BoxRec

I think Russell is a bit overrated, Gonzalez has a reputation for being inconsistent and has struggled with some unspectacular opponents, his win over Mares was of the type that I can see being dismissed as a fluke, and Russell already had some generous and heavily criticized judging in his favor when he was the home boxer against Lomachenko.

Considering all this I'm not surprised.

Gonzales is just too past it imo Russell is catching him at the right time on top of that his chin is also suspect.

Russell by stoppage in the middle rds but i hope im wrong.

I'm backing Russell to outbox Gonzalez tonight and barring Gary getting tagged then I feel he'll stay on his toes to take it on points

Thats a lil crazy. Russell is in theory a good boxer more than a proven good boxer. He's got a Deontay Wilder resume minus the Bermane W.

Gonzalez may be past it but he still hits like a mule.

I guess they think Russell is too skilled, but all it takes is one shot from a guy like Jhonny.

Just ask Mares...

he gonne get kod

Russell better have an iron chin or he is getting stopped.

i hope Russel gets KTFO

Gonzalez is a guy that runs hot and cold.
Terrific puncher but always has lapses in fights that can cost him. Chin is very ordinary, sometimes fairly shaky.
Thought his defeat to faded underdog Ponce de Leon demonstrated that he's not reliable against the better quality guys.

Russell looks like he may develop into something special. The loss to Lomachenko will only serve to make him a much better fighter. He learned plenty in that bout against an outstanding amateur, and he'll put it to use tonight.

I see Russell using his huge speed advantage to turn this fight into a one-sided rout. A late round KO over the plodding Mexican would be no surprise, but at the least he should win a decisive decision.

The only surprise is that Russell's not a bigger betting favorite.
Right now he's a 9-5 favorite. Oddsmakers have him a +500 to win by KO and even money to win by decision.

The power punching champion is +260 to win by KO and +550 to grab a decision.
The overs/unders line is 9.5 rounds with the overs favored at -250.

SenorPipino wrote:Gonzalez is a guy that runs hot and cold.
Terrific puncher but always has lapses in fights that can cost him. Chin is very ordinary, sometimes fairly shaky.
Thought his defeat to faded underdog Ponce de Leon demonstrated that he's not reliable against the better quality guys.

Russell looks like he may develop into something special. The loss to Lomachenko will only serve to make him a much better fighter. He learned plenty in that bout against an outstanding amateur, and he'll put it to use tonight.

I see Russell using his huge speed advantage to turn this fight into a one-sided rout. A late round KO over the plodding Mexican would be no surprise, but at the least he should win a decisive decision.

The only surprise is that Russell's not a bigger betting favorite.
Right now he's a 9-5 favorite. Oddsmakers have him a +500 to win by KO and even money to win by decision.

The power punching champion is +260 to win by KO and +550 to grab a decision.
The overs/unders line is 9.5 rounds with the overs favored at -250.

I am hoping you are right about the Lomo fight being school.

I just don't trust Russell's chin in this fight and we know Jhonny hits harder.

But, it would be nice to see Gary develop into someone that could be a force, maybe even merit a rematch with Lomachenko someday.

koolkc107 wrote:

SenorPipino wrote:Gonzalez is a guy that runs hot and cold.
Terrific puncher but always has lapses in fights that can cost him. Chin is very ordinary, sometimes fairly shaky.
Thought his defeat to faded underdog Ponce de Leon demonstrated that he's not reliable against the better quality guys.

Russell looks like he may develop into something special. The loss to Lomachenko will only serve to make him a much better fighter. He learned plenty in that bout against an outstanding amateur, and he'll put it to use tonight.

I see Russell using his huge speed advantage to turn this fight into a one-sided rout. A late round KO over the plodding Mexican would be no surprise, but at the least he should win a decisive decision.

The only surprise is that Russell's not a bigger betting favorite.
Right now he's a 9-5 favorite. Oddsmakers have him a +500 to win by KO and even money to win by decision.

The power punching champion is +260 to win by KO and +550 to grab a decision.
The overs/unders line is 9.5 rounds with the overs favored at -250.

I am hoping you are right about the Lomo fight being school.

I just don't trust Russell's chin in this fight and we know Jhonny hits harder.

But, it would be nice to see Gary develop into someone that could be a force, maybe even merit a rematch with Lomachenko someday.

The only problem with Russell was that he was put in too soft his entire career until Lomachenko.

I trust that he'll put that experience to good use tonight, much like Lomachenko improved immeasurably following his defeat to Salido.

Definitely Gonzalez is the much bigger banger, but at the world class level, talent usually wins out over pure power, and Russell is the more talented fighter by far.

Looks like it was spot on!

Russell is special.
If he would have been put in with gradually improving competition during his early career instead of being protected, he would have beaten Lomachenko last year. Russell didn't need any protection. It just hindered his growth.

The Lomachenko bout, along with his destruction of Gonzalez last night, probably makes him the class of the featherweight division.
Would outspeed a dangerous Walters, and thoroughly dominate the ordinary Gradovich.
In a rematch, he takes lessons learned from Fight #1, and overcomes Lomachenko on points.

Would love to see Santa Cruz move up and test him.I think Russell would ace that test.

Along with Terrance Crawford, Russell may be the best young fighter in boxing.


BTW, I wish I was at the sports book in Mexico last night. Could have cleaned up. My amigos there tell me that Gonzalez went in a -160 (8-5) favorite over Russell.
Like all partisans, Mexicans have a tendency to bet with their hearts and not with their heads.

Russell doesn't have anything that the 1-1 Lomachenko didn't handle in their bout. It's much easier for a fighter like Russell to shine against a relatively slow, clumsy, and stiff fighter like Gonzalez than a relatively fluid, fast, and skilled boxer like Lomachenko. Loma took Russell's punches without a problem and had little difficulty coping with the speed that bamboozled Gonzalez, and he also didn't stand rigidly and rarely offer any movement, unlike Gonzalez, who was a very stationary and hittable target.

I don't think what Russell did Saturday automatically means he should rematch Lomo his next fight.

But, another couple of performances like that against top tier competition and the fight will make itself.