Gary Antuanne Russell: record, next fight and profile →
Josh Taylor came into the weekend riding one of the best waves in boxing, winning the World Boxing Super Series before finishing unification at Jr. welterweight last year with a commanding performance against Jose Ramirez.
Gary Antuanne Russell Video Interview - Late replacement Hector Garcia performed like the world champion he was substituting for on Saturday night, battering and dropping the highly touted Chris Colbert to earn a unanimous decision win in a 12-round WBA Super Featherweight World Title Eliminator that headlined a thrilling Showtime tripleheader from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Russell, Postol Fight Photos Gallery - Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas - Rising junior welterweight Gary Antuanne Russell (15-0, 15 KOs) was nearly forced to go the distance for the first time. He picked up his biggest career win with a stoppage of former world champion Viktor Postol (31-3, 12 KOs) in the final minute of the tenth round.
Viktor Postol performed admirably with the weight of his world on his shoulders Saturday night. The brave Ukrainian veteran battled Gary Antuanne Russell throughout their 141-pound bout, but the younger, stronger Russell remained unbeaten by recording a questionable stoppage late in the 10th and final round of a fight Russell clearly was winning. Russell dealt well with Postol’s experience and range, landed the more effective punches and won what was a step up in competition by technical knockout at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Viktor Postol is a betting underdog entering his fight against Gary Antuanne Russell on Saturday night. The hard-hitting Russell has knocked out all 14 of his pro opponents. The 25-year-old southpaw is also 13 years younger than Postol, a former WBC super lightweight champion who will end an almost 18-month layoff in a 10-round, 141-pound fight Showtime will televise from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (10 p.m. ET; 7 p.m. PT).
Gary Antuanne Russell isn’t sure if Viktor Postol will emerge as a difficult opponent. The rising junior welterweight does recognize that the former WBC super lightweight champion is just the type of foe he needs to beat to ascend in the 140-pound division. Postol is 38 years old, but he is unequivocally the most accomplished, experienced opponent Russell will have faced in 15 professional fights once they square off Saturday night in the co-feature of a “Showtime Championship Boxing” tripleheader in Las Vegas.
Almost 18 months have passed since Viktor Postol lost a 12-round majority decision to Jose Ramirez, then the unbeaten WBC/WBO 140-pound champion.
Gary Antuanne Russell Video Interview - (video by Ryan Burton) - Unbeaten rising star Chris “Primetime” Colbert and undefeated Dominican Olympian Hector Garcia went face to face at the official weigh-in before they meet in the ring this Saturday, February 26 live on Showtime headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. (photos by Stephanie Trapp)
Russell, Postol Weights Las Vegas Photos Gallery - Unbeaten rising star Chris “Primetime” Colbert and undefeated Dominican Olympian Hector Garcia went face to face at the official weigh-in before they meet in the ring this Saturday, February 26 live on Showtime headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. (photos by Stephanie Trapp)
Hector Garcia had no difficulty making weight Friday for a fight he took on relatively short notice. The Dominican southpaw stepped on the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s scale at 129½ pounds for his 12-round, 130-pound fight against former WBA interim super featherweight champ Chris Colbert on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Brooklyn’s Colbert was a little lighter, 128¾ pounds, when it was his turn to weigh in at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.