“Killer” Gary Antuanne Russell Weighs In, Ready for Sunday’s Bout

Today, American super lightweight prospect “Killer” Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) and former WBA super lightweight champion Dominican boxer Alberto Puello (22-0, 10 KOs) faced off at the weigh-in ceremony at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. On June 16, Beijing time, they will square off in a 12-round super lightweight contest for the vacant WBC super lightweight interim title, serving as an important undercard bout leading up to the Davis vs. Martin main event. Russell weighed in at 138.2 pounds, while his opponent came in at 139.8 pounds, both making weight successfully.

The 28-year-old Gary Antuanne Russell boasts an unblemished professional record of 17 wins with 17 knockouts, currently ranked 13th by BOXREC in the 140-pound division. Standing at 1.78 meters tall with a reach of 1.75 meters, he fights from the southpaw stance and is the younger brother of former WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. (31-2, 18 KOs).

Russell has fought 46 rounds in his 17 professional bouts, with eight of his 17 knockouts occurring in the first round. In recent years, he has impressively knocked out former world champions Postol and Barthelemy, displaying an aggressive style. Notably, Antuanne Russell defeated current IBF welterweight champion Jaron Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) twice in their amateur days.

Alberto Puello, aged 29, holds an undefeated record of 22 wins, with 10 of those victories coming by way of knockout, ranking 32nd by BOXREC in the 140-pound class. The 1.75-meter-tall fighter with an 1.80-meter reach also fights as a southpaw. Previously, he was the WBA super lightweight champion, but his title was stripped due to inactivity. The odds are in favor of Russell at 1-5. If Russell emerges victorious, the WBC is expected to promptly order a mandatory bout between him and the current WBC champion Devin Haney (31-1, 15 KOs).

In an earlier match, WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames (23-1, 18 KOs), also from the Dominican Republic, will take on Terrell Gausha (24-3-1, 12 KOs). The WBC recently stripped Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) of his formal 160-pound title for not engaging in a mandatory bout and showing no intention to do so. Gausha has previously lost on points to Lara, Ruben, and Tim Tszyu.