Tag: Gary Antuanne Russell

Who’s the best? Ranking the top fighters in the deep 140-pound division

Who’s the best? Ranking the top fighters in the deep 140-pound division.

The junior welterweight division is one of the deepest in boxing, with no fewer than nine elite champions or contenders.

Two of them – two-time titleholder Regis Prograis and 140-pound newcomer Devin Haney – are scheduled to face off on pay-per-view Saturday night from Chase Center in San Francisco, and more such matchups are on the horizon

Who’s the best of the bunch?

Boxing Junkie took a look at the top 140-pounders and selected the nine best for this special feature, ranking them in order of where they stand among their peers at the moment.

Note: This list is not based solely on accomplishments at 140 pounds. Victories at other weights and perceived ability also factored into our ranking.

Also, Gervonta Davis, who defeated two fighters on our list, is not included because he is campaigning at 135. And Josh Taylor, who also has taken down two men here, was not considered because he has moved up to 147.

Here’s the list.

 

  1. TEOFIMO LOPEZ (19-1, 13 KOs)

Key victories: Richard Commey TKO 2, Dec. 14, 2019 (135 pounds); Vasiliy Lomachenko UD Oct. 17, 2020 (135); and Josh Taylor UD June 10, 2023 (140).

Losses: George Kambosos Jr. SD Nov. 27, 2021 (135).

Plusses: Lopez is an exceptional all-around fighter when he’s at his best, as he demonstrated most recently in a convincing decision over Taylor to win a 140-pound title in June. He’s gifted (speed, explosiveness, power) and skillful, which was evident in his breakthrough win over Lomachenko.

Minuses: Inconsistency. He went down and generally struggled against less-talented Kambosos, losing a split decision and his 135-pouind titles. He fought with a dangerous condition in which air was present between his lungs. He also gave a so-so performance against Sandor Martin last December, winning a split decision.

 

  1. DEVIN HANEY (30-0, 15 KOs)

Key victories: Jorge Linares UD May 29, 2021 (135); Joseph Diaz Jr. UD Dec. 4, 2021 (135); George Kambosos Jr. I UD June 5, 2022 (135); Kambosos Jr. II UD Oct. 16, 2022 (135); Vasiliy Lomachenko UD May 20, 2023 (135).

Losses: None

Plusses: The former undisputed 135-pound champion is the best technician in the division, a product of his impressive natural gifts and extensive amateur career. He arguably has the strongest resume here, with a series of important victories (see above). And, at 25, he probably is just entering his prime.

Minuses: Haney is tall (5-foot-8) and has fought at 135 his entire career, which means he should have no trouble transitioning into a new division. However, the fact is that he’s making his 140-pound debut on Saturday. We’ll see how he looks. And he’s a light puncher. His last seven victories have come by decision.

 

  1. REGIS PROGRAIS (29-1, 24 KOs)

Key victories: Kiryl Relikh TKO 6 April 27, 2019 (140); Jose Zepeda KO 11 Nov. 26, 2022 (140).

Losses: Josh Taylor MD Oct. 26, 2019 (140).

Plusses: Prograis does everything well. He’s quick and athletic, he can box and he has power, as his knockout percentage (83%) indicates. He lost to a peak Taylor but essentially fought him on even terms in a close fight. He performed as well a ever in his title-winning KO of Zepeda.

Minuses: He did lose his biggest fight, against Taylor. His best victory (Zepeda) probably carries less weight than the biggest wins of others on this list. And Prograis, at 34, is the oldest member of this group. That means his meeting with Haney is particularly important for his career.

 

  1. GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL (17-0, 17 KOs)

Key victories: Viktor Postol KO 10 Feb. 26, 2022 (140); Rances Barthelemy TKO 6 July 30, 2022 (140)

Losses: None

Plusses: Russell could end up on the top of this list. He seems to have it all, boxing ability, one-punch knockout power and fighting spirit. The fact he has stopped all 17 of his opponents – including a few established contenders – is striking. He can be hit but that’s due in part to his appealing aggressiveness.

Minuses: His victories over a still-capable Postol and Barthelemy demonstrated that he can win at a high level but we still don’t know how he will do against top-level opposition. Thus, the jury is still out on Russell. His aggressiveness could lead to trouble against a big puncher.

 

  1. SUBRIEL MATIAS (20-1, 20 KOs)

Key victories: Jeremias Ponce KO 5 Feb. 25, 2023; Shohjahon Ergashev KO 6 Nov. 25, 2023 (140)

Losses: Petros Ananyan UD Feb. 22, 2020 (140)

Plusses: The 31-year-old Puerto Rican is a seek-and-destroy offensive machine. He walks down his opponents, beats them up and, as his knockout record demonstrates, he has the power to end fights early. His last five opponents have quit in their corners, a testament to his destructive ability.

Minuses: Matias slipped up in his first fight with Ananyan, which he lost by decision. Can he lose focus? He says it was a wake-up call. He can be hit. How would that go against someone like Ryan Garcia? And we should probably wait until he beats a top-tier opponent before we label him the next Felix Trinidad.

 

  1. JOSE RAMIREZ (28-1, 18 KOs)

Key victories: Amir Imam UD March 17, 2018 (140); Jose Zepeda MD Feb. 10, 2019 (140); Viktor Postol MD Aug. 29, 2020 (140); Jose Pedraza UD 12 March 4, 2022 (140); Richard Commey KO 11 March 25, 2020 (140)

Losses: Josh Taylor UD May 22, 2021 (140)

Plusses: Ramirez is sort of the forgotten man. The 2012 U.S. Olympian arguably has the deepest professional resume of anyone here. He’s solid across the board. He can box, he has power and he has durability. He went down twice against Taylor but otherwise fought the Scot on roughly even terms.

Minuses: Inconsistency. He looks good in some victories (Pedraza and Commey) and not-so-good in others (Zepeda and Postol). He’s a capable technician, the result of his amateur foundation. However, he’s not particularly quick or athletic.

 

  1. RYAN GARCIA (24-1, 20 KOs)

Key victories: Luke Campbell TKO 7 Jan. 2, 2021 (135); Javier Fortuna KO 6 July 16, 2022 (140)

Losses: Gervonta Davis KO 7 April 22, 2023 (136)

Plusses: Garcia has been blessed with elite natural tools, including his unusual hand speed and one-punch KO power. He’s also a well-schooled boxer, the product of an extensive and successful amateur career. He has two weighty victories. And he’s the most popular fighter here given his massive social media following.

Minuses: Garcia is a capable technician – he’s adept at landing his power punches, for example – but he isn’t a boxing wizard, which we saw in his comeback victory over Oscar Duarte on Dec. 2. And jumping from one trainer to another and ongoing problems with his handlers can be counterproductive.

 

  1. ROLANDO ROMERO (15-1, 13 KOs)

Key victories: Jackson Marinez UD Aug. 15, 2020 (135); Ismael Barroso TKO 9 May 13, 2023 (140)

Losses: Gervonta Davis TKO 6 May 28, 2022 (135)

Plusses: Romero is solid across the board. He’s a decent boxer given his lack of a substantive amateur background and only 16 professional fights, and he has heavy hands, which is evident in his knockout record. And the experience gleaned from his setback against Davis will have helped him going forward.

Minuses: Romero is raw in terms of his skill set compared to the others on this list. He also has one of the weakest resumes, including the loss to Davis. He has been good and powerful enough to get past second-tier opponents. We’ll see how he does in his next fight against an elite opponent.

 

  1. RICHARDSON HITCHINS (17-0, 7 KOs)

Key victories: Argenis Mendez SD Dec. 12, 2020 (140); Malik Hawkins UD Dec. 18, 2021 (147); Jose Zepeda UD Sept. 23, 2023 (140)

Losses: None

Plusses: Hitchins, a New Yorker who represented Haiti in the 2016 Olympics, is a terrific boxer with impressive natural gifts, including unusual quickness. His near-shutout victory over capable veteran Zepeda in his most recent fight was an eye-opener. The 26-year-old is on an upward trajectory.

Minuses: He’s still in the process of proving himself against top-level opposition, as is the case with several others here. He doesn’t have fight-changing punching power, although he has forced several opponents to retire the past several years.

Who’s the best? Ranking the top fighters in the deep 140-pound division

Who’s the best? Ranking the top fighters in the deep 140-pound division.

The junior welterweight division is one of the deepest in boxing, with no fewer than nine elite champions or contenders.

Two of them – two-time titleholder Regis Prograis and 140-pound newcomer Devin Haney – are scheduled to face off on pay-per-view Saturday night from Chase Center in San Francisco, and more such matchups are on the horizon

Who’s the best of the bunch?

Boxing Junkie took a look at the top 140-pounders and selected the nine best for this special feature, ranking them in order of where they stand among their peers at the moment.

Note: This list is not based solely on accomplishments at 140 pounds. Victories at other weights and perceived ability also factored into our ranking.

Also, Gervonta Davis, who defeated two fighters on our list, is not included because he is campaigning at 135. And Josh Taylor, who also has taken down two men here, was not considered because he has moved up to 147.

Here’s the list.

 

  1. TEOFIMO LOPEZ (19-1, 13 KOs)

Key victories: Richard Commey TKO 2, Dec. 14, 2019 (135 pounds); Vasiliy Lomachenko UD Oct. 17, 2020 (135); and Josh Taylor UD June 10, 2023 (140).

Losses: George Kambosos Jr. SD Nov. 27, 2021 (135).

Plusses: Lopez is an exceptional all-around fighter when he’s at his best, as he demonstrated most recently in a convincing decision over Taylor to win a 140-pound title in June. He’s gifted (speed, explosiveness, power) and skillful, which was evident in his breakthrough win over Lomachenko.

Minuses: Inconsistency. He went down and generally struggled against less-talented Kambosos, losing a split decision and his 135-pouind titles. He fought with a dangerous condition in which air was present between his lungs. He also gave a so-so performance against Sandor Martin last December, winning a split decision.

 

  1. DEVIN HANEY (30-0, 15 KOs)

Key victories: Jorge Linares UD May 29, 2021 (135); Joseph Diaz Jr. UD Dec. 4, 2021 (135); George Kambosos Jr. I UD June 5, 2022 (135); Kambosos Jr. II UD Oct. 16, 2022 (135); Vasiliy Lomachenko UD May 20, 2023 (135).

Losses: None

Plusses: The former undisputed 135-pound champion is the best technician in the division, a product of his impressive natural gifts and extensive amateur career. He arguably has the strongest resume here, with a series of important victories (see above). And, at 25, he probably is just entering his prime.

Minuses: Haney is tall (5-foot-8) and has fought at 135 his entire career, which means he should have no trouble transitioning into a new division. However, the fact is that he’s making his 140-pound debut on Saturday. We’ll see how he looks. And he’s a light puncher. His last seven victories have come by decision.

 

  1. REGIS PROGRAIS (29-1, 24 KOs)

Key victories: Kiryl Relikh TKO 6 April 27, 2019 (140); Jose Zepeda KO 11 Nov. 26, 2022 (140).

Losses: Josh Taylor MD Oct. 26, 2019 (140).

Plusses: Prograis does everything well. He’s quick and athletic, he can box and he has power, as his knockout percentage (83%) indicates. He lost to a peak Taylor but essentially fought him on even terms in a close fight. He performed as well a ever in his title-winning KO of Zepeda.

Minuses: He did lose his biggest fight, against Taylor. His best victory (Zepeda) probably carries less weight than the biggest wins of others on this list. And Prograis, at 34, is the oldest member of this group. That means his meeting with Haney is particularly important for his career.

 

  1. GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL (17-0, 17 KOs)

Key victories: Viktor Postol KO 10 Feb. 26, 2022 (140); Rances Barthelemy TKO 6 July 30, 2022 (140)

Losses: None

Plusses: Russell could end up on the top of this list. He seems to have it all, boxing ability, one-punch knockout power and fighting spirit. The fact he has stopped all 17 of his opponents – including a few established contenders – is striking. He can be hit but that’s due in part to his appealing aggressiveness.

Minuses: His victories over a still-capable Postol and Barthelemy demonstrated that he can win at a high level but we still don’t know how he will do against top-level opposition. Thus, the jury is still out on Russell. His aggressiveness could lead to trouble against a big puncher.

