fights I need that could put me in a place where I would fight for a world title. "

With Julian Williams triumphing over Jarrett Hurd on May 11, Gausha believes any 154-pound high-level fighter risks defeat, including Trout.

Gausha, 31, American Olympian 2012, would like to have the opportunity to fight with Williams. A win against Trout tonight could put him in a good position to make it a reality.

"I would love this opportunity. I think I can take advantage of it if I'm able to fight Williams. That's the point. "

Francisco also covers boxing for the newspaper Star of Ventura County, California. He can be contacted by email at the address [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing