On March 1 (March 2 Japan time), at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, a Premier Boxing Champions event featured the WBA World Super Lightweight Title Match. Champion José Valenzuela (USA) — 14 wins (9 KOs), 2 losses — defended his title against WBA No. 5 contender Gary Antuanne Russell (USA) — 17 wins (17 KOs), 1 loss. Russell won the bout by unanimous decision.
It was a southpaw vs. southpaw matchup. In the first round, Russell applied pressure with fast jabs and combinations in close range. Valenzuela responded while moving with jabs of his own and showed willingness to engage at close quarters. In round two, Russell slipped past Valenzuela’s jab and landed a right hook up close. In round three, Valenzuela threw a left straight off the jab and landed body shots with both hands, while Russell returned fire with body shots and a right hook.
Round four saw both fighters exchange body blows and counters, with Valenzuela landing a counter left straight against Russell’s jab and one-two. In round five, Russell continued to press forward, mixing up jabs and left straights to the head and body, and following with a right hook from the body.
In round six, Russell launched fast, rhythmical combinations, overwhelming Valenzuela, who began to slow down. In round seven, Russell stayed on the attack with compact combinations, landing a clean left uppercut followed by a right hook in the last 30 seconds. Round eight saw Russell applying pressure and chasing Valenzuela with flurries. Valenzuela looked for counters but was outworked by Russell’s volume.
In round nine, Russell used light combinations to draw Valenzuela in before landing a clean right hook, then followed with a barrage of punches. In round ten, Valenzuela’s jab missed the mark, while Russell maintained control with rapid-fire combinations. In round eleven, Russell landed a left straight and launched a flurry, while Valenzuela responded with a left uppercut and straight. Still, Russell kept coming forward with relentless combinations.
In the final round, the doctor checked Valenzuela at the bell. Looking for a comeback, Valenzuela pressed forward and landed a left straight, but Russell fired back, and both men exchanged punches until the final bell.
The judges scored the fight 120–108, 119–109, 119–109 — a dominant unanimous decision victory for Gary Antuanne Russell, who captured the WBA world title.
It’s exciting to think about how a Japanese boxer might find a way to overcome Russell, who showed such steady control throughout the fight!
This article has been translated and published with permission from BOXING MASTER.
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