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Thread: Russell focused on Gonzalez's title

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    Default Russell focused on Gonzalez's title

    Russell focused on Gonzalez's title

    Featherweight Gary Russell Jr. is getting a second chance to fight for a world title, and he doesn't intend to need a third one.
    "I'm ready and in shape. In the ring I'm omnipresent. I'm going to change all those pictures on that belt," Russell said. "I feel the same going into this fight as I always do, and I expect the outcome to be the same as always, that I will come out on top."
    Russell will challenge Jhonny Gonzalez for his crown on Saturday night (Showtime, 10 ET) at the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, nine months after his first disappointing crack at a 126-pound world title.
    In June, Russell, a 2008 U.S. Olympian and the 2011 ESPN.com prospect of the year, squared off with Ukraine's Vasyl Lomachenko, a 2008 and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, for a vacant title in Carson, California. Russell lost a decision as Lomachenko outclassed him in a surprisingly one-sided fight.
    Gonzalez-Russell

    Where: Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas
    When: Saturday, 10 p.m. ET
    TV: Showtime


    Although one judge had the fight a draw, the general consensus was that Lomachenko cleaned Russell's clock in a fight that was not competitive. Even Russell, displaying a refreshing attitude, had no doubt that Lomachenko won.
    "I'd definitely say that I lost the fight," Russell said this week.
    Not that Russell was trying to detract from Lomachenko's outstanding performance, but Russell said he made some changes in his training that were a mistake.
    "The only thing that came to my mind was the fact that I just lost my first professional fight, and I sort of saw the reason why I lost -- it was because I wasn't able to do what it was that I normally do," Russell said. "In my fight with Lomachenko I was flat. A lot of things went wrong in camp before that fight. I allowed my conditioning coach at that time to change up all sorts of little things with me, and they wound up working against me."
    Russell said one of the things he did before the fight with Lomachenko was spending a lot of time in a sauna in the two or three days before the fight as he was cutting weight. He said it was a mistake.
    "Even when it came to the way that we cut weight, it was different. Leading up to the fight, we were in a sauna two, maybe three days leading all the way up into the fight. That's what my strength and conditioning coach wanted me to do," Russell said. "Anyone that's seen that fight, whether it was Lomachenko or anyone else, they've seen the difference in my punching ability, my endurance, my speed, just me as a person.
    "People knew that that wasn't the Gary Russell Jr. that they'd seen the previous 24 fights. And that was some of the things that came up in the Lomachenko fight. I was completely tired and fatigued in the first round."
    Russell (25-1, 14 KOs), 26, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, who rebounded from the loss with 10-round shutout decision against Christopher Martin in December, said he went back to the way he has always done things as he prepared to fight Gonzalez (57-8, 48 KOs), 33, of Mexico, who will be making the third defense of the title he won by upset first-round knockout of Abner Mares in August 2013.
    "For this camp, we went back to basics with the same people I've always had," Russell said. "It was a great camp. You know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and that's the philosophy all of us have again.
    [+] EnlargeTom Hogan/Hoganphotos/Golden BoyGary Russell Jr., left, lost his first title shot against Vasyl Lomachenko in June.


    "I never dreamed growing up of being a world champion. My goal was to become a U.S. Olympian and win a gold medal. When I didn't, I felt I let so many people down. It was then I started dreaming of becoming a world champion. I get another chance on Saturday. I'm ready for it."
    In Showtime's opening bout, junior middleweight Jermell Charlo (25-0, 11 KOs), 24, of Houston, and Vanes Martirosyan (35-1-1, 21 KOs), 28, of Glendale, California, square off in a 10-round battle of contenders that should move the winner closer to a world title bout.
    Gonzalez and Lomachenko have entirely different styles. While Lomachenko fights at a measured pace, is quick-handed, has a tight defense and is very accurate with his punches, Gonzalez is a gunslinger. He's slow but aggressive, throws big punches and will usually get his opponent -- unless they touch his chin first.
    Russell, a southpaw, and his father/trainer Gary Russell Sr. went to school on Gonzalez by studying his tapes.
    "I respect Jhonny Gonzalez like I respect all my opponents. He worked hard to win the title. I have studied tape of him. I know he is going to come right after me," the younger Russell said. "Gonzalez is a puncher. But I'm a good puncher too. He's been knocked out before. Maybe he'll get knocked out again.
    "I can do a lot of things in the ring. Of course, my youth and speed will be keys but I have other attributes, too, like boxing acumen, ring generalship and what I call controlled chaos. I can move and punch and I'm thinking all the time in there. Gonzalez and Lomachenko are totally different fighters with completely different styles. Lomachenko may be a bit better overall, but Gonzalez is more of a pure puncher with power. I know Gonzalez has a dangerous left hook. But I'm totally prepared for that and everything else."
    Russell's greatest attribute is his speed -- hand and foot. It is second to none in boxing today.
    Gonzalez is not in the same league when it comes to speed and he sounds like he knows it, as does Nacho Beristain, his Hall of Fame trainer.
    "Everyone says it is my power against his speed, but anything can happen in a fight," Gonzalez said. "The media thinks I'm done. They say Russell is too fast for me. I'm an underdog in this fight. While I don't let any of the talk bother me, it does give me more motivation to prove to the people that I am for real and that I am a good fighter, fight in and fight out."
    Said Beristain: "I expect a very difficult fight against a southpaw who is very fast. Gary Russell is a great fighter; I like him. Jhonny knows what he has to do. He has to throw punches, maintain constant pressure and cut off the ring. That's the way to help overcome Russell's speed."
    That is why Gonzalez did not shy away from the fact he will be looking for a knockout.





    "I am absolutely looking for the knockout, and I believe I will get it," he said. "I don't expect this fight to go the distance. I am going to pressure him from the opening bell. My conditioning and confidence is at an all-time high."
    Russell and his father said they respect Gonzalez's power but that the speed difference will be the key to a title victory.
    "I don't think that he's going to be able to deal with my speed," Russell said. "I think we'll be able to do it with my speed. He's always been slow in the speed [department]. Even though he's been a puncher, a lot of punchers have to really sit [down] to actually apply these punches efficiently.
    "I think he lacks the ring generalship as far as the footwork goes that he would need -- the foot quickness. And a lot of his shots are a little wide. So I'll be able to outpunch him and be able to punch him between his shots."
    Said Russell Sr.: "Gary's speed is going to be the difference. Speed kills. After the camp we've had, we expect Gary to come out and do what he knows how to do. They talk a lot about Gonzalez's punching power, but Gary can whack too, along with his overall hand and foot speed and overall ability.
    "We went back to our old routine in training and I can tell you Gary feels a whole lot better now. He's primed for a big effort on Saturday. We all are."

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    Gonzalez turned out to have a glass chin.. Looked old and out of shape..
    Has gotten knocked out too many times...
    Russell looked ok.. but needs a rematch with Lomachenko to make amends
    for that bad loss..

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