Justin Gatlin ready to rumble with Usain Bolt

Justin Gatlin says he is ready for a "rumble in the jungle" with Usain Bolt at the 2015 World Championships following a strong performance at the Prefontaine Classic.

Gatlin won the 200 metres in 19.68 seconds in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday, matching his personal best set last year.

"When I saw the time, I know I'm on course to go onto the World Championships [in Beijing in August]," Gatlin told NBC.

"It's [his battle with Bolt] going to be a real rumble in the jungle."

Bolt is the world-record holder in the 100 and 200m and beat Gatlin to gold over the shorter distance at the 2012 Olympics and the 2013 World Championships.

"[Bolt] is the kind of guy who's going to rise to the occasion when it"s time to go," Gatlin said on USATF.TV.

"I'm looking for a time - every time he runs this year, the time's going to steadily drop and drop and drop. In 2012 [at the Olympics], he just woke up [9.87] jogging and he came out and ran [9.63] in the finals.

"That's what I'm looking to see out of Usain Bolt coming in this year at the World Championships."

The continued good form of Gatlin - who returned from a four-year doping ban in 2010 - has been the subject of much conjecture.

"I think it"s more a gift than a curse," Gatlin said to analyst Ato Boldon of his suspension. "I think it gave my legs a little shelf life. I never had any major injuries, maybe a hamstring strain here or a quad strain there.

"I just really wanted to show everybody that I could come back. But it wasn't [just] me. I want to say that guys like yourself, Ato Boldon, Frankie Fredericks, Carl Lewis, Leroy Burrell, Linford Christie, those guys ran well into their 30s.

"I'm just taking that page out of their book. You know what, your career's not over when you hit 30. I think a lot of guys this day and age think that."