Gary Russell: WBC Naming Franchise Champs Manipulates, Hides Fighters

[Ruthless-RKO]

Gary Russell Jr. has proudly represented the WBC for nearly five years as its featherweight champion.

He considers the Mexico City-based sanctioning organization’s championships the most prestigious in boxing, more so than those of the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO. Russell still completely disagrees with the WBC’s new practice of reclassifying existing world champions as “franchise” champions.

The 31-year-old Russell considers crowning franchise champions a way to allow them to avoid making mandatory title defenses, obligations Russell himself has never attempted to circumvent. Whereas Canelo Alvarez and Vasiliy Lomachenko were elevated to WBC franchise champions in the middleweight and lightweight divisions, respectively, Russell made another high-risk, low-reward, mandated defense of his 126-pound championship against Tugstsogt Nyambayar on Saturday night at PPL Center.

“I think that’s a way to manipulate and politics is playing a big part in that,” Russell told a group of reporters when asked about franchise champions following his victory over Nyambayar. “I think that’s a way of hiding fighters and allow fighters to pick and choose who they wanna fight, once again. You know, I think the sport of boxing is getting weak.

“You know, it’s not like it used to be back in the day. A lot of the fighters were willing to fight. Like I say, I’m a true man, at the end of the day. Any fighter say they wanna fight me, they need to put they hands up when they see me. It’s time to rumble.”

[Stuarty]

Says the guy who fights once a year and holds his title hostage.....

[Ruthless-RKO]

Says the guy who fights once a year and holds his title hostage.....

He always mentions names, he probably expects Al to make the fights. The fact that the LSC fight has not happened and they both are under PBC is a joke.

Russell said he will be moving up. Looks like he still wants to fight.

TBH, Russell only needs to fight once a year, his mandatory. Anything else is voluntary, which could have been LSC.

Also, PBC probably pay him enough for 1 fight per year, that he doesn't wish to fight a second time.

I remember his recent purses, being around $1.7m.. Some boxers don't make that in 3 fights, never mind 2 and he making it in 1.

[Stuarty]

Says the guy who fights once a year and holds his title hostage.....

He always mentions names, he probably expects Al to make the fights. The fact that the LSC fight has not happened and they both are under PBC is a joke.

Russell said he will be moving up. Looks like he still wants to fight.

TBH, Russell only needs to fight once a year, his mandatory. Anything else is voluntary, which could have been LSC.

Also, PBC probably pay him enough for 1 fight per year, that he doesn't wish to fight a second time.

I remember his recent purses, being around $1.7m.. Some boxers don't make that in 3 fights, never mind 2 and he making it in 1.

I think he has Crohn's and that's why he only fights once a year to be fair to him. I just don't like him because of his pish with LSC's old man....

[Stuarty]

Why have all the brothers got the same fuckin name as well? It's strange!

[Ruthless-RKO]

Why have all the brothers got the same fuckin name as well? It's strange!

I think they go off their middle names. It’s common.

Allen
Antonio
Antuanne

Anymore?

[margaret thatcher]

It gives the fighters more power to do that if they want, but if they really are committed to fighting good opponents they still can do it

[Stuarty]

Why have all the brothers got the same fuckin name as well? It's strange!

I think they go off their middle names. It’s common.

Allen
Antonio
Antuanne

Anymore?

I've never heard of that before. It's fuckin daft

[Stuarty]

It gives the fighters more power to do that if they want, but if they really are committed to fighting good opponents they still can do it

So does throwing their pishy belt in the bin and patching their sanctioning fee

[Ruthless-RKO]

It gives the fighters more power to do that if they want, but if they really are committed to fighting good opponents they still can do it

So does throwing their pishy belt in the bin and patching their sanctioning fee

I take it Franchise champions still pay Sanc fees eh

[Stuarty]

So does throwing their pishy belt in the bin and patching their sanctioning fee

I take it Franchise champions still pay Sanc fees eh

Fukk aye mate. Belts are becoming less important nowadays. Maybe one day fighters will start snubbing them and it'll give them all the motivation to get together and form one body or even two!

[Ruthless-RKO]

I take it Franchise champions still pay Sanc fees eh

Fukk aye mate. Belts are becoming less important nowadays. Maybe one day fighters will start snubbing them and it'll give them all the motivation to get together and form one body or even two!

Never. As long as even the IBO title makes you a ‘world’ champion. Boxers will still fight for them. Unfortunately.