Within the Tank vs Roach co-main occasion, Gary Antuanne Russell (18-1, 17 KOs) cruised to a unanimous 12-round resolution to win his first world championship by dethroning now-former WBA Tremendous Light-weight World Champion José “Rayo” Valenzuela (14-3, 9 KOs).
The 28-year-old Russell admitted to feeling offended by Valenzuela’s pre-fight competition that he was “nothing particular,” and, as promised, got here out firing from the opening bell with pace, energy in each arms and an unrelenting stress, which allowed him to dominate the motion whereas successfully muting Valenzuela’s traditional offensive fireworks in return.
After 5 clear rounds for Russell to start the motion, Valenzuela’s nook implored him to select up the aggression after spherical six, however the 25-year-old’s try to provoke extra exchanges left him briefly shocked by an uppercut and follow-up hook from Russell late in spherical seven.
A left-right mixture appeared to stun Valenzuela once more in spherical eight and lumped up his proper eye.
Russell turned up his aggression in spherical 9, as he battered Valenzuela across the ring with each arms all through the stanza and outlanded him 20-4 in energy punches. The ringside doctor elected to take a look on the champion earlier than the beginning of spherical 10 and once more earlier than rounds 11 and 12.
Valenzuela’s coach, Robert Garcia, implored him to not come out for the ultimate spherical, however the now-former champion refused. To his credit score, Valenzuela was in a position to ship Russell’s mouthpiece flying with a hook within the last body.
Russell overwhelmed Valenzuela, throwing 957 punches and touchdown 252. Russell averaged 80 punches thrown and 21 punches landed per spherical. Valenzuela averaged 37 and 11 respectively. Valenzuela was by no means within the combat as mirrored by the judges’ scores: 119-109, 119-109, and 120-108- all for Russell.
“I need to thank god,” stated Russell, post-fight. “This can be a small steppingstone. I’m going for the remainder of the belts. I really like y’all for supporting us. Thanks for making this area a grand area. I did it for DC and my household. We onto the subsequent!”
When requested in regards to the secret of his success, Russell stated, “A rule of thumb in my career is you must comply with directions. My brother at all times informed me, the distinction between nice and good is inches or centimeters and the flexibility to supply, as a result of that what it takes.”
Alluding to being referred to as nothing particular, Russell claimed the perceived sleight added extra gas to the fireplace. “It motivated me a hell of loads,” he stated. “On this sport, you must be dominant. You need to have a mentality that’s tough, and he introduced it out of me. I had the best dance accomplice in entrance of me and I’m glad he gave me the chance. I informed him to maintain that very same power as a result of I’m bringing it within the ring.
“My father can be happy with me,” he concluded. “This can be a steppingstone. This can be a marathon. In a marathon, you come throughout the desk with some water, however that’s only a pitstop so you may preserve going to the subsequent. I’m coming!”
“It simply wasn’t my evening tonight,” stated a upset Valenzuela. “His pace received to me a bit of bit, and I used to be gradual on my ft. No excuses, I’ve to make changes. I’ve to return to the drafting board now, come out stronger from this and bounce again like I do know I can.”
Pay-per-view motion additionally noticed WBC World Tremendous Light-weight Champion Alberto “La Avispa” Puello (24-0, 10 KOs) of the Dominican Republic defend his title with an in depth 12-round break up resolution over Spain’s Sandor Martin (42-4, 15 KOs).
Martin instantly began the all-southpaw battle by coming ahead, making use of stress, and was in a position to land a number of efficient punches to the pinnacle and physique of the undefeated champion.
The 31-year-old Martin complained to coach Rafael Martin he was seeing double out of his proper eye after spherical two, however seemingly unhindered, got here out firing prolonged barrages of exhausting punches in an thrilling spherical three.
Usually a tough stylistic puzzle to unravel, Puello was in a position to land the occasional counterpunch towards Martin however continued to appear uncomfortable with the Spaniard’s free-swinging aggression and efficient defensive motion all through a lot of the center rounds.
Making changes, 30-year-old Puello started to seek out extra success in spherical eight, touchdown sharp counters and letting his arms go extra usually with fast mixtures on a slowly fading Martin. Puello appeared to briefly damage Martin with a left to the physique in spherical 11.
Martin suffered a minimize on his proper eye throughout a intently contested last spherical, finally scored in Puello’s favor by all three judges.
A intently fought contest all through, the combatants have been separated by three or fewer landed punches in 9 of the twelve rounds. Puello landed 36 extra jabs than Martin, whereas Martin landed 48 extra energy punches than Puello. Martin had a 86-43 edge in physique punches landed. One choose scored the combat 115-113 for Martin, whereas the opposite two judges scored the combat 115-113 and 116-112 for Puello.
Opening up the pay-per-view, fast-rising Cuban slugger Yoenis “El Bandolero” Tellez (10-0, 7 KOs) confirmed a veteran’s endurance and poise whereas dominating former IBF World Tremendous Welterweight Champion Julian “J Rock” Williams (29-5-1, 17 KOs) by way of 12-round unanimous resolution to win the interim WBA Tremendous Welterweight Championship.
The extra skilled 34-year-old Williams was in a position to stifle a lot of the offense of his 24-year-old foe, particularly within the first half of the combat, through the use of fixed movement and selecting his spots, however couldn’t muster sufficient of his personal offense to sway the momentum.
Unfazed, Tellez upped the stress starting in spherical seven and was in a position to lump up Williams’ face with thudding hooks and uppercuts, whereas additionally sinking a number of hooks to the physique. Williams was minimize over the left eye in spherical three and was pressured to go to the ringside doctor for a examine of his facial injury earlier than spherical 11.
Williams, who was coming off a 13-month layoff, fought competitively and by no means gave the impression to be critically damage, however was bested by Tellez in each stat class tracked by CompuBox.
Tellez related on 30% of his jabs and 44% of his energy punches, whereas limiting Williams to connecting on 27% of his punches. Tellez additionally landed 47 extra physique punches than Williams.
The judges scored the combat 118-110, 117-111, and 119-109- all for Tellez.
Previous the pay-per-view, a three-fight PBC on Prime Video preliminary lineup was topped by a 10-round middleweight bout that will have been the ultimate ring look of 34-year-old former IBF World Tremendous Welterweight Champion Jarrett “Swift” Hurd (25-4-1, 17 KOs) of Accokeek, MD, as he suffered a split-decision loss to Venezuelan energy puncher Johan “The Chelo Manotas” González (36-4, 34 KOs).
Using roughhouse ways and discovering frequent success with a robust looping proper hand, González outworked and roughed up Hurd within the majority of rounds. Hurd began complaining early on about Gonzalez main together with his head, and referee Charlie Fitch was satisfied to challenge a robust warning for González in spherical seven. Nonetheless, Hurd appeared to not have the reflexes wanted to reply his opponent’s more durable photographs successfully.
The scores have been 96-94 and 98-92 for González, which overruled the remaining choose’s resolution of 96-94 in favor of Hurd.
“Hear man, God is sweet and each fighters made it out wholesome,” stated Hurd, combating again tears post-fight. “This was my first time combating somebody with three arms, however I’m a person of my phrase. This would be the final time you all will see me. Thanks for the love and help. I had a beautiful profession.”
In a six-round welterweight battle between undefeated prospects, 19-year-old David “The Bodysnatcher” Whitmire (9-0, 6 KOs) prevailed with a transparent, however aggressive, unanimous resolution over 22-year-old Ángel “Machete” Muñoz (7-1, 5 KOs) as all three judges scored the combat 60-54 in favor of Whitmore. In an energetic battle all through, the pair threw over 800 mixed punches. Nonetheless, Whitmire used his three-inch attain benefit, educated jab and highly effective two-handed salvos to the physique to regulate the motion.
Kicking off the livestream, undefeated Deric “Scooter” Davis (6-0, 6 KOs) displayed his energy by knocking out Jamal Johnson (2-1, 1 KO) within the first spherical. The 22-year-old from Fort Washington, MD, dropped the undefeated, however outgunned, Johnson twice with sharp left hooks within the opening spherical, with the second knockdown being sufficient to persuade referee Ricky Gonzalez to cease the combat at 1:56.
The occasion was promoted by GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions.