 

  1. SUBRIEL MATIAS (20-1, 20 KOs)

Key victories: Jeremias Ponce KO 5 Feb. 25, 2023; Shohjahon Ergashev KO 6 Nov. 25, 2023 (140)

Losses: Petros Ananyan UD Feb. 22, 2020 (140)

Plusses: The 31-year-old Puerto Rican is a seek-and-destroy offensive machine. He walks down his opponents, beats them up and, as his knockout record demonstrates, he has the power to end fights early. His last five opponents have quit in their corners, a testament to his destructive ability.

Minuses: Matias slipped up in his first fight with Ananyan, which he lost by decision. Can he lose focus? He says it was a wake-up call. He can be hit. How would that go against someone like Ryan Garcia? And we should probably wait until he beats a top-tier opponent before we label him the next Felix Trinidad.

 

  1. JOSE RAMIREZ (28-1, 18 KOs)

Key victories: Amir Imam UD March 17, 2018 (140); Jose Zepeda MD Feb. 10, 2019 (140); Viktor Postol MD Aug. 29, 2020 (140); Jose Pedraza UD 12 March 4, 2022 (140); Richard Commey KO 11 March 25, 2020 (140)

Losses: Josh Taylor UD May 22, 2021 (140)

Plusses: Ramirez is sort of the forgotten man. The 2012 U.S. Olympian arguably has the deepest professional resume of anyone here. He’s solid across the board. He can box, he has power and he has durability. He went down twice against Taylor but otherwise fought the Scot on roughly even terms.

Minuses: Inconsistency. He looks good in some victories (Pedraza and Commey) and not-so-good in others (Zepeda and Postol). He’s a capable technician, the result of his amateur foundation. However, he’s not particularly quick or athletic.

 

  1. RYAN GARCIA (24-1, 20 KOs)

Key victories: Luke Campbell TKO 7 Jan. 2, 2021 (135); Javier Fortuna KO 6 July 16, 2022 (140)

Losses: Gervonta Davis KO 7 April 22, 2023 (136)

Plusses: Garcia has been blessed with elite natural tools, including his unusual hand speed and one-punch KO power. He’s also a well-schooled boxer, the product of an extensive and successful amateur career. He has two weighty victories. And he’s the most popular fighter here given his massive social media following.

Minuses: Garcia is a capable technician – he’s adept at landing his power punches, for example – but he isn’t a boxing wizard, which we saw in his comeback victory over Oscar Duarte on Dec. 2. And jumping from one trainer to another and ongoing problems with his handlers can be counterproductive.

 

  1. ROLANDO ROMERO (15-1, 13 KOs)

Key victories: Jackson Marinez UD Aug. 15, 2020 (135); Ismael Barroso TKO 9 May 13, 2023 (140)

Losses: Gervonta Davis TKO 6 May 28, 2022 (135)

Plusses: Romero is solid across the board. He’s a decent boxer given his lack of a substantive amateur background and only 16 professional fights, and he has heavy hands, which is evident in his knockout record. And the experience gleaned from his setback against Davis will have helped him going forward.

Minuses: Romero is raw in terms of his skill set compared to the others on this list. He also has one of the weakest resumes, including the loss to Davis. He has been good and powerful enough to get past second-tier opponents. We’ll see how he does in his next fight against an elite opponent.

 

  1. RICHARDSON HITCHINS (17-0, 7 KOs)

Key victories: Argenis Mendez SD Dec. 12, 2020 (140); Malik Hawkins UD Dec. 18, 2021 (147); Jose Zepeda UD Sept. 23, 2023 (140)

Losses: None

Plusses: Hitchins, a New Yorker who represented Haiti in the 2016 Olympics, is a terrific boxer with impressive natural gifts, including unusual quickness. His near-shutout victory over capable veteran Zepeda in his most recent fight was an eye-opener. The 26-year-old is on an upward trajectory.

Minuses: He’s still in the process of proving himself against top-level opposition, as is the case with several others here. He doesn’t have fight-changing punching power, although he has forced several opponents to retire the past several years.

Weekend Review: Anthony Joshua looked so-so before dramatic knockout

A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Anthony Joshua A spectacular knockout can mask problems. It’s difficult to be too critical of Joshua, who ended his fight against Robert Helenius with a monstrous right hand in the seventh …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Anthony Joshua

A spectacular knockout can mask problems. It’s difficult to be too critical of Joshua, who ended his fight against Robert Helenius with a monstrous right hand in the seventh round Saturday in London. That’s what he hoped to do, let the world know in dramatic fashion that he remains a heavyweight to be reckoned with. And his assessment of how the fight unfolded made some sense. He needed some time to figure out an opponent who took the fight on less than a week’s notice. He had good reason to be pleased afterward. It was before the knockout that the former champion, working with trainer Derrick James for a second time, still looked like a work in progress. He controlled the fight with his jab and power punches here and there but was hesitant to fully commit himself until he the perfect opportunity presented himself, making it seem as if he still doesn’t believe in himself wholeheartedly. Promoter Eddie Hearn described Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) as a mature heavyweight. I think he still has his first fight with Andy Ruiz Jr. in his head, which isn’t good with potential fights against Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury on the horizon. We might never see the earlier version of Joshua again.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Emanuel Navarrete

The WBO 130-pound champion had quietly become one of the most consistent fighters in the world over the past five years, remaining unbeaten since 2012 and collecting major titles in three divisions. The only missing ingredient was a victory over an elite opponent. Now he has that. And he got it done in emphatic fashion against Oscar Valdez on Saturday outside Phoenix. His awkward, swarming style was as difficult for Valdez to handle as it has been for others, as Navarrete, who fights like an angry octopus, threw more than 1,000 punches from all sorts of angles to win a one-sided decision. Valdez, a former two-division champion, had some good moments but failed to hurt Navarrete and couldn’t hope to keep pace with him. And Navarrete fought with an injured lead hand from the middle rounds on, making his performance even more special. Next up for the winner? He and his team could choose to seek unification against one of the other champions, Joseph Cordina (IBF), Hector Luis Garcia (WBA) and O’Shaquie Foster (WBC). Or he could target one of the big names at 135 if he dares. Navarrete probably wouldn’t beat the likes of Shakur Stevenson or Gervonta Davis but you can bet he’d make anyone’s life miserable for a while.

