On April 16, 2016, Gary Russell Jr. (27-1, 16 KOs) defended his WBC Featherweight title for the first time with a second-round knockout victory against Patrick Hyland (35-2, 15 KOs at the at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
The scheduled 12-round fight headlined a two-fight telecast of Showtime Championship Boxing.
Russell, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, began the fight by unleashing an assault of quick jabs, which looked extremely fast when compared to Hyland’s.
As Hyland, a native of Ireland, slowly looked for opportunities to land shots, Russell began landing quick counter-shots from his southpaw stance.
Russell ended the first round with his quick jab and a few hard combinations.
Then, in Round 2, Russell scored the first knockdown of the fight with a hard left hand to the body that he followed with a right hook to Hyland’s chin.
Russell, smelling blood, quickly looked to finish the job with another right hook that dropped Hyland.
The referee, giving him another chance, allowed Hyland to continue, but it only lead to another combination, ending with a short right hook that ended matters right there.
In his post-fight interview, Russell called out Leo Santa Cruz and Lee Selby, but he placed more emphasis on a possible rematch against Vasyl Lomachenko, telling Showtime’s Jim Gray that he’d follow him to any weight class.
Doesn't matter when or where, but @mrgaryrusselljr wants a rematch against @vasyllomachenko #Boxing pic.twitter.com/2dtn9hMIvZ
— RoundByRoundBoxing (@RBRBoxing) April 17, 2016
“I’m ready to fight anyone in the division–Santa Cruz, Lee Selby. We are ready. But what I really want is [Vasyl] Lomachenko. I don’t care if he moves up to 147 pounds. I will go anywhere to get that fight,” said Russell.
Who would you like to see Russell fight next? Let us know in the comments section.
Check out Russell’s knockout victory below:
