By Mike Coppinger
Gary Russell Jr. has been of the most tantalizing prospects since he represented the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic Games, but he's been moved as a pro at glacial pace.
Russell said he's "not at all" bothered by the constant criticism, and he feels Al Haymon's plan played out perfectly.
"You know it comes with the territory," Russell told BoxingScene.com. "We played our cards the way we wanted to play them. We wanted to get to 23-, 24-0 before we competed for a world title and this is where we’re at. We definitely had a plan all along and (the critics) are going to see the benefits of our plan on June 21."
Russell has a point: many fighters are moved far too quickly, their careers ruined. If Russell beats Vasyl Lomachenko on Saturday, his detractors will have nothing more to say -- Russell will be a world champion.
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