Boxing

Put Some Respect On Gary Antuanne Russell’s Name

Gary Antuanne Russell was 2016 U.S. Olympian and is currently 10-0 with 10 knockouts as pro, but has little mainstream fanfare nor is he consistently on television.

Russell, who is trained by his father, Gary Russell Sr., or as most call him “Big G”, is the second-youngest of the six Russell brothers of Capitol Heights, Maryland, who are named after their father with only their middle names differentiating them.

Compassionately nicknamed “The Last” Russell, an homage to him being the last boxing Russell of this generation, Antuanne has not just studied the boxing game, but also his brother’s, Gary Jr. and Antonio Russell, who are currently pro as well.

Antuanne, a methodical southpaw power puncher, has yet to go more than four rounds as a professional despite fighting one undefeated fighter and one veteran with 20 professional bouts.

Antuanne is one of the classic good amateurs turning into a good pro, but also mild-manner and following into the backdrop like his older brother, Gary Jr, who eight years prior was U.S. Olympian in 2008. In short, Antuanne so far is more than keen to let his actions do the talking and it seems like without some larger than life statements, a lot of fans have trouble keeping all the Russell brothers straight.

Antuanne defeated in only his fourth pro fight an undefeated fighter with a similar record to himself in Keasen Freeman at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York stopping him in two rounds, Wilmer Rodriguez, a nine-win and two-loss professional fighter whom he stopped at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland in one round and this May defeated Marcos Mojica, a twenty-plus fight pro, who only lasted four rounds with him.

On top of all of this, Antuanne didn’t medal at the Olympic due to a split decision loss to feature 2016 gold medalist Fazliddin Gaibnazarov, who then signed with Top Rank Inc, and recently lost.

The only wonder is – will Antuanne Russell move slowly like his brother, Gary Jr., notoriously did, or will step-up may be too soon like nearly every American amateur from this last Olympic crop did barring a few fighters?

Time will tell, but Russell needs more respect in the 140 lbs division.

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Lukie Ketelle

Lukie Ketelle