Gary Russell Jr (Mr.) pugile

Gary Allen Russell Jr. (born June 5, 1988) is an American professional boxer who held the WBC featherweight title from 2015 to 2022. As of June 2021, he is ranked as the world's best active featherweight by The Ring magazine, BoxRec, and by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.As an amateur, Russell won a bantamweight bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships. In 2011, he was named Prospect of the Year by The Ring, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN.Russell's quest for a medal ended prematurely as he missed the Olympic weigh-in hours after losing consciousness in his Olympic Village dorm room.Gary ended his amateur career with a record of 163-10.Russell Jr. made his professional debut against Antonio Reyes on January 16, 2009. He amassed a 24–0 record during the next five years, with fourteen of those fights coming by way of stoppage.On March 20, 2014, the WBO ordered Russell Jr. to face Vasiliy Lomachenko for the vacant featherweight title. As the two sides were unable to come to terms regarding the fight, a purse bid was called, which Golden Boy won with a bid of $1,052,500, while Top Rank bid $1,050,000. The fight took place on 21 June at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. Lomachenko defeated Russell Jr. via twelve-round majority decision to win the vacant WBO featherweight title. Judge Lisa Giampa scored the fight a 114–114 draw, but judges Max DeLuca and Pat Russell scored the fight 116–112 in favour of Lomachenko. The fight averaged 578,000 viewers.