Gary Russell One Win Away From Comeback Title At US Boxing Olympic Trials
Gary Russell One Win Away From Comeback Title At US Boxing Olympic Trials
Gary Russell scored a unanimous decision over Jaron Ennis to set up a winner-take-all rematch for the light welterweight title at the US Boxing Olympic Trials.
Light Welterweight Gary Russell flipped the script on Jaron Ennis, scoring a unanimous decision to set up a winner-take-all rematch for the title during the US Boxing Olympic Trials on Saturday in Reno.
Russell, who is hoping to become the third Trials champion in his family, lost to Ennis in a split decision on the opening day of the Trials last Monday. That knocked him into the challengers bracket and on a path few have navigated successfully.
Only Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather, and Gary Russell Jr. – Russell’s older brother – have ever lost in the first round and come back through the challenger’s bracket to win the Olympic Trials.
In 2007, his older brother, Gary Russell Jr., lost to Roberto Marroquin in the first round – his first loss to an American in eight years – before rebounding to win the bantamweight division. The younger Russell has now won five straight bouts since his opening defeat to Ennis.
In other action, five winners bracket champions secured Trials gold with victories on Saturday.
Heading that list was Cam F. Awesome, the 2012 Olympic Trials champion at super heavyweight, who steamrolled his way through the heavyweight bracket, culminating in a 3-0 decision over Darae Crane for his second straight Trials title.
Other fighters to go unbeaten through the Trials were Shakur Stevenson at bantamweight, Charles Conwell at middleweight, Jonathan Esquivel at light heavyweight and upstart Marlo Moore at super heavyweight.
Russell, who is hoping to become the third Trials champion in his family, lost to Ennis in a split decision on the opening day of the Trials last Monday. That knocked him into the challengers bracket and on a path few have navigated successfully.
Only Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather, and Gary Russell Jr. – Russell’s older brother – have ever lost in the first round and come back through the challenger’s bracket to win the Olympic Trials.
In 2007, his older brother, Gary Russell Jr., lost to Roberto Marroquin in the first round – his first loss to an American in eight years – before rebounding to win the bantamweight division. The younger Russell has now won five straight bouts since his opening defeat to Ennis.
In other action, five winners bracket champions secured Trials gold with victories on Saturday.
Heading that list was Cam F. Awesome, the 2012 Olympic Trials champion at super heavyweight, who steamrolled his way through the heavyweight bracket, culminating in a 3-0 decision over Darae Crane for his second straight Trials title.
Other fighters to go unbeaten through the Trials were Shakur Stevenson at bantamweight, Charles Conwell at middleweight, Jonathan Esquivel at light heavyweight and upstart Marlo Moore at super heavyweight.
Day 6 Results
Light flyweight (108 lbs.)
- Leroy Davila (Princeton, NJ) dec. Nico Hernandez (Wichita, KS), 3-0?
Flyweight (114 lbs.)
- Antonio Vargas (Kissimmee, FL) dec. Brent Venegas (Sacramento, CA), 3-0?
Bantamweight (123 lbs.)
- Shakur Stevenson (Newark, NJ) dec. Ruben Villa (Salinas, CA), 3-0?
Lightweight (132 lbs.)
- Teofimo Lopez (Davie, FL) dec. Maliek Montgomery (Macon, GA), 2-1?
Light Welterweight (141 lbs.)
- Gary Russell (Capitol Heights, MD) dec. Jaron Ennis (Philadelphia, PA), 3-0?
Welterweight (152 lbs.)
- Paul Kroll (Philadelphia, PA) dec. Ardreal Holmes (Flint, MI), 3-0?
Middleweight (165 lbs.)
- Charles Conwell (Cleveland Heights, OH) dec. Leshawn Rodriquez (Medford, NY), 3-0?
Light heavyweight (178 lbs.)
- Jonathan Esquivel (Anaheim, CA) dec. Elvis Figueroa (New Haven, CT), 3-0 ?
Heavyweight (201 lbs.)
- Cam F. Awesome (Lenexa, KS) dec. DaRae Crane (Colorado Springs, CO), 3-0?
Super heavyweight (201+ lbs.)
- Marlo Moore (Hayward, CA) dec. Brandon Lynch (Albany, NY), 3-0