Shawn Bunch battles Reece Humphrey in the U.S. Open finals. Larry Slater photo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Shawn Bunch is tired of hearing the talk.

The talk about how talented he is.

And the talk about how much potential he has.

“I’m ready to show everyone I’m the best,” Bunch said. “I have beaten World champions and World medalists, just not at the right time. I want to put it all together when it counts at the World Championships.”

Athletic and explosive, Bunch plans to put his talents on full display when Team USA battles Russia next Thursday in a freestyle dual meet at Times Square in New York City. The dual meet is part of the 2011 Beat the Streets Gala in New York.

“It’s a big opportunity for me,” Bunch said following Thursday morning's practice at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. “I was real excited when I got the call and they asked me to wrestle in this dual meet. Times Square, there is nothing bigger than that. I am real pumped up and excited about this.”

Bunch is scheduled to battle Russia’s Rasul Murtazaliev at 60 kg/132 lbs. in the dual. Murtazaliev won the New York AC International title in November.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase our skills in front of a big crowd and show people how exciting wrestling can be,” Bunch said. “I love competing in front of big crowds and I love to put on a show. It’s going to be fun.”

Russia has the No. 1 freestyle team in the World.

“It’s real important for us to go out there and win this dual,” Bunch said. “We need to win this and then continue to wrestle well so we can carry that over into the World Championships and the Olympics.”

Bunch is coming off a second-place finish at April’s U.S. Open in Cleveland. The top seed, Bunch was upset by training partner Reece Humphrey in the finals.

Bunch lost a controversial decision on a ruling near the edge of the mat where Humphrey countered a Bunch attack from their feet.

“It was frustrating,” Bunch said. “I felt there were some calls that should’ve gone my way that didn’t. I can’t change it now. I just have to keep pushing and get ready for the World Team Trials. I’m not taking anything away from Reece. He wrestled well. We’re friends and we train together. It was the referee’s call and you just have to move on from it.”

Bunch and Humphrey, a past World University silver medalist and All-American for Ohio State, train together at the Ohio Regional Training Center in Columbus.

“We are training together and pushing each other,” Bunch said. “I just have to keep working so I’m ready to win the World Team Trials.”

Bunch made the 2009 U.S. World Team before falling to past World silver medalist Mike Zadick in the finals of the 2010 U.S. World Team Trials.

Bunch has had a strong season. He won the Alexander Medved International and Hargobind International events this season.

“I’ve had real good results this year,” Bunch said. “That builds my confidence and lets me know I can beat anybody.”

Bunch will have to win the Challenge Tournament at June’s U.S. World Team Trials in Oklahoma City to earn a rematch with Humphrey in the best-of-3 final-round series.

The winner of the World Team Trials advances to September’s World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

“I want to win the World Championships and set myself up for the Olympic year,” Bunch said. “I know I can do it. It’s just a matter of going in there and wrestling the way that I’m capable.”

The U.S. is coming off a rough performance at the 2010 World Championships, where it failed to win a medal.

“We had a bad year last year, so everyone is motivated to come back strong,” Bunch said. “We’ve been following the game plan – I’ve been all over the World training and competing. We are excited to show people what we can do this year.”