Gary Russell: I Want To Unify Next or Move Up in Weight

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBC featherweight world champion Gary Russell Jr.is looking for more gold after Saturday's win over mandatory challenger Joseph Diaz in their twelve round battle at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Despite sustaining an early hand injury, Russell (29-1) outlasted Diaz (26-1), taking a 117-111 victory on two scorecards and a 115-113 win on the third.

Whether it's the 29-year-old's last defense at this weight remains to be seen.

Russell was not happy with going the full distance, but suffered a hand injury early in the fight.

"We train to survive those body shots," said Russell. "We put the work in every day in the ring. We consistently grind and push ourselves to be great and we push ourselves to the limit.

"I was disappointed in my performance because I wasn't planning on going the distance. I hurt the right hand, but I still had to use it, because he could not get past my jab."

Russell, who captured the WBC title in March 2015 with a knockout of Jhonny Gonzalez, is now looking to unify with IBF champion Josh Warrington or the upcoming rematch between WBA champion Leo Santa Cruz and challenger Abner Mares.

After averaging only a single fight a year, Russell is hoping to be more active by returning to the ring before the year is out.

"We want a unification," said Russell. "We want to unify this division, or we're moving up in weight for another title. I want another belt."

[Ruthless-RKO]

I'd like him to unify, but if he's going to fight next year, he might as well move up.

TBH, I can't see who he would unify with at the moment.

LSC and Mares are fighting soon.

Frampton is only the Interim WBO champion

Valdez is injured.

Warrington will likely look at domestic fights.

[Mexi-Box]

I'd advise him to unify. He looks too small for 130 lbs., honestly. Jojo Diaz was a lot bigger than him. By the way, I feel like GRJ would be ineffective against the big guys at 130 lbs. for sure. He didn't have the power to keep Diaz off him. Spells serious doom against huge come-forward guys.

[klitoris]

Should be fighting Leo Santa Cruz (if he beats Mares)
Both of them throw a tonne of punches and it would be an epic fight

[thevamp]

I'd like him to move up and face Tank.

Maybe Haymon can set that up.

That'll help set the narrative for a Davis Loma fight down the line.

He can go back to featherweight after and have all those same fights.

[Mexi-Box]

I'd like him to move up and face Tank.

Maybe Haymon can set that up.

That'll help set the narrative for a Davis Loma fight down the line.

He can go back to featherweight after and have all those same fights.

Wow, I don't think that'd even be competitive. Davis is too damn big, and I doubt GRJ would be the same fighter after that.

[JMac]

I'd like him to move up and face Tank.

Maybe Haymon can set that up.

That'll help set the narrative for a Davis Loma fight down the line.

He can go back to featherweight after and have all those same fights.

That would be huge fight in the DMV especially with Baltimore vs DC but Tank might be too big for Gary. I would also love to see Tank in with Lomo.

[Cent0089]

Garry Russell is entertaining to watch and Diaz is best win in his career. He should chase fights Santa Cruz, Mares, Rigondeaux, Frampton, Valdez, or Magdaleno. He can beat all of them expect Rigo IMO. Jo Jo Diaz will be dangerous in rematch too

[klitoris]

Gary has the capability to beat anyone at the featherweight division. Unfortunately like many other boxers, he was plagued by the Mayweather undefeated ideal and probably went into a deep depression after his loss to Loma. He needs to understand that losses don't matter and do not qualify anyone's greatness or marketability. Gary has wasted 3 years of his prime now and hopefully in 2018 we will see him fight more than once.
I'm not sure if it was his fault or his promoter, but Gary should request at least 3 fights a year. If its Haymon's fault then should leave him.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Gary has the capability to beat anyone at the featherweight division. Unfortunately like many other boxers, he was plagued by the Mayweather undefeated ideal and probably went into a deep depression after his loss to Loma. He needs to understand that losses don't matter and do not qualify anyone's greatness or marketability. Gary has wasted 3 years of his prime now and hopefully in 2018 we will see him fight more than once.
I'm not sure if it was his fault or his promoter, but Gary should request at least 3 fights a year. If its Haymon's fault then should leave him.

He got paid like $1.5m last weekend. That's 2 fights worth. I doubt we see him again this year. That's the thing. Haymon's boys get overpaid, hency why they fight so less.

[gilgamesh]

Hell he don't fight often enough to unify. By the time he unifies with one belt he'll get stripped of another for inactivity.

