Lamont Roach Jnr is willing to face one of the fighting Gary Russells. Just not the one who is calling him out.

The one calling Roach out is former featherweight titleholder Gary Russell Jnr, 32-2 (19 KOs). 

The 37-year-old recently returned to the ring for the first time since January 2022 – a period in which Russell’s father died, the namesake son assumed the role of patriarch for the family, and began raising the children of a younger brother, Gary “Boosa” Russell who passed away in 2020.

Russell looked good despite the long layoff, winning a 10th-round technical knockout on the preliminary undercard of the Mario Barrios-Manny Pacquiao pay-per-view. The caveat is that Russell’s foe was the 15-2-1 Hugo Castaneda.

Russell has called out many names over the years, though he has not succeeded in getting them in the ring. Then again, Russell has rarely been in the ring himself over the years, famous for his inactivity even before the family tragedies. 

Among the people Russell has spoken of is Roach – who is also from the Washington, D.C., region and has been a regular target of late.

Roach, however, is having none of it.

“Only Gary Russell I’m fighting is Gary Antwaune [sic] Russell,” Roach posted on X, referring to WBA junior welterweight titleholder Gary Antuanne Russell, 18-1 (17 KOs). “What I look like coming off a robbery draw with a pound-for-pound talent [Gervonta Davis] to fighting a 38 [year old] who just had his first fight in 3.5 years? The other lil mf can beat it. That’s what people below you suppose to do, call out the best.”

Russell Jnr came in at 131.5lbs for the Castaneda bout. Roach, 25-1-2 (10 KOs) holds a WBA title belt at junior lightweight but fought Davis to a draw at lightweight in March. Davis-Roach II was initially expected to take place on August 16, a date that was already in question before Davis was arrested for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend. A new date for the rematch is yet to be announced. 

(Unmentioned for obvious reasons was junior featherweight Gary Antonio Russell.)

If Gary Russell Jnr can’t yet trade punches with Roach in the ring, he can at least retort on social media:

“We see why you running scared,” Russell posted on X. “You know it’s different over here. We played in the ring and did whateva we wanted after a 3.5 layoff just to remind whoeva forgot. It’s levels for a reason.”

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.