WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr (28-1 17KOs) made a statement by stopping Oscar Escandon (25-3 17KOs) as he returned to his native Maryland as he fought at the MGM Grand in Oxon Hill, Maryland to headline a card on Showtime.

Russell Jr. saw himself tested in the first two rounds as Escandon applied game pressure, but the third saw a Russell left hook put Escandon, who recovered, but was never he same. Escandon would have some success in the fourth round, but the accurate punches of Gary Russell were too much as Gary Russell picked up a TKO win in the seventh round in the only fight on this card without any adverse reaction.