[jamamb]

as a fan of boxing im disappointed that someone as talented as gary has the mentality that he does toward being active

with his low activity level facing someone good only every third fight or so makes it hard to keep interest

[caldo2025]

I do not see the same thing that you all do with this guy. I'm seeing one of the most overrated active boxers out there right now. I see a slap puncher with a poor defensive mindset. I just don't see what everyone is talking about. Against JoJo, 90% of those "brilliant" fast shoeshines were caught and blocked. The commentators kissed his ass and called him brilliant...blah blah. Even in instant replay, they wouldn't admit the shots never landed. NOT IMPRESSED

[Counter-puncher]

I do not see the same thing that you all do with this guy. I'm seeing one of the most overrated active boxers out there right now. I see a slap puncher with a poor defensive mindset. I just don't see what everyone is talking about. Against JoJo, 90% of those "brilliant" fast shoeshines were caught and blocked. The commentators kissed his ass and called him brilliant...blah blah. Even in instant replay, they wouldn't admit the shots never landed. NOT IMPRESSED

I mostly agree with you

[Ruthless-RKO]

Russell: I Doubt Santa Cruz, Promoters, Even Haymon Want Me

Gary Russell Jr. has what he considers a “great working relationship” with Al Haymon.

Russell told BS.com over the weekend that Haymon has delivered on every promise he has ever made to the WBC featherweight champion. But Russell is beginning to think that even Haymon, who runs Premier Boxing Champions, doesn’t want him to fight Leo Santa Cruz.

“Man, I doubt that Leo, I doubt that the promoters and I’m actually starting to doubt that even Al wants to see that fight to happen,” Russell said. “Because they know once it happens, they know what the outcome’s gonna be.”

The 30-year-old Russell, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, considers what will be his first fight in more than a year a way to keep sharp while he pursues the fight he really wants against Santa Cruz. Based on Santa Cruz’s last fight, however, Russell isn’t confident that the WBA “super” featherweight champion actually will agree to get in the ring with him later this year.

“How is it that the WBC gave Leo the mandatory spot to actually compete against me for the title,” Russell said, “and he says that he wants to take a tune-up fight with this guy that he just fought? That doesn’t even make sense. How can there possibly be a tune-up fight if the guy that he was fighting was an orthodox fighter? If he was tuning up for Mr. Gary Russell Jr., don’t you think it would’ve been in his best interests to fight a southpaw?”

The next fight for Santa Cruz, a Mexican-American from Southern California, is not set. Russell would be surprised if Santa Cruz agrees to fight him, even if Haymon guarantees Santa Cruz a sizeable seven-figure purse.

“Honestly, I’m getting the sense that the managers and promoters, they’re doing things in their power to protect Leo,” Russell said. “That’s my honest opinion. My honest thoughts is that these guys is willing to protect him. Leo Santa Cruz has a great fan base and his fan base will definitely follow him wherever he goes. And I think that the managers and the promoters, they play on that. That’s their cash cow. He’s generating a certain amount of revenue, no matter who he competes against, because a certain amount of viewership is gonna [watch him fight].

“The people from his ethnicity will actually come out and support him the way that I feel as though that they should. It’s not in these managers’ and promoters’ best interests to put a Leo Santa Cruz with a Gary Russell Jr., that’s already beat Leo before and also has the ability to be one of the more thorough ones in the sport of boxing, as far as the business is concerned.”

[oogiebe]

Don't you have to actually fight to unify a title? And how can he make these comments when he's now fighting Kiko Martinez??

[Ruthless-RKO]

Don't you have to actually fight to unify a title? And how can he make these comments when he's now fighting Kiko Martinez??

TBH, Kiko is better than Santa Cruz's last opponent. But at least LSC fights twice a year.

Russel only become relevant around April/May every year.. After that he goes into hiding.

[oogiebe]

TBH, Kiko is better than Santa Cruz's last opponent. But at least LSC fights twice a year.

Russel only become relevant around April/May every year.. After that he goes into hiding.

Doesn't really say too much does it? At least Rivera was only 25 not 33(?).

[Ruthless-RKO]

Doesn't really say too much does it? At least Rivera was only 25 not 33(?).

They'er as bad as each other.

Only the WBC has tried to make the fight.

They had LSC vs. Mares for the Interim or Diamond belt, trying to force a mandatory.

[oogiebe]

They'er as bad as each other.

Only the WBC has tried to make the fight.

They had LSC vs. Mares for the Interim or Diamond belt, trying to force a mandatory.

I've been getting overly skeptical on any good fights being made. At least we have Dillian Whyte consistently fighting non-tomato cans. I'll believe a mandatory when I see it.

[Onetimeonly]

I was huge on Russell. Too much talking now, he'll fight someone nobody cares about next may and start talking about fights we want next April.

[Cent0089]

After he was dismantled by Lomachenko i did not expect much from him. But defeating Diaz is solid accomplishment. He has probably one of the fastest hands in boxing I think he should focus to get major fight in 126 lbs in 2019 after Martinez.