The fight between Gary Antuanne Russell and Alberto Puello will take place on the night of June 16 in Las Vegas, USA. The interim WBC super lightweight title (up to 63.5 kg) will be on the line.
Gary Antuanne Russell
USA
27 y.o.
Weight Class: Super Lightweight (up to 63.5 kg)
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 17 wins, 17 by knockout, and 0 losses
Knockout Percentage: 100%
Total Career Rounds: 46
Height: 178 cm
Reach: 175 cm
Last Fights:
1st round KO win – Jose Marrufo
6th round RTD win – Jovanie Santiago
10th round TKO win – Viktor Postol
6th round TKO win – Rances Barthelemy
1st round KO win – Kent Cruz
Knockout percentage in the last fights: 100%
Total rounds in the last fights: 24
Combined record of last opponents at the time of fighting Gary: 102 wins, 14 losses, 7 draws
Alberto Puello
Dominican Republic
29 y.o.
Weight Class: Super Lightweight (up to 63.5 kg)
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 22 wins, 10 by knockout, and 0 losses
Knockout Percentage: 45.45%
Total Career Rounds: 152
Height: 175 cm
Reach: 180 cm
Last Fights:
6th round KO win – Cristian Coria
Unanimous decision win – Jesus Rubio
Unanimous decision win – VeShawn Owens
Split decision win – Botirzhon Akhmedov
Unanimous decision win – Ector Madera
Knockout percentage in the last fights: 20%
Total rounds in the last fights: 48
Combined record of last opponents at the time of fighting Alberto: 75 wins, 13 losses, 3 draws
Fight Background
Russell has long been poised to enter the elite ranks of the super lightweight division. His record is impressive, though it sometimes conceals challenging moments.
For example, his stoppage victory over Viktor Postol. There were questions about whether the fight should have been stopped. Russell became the first to stop the Ukrainian (even Terence Crawford couldn't do that), but the situation didn't seem critical from an outside perspective. Or his bout against Barthelemy, where Rances landed a significant punch early on, causing concern in Gary's corner.
On the other hand, Russell has always emerged victorious, maintaining his perfect knockout record. Fans would love to see him face champions and top contenders in one of the best divisions in boxing right now.
However, to reach the title, even an interim one, he must first get past the experienced Puello. While Alberto lacks explosive power, he knows how to work smartly against opponents, combining attacks and transitioning from body to head while using his reach advantage. Puello is a tough opponent, making it challenging not only to maintain a perfect knockout record but also to secure a title that could lead Russell to top-tier opponents.