There are now two important boxers named Gary Russell.
Gary Antuanne Russell, a younger brother of the long-reigning featherweight champ Gary Russell Jr., turned what was supposed to be a test against Jovanie Santiago into a brutal beat down on the Nordine Oubaali-Nonito Donaire card Saturday in Carson, Calif.
Santiago, who went the distance with Adrien Broner in his previous fight, quit on his stool after the sixth round of the scheduled 10-round junior welterweight fight.
Russell, who has stopped all 14 of his opponents, came out firing at the opening bell and was never really challenged. He fought with controlled aggression, landing precise, hard shots that quickly broke Santiago (14-2-1, 10 KOs) down.
Russell landed a right hook that forced Santiago to take a knee in Round 4 and battered him almost at will thereafter. The former U.S. Olympian delivered a particularly brutal beating in Round 6, which convinced Santiago and his handlers that enough was enough.
Russell, only 24, wasn’t ranked by any of the four major sanctioning bodies going into the fight. You can bet will be soon.