 

BIGGEST WINNER III
Emmanuel Rodriguez

The slick Puerto Rican seemed to have reached his ceiling as a relevant fighter when he lost the IBF 118-pound title to Naoya Inoue by a brutal knockout and then ended up on the wrong end of a disputed decision against Reymart Gaballo in 2019 and 2020. Rodriguez had other ideas. Not only did he bounce back from a difficult stretch, he’s better than ever. At least that appeared to be the case on Saturday, when he dominated an overmatched Melvin Lopez (29-2, 19 KOs) to win a shutout decision and regain the belt he lost to Inoue. That followed victories over Roberto Cantu and Gary Antonio Russell, giving him three consecutive victories that leave little doubt about his ability. Rodriguez might be exactly what he says he is: the best bantamweight in the world. The only criticism I have of his performance on Saturday – and I’m quibbling to some degree – is that he could’ve knocked out Lopez (29-2, 19 KOs), who went down three times in the 12th and final round but survived to hear the final bell. Rodriguez (22-2, 13 KOs) needed to shift into a higher gear earlier in the fight to get a stoppage, which would’ve been a stronger statement. However, he waited until it was too late. That’s something for him to work on.

 

BIGGEST LOSER
Oscar Valdez

Oscar Valdez (left) has lost two of his last three fights. Mikey Williams / Top Rank Inc via Getty Images

Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) obviously is a capable fighter. You don’t win major titles in two divisions, as he has, if you don’t know what you’re doing. The problem for Valdez is that he doesn’t appear to have enough ability to compete with either a technical wizard like Shakur Stevenson or an elite brawler like Navarrete, both of whom defeated him handily. Valdez can still beat solid, second-tier opponents. And who knows? He could become a titleholder again against the right foe. I’m guessing that’s not how Valdez sees himself, though. I believe he sees himself as a pound-for-pounder, a coveted status he tasted on some lists after he knocked out the feared, but limited Miguel Berchelt in February 2021. I doubt he can get back there based on his performances against Stevenson and Navarrete. Again, though, he’s capable. In fact, he appeared against Navarrete to be more skillful – particularly in terms of defense – than he has ever been in spite of lopsided scorecards and a gruesome swollen right eye. The passion to succeed is there. And, finally, he’s only 32. Perhaps we shouldn’t write him off just yet.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Joshua’s post-fight interview might be further evidence of his mental vulnerability. He was asked about public criticism and responded, “People need to leave me alone. I do what I want. This is my time in this ring. Let me breathe a bit and let me keep doing what I do.” Leave me alone? Joshua is a top athlete and public figure. Criticism is part of the deal when you’re in that position. He has become wealthy in part because fans have lain out their hard-earned money to pay the exorbitant pay-per-view fees required to watch him fight. They have a right to say whatever they want. Joshua needs toughen up, in and out of the ring. … Joshua is expected to fight Deontay Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) late this year or early next year, although no deal is in place. A few years ago, before Joshua’s loss to Ruiz, I would’ve picked him to beat Wilder because of his super boxing ability and formidable power. Today I would lean toward Wilder. Joshua remains the better technician but Wilder is a solid boxer, might be the hardest punching boxer ever and has 10 times the mental toughness of Joshua. I wouldn’t be shocked if Joshua wins a decision by boxing carefully but I think Wilder would catch him and end the fight early. Joshua vs. Tyson Fury? Forget it. Fury is much too good for his British rival. …

Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) maintained his perfect record and knockout streak by stopping overmatched Kent Cruz (16-1-3, 10 KOs) in less than a full round. The 140-pound contender is ready for the best in the division, including titleholders Subriel Matias (IBF), Rolando Romero (WBA), Regis Prograis (WBC) and Teofimo Lopez (WBO). How would Russell fare against that level of opposition? I see Russell as a complete fighter with elite punching power. I’m guessing that he can compete with anyone. … You gotta love longtime heavyweight contender Derek Chisora (34-13, 23 KOs), who outpointed Gerald Washington on the Joshua-Helenius card. The 39-year-old Londoner had lost four of his previous five fights but fought hard and with confidence to pump life into his career. It’s no wonder he’s a fan favorite. Washington (20-6-1, 13 KOs) isn’t the type to give up on himself but he has lost his last three fights and six of his last eight. Plus, he’s 41. Retirement might be his smartest move.

[lawrence-related id=38543,38534,38528,38506,38502,38499,38484]

Weekend Review: Anthony Joshua looked so-so before dramatic knockout

A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Anthony Joshua A spectacular knockout can mask problems. It’s difficult to be too critical of Joshua, who ended his fight against Robert Helenius with a monstrous right hand in the seventh …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Anthony Joshua

A spectacular knockout can mask problems. It’s difficult to be too critical of Joshua, who ended his fight against Robert Helenius with a monstrous right hand in the seventh round Saturday in London. That’s what he hoped to do, let the world know in dramatic fashion that he remains a heavyweight to be reckoned with. And his assessment of how the fight unfolded made some sense. He needed some time to figure out an opponent who took the fight on less than a week’s notice. He had good reason to be pleased afterward. It was before the knockout that the former champion, working with trainer Derrick James for a second time, still looked like a work in progress. He controlled the fight with his jab and power punches here and there but was hesitant to fully commit himself until he the perfect opportunity presented himself, making it seem as if he still doesn’t believe in himself wholeheartedly. Promoter Eddie Hearn described Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) as a mature heavyweight. I think he still has his first fight with Andy Ruiz Jr. in his head, which isn’t good with potential fights against Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury on the horizon. We might never see the earlier version of Joshua again.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Emanuel Navarrete

The WBO 130-pound champion had quietly become one of the most consistent fighters in the world over the past five years, remaining unbeaten since 2012 and collecting major titles in three divisions. The only missing ingredient was a victory over an elite opponent. Now he has that. And he got it done in emphatic fashion against Oscar Valdez on Saturday outside Phoenix. His awkward, swarming style was as difficult for Valdez to handle as it has been for others, as Navarrete, who fights like an angry octopus, threw more than 1,000 punches from all sorts of angles to win a one-sided decision. Valdez, a former two-division champion, had some good moments but failed to hurt Navarrete and couldn’t hope to keep pace with him. And Navarrete fought with an injured lead hand from the middle rounds on, making his performance even more special. Next up for the winner? He and his team could choose to seek unification against one of the other champions, Joseph Cordina (IBF), Hector Luis Garcia (WBA) and O’Shaquie Foster (WBC). Or he could target one of the big names at 135 if he dares. Navarrete probably wouldn’t beat the likes of Shakur Stevenson or Gervonta Davis but you can bet he’d make anyone’s life miserable for a while.

 

BIGGEST WINNER III
Emmanuel Rodriguez

The slick Puerto Rican seemed to have reached his ceiling as a relevant fighter when he lost the IBF 118-pound title to Naoya Inoue by a brutal knockout and then ended up on the wrong end of a disputed decision against Reymart Gaballo in 2019 and 2020. Rodriguez had other ideas. Not only did he bounce back from a difficult stretch, he’s better than ever. At least that appeared to be the case on Saturday, when he dominated an overmatched Melvin Lopez (29-2, 19 KOs) to win a shutout decision and regain the belt he lost to Inoue. That followed victories over Roberto Cantu and Gary Antonio Russell, giving him three consecutive victories that leave little doubt about his ability. Rodriguez might be exactly what he says he is: the best bantamweight in the world. The only criticism I have of his performance on Saturday – and I’m quibbling to some degree – is that he could’ve knocked out Lopez (29-2, 19 KOs), who went down three times in the 12th and final round but survived to hear the final bell. Rodriguez (22-2, 13 KOs) needed to shift into a higher gear earlier in the fight to get a stoppage, which would’ve been a stronger statement. However, he waited until it was too late. That’s something for him to work on.

 

BIGGEST LOSER
Oscar Valdez

Oscar Valdez (left) has lost two of his last three fights. Mikey Williams / Top Rank Inc via Getty Images

Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) obviously is a capable fighter. You don’t win major titles in two divisions, as he has, if you don’t know what you’re doing. The problem for Valdez is that he doesn’t appear to have enough ability to compete with either a technical wizard like Shakur Stevenson or an elite brawler like Navarrete, both of whom defeated him handily. Valdez can still beat solid, second-tier opponents. And who knows? He could become a titleholder again against the right foe. I’m guessing that’s not how Valdez sees himself, though. I believe he sees himself as a pound-for-pounder, a coveted status he tasted on some lists after he knocked out the feared, but limited Miguel Berchelt in February 2021. I doubt he can get back there based on his performances against Stevenson and Navarrete. Again, though, he’s capable. In fact, he appeared against Navarrete to be more skillful – particularly in terms of defense – than he has ever been in spite of lopsided scorecards and a gruesome swollen right eye. The passion to succeed is there. And, finally, he’s only 32. Perhaps we shouldn’t write him off just yet.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Joshua’s post-fight interview might be further evidence of his mental vulnerability. He was asked about public criticism and responded, “People need to leave me alone. I do what I want. This is my time in this ring. Let me breathe a bit and let me keep doing what I do.” Leave me alone? Joshua is a top athlete and public figure. Criticism is part of the deal when you’re in that position. He has become wealthy in part because fans have lain out their hard-earned money to pay the exorbitant pay-per-view fees required to watch him fight. They have a right to say whatever they want. Joshua needs toughen up, in and out of the ring. … Joshua is expected to fight Deontay Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) late this year or early next year, although no deal is in place. A few years ago, before Joshua’s loss to Ruiz, I would’ve picked him to beat Wilder because of his super boxing ability and formidable power. Today I would lean toward Wilder. Joshua remains the better technician but Wilder is a solid boxer, might be the hardest punching boxer ever and has 10 times the mental toughness of Joshua. I wouldn’t be shocked if Joshua wins a decision by boxing carefully but I think Wilder would catch him and end the fight early. Joshua vs. Tyson Fury? Forget it. Fury is much too good for his British rival. …

Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) maintained his perfect record and knockout streak by stopping overmatched Kent Cruz (16-1-3, 10 KOs) in less than a full round. The 140-pound contender is ready for the best in the division, including titleholders Subriel Matias (IBF), Rolando Romero (WBA), Regis Prograis (WBC) and Teofimo Lopez (WBO). How would Russell fare against that level of opposition? I see Russell as a complete fighter with elite punching power. I’m guessing that he can compete with anyone. … You gotta love longtime heavyweight contender Derek Chisora (34-13, 23 KOs), who outpointed Gerald Washington on the Joshua-Helenius card. The 39-year-old Londoner had lost four of his previous five fights but fought hard and with confidence to pump life into his career. It’s no wonder he’s a fan favorite. Washington (20-6-1, 13 KOs) isn’t the type to give up on himself but he has lost his last three fights and six of his last eight. Plus, he’s 41. Retirement might be his smartest move.

[lawrence-related id=38543,38534,38528,38506,38502,38499,38484]

Gary Antuanne Russell drops Kent Cruz twice, stops him in first round

Gary Antuanne Russell dropped Kent Cruz twice and stopped him in the first round on the Emmanuel Rodriguez-Melvin Lopez card Saturday.

Gary Antuanne Russell didn’t need much time to keep his knockout streak alive.

The 140-pound contender stopped overmatched Kent Cruz at 2:39 of the opening round of a scheduled 10-rounder on the Emmanuel Rodriguez-Melvin Lopez card Saturday in the Washington, D.C. area, where Russell is from.

Cruz (16-1-3, 10 KOs) came in 2½ pounds overweight — Russell weighed 138½ — but the added bulk certainly didn’t help the St. Louis fighter.

The beginning of the end came midway through the round, when Cruz, apparently preoccupied with what he thought was a clash of heads, was hit with a series of shots and hit the canvas.

Cruz was able to get up but soon went down again from a left to the body and was counted out.

Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) now has eight first-round knockouts.

“I saw the opening and I took it,” Russell said. He went on: “Like I said before, I wasn’t shooting for the knockout streak, but that’s just what happened during a minute and a half worth of work tonight. If the opportunity is there, why not take it?”

He’s ranked No. 2 by the WBC, meaning his first shot at a world title is on the horizon if he continues to win.

In an earlier bout, welterweight prospect Travon Marshall (8-1, 7 KOs) was knocked out by underdog Gabriel Maestre (6-0-1, 5 KOs) in the second round of a scheduled 10-round bout.

Gary Antuanne Russell drops Kent Cruz twice, stops him in first round

Gary Antuanne Russell dropped Kent Cruz twice and stopped him in the first round on the Emmanuel Rodriguez-Melvin Lopez card Saturday.

Gary Antuanne Russell didn’t need much time to keep his knockout streak alive.

The 140-pound contender stopped overmatched Kent Cruz at 2:39 of the opening round of a scheduled 10-rounder on the Emmanuel Rodriguez-Melvin Lopez card Saturday in the Washington, D.C. area, where Russell is from.

Cruz (16-1-3, 10 KOs) came in 2½ pounds overweight — Russell weighed 138½ — but the added bulk certainly didn’t help the St. Louis fighter.

The beginning of the end came midway through the round, when Cruz, apparently preoccupied with what he thought was a clash of heads, was hit with a series of shots and hit the canvas.

Cruz was able to get up but soon went down again from a left to the body and was counted out.

Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) now has eight first-round knockouts.

“I saw the opening and I took it,” Russell said. He went on: “Like I said before, I wasn’t shooting for the knockout streak, but that’s just what happened during a minute and a half worth of work tonight. If the opportunity is there, why not take it?”

He’s ranked No. 2 by the WBC, meaning his first shot at a world title is on the horizon if he continues to win.

In an earlier bout, welterweight prospect Travon Marshall (8-1, 7 KOs) was knocked out by underdog Gabriel Maestre (6-0-1, 5 KOs) in the second round of a scheduled 10-round bout.

Good, bad, worse: Ryan Garcia right about diluted titles, rogue judge can’t spoil Danny Garcia’s night

Good, bad, worse: Ryan Garcia is right about diluted titles. Meanwhile, a rogue judge can’t spoil Danny Garcia’s night in Brooklyn.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

Photo by Tom Dulat / Getty Images

Don’t listen to representatives of the sanctioning bodies defending their championship policies after they were criticized by Ryan Garcia.

The junior welterweight contender said that your opponent is more important than increasingly meaningless title belts, which couldn’t be more true. And he should be applauded for stating the obvious because too few do.

This isn’t complicated. There are 68 champions if you accept the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO as the major organizations and allow them one champion in each of the 17 divisions, 69 if you count the WBC’s new bridgerweight weight class. That number gets much bigger if you count secondary titles, which many are willing to do.

Eighty world champions? Ninety? The sanctioning bodies, who charge hefty fees for their precious belts, are pulling a fast one on you.

“It’s just, to me, the belts are diluted,” Garcia said in a DAZN interview.

Ya think?

I understand that every boxer dreams of winning shiny championship belts from the time they take up the sport. That’s one reason the titles remain central to the sport. And, of course, the “championships” are used to sell fights, which makes sense.

Still, when all is said and done, they don’t mean much. When we look back on the careers of legendary figures like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard we think of the fighters they defeated more than the belts they collected. And the titles meant more in their day than they do now.

Garcia provided a good example that illustrates my point.

“Me winning championships is gonna just give people more ammo to be like, ‘Oh, Ryan’s this,’” he said. “I don’t care about that. I need to know, in my heart, I beat the guy that I feel is the champion. If I beat Tank Davis, or when I beat Tank Davis, I will feel like a champion, regardless if he has a real belt or not.

“I will feel like a champion because the name carries weight, his name carries weight.”

I hope everyone is listening.

 

BAD

Rances Barthelemy wasn’t pleased when his fight was stopped. Adam Hunger / Getty Images

A controversial stoppage is never good. It diminishes one fighter’s victory and raises the notion that the opposing man or woman might’ve been cheated.

That was the unfortunate scenario at the end of the 140-pound fight between unbeaten Gary Antuanne Russell and veteran Rances Barthelemy on the Garcia-Benavidez card.

The two were engaged in a spirited, back-and-forth fight for five-plus rounds when Russell landed a right hand the side of the Cuban’s head, putting him on the canvas and clearly hurting him.

Barthelemy was able to get to his feet and seemed to be ready to continue yet referee Shada Murdaugh decided Barthelemy couldn’t go on and stopped the fight 50 seconds into Round 6.

Barthelemy (29-2-1, 15 KOs) and his team members passionately protested Murdaugh’s ruling but his decision was final. Russell had his 16h knockout in as many fights.

“This is the most bitter loss of my career,” Barthelemy said. “I’m destroyed. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t Russell’s fault at all. I’m a veteran, and I had been through something like that plenty of times in my career. The referee treated me like a rookie instead of the two-time world champion I am.”

I thought the fight was stopped too early in real time. Barthelemy definitely was buzzed but he seemed to be alert enough to continue after he got up and followed Murdaugh’s order to walk toward him.

I don’t believe the stakes should play a role in such a decision but it was a huge fight for Barthelemy, who, at 36, was hoping to make another run at a world title. A victory would’ve been a big step in that direction for him.

That makes what was arguably a premature stoppage all the more wince-worthy.

However, I don’t want to be too hard on Murdaugh. He stared into Barthelemy’s eyes after the fighter walked toward him and he obviously didn’t like what he saw. My gut tells me to give him the benefit of the doubt.

It’s a shame the fight ended that way. It was a good, competitive battle.

 

WORSE

Danny Garcia couldn’t have been much more dominating in his majority-decision victory over Jose Benavidez Jr. on Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The former two-division titleholder, making his debut at 154 pounds, jabbed beautifully, landed hard, eye-catching combinations and pounded Benavidez’s body from beginning to end. And he was much busier than his foe. According to CompuBox, he outlanded Benavidez in all 12 rounds.

That’s why two judges had Garcia winning, 117-111 (nine rounds to three) and 116-112 (eight to four). I had it 118-110 (10 rounds to two).

The third judge? Waleska Roldan of New York? She somehow had it 114-114. That doesn’t rise to the level of outrageousness of C.J. Ross’ 114-114 score in the Floyd Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez fight in 2013 but it’s not far off.

Roldan actually had Benavidez leading after 11 rounds, meaning Garcia had to win the 12th round to earn a draw on her card.

Garcia said he was taken aback when Jimmy Lennon Jr. announced Roldan’s score before the other two.

“At first I was like, ‘Yo, why are they taking so long with the scorecards?’” he said. “Any time they take long with the scorecards, you know something is wrong. … I’ve been doing this for a while. I was like, ‘Something ain’t right.’ I felt he won three, four [rounds] at the most. I gave him a couple of rounds I thought I let him win.

“But other than that I felt I dominated the fight. I felt like the 117-111 card was the best card. I thought, ‘Damn, ain’t this sort of my hometown, Brooklyn?’”

Ross retired as a judge as a result of the fall out following the Mayweather-Alvarez fight, which I scored 120-108 for Mayweather. I’m not going to suggest Roldan do the same thing but I know some people are thinking exactly that.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

The reason for the cancelation of the Aug. 6 Jake Paul–Hasim Rahman Jr. fight seems clear cut to me: Rahman couldn’t get down to the contracted weight. The fighters agreed to weigh in at no more than 200 pounds the day before the fight and then rehydrate to no more than 215. Rahman’s team then informed Paul that the son of the former heavyweight champion can’t make 200 and wouldn’t fight unless the weigh-in limit was raised to 215. Paul reportedly offered to raise the limit to 205 but Rahman and Co. declined. This appears to be on Rahman. … Benavidez said after his fight with Garcia that he thought he did enough to win but not even he seemed convinced. The brother of super middleweight David Benavidez didn’t win that fight. He did more posturing than punching, which was obvious to two judges and almost everyone else. He didn’t embarrass himself; he gave a solid performance. He simply was outboxed and outworked by a better fighter. That said, I think he can beat some elite opponents if he fights regularly and let’s his hands go more than he did on Saturday. …

Adam Kownacki went from hot heavyweight contender to essentially finished in three fights, two knockout losses to Robert Helenius and a unanimous-decision setback against Ali Eren Demirezen on the Garcia-Benavidez card Saturday. Kownacki (20-3, 15 KOs) performed reasonably well but couldn’t keep pace with Demirezen, who managed to outwork an opponent known for his volume punching. Kownacki said he wants to go out on a victory, meaning he’ll probably face a second-tier opponent before stepping away. Meanwhile, Demirezen (17-1, 12 KOs) took a nice step in his career. The 2016 Olympian from Turkey has won six consecutive fights since he was outpointed by Efe Ajagba in 2019. The 32-year-old is a capable boxer who was in tremendous condition on Saturday. He threw 915 punches, according to CompuBox. That’s a big number for a heavyweight. I don’t know whether Demirezen is destined to win a world title but he clearly is a player in the division.

[lawrence-related id=31850,31847,31844,31811,31798,31796]

Good, bad, worse: Ryan Garcia right about diluted titles, rogue judge can’t spoil Danny Garcia’s night

Good, bad, worse: Ryan Garcia is right about diluted titles. Meanwhile, a rogue judge can’t spoil Danny Garcia’s night in Brooklyn.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

Photo by Tom Dulat / Getty Images

Don’t listen to representatives of the sanctioning bodies defending their championship policies after they were criticized by Ryan Garcia.

The junior welterweight contender said that your opponent is more important than increasingly meaningless title belts, which couldn’t be more true. And he should be applauded for stating the obvious because too few do.

This isn’t complicated. There are 68 champions if you accept the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO as the major organizations and allow them one champion in each of the 17 divisions, 69 if you count the WBC’s new bridgerweight weight class. That number gets much bigger if you count secondary titles, which many are willing to do.

Eighty world champions? Ninety? The sanctioning bodies, who charge hefty fees for their precious belts, are pulling a fast one on you.

“It’s just, to me, the belts are diluted,” Garcia said in a DAZN interview.

Ya think?

I understand that every boxer dreams of winning shiny championship belts from the time they take up the sport. That’s one reason the titles remain central to the sport. And, of course, the “championships” are used to sell fights, which makes sense.

Still, when all is said and done, they don’t mean much. When we look back on the careers of legendary figures like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard we think of the fighters they defeated more than the belts they collected. And the titles meant more in their day than they do now.

Garcia provided a good example that illustrates my point.

“Me winning championships is gonna just give people more ammo to be like, ‘Oh, Ryan’s this,’” he said. “I don’t care about that. I need to know, in my heart, I beat the guy that I feel is the champion. If I beat Tank Davis, or when I beat Tank Davis, I will feel like a champion, regardless if he has a real belt or not.

“I will feel like a champion because the name carries weight, his name carries weight.”

I hope everyone is listening.

 

BAD

Rances Barthelemy wasn’t pleased when his fight was stopped. Adam Hunger / Getty Images

A controversial stoppage is never good. It diminishes one fighter’s victory and raises the notion that the opposing man or woman might’ve been cheated.

That was the unfortunate scenario at the end of the 140-pound fight between unbeaten Gary Antuanne Russell and veteran Rances Barthelemy on the Garcia-Benavidez card.

The two were engaged in a spirited, back-and-forth fight for five-plus rounds when Russell landed a right hand the side of the Cuban’s head, putting him on the canvas and clearly hurting him.

Barthelemy was able to get to his feet and seemed to be ready to continue yet referee Shada Murdaugh decided Barthelemy couldn’t go on and stopped the fight 50 seconds into Round 6.

Barthelemy (29-2-1, 15 KOs) and his team members passionately protested Murdaugh’s ruling but his decision was final. Russell had his 16h knockout in as many fights.

“This is the most bitter loss of my career,” Barthelemy said. “I’m destroyed. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t Russell’s fault at all. I’m a veteran, and I had been through something like that plenty of times in my career. The referee treated me like a rookie instead of the two-time world champion I am.”

I thought the fight was stopped too early in real time. Barthelemy definitely was buzzed but he seemed to be alert enough to continue after he got up and followed Murdaugh’s order to walk toward him.

I don’t believe the stakes should play a role in such a decision but it was a huge fight for Barthelemy, who, at 36, was hoping to make another run at a world title. A victory would’ve been a big step in that direction for him.

That makes what was arguably a premature stoppage all the more wince-worthy.

