Really feeling an "upset' here. Gary has been feasting on mostly mediocre opposition once a year for too long...
Russell's opponent only had one fight in both 2018 and 2019, so he isn't the most active fighter either.
Because he has talent and has wasted his prime money-making years on a once-a-year fight schedule. And now he's defending against a fighter who is 11-0 and hasn't fought in over a year. This never would have been allowed years ago. This would have been simply a non-title tuneup fight. A quick way for the champ to earn a payday while staying fit for a real challenge. It burns me when I think of some truly great contenders from years ago who fought their hearts out and ended up rotting on the vine while waiting for a title shot that never came their way. One could say that this is the way it is today, but it still feels like neglect and abusing his opportunities and talent.
I would have to disagree. Gary russel has a warriors mentality, he'll fight anybody. He can't help it if the top guys in and around his division refuse to sign the contract. That could be the fighters themselves or their promoters, the result is the same nonetheless. From what I understand the guy he is fighting is very good and is a an Olympic medalist, so you may just get your wish.
They don't refuse to sign the contract. A contract is never sent out in the first place. Russel has been quoted saying he doesn't like Boxing, and fights for money only, which Haymon is more than happy to give him once a year in bouts such as these.
The only person I have ever heard say that top fighters won't fight GRJ is.... GRJ. He fought one top fighter and got his azz handed to him convincingly. He has no fanbase, and is highly overpaid for fighting significantly overmatched fighters who get signed 2 weeks before the fight. Because of that, in GRJ eyes he expects to be paid like a king so when a real threat comes along asking a fair price he probably rationalizes it as the other fighter "pricing themselves out" or something. No top fighter is afraid of a part time T-Rex, glass handed fighter. When will fight fans stop believing these social media "call outs"? It's all just talk and GRJ does a LOT more of that than he does actual fighting.
I have never heard him say he doesn't like boxing. I would like to see the context in which he made that comment. I have heard him say many times how he has always been a very guy and boxing has been right up his alley being as though he can get paid to fight and not get in trouble. He has said he has 5-6 fights left before he hangs them up and wants to monetize that to the best of his ability. I've heard him say he doesn't like the "politics and business" side of boxing at times. Many fighters are getting smarter in regards to their money and how long they anticipate staying around and taking unnecessary punishment. Gary has been fighting since he was 7yrs old as a lot of fighters have. Why has Santa Cruz not fought him, he's been calling him out for years...Tank,etc.. He fought and beat Jo jo and he took on Lomo as well. He wants to take meaningful fights for money...nothing wrong with that. If he can't he has to take the best available even if that means having to wait several months to a year at times. I think as fans we often see things from our own perspective. These fighters risk their health every day and its nothing wrong with being strategic in taking your fights. I have heard him call out many guys and don't think he fears getting in the ring with any of them. I just think boxing politics get in the way sometimes.
His record suggests he has anything but a warrior's mentality. Roberto Duran and Victor Galindez had a warrior's mentality. They would defend their titles 3 times a year and throw in a couple of non-titles as well. Now that's a warrior's mentality. Armando Muniz fought 9 times in 1972 and the commission had to suspend him just to give him a rest. That is a warrior's mentality. Not once a year and then go sun yourself on a beach for the next 11 months. If he can't get fights, then he needs a new manager or a new promoter because there are a lot more fighters out there than this 11-0 set-up he's fighting tonight.
If you've heard him in interviews, he's pretty unlikeable. He's very arrogant, no personality and he vastly overrates himself. That said I think he wins tonight comfortably.
