Photo edit by John Garita/Round By Round Boxing
For the past three years, Gary Russell Jr. has been the proverbial prospect of the year. The Washington, D.C. native is only 25 years old, but with a resume full of cab drivers, fans have grown increasingly impatient with his development.
Is he the truth or simply a hype job?
By most accounts, Russell Jr. is a soft-spoken guy with a quiet and confident demeanor. He has some of, if not the fastest hands in the sport of boxing and is in tip-top shape each time he steps into the ring.
With a record that stands at 24-0, 14 KOs, Russell Jr. has made every bout look easy.
But while other young prospects such as Adrien Broner and Canelo Alvarez have tried their hand against some of the best fighters in the sport, Russell Jr.’s progression has gone at a snail’s pace.
Injuries and inactivity have also plagued Russell Jr.’s growth, leaving pundits wondering if the talented fighter will ever reach his championship destination.
Enter two-time Olympic gold medalist, Vasyl Lomachenko.
The Ukranian fighter only has two professional bouts, but in his third match—against Russell Jr.—he will be fighting for his second crack at the WBO lightweight title.
Lomachenko’s career has been the complete opposite of Russell Jr.’s. It can be easily stated that his two opponents—Jose Ramirez and Orlando Salido—are better than all of Russell Jr.’s 24 challengers.
It’s not often that fans get to see two highly-skilled fighters tangle in their prime, let alone ones from opposite sides of the Cold War trenches.
Most intriguing of all is that with a win over Lomachenko on June 21, 2014, Russell Jr. has a chance to validate his talent and prove to everyone that while he was never on schedule, he has always been on time.
Let us know who you think will win this exciting matchup between Gary Russell Jr. and Vasyl Lomachenko.