However, I don’t want to be too hard on Murdaugh. He stared into Barthelemy’s eyes after the fighter walked toward him and he obviously didn’t like what he saw. My gut tells me to give him the benefit of the doubt.

It’s a shame the fight ended that way. It was a good, competitive battle.

 

WORSE

Danny Garcia couldn’t have been much more dominating in his majority-decision victory over Jose Benavidez Jr. on Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The former two-division titleholder, making his debut at 154 pounds, jabbed beautifully, landed hard, eye-catching combinations and pounded Benavidez’s body from beginning to end. And he was much busier than his foe. According to CompuBox, he outlanded Benavidez in all 12 rounds.

That’s why two judges had Garcia winning, 117-111 (nine rounds to three) and 116-112 (eight to four). I had it 118-110 (10 rounds to two).

The third judge? Waleska Roldan of New York? She somehow had it 114-114. That doesn’t rise to the level of outrageousness of C.J. Ross’ 114-114 score in the Floyd Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez fight in 2013 but it’s not far off.

Roldan actually had Benavidez leading after 11 rounds, meaning Garcia had to win the 12th round to earn a draw on her card.

Garcia said he was taken aback when Jimmy Lennon Jr. announced Roldan’s score before the other two.

“At first I was like, ‘Yo, why are they taking so long with the scorecards?’” he said. “Any time they take long with the scorecards, you know something is wrong. … I’ve been doing this for a while. I was like, ‘Something ain’t right.’ I felt he won three, four [rounds] at the most. I gave him a couple of rounds I thought I let him win.

“But other than that I felt I dominated the fight. I felt like the 117-111 card was the best card. I thought, ‘Damn, ain’t this sort of my hometown, Brooklyn?’”

Ross retired as a judge as a result of the fall out following the Mayweather-Alvarez fight, which I scored 120-108 for Mayweather. I’m not going to suggest Roldan do the same thing but I know some people are thinking exactly that.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

The reason for the cancelation of the Aug. 6 Jake Paul–Hasim Rahman Jr. fight seems clear cut to me: Rahman couldn’t get down to the contracted weight. The fighters agreed to weigh in at no more than 200 pounds the day before the fight and then rehydrate to no more than 215. Rahman’s team then informed Paul that the son of the former heavyweight champion can’t make 200 and wouldn’t fight unless the weigh-in limit was raised to 215. Paul reportedly offered to raise the limit to 205 but Rahman and Co. declined. This appears to be on Rahman. … Benavidez said after his fight with Garcia that he thought he did enough to win but not even he seemed convinced. The brother of super middleweight David Benavidez didn’t win that fight. He did more posturing than punching, which was obvious to two judges and almost everyone else. He didn’t embarrass himself; he gave a solid performance. He simply was outboxed and outworked by a better fighter. That said, I think he can beat some elite opponents if he fights regularly and let’s his hands go more than he did on Saturday. …

Adam Kownacki went from hot heavyweight contender to essentially finished in three fights, two knockout losses to Robert Helenius and a unanimous-decision setback against Ali Eren Demirezen on the Garcia-Benavidez card Saturday. Kownacki (20-3, 15 KOs) performed reasonably well but couldn’t keep pace with Demirezen, who managed to outwork an opponent known for his volume punching. Kownacki said he wants to go out on a victory, meaning he’ll probably face a second-tier opponent before stepping away. Meanwhile, Demirezen (17-1, 12 KOs) took a nice step in his career. The 2016 Olympian from Turkey has won six consecutive fights since he was outpointed by Efe Ajagba in 2019. The 32-year-old is a capable boxer who was in tremendous condition on Saturday. He threw 915 punches, according to CompuBox. That’s a big number for a heavyweight. I don’t know whether Demirezen is destined to win a world title but he clearly is a player in the division.

[lawrence-related id=31850,31847,31844,31811,31798,31796]

Photos: Danny Garcia gives vintage performance in victory over Jose Benavidez Jr.

Photos: Danny Garcia gave a vintage performance in a majority decision victory over Jose Benavidez Jr. on Saturday in Brooklyn.

Danny Garcia defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. by a majority decision in his debut at 154 pounds Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Also, Ali Eren Demirezen outpointed Adam Kownacki in a 10-round heavyweight bout. Gary Antuanne Russell stopped Rances Barthelemy in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-round 140-pound bout.

And Sergey Derevyanchenko defeated Joshua Conley by a unanimous decision in a 10-round 160-pound fight.

Here are images from the card. All photos by Adam Hunger of Getty Images.

Gary Antuanne Russell stops Rances Barthelemy in sixth round

Gary Antuanne Russell stopped Rances Barthelemy in the sixth round on the Danny Garcia-Jose Benavidez Jr. card Saturday in Brooklyn, New York.

Gary Antuanne Russell knocked out Rances Barthelemy in the sixth round on the Danny Garcia-Jose Benavidez Jr. card Saturday at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, Russell’s 16th stoppage in as many fights.

The fight was competitive for five rounds, as both fighters had their moments.

Russell took the fight to Barthelemy (20-2-1, 15 KOs) and landed power shots consistently. However, the Cuban kept pace with Russell and had his own success.

The end came suddenly early in Round 6, when Russell landed a right to the temple of Barthelemy, who went down and was hurt.

He was able to get to his feet but referee Shada Murdaugh decided that Barthelemy couldn’t continue and stopped the fight, which drew protests from the loser and his team.

Russell understood Barthelemy’s frustration.

“I know Rances is a high-grade, class athlete and he wanted to continue,” he said. “Emotions were high. Whether we are bruised or beaten, as a warrior, you always want to continue but the referee was doing his job, and if he was allowed to continu,e it would have been the same outcome. I would have gotten him.

“In the sixth round I had him backing up. I knew he was looking for his right cross, and I caught him backing up, and I shot my hook and put him down. He was buzzed but he wanted to keep going. He’s a warrior.”

Barthelemy, 36, is a two-division titleholder. He was hoping to win a belt in a third.

“This is the most bitter loss of my career,” he said. “I’m destroyed. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t Russell’s fault at all. I’m a veteran, and I had been through something like that plenty of times in my career. The referee treated me like a rookie instead of the two-time world champion I am.”

The official time of the stoppage was 50 seconds into the sixth round.

Russell has now stopped all 16 of his opponents.

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