Boxing
Gary Antonio Russell delivers another title to his famed boxing family with this clinic against Victor Santillan
Moses vs Hrgovic: Watch only on DAZN PPV - Aug 29
Gary Antonio Russell has just brought more boxing hardware to his family’s name. And he did it with style.
Russell defeated Victor Santillan by unanimous decision to become the new interim WBA super bantamweight champion Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and live on DAZN PPV and Prime Video. Judges scored it 118-109, 119-108, and 119-108 all in favor of Russell, who capped the brilliant performance with a picture-perfect check hook to the temple to drop Santillan in the opening seconds of the 12th round.
The victory has Russell (22-1, 13 KOs) joining his brothers, WBA super lightweight champ Gary Antuanne Russell and former featherweight titleholder Gary Russell Jr., as world champions from the famed boxing family. Russell Jr. served as the trainer and corner coach for his younger brother.
Fighting on an attraction bout as part of the main card headlined by Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez Jr., Gary Antonio Russell greeted stalking from Santillan by superbly boxing out of the clinch and with distance via crisp counter combinations that landed flush to the Dominican Republic fighter’s head. When Russell wasn’t landing cleanly upstairs, he was depositing sweeping, thwacking blows to Santillan’s body.
Santillan just didn’t have any requisite answers to solve the complexities that Russell’s ring generalship and sharp combos presented.
With the victory, Russell becomes an instant challenger in trying to unseat Naoya Inoue’s undisputed throne at 122 pounds.
But he'll have competition in trying to line up a shot against 'The Monster' first. WBC featherweight world champion Bruce 'Shu Shu' Carrington would welcome Inoue for a mega bout